entering a traditional karate style tournament

[Runs With Fire]

I've never thrown a round kick with the ball of the foot. Always the top or shin. In this tournament, I think shin is out, depends on the judges.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

That rule was used when I competed in the Texas Karate tournament back in the 70. I still remember that a hammer fist on top of the head won't give me score.

As far as I know, the Karate roundhouse kick is different from the MT roundhouse kick. In Karate practice, you usually hit with the ball of the foot.

Interesting, our kicks don't actually line up with those, though they are supposedly derived from karate. The ball-of-foot position would go with our Rib Kick, which isn't entirely parallel to the ground, or to our Wheel Kick, which is. Our Roundhouse Kicks (both front leg and rear leg) are instep/shin kicks.

 

[Buka]

I know some Karate guys who kick with the ball of the foot, but most don't. I know how, but don't use it, it's slower. If we were to spar for a half hour you might very well hit me with everything you throw, but I won't get hit with one ball roundhouse kick. Never have, never will.

 

[JR 137]

That rule was used when I competed in the Texas Karate tournament back in the 70. I still remember that a hammer fist on top of the head won't give me score.

As far as I know, the Karate roundhouse kick is different from the MT roundhouse kick. In Karate practice, you usually hit with the ball of the foot.

In the tournaments I've competed in, no contact was allowed to the top of the head, regardless of the technique thrown - hammer fist, ridge hand, axe kick; anything.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

In the tournaments I've competed in, no contact was allowed to the top of the head, regardless of the technique thrown - hammer fist, ridge hand, axe kick; anything.

I thought "no head contact" is only below the black belt level. Head contact is allowed in the black belt level.

 

[JR 137]

Depends on the tournament. Some will allow lower ranks head contact, others won't. I haven't heard of no head contact for black belts before, but obviously they're out there too.

I competed in a few AAU karate tournaments a long time ago. Controlled and light kicks to the head were allowed in all sparring divisions, and hand/elbow contact to the head wasn't in any division.

I'm currently in Seido Juku. In our tournaments light head contact (hands and feet) is allowed in black belt divisions. On paper, colored belts aren't allowed any head contact at all. I've seen some judges allow it at the colored belt level (it has to be VERY controlled and light; hands and feet), and some not allow it at all.

I competed in a few knockdown tournaments a long time ago. No hands/elbows to the head, but kicks were allowed full contact. Across all divisions. But knockdown isn't point fighting

I've also seen fakes to the head allowed (when no head contact is allowed), and I've seen the rule of no punching past the head, meaning the fake has to be pulled back rather than intentionally miss.

To the best of my knowledge, all of the knockdown and point fighting tournaments I've competed in didn't allow anything to the top of the head; hands, elbows, knees or feet. Nor any contact to the back of the head. It was always the side of the head. I'd imagine if someone dropped their head and there was contact to the top of the head it would be the referee's discretion, much like if strikes to the back aren't allowed but someone turned into one.

Every tournament is different and many will have subtle variations on rules.

Edit: this was supposed to include @Kung Fu Wang 's previous post.

 

[KenpoMaster805]

dude in karate there is no chest guard thats only in TKD hahahaha

and you have to be really aware when your sparring like you have to know when they gonnna kick or punch and block them and look for an opening and bam hit them like with a kick a punch or a back hand strike look for the target and make sure you always keep your guard up at all time keep your hands up and dont let the opponent know you gonna do a kick or a punch and make sure you dont keep your body open an always moved outa the way when they kick and bam kick them thats all i gots to say

 

[KenpoMaster805]

I've never thrown a round kick with the ball of the foot. Always the top or shin. In this tournament, I think shin is out, depends on the judges.

ya the shin not ball of the foot