Regarding the comments about nandemo 3-bon kumite, it was a practice done every day at Takushoku as a natural follow-on to 5-hon kumite and ippon-kumite. While the attack could be any attack (“nandemo†means “anything†in Japanese), there was only one chance, and if the distance became unrealistic, the defender could counter, even before the attack took place. If kicks were used, the counter would often be completed BEFORE the kicking technique was finished (a kick is often more easily seen unless the person attacking is very fast, very relaxed and thus able to execute the movement without telegraphing it). With timing and distance being the two important factors, an open-hand counter would not generally have been the most appropriate (and would probably have been regarded as either ineffective, or rather arrogant).
The whole emphasis of karate is on the single effective technique (which is why, of course, we do not need weight categories in competition). A second (or third) counter should be meaningless. If the counter is too late, or lacking the appropriate distance (i.e., too far away) or without “kime,†the chance has been lost. It is too late to then try a second or third counter. Equally, if the attack (or counter) is ineffective (i.e., the distance is not correct, or the opponent anticipates it before the attacker has a chance to effectively execute it), there is no second chance.
The “rules†are thus exactly the same as those that exist for ippon-kumite. Whilst an open-handed counter is “allowed,†it might well be construed as rather “showing-off†a little, unless the person concerned is a very experienced karate-ka who clearly understands well the principles of kime, timing and distance. Were I doing ippon-kumite with someone who decided to perform “haito†to the side of my neck as a counter, I would probably regard that as just a tad arrogant, and make sure that my next attack gave them no opportunity to counter at all!
I shall try to check in on-line from time to time, although I may not have much opportunity to do so until well into the new year.
Happy New Year to everyone in the club!
Dave Hooper.
