# Kata & Kumite



## Patrick Skerry (Oct 23, 2004)

I'm basically a karate fan and not a practitioner.  I was wondering how does one distinguish the differences in Karate between Kata, Kumite, Free-Sparring, and Tournament?  Thanks!


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## Drac (Oct 23, 2004)

It's been awhile since I studied traditional Karate and I'm sure someone will give you some better information..As I remember Kata was performed without contact..Kumite was an actual put on the protective gear and have your butt kicked by the hottie assistant female Sensei..


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## Patrick Skerry (Oct 24, 2004)

Drac said:
			
		

> It's been awhile since I studied traditional Karate and I'm sure someone will give you some better information..As I remember Kata was performed without contact..Kumite was an actual put on the protective gear and have your butt kicked by the hottie assistant female Sensei..


How does Kumite differ from _Bunkei_?


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## RRouuselot (Oct 25, 2004)

Patrick Skerry said:
			
		

> How does Kumite differ from _Bunkei_?




_bunkei_???...........do you mean bunkai?


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## Wikket (Oct 25, 2004)

Kata is a series of movements/combinations/techniques etc designed to practice self defence/sparring applications. It is performed solo, but the idea is that the applications can be extracted and practiced with a partner.
 Kumite actually means an exercise involving at least two practitioners, but much more often than not is used to refer to sparring.


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## RRouuselot (Oct 26, 2004)

Wikket said:
			
		

> Kata is a series of movements/combinations/techniques etc designed to practice self defence/sparring applications. It is performed solo, but the idea is that the applications can be extracted and practiced with a partner.
> Kumite actually means an exercise involving at least two practitioners, but much more often than not is used to refer to sparring.




Good answer.

The big problem with doing kumite using applications from kata is it's hard to do all the applications if you wear boxing gloves of some sort like most folks do. (not too many folks are willing to let you go full bore with bare knuckles, doing arm bars and joint locks at speed don't make for long practice sessions/partners either)


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## Wikket (Oct 26, 2004)

Which raises the old question about whether using padding is counterproductive to good kumite and/or self defence. Agreed respect for safety should be paramount and their are the inevitable insurance requirements, but do you consider padding, and especially overly large mitts, makes training less effective? Not just as you described above, but making it harder psychologically to take the 'step up' should it ever be required?


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## Ippon Ken (Oct 28, 2004)

If you do bag training or the like with gloves then you are a wimp. In order to spar safely with head contact you need some padding, or else you would be cutting the heck out of your sparring partner and that would kinda' not be good. Karate training has always been done for longevity versus quick-quick, hurry-hurry, expeditiously attained fighting skills. It's a gradual, lifelong process and wasn't meant for competition-- allegedly .

I think you need some free-sparring as a mudansha. After that it's not so important because you are getting way beyond the "kicky-blocky-punchy" aspect of karate and into the grappling, weapons and real analysis of your style. Kumite trains one to take blows, give blows, how to move and get outta the way, focus, endurance and general maai (combat distance). It's not a test of how well you would do on the street which is where skills REALLY count. Unless you're a pro MMAs type or kickboxer there is no need to kick your own bottom before that potential assailant or mugger does. It's training to make you a better and healthier person--- purportedly. 

Later...


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## Drac (Oct 28, 2004)

See, I told you the others would provide you with better information...


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## KoshoBob (Oct 28, 2004)

Martial Arts Dictionary

Some light reading.


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## Patrick Skerry (Oct 28, 2004)

RRouuselot said:
			
		

> _bunkei_???...........do you mean bunkai?


Yes, BUNKAI, that you for the correction.  

Is there a difference between Kumite and _Bunkai_?


Again, I'm a karate fan and not a karate practitioner, and I'm not familiar with these two concepts.


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## RRouuselot (Oct 28, 2004)

KoshoBob said:
			
		

> Martial Arts Dictionary
> 
> Some light reading.





Actually I just looked up bunkai and bogu on that site and their definitions are crap. I wouldn't use it if I were you.


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## gmunoz (Oct 28, 2004)

You mean to tell me Kumite isn't the new movie Jean Claude Van Damm is coming out with?  It isn't what was shown on the supposed Frank Dux life story (Bloodsport)?

Oh man... I'm really screwed up now!


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## RRouuselot (Oct 29, 2004)

Patrick Skerry said:
			
		

> Yes, BUNKAI, that you for the correction.
> 
> Is there a difference between Kumite and _Bunkai_?
> 
> ...



Roughly.....
Kumite is the application of bunkai........or at least it is supposed to be. However modern sport trends have lowered kumite in karate matches to nothing more than kicking and punching.  

Bunkai means to take apart or seperate, discover etc (sorry I don't have time to give a better example at the moment...I am at work) .so kata is taken apart  to find the techniques that are within kata, then put into defensive application situations and practiced as either yakusoku kumite or jiyu kumite. 

I'll write more when time permits......


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## TimoS (Oct 31, 2004)

While we're talking about different definitions, here's one thing that I've never quite understood: in our karate sensei always speaks of kata _riai_ when talking about applications from kata and says that it is different from bunkai, but I've never quite understood the difference.


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## RRouuselot (Oct 31, 2004)

TimoS said:
			
		

> While we're talking about different definitions, here's one thing that I've never quite understood: in our karate sensei always speaks of kata _riai_ when talking about applications from kata and says that it is different from bunkai, but I've never quite understood the difference.



I would have to see the kanji to know what he is talking about.

Is there any way you can send them to me via email or post them here?


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## TimoS (Nov 1, 2004)

RRouuselot said:
			
		

> I would have to see the kanji to know what he is talking about.
> 
> Is there any way you can send them to me via email or post them here?




Sorry, no, at least not at this stage. I don't think I've ever seen the kanji myself. Of course he knows them (he is japanese, after all), but since most of us don't know one kanji from another, he doesn't usually write them. I could ask him for them (if I remember to do it)


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