Sanbon kumite

Sanbon kumite (三本組手, 3 point fighting) is usually the first kind of fighting that karate trainees learn. It consists of the attacker making three attacks forward, and the defender blocking three times and then counterattacking. All attacks in each round are of the same height, and the attacker announces where he will attack.

Sanbon scoring in tournaments is entirely different. In tournaments, all fighting is jiyu-kumite, or free fighting. In more traditional tournaments ippon scoring is used. In Sanbon fighting (3 point fighting), the matches usually last until time, unless the tournament has a mercy rule in place. Kicks to the head are worth 3 points, kicks to the body worth 2, and hand techniques worth 1. A sweep followed by a technique that lands is worth 3 points. This is the method most often used in tournaments, as it promotes flashier fighting that is better suited to spectator sports.

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