The temperament of karate competitors versus the systems of kumite sports fight

Abstract

Currently karate is one of the most popular martial arts in the world. Karate has been evolving for many years from plebeian form of self-defence into budo martial art and then – into sports disciplines. Different views of masters concerning the development of karate in the world contributed to the division of styles of this martial art. Organizations promoting various forms of karate were created. In karate there are two competitions – kata and kumite. Kata consists in the so-called formal exercises that are sets consisting of fragments of a fight without competitors according to a predefined scheme. On the other hand, kumite is a sports fight according to specified rules. All karate styles are characterised by distinct kumite rules. This fact is caused by a different philosophy of masters of various styles concerning the fight and sporty settlement of contest. For the sake of kumite fighting rules developed by various karate styles or organizing these styles, there can be distinguished four kumi te systems: semi contact, knockdown, full contact and mix fighting. From the system of rules that is least close to non-sport fight to a formula that is most similar to a non-sport clash. The temperament of sportspeople is the subject of re search es because of a belief that it can constitute a factor of natural and possibly sport results selection. According to J. Strelau a temperament denotes „relatively constant traits of an organism that are originally biologically determined manifesting themselves in formal traits of behaviour, that is in its energetic level and in a characteristic of time reaction” [1]. “In the common meaning temperament is defined as a man’s disposition e.g. he/she is characterised as lively, hot-blooded, mild, sometimes it is also said that somebody has a calm (phlegmatic) or weak temperament” [2]. All psychological elements of karate, the transmission of bushido knowledge and upbringing in the spirit of budo, attitudes and values, but also etiquette and symbols adopted by karate adepts form some kind of culture – karate culture. Karate culture gives a possibility to present a psychological profile of persons who practice karate. The values and ideals of karate culture should shape the mind of people practicing karate regardless of training aims – self-improvement, sports competition, self-defence or recreation. Namely, kara te kas-sportspersons (kumite competitors ) and other adepts of „empty hand” art as people of karate culture should stand out with superlative temperament indexes in comparison with other sportspersons and population. The intent of this re search is the evaluation if this is really the case. Having accepted an assumption about a full, regulatory influence of the values of karate culture on the sphere of psychical functioning of competitors, they should be characterized by an