First thing to do? Learn the rules :-)   Second thing is to attend the Club tournaments and put your new knowledge into practice!

Fushin Ryu is a member of Karate NZ which is affiliated to the WKF. As such we use the WKF rules for our competitions and so does Karate New Zealand.

To help you get started we have made a condensed version of the WKF Kumite Rules and have also made the WKF Kumite Questions (used for the Referee and Coaches exams) into a study guide for Fushin Ryu students. The study guide has the question, what we think the answer is and where it can be referenced in the rule book (where possible) We encourage you to refine what is below and find more references where possible and challenge the answers if you think they are wrong!

 

WKF KUMITE Competition Rules (Condensed)

A score is awarded when a technique is performed according to the Six criteria and to one of the seven scoring areas:

a) Head             b) Face             c) Neck             d) Abdomen      e) Chest            f) Back             g) Side

 

a) Good Form A technique with characteristics conferring probable effectiveness within the framework of traditional Karate concepts.

b) Sporting Attitude refers to a non-malicious attitude of great concentration obvious during delivery of the scoring technique.

c) Vigorous Application defines the power and speed of the technique and the palpable will for it to succeed.

d) Awareness(Zanshin) State of continued commitment in which the contestant maintains awareness of the opponent's potential to counter-attack.

e) Good Timing means delivering a technique when it will have the greatest potential effect

f) Correct Distance similarly means delivering a technique at the precise distance where it will have the greatest potential effect.

EXPLANATION:

In order to score, a technique must be applied to a scoring area as defined above. The technique must be appropriately controlled with regard to the area being attacked and must satisfy all six scoring criteria.

 

TECHNICAL CRITERIA

Ippon                         (3 points) is awarded for:

1. Jodan kicks. Jodan being defined as the face, head and neck.

2. Any scoring technique which is delivered on an opponent who has been thrown, has fallen of their own accord, or is otherwise off their feet (Torso Touching the floor)

 

Waza-Ari          (2 points) is awarded for:                                                                                                                                             1. Chudan kicks. Chudan being defined as the abdomen, chest, back and side.

 

Yuko              (1 point) is awarded for:

1. Any punch (Tsuki) delivered to any of the seven scoring areas.

2. Any strike (Uchi) delivered to any of the seven scoring areas.

 

HANTEI: In individual bouts, if after full time there are no scores, or scores are equal, the decision will be made by a final vote of the four Judges and the Referee, each casting their vote. A decision in favour of one or the other competitor is obligatory and is taken on the basis of the following criteria:

a) The attitude, fighting spirit, and strength demonstrated by the contestants.

b) The superiority of tactics and techniques displayed.

c) Which of the contestants has initiated the majority of the actions.

 

SENSHU:      First unopposed point advantage

 

P R O H I B I T E D B E H AV I O U R              There are two categories of prohibited behaviour, Category 1 and Category 2.

 

CATEGORY 1

1.Techniques which make excessive contact, having regard to the scoring area attacked, and techniques which make contact with the throat.

2. Attacks to the arms or legs, groin, joints, or instep.

3. Attacks to the face with open hand techniques.

4. Dangerous or forbidden throwing techniques.

 

CATEGORY 2

1. Feigning, or exaggerating injury.

2. Exit from the competition area (JOGAI) not caused by the opponent.

3. Self-endangerment, behaviour which exposes the contestant to injury by the opponent, fail to take adequate measures for self-protection, (MUBOBI).

4. Avoiding combat as a means of preventing the opponent having the opportunity to score.

5. Passivity–not attempting to engage in combat. (Cannot be given after less than the last 10 seconds of the match)

6. Clinching, wrestling, pushing, or standing chest to chest without attempting a scoring technique or takedown.

7. Grabbing the opponent with both hands for any other reasons than executing a takedown upon catching the opponents kicking leg.

8. Grabbing the opponents arm or karate gi with one hand without immediately attempting a scoring technique or takedown.

9. Techniques, which by their nature, cannot be controlled for the safety of the opponent and dangerous and uncontrolled attacks.

10. Simulated attacks with the head, knees, or elbows.

11. Talking to, or goading the opponent, failing to obey the orders of or discourteous behaviour towards the Refereeing officials, breaches of etiquette.

 

***The full set of WKF rules can be found on the WKF website WKF.NET

 

Fushin Ryu Karate NZ

Study Guide for Kumite Competition Examination Paper for WKF Kumite Referees, Judges and Coaches

Version January 2017

This is a study guide to the WKF Kumite Rules, as the rules change so may the answers. No one knows the answers that WKF is using. These answers are based on our knowledge and study. A basic rule seems to be that when the question is word for word the same as it appears in the rules then it is considered to be true or if it is word for word but not covering all extra explanations it would be false (but not always)   

Questions marked with ***- are those that due to nuances in the English language that we think are ambiguous and can be interpreted  to be the other way or we are just not 100% sure of the answer or the rule book is different to the seminars.

