KARATE and KICKBOXING Sparring
The Sparring is based on the preparation and conditions for the various contest, depending on their rules
DOJO sparring would often vary a bit from CONTEST sparring and Rules
POINTS KARATE COMPETITION
KNOCKDOWN KARATE
SEMI CONTACT KICKBOXING - FREESTYLE KARATE
FULL CONTACT KARATE - KICKBOXING
LOW KICKS KICKBOXING - this is the Standard KB we Spar at Class regularly
THAI format - add Knees and Elbows
LETHWEI - add Headbutts
SAVATE
Notes on each:
POINTS KARATE COMPETITION
Karate Kumite into Shiai - the first Karate contests, points
Light Contact to body
No contact to head
Head kicks allowed, no contact
Kizami tsuki and uraken to head, no contact
Point decided on good form
No leg kicks
Sweeps allowed, if followed by a kick or punch
If opponent swept over, then follow up with kick or punch - the sweep itself does not score
If downed, use Kick as in Stage 5 to Stop attack, so no point
When a point is scored, YAME is called and the fight resets
Points scored as IPPON and WAZA-ARI
Based on the fighting and scoring systems used in KENDO and JUDO, both KUMI at the Dojo and SHIAI contests
In JUDO when an opponent is thrown, the point is called, then break, stand and reset
In KENDO when the target is struck and called eg MEN or DO , the point is given and the fighters reset
This Karate was called "Kendo without the Shinai" and that is how it started in Japan
Longer range and longer stance, angled and bladed
- full gyaku tsuki to body
- kick with cap of boot
- in KB terms this would be Savate range
Most styles of Karate use this format
Shotokan
Wado
Isshin
WAKO
WUKO
Some contests were just for their own style, some matched styles against each other
KNOCKDOWN KARATE
Kyokushin contest - continuous with "clicker" to tally points - can win by Knockdown NOT Knock out, though KO can and do occur
Contact with Kicks to legs, body and head
Kicks to head - no punches
Contact punches to body
Knees allowed in Contest SHIAI though not in Sparring KUMITE - they are drilled in Sparring sessions
In Sparring with Knees, either you hold back too much, or someone gets hurt, there is no middle ground, so it is just drilled realistically and safely
Closer range as kicks are done with shin not boot
This creates a closer range punch and knees flow naturally
In KB terms this is more like THAI
Closer range, more square on stance
This form of Karate Sparring brings us closer to a KB match and closer to a real Street fight
Those who spar "standard" karate, with the longer distance kicking and punching often doubt the realism and whether the "one punch, one kill" concept really works as it would with a "one cut one kill" of the Sword
This form of Kumite removes that doubt and brings Sport Karate and Dojo sparring closer to Original Karate in it's form and effectiveness
SEMI CONTACT KICKBOXING - FREESTYLE KARATE
This developed later than Full Contact, however for development it fits better in between
More armour is used
Headgear
Shin guards
Forearm pads
Bigger gloves - not full boxing gloves
Boots
Groinguard and gumshield
Continuous fighting for the round, with points added up like Clicker or in Boxing match
Semi contact, so harder than Points, though the intention is to win on Points NOT to KO the opponent
Stance is the Freestyle Semi Contact Stance, side on Horse Stance Kiba Dachi - different hand guard position, more use of lead leg, quicker spin back kick, longer lunge for rear punch
Punches and kicks to head and body
No leg kicks
Sweeps allowed
As well as backfist and spinning backfist the HAITO Ridge Hand started to be used
These Contests matched Karate against other styles including TKD - the Lau Gar clubs did particularly well in these events
FULL CONTACT KARATE - KICKBOXING
The first Full Contact Karate was just that - Karate as far as it had gone, now with Boxing gloves, allowing Head punching, fighting for KO
Boxing added to Karate in it's first format for what was then called KICKBOXING
Backfist was allowed, as were Sweeps, leg kicks were not
The Spinning Backfist became a matter of debate - rules was both Camps had to agree for it to be used
FULL CONTACT KARATE - This was essentially the format of Points Karate with boxing gloves and head punching now done full contact, the longer stances with added contact
KICKBOXING - this was when Karate fighters went to cross train at Boxing gyms, learn the proper boxing format, train and spar Boxing, use the full boxing equipment, and do conditioning - there were also Boxer who "added Kicks" by going to cross train at a Karate club and spar Karate fighters
Though there was an overlap during the developmental years, the "finished product" is the same thing in terms of Sparring and Competing
LOW KICKS KICKBOXING
KB with the Low Kicks added back in so the format changed
- the format of the Knockdown Karate contests with the Boxing gloves and head punches added and the knees removed
- like Thai without knees and elbows
THAI format
Knees added
Elbows added
There later became subsets of what was called "Thai Boxing" Contests that either had
- No elbows, knees allowed including to Head
- No elbows, knees to body not head - more like a KB version of Knockdown Karate
- and bizzarely no Knees, yet they still claimed it was "Thai" format - so like KB above
Some organisations promoting "Kickboxing" events had matches under these Rules
LETHWEI
As discussed, Contests are essentially the same as Thai with Headbutt allowed
SAVATE
Essentially FC KB format though with the return to the longer distance and stance, with the CHASSE Side kick being the primary kick
Longer swing versions of the hook punch, and the "swing" punch, a haito overhand
