Kata

A kata may be considered two things.

The first is an imaginary fight between the performer and several opponents.
The second is a valuable training method that will allow the student to train ones body movements in a wide variety of ways.

The matches are performed in a court, although boundaries do not and should not matter to the performer. The starting point and finishing point should be the same spot.

The kata competition consists of individual and team matches

Flag System - two competitors shall perform the same kata indicated by the main judge and the judgments by the judges shall indicate the winner by using a blue or red flag.

Point System – competitors shall perform a kata and each judge shall give points on the performance of a competitor. The lowest and the highest score will be dropped and the remaining points shall be added up for a total score.

Team Kata - three competitors shall perform the same kata. At the start, all three competitors shall face the front. They may freely choose their starting point inside the court. The team shall be scored according to the Point System.

The criteria for the judgment of kata matches are:
A. Deportment (Taido)
B. Body posture (Shisei)
C. Stance (Tachi kata)
D. Basic technique (Kihon)
E. Speed of technique (wazaa no kyo jaku)
F. Expansion and contraction (Karada no shinshuku)
H. Line of movement ( Embusen)
I. Body movement (Unsoku)
J. Interpretation (Renzou-sei)

Kumite

Scoring points

Sometimes if might seem to a spectator at a match that a particular technique was worthy of a point though neither the referee nor the judge awarded the point. But it's the referee who conducts the match and the corner judges who can point out the scoring techniques to the referee if his vision has been blocked by the action.

A point is awarded only if the technique appears to have been executed with the proper power, timing and distance and has obviously been directed toward the center of the target.

But it's important to note that a referee can award a point even though a technique is not 100 percent complete. The attacking person may catch his opponent off guard, or with his body turned around in an off balance position.

The attacker may launch a combination techniques which may not be individually strong, but taken together they may be done well enough to merit one point.

A strong counter attack catching one's opponent when he is coming in to make an attack on his own might also score a point.

However, there are cases when what seems like a strong technique gets no point. The attacker might be off balance at the point of his attack. Or he might be using a so called "blind technique" without any control or specific target. Such a technique or a dangerous throw would be more cause for a foul than a point.

In the case of body contact, accidental or intentional, the referee and the judge can hold a conference to determine whether there will be a simple warning or a disqualification.

The target areas of attacks shall be defined as follows:
A. Jodan – head/neck area
B. Chudan – breast, belly, sides and back

Criteria for scoring a point:
A. Correct posture and attitude
B. Concentrated mind and spirit
C. Good distance and timing
D. Correct grasp of the target
E. Proper execution of power and technique

To score an ippon (full point) all of the criteria mentioned above have to be accomplished

An ippon can be scored even if not all of the above criteria are accomplished
A. De Ai – attacking the opponent as he/she starts his/her attack and successfully evades the attack and simultaneously launches an effective counter strike
B. Knocking the opponent off balance to execute a technique
C. Attack combined with a throw
D. A consecutive series of attacks that all reach their target
E. The opponent is defenseless due to loss of balance or position

A waza-ari (half point) is scored for proper technique that is close to an ippon but not quite close enough

Two waza-ari add up to an ippon

Ai-uchi (attacking each other at the same time) - Both competitors score at the same time with equally efficient attacks. In this case, both of the attacks will be cancelled out (no point scored)

Judging a Match

1. If no competitor reaches the full points of score within the prescribed time, each judge shall decide a winner. The decisions of the judges shall be added up to indicate the winner.

2. If both competitors get injured or for other reasons cannot continue the match, the judges shall declare a winner considering the points scored up to then

3. The judging factors are as follows:
A. Points scored
B. Hansoku-chui (warning) given
C. Jo-gaiChui (out of bounds warning) given
D. Superiority of tactics and techniques displayed by the competitors
E. Skill and strength of the techniques
F. Dignity shown by the competitors in the match
G. Number of offensive attacks performed while the opponent also has the same opportunity to attack

4. The corner judges and the main judge each individually shall decide a winner. Under majority rule, the winner if the match will be declared by the main judge

5. If a winner cannot be decided, a hiki-wake – draw – shall be declared

Judges Signals

Judge's Signals - Decisions            Referee (Center Judge) Signals