Traditional Kempo Forms (Kata)

KATA

In the KATA division, a competitor or a team shows their skills about a particular Kempo Kata of their choice. A Kempo Kata means a traditional Kempo Kata as well as a modern Kempo Kata.
– All IKF Kata have a purpose, they are for defending, attacking, balance, developing muscles, or breathing purposes. An IKF Kata is not a dance,  and it must have a combat value.
– Inside the KATA division there are 2 subdivisions :
1. KATA INDIVIDUAL ( one single competitor )
2. KATA SYNCHRONIC ( one team composed of 3 competitors )
– All competitors or teams will wear the Red Belt / Blue belt, depending on their corner.

Age categories in KATA : 

• 8-10 years old (8 and 9 years old)
• 10-12 years old (10 and 12 years old)
• 12-14 years old (12 and 13 years old)
• 14-16 years old (14 and 15 years old)
• 16-18 years old (16 and 17 years old)
• Seniors B: 18-21 years old (18, 19, and 21 years old)
• Seniors A: 21-37 years old
• Seniors-Masters: +37 years old (over 37 years old

Note: a KATA team will be composed only of athletes from the same age category; in KATA or KATA SYNCHRONIC if there will be less than 3 countries per category, they will be moved and merged directly to the next age category.

Presentation in KATA :

– when the specified category will be called, all competitors from that category will take place on the chairs in the back of the competition area; they will not leave their chairs until the announcement of the head referee.

– when their turn comes, the competitors have to enter the tatami at the head referee’s announcement, and start their presentation as follows: competitors walk in front of the head referee, salutes, and speaks out loud as follows:

For individual kata: NAME – COUNTRY – KATA (Example: Robert Zingg – USA – Seiyuchin)

For synchronic kata: COUNTRY – TEAM Nr. – KATA (Example: USA – Team 1 – Seiyuchin)

– competitors will start their performance after the signal of the head referee.
– at the end of their performance, competitors will salute the head referee again, waiting for the decision decently.

The time limit in KATA : 

– the maximum time is 3 minutes.
– the time will start from the salute for starting to perform until the salute at the end of the performance.
– if the time limit will be overlap, the scorekeeper will give the sign “TIME OVERLAP” to the head referee.
– the head referee will inform after finish the performance,  the competitor or team, and the audients that the time limit is overlapped.
– if the time it was overlap, the head referee will disqualify the competitor or team.

How to win in KATA

– the decision will be taken by the majority of referees.
– in KATA competition there will be always one competitor competing against another competitor, or one team competing against another team.
– the winner will go forward in the next round, the loser is eliminated.
– the last 4 competitors or teams will compete for places 1st to 4th.

Refereeing and Judgments in KATA
– the refereeing system within the International Kempo Federation is by having 3-5 referees.
– the referee team is separated into one head referee and 2 or 4 site referees.
– in the semi-finals, there are 3 referees from different countries.
– in the finals, there are 3 or 5 referees depending on the organizer staff of the IKF.
– the decision will be taken directly by the referees as follows: the side referees and the head referee will watch in the same direction and they will show the winner of them directly by their blue or red stick, at once, at the sign of the head referee.
– the decision will be taken by the majority of referees.
– a referee who was not present in the referee course on the day before the competition will be not allowed to act as referee in that event.
– the following principles are very important if we have to judge a performance in KATA.
– every referee must have the knowledge and must be able to give the right interpretation of upper rules.

The 7  PRINCIPLES of KATA
1. KATA and WEAPON KATA has to be alive and has to carry out with feeling. It must be clear what the techniques are for, by getting them a combat value. A KATA must be not just like “a dance”, nice for looking, having not a combat value of techniques.
2. There has to be “spirit”. Energy, force, and mind must come together at one point in a short moment. Here we can talk about “Focus”.
3. The power of strong and weak, hard and soft, flex, and relax. This we have to see in a KATA.
4. The timing of fast and slow. There has to be a variation in speed. There is a difference between action and no action in a KATA. In this manner, there will be a rhythm in the also by getting a character and a feeling of a battle.
5. Rhythm of breathing, the right way of breathing in and out. Gather power and energy in the area of our energy-center in the lower abdomen.
6. Balance is in every exercise very important. For right and effective techniques it’s important to have a good balance of the body. Some techniques in a KATA are just for the development of the balance of the body.     
7. Synchronization is very important in KATA SYNCHRONIC.

