GKR Karate

‘Aiuchi’ is when two competitors land a scoring technique in kumite at exactly the same time. It is extremely rare as both competitors need to meet the full scoring criteria in order for ‘aiuchi’ to occur.

If both competitors land a technique at the same time, but one does not maintain zanshin, retract fully, forgets to kiai or turns their head away; the competitor who does meet the full scoring criteria will be awarded the point.

The referee does not stop the bout and call ‘aiuchi’ if it occurs, instead, they will allow the bout to continue until one competitor lands a scoring technique. It is therefore important to continue sparring, even if you think you have landed a scoring technique, until ‘Yame’ is called.

During tournament kumite competitors must aim to remain inside the competition area (ring). When a competitor steps any part of their foot outside of the ring, this is known as Jogai (pronounced Joh-guy).

Each time a competitor exits the ring the warnings/penalties escalate:
◾1st Jogai infringement – Warning only (Chui, pronounced Chew-ee).
◾2nd Jogai infringement – Opponent is awarded a half point (Wa zari, pronounced Wu-za-ree) to their score.
◾3rd Jogai infringement – Opponent is awarded a full point (Ippon, pronounced Ip-pon) to their score.
◾4th Jogai infringement – Opponent’s score is raised to the full 3 points and is awarded victory for the bout (No katchi, pronounced Noh-Kutch).

It is also important to note that competitors must always continue kumite until they hear the Referee call “Yame” (to stop). This is because the competitor who has not exited the ring may still score on the competitor who has committed Jogai.

If a competitor steps out of the ring and their opponent is not attacking, they will call “Yame” and issue the appropriate Jogai warning/penalty. However, if the Referee can see the competitor inside the ring is springing to attack, they may hold off calling “Yame” to see if they are able to score.

Note that the for a competitor to score on an opponent outside the ring, they must be inside the ring at the point of scoring. They may exit the ring after scoring without being issued with a warning. This is because they only exited the ring to chase an opponent outside.

When this occurs, the competitor who committed Jogai will receive their appropriate Jogai warning/penalty. But on top of this the opponent’s score is also counted.

Knowing this, any time your opponent steps out of the ring, launch into an attack because an exited opponent is NOT ALLOWED to score on you! In 20/20 cricket they call this a ‘Free Hit’.

TRIVIA: Many combat sports use ropes or cages around the ring to prevent competitors from moving into the spectator area. Traditionally, karate intentionally avoided such things as it prioritised developing a sense of awareness of one’s surroundings.

In self-defence a person may have tables, parked cars, etc around them and they will need to be aware of and void these obstacles while defending themselves. Tripping over a chair in self-defence can give an attacker a distinct advantage. This is why the rules for Jogai escalate considerably and even allow an opponent to take advantage of your error.

Would you award the win the Red or the White side? 🔴⚪

Comment below with your decision and explain why.
Judging kata is a difficult task. You have to weigh up the competition between the competitor's technique, speed, power, balance, stances (both the final product and transitioning in between), focus etc. We even asked one of the competitors to make a deliberate error on an important Kiai move to give you more to contemplate.

A quick video to help you understand the process for entering the ring during kumite.

As respect is an important tenet of karate, you will notice a number of bows:
◼ First we bow to enter the ring. This is no different to bowing as you enter the dojo.
◼ Second, we bow to the Head Referee.
◼ Third, we bow to the Judge (who assists the Head Referee)
◼ Fourth, we bow to our opponent.

Just in case you missed the first chapter in ‘GKR Stories’ where Josh Nixon shared with us his courageous journey after a life-changing injury, here’s an encore!

https://go.gkrkarate.com/GKRStoriesJoshNixon

FINAL DAYS!!
All entries and merchandise pre-orders close 7th July. Click the link below to secure your place and pre-order your merch to avoid missing out.
See you there!

https://go.gkrkarate.com/WorldCup24

In preparation for the , we take you through step-by-step how to pick off your opponent with a side kick.

Just as the preparation for a hook-kick pick-off requires you to shift your weight backwards, so does a side-kick pick-off.

Start by stepping your rear foot back and turning the foot out, make sure your base knee
is over your base foot. Tuck your knee in towards your chest, point the blade of your foot towards your target and execute your kick.

The side-kick pick-off is great when your opponent is advancing and you want to create space (our legs are longer than our arms).

Remember, the dojo is a safe space to learn and practise new techniques and tactics. Start slowly and once you are confident that you have good control, increase your speed and delivery.

Would you award the win to the Red or the White side?

Comment below with your decision and explain why. Judging kata is a difficult task. You have to weigh up the competition between the competitor's technique, speed, power, balance, stances (both the final product and transitioning in between), focus etc.
We even asked one of the competitors to make a deliberate error on an important Kiai move to give you more to contemplate.

