Advanced Kumite Techniques
Having reached a ranking of Brown belt you are now permitted to use a number of advanced techniques during kumite. In the interest of safety, it is very important you develop an adequate ability in these before you start executing them against fellow students during kumite.
It’s also important to realize advanced techniques are often low percentage techniques. This means making them a success during kumite is very difficult unless you set them up properly. Therefore, the last thing an instructor wants to see is a Brown belt suddenly throwing nothing but advanced techniques at an opponent. It is important you keep your kumite practical, however, when the opportunity arises, it is both challenging and exciting to implement an advanced technique.
Executing advanced techniques are a process that takes time (years) so don’t be concerned if you have yet to develop these techniques in kumite prior your next grading.
Below is a basic description of the three techniques Brown belts are permitted to use during kumite.
1) Spinning Back Kick (Jiten Ushiro Geri)
Once a student reaches brown belt they are permitted to start practicing the spinning back kick (jiten = spin, ushiro = back, geri = kick) during kumite. This is a very powerful kick and one that a student of lower grade might not be able to control or conduct safely. It’s important that before you start using it as part of your kumite arsenal you feel comfortable with the technique and you are in control of the technique.
3) Hook Kick (Ushiro Mawashi Geri)
Once a student reaches brown belt they are permitted to start practicing hook kicks during kumite. This is a highly advanced kick and an exciting challenge many higher ranks will take on. Unlike the spinning back kick and foot sweeps, the hook kick is an advanced technique most karate-ka would refrain from using in self-defense, but that does not make its practice a waste of time.
As an analogy, liken the practice of a hook kick to a soccer player who can do a number of tricks such as juggling a ball for minutes on end. While they may never directly use the technique in a game, the skills it develops (such as balance, coordination, ball control, concentration etc.) serve them well on a regular basis.
In fact, learning hook kicks, often used for fun in kumite, actually develop many useful skills a karate-ka may not develop if they never to engage in their practice. Some of these include:
Furthermore, in self-defense, a person would follow right through with their kick. In kumite kicks must be pulled (to ensure student safety), after touching the target the leg travels back the way it came.
It’s also important to realize advanced techniques are often low percentage techniques. This means making them a success during kumite is very difficult unless you set them up properly. Therefore, the last thing an instructor wants to see is a Brown belt suddenly throwing nothing but advanced techniques at an opponent. It is important you keep your kumite practical, however, when the opportunity arises, it is both challenging and exciting to implement an advanced technique.
Executing advanced techniques are a process that takes time (years) so don’t be concerned if you have yet to develop these techniques in kumite prior your next grading.
Below is a basic description of the three techniques Brown belts are permitted to use during kumite.
1) Spinning Back Kick (Jiten Ushiro Geri)
Once a student reaches brown belt they are permitted to start practicing the spinning back kick (jiten = spin, ushiro = back, geri = kick) during kumite. This is a very powerful kick and one that a student of lower grade might not be able to control or conduct safely. It’s important that before you start using it as part of your kumite arsenal you feel comfortable with the technique and you are in control of the technique.
- Foot Sweeps (Ashi Barai)
- Put your opponent on the ground
- Leave your opponent completely unbalanced giving you ample opportunity to seize the advantage
- Leave your opponents slightly off balance yet too distracted to protect themselves from an upcoming devastating attack.
3) Hook Kick (Ushiro Mawashi Geri)
Once a student reaches brown belt they are permitted to start practicing hook kicks during kumite. This is a highly advanced kick and an exciting challenge many higher ranks will take on. Unlike the spinning back kick and foot sweeps, the hook kick is an advanced technique most karate-ka would refrain from using in self-defense, but that does not make its practice a waste of time.
As an analogy, liken the practice of a hook kick to a soccer player who can do a number of tricks such as juggling a ball for minutes on end. While they may never directly use the technique in a game, the skills it develops (such as balance, coordination, ball control, concentration etc.) serve them well on a regular basis.
In fact, learning hook kicks, often used for fun in kumite, actually develop many useful skills a karate-ka may not develop if they never to engage in their practice. Some of these include:
- Increased leg strength.
- Increased leg speed.
- Increased flexibility.
- Improved footwork and foot speed.
- Improved coordination.
Furthermore, in self-defense, a person would follow right through with their kick. In kumite kicks must be pulled (to ensure student safety), after touching the target the leg travels back the way it came.