Note: Referees /judges must have always in their mind the following questions in order to judge correctly :

1. How was the PRESENTATION?
   2. How was the SYNCHRONIZATION?
   3. How was his attitude? Did he looks like a fighter or was his attitude weak during the whole presentation?
   4. How was his BREATHING? It was good? It was not good?
   5. How was his BALANCE? Did he lose his balance during the performance? He was strong on his legs?
   6. How it was applied HARD/SOFT,  the main principle of Kempo? It was just Soft movements? It was just HARD movements?
   7. How was his KIME? Did he show he is a fighter by his attitude? Did he look like having a real fight, a real battle during his KATA?  Did he induct you the feeling that something strong and focused was inside of his performance, or did his movements look just like a dance, just like a beautiful succession of movements and that’s it?

Disqualification in KATA
– if one competitor/team is not coming to compete after 30 seconds follows disqualification.
– when a competitor or team stops the performance before the end, disqualification will follow.
– when a competitor or a member of a team moves out of the competition area, the competitor or the team will be disqualified.
– when performance is more than the time limit.

WEAPON KATA

In WEAPONS KATA  division, a competitor or team shows their skills about a particular weapon Kata of their choice. This weapon Kata can be a traditional or a modern weapon form  (NO  FIRE GUNS WEAPONS ARE ALLOWED !!!).
– Weapons Kata has been created for real defending. By knowing this, the weapons used in this division must look like real weapons but without any sharp parts.
– also the traditional weapons like Katana (sword), Kama (sickle), Tanto (knife), Tonfa, and more has to be made from Iron / Metal / Wood and not from plastic or silicon (excepting athletes under 18 years old)
– inside the WEAPON KATA division there are 2 subdivisions:  WEAPON KATA INDIVIDUAL and WEAPON KATA SYNCHRONIC.
– in Weapon Kata Individual will compete with just single competitors and in Weapon Kata Synchronic will compete with just teams composed of 3 members.

Safety in WEAPON KATA
– each weapon must be not sharp, in good shape and safe for the competitor, referees, and audience.
– before starting a weapon competition, the weapon will be checked by the referees.
– each weapon which is not safe, will be taken out of competition; the competitor or team can stay in the competition but has to use another weapon, safe provided and checked by a referee.
– only the competitor is responsible for his weapon, nobody else.

– weapons have to be covered with a safety cover when outside of the competition area.

Presentation in WEAPON KATA

– when the specified category will be called, all competitors from that category will take place on the chairs in the back of the competition area; they will not leave their chairs until the announcement of the head referee.

– when their turn comes, the competitors have to enter the tatami at the head referee’s announcement, and start their presentation as follows: competitors walk in front of the head referee, salutes, and speaks out loud as follows:

For individual kata: NAME – COUNTRY – WEAPON KATA (Example: Robert Zingg – USA – Tonfa Ichi)

For synchronic kata: COUNTRY – TEAM Nr. – WEAPON KATA (Example: USA – Team 1 – Tonfa Ichi)

– all competitors will start their performance just after the signal of the head referee.
– at the end of their performance, competitors will salute the head referee again, waiting for the decision decently.

The time limit in WEAPON KATA

– the maximum time is 3 minutes.
– the time will start from the salute for starting to perform until the salute at the end of the performance.
– if the time limit will be overlap, the scorekeeper will give the sign “TIME OVERLAP” to the head referee.
– the head referee will inform after finish the performance,  the competitor or team, and the audients that the time limit is overlapped.
– if the time it was overlap, the head referee will disqualify the competitor or team.

