immediately

parried and countered by the defender, also with a 'kiai'. After the final counter, in both the one-step and five-step forms, the participants are 'frozen' for a few moments with the fists extended.

Jiyu-ippon kumite (free one-step sparring) is the next step towards free-sparring. Both the attack and the defense are again pre-determined, but this time each participant assumes a ready position and moves around, the attacker looking for an opening and making the correct distance preparatory to his attack. The defender must be ready for the attack at every moment. A variation of the free one-step sparring which is even closer to the free-style proper is to predetermine only who should attack and who defend. Again, however, only one attack should be used. In free one- step sparring the participants do not 'freeze' after the counter but immediately resume ready positions.