1. Bout/match duration

  1. Regulation bouts are 3 x 2-minute rounds, with a 1-minute rest between rounds.
  2. Time is only stopped upon the command of the referee.
  3. Title bouts are to be 4 or 5 rounds, depending on the title:
    1. Provincial and Regional title are 4 rounds.
    2. National titles are 5 rounds.
    3. Prestige non-title bout can be 4 rounds, on the approval by WAKO Canada.
    4. Junior title bouts are 3 rounds only.
    5. Intermediate title bouts are 4 rounds only.

2. Scoring methodology

  1. Judging a round is based on the following:
    • Punch to head or body: 1 point
    • Kick to body: 1 point
    • Sweep (unbalances opponent): 1 point
    • Kick to head: 1 point
    • Jump kick to body: 1 point
    • Jump kick to head: 1 point
    • Kick to leg (K1 and low kick): 1 point
    • Knee to body/leg (K1): 1 point
    • Throw from cinch: 1 point
    1. Legal punches must land with the white padded area of the glove only.
    2. Legal kicks must land with the foot/shin area which is defined as the shin, ankle, top, sides, toes, heal and bottom of foot area and constitute the padded and non-padded areas.
    3. Legal sweeps must land with the padded area of the foot onto the padded area of the opponent foot.
  2. Scoring with a Clicker System:
    1. The three ringside judges keep cumulative score of points throughout each bout.
    2. At the completion of each round a judge should note their score in case of error.
    3. Knockdowns, standing 8 counts and infractions result in points for the opponent.
    4. Chief Officials tabulate the scoring cards of each judge at the end of the bout.

3. Legal scoring techniques

  1. Full Contact Legal Scoring Techniques:
    1. All techniques delivered with the scoring part of the glove.
    2. Legal kicks must land with the lower leg area which is defined as the ankle, shin, foot, toes, heal and bottom of foot area and constitutes the padded and non­ padded areas.
    3. Legal sweeps must land with the inside or outside of the padded area of the foot onto the inside or outside padded area of the opponent foot.
    4. All techniques must land clearly on a legal target area and have impact to score.
  2. Low-Kick Legal Scoring Techniques:
    1. Same as Full Contact Legal Scoring Techniques.
  3. K1 Legal Scoring Techniques:
    1. All techniques delivered with the scoring part of the glove.
    2. All techniques delivered with the padded part of the feet pads.
    3. Knees are permitted to the body and legs and do not require any padding.
    4. Knees are permitted to the head in the Senior division only.
    5. All techniques delivered with the bottom of the foot (non-padded area).
    6. Leg catch retaliation - An athlete can execute a legal scoring technique while holding a leg, but it is not permitted to take more than three steps while holding the leg.
    7. Foot sweeps are legal techniques.
    8. Spinning back-fist is permitted.

4. Legal scoring targets

  1. Full contact Legal Scoring Areas:
    1. Front and sides of head and body, feet (for foot sweeps only).
  2. Low Kick Legal Scoring Areas:
    1. Front and sides of head and body, feet (for foot sweeps only) and kicks to the inside and outside of the thigh area (upper leg).
    2. All kicks delivered to the upper legs must be 3 cm above the knee.
  3. K1 Legal Scoring Areas:
    1. Front and sides of head and body.
    2. Inside and outside of upper leg - below waist and 3 cm above the knee.
    3. Inside and outside of lower leg - 3 cm below knee and 3 cm above ankle.

5. Illegal scoring techniques

  1. Full Contact Illegal Scoring Techniques:
    1. Spinning back-fists, elbows, knees, clinching, thrusting kicks to legs.
  2. Low Kick Illegal Scoring Techniques:
    1. Spinning back-fists, elbows, knees, clinching, thrusting kicks to legs.
  3. K1 Illegal Scoring Techniques:
    1. Elbows, knees, thrusting kicks to legs.

6. Illegal scoring targets

  1. Full Contact Illegal Scoring Targets:
    1. Back of head, spine, throat, groin, joints, upper and lower legs.
  2. Low Kick Illegal Scoring targets:
    1. Back of head, spine, throat, groin, joints, lower leg.
  3. KI Illegal Scoring Targets:
    1. Back of head, spine, throat, groin, joints.

