Kyokushinkai, Kyokushin-kan and head punches

**patfromlogan** · Posted On: 10/31/2010 7:28pm

There has been lots of criticism of Kyokushin training because of the lack of head punches in tournament rules and in training at the dojo. I was always puzzled about this because in my training in Utah and Hawaii we trained with head punches; my first KO was from a right to the jaw by Sensei. Gezere also backed this up, saying that in his experience, tournies no head shots, but in training head shots were used.

In further readings I've found that after Oyama died the focus became centered on tournaments because that's where the publicity and money came in. After Oyama died Matsui claimed to be the heir apparent and since has lost many cases in court in Japan. He's lost the exclusive use of the terms Kyokushinkai and a lot more (Kyokushin politics, or Let's sue Matsui! - No BS MMA and Martial Arts). Besides the politics, though, Shihan Hiroshige Tsuyoshi and Shihan Royama and others think that Kyokushin has lost it's edge with the tournament focus (sounds like Judo??). The hard core training and self-defense techniques that of course included head punches, were taken for granted during the early decades, is now a focus in the dojo. (http://toriwaerts.wordpress.com/2008...unches-deel-2/) At least in Kyokushin-kan.

While KK tournie fighting with head shots was posted (by me Kyokushin Tournies with head punches - No BS MMA and Martial Arts), I'm happy to see that at least some of the major players are now training that way and according to the article sited above, training bbs techniques to be able to train in a safe manner. No more picking up teeth!

And it now makes sense, what the older KK guys here experienced was not what was going on, for the most part, for some years. Kyokushin-kan and Blumings organization, Kyokushin Budokai, are all about keeping the old values alive.

**Odacon** · Posted On: 11/01/2010 4:27am

What I can't get my head around is the IKO1's refusal to include head strikes but their insistence on entering their top guys into K1 where they are invariably raped to bits.

**aiyer** · Posted On: 11/01/2010 8:19am

Originally Posted by Odacon

What I can't get my head around is the IKO1's refusal to include head strikes but their insistence on entering their top guys into K1 where they are invariably raped to bits.

Don't kyukushi guys generally do well in K-1? I'm thinking off Andy Hug, Semmy Shiltz, Glaube Feitosa, Musashi... All off them are from kyukushin (or offshoots) and do well or even great in K-1.

**Rock Ape** · Posted On: 11/01/2010 10:19am

Commercialisation of any martial art will always carry negatives because, inevitably somewhere down that line there's a neglect of the aspects of a discipline which commercially speaking, wouldn't go down well with the masses.

The hard core - often referred to as the "old school" see this as a less positive change whilst those newer to the art(s) don't really know any different.

In may respects, martial arts are treated or regarded as sports activities and, whilst it's true to say (especially within MMA) that people will still punch and kick to the head as part of their training, it is equally true that the vast majority of people who take up (run of the mill) martial arts do so because of the hobby mentality thus, aren't really that interested