®
American Open Karate with World Champions Ricky and Randy Smith

Sport Karate or Kumite Techniques

SPORT KARATE OR KUMITE TECHNIQUES are modified fighting techniques used to put karate into practical application for training and sport karate tournaments.  One step sparring (pre-arranged) and free sparring (at random) techniques are exercises to improve footwork, timing, distance, control, follow up of combinations, strategy, eye-body coordination, and stamina.  Contact sparring prepares a student for the reality of actually enduring a hit, or executing a hit.  These fighting techniques are practiced in three degrees or steps of contact, according to the students preference and rank.

1. No-contact to face, light to body
2. Semi-contact to face, medium to body
3. Full-contact to face and body

These techniques are designed for three types of contact:

1. Amateur Sport Karate
2. Full Contact Karate
3. Kick Boxing and Muay Thai Boxing

KUMITE TECHNIQUES should be practiced in three steps fusing the mind, body and spirit, making the techniques second nature, as a vehicle to absolute determined awareness and concentrated attention, anticipating the attacker's intentions before their execution (Buji).

1. Mind - in front of a mirror for fluid motion and technique.
2. Body - on a pad or bag for power and stamina.
3. Spirit - with a partner for reaction, timing and distance.

The fighting techniques prepare students for sport competition level in their respective rank.  These techniques are designed to fight an opponent, in an opposite or same fighting stance.  The techniques consist of offensive and defensive techniques, including set-ups and counters.  Fighting techniques are directed toward Amateur Sport Karate through beginning (green belt) level, gearing toward Full Contact Point Karate through the intermediate (red belt) level, focusing on Kick Boxing and Muay Thai Boxing in the (brown belt) advance level.

THIRTY-SEVEN FIGHTING TECHNIQUES are required for the Black Belt Level in the American Open Karate System under the American Karate Academies National Association.  It is not mandatory for students to spar or compete, but they must be able to perform the fighting techniques in one-step sparring drills and pad or bag drills.

1. Punch, front kick, punch
2. Punch, round kick, punch
3. Opposite - punch, step punch, kick
4. Same - Punch, step punch, step punch, kick
5. Counter - defensive front kick, punch
6. Opposite - shuffle kick, jab, punch
7. Counter - shuffle up, jab, punch
8. Same - step behind backfist, side kick
9. Counter - defensive round kick
10. Opposite - shuffle push-slide kick, ridgehand
11. Counter - shuffle push-slide ridgehand
12. Same - shuffle push-slide side kick, step behind hook kick
13. Counter - arc ridgehand
14. Opposite - stutter shuffle push-slide double action kick, under & over punch
15. Counter - spin kick or spin backfist
16. Same - stutter shuffle push-slide side kick, under & over punch
17. Counter - stutter back side kick
18. Opposite or same - slide jab kick, jab, punch, jab, arc circle
19. Counter - stop jab kick, jab, punch, jab, arc circle
20. Opposite - fake flip/side kick, spin crescent kick
21. Same - fake round/side kick, spin crescent kick
22. Counter - dip, punch
23. Opposite - chicken skipping front kick, punch, hook, hook, uppercut, tie up
24. Counter - changebody arc, hook, tie up
25. Same - skipping chicken round kick, punch, hook uppercut, hook, tie up
26. Counter - changebody arc, shoulder block, punch, hook, hook, tie up
27. Switch Muay Thai round kick, dragon whips tail
28. Counter - Muay Thai knee block, round kicks, slicing elbows
29. Muay Thai lock up, hip thrusts, hip throw
30. Counter - Muay Thai crescent knee, round knee, crashing elbow
31. Switch round kick, jump changebody, round kick
32. Counter - switch jump changebody kick
33. Switch rear leg sweep, ridgehand
34. Counter - axe kick
35. Runner - jump flying side, round, or front kick
36. Counter - jump spinning butterfly or tornado kick
37. Chaser - jump spinning crescent, back, or heel kick