How to win in WEAPON KATA

– the decision will be taken by the majority of referees.
– the WEAPON KATA competition uses an eliminatory system; there will be always one competitor competing against another competitor, or one team competing against another team.
– the winner will go forward in the next round, and the loser is eliminated.
– the last 4 competitors or teams will compete for places 1st to 4th.

Refereeing and Judgments in WEAPON KATA
– the refereeing system within the International Kempo Federation is by having 3-5 referees.
– the referee team is separated into one head referee and 2 or 4 side referees.
– in the semi-finals, there are 3 referees from different countries.
– in the finals, there are 3 or 5 referees depending on the organizer staff of the IKF.
– the decision will be taken directly by the referees as follows: the side referees and the head referee will watch in the same direction and they will show the winner of them directly by their blue or red stick, at once, at the sign of the head referee.
– the decision will be taken by the majority of referees.
– a referee who was not present in the referee course on the day before the competition will be not allowed to act as a referee in that event.

– the following principles are very important if we have to judge a performance in KATA.
– every referee must have the knowledge and must be able to give the right interpretation of upper rules.

The 7  PRINCIPLES of WEAPON KATA
1. WEAPON KATA has to be alive and has to carry out with feeling. It must be clear what the techniques are for, by getting them a combat value. A WEAPON KATA must be not like “a dance”, nice for looking, having not a combat value of techniques.
2. There has to be “spirit”. Energy, force, and mind must come together in one point in a short moment. Here we can talk about “Focus”.
3. The power of strong and weak, hard and soft, flex, and relax. This we have to see in a WEAPON KATA.
4. The timing of fast and slow. There has to be a variation in speed. There is a difference between action and no action in a WEAPON KATA. In this manner, there will be a rhythm in the also by getting a character and a feeling of a battle.
5. Rhythm of breathing, the right way of breathing in and out. Gather power and energy in the area of our energy-center in the lower abdomen.
6. Balance is in every exercise very important. For right and effective techniques it’s important to have a good balance of the body. Some techniques in a WEAPON KATA are just for the development balance of the body.     
7. Synchronization is very important in WEAPON KATA SYNCHRONIC.

Referees /judges must have always in their mind the following questions in order to judge correctly :

1. How was the PRESENTATION?
   2. How was the SYNCHRONIZATION?
   3. How was his attitude? Did he looks like a fighter or was his attitude weak during the whole presentation?
   4. How was his BREATHING? It was good? It was not good?
   5. How was his BALANCE? Did he lose his balance during the performance? He was strong on his legs?
   6. How it was applied HARD/SOFT,  the main principle of Kempo? It was just Soft movements? It was just HARD movements?
   7. How was his KIME? Did he show he is a fighter by his attitude? Did he look like having a real fight, a real battle during his WEAPON KATA?  Did he induct you the feeling that something strong and focused was inside of his performance, or did his movements look just like a dance, just like a beautiful succession of movements and that’s it?

Disqualification in WEAPON KATA
– if one competitor/team is not coming to compete after 1 minute after the last call, follows disqualification.
– when a competitor or team stops the performance before the end, disqualification will follow.
– When a competitor or a member of a team moves out of the competition area, the competitor or the team will be disqualified.
– When performance is more than the time limit.

TEAM SYNCHRO

Team Kata traditional 3 people team M,M,M OR F,F,F

SELF-DEFENCE

SELF-DEFENSE

1. SELF-DEFENSE KOMBAT
   In Self-Defense Kombat division, a team is composed of 2 competitors (1 attacker and 1 defender)
   – MALE teams are composed strictly of two (2) members male, having the same age category.
   – FEMALE teams are composed strictly of two (2) members female, having the same age category.
   – MIXT teams are composed strictly of two (2)  members, one male, and one female having the same age category.

Choreography principles: in Self-Defense Kombat there must be 70% real techniques of fighting and 30% choreographic show.

