An electronic scoring system for use in martial arts, comprising: (a) armour configured to be worn by a user to provide impact protection in use, the armour including a force sensing element for detecting force parameter data from one or more forces applied to the armour by any object, wherein said force parameter data includes data regarding all of the following: i. magnitude, ii. location; iii. duration; and iv. direction of one or more forces applied to the armour, the scoring system further comprising: (b) a scoring machine having: i. communication means for receiving the force parameter data from the force sensing element; ii. tallying means for calculating one or more results using the force parameter data; and iii. report generating means for generating one or more reports, wherein the scoring machine is capable of generating output for display on a visual display; (c) motion-sensing means that detects movement data regarding movement of one or more of the following: i. a competitor; ii. the force sensing element; and iii. a weapon, wherein the motion-sensing means communicates the movement data to the scoring machine; AND/OR (d) position-sensing means for detecting position data regarding a competitor, wherein the position-sensing means communicates the position data to the scoring machine; wherein the scoring machine is configured to calculate one or more results in the form of a damage value of an applied force, based on one or more of: a) the force parameter data; b) the movement data; and c) the position data. (a) armour configured to be worn by a user to provide impact protection in use, the armour including a force sensing element for detecting force parameter data from one or more forces applied to the armour by any object, wherein said force parameter data includes data regarding all of the following: i. magnitude, ii. location; iii. duration; and iv. direction of one or more forces applied to the armour, i. magnitude, ii. location; iii. duration; and iv. direction of one or more forces applied to the armour, (b) a scoring machine having: i. communication means for receiving the force parameter data from the force sensing element; ii. tallying means for calculating one or more results using the force parameter data; and iii. report generating means for generating one or more reports, wherein the scoring machine is capable of generating output for display on a visual display; i. communication means for receiving the force parameter data from the force sensing element; ii. tallying means for calculating one or more results using the force parameter data; and iii. report generating means for generating one or more reports, wherein the scoring machine is capable of generating output for display on a visual display; (c) motion-sensing means that detects movement data regarding movement of one or more of the following: i. a competitor; ii. the force sensing element; and iii. a weapon, wherein the motion-sensing means communicates the movement data to the scoring machine; AND/OR i. a competitor; ii. the force sensing element; and iii. a weapon, (d) position-sensing means for detecting position data regarding a competitor, wherein the position-sensing means communicates the position data to the scoring machine; wherein the scoring machine is configured to calculate one or more results in the form of a damage value of an applied force, based on one or more of: a) the force parameter data; b) the movement data; and c) the position data. a) the force parameter data; b) the movement data; and c) the position data.