Kobudo Competition

Overview Competitors will demonstrate three weapons from the following categories. Miscellaneous, Sai, and Bo, in that order. Miscellaneous weapons include the Tekko, Nunchaku, Tonfa, Rochin & Tinbe, Kama, and Eku. The Kata performed with the weapon must be a recognized kata listed at http://ryukyu-kobudo.com/kata/kata_system.htm. We strongly encourage competitors interested in testing for advancement to perform their test kata in the competition. We discourage doing kata out of the sequence they are taught. For example, a Shodan is discouraged from doing Sandan kata in the competition.

Weapons
Weapons must be official size and weight. Bo should match the competitor’s body, extending one fist’s length past the head. Sai should extend at least to the elbow when held in the hand. For adults the Bo must be a minimum of 900 grams and the Sai 600 grams. There are no weight requirements for children’s divisions, but weapons should be made from strong wood or metal. Plastic or other materials will not be allowed. If necessary competitors should share weapons.

Uniforms
The competitors must wear traditional karate uniforms. White is preferred, black or brown is acceptable if that is the uniform used in organization represented by the competitor. Participants should be careful to wear the appropriate belt, for example, a person who holds a Dan grade in Karate but a Kyu grade in Kobudo should not wear a black belt in the Kobudo competition.

Ring Management
Each ring will have a ring manager and four judges. After each kata, the judges will indicate their score at the sound of a whistle. The ring manger will read out each score to a scorekeeper. The judges will show their scores to the audience, and then lower the scorecards. The scorekeeper will note each score and will read the total score back to the ring. The total score for all three kata will be added together to determine the winner.

Scoring
Kata will be scored upon the following criteria. Scores will be on a 10 point scale, with tenth of points of divisions. An average kata performance will receive a score of 8.0. A better kata performance will receive an 8.1, typically a score of 8.3 is a very good score. Correctness, as this is a Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinko Kai sponsored tournament with traditional kata, deviation from the kata’s pattern will result in the loss of .1 points. Regarding other Kobudo styles, such as Matayoshi style or Kobujitsu etc., judges form those styles are also welcome to be represented in the rings. If one of the judges believes there was a mistake in the Kata, he or she will call for a conference at the side of the ring. If the senior judge agrees that there was a mistake he will instruct all judges to remove .1 point from the score they were intending to award. If a competitor restarts a kata, they will loose .2 points. If they freeze and cannot finish the kata, they will receive a score of 7.0. If the weapon leaves the competitor’s hand or if it touches the floor, they will loose .1 points. The final score will also reflect the judges’ impression of the use of proper stances, power, balance, and the competitor’s understanding of the underlying meaning behind the movements by their demonstration of fluid movement, line of sight, and kiai.

Divisions
The Kobudo Competition will be broken down into the following divisions:

Adult (18 years and older) Men Dan Grade*
Adult (18 years and older) Women Dan Grade*
Adult (18 years and older) Men Kyu Grade
Adult (18 years and older) Women Kyu Grade
Boys 16 – 18**
Girls 16 – 18**
Boys under 16**
Girls under 16**

*Dan Grade refers to Kobudo Grade only. Only 4th Dan and below should compete.
**If there are sufficient Dan and Kyu grade competitors these divisions will also be split into Dan and Kyu.

Download rules in *.doc format.