2. SELF-DEFENSE SPORT is a team of 4 competitors (3 attackers and 1 defender).
   Choreography principles: in Self-Defense Sport, there must be 30% realistic fighting techniques and 70% choreographic and acrobatic show.

AGE CATEGORIES

• 8-10 years old (8 and 9 years old)
• 10-12 years old (10 and 11 years old)
• 12-14 years old (12 and 13 years old)
• 14-16 years old (14 and 15 years old)
• 16-18 years old (16 and 17 years old)
• Seniors B: 18-21 years old (18,19, and 20 years old)
• Seniors A: 21-37 years old
• Seniors-Masters: +37 years old (over 37 years old)

WEAPONS IN SELF-DEFENSE

The weapons used for the SELF-DEFENSE performances have to look like real weapons but must be not sharpened; fire guns are not allowed.

SAFETY IN SELF-DEFENSE
– each weapon must be safe for the competitor, referees, and audience.
– before starting all Self-Defense competitions, the weapons will be checked by the referees.
– each weapon which is not safe, will be taken out of competition; the competitor or team can stay in the competition but has to use another weapon, safe provided.
– only the competitor is responsible for his (own) weapon, nobody else.

– weapons have to be covered with a safety cover when outside of the competition area.

PRESENTATION IN SELF-DEFENSE

– when the specified category will be called, all competitors from that category will take place on the chairs in the back of the competition area; they will not leave their chairs until the announcement of the head referee.

– when their turn comes, the competitors have to enter the tatami at the head referee’s announcement, and start their presentation as follows: competitors walk in front of the head referee, salutes, and speaks out loud as follows: COUNTRY – TEAM Nr.  (Example: USA – Team 1)

– competitors will start their performance after the signal of the head referee.
– at the end of their performance, competitors will salute the head referee again, waiting for the decision decently.

TIME LIMIT IN SELF-DEFENSE
– the time limit of each performance is 3 minutes

HOW TO WIN IN SELF-DEFENSE
– the decision will be taken by the majority of referees.
– the competition in Self-Defense there will be always one team compete against another team.
– the winning team will go in the next round, the losing team is out of the competition.
– the last 4 teams will compete for place 1 to 4 in that competition.

REFEREEING IN SELF-DEFENSE
– the refereeing system within the International Kempo Federation is by having 3-5 referees.
– the referee team is separated into 1 head referee and 2 or 4 side referees.
– in the semi-finals, there are at least 3 referees from different countries.
– in the finals, there are 3 or 5 referees depending on the organizer staff of the IKF.
– the decision will be taken directly by the referees as follows: the side judges and the head referee will watch in the same direction and they will show the winner of them directly by their bleu or red stick at once, at the sign of the head referee.
– the decision will be taken by the majority of referees.

HOW TO CREATE AND PERFORM A SELF-DEFENSE DEMO
– the coach and competitors must know the time will start to be counted from the salute for starting the performance until the salute for ending the performance.
– each team must perform strictly 4 scenarios looking like 4 short street-fights scenarios.
– each “scenario” will be performed only in the real-speed.
– in the first 2 scenarios, the attacker will attack strictly by using no weapons and in the last 2 scenarios, he will attack with weapons.
-for the entire performance the defender will be the same.

– in each team, the defender will use always just empty-hands for his defense but he can also finish as his wish using the weapon took it from the attacker. The defender starts always without weapons.
– each team will perform their scenarios using Self-Defense techniques in a realistic but also in a show/choreographic manner.

Note: a „SCENARIO” means a short “street-fight” choreography based on Self-Defense applications. The way of working in each scenario is something like “ attack, counter-attack, attack, counter-attack ……, and finalization”.

JUDGING SYSTEM IN SELF-DEFENSE
Scoring points are given for the following principles:
Presentation:  The way of entering the Competition area, the martial attitude,  the introduction, the salute, and the way they are closing the performance.
The performance: How was their performance at the normal speed? It was good, it was too slow…? It was focused on their techniques?
Working together: How are the competitors working together as a team? Is this a minus, a normal, or an extra good in performance? Are they working as a real team, synchronizing their techniques?
Choreography: How was the choreography? It was realistic? It was realistic enough? It was also attractive and spectacular having inside high standard and level of techniques?

