Do you have a Karate competition coming up?
Want to know how to get in good shape and how to prepare your body for Kumite, the fighting part of Karate competitions?
Here is a guide to the basic rules of Kumite and also a basic guide to help prepare your body for your upcoming fight.
Basic Kumite Rules
While preparing your body is hugely important before your first Kumite competition it is also important to understand the basic rules and to know what to expect so that you are not left confused on competition day.
Kumite matches last for three minutes.
This time will be shortened if a fighter is injured or if certain winning conditions are met before the three minutes have elapsed.
There are mats placed on the floor where the fight takes place.
These mats are 8 meters by 8 meters and have approximately 1 meter of safety space around the side of the fighting area.
If fighters step into this safety space during the fight they will be issued a warning and if they step out a second time their opponent will be given a point.
As drawing blood is seen as a disgrace here are certain rules that are followed to ensure that fights can be refereed fairly but without unnecessary injury being inflicted on fighters.
The basic rules of Kumite are:
Fighting stances must be maintained during a fight, fighting stance ensures fighters are ready to move at all times
While maintaining the fighting stance, fighters will be expected to pulse and bounce on their toes to allow for rapid movement. Simply walking around the mats will not be allowed
Attention must be paid to obstacles around the fighters
Fighters should never turn their back on their opponents as this makes a fighter unnecessarily vulnerable
In school matches, fighters are advised to pull their punches which helps to prevent serious injury.
In competitions, this is not necessary and some competitions also allow strikes to the face or head ut this is a rarity.
Fighters can be expected to be paired against someone similar to their standard, size, and weight to make the fight as fair as possible.
Protection is recommended also to protect fighters, this basic equipment includes a mouthguard at a minimum.
Other equipment allowed to be worn will depend on the competition but can include chest protection for females, shin pads, and gloves.
To win a Kumite match fighters will need to have achieved one of the below possible wins:
Have the most points at the end of the fight or round
Achieve an 8-point lead over opponent
An opponent is not able to continue the match
An opponent is disqualified due to illegal action or breaking of rules
How To Prepare Your Body
Now that you are aware of the basics of Kumite next let’s take a look at how you can prepare your body for a Kumite fight.
This guide will help you to prepare your body for both school competitions and competitive fights also.
Build Stamina
It is important to build stamina so that you will not be fading during the three-minute fight.
Three minutes may seem like a short amount of time but when you are under pressure and constantly moving and reacting to strikes it can be very tiring.
Practice holding your fighting stance to help train your legs to maintain this stance during the fight.
The fighting stance means that the knees are held slightly loose and bent so that you can easily move and react to attacks.
During the fight, as mentioned in the rules, you will be expected to pulse and bounce o your feet.
Practicing this for three minutes is another great way to toughen up the sole of your feet to avoid any pain during the fight.
Practice Kihon
Take time to practice the basics, or Kihon, of your Karate practice.
Focus on stance, strikes, and blocks so that you are prepared to both defend and attack.
Practice strikes, such as a front punch slowly first focusing on form and technique before speeding it up.
This is a great way of being able to perfectly execute a move when under pressure during a Kumite match.
Stay Hydrated
Hydrating in the days coming up to your fight is also incredibly important to help prepare your body.
You will be under pressure and sweating profusely and so hydrating will help to prevent you from feeling unwell or dehydrated and lethargic during the fight.
On the day of the fight hydrate hours beforehand and steadily decrease your water intake as the fight approaches so that you can empty your bladder before the fight.
Fighting with a full bladder can be a distraction and also be a point of pain if you receive a strike into the lower abdomen.
Rest
It is important that you are well rested both mentally and physically before a fight.
This will help you to avoid making any unnecessary mistakes that could cause you to be disqualified.
Make sure you have at least 8 hours of sleep the night before your fight and visualize the fight and the movies you will perform rather than practicing again the morning of the fight.
Warm-Up Before The Fight
Make sure that you set aside time to gently warm up the body.
The purpose of the warm-up is not to tire yourself out but more so to loosen up and waken up the muscles in your body.
Being loose will help your speed during the fight and with warmed-up muscles, you will also be more flexible and fluid in your movements.
Final Thoughts
We hope that you have found this guide useful and that it helps you to prepare for your upcoming Kumite event.
If you are unsure or struggling with any aspect of your preparation it is best to speak with your Sensei who will be able to answer your questions and also give advice regarding what you personally need to focus on coming up to your fight.
Comments