Look out for more kata challenges!

Judges start comparing both competitors from the moment they step up to the corner of the ring.

Here are a few quick tips to ensure you make a strong first impression.

The 2024 GKR Karate World Cup is an opportunity to represent your country and vie for the coveted title of World Champion.

Beyond the exciting action that will take place in Sydney Olympic Park on August 10th, 11th and 12th, there are plenty of other reasons that will make this experience one you will never forget.

Click the link below to learn more...

https://go.gkrkarate.com/GKRWorldCupSydney

Tell us who you think wins and leave a comment below as to why they won your vote.

It doesn’t even matter if you don’t know these kata because you can base your decision off universal karate principles listed below.

One way to improve your own kata performance is to actually judge others. This is because viewing kata through a Judge’s lens will help you realise what you need to work on in your own kata to make it more impressive in your next tournament.

Judges have much to weigh up in making their final decision. A few examples include:
- Who has the best overall technique?
- Who has the better stances?
- Who transitions in and out of stance better?
- Who has the better hip movement?
- Who has more power?
- Who has more speed (in either legs or arms)?
- Who is more balanced?
- Who has better posture?
- Who is more fluent in movements that require this?
- Who is breathing better?
- Who is more focused?
- Who has the better timing?

Even among these, as an example, one competitor may have superior stances in one section of their kata while the competitor has superior stances in another section. Or one may have more speed yet the other is more technical.

In this video we even asked one of the competitors to make a deliberate error during a Kiai move to give our more experienced judges more to ponder in their decision making process.

🌟 merchandise pre-orders are now open! 🌟

Not only are entries for the GKR Karate World Cup '24 now open, but you can also now pre-order official World Cup merchandise, pre-paid spectator tickets, and World Cup Team Jackets!

Merchandise orders close on July 7th. Place your orders using the link below before this date to avoid disappointment.

👊🏽🥋

https://go.gkrkarate.com/WorldCup24

**🏆 2024 World Cup Entries are Open! 🏆**

We're excited to announce that entries for the GKR Karate World Cup '24 are now open!

To register, please click the link below. While you're at it you can also use this link to pre-order official World Cup merchandise, pre-paid spectator tickets, and World Cup Team Jackets!

Click the link below to register:
👉 https://go.gkrkarate.com/WorldCup24

This event is not to be missed, we can't wait to see you there!👊🏽🥋

Get ready for the GKR Karate World Cup with our tip on how to score head kicks! 🥋

Due to the distance the foot must travel, head kicks are often easily blocked. A trick is to start with a hand technique to distract your opponent's attention and move their guard.

In this video, we offer two quick examples: faking an attack from the East to launch an actual attack from the West and faking an attack to the South to launch the true attack to the North.

🥋 Exciting news! 🥋

We're excited to announce that the World Cup 2024 Team Jackets are now available to pre-order.

$125 AUD each
(Approximately £64 GBP | $80 USD | $136 NZD)
Available in sizes: Kids 6-16 & Adults XS-5XL

Pre-order your team jacket here: https://go.gkrkarate.com/worldcup2024teamjackets

Please note that the deadline for orders is Sunday, 2nd June 2024. This is to ensure enough time for production and shipping. We want to make sure that you get your jackets in time for the big event!

IMPORTANT: Jackets will not be available for purchase at the World Cup, so make sure you pre-order yours before the deadline. Don't miss out on this opportunity to show your team spirit and look great while doing it!

All pre-ordered jackets will be sent to your Regional Manager - Senior Instructor for you to collect from them approximately 2 weeks before the World Cup.

PLEASE NOTE ALSO: Tournament entries, spectator tickets, and other World Cup merchandise will be available for purchase online starting from Monday, May 6th!

Come take a tour of the 2024 GKR World Cup venue; a brand-new arena found in Sydney’s Olympic Park. GKR Karate is delighted to have acquired Netball Central to host this year’s World Cup.

A state-of-the-art facility with a huge warm up area, along with 4 arenas that cascade down from one to the next, with the main arena having an 800 seat grand stand surrounding it.

The countdown is officially on for the GKR Karate World Cup!

Feel the excitement build as we gear up for an electrifying three days packed with competition, camaraderie and unforgettable experiences.

Mark your calendars for August 9th, 10th, and 11th. This prestigious event will be set against the vibrant backdrop of Sydney, Australia, and is GKR’s first World Cup since 2019.

We can assure you, it will be worth the wait!

For more information, head to - https://go.gkrkarate.com/4cvGrce

Here’s Sensei Shyla demonstrating how to tie your belt

Here are some great kata to watch. Jesse explains his favourites and shows videos of each of them.