DISQUALIFICATION IN SELF-DEFENSE 
– if one team is not coming after de head referees call them by the microphone to compete after 1 minute from the last call, is followed by disqualification.
– when a team stops the performance without ending their choreography, disqualification will follow.
– when a member of a team moves out of the competition protection area, the team will be disqualified.

SEMI-KEMPO

SEMI-KEMPO rules must be organized mandatory in all world and continental championships.
*Short description: touch-pointed/point fighting system, just stand-up fighting with controlled punches and kicks having a turn-return trajectory.

TECHNIQUES PERMITTED
– Punches to the body
– Punches to the head (no more than 2 punches in the same action)
– Kicks to the body
– Kicks to the head  (just circulars)
– Sweepings (grabbing the opponent just 1 sec or without grabbing)

Other specifications :
-all the strikes (kicks and punches) must be used having good control, “touch pointed”, having a turn-return trajectory.
-in case of more than 1 (one) correct strike in the same action, only the first good one can be scored.
-any techniques which are not specified in the „Techniques Permitted ” are illegal.
-max. 3 strikes in the same action are allowed (example of using strikes: punch-kick-kick or punch-kick-punch, punch-punch-kick, etc)

FIGHTING TIME

1 round x 3 minutes  (running time)/over 16 years old; 1 round x 2 minutes  (running time)/under16 years old;
In case of a draw, there will be an extra round until one competitor will get a point. In the extra round, the first one who will get the point will be declared the winner.

POINTS
– Punches: 1 point
– Superman punch (jumping punch): 2 points

– Kicks to the body: 1 point
– Kicks to the head:  2 points
– Jumping kicks to the body: 2 points
– jumping kicks to the head: 3 points
– Sweepings: 1 point

PENALTIES
– In case of intentioned fouls the ring referee will give: warning, -1, -3 points, disqualification.
– Fouls: too hard, intentioned KD, stepping out, non-sportive behavior, bad comments, etc.

HOW TO WIN
-by decision
-by abandon-anytime during the fight when there is 5 points difference between competitors.

EQUIPMENT

– White Gi pants next to the ankle, Black Gi jacket, Red/Blue belts depending by the corner.
– Boxing gloves 8-10 oz., Red/Blue depending on the corner.
– groin protection for men and chest protection for women, just under clothes.
– any model of shinguard (NO plastic insertion inside), not necessary to cover the entire foot.
– mouthguard (gum-shield).
– headgear with a plastic mask under 16 y.o.,  in the color of the respective corner.
*  in case of using headgear with a plastic mask the mouth-guard is optional 

REFEREEING and JUDGEMENT
-there will be 1 Central Referee (central referee with judge’s rights) and 2 Judges (on aside to the fighting area).
-the referee will break the fight after every action and shout POINTS  whenever he considers somebody must be pointed without stopping the fighting-time. The Central Referee will ask the side judges for their opinion. The judges will show their score (red or blue) at the same time as the Central Referee only after this one shout POINTS.
-also, the judges can ask for the attention of the referee by knocking with the 2 colored sticks red and blue. After this signal, the referee can stop the fight and shout POINTS to see the score and also will show his opinion in this case (red or blue). If the Central Referee considers that there was no scored action involved he will let the action continue making a sign with his hands as NO SCORE.
-if there will be a majority decision ( ex: 2 from 3 judges) the referee will score points and he will show this decision to the main table in order to be noted there. The Central Referee can consult the judges about a score decision and ask for the decision again.
-after the decision, the referee will shout to the table judge (score judge) the number of points earned and the color of the competitor scored (ex.: Red, 2 points !) and will show with one hand (competitor colored) the competitor scored and with the same hand the number of points given, overhead. The referee has to ensure that the score-judge scored the points on the score table.
-in case of a KO will appear by voluntary action, the fighter who is not injured will be disqualified. In case of a KO will appear to a competitor who made a wrong move by a wrong reflex, this competitor will lose the fight.
-penalties and warnings will be given by the central referee without consulting the side judges. He will show with one hand (competitor colored) to the competitor who earned the penalty and he will shout “warning”. The referee has to ensure that the score-judge scored the penalties to the score-table.
-the score for warnings for fouls (KD or excessive force used, stepping out other fouls) will be kept on a separate counter on the score table for each competitor.
-the central referee, in case of light fouls, will just administrate (verbal warning) the athletes, but in case of serious fouls, he will give the official warning (counted separately on the score table). The central referee can decide to disqualify the athletes without waiting for the warning or -1, -3 points penalty system in very serious fouls, with the approval of the chairman of the referees.