Questions marked with ***?- are those that due to the different words used in the question and reference could be interpreted to be the other way or we could not find a good reference for it in the current rule book.

Questions marked with **R are questions we would like more references to. Please find them and if you find better references for the ones we have please let us know and we will update this document!

There is no guarantee that our answers are correct as  there is not always agreement between the exam markers. So a question you may get correct in one exam may be marked incorrect in another.

Please remember that these questions are aimed at judges and referees trying for Oceania and WKF world level officials and should be answered that way. Not all of these will be applicable to National, regional and our club tournaments. That being said, it will still be good to be familiar with all of the WKF rules. Questions with *S  have spelling mistakes (English and Japanese)

 

 

World Karate Federation Kumite Examination Paper (260 questions)  still in the process of updating :-)

1. The combined size of the competition area and the safety area is eight metres by eight metres.                                               FALSE            With the safety area it is 10 x 10 metres.                                                                                                                     Pg 4         ARTICLE 1: KUMITE COMPETITION AREA:                                                                                                                       2. Sides of eight metres (measured from the outside) with an additional one meter on all sides as a safety area

 

2. The national flag or emblem of the contestant’s country may be worn on the left breast of the karate-gi jacket provided it does not exceed an overall size of 10cm by 10cm.         .                                                                                                               FALSE            12cm by 8cm                                                                                                                                                                 Pg 5    ARTICLE 2: OFFICIAL DRESS: CONTESTANTS:                                                                                                                     3. The national emblem or flag of the country will be worn on the left breast of the jacket and may not exceed an overall size of 12cm by 8cm (see Appendix 7).

 

3. The karate-gi jacket must be more than three-quarters thigh length.                                                                                           FALSE                                                                                                                                                                                                 Pg 5    ARTICLE 2: OFFICIAL DRESS: CONTESTANTS:                                                                                                                     The Jacket, when tightened around the waist with the belt, must be of a minimum length that covers the hips, but must not be more than three-quarters thigh length.

 

4. The karate-gi trousers must cover at least two-thirds of the shin.                                                                                                      TRUE                                                                                                                                                                                                  Pg 5    ARTICLE 2: OFFICIAL DRESS: CONTESTANTS:                                                                                                                   5. The trousers must be long enough to cover at least two thirds of the shin and must not reach below the anklebone.

 

5. The karate-gi jacket sleeve must be no longer than the bend of the wrist.                                                                                TRUE                                                                                                                                                                                                  Pg 5    ARTICLE 2: OFFICIAL DRESS: CONTESTANTS:                                                                                                                     4. The maximum length of the jacket sleeves must be no longer then the bend of the wrist and no shorter than halfway down the forearm.

 

6. If a contestant’s karate-gi jacket sleeves are too long and a suitable replacement cannot be found in time the Referee can allow him to turn them up on the inside.                                                                                                                                              FALSE            Whether it is inside or outside.                                                                                                                                     Pg 5    ARTICLE 2: OFFICIAL DRESS: CONTESTANTS:                                                                                                                     4. The maximum length of the jacket sleeves must be no longer then the bend of the wrist and no shorter than halfway down the forearm. Jacket sleeves may not be rolled up.

 

7. Competitors may wear a discreet rubber band or pony tail retainer in their hair. Ribbons, beads and other decorations are prohibited.                                                                                                                                                                                      TRUE      Because this has been discussed at the seminars but  may be considered false as there is no mention of a pony tail retainer in the rule book and we have no definition of what a pony tail retainer is.                                                                                Pg 6    ARTICLE 2: OFFICIAL DRESS: CONTESTANTS:                                                                                                                     6.Ribbons, beads and other decorations are prohibited. One or two discreet rubber bands on a single pony tail is permitted.

 

8. Earrings are allowed if they are covered with tape.                                                                                                                  FALSE                 No exceptions found in the rule book or references to the use of tape at all, but this is discussed at the seminars.  Pg 6    ARTICLE 2: OFFICIAL DRESS: CONTESTANTS:                                                                                                   8. Contestants must have short fingernails and must not wear metallic or other objects, which might injure their opponents.

 

9. Metallic teeth (dental) braces may be worn at the contestant’s own risk if approved by the Referee and the Official Doctor.    TRUE                                                                                                                                                                                                  Pg 6    ARTICLE 2: OFFICIAL DRESS: CONTESTANTS:                                                                                                                   8. The use of metallic teeth braces must be approved by the Referee and the Official Doctor. The contestant accepts full responsibility for any injury.

