I'm only a 6th kyu, so wont be doing full blown freestyle kumite for a while, but I spar with a friend now and again and was wondering if anyone had any corkers of kumite tips, like feints and suchlike, or any websites containing tips? My sensei has a nice one, using the leading arm to palm down the opponent's front arm guard, then using an uraken to the top of the head. Very nice indeed
Are you just looking for combinations, or actual general tips for kumite? Personally, these are what I feel are pretty important about kumite: 1) Relaxation is key. Avoid unnecessary tension. 2) It's not a competition. Use your sparring time to work on your footwork, timing, and fighting skills; not just to whoop on your sparring partner. 3) Don't "square up" to your opponent, it makes you a bigger target. 4) Watch your breathing. This goes hand in hand well with #1. 5) Concentrate mostly on basic techniques to start (e.g. seiken tsuki, gyaku tsuki, mae geri, mawashi geri, etc. etc.). Once you get a good grasp of those, you can begin experimenting with other techniques.
Be aware of side to side as well as backwards and forewards. Keep your stance light and agile, move from the waist and remember, if all else fails - straight blast
Hi, Atually the full quote from the film ' Karate Kid ' goes: Daniel San " Mr Miyagi " Which is the best block to use..........? " Mr Miyagi " Best block, no be there......... " It's a simple statement, but actually enscapulates what Sabaki or Tai sabaki essentially is and is relevent to most, if not all, formats of fighting or combat. Tai Sabaki is the art of body movement and is partially comprised of timing, distance, body language, intent, reflex and action/reaction. The aim is to evade, parry, reposition yourself out of your adversary's strike, blow, shoot and leave yourself in a superior position to counter, ( easier said than done I know ! ). When sparring or fighting, I try to contol the distance between my opponent and myself, firstly, whilst seeking to place myself in a superior position. Thereonin, It's a matter of superior timing coupled with intent. A big influence on me were the fighting styles of Chris Eubank and Herol Graham, ( Don't mention Julian Jackson ). Both incredibly hard to hit, but could turn most of their opponents on their head. Just my ten pence worth. Best wishes Jaae.
Thanks for the replies! I was sort of looking for a discussion on techniques - I did a lot of sparring at my old club, so my footwork and breathing, although a bit rusty, isn't too bad. So things like best way to pull of ashi barai and useful hand techniques and so on. But thanks for the pointers!
React to their movement if they're looking to come at you use your front punch or reverse punch on them. However don't take this out of context and become a jitter bug. In regards to the fore fist grab you detailed if you can manage to get the Gi which is tricky at first I'll admit, you will have ten times more control over that arm as opposed to grabbing the wrist, another point is if you push it across their body rather than down and hold on to it makes it hard for them to counter using the other arm. To do this however you'll have to use your rear arm to grab using your front punch to conceal it coming through. Double up aswell just because you may have reckoned you scored a point don't stop there theres nothing worse. If you finish with a gak to the body throw a gak to the face follow it up with a roundohuse to the head.
In my own personal and highly subjective opinion, I don't like uraken. It seems to me that most occasions when you could use uraken, a straight punch would also be available and more useful. So my variation on your sensei's counter would be to control the front arm and punch over the top of it to the face. Gyaku oi zuki (no-one expects the gyaku oi zuki!!! ): Step forward while twitching your lead hand as if going for a kizame zuki but don't withdraw/chamber your rear hand. From its starting position drive the rear hand into a stepping gyaku zuki. Uber-tournament points scoring technique. Grab their gi sleeve (on their lead arm) with your lead arm, ura mawashi geri over the top into the side of their head. You see this technique at 99% of tournaments. You've got to have very flexible hips to do it right. Hence you see me doing it at 0% of tournaments. Don't underestimate the kizame mawashi geri chudan. Most people are expecting a punch to the body or a roundhouse kick to the head and forget that a nice low mawashi geri can sail under their outside guard and land in the ribs. For ashi barai, time it to catch their foot as their weight is just moving forward onto it after a stepping technique, Even if it doesn't drop them, it'll usually stagger them enough to follow up with one of the other moves. If you're feeling confident, try Genki Sudo's favourite technique of faking a lead leg mawashi geri then stepping down into a backwards leg sweep (as if you were turning mawate to face the opposite direction to your opponent but usuing your back leg to catch their front leg). It's a bit silly, but a good psych-out.
One of my favourite moves...back leg front kick feint..pulling short by about a foot (give or take) then using the bounce back to chamber..into a jodan roundhouse without putting the leg down...twist the hips over and bang! Not a power shot but surprisingly effective...the trick is selling that front kick so they react and drop their attention (and hopefully their guard) down. Don't use it too often and you also need to be a bit closer than you'd expect for a kick. Most people will react in some way and draw their heads back. Being closer gives you the reach to still get the target.
I've got a variation on that (i've got stiff hips so high mawashi geri isn't my thing ) Fake the mia geri and then drop in with kizami zuki , it's surprising the power you can generate with the punch if you time it right. Another one is as they come in a quick kizame geri to the stomach is an excellent "stoping" technique.
I can't make PASmith's technique work for me either as I have a weak left hip, but you can also fake a maegeri, step down and use your lead hand to control their forward guarding hand and tsuri ashi gyaku zuki over the top, or step down and use your front leg to sweep their front leg and punch over their guard. And if you get someone who uses a "kickboxer guard" (arms parallel by the face), kick 'em in the ribs a few times with a low mawashi geri. Even if it's a slightly crappy mawashi geri that comes up at an acute angle, it'll still make them less inclined to guard their face and give you the chance at a head shot.
A fav trick of mine... If the opponent has any sort of parallel guard thats close to their body, jam both arms to their chest and push them back with one forearm. Then smack them with the other hand or kick their head. Hilarious fun against some opponents :Angel:
Stuff I was told by various instructors: keep moving constantly keep switching stance (that really winds some people up) try "mixing" your hands (just like the boxers) try to manipulate rhythm (apparently sparring is like jazz music, so I'm told) syncopation of combinations (I'm not a drummer so no idea what it means, let us know if you do!) And my favourite chestnut which I use use when feeling unfit/slow/tired/not bothered (apart from defensive sparring): Break the angles and get THEM to make the mistakes. And I'm still pants at sparring.
Hi All A nice discussion and I wish this was around when I first starting Karate many years ago. Aside from techniques, which are personal preferences dependent of size, physique, competence etc, I have found it useful to focus my gaze on the chest / torso area. This has many benefits by giving peripheral vision, reducing fear from an angry (or ugly) facial expression and helps to avoid succumbing to feints using the eyes. The relaxation / breathing issue is very important. Reactions are slightly faster when breathing in or the lungs are full. Breathe quitely and be prepared to quickly expel air with a KIAI. Getting winded by a hit to the stomach when the lungs are full is extremely painful and can stop a fight. It is also possible to time attacks according to the person's breathing pattern..i.e hit them as they start to breathe in. Remember, any technique or strategy that can be used against you, can also be used by you. Learn well. Train hard. Fight easy. Best regards Peter
ps. That should read "reactions are slightly slower when breathing in or the lungs are full" NOT "slightly faster. Oooops! Peter
ps. That should read "reactions are slightly slower when breathing in or the lungs are full" NOT "slightly faster." Oooops! Peter