FULL-KEMPO

FULL-KEMPO rules must be organized mandatory in all world and continental championships.
*short description: stand-up and ground fighting using boxing gloves; full-contact system using punches to the head and to the body, kicks to the head circular, kicks and knees to the legs and to the body, throws, chokes, and immobilizations; no strikes allowed in ground fighting.

TECHNIQUES PERMITTED
– punches to the head and to the body.
– kicks to the head (just circulars), kicks to the body (any kind ), kicks to the legs (just circulars, inside/outside).
– kicks with the external and internal side of the foot to the knee-back side of the opponent only for takedowns or throws and only when the one who kicks is in the back of the opponent.
– knees to the body and to the legs (only circulars and frontals, but not inside of the legs).
-takedowns, throws inside of 10 sec. from grabbing.
– ground fighting just with immobilizations and articular techniques.
– the ground fighting will be allowed for a max of 10 sec. In case of fixing will appear in this time, the ring referee will start to count for 10 sec.
* inside of grabbing all kinds of legal strikes are allowed.
**any techniques which are not specified in the „Techniques Permitted ” are illegal.

FIGHTING TIME

1 round x 3 minutes  (effective time) for over 16 years old. In case of a draw, there will be an extra round of 2 minutes. The extra round will start from 0-0 and after this extra round, all referees must decide the winner.

1 round x 2 minutes  (effective time) for under 16 years old. In case of a draw, there will be an extra round of 1 minute. The extra round will start from 0-0 and after this extra round, all referees must decide the winner.

POINTS
– punches: 1 point
– kicks to the legs and to the body: 1 point
– kicks to the head:  2 points
– jumping kicks to the body: 2 points
– jumping kicks to the head: 3 points
– takedowns, sweepings, small throws: 1 point
– large throws: 2 points
– good immobilization or chokes at the ground fighting maintained for 10 sec: 2 points.
* it is not considered a good immobilization or choke when standing with the body between the legs of the opponent.

PENALTIES and SCORE

– in case of repeated intentioned fouls the ring referee will give: warning, -1, -3 points, disqualification.
– depending on the intensity of the foul the central referee can disqualify the athletes directly or after the first/second warning for the competitor, with the approval of the chairman of referees.
– just the penalties and points given by the central referee will be scored on the score table.
– the tables referees will count just the strikes and throws and, at the end of the game, they will add the points from the score table and after will declare the winner. Points counted by the table referees and points from the score table will be written in separate squares on each table referees registry.

HOW TO WIN
-by decision
-by K.O.
-by T.K.O.
-by abandon
-by 3 K.D.’s in a row.

EQUIPMENT
– White Gi pants next to the ankle, Black Gi jacket, Red/Blue belts depending by the corner.
– Boxing gloves 8-10 oz, Red/Blue depending by the corner.
– groin protection for men and chest protection for women, just under clothes.
– any model of shinguard (NO plastic insertion inside), not necessary to cover the entire foot.
– mouthguard (gum-shield).
– headgear with a plastic mask under 16 y.o.,  in the color of the respective corner.
*  in case of using headgear with a plastic mask the mouth-guard is optional.