 

10. Contestants must bow properly to each other at the start and end of the bout.                                                                      TRUE                                                                                                                                                                                                  Pg 25  ARTICLE 13: STARTING, SUSPENDING AND ENDING OF MATCHES: EXPLANATION:                                                      I. When beginning a bout, the Referee first calls the contestants to their starting lines. If a contestant enters the area prematurely, they must be motioned off. The contestants must bow properly to each other — a quick nod is both discourteous and insufficient.

III. Contestants will bow to each other at the start and end of each bout.

 

11. The coach may change the team fighting order during a round.                                                                                            FALSE                                                                                                                                                                                                 Pg 7    ARTICLE 3: ORGANISATION OF KUMITE COMPETITIONS:                                                                                                7. A team will be disqualified if any of its members or its coach changes the team's composition or fighting order without written notification prior to the round.

 

12. If a contestant is injured in an individual match the coach can enter a replacement if he notifies the Organising Commission first.                                                                                                                                                                                               FALSE                                                                                                                                                                                                Pg 7   ARTICLE 3: ORGANISATION OF KUMITE COMPETITIONS:                                                                                                2. In individual competition no contestant may be replaced by another after the drawing has taken place.

 

13. If two teams have the same number of victories, the next consideration in deciding the winner, is to count the points, taking both winning and losing fights into account.                                                                                                                                 TRUE                                                                                                                                                                                                     Pg 12 ARTICLE 7: CRITERIA FOR DECISION:                                                                                                                                  3. The winning team is the one with the most bout victories including those won by SENSHU. Should the two teams have the same number of bout victories then the winning team will be the one with the most points, taking both winning and losing bouts into account.

 

14. If two teams have the same number of victories and points, a deciding bout will be held.                                                      TRUE                                                                                                                                                                                                      Pg 12  ARTICLE 7: CRITERIA FOR DECISION:                                                                                                                                 4. If the two teams have the same number of bout victories and points, then a deciding bout will be held. Each team may nominate any one contestant of their team for purpose of fighting the extra bout, regardless if that person already has fought in a previous bout between the two teams

 

15. In the first round of a team match, a participating team will be allowed to compete only if all of the team members are present.  FALSE          Not all members must be present but a minimum number is specified. Could not find a reference for it in the rule book but if only 3 out of 5 males line up (the others are there but late for line up) then only 3 may fight)***                                          Pg 7    ARTICLE 3: ORGANISATION OF KUMITE COMPETITIONS                                                                                                  4. Male teams comprise seven members with five competing in a round. Female teams comprise four members with three competing in a round.                                                                                                                                                                          Pg 8    ARTICLE 3: ORGANISATION OF KUMITE COMPETITIONS:                                                                                 Explanation IV. In order to compete male teams must present at least three competitors and female teams must present at least two competitors. A team with less than the required number of competitors will forfeit the match (Kiken).

 

16. Protective equipment supplied by the National Federations must be accepted for WKF competition.                             FALSE           No mention of this in the 2017 rule book, WKF approved equipment must be used.                                                   Pg 6    ARTICLE 2: OFFICIAL DRESS CONTESTANTS:

9. The following protective equipment is compulsory:

9.1. WKF approved mitts, one contestant wearing red and the other wearing blue.                                                                         9.2. Gum shield.                                                                                                                                                                                9.3. WKF approved body protection (for all athletes) plus chest protector for female athletes.                                                        9.4. The shin pads approved by the WKF, one contestant wearing red and the other wearing blue.                                                9.5. The foot protection approved by the WKF, one contestant wearing red and the other wearing blue.                                      Groin Guards are not mandatory but if worn must be of approved WKF type.

 

17. The coach shall at all times during the tournament, wear a tracksuit and display official identification.                                          FALSE           This was false in the past as the  word "OFFICIAL" was not in the question but now Suits must be worn in medal matches so definitely will be false as "not in all cases"                                                                                                                          Pg 6    ARTICLE 2: OFFICIAL DRESS: COACHES: 

First thing to do? Learn the rules :-)   Second thing is to attend the Club tournaments and put your new knowledge into practice!

Fushin Ryu is a member of Karate NZ which is affiliated to the WKF. As such we use the WKF rules for our competitions and so does Karate New Zealand.

To help you get started we have made a condensed version of the WKF KATA Rules and have also made the WKF KATA Questions (used for the Referee and Coaches exams) into a study guide for Fushin Ryu students. The study guide has the question, what we think the answer is and where it can be referenced in the rule book (where possible) We encourage you to refine what is below and find more references where possible and challenge the answers if you think they are wrong!