DISCLAIMER: these rules are NOT complete.. The most detailed version is available on the copyrighted PDF documents available from the Download Menu on the right hand side of this page.

GENERAL SPARRING METHOD

Sparring will continue uninterrupted unless stopped by the referee. Competitors will not only be judged on scoring techniques. They will also be judged on:

• fighting ability, both in attack AND defence
• ring craft
• stamina

DURATION

All bouts shall be 1.5 minutes in duration, with a single 1 minute extension if necessary. These durations may be changed on the day of the tournament by the organisers. There will be no draws awarded in the extension, Judges and referee must each decide on a winner.

LEGAL TARGET AREAS

The same legal target areas apply as for Points Sparring, with one addition. See Targets and Techniques for details.

The sole addition in Freestyle Sparring is that kicks to the legs (using instep and shin only) are also permitted. Both the inside and outside thighs, and the calves, are legal target areas. Joints are never legal target areas.

In Freestyle sparring, light contact is permitted. This is defined as touch contact, where the target does NOT experience any significant impact. Essentially, this will consist of contact than with with the uniform and a bit more.

This does not however mean that contact is required.

In both Non-contact Points sparring, and Freestyle sparring, any attack (fist or foot) need only be within 10cm (i.e. approximately one of the attacker’s OWN fist-lengths) from the target to be considered valid, provided the referees and judges deem it worthy of a point, based on distance, balance, and stance. In the children’s divisions, judges may use their discretion and allow up to 15cm.

SCORING

Judging will be based on a competitor’s ability to use his/her art, and the ring, to their best advantage. The judges will indicate win or draw for the competitors, using red and white flags.

FREESTYLE SPARRING - PENALTIES

Penalties for Freestyle Sparring will be imposed on the same basis as for Point Sparring, i.e. based on legal targets and techniques and for the same points, with the difference being that in this division, the offender is given the points as warnings only. There are no points for the “victim”.

Competitors will be penalised by being given a 1 or 2 point warning, or a disqualification (effectively the 3rd point), depending on the severity of the offence.

Disqualification

Disqualification shall take place when a competitor has accumulated a total of 3 penalty points, or at least two of the officials have determined that an offence is serious enough to warrant escalation to that level.