Senshu Meaning in Karate

Senshu is a competitive karate rule that grants a formal advantage to the first person who scores. This status is awarded to the athlete who lands the very first point of the match. If the round ends in a tie the person with this advantage is declared the winner. It encourages competitors to be proactive and aggressive right from the start of the fighting round. This rule prevents matches from becoming too passive or defensive as both athletes want the lead. A referee signals the first point and points to the athlete who earned the advantage. Maintaining a high level of intensity early in the fight is the best way to win. This advantage can be lost if the athlete commits a serious foul later in the match.