Competition Categories

Category Overview: Sparring within this tournament is freestyle point sparring, with points awarded for successful execution of hand, arm, leg, or foot techniques to an opponent's torso or head. Each successfully executed technique scores a point, with fighters separated after each point is scored. The fighter with the most points at the end of the 3:00-minute match is declared the winner of the bout. 

Scoring: Points are awarded for clean, observable delivery of a strike or kick. The observed technique must be considered "clean" (meaning technically precise), controlled, and powerful by the majority of five judges (four corner judges and the center head judge). 

Targets: Acceptable targets in this tournament include the front of the head, front of the torso, groin, and the kidneys. For safety, unacceptable targets include the back of the head, throat, or joins. Sweeps and takedowns are allowed if executed with control, but a point will only be awarded if a hand strike is applied within 3 seconds of felling the opponent. 

(Note: This is a simplified overview of the freestyle category and not a comprehensive overview of the rulebook or judge's criteria. Competitors and coaches should click here to download the full rules and regulations.)

Category Overview: Forms competition within this tournament is defined as an individual karateka or martial artist presenting a traditional form representative of their school's martial art to a panel of five high-ranking black-belt judges. Competitors should begin by formally introducing themselves, their martial arts style, and the name of their traditional form when called to do so by the judges' panel. At the conclusion of the form, the competitor should remain before the judges until they either receive their official score or are otherwise dismissed. Due to the open-style nature of this tournament, there is not a list of "official" forms or kata competitors must choose from. Any traditional martial arts form is acceptable, so long as the form is classified as a "martial arts form" with clear bunkai (possible martial applications). The form may not be longer than five minutes from opening posture to conclusion. 

Scoring: Judges grade the performance independently, and the five scores are added together to determine the overall score. Judges grade on a criteria focused on clean execution of technique, power, balance, timing, and stances/footwork. Level of execution and physical and technical difficulty of the form are also taken into consideration during scoring.

(Note: This is a simplified overview of the traditional forms category and not a comprehensive overview of the rulebook or judge's criteria. Competitors and coaches should click here to download the full rules and regulations.)

Category Overview: The self-defense category of this tournament is a specialty of many Kenpo Karate schools and styles and an important aspect of The Tiger & The Dragon. A competitor in this category presents three (3) choreographed self-defense techniques to a panel of five (5) judges. The techniques are not required to come from any official "technique list," may or may not have formal names, and may be created or choreographed by the competitor for any attack or scenario of the competitor's choosing. 

This category is divided into two distinct parts: 

Part One: The competitor explains their first self-defense technique--in detail, highlighting important principles of martial arts and self defense--on an uke (attacking partner). 

Part Two: After the initial explanation, the competitor preforms the technique once slowly and than once at full "street speed." 

These steps are repeated for the second and third technique. In the event of a tie, two competitors will be required to demonstrate a fourth technique in the same format. Competitors should therefore prepare four techniques for possible demonstration.

Scoring: The panel scores the presentation based on (1) the quality of understanding the competitor demonstrates during the explanations, (2) the realism and effectiveness of the techniques demonstrated, and (3) the level of quality with which the techniques are demostrated at slow and full speed. 

(NOTE: Due to the explanatory nature of this division, self-defense competitors should not simply perform a partnered form, set, or drill. Competition must involve techniques (1) explained and (2) demonstrated.)

Category Overview: "Embu" is directly defined as a "martial arts demonstration," but in this case refers specifically to a choreographed demonstration of martial arts or self-defense techniques performed by two equal partners. This is a category specifically for the demonstration of two-person forms or partnered sets or martial arts drills. Unlike the self-defense category, where one person competes for a score with a volunteer partner that provides attacks for the sake of demonstration, the embu category involves two equal partners completing together as a team of two, often via a two-person form or kata.

Scoring: The two-person team is scored as a unit, graded by the judges' panel based on (1) the realism of the sequences, (2) the quality of the execution of techniques, and (3) the partners' shared timing. 

Category Overview: "Kobudo" directly translates to "old martial arts way" and refers to the traditional study of martial arts weapons. In this tournament category, competitors prepare and present a martial arts weapons form in front of the standard five-judge panel. The format is similar to our traditional forms ("kata") category and runs on a similar format. 

Weapon Selection: There are currently no regulations on which weapons competitors may select to demonstrate, with the understanding that this division is for traditional martial arts weapons. Competitors should choose weapons with which they have formal martial arts training and can safely and properly demonstrate. Some common weapons featured at this tournament include traditional kobudo weapons such as the staff (bo), the kama, and the sai; American Kenpo staples such as sticks and knives; the katana and other swords; and more eclectic traditional karate or kung fu weapons such as a three-section staff, nunchaku, and the fan. Competitors are welcome to compete with a weapon that does not appear on this brief example list.

Scoring: The competitor is scored based on their technique and demonstrated skill level with their chosen weapon. 

Category Overview: This category tests competitors' power, focus, and accuracy via traditional board breaking. Competitiors in each division approach boards stacked horizontally on blocks and take turns attempting to break them via a downward hand strike of their choosing. Boards of increasing difficultly and stacks of greater numbers are added each round, with competitors eliminated upon failure to break the boards. The gold medalist in each division is the martial artists the breaks the most boards.

Scoring: The competitor who breaks the most boards (and is therefore the only martial artist not eliminated by the end of the division) receives the gold medal. Silver and bronze are awarded the the final competitor eliminated and the second-to-last competitor elimiated, respectively.

Category Overview: This division follows a format similar to freestyle kumite: competitors in each division face off in randomly assigned bouts against another competitor. Padded training swords are used in this category. A center head judge starts, stops, and calls points for each round, with corner judges ("flaggers") assisting in the calling of points. 

Scoring: Points are scored for clean contact made with the sword to the opponent's head, torso, or legs. 

Category Overview: This is a children's category meant to introduce young martial artists to the tournament format in a safe and fun exhibition of developing martial arts skills. In a format similar to traditional freestyle sparring, two competitors face off under direction of a center judge. Each competitor has two flags attached to his or her belt, and the winner of the bout is the first competitor to remove both the opponent's flags and hold them above their head. Striking and takedowns are not allowed in this category; competitors must defend and attack using blocks and parries, timing, distance control, and footwork.

Scoring: The competitor who removes both their opponent's flags is the winner of the bout. To count as a clean flag removal, the flag must be held aloft, above the head of the competitor who removed the flag.

Category Overview: To align with our mission statement to unify as a martial arts community, the final category awarded at this event is the Team Championships--awards given to the top-performing schools, studios, or dojos and the conclusion of the competition. The first purpose of this award is to build community by taking the sum of the individual category results and adding them together to award a team award. This allows schools to compete as a team: everyone's individual performance throught the day contributes to the overall team score. The second purpose of this award is to acknowledge excellence in martial arts training by highlighting top-performing schools, teams, and coaches participating in this tournament. This is the final award given at The Tiger & The Dragon Tournament.

Scoring: Throughout the tournament, event coordinators track and add up points for every gold, silver, or broze medal each registered school, studio, dojo, or team's competitors earn in their respective age and belt divisions. The team that earns the most points is awarded the Grand Champion trophy, with second and third place awarded based on number of points to the next two highest-scoring schools.