Kumite
Kumite means "meeting of hands." In karate, the term is translated as "sparring." Sparring is any form of combat training with a partner.
Beginner and intermediate students usually train yakusoku-kumite, or "sparring with announcement." In this type of kumite, the attacker announces what the attack and target will be. The defender must then block or evade the attack and launch an effective counter-attack.
Contact is generally not permitted in yakusoku-kumite, at least not for beginners. The idea is to make contact with the other's gi, or uniform, not the actual body.
Advanced karateka practice jiyu-kumite, or "freestyle sparring." In this type of sparring, attacks and combinations are thrown at will by both partners, without announcement. In this type of sparring, good control is of utmost importance.
Kihon-Gohon-Kumite
"Basic five-step sparring" is typically practiced by beginners. The attacker steps forward with jodan-oi-zuki five times in succession.
The defender must step backwards five times using the appropriate block, usually jodan-age-uke, followed by a counter-attack, usually chudan-gyaku-zuki.
The defender then takes on the role of attacker, stepping forward five times with jodan-oi-zuki. The sequence is then repeated with chudan-oi-zuki as the attack and chudan-soto-uke as the defense.
All stances, attacks, and blocks are performed in basic style, i.e. no free-style techniques are allowed. Five-step sparring is very useful in developing proper punching and blocking technique. However, its main purpose is to teach the karateka how to maintain proper distance from the opponent, while moving forwards and backwards.
Kihon-Sanbon-Kumite
"Basic three-step sparring" is almost exactly the same as five-step sparring except that the number of steps has been reduced to three.
Three-step sparring takes up less time and space than five-step and is generally considered as more efficient. It still teaches basic punching and blocking technique, and it trains the student to maintain proper distance while moving.
Kihon-Ippon-Kumite
"Basic one-step sparring" is normally taught at the beginner and intermediate levels. In this form of kumite, the attacker may use only one attack with one step. Many different attack forms can be used, such as various strikes and kicks, but only one at a time.
After each single attack, both opponents must restart. One-step sparring is very useful in teaching the student how to counter-attack quickly, preventing the opponent from launching a second attack.
It is at this stage of kumite where the defender learns tai sabaki, or "body shifting." This occurs when the karateka shifts off the axis of attack (i.e. moves out of the way), making the block almost superfluous, and then delivers a counter-attack.
As in all kihon-kumite sets, the defender starts in a natural stance and basic technique is maintained throughout by both participants. Ippon-kumite has many variations, such as gaeshi-ippon-kumite (returning one-step sparring), whereby the attacker receiving the counter-attack must block it and counter as well.
In okuri-ippon-kumite (sliding sparring), the attacker throws two attacks instead of only one and both must be defended against. Kihon-ippon-kumite training provides the tools necessary for jiyu-ippon-kumite.
Jiyu-Ippon-Kumite
"Freestyle one-step sparring" (also known as "semi-free sparring") is very similar to basic-one step sparring, except that in jiyu-ippon, both participants start in jiyu-kamae (freestyle position). After each attack and counter-attack is made, the participants return to jiyu-kamae position.
Sometimes, more than one counter-attack is executed. Jiyu-ippon is usually taught to intermediate and advanced karateka. Although moving a little closer to actual free-sparring, this is still a form of yakusoku-kumite (announcement sparring).
Jiyu-ippon is taught to students in an effort to bridge the gap between basic yakusoku-kumite and jiyu-kumite (free-sparring), facilitating the transition from one to the other. Of course, one must always keep in mind that the rules for jiyu-ippon performance can vary greatly from one dojo to the next.
Jiyu-Kumite
"Free-sparring" is not part of the yakusoku set of kumite. Simply put, free sparring is practice fighting. Participants begin in freestyle position and fight each other using full speed attacks and defenses. Only the lightest contact is permitted, therefore a high level of skill is necessary.
