# Karate in the Olympics



## twendkata71 (May 19, 2022)

I watched some video's of karate competition in the Olympics. The kumite was not that impressive. a lot of dancing around, not so much actual fighting. The kata competition on the other hand was fantastic. Let me know your thoughts.


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## Flying Crane (May 19, 2022)

I did watch some of the karate competition.  I was unimpressed by it and found it uninteresting.  It obviously has a specific ruleset and these athletes have trained to compete within that ruleset.  Are they the best, within that ruleset?  I have no idea.  But I was not convinced that they were cream-of-the-crop karateka in any way.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (May 19, 2022)

I was not particularly impressed for most of it. I was less impressed when someone dove into a kick and got a medal out of it.


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## Steve (May 19, 2022)

twendkata71 said:


> I watched some video's of karate competition in the Olympics. The kumite was not that impressive. a lot of dancing around, not so much actual fighting. The kata competition on the other hand was fantastic. Let me know your thoughts.


I thought the same thing.  The kata was fun to watch, and the kumite was actually less inspiring than the TKD competition.


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## Nuuli (May 24, 2022)

Monkey Turned Wolf said:


> I was not particularly impressed for most of it. I was less impressed when someone dove into a kick and got a medal out of it.


Word! I totally agree.


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## Dirty Dog (May 24, 2022)

Monkey Turned Wolf said:


> I was not particularly impressed for most of it. I was less impressed when someone dove into a kick and got a medal out of it.


It's ridiculous that you're disqualified from a combat sport match for knocking out your opponent.


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## Steve (May 25, 2022)

Dirty Dog said:


> It's ridiculous that you're disqualified from a combat sport match for knocking out your opponent.


I mean, that would be ridiculous in an MMA match.  But if control is a part of the ruleset, then it makes perfect sense.  Don't get me wrong.  I didn't find the karate kumite fun to watch.  But if I remember right, he was DQ'd because he clearly broke a rule that he should have known.


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## Tony Dismukes (May 25, 2022)

Steve said:


> I mean, that would be ridiculous in an MMA match.  But if control is a part of the ruleset, then it makes perfect sense.  Don't get me wrong.  I didn't find the karate kumite fun to watch.  But if I remember right, he was DQ'd because he clearly broke a rule that he should have known.


I think the problem was that the fault wasn’t really in the kicker having poor control. His opponent ducked into the kick. Even in a sparring rule set which requires light contact, you shouldn’t be able to win by running yourself onto your opponent’s strikes to increase the impact.


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## Steve (May 25, 2022)

Tony Dismukes said:


> I think the problem was that the fault wasn’t really in the kicker having poor control. His opponent ducked into the kick. Even in a sparring rule set which requires light contact, you shouldn’t be able to win by running yourself onto your opponent’s strikes to increase the impact.


Sure, I get it.  My point is that it's part of the sport.  You have a ruleset, and this is part of it.  I don't do karate, but I know from the folks around here that "control" (however that is defined) is considered to be a big part of it.  So, the rule doesn't surprise me.   Whether it's point sparring or this competitive ruleset.  So, whether we like it or not, whether we think it's a good ruleset or not, from what I read at the time it seemed like the rules were applied correctly.  

To sum up, you're talking about what "should" or "shouldn't" happen.  That's valid opinion.  I'm commenting on what did happen, regardless of our opinions, wondering why folks seem shocked and surprised that the rules were correctly applied.


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## Tony Dismukes (May 25, 2022)

Steve said:


> Sure, I get it.  My point is that it's part of the sport.  You have a ruleset, and this is part of it.  I don't do karate, but I know from the folks around here that "control" (however that is defined) is considered to be a big part of it.  So, the rule doesn't surprise me.   Whether it's point sparring or this competitive ruleset.  So, whether we like it or not, whether we think it's a good ruleset or not, from what I read at the time it seemed like the rules were applied correctly.
> 
> To sum up, you're talking about what "should" or "shouldn't" happen.  That's valid opinion.  I'm commenting on what did happen, regardless of our opinions, wondering why folks seem shocked and surprised that the rules were correctly applied.


If we have any experts in the Olympic karate rules present, then I’ll defer to them. I’m just not sure that the rules were correctly applied. I’ve done a fair amount of light contact sparring in various contexts over the years. Generally the expectation for control is that you do a reasonable job of keeping the power down at the expected point of impact, not that you have to yank your hand or foot away from your opponent’s head if he throws it at your punch or kick.

 In sport BJJ terms, it would like someone going to an IBJJF tournament, getting caught in a (legal) ashi garami position, then dragging their opponents foot across their own hip line in order to get them disqualified for knee reaping.


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