Kaeshi Ippon Kumite (Return One Step Sparring)

Aim of Exercise

This exercise is usually the students first experience of a true sparring situation, as it involves both defending and attacking from both students. This exercise highlights a lot of aspects important to freestyle sparring, including reaction time, distancing and the importance of good blocking technique and strong attacking technique.

Description

This exercise starts with an initial attack from student A, which is defended by student B. However, student B then immediately attacks back and this must be defended by student A. Following the defense by student A, a final counter attack is then made by student A.

Points to Watch

The first attack should be very strong in order to make it difficult for the defender to counter attack either quickly or strongly. Conversely if the first attack is weak, then the defender can counter attack strongly and quickly and easily obtain the advantage (despite initially being the defender). As with all kihon (or basic) sparring, no contact is made (or should not be made!) on the final counter attack.