# empty hands sparring



## Manny (Jun 15, 2011)

Are empty hands striking used on karate sparring competition? almost all the karate competitions I've seen used the fists and sometimes using gloves, but I have never seen a karate chop for example or a ridge hand, the competitions I am talking about are of wuko format.

Manny


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## tshadowchaser (Jun 15, 2011)

Not sure what the wuko formate is but any compitition I attend allows most hand techniques. Finger thrusts to the eyes and clawing techniques are not usualy allowed but almost any other technique is


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## Thesemindz (Jun 15, 2011)

I can't speak to WUKO format, but when I teach sparring I definitely teach open hand strikes.

You can find everything I teach in my sparring curriculum here on martialtalk, 

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=95583

But generally speaking I teach long range hand and foot techniques to "karate style" sparring targets. That includes punches and backnuckles, but also palms, heel palms, and handswords. We also use claws and checks as clearing/guard sweeping motions.

I think the reason you see so many closed fist strikes has to do with the equipment and the judging. The gloves the fighters usually wear wrap around the knuckles and lend themselves towards closed hands, and the judges are more likely to call a point when they see the back of the glove clearly hit a person's body than if the palm of the hand seems to get close but they can't tell. That's why a lot of fighters wear red gloves, so that they can be clearly and distinctly seen against their opponent's gi. Of course, I tell my students to strike through their opponents. Then there's no question about contact.

We teach sparring as a drill to help us with our self defense rather than as an end unto itself. So for us, the focus isn't on competition, but on learning about long range striking, timing, distance, and angles, so that we can then apply those lessons back into our full repertoire of fighting techniques. That's why I focus on so many different striking techniques, because we aren't just training to win this match but rather to develop a complete skill set. For schools that are primarily or solely focused on competition sparring, the emphasis on hand techniques might be different.


-Rob


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## Manny (Jun 15, 2011)

Well karateka doing self defense drills or ipon kumite yes they use elbows,spear hands etc, but when talking about sparring (kumite) I always see punches and no empty hands techs, maybe for security sake but don't know.

For example, in TKD we can kick from the waist to the head with any kind of kick and we can punch to the torso but we don't use other hand tech but reverse punch. I know it's scary to perform a karate chop to the temple or the neck for example but can be done with caution, however I think in TKD the use of the reverse punch to the hogu is done for security matters however a hook kick can drop anybody and can be dangerous too.

manny


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## chinto (Jun 17, 2011)

we allow and teach most all the hand techniques. targets are restricted, such as eyes or other vitals... but groin is a target...


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## wayneshin (Jun 19, 2011)

WKF rules prohibit attacks to the face with an Open hand. This would include strike like palm heel but does not include those like ridge hand if they are to the side of the head rather than the face. However in general you will not see these techniques used.


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## Zero (Jun 23, 2011)

Given the many styles of karate and tournament rules, the ability to make fist or hand strikes varies greatly.

Definetly in the goju ryu "in-house" sparring and even friendly kumite using bare knuckles, shuto and other open hand strikes are used, at least at my old club, with varying degrees of agreed contact/force. In competition, then that's a different story between styles, such as with kyokoshin not allowing punches to the head.

Having fought under WTK rules for years and in open tournaments, I have not ever heard of a foul or disqualification through a knife/open hand strike but as said above by others, I have never seen one or experienced one and have never had the inclination to use such a technique in full contact competition but they should be allowed, aside from to the face itself - ie nose/cheek area - under the rules with the standard provisos. With 10oz gloves, the fist is by far the easier and more effective weapon and the hand has limited movement range (although you can of course do back fists/spinning back fists using either back or side of glove).

Even within the same style you need to be carefull in competitions in different states and jurisdictions. I entered an open tournament several years back run by a different goju ryu club and was actually given a hansoku against me (disqualified!) for punching my opponent in the jaw. He went down but got back up glaring and the umpire called disqualifation (it was more along kyokoshin rules), I thought that was excessive, anyway and no one told me of any rule variations, now I am rambling "off piste" but it still rankles a bit.


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## Thesemindz (Jun 23, 2011)

Zero said:


> Even within the same style you need to be carefull in competitions in different states and jurisdictions. I entered an open tournament several years back run by a different goju ryu club and was actually given a hansoku against me (disqualified!) for punching my opponent in the jaw. He went down but got back up glaring and the umpire called disqualifation (it was more along kyokoshin rules), I thought that was excessive, anyway and no one told me of any rule variations, now I am rambling "off piste" but it still rankles a bit.



This is a great point. If you'll permit to quote for a moment from Ed Parker's Infinite Insights into Kenpo Volume 5.



> *ENVIRONMENT*
> 
> Remember, ENVIRONMENT encompasses those elements that are around you, on you, or in you; prior, during, or after a tournament; or when you are involved in street combat. Close examination of this statement, therefore, reveals to us several possible occurrences. Examination of those elements that are around you should bring to the surface the following questions and thoughts if you were ever a tournament competitor:
> 
> ...



I teach my students that sports combat activities are not real fighting. They are a game. And like any other game, you have to know the rules in order to play. Knowing who the judges are, what they're looking for or will disallow, and what you should expect from the other competitors are all important parts of playing that game successfully. In our school we allow strikes to the groin, head, and kidneys. But many tournaments won't allow any of those techniques. So if we compete, we have to alter our approach to fit the local restrictions. I always tell my students, "their roof, their rules."


-Rob


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