Contest Hints

The two most important aspects of karate for contest are timing and distance. You must react the moment you see an opening and be close enough, given the maximum speed of which you are capable, to get the attack in before the gap is closed or the opponent can move out of distance.

Of course, getting an attack in successfully when your opponent is just waiting and on his guard is very difficult. You may put him off his guard by relaxing - or, rather by appearing to relax - or else by giving a really strong 'kiai'. Or you may feint an attack, say to draw your opponent's attention down to his groin or his legs, and then attack to the face. Alternatively, you may simply wait for your opponent to attack first, taking advantage of any opening this may create in his defences, before or after parrying his attack, or better still you may invite him to attack by deliberately leaving an opening in your own defences. In this last case you should be able to anticipate his attack and therefore the opening or openings likely to be offered you.