Ages 4+
Match duration and permitted techniques are adjusted by age division.
10th Anniversary Celebration
1st Machida Karate
internal Tournament
A safe, exciting competition where students test their skills, build confidence, and grow through controlled, respectful martial arts.
Date
Saturday, November 7, 2026
Time
9:00 AM–1:00 PM
- 9:00–9:45 AMLittle Dragon
- 10:00–11:30 AMYouth Samurai
- 11:45 AM–1:00 PMTeen Tigers and Adults
Location
Machida Karate Academy
24333 Narbonne Ave., Lomita, CA 90717
How to participate
Register in person at the academy
Registration is completed at the Machida Karate Academy front desk. Speak with our team during your next visit to confirm your participation.
Additional Benefits:
- 20% off for each additional family member who participates
- Spectators attend for free
- Participation medal included
- Registration fee
- $70
- Registration deadline
- September 30, 2026
*NO REFUND
01 / PURPOSE
Competition with control
Our goal is to provide a safe, exciting, and positive in-house tournament experience where students can test their skills, experience competition, and continue to grow as martial artists. Our in-house tournament will use semi-contact competition. This means competitors should never intend to hurt their opponents.
The goal is to win by successfully executing clean, effective martial arts techniques. Successful punches and kicks to the body count as points. However, strikes to the head must be controlled and delivered with semi-contact for competitors 12 years of age and older. Strikes to the head are not permitted for children 11 years of age and under.
Fair pairings
Competitors are matched according to age, rank, and weight whenever possible.
Continuous action
Matches continue through the full time unless ended by ippon, withdrawal, or disqualification.
Safety first
Control and sportsmanship are required at every moment of the competition.
02 / BEFORE YOU COMPETE
Required equipment
Competitors must arrive with the equipment required for their age division.
Gloves
Required for every competitor.
Shin guards
Protective guards worn over the shins.
Mouthguard
Required for competitors age 12 and older.
Headgear
Headgear with a face shield is required for competitors age 12 and older. The academy will provide headgear for the event.
Would you like your own headgear? You can buy the Title Boxing Face Shield No-Contact Headgear 2.0 at Target. If it is no longer available there, you can buy it directly from Title Boxing, the manufacturer.
Recommended: A protective cup is recommended for male competitors to protect the groin and male genital area.
03 / DIVISIONS
Match duration
Pairings are organized by age, rank, and weight whenever possible.
4–6 years
1 minute
7–11 years
1 minute 30 seconds
12–15 years
2 minutes
16 years and older
3 minutes
Rank divisions
White / Yellow
Orange / Green
Blue / Purple
Brown / Black
If a suitable competitor is not available within a student's division, the student may be asked to compete in another age, rank, or weight class so they may still participate.
Two-competitor divisions: Competitors will fight a best 2-out-of-3 series instead of advancing after a single match.
04 / TECHNIQUES
What is permitted
Every technique must be clean, controlled, and directed to a legal target area.
Permitted
Controlled techniques
- Punches and kicks to the body
- Multiple-strike combinations
- Controlled face punches and kicks for ages 12+
- Knee strikes to the body for ages 16+
- Foot sweeps
Prohibited
Illegal techniques
- Groin strikes or attacks directed at the knee
- Blind strikes
- Single- or double-leg takedowns
- Knee strikes to the head
- Elbow strikes of any kind
- Kicks to the face or head of a downed opponent
Foot sweep procedure
After a successful sweep, the downed competitor has five seconds to return to their feet. The standing competitor may score during that period, but kicks to the head of a downed opponent are prohibited. The match is reset after five seconds.
Enforcement
Competitors who intentionally use illegal techniques may receive a warning or be subject to further penalties at the referee's discretion, particularly when safety is a concern.
05 / SCORING
How a match is decided
A match can end by point-based decision, ippon, withdrawal, or disqualification.
Point-based decision
The match continues for the full time unless ended by ippon, disqualification, or the referee. Judges silently score clean and effective techniques throughout, and the winner is determined by majority decision at the end.
Ippon
A decisive, uncontested, clean, and controlled technique that would have realistically ended the encounter may end the match immediately, regardless of time remaining, once confirmed by the referee.
Withdrawal or disqualification
A match may end if a competitor quits or cannot continue, or if the referee or judges disqualify a competitor for repeated warnings, running out of the competition area, intention to hurt the opponent, or any other safety concern.
What judges look for
Clean contactReaches a legal target without being blocked or deflected.
Proper distanceDelivered from an effective range.
AccuracyLands on the intended legal target area.
TimingLands during an opening, attack, or successful counter.
ControlUses appropriate semi-contact without excessive force.
ZanshinThe competitor remains balanced, alert, and ready.
06 / AWARDS
Participation medals
This first tournament is a trial event, and every competitor is recognized for stepping onto the mat.
Every competitor recognized
As this first tournament is a trial/pilot event, there will be no separate awards for first, second, or third place. All competitors will receive a participation medal in recognition of their participation and experience in the tournament.
07 / PROCEDURES
Etiquette and safety
Respect for opponents, officials, and the competition area is part of the match.
Match procedure and referee commands
Before the match, both competitors bow to the competition area, bow to each other, and take their starting positions. After the winner is announced, both competitors bow to each other again.
- HAJIME
- Begin the match.
- YAME
- Stop or pause the match.
Competition area
Competitors must remain within the designated competition area. Intentionally leaving or running out results in a first warning, a second warning, and disqualification on the third occurrence.
Contact, warnings, and disqualification
Warnings may be issued for excessive contact, intentionally attempting to injure an opponent, or other unsafe behavior at the referee's discretion. If the referee believes there is an immediate safety concern, the match may be ended without first issuing a warning. Competitors are expected to maintain control and demonstrate good sportsmanship throughout the match.
Injuries and mubobi
If a competitor is injured, the referee will determine how to proceed. The uninjured competitor must sit on the mat while the opponent recovers. Spectators, coaches, and competitors must allow tournament staff to manage the situation. Please do not coach an active competitor from the sidelines.
A mubobi warning may be issued when a competitor is injured because of carelessness, negligence, failure to protect themselves, or behavior that unnecessarily places them in danger.
Coaches, parents, and spectators
Please support all competitors by maintaining a positive and respectful environment. Do not argue with judges or referees regarding their decisions. Playback video will not be permitted on the competition mats. Judges and referees are responsible for making decisions during competition, and their decisions should be respected. Our goal is for every competitor to leave the tournament having gained experience, confidence, and a greater appreciation for their martial arts training.
Ready to compete?
Train with purpose.
Compete with respect.
Visit the Machida Karate Academy front desk to register in person by September 30, 2026. The registration fee is $70.
*NO REFUND
24333 Narbonne Ave.
Lomita, CA 90717
