Scoring System for Kata (forms) you use?

[Nidan Melbourne]

Whether it is in the dojo or at tournaments what way of scoring the kata do you use? Flags to announce the winner of each round or awarding a score to each competitor.

FOR CLARIFICATION:

FLAGS

- Two competitors perform their kata, 1 person wears AKA (Red) and the other Ao (Blue)

- Both competitors will either perform their kata at same time or have AKA go first and Ao go second.

- At end of the 2nd kata (or when both finish if done at same time) the referee and judges will raise the flag (that is colored blue or red) that they are voting for.

- For competitions:

- multiple rounds, each round each competitor that is in has to perform a different kata.

SCORING SYSTEM (with numbers):

- competitors wear their current rank

- Competitors perform only 1 kata and get scored on it

- only 1 round

- competitor with highest score wins

Now i know these aren't the only ways of scoring. What way do you do it?

At my dojo we use a version of the Flag Scoring System but have our students just wear their normal ranks (Obviously!!!). But since we don't have flags to announce winner, we will assign the title of Aka to one and Ao to the other; The person who is standing on the right facing us will be Aka and the one on the left will be Ao.

[Hawkmoon]

What is done today I cannot say to be honest, I've not competed in a kata competition for years!

...and am not actively seeking to compete in them just now...

My return to Kyokushin after my overly long break has shown me a few things that have changed, and I suspect the way kata competitions are run is possibly another change I've yet to experience!

Years ago when I was competing in kata competition we were judged by the the "scoring system" you describe but it was done over two rounds.

The second round would be the top scorers (Top 6 if I remember correctly) from the earlier round compete with a second kata.

[Harkon72]

We have the two kata in each round performed side by side. The Judge and the two seconds flag the winner. The judge's decision is final but maybe over ruled if both sempai flag the other competitor as the winner.

[DWx]

We have two competitors up side by side and use the flag system. They perform a form of their choice from their current grade (or they can choose one below if they are a colour belt) and also have to perform any form up to and including those at their grade as chosen by the head referee. Then they are marked on both of these by 5 referees.

Marked on a scoring system for each forms:

out of 10 points for technical accuracy

6 for rhythm

6 for breathing

6 for balance

6 for power

Whoever you've given the most points to across both optional and designated forms you should indicate as your winner.

[Nidan Melbourne]

We have two competitors up side by side and use the flag system. They perform a form of their choice from their current grade (or they can choose one below if they are a colour belt) and also have to perform any form up to and including those at their grade as chosen by the head referee. Then they are marked on both of these by 5 referees.

Marked on a scoring system for each forms:

out of 10 points for technical accuracy

6 for rhythm

6 for breathing

6 for balance

6 for power

Whoever you've given the most points to across both optional and designated forms you should indicate as your winner.

I get why you would restrict the kata that they could do. Is it to make sure they dont absolutely butcher higher ones?

[DWx]

^Well it's to make sure that competitors are on an even playing field. We have 3 forms per dan level and blackbelt competitors have to choose one as their optional form. It's not as fair if two 3rd dans compete against each other and one performs a 3rd kup form and the other a more difficult 3rd dan form.

The designated form that the judges choose can be any one from 10th kup through to their current grade so competitors have to be good at all forms and not just their chosen one. It's usually the designated form which ends up deciding which person wins / loses.

[Nidan Melbourne]

^Well it's to make sure that competitors are on an even playing field. We have 3 forms per dan level and blackbelt competitors have to choose one as their optional form. It's not as fair if two 3rd dans compete against each other and one performs a 3rd kup form and the other a more difficult 3rd dan form.

The designated form that the judges choose can be any one from 10th kup through to their current grade so competitors have to be good at all forms and not just their chosen one. It's usually the designated form which ends up deciding which person wins / loses.

Fair enough! At the tournaments I compete at we can now perform any kata we want instead of having to perform a shitei kata in the first 2 rounds which was the former rule.

Originally we had to perform one of these kata in the first 2 rounds:

Goju-Ryu:

- Saifa

- Seipai

Shito-Ryu:

-Seeiunchin

- Bassai-Dai

Shotokan:

- Jion

- Kanku-Dai

Wado-Ryu:

- Chinto

- Seishan

So round 1 you would have to do one of those kata then round 2 another. It doesn't matter what style you do you have to do one of the 8. But they are specific and are slightly different to what majority of dojo's do.

Which originally was to even out the playing field irrespective of ranking. Since they (the World Karate Federation) removed the shitei requirements, it is all now tokui kata (free choice).

The upside of the Tokui is that if you don't practice one of the styles listed above and don't do any of those kata then you can do one of yours. But strategy comes in to play and how difficult each kata is.

Clarification:

Suparinpei (Goju) is much more difficult than Gekesai Dai Ichi, so Suparenpei is marked much higher.