In karate, yakusoku kumite (from Japanese 約束 yakusoku 'promise' Kumite 組 手 'grappling hands') is the group of pre-arranged karate sparring forms that are designated to equip the practitioner with the essential skills required to perform any of the jiyu 自由 ('free') Kumite sparring forms.^[1] When an extreme sporting application of jiyu kumite, such as in a full contact mixed martial arts contest, is the exclusive training focus of the participant, then the practice of the more basic forms of yakusoku kumite tend to be neglected.^[2] However, traditional karate organisations such as Shotokan Karate Union^[3] and Shotokan Karate-do International Federation, Japan Karate Association that follow the budo form of jiyu kumite incorporate the yakusoku kumite forms within their grading syllabus.

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