Wing Chun Chi Sao Competition Rules

These are the International Chi Sao – Gor Sao Comp Rules I developed.

• Start in Chi Sao Roll Position – Referee starts the round after 3 rolls
• Full Contact strikes below the neck and touch contact above the neck
• You can touch contact hit the above the neck with open hand strikes.
i.e. palm or chop, but not to the nose. (You can not strike at the Triangle of the face – Eyes, Nose, mouth)
• You can Push / Press / Pull / Grab / Hold the head, but no closed fist striking to the head
• You can strike the body full contact using the forearm, but not the elbow
• You can Punch / Palm / Chop / Knee / Kick below the neck
• If the roll is broken the fight can continue for 5 seconds before the referee restarts the from the roll position.
• You can kick from distance if roll breaks, but you can only punch with bridge contact.
• Fighters can clinch, but will be restarted after 5 seconds
• A fighter may apply a submission, but this must be either standing or with only one knee down
• You can throw and trip, but you cannot shoot a takedown from distance
• If one fighter is on the ground and the other is in a one knee down position then the referee will restart both fighters after 5 seconds. Example would be a fighter throws down and the other fighter holds them down with a knee on the body
• If both fighters go to the ground then the referee will restart the fighters in the Roll Position
• You can grab pressure points
Forbidden Strikes
• No Closed fist Strikes above the shoulder level
• No finger Striking
• No Hard strikes above the shoulders (touch contact only)
• No Elbows (you can use the forearms below the neck)
• No Strikes to Joints
• No striking the Spine or back of the Neck / Head
• No Twisting the Neck
• No strikes to the Kidneys
• No Small joint locks (Fingers)
• No Stamping kicks
• No Groin Strikes
• No strikes to the nose, eyes or mouth
• No eye gouging or fish hooking
• No grabbing the ears
• No hair pulling, biting
• No thumbing
• No scratching and pinching
• No slippery substances allowed on body or clothing
• No Products on hands that can
• No kicking a downed opponent
During the match the Referee can stop the fight during the match when
• Heavy head contact is made to give a Warning or Disqualification
• A competitor is aiming at or hits an illegal area
• One or both competitors go to the floor together
• At opponent has been held on the floor for 5 seconds
• Needs to stop action to prevent injury.
• To restart after a 5 second break in Chi Sao or either or both fighters are out of bounds
• Any other action not covered by the rules in which safety is an issue.
Judging Guidelines
Gain Points judged for
• Control of the Ring
• Holding stance i.e. not being backed up
• Control opponents balance
• Clean Striking to the head or body – Structure and technique (stance and movements) / Timing and speed /Control of power and distance
• Proactive Aggression i.e. Coming to fight not stall
• Sensitivity/Reaction Skills
Lose Points for
• Not being able to keep control of your stance or balance
• Holding without controlling or striking
• Being hit without any defense of blow or counter
• Being thrown
• Lack of Proactive Aggression i.e. Stalling
• Contact to any illegal target area
• Attacking the opponent after the Referee has stopped the action
• Running out of the ring area or deliberately disengaging and stalling
• Forward pressure with no control i.e. just rushing into your opponent
without bridge control
• A warning from the Referee
Disqualification
• A competitor shall be disqualified immediately upon a second Warning or if the foul was deliberate.
• Competitors who are disqualified in a match shall be considered to have lost the match
• Deliberate or serious violations of the rules means a fighter can be disqualified without having previously received any warnings. (Please note if a fighter tries to deliberate hurt an opponent outside the rules then they are leaving themselves open to civil action).
• Disqualification over a warning will be issued by the Referee and will then need to be agreed with by the judges.
• Rude behavior / Language to opponent or Referee / Judges / Staff
WAYS TO WIN
• KO – An opponent cannot continue
• TKO – Referee stops the Fight if the opponent is not defending or trying to counter
• Submission – An opponent Taps Out
• Points – Judges decision – The majority of votes of the Scoring Judges determines the winner in each match.
• Overall performance. The judges will determine the winner by the 10 /9 system
10 to the Winner the round, 9 to the Loser of the round
• If the Round is won very strongly then it may be awarded as a 10 /8 round
• Judges will have to log key points for each round based on the guidelines of points gain or lose criteria in order to show why they gave the round.