Updated September 10, 2024
General Rules
- All competitors must wear a traditional karate uniform.
- Sparring gear is required for all levels and age divisions. No open insteps or open toed shoes are allowed. Gloves must cover the back of the hand, knuckles and all the fingers when the fist is closed.
- Mouthpieces must be worn during all sparring matches for all levels and age divisions.
- Groin protecter is required for all male competitors.
Forms Traditional Forms
- A Traditional form is required for this division, techniques must consist of traditional martial arts movements. (No flips, cartwheels, etc.)
- Forms are judged on technique, intensity, and consistency. (No personal bias on how you or another instructor teaches the kata)
- The first competitors to register will always compete last in their division.
- Announcements are optional. The competitor’s announcement should consist of their name and name of form, before beginning.
- The first three competitors will show their form and then sit down until being called back up to be scored.
- In the case of a tie the competitor should do a different form as a tie breaker unless it’s in the beginner or specialty division. (If one student only knows 1 kata, give the person they are competing against the option to run the same kata)
- If there is one competitor in a division, they have the option to compete with the higher belt division up. If the competitor decides to compete against the higher division run them as part of the group. HOWEVER, if they want to run an exhibition kata, they will be rewarded 1st place for their performance since they did not have anyone to compete against.
- The first 3 competitors will be judged with a score of 9.3, 9.5, 9.7. All other competitors will slide in between those scores.
- We will split divisions at 8 competitors for intermediate and under belts and 17 years old and under.
- We will keep divisions of 15 competitors for advance and BB Divisions
Specialty / Weapons / Musical Forms
- This division is for specialty / weapons / musical forms (non-traditional). Music and weapons are not required.
- Adult Black Belt weapons division will consist of Specialty and Traditional divisions.
- Forms are judged on technique, intensity, and complexity.
- The first competitors to register will always compete last in their division.
- Announcements are optional. The competitor’s announcement should consist of their name, school’s name, martial art style, and name of form if applicable before beginning their form.
- The first three competitors will show their form and then sit down until being called back up to be scored.
- In the case of a tie the competitor CAN perform the same kata that they competed with the first time.
Sparring
- The first competitors to register get the byes.
- Sparring divisions are single elimination.
- We will fight for 3rd place.
- Side coaching is allowed in any language.
- Fights will be 2 minutes total.
- The match will consist of 1 minute sparring, a 10 second break and then 1 minute of sparring.
- In the 10 - second time frame the fighter can go to the side and be coached with specific instructions
- There is no 7-point spread; however, if the coach or parent wishes for the competitor to end the fight, they can speak to the center judge, and they will stop the fight.
- The same rules will be applied to Adult Black Belt Sparring Divisions.
- Legal target areas are the stomach, chest, ribs, groin, and head gear. Face contact is not allowed in the Beginner and Intermediate divisions.
- Light face contact IS allowed in ALL the Advanced and Black Belt divisions, no matter the age.
- Even if a fighter is wearing a face shield, face contact is still not allowed in the beginner and intermediate divisions. The legal target area is anything covered by a Century student headgear.
- Warnings are given for face contact in beginner and intermediate divisions, for excessive force, or for intentional kicks to the leg or the back.
- 1st warning no point is awarded to the other fighter. 2nd warning ONE POINT is awarded to the other fighter. 3rd time for face contact you are disqualified.
- No warnings for being knocked out of bounds.
- Warnings given for fighters running from fight. (Same point system as above.)
- Kicking to the legs, kicking to the back no disqualification, but points will be awarded to the other competitor.
- Wild swings with intent to harm will be a 2nd& 3rd judge’s decision on disqualification.
- If a technique is indefensible a point can be awarded even if the point is not seen.
- Two out of three judges must agree for a point to be scored. If two judges agree that one fighter scored a technique, but one judge calls 1 point, and the other judge calls 2 points, the fighter is awarded 1point.
- Kicking techniques are worth 2 points and hand techniques are worth 1 point.
- Hammer fist, axe kicks, back fists, punches, ridge hand, and chops are allowed to the top of the head. Any technique must have a chamber and rechamber to be awarded a point.
- No knocking or open hand slap to the top of the head will be awarded a point.
- No blind techniques. The fighter must see his opponent before the technique makes contact. Spinning back fist is allowed if the fighter turns their head around first and recoils it.
- No point will be given if the technique lands from a block. (I.E. Punch to chest, punch is blocked and the block redirects, causing the punch to land on the head.)
- All boys must wear groin protectors.
- All fighting competitors must have a mouth guard.
- Competitors must wear headgear except adult black belt divisions.