Light Contact Free-Sparring Competition

The judging procedures for this event are meant to help promote the quality of Chinese martial arts free fighting. The will be 5 weight divisions for men and 3 weight divisions for women as follows:

Men

• Lightweight: Below 140 lbs.
• Light Middleweight: 140 - 159 lbs.
• Middleweight: 160 - 179 lbs.
• Heavyweight: 180 - 199 lbs.
• Super Heavyweight: 200 lbs. and over

Women

• Lightweight: Below 125 lbs.
• Middleweight: 125 - 144 lbs.
• Heavyweight: 145 lbs. and over

Gold, Silver and Bronze medal will be awarded to the top 3 fighters in each weight division.

Time Limits

All bouts will be 30 seconds. Fighting time and the clock will stop as dictated by the Referee.

Protective Equipment

Competitors are responsible for their own protective equipment. The following is a list of the mandatory and optional equipment.

MANDATORY: Head Protector, Mouthguard, Groin Cup (males), Safety Gloves, Foot Protection

OPTIONAL: Goggles, Chest Protector, Shin Protection

Competition Format

Best of 3 - 30 second rounds of continuous light-contact sparring. A winner is declared by a majority vote by the Referee and two Judges for each 30-second round. Winner of the first two rounds wins the fight.

Break: A Break will be called by the Referee should any of the following events occur:

• Head contact that might result in an injury or a call for Foul/Disqualification.
• Controlled, non-contact technique scored on the back.
• A competitor scores three, quick, unanswered techniques to the opponent.
• One or both competitors goes to the floor.
• When any Judge calls Foul

Warning: A penalty issued on majority vote for any of the following:

• Illegal techniques
• Contact to a non-contact area
• Excessive force (without malice or intent)
• Failure to Break on the call

Caution: A non-penalty term recommended by any Judge, or called by the Referee.

Excessive Force: A head strike that results in bleeding, whipping of the head and/or neck, bruising or swelling of the face. Unreasonable force to the body, for example, a kick that moves an opponent from a stable or rooted stance to the floor or outside the ring.

Disqualification: The following results in the loss of a bout:

• If an injury occurs to an opponent as a result of a foul
• Accumulating four Warnings
• Running out of the ring, second offense
• Repeated and deliberately exposing of a Foul area

Any of the following will not be tolerated and may result in immediate disqualification:

• Deliberate excessive force/intent to injure
• Deliberate Fouling
• Rude or belligerent behavior
• Use of objectionable or abusive language by a contestant or by his/her school

Legal Contact Areas:

• Torso - front and sides
• Entire thigh
• Entire leg
• Entire arm
• Front and side of head gear 

Legal Techniques:

• Punches
• Kicks
• Open hand to the body only
• Sweeps to the opponent's front leg

Illegal Techniques:

• Knee strikes
• Elbow strikes
• Finger strikes
• Joint locking or breaking attempts
• Head butts
• Biting
• Floor or ground fighting
• Groin strikes
• Open hand strikes to the front of face
• Sweeps to an opponent's back leg or sweeps that attempt both legs of an opponent
• Dangerous blind attempts at spinning hank or foot strikes