Kumite - Martial Arts Sparring

Kumite is a little know term outside of marital arts tournaments,http://escuelapouget.com/escuela/cla...-do-with-40-gr, but to those who stand within the field of the art of fighting,http://e2businessdevelopment.com/sim...6623#msg236623, it is a big part of their reality. To some it might be their greatest strength, and to others,http://leftinlowell.com/wpmu3/2s0j9t...hionista-fash/, their biggest weakness. By itself Kumite means sparring,http://mytaska.com/forumtaska/index....894#msg1467894, fighting, or the ability to engage in unarmed combat within the structure of a specific style or system of martial arts. Throughout the students entire time spent in the study of a karate or kungfu system, the art of kumite is constantly being practiced and improved upon and the method by which one's skill is judged by their peers.

There are rules that are to be followed in regards to the practicing of this method,http://greenearthcollective.com/pg/b...am-in-baseball, and to not do so could injury oneself or one's fellow student. Only in the last two decades, was there protection available for oneself when doing these combative maneuvers. However within the last 20 years there has been an influx of a variety of protective equipment. Foremost among them has been the use of sparring gear or protective equipment as it is normally called.

This sparring gear is used to cover the hands, up to and above the wrist, and the full foot up to the ankle, with the exception of the bottom of the foot which is left bare. The bottom of the foot is left exposed to help inhibit slipping when executing the various moves with the combative aspect of martial arts.

The head guard which is possibility the most important part of the sparring equipment covers all parts of the head except for the front of the face in most cases. There are some types that also cover this area leaving slight spaces to both see and breath out of. The protective equipment is usually made of a foam dipped material and comes in various colors but generally the all red or all black sparring gear is the most popular. There are however, other colors available, almost as many as you can imagine.

It is important to take note of the color of gear you wear as often during competition in karate tournaments your opponent may have the same color of uniform as your gear. This makes it difficult for judges scoring the tournament to see your points as it may blend in with your opponents karate uniform.

With the use of the protective gear it is possible to ensure the safety of the combatants as well as having the ability to perfect the techniques of both competitors. To ensure proper execution the actions must be repeated over and over again until the movement becomes almost instinctive whether it is reacting to a punch or kick or initiating one. The sparring gear makes this constant repetition doable..

So whether you choose to engage in the fighting aspect of the martial arts which is fundamental in learning the actual effectiveness of the martial art techniques or you simply want to learn the forms of the martial art. The sparring gear will be an important part of your equipment and help ensure many years of continued practice without sustaining undo injuries.


About The Author
The author has been involved in the karate supply business for over thirty years. He has operating a very popular martial arts shop within the state of Arizona during that time. While in this field, he has been at the forefront of introducing new lines of Taekwondo sparring gear to the public.