Karate is a martial art that is practised all over the world. It is practised by millions of individuals, both recreationally and competitively. On a global scale, competitions are hosted and regulated. For combat Karate, they follow a set of rules, and the winner is selected by a point system. So, how do you grade Karate?
In a Karate match, there are three types of techniques that can be used to score points. Ippon is worth three points, Yuko is worth one, Wazari is worth two, and Yuko is worth one. In most events, full contact is prohibited, and there are severe penalties for breaching the rules during a match.
Whatever the case may be, there are numerous factors to consider in a Karate battle, as well as various styles of competition. Each category has its own set of rules. Some competitions, such as Kata, are scored differently because there is no opponent. Let’s delve a little deeper into the realm of karate and go over the regulations for each style.
What Are The Basic Karate Rules?
Karate, unlike practically every other martial art, isn’t focused on knocking the opponent out or hitting them hard. The World Karate Federation has instead devised and regulated a point scoring system. Of course, there are versions where full contact is allowed and point scoring is different, but the WKF regulates the most major contests. As a result, when it comes to Krata as a sport, the rule set is deemed authoritative.
But, before you get into the point-scoring rules and regulations, it’s important to understand the history and philosophy of Karate. That way, you’ll understand why it’s not a full-contact sport and why the rules are structured the way they are.
A brief overview of Karate’s history
It all started in Okinawa, Japan, millennia ago. People from there used to practise in martial arts in China because it was much closer to them than travelling to Japan’s capital cities. They studied the skills of various old Chinese combat arts in China.
When they returned to Okinawa, they began teaching their peers what they had learned in China, but with significant modifications and refinements, including various parts into their learnings. Karate was formed as a result of their efforts to make their techniques swift and effective in self-defense (known as Te at the time).
Some methods from Chinese martial arts were employed in the new martial art, but they were developed depending on their needs and tradition. In the end, their Te had only a passing resemblance to Chinese martial arts. Only a few basic movements and techniques may be identified.
The most important thing they carried over was mental preparation and a tranquil mentality, not the procedures. Te wasn’t meant to damage or injure anyone, but rather to swiftly incapacitate them so you could cry for help or flee. They practise Buddhist meditation, serenity, and peace concepts.
However, it was the conditions in which they found themselves that prompted them to create Te. They couldn’t carry guns because it was against the law, so they had to devise a non-lethal self-defense strategy. Te was not introduced to the Japanese mainland until the twentieth century, and then to the rest of the world. It was also around this time that the word Te was altered to Karate, which means “open hand.”