Shotokan Kumite Sets

Gohon kumite (5-step)
Needed for 9th kyu grading onwards 5 Jodan oi tsuki (stepping punch to the face) attacks with age uki (rising / head block) repeated by both partners and then 5 chudan oi tsuki (stepping punch to the stomach) with sotu ude uke (outside forearm block) repeated by both partners. Performed to a count or split into 4 sections depending on lesson / grading.



Continuous Gohon kumite (5-step)
Needed for 8th kyu grading onwards As above but with no count and all 4 sets of attacks performed continuously until finished with the last stance held until told to yame (stop).



Kihon ippon kumite (Basic set)
Needed for 7th kyu grading onwards The 5 (jodan, chudan, mae geri, yoko geri kekomi and mawashi geri) attacks performed against an opponent standing in Yoi (on both sides of the body) with strong basic blocks and counters (age uki, sotu ude uke, gyaku gedan barai, ashi wanto in kiba dachi and shuto).


Kihon ippon kumite (Advanced set)
Needed for 6th kyu grading onwards The 5 (jodan, chudan, mae geri, yoko geri kekomi and mawashi geri) attacks performed against an opponent standing in Yoi (on both sides of the body) with strong advanced blocks and counters using tae sabaki (body evasion) and keise (soft) blocks.



Kihon ippon kumite (Free choice set)
Needed for 5th kyu grading onwards The 5 (jodan, chudan, mae geri, yoko geri kekomi and mawashi geri) attacks performed against an opponent standing in Yoi (no both sides of the body) with any choice of block and counter that are not part of the Basic or Advanced set.


Sanbon kumite (3-step)
Needed for 4th kyu grading onwards 5 pre-defined combinations done in pair work repeated by both partners.
Sanbon 1

* Semete steps back into hidari (left) gedan berai.
* Semete steps and attacks sanbon tsuki (jodan then double chudan where the two chudan punches are performed in the time as the single jodan punch)
* Ukete steps back with the migi (right) leg and blocks age uke with the hidari (left) arm.

* Ukete then drops the age uke into a sotu ude uke (no reaction hand).
* Ukete then rotates the arm to make gedan berai (again no reaction hand).
* Ukete then counters with gyaku tsuki with kiai.

Sanbon 2

* Semete steps back into hidari geden berai.
* Semete steps and attacks with oi tsuki jodan.
* Ukete steps back with the migi leg and blocks age uke with the hidari arm then counters with gyaku tsuki.
* Ukete then steps forward and attacks with oi tsuki chudan.
* Semete steps back and blocks sotu ude uke then counters with gyaku tsuki.
* Semete then steps forward and attacks with oi tsuki chudan.
* Ukete steps back and blocks gedan berai then counters with gyaku tsuki with kiai.

Sanbon 3

* Semete steps back into hidari gedan berai.
* Semete then steps oi tsuki jodan 3 times.
* Ukete steps back with the migi leg and blocks with the hidari arm age uke.
* Ukete then steps back again and blocks age uke with the migi arm.
* Ukete then steps back again and blocks gyaku age uke with the migi arm whilst having the hidari leg forwards.
* Ukete uses tkubi awazi uke (rotating the hand to get a grip on the opponent's arm) and changes stance from zenkutsu dachi to kiba dachi (no movement of feet) and pulls Semete's arm down to Ukete's migi hip.
* Ukete performs utoshi empi uchi (vertical / dropping elbow strike) with the hidari arm to Semete's shoulder blade with kiai.

Sanbon 4

* Semete steps back into hidari gedan berai.
* Semete then steps oi tsuki chudan 3 times.
* Ukete steps back with the migi leg and blocks with the hidari arm sotu ude uke.
* Ukete then steps back again and blocks sotu ude uke with the migi arm.
* Ukete then steps back again and blocks gyaku sotu ude uke with the migi arm whilst having the hidari leg forwards.
* Ukete then steps their migi leg behind the migi leg of Semete and grabs Semete's gi (suit).
* Ukete then draws their migi leg backwards and sweeps Semete and then follows up with a gyaku tsuki counter punch with kiai to the opponent on the floor.

Note: Ukete does not help Semete to get back up again, Semete rolls out of the way and stands up un-assisted.
Sanbon 5

* Semete steps back into hidari gedan berai.
* Semete then steps and attacks oi tsuki jodan.
* Ukete steps back with the migi leg and blocks with the hidari arm age uke then counters gyaku tsuki.
* Ukete then steps and attacks oi tsuki jodan.
* Semete steps back and blocks age uke then counters gyaku tsuki.
* Semete then steps and attacks oi tsuki chudan.
* Ukete steps back and blocks sotu ude uke then counters gyaku tsuki.
* Ukete then steps and attacks oi tsuki chudan.
* Semete steps back and blocks sotu ude uke then counters gyaku tsuki.
* Semete then steps and attacks oi tsuki chudan.
* Ukete steps back and blocks uchi ude uke then counters gyaku tsuki.
* Ukete then steps and attacks oi tsuki chudan.
* Semete steps back and blocks uchi ude uke then counters gyaku tsuki.
* Semete then steps and attacks oi tsuki chudan.
* Ukete steps back and blocks gedan berai then counters gyaku tsuki.
* Ukete then steps and attacks oi tsuki chudan.
* Semete steps back and blocks gedan berai then counters gyaku tsuki with kiai.