Karate Tournament

I attended a Karate tournament last Sunday and it was held at the Bassett Park in La Puente, CA. I had always competed in these types of events before, but I decided that I wanted to try my hand at sports/action photography. This was the first tournament that I had gone to, but didn't compete in. While I still have a lot to learn about sports/action photography, it was a fun and interesting experience photographing a sporting event. There were many different styles that competed in this tournament. It was not just Kajukenbo...there were also Red Dragen Karate, Kenpo, and many more at this event.

Kata Division

Sparring Division

Most of the competitors in the photos are from my class. I wasn't able to photograph some of my classmates because they were competing in their division while I was photographing a few other classmates in another division. For a full photo set, visit: http://anastasia.zenfolio.com/p772297298

Also, for those that don't know martial arts terms. Kata is basically a group of self-defense techniques. Sparring is "practice fighting". The Kata term may vary between styles and schools.

Here is a background for those that don't already know. I have a first degree black belt and 15 years (as of April 2010) of experience in a mixed martial arts style called Kajukenbo - Korean Karate, Judo/Jiu-jitsu, Kenpo, and Chinese Boxing (Kung Fu). I was promoted to black belt in December 2006 and I still attend training/classes. I have been practicing the same style with the same instructor.