What is Kumite in Karate?

When it comes to Karate, there are generally three main focuses. These are Kata, Kihon and Kumite. For the sake of this article, we shall only be focusing on Kumite. However, we shall also briefly mention what the other two entail. Firstly, Kata refers to drilling which is often done on your own.

Basically, this is done to improve your muscle memory and retain moves. This is also described as the ‘soft’ part of the martial art, as you are training without the possibility of hurting an opponent. Secondly is Kihon, which roughly translates to ‘fundamentals’. These moves form the starting blocks of your Karate journey. In brief, Kihon centers around the correct stances and foot movement. Obviously, without these basics, your Karate will struggle.

Lastly on the list is Kumite which is the main focus. Basically, Kumite involves testing your skills out on a resisting opponent. This can be in the form of sparring in the gym and against a foe in a competition. With this said, Kumite can be against a training partner or an enemy. Because of this, it’s not exactly correct to describe Kumite as sparring although that is often what people will refer to it as. For instance, you wouldn’t describe a competition fight as Kumite. Therefore, Kumite is more of an umbrella term for both cases which include both sparring and fighting outside of the gym.

The two forms of Kumite in more detail

Perhaps the most common form of Kumite takes place within the dojo. Generally speaking, most Karateka will not compete in Karate competitions and train mostly for self-defense. Because of this, most of the time Kumite will take place against a teammate and shouldn’t be taken too seriously.

For example, in the dojo you should not be trying to harm or injure your training partner. Note, that there is a key difference between a training partner and an opponent. Instead, Kumite within the dojo should have an emphasis on technical improvement, rather than ‘winning’. This means if you have bad parts of your game, you can use Kumite to pressure test them against a resisting partner.

Of course, Kumite in the dojo can be done in various forms. Against a youngster in their early 20s, it may be a fast-paced bout that relies on strong cardio. Alternatively, if sparring against an old, slower opponent it may be based upon learning and technical knowledge. Basically, you can adapt your style to suit different opponents. However, the sole goal of Kumite is the same as Kata and Kihon, which is to improve your Karate.

The next form of Kumite is done in terms of competition. Typically, Shotokan Karate focuses heavily on competition when compared to other strands of the art. Because of this, you will often hear Shotokan practitioners refer to competition as Kumite. As mentioned earlier, the term is fairly fluid.

This form of Karate is more competitive than sparring in the gym as it isn’t sparring. Instead, the main goal is to win. Having said this, you can get disqualified in some tournaments if you are too aggressive. Nor is full-contact competition Karate some kind of wild blood bath either. Typically competition Kumite has a few rules to win.

The first way of winning is if your opponent is unable to carry on which could be due to an injury or knockout. The second way is by having the most points when the time is up, and lastly, you can win by gaining an eight-point advantage. Points are typically scored by achieving significant strikes or in some cases takedown sweeps. In brief, the dominant fighter will usually win.

‘Hard’ Kumite vs ‘Soft’ Kumite

In Karate, there is often a concept based on ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ styles which we have briefly mentioned in the introduction. This idea also applies to Kumite and isn’t just applicable to Kata for example. The softer style of Kumite is called Gohon Kumite. This style is typically used by beginners and is based on improving techniques at a slower pace. For example, with Gohon Kumite there will be a greater emphasis on footwork and slowly pointing out mistakes to learn.

Usually, one person will strike their opponent in a gentle, controlled way whilst their partner will focus completely on blocking or dodging. In other martial arts, this is often referred to as situational sparring. Basically, it is sparring in a controlled environment that isn’t as free-flowing as other forms. Specifically, Gohon Kumite is designed to target key areas of your game to develop your improvement.

The second part of Kumite is called Jiyu Kumite. This is often done by more experienced practitioners and is less static. For instance, instead of one person just blocking, they’re also encouraged to use counters and strike back. This is further away from the Gohon style which is more akin to Kata with a partner. Again, in other martial arts Jiyu Kumite would be referred to as free sparring as it has fewer boundaries.

The reason why this style is meant for experienced Karateka is that it all parts of the art and is, therefore, less specialist. At this point, the Karateka should be confident in their ability to have a controlled spar without the danger of injury. Normally, this style would be geared towards a real fight situation, such as training before an MMA match. Generally speaking, there are both positives and negatives with both parts of Kumite which often depends on the individual.

Myths and legends of Kumite tournaments

As Karate grew during the 80s it gained popularity that was previously unseen in the west. You also have to remember that at this time the internet was not invented so a lot of popular culture would spread by word of mouth. Sometimes you would see Kumite take place in popular Karate movies at the time and these could be over-the-top.

For instance, you may see a fight scene take place where people die in combat, or there’s some kind of secret, invite-only club on a mystical island. This may sound bizarre these days, but back then people took these movies seriously and as a result, rumors spread that these Kumite tournaments were true.

Of course, Kumite competitions exist and some may have been more aggressive than others. However, historically speaking, Karate competitions are structured and aren’t dangerous. A modern-day example of an exciting Kumite competition would be Bas Rutten’s Karate Combat. This is a full-contact Karate competition that has some of the best Karatekas in the world. These guys aren’t fighting with weapons or using secret moves either, it’s all just fundamentally sound Karate and good technique.

Why Kumite is important in Karate

Not all forms of Karate teach Kumite. As Karate is fairly splintered into different factions – not all forms favor Kumite or deem it necessary for development. However, others would argue that Kumite is actually very important to Karate. For example, one criticism of certain, traditional martial arts such as Aikido is that it lacks sparring.

The question has to be asked if you never test your skills, is whether you are skilled at all. As the old adage says, “You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?” This can be applied to Kumite. Basically, the idea is that Kumite will test how really good you actually are. As anyone can claim to be technically brilliant or tough without proof, Kumite takes the talk away and is a real test of your Karate.

With this said, whilst competition isn’t necessary for everyone, it has been argued over the years that Kumite in the dojo is what separates Karate from being too soft. Of course, a large part of martial arts is based on your mental growth, however, it’s also based on your physical growth too. In short, without testing your physical improvements then your skills are only theoretical and lack practical uses. As said, some forms of Karate completely disagree with this philosophy whereas others live by it.

Closing Thoughts

As stated, some forms of Karate will avoid Kumite and certain dojos will not partake in Kumite either. In short, Kumite is not exclusive to Karate and if you are not interested in it, then make sure to look for a school that avoids Kumite. However, as mentioned Kumite is an important part of developing your Karate. When combined with correct Kata and Kihon it can quickly enhance your progression in the art. As mentioned, Kumite doesn’t have to be a wild bar fight either and if done with a technical partner at a slower pace it can improve your skills in a safe environment.

With this being said, Kumite is an important part of Karate and is often used as a way to determine your skills in a real situation or even just to develop your techniques if needed. Overall, a good definition of Kumite is when Karateka spar or fight with each other with the aim of learning or winning depending on the individual.

For more information and history on the subject, this book gives an excellent breakdown on Okinawan Karate.