Tournament etiquette - entering and exiting the ring

[aes]

I will be competing in my first tournament this weekend demonstrating the Fukyugata Shodan Kata. I have trained hard to learn this Kata as well as I can in the last month, practising it often.

 

Now that we are in the last few days before the tournament I am worrying about the etiquette of how to enter the tournament square etc. My Sensai’s went over this procedure but did not have much time to drill it into my head before the last class. They told me to not worry to much about it at the yellow belt or novice level, but that is just not my style. I strive to do things as correct as I can despite the expectations. So I am hoping someone here can spell out the steps leading up to entering the square for my traditional style of Karate Shorin-ryu. The tournament is a small one btw.

 

Here is what I recall:

 

4 competitors are called up at a time and sit knees crossed on the side line. They will call the person’s name and who is on deck.

 

The person about to compete, goes to the mark on the corner of the tournament square and does a Kioske (sorry I cannot find the spelling for this, bring feet together toes apart and cross arms at collar bone then return them to ready position), Rei feet together, hands on side bow looking up once back up hands go up in fists to collar bone and feet open, hands back down to ready position.

 

Walk out along edge of tournament square to middle, turn and stop at tournament square line and bow again. Enter the square and move fast to position close to middle judge and bow and put hands behind back.

 

Wait for the judge to look up and announce something to the effect of:

 

“With your permission I would like to step back and demonstrate Fukyugata Shodan”

 

The middle judge will motion to go ahead and you bow and move into position.

 

Get into position and close eyes take a deep breath and spring into the Kata.

 

When done pause for 3 seconds, bow (and wait?), move to the tournament square edge not turning back to judges and bow with toes on edge, step out, turn to next competitor that has just been announced, bow to him/her, take one step to the right and walk straight along edge of square leaving room for the next competitor to pass you and return to your spot to sit.

 

If you are the 4th competitor you would not exit the square but stand in the corner waiting your score.

 

Same enter the square procedure when you are to have your score announced if you are one of the first 3 but you go to the corner of the tournament square and wait.

 

Bow. You can thank the judges if you like.

 

Exit using the walk to the edge and bow etc.

 

I am told at the bigger multi discipline tournaments you would announce your name, style of Karate, where you train then your kata etc.

 

I know Kyoshi will go over this stuff again before the tournament, but I want to be proactive and learn it before hand as much as I can at least.

 

I am sure there are mistakes in the steps above, but in traditional Karate I am sure there is a standard method of entering the tournament square etc. Any info people can provide would be great.

 

Al

[Tobias_Reece]

I shouldn't worry about it too much - all I say is rei, rei, rei some more, and then when you have time rei again.

 

We don't do the "My name is Tobias Reece. I practice Okinawan Kobudo. I represent IOKA UK" etc. We usually laugh when someone does that, because its usually done by the people who spin kick and cartwheel across the floor.

 

Like I mentioned before, don't worry too much about the precise etiquette stuff, as it differs from association to association, club to club. Just don't be a slob, thats all I can say. Present yourself well, and walk with attitude - oh but make sure it is the 'penguin walk' - walking like you are about to rei.

 

I think thats covers enough

 

Regards

[KickChick]

eh.. I just do what I gots to do... wink at the higher ranking judge and smile pretty ... then grab my trophy and I'm outta there....!

 

Just kidding really ....

 

Some tournies do differ .... experience goes along way!!!

[monkeygirl]

Generally, your instructor should know how the local tournaments are run, and whether or not they want a presentation. If you're going to a tournament in unfamiliar territory, find a judge or someone who is running the tournament and ask them what they consider to be proper etiquette and procedure. They should take no offense at this as long as you do it respectfully (e.g. don't interrupt), and you will fare much better for asking. Consider the alternative: not asking, not knowing, and making a fool of yourself!

 

Every tournament I've gone to has involved presentations, but then I'm TKD and it could be a style difference. Presentation generally inolves four things:

 

1. Your name

 

2. Your school

 

3. Your kata

 

4. Asking permission

 

Some people will expand this to where it's practically a speech:

 

1. Name

 

2. School

 

3. Name of Instructor

 

4. Style

 

5. Mentioning rank

 

6. How many years they have been practicing their particular MA

 

7. Name of kata

 

8. (If weapons kata, ask judges to examine weapons)

 

9. Permission to begin.

 

Quite long. The tournament presentation that I use goes like this (with lots of energy and a good amount of volume...it's important to wake the judges up and get their attention in my style ):

 

"Judges! My name is [name] and I proudly represent [dojo] and the National Black Belt Club. The kata I will be performing is [kata]. With your permission, may I please step back and begin? Thank you judges"

 

If I'm at a multi-style tournament, I will include "my style is Tae Kwon Do."

 

Whatever you do, don't give a 15 minute speech

Edited December 2, 2003 by monkeygirl

[ninjanurse]

aes,

 

That sounds really complicated-no wonder your nervous !!!!!!

 

My experience has been similar to monkeygirls. But the bottom line is presentation. If you are going to mess it up, do it with style!!!!!

 

Good luck!!!

 

[SaiFightsMS]

And if you do make a mistake don't loose it totally just keep going.

[ramymensa]

Yep. Don't let it show. Act as if you've done great, as if you were the greatest in the world Sounds stupid, but no matter the style you must have a winner's attitude. Don't panic. Act confident, almost arrogant, respectful though and it would be OK. At lower grades the technique isn't quite flawless and nobody expects you to do it perfect. But when it comes to chose between a scared competitor and another who is confident, the last would almost everytime win.

 

So train hard and be confident. Good luck.

[aes]

Thanks for the input everybody. I do think I can do this Kata very well considering my relative experience in Karate.

 

Two things are going against me. I am 40 and will be competing against 17 year olds and I like to hunch over too much. The latter I have been working hard at getting rid of in my stances etc and the former I am hoping my obsessive training will pay off.

 

But this all comes back to my desire to bow in and follow the etiquette properly. I think if the other yellow belts don't do this and I do it right, it can only help me win.

[ramymensa]

40 years old and studying karate? Great. All my admiration

 

Follow the etiquette try to have good stances, stay well on your feet and don't forget to Kiai. A natural one, don't just scream like you've got a bee in your eyes Most of the beginners tend to omit this and they fail. Be confident and don't forget we have all crossed our fingers for you ... I can barely write from how crossed they are

[aes]

Well just returned from the tournament. There weren't enough novice adult belts competing so they changed the division to age 35 and above. This meant I competed against blue and brown belts.

 

Well I took 3rd, but hardly a fair competition. People that have been studing MA for 3 years or more against me (6 months).

 

I know I can do far better as nerves got the best of me, but hope I don't keep getting grouped with advanced belts.