Making a comeback...

[kaminikage]

So I've been out of the game for a while, I just started trainning again and I am looking to get into competitions. I never really got to compete in my younger days so all I really know is from what I have seen on YouTube. Recently I have been to a couple of inner school/local events and they didn't seem to be on par with what I thought the competition would be like. I really want to get serious about competing, so I guess my real question is where do I look for the real competitions that can qualifiy you for events like nationals and what kind standards should I expect from competitors in that world?

 

[tshadowchaser]

First welcome to the forums

You may need to look in the larger cities as the tournament there will be larger and get more publicity

not trying to discourage you but your an unknown and will need to impress the judges and coaches to start getting any kind of reputation. They remember those who do good

 

[kaminikage]

As far as what I compete in, I like to do everything. Primarily olimpic style sparring, but I also do point syle, breaking, traditional and open weapon forms.

 

[kaminikage]

First welcome to the forums

You may need to look in the larger cities as the tournament there will be larger and get more publicity

not trying to discourage you but your an unknown and will need to impress the judges and coaches to start getting any kind of reputation. They remember those who do good

So are the larger competitions more based on reputation than individual preformance?

 

[donnaTKD]

you gotta make a name for yourself by starting at the bottom and working up and even then you've gotta get noticed by someone influencial.

start at the bottom you said yourself you're just getting back into it so your skill sets are gunna be rusty - it'll give you time to find a decent coach to drill you for hour upon hour just to get you "match" fit. believe me anyone can get in the ring but not everyone has got what it takes to compete on fairly level playing field.

word of warning -- don't go rushing into it or it'll be you getting buried by 6.

 

[tshadowchaser]

Performance counts but those with a reputation already sometimes have a slight edge with what judges see or score.
Not saying this is always the rule but the more judges see you the better.
On the other hand if you much better than your competition you do get noticed faster

 

[kaminikage]

you gotta make a name for yourself by starting at the bottom and working up and even then you've gotta get noticed by someone influencial.

start at the bottom you said yourself you're just getting back into it so your skill sets are gunna be rusty - it'll give you time to find a decent coach to drill you for hour upon hour just to get you "match" fit. believe me anyone can get in the ring but not everyone has got what it takes to compete on fairly level playing field.

word of warning -- don't go rushing into it or it'll be you getting buried by 6.

Definatly understood... I get that I will need to train alot to even be on the level that I am talking about. But I am a little confused about the need for a high reputation. I would think that your skill alone would win you fights or does your reputation have more to do with who you get placed against and what competitions you are alowed to fight in?

 

[kaminikage]

Performance counts but those with a reputation already sometimes have a slight edge with what judges see or score.
Not saying this is always the rule but the more judges see you the better.
On the other hand if you much better than your competition you do get noticed faster

This is mostly what I was wondering, so getting noticed by the right people enough times is the best place for me to start.

 

[kaminikage]

Now I currently live in Indiana but I dont mind driving for a competition. I know that there are tournements that happen regularly (anually/semi-annually) but I don't really know where to look for them?

 

[Buka]

Welcome aboard, bro.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about a rep, or getting noticed or anything else. I'd concentrate, first and foremost, on learning the rules you'll be competing under. Second - keep your hands up. Third - just go and have some fun.

I think you could google tourneys within your driving distance. Or call or e-mail some schools and see what they have on their calendars.

 

[kaminikage]

Thank you all... really apprieciate the input!

 

[Grenadier]

If you're looking for a decent traditional Karate competition, USA Karate (formerly the USA-NKF) offers the most avenues, and does so with consistency.

USA Karate

There should be a regional qualifier tournament within a few hours of you.

Most regional tournaments will have empty hand kata, kumite, and kobudo, while some of the tournaments will only have empty hand kata and kumite.

Upcoming Events

In general, most tournaments will be held in the early spring through early summer time. Some events are held outside of that time period, though, and you can qualify for the nationals at any number of tournaments.

Competitors will be arranged according to their gender, age, and experience level, although if a division is too small, they may combine similar divisions.

The AAU is another option, although they're significantly smaller, and don't pack near the same punch they used to a few decades ago.

 

[jks9199]

As far as what I compete in, I like to do everything. Primarily olimpic style sparring, but I also do point syle, breaking, traditional and open weapon forms.

Are you looking at Tae Kwon Do, or open tournaments? If you want to compete in Olympic-style TKD, I think you have to do that within the appropriate organization. For open tournaments... well, there're a lot of them, with different rules. A lot depends on the sponsor. And the level of competition will vary greatly.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

As far as what I compete in, I like to do everything. Primarily olimpic style sparring, but I also do point syle, breaking, traditional and open weapon forms.

Can you clarify what art you actually practice/want to compete in? "Olympic style" would seem to indicate Tae Kwon Do (I assume you're not talking about Judo, Boxing, or Wrestling which would be the other Olympic martial arts). On the other hand, you mention weapon forms, which would not be TKD.

There are a lot of very different organizations, competitions, and rulesets for different arts out there. You can probably get much more specific advice if we know what you're competing in.