Kumite no Kata

Quick Facts

About the kata

Kumite no Kata is a set of five forms that Ashihara Karate International (AKI) calls sparring forms. According to AKI they emphasize full-contact fighting techniques, and each pair of forms works at a different range: the first two at short range, the next two at medium range, and the fifth and last at long range. The AKI kata guide describes only the first form, Sono Ichi, in ten numbered steps. After the starting fighting stance, kumite no kamae, all eight further steps respond to a kick, not a strike: to a low and a high roundhouse kick, mawashi geri, and to a front kick, mae geri. A block with the shin or crossed forearms, juji uke, turns into a counter — a knee kick, hiza geri, an elbow strike, hiji uchi, a back kick, ushiro geri, or a throw, maki komi nage. In the sixth step, the defender answers a high mawashi geri with a single kick to the joint, kansetsu geri. The form ends with a strike and a finishing heel kick, kakato geri. In AKI's grading syllabus, Sono Ichi belongs to 6th kyu, Sono Ni to 4th kyu, Sono San to 1st kyu, Sono Yon to 1st dan, and Sono Go only to 3rd dan. We have not been able to document the sequence of the forms Sono Ni through Sono Go in publicly available sources.

Meaning of the name

AKI translates the name as "Sparring Form" and also uses the shortened Kumite Kata in its grading syllabus. The Japanese organization NIKO (芦原会館) writes the set as 組手の型 and, on the 2009 teaching DVD presented by kancho Hidenori Ashihara, numbers the forms from Sono Ichi to Sono Go.

Differences between styles

In the Japanese NIKO, the set is taught from blue belt. An instructor from the everkarate blog ranks Kumite no Kata 1 at blue belt, 2 at yellow, 3 at green, 4 at brown, and 5 at black belt; the Okayama branch of NIKO confirms that forms 1 to 5 come only after the beginner kata Shoshin no Kata 1. In AKI, by contrast, the last form is practiced only at 3rd dan. The Danish AKF club describes Kumite no kata as combat kata emphasizing smooth, "aggressive" forward movement and many high kicks.

Bunkai – applications

Per the AKI guide, the kata can be practiced with a partner as sabaki. In Sono Ichi, after blocking, the defender moves into positions the guide labels #1 and #2, countering only from there; in step three, the knee kick is followed by a 180-degree turn and a push, or a throw. An NIKO instructor from the everkarate blog sees Kumite no Kata 1 as the basis of positional work: stepping out of the opponent's range and taking a spot from which to attack more safely.

Techniques in the kata