What Is Combat / Saber Tag?
Federation Combat is structured contact sport. Two practitioners engage under a defined ruleset: certified equipment, a timed bout, and a three-judge panel that scores every exchange. Points are earned through clean contact on valid target zones. The competitor who outscores their opponent across three rounds wins the bout.
"Saber Tag" refers to the contact system: padded polycarbonate sabers and certified body armor that allow genuine full-speed engagement without the risk of injury that comes from unprotected contact. This is the gear that makes real contact accessible at every experience level.
Competitors enter the skill division that matches their training level. Bracket format (single elimination or round robin), is announced 48 hours before competition day, giving every athlete time to prepare.
Most light sword events are informal. Federation Combat provides a purpose-built ruleset, certified equipment standards, trained referees, and age/skill-appropriate division structure. Making genuine contact sport accessible and credible at every level of experience. When the bracket is published, it counts.
Seeding is determined by skill division and registration order. Brackets are published 48 hours before competition day. Referees operate from the official Federation Combat ruleset. Format (single elimination or round robin), is announced with the bracket.
Certified Equipment. Zero Compromise.
All Combat competitors must wear Federation-certified protective equipment before entering the ring. Equipment is inspected at weigh-in by a certified Federation official. Non-compliant equipment results in disqualification from the division.
0–5 Per Judge. Every Exchange Scored.
Sideline Judges score each exchange independently on a 0–5 scale. The panel evaluates technical quality and style expression, not raw contact force. Technically superior execution scores higher than forceful but uncontrolled contact. This is the defining standard of Federation Combat scoring at every level.
No valid contact or technique demonstrated. Off-target contact, blocked strikes, simultaneous contact (both score zero), or uncontrolled contact that does not reflect trained Federation style.
- Missed strikes or off-target contact
- Strikes successfully blocked or deflected
- Simultaneous contact, zero for both competitors
- Uncontrolled swings with no style expression
Contact lands on a valid target zone but technique quality is limited. Partial style expression. The strike reaches the target but lacks the refinement of trained Federation movement, footwork integrity, or proper guard recovery.
- Contact on valid zone with minimal technique quality
- Strike lands but originates outside recognized guard positions
- Footwork breaks down during the exchange
- No recovery to guard position after the exchange
Clean contact on valid target zone with clear Federation style expression. Strike originates from a recognized guard position, footwork demonstrates stance integrity, and the competitor recovers to guard. Score 5 reserved for exceptional exchanges that embody the highest standard of Federation technique.
- Strike originates from recognized Federation guard position
- Footwork and stance integrity maintained during exchange
- Recovery to guard position after the exchange
- Score 5: outstanding technique expression, sets the standard for the division
Each Sideline Judge scores every exchange independently on the 0–5 scale. The majority score from the panel determines the point award for that exchange. A competitor with superior technique earns more points per exchange than a competitor who relies on force, regardless of division level. Forceful but technically deficient contact scores lower than controlled, clean execution every time.
Exchange Scoring Scale
| Score | Meaning | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | No award | No valid contact; blocked, off-target, or simultaneous strike (zero for both) |
| 1 | Minimal execution | Contact on valid zone; very limited technique quality or style expression |
| 2 | Partial execution | Contact lands with some technique quality; footwork or guard recovery lacking |
| 3 | Good execution | Clean contact with clear Federation style expression; proper guard and footwork |
| 4 | Excellent execution | Technically superior strike with full stance integrity and guard recovery |
| 5 | Outstanding | Exceptional exchange at the highest Federation standard, reserved for elite expression |
- Excessive force on head strike−1 pt + Warning
- Leaving boundary (per occurrence after first)−½ pt
- Clinching / grappling (per occurrence)Warning → −1 pt
- Unsportsmanlike conduct−1 pt + Formal Warning
- Equipment failure mid-bout (delay)Warning; 2nd = forfeit round
- Striking after referee "Stop" command−1 pt; 2nd = disqualification
- Three formal warnings in one boutDisqualification
Ready to enter the bracket?
Bracket seeding closes 7 days before event day. All three skill divisions are open: Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced. Register early. Your division spot isn't held until registration is confirmed.
Claim Your Bracket SpotSeeding & Bracket Format
Seeding is based on skill division and registration order. Brackets are pre-drawn and published 48 hours before competition day. Referees operate from the official Federation Combat ruleset throughout.
| Head Referee | Overall authority; final decisions |
| Deputy Head Referee | Supports Head Referee; handles protests |
| Platform Referee | Center Referee: calls stop/start, warns, deducts |
| Sideline Judges × 3–5 | Score each exchange independently on technique quality and style expression |
| Chief Recorder + Registrars | Official record; rankings submission |
| Table Official | Timer, scorecard, results recording |
Three Skill Divisions. Every Level Competes.
Federation Combat divisions are defined by Skill Division. Every registered competitor belongs to exactly one skill division based on training duration and form competency. Competitors may voluntarily enter a higher skill division. They may not enter a lower one.
The minimum age to compete in Federation Combat is 13 years old. There is no upper age limit.
Age-specific sub-divisions may be created upon request when five or more competitors of the same age group are registered. Sub-division requests must be submitted to the Competition Committee before the registration deadline.
Combat Rules CB01–CB06
The complete Federation Combat ruleset governs every sanctioned bout. Competitors are expected to know their division's rules before competition day. Review the six rule modules below.