Gohon kumite - 5-step
1 jodan oi zuki age uke x 5, gyaku zuki chudan 2 chudan oi zuki soto uke x 5, gyaku zuki chudan
Sanbon kumite - 3-step
1 jodan, chudan, mae geri age uke, soto uke, gedan barai, gyaku zuki chudan 2 jodan, chudan, mae geri age uke, uchi uke, gyaku gedan barai, kizami zuki, gyaku zuki 3 jodan, chudan, mae geri kokutsu: jodan haiwan uke, morote uchi uke, sukui uke, zenkutsu: gyaku zuki 4 jodan, chudan, mae geri kiba: jodan yama uke, taisho uke, gedan barai, empi uchi
Kihon ippon kumite
Jodan
1 jodan oi zuki age uke, gyaku zuki chudan
2 jodan oi zuki kokutsu: jodan shuto, zenkutsu: jodan gyaku shuto uchi
3 jodan oi zuki heisoku: sokumen age uke, yoko keage, kiba: empi uchi
4 jodan oi zuki jodan juji uke, mawashi geri, ushiro mawashi empi uchi
5 jodan oi zuki age uke, half-step back, mae geri, mae empi uchi
6 jodan oi zuki nagashi taisho uke, jodan gyaku haito uchi
Chudan
1 chudan oi zuki hidari soto uke, chudan gyaku zuki
2 chudan oi zuki migi soto uke, kiba: yoko empi uchi
3 chudan oi zuki uchi uke, jodan kizami zuki, chudan gyaku zuki
4 chudan oi zuki kokutsu: shuto uke (45º), kizami geri, zenkutsu: chudan gyaku nukite
5 chudan oi zuki kiba: empi uke, jodan ushiro mawashi empi uchi
6 chudan oi zuki step forward: chudan mawashi uke, jodan taisho uchi
Mae geri
1 mae geri gedan barai, chudan gyaku zuki
2 mae geri gyaku gedan barai, jodan kizami zuki, chudan gyaku zuki
3 mae geri gedan juji uke, jodan shuto juji uchi
4 mae geri neko-ashi: gedan barai, zenkutsu: tate shuto, chudan mai empi uchi
5 mae geri kokutsu: sukui uke, zenkutsu: chudan gyaku zuki
6 mae geri gyaku gedan sukui uke, jodan shuto uchi
Yoko kekomi
1 yoko kekomi soto uke (45º), chudan gyaku zuki
2 yoko kekomi nagashi uke, jodan gyaku haito uchi
3 yoko kekomi ushiro chudan barai (90º), chudan yoko kekomi, kiba: chudan yoko empi uchi
Mawashi geri
1 mawashi geri jodan haiwan uke (90º), chudan gyaku zuki
2 mawashi geri kiba: morote tate shuto uke, morote yoko empi uchi
3 mawashi geri kokutsu: soto uke (45º), kizami geri, zenkutsu: chudan gyaku zuki
Jiyu ippon kumite
Jodan
1 jodan oi zuki tate shuto uke (45º), chudan gyaku zuki, hanmi
2 jodan oi zuki jodan nagashi uke, chudan gyaku ura zuki, push
3 jodan oi zuki age uke (45º), kizami mawashi geri, chudan gyaku zuki, hanmi
4 jodan oi zuki jodan taisho uke (45º), chudan taisho uchi, pivot
5 jodan oi zuki osae uke, tobi geri, jodan uraken uchi
6 jodan oi zuki tai sabaki, mawashi geri, pivot
Chudan
1 chudan oi zuki soto uke (45º), chudan gyaku zuki, taisho
2 chudan oi zuki gyaku gedan seiryuto uke, jodan uraken uchi, half-step
3 chudan oi zuki tai sabaki (90º), chudan gyaku zuki, recover
4 chudan oi zuki mae geri, gedan barai, jodan kizami zuki (45º), recover
5 chudan oi zuki gyaku gedan barai, ushiro mawashi geri, ashi barai, otoshi gyaku zuki
6 chudan oi zuki taisho nagashi uke, ashi barai, otoshi gyaku zuki
Mae geri
1 mae geri gedan barai (45º), gyaku zuki, recover
2 mae geri gedan barai (45º), tate shuto, oi zuki
3 mae geri gedan juji uke, jodan shuto uchi (45º)
4 mae geri osae/nagashi uke, turn, chudan gyaku zuki, recover
5 mae geri gedan gyaku oseuke/gedan barai, kiba: jigoku otoshi (throw)
6 mae geri yoko geri kekomi (45º), recover
Yoko kekomi
1 yoko kekomi soto uke (45º), chudan gyaku zuki, recover
2 yoko kekomi morote seiryuto uke (45º), jodan tate zuki, recover
3 yoko kekomi nagashi (haiwan) uke, jodan ushiro mawashi empi uchi
Mawashi geri
1 mawashi geri jodan haiwan uke (90º), chudan gyaku zuki, recover
2 mawashi geri gyaku oi zuki, jodan shuto uchi (90º), recover
3 mawashi geri jodan heiko uke (double tate shuto), mawashi geri, recover
Ushiro geri
1 ushiro geri gyaku sukui uke (45º), jodan mawashi zuki, recover
2 ushiro geri kiba: sukui uke, ashi barai, otoshi gyaku zuki, recover
3 ushiro geri pivot, sukui uke, ushiro geri
Jodan kizami zuki
1 jodan kizami zuki tai sabaki, jodan uraken, chudan gyaku zuki, recover
2 jodan kizami zuki jodan taisho uke, ashi barai, chudan ura gyaku zuki
3 jodan kizami zuki fudo: haiwan nagashi uke - uraken, push (45º), recover
Chudan gyaku zuki
1 chudan gyaku zuki jodan kizami zuki (45º), chudan gyaku zuki, recover
2 chudan gyaku zuki gedan barai, mawashi geri, ushiro shuto uchi
3 chudan gyaku zuki gedan barai (90º), uraken uchi, recover