7. Scoring fouls/penalties

  1. The following are illegal infractions:
    1. Kicks below the waist (Permitted in the Low kick and K1 disciplines)
    2. Throwing (K1 expected – Upper body legal throws permitted only)
    3. Any form of elbow attacks
    4. Only knees permitted in K1 (legs, body – head for senior only)
    5. Techniques to knees, spine back of head, groin area, neck
    6. Spitting out mouth guard
    7. Clinching (permitted in K1 discipline only)
    8. Holding ropes
    9. Attacking a downed opponent
    10. Spinning back fist (permitted in the K1 discipline only)
    11. Blind techniques
    12. Punching with non-padded part of glove
    13. Talking
    14. Failing to fight
    15. Pushing
    16. Not listening to referee

8. Result declarations

  1. Types of Decisions:
    1. Unanimous decision: 3 judges score the bout for one athlete.
    2. Majority decision: 2 judges score the bout for one athlete, 1 judge scores the bout a draw.
    3. Split decision: 2 judges score the bout for one athlete, 1 judge scores the bout for the other athlete.
    4. Draw: 3 judges score the bout even.
    5. Majority Draw: 2 judges score the bout even, 1 judge scores the bout for one athlete.

9. Athlete attire and required equipment

  1. All Full Contact athletes must compete in pants; K1 and Low Kick athletes in shorts.
    1. Pants must be loose fitting with no front pockets or strings or buckles.
    2. Shorts must be a minimum of 6 centimetres above the knee, with no pockets or strings or buckles around the sides. Board shorts are not permitted.
  2. Males will not wear a top. Females will wear a tank top, shirt, or sports bra.
  3. All athletes must enter the ring with:
    1. Foot protectors and Shin Protectors (Foot Protectors are Optional in Low Kick), Shin/Step Pads (Low Kick and K1), mouth guard, groin protector (male and female), chest protector (female), hand wraps, gloves and headgear.
    2. Regulation equipment - Feet protectors must be soft foam or soft rubber and completely cover the top of the foot, ankle, sides of the foot and the back of the heal area. Only one strip of tape is allowed on the top of the foot protectors. Shin guards must be soft foam or soft rubber and protect from the beginning of the foot protector to the knee but be no less than 4 cm below the knee.
    3. Gloves - the Event Coordinator is responsible for providing gloves that are approved amateur 10 oz gloves with Velcro straps. The gloves cannot be professional gloves.
    4. Headgear - the headgear must be well padded and protect the forehead, sides, and back of the head. Cheek protectors are not permitted. Foam dipped martial arts headgears are not permitted. Headgear must be the color of the corner- or a neutral color (black and white only). Headgear must be approved.
    5. Breast protectors and pelvic protectors are mandatory for women.
    6. Hand wraps - only cloth wraps are permitted and cannot be more than 2.5 metres in length and 5 cm in width. The back of the hand, wrist and all knuckles must be covered with the wrap. Only one layer of cloth is permitted between the knuckles. The only tape that is allowed on the hand wrap is one strand on the wrist area to secure the wrap. An official shall examine the wraps after the bout. An athlete that does not follow this procedure will be disqualified from the bout.
    7. Only surgical tape (cloth type) is permitted on hand wraps and feet pads - duct tape, rubber tape, fiber tape, masking tape, scotch tape or construction tape is not permitted.
    8. All equipment must be clean and in good order. The appropriateness of equipment is at the discretion of the referee and chief official.
    9. No other equipment, other than those specified in sections A–F are permitted, except the use of ankle bandages that must be completely under the foot protection.
    10. Prestige Class athletes are permitted to remove the use of shin/instep pads and headgear. All prestige bouts must be approved by the technical committee.
    11. Junior A and Junior B athletes are required to use chest protectors approved by WAKO Canada for K1 rule bouts. If a Junior B athlete is competing at the Intermediate classification both athletes must wear chest protection.
    12. An official will inspect the equipment of all contestants prior to competition to ensure that the contestant’s equipment meets minimum standards and is in good repair.