- Competitor must hold current Federation competitor registration to enter any sanctioned Combat division
- Division entry declaration must be submitted to the Competition Director no later than 7 days before competition
- Minimum age: 13 years. Competitors under 18 must have a parent, guardian, or certified coach present during all bouts. Parent or guardian signature required on Federation liability waiver at check-in.
- Competitors may enter a higher skill division than their training level but may not enter a lower one.
- No competitor may enter more than one Combat division in the same event
- All protective equipment must be inspected and approved by a certified Federation official before competition
- Federation polycarbonate sabers only: no metal, no flexible blades, no modifications to approved blade design
- Competitors must bring backup equipment; no time extensions granted for equipment failure attributable to athlete
- Head protection must be secured with chin strap engaged before each bout begins, referee verifies at bout start
- Officials may re-inspect equipment between rounds if contact or behavior raises safety concerns
- Each bout begins with competitors at center ring, sabers at ready, on center referee's "Begin" command
- Clinching defined as any grappling, grabbing, or body contact beyond incidental contact, referee stops action immediately
- Grounded competitor (any body part other than feet touching floor) is protected, no strikes permitted while grounded
- Out-of-boundary defined as any foot crossing the boundary line; competition pauses, competitor returns to center ring
- All competitor protests must be directed to the Team Representative, not directly to the referee during the bout
- A Platform Referee (minimum Level 2 certified) manages the platform: calls start/stop, warns, and deducts. Sideline Judges (3–5, minimum Level 1 certified) score each exchange independently; majority score determines the point award
- Judges must be Federation-certified at minimum Level 1 Referee; finals require at least one Level 2 Referee on the Sideline Judge panel
- Scorecard is final upon Platform Referee signature at bout conclusion; corrections only via official protest within 5 minutes of the final score
- Simultaneous strikes (within 0.3 seconds) by both competitors score zero for both on that exchange
- Judges may confer on ambiguous exchanges; Head Referee has final authority on all disputed calls
- First warning for a violation is verbal only; second warning becomes a formal caution with ½ point deduction
- Accumulation of three formal cautions in one bout results in immediate disqualification from that bout
- Intentional targeting of non-scoring zones (throat, spine, joints) results in immediate formal caution on first offense, disqualification on second
- Unsportsmanlike conduct, disrespect toward officials, or verbal aggression toward opponent results in formal caution escalating to DQ at referee discretion
- Disqualified competitors are removed from the bracket entirely for that division
- A qualified first aid provider must be present on-site for all sanctioned Combat competitions
- Any visible bleeding requires immediate stoppage; competitor must be cleared by first aid before returning to competition
- Knockdown (any fall to the floor as result of contact) triggers mandatory 10-second standing count; second knockdown in one bout ends the bout
- Referee may stop any bout at any time for safety reasons without competitor consent; this decision is final
- Competitors who withdraw from a bout for medical reasons may not re-enter that division for the remainder of the event
Four masters.
The credentials behind every LSMAF format.
A federation is only as legitimate as the people who designed its rules and certified its judges. Here’s who built LSMAF.
Built a landmark U.S. light sword academy · Entrepreneur of the Year · Featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox · Parks & Recreation Contract
3× WEKAF National Champion · NASM-Certified Trainer · U.S. military contracts, Langley AFB & Fort Eustis
2× World Champion · 2004 Olympics Performer · Black Belt Magazine Feature · 2nd-Gen JKD, Bruce Lee lineage
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 · Tenet · The 5th Wave · 101 Stunt Credits on IMDb · JKD · Capoeira · Kempo · Judo
Sport governance is only credible when the people running it have stood on the floor themselves: as competitors, as judges, as builders. These four have.
You Train in WISE. You Compete Here, For Real.
Federation Combat is where the Compete layer of WISE stops being abstract. Every technique the Master-Coached Form Review scored in training, every form assessed by the curriculum, every session tracked by the Wellness Platform. It all arrives at this moment: three rounds, three judges, one winner. The system builds fighters. The bout reveals them.
Full-body master-coached form review on any phone, Apple or Android. No special hardware. No video recorded. No data shared. The Master-Coached Form Review scores your strikes, guards, and footwork against Federation technical standards. The same standards Sideline Judges use to distinguish trained technique from untrained contact. What the AI penalizes in training, judges penalize in the bout.
Recovery, training frequency, and physical readiness tracked across the full training cycle. Combat is the most physically demanding format, and the one most sensitive to overtraining in the final two weeks before competition. The Wellness Platform, powered by AcadevoFit, makes that window visible so competitors arrive at June 30, 2027 sharp, not depleted.
A Platform Referee and panel of 3–5 Sideline Judges. Three rounds. Real contact within a defined ruleset. Points earned by clean technique. Forceful but uncontrolled contact scores lower than controlled clean execution. Results submitted to Federation national records within 72 hours. Advanced division placements earn Federation National Rankings points toward the World Games record.
Skill division eligibility is based on training duration and form competency through the 9-Form System. A Foundation competitor has trained Forms 1–3. An Advanced competitor through Forms 1–6. Mastery through all nine. The forms are not separate from combat preparation. They are combat preparation. The practitioner who has trained the forms fights differently than one who hasn't.
Train inside the WISE. Compete with the edge. , June 30, 2027 is where training has consequences.
Register for June 30, 2027 →LSMAF Eastern Regionals, Connecticut
The first officially sanctioned Federation Combat competition. Three skill divisions open: Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced. Your bracket position is determined by registration order within your division. Early registration is how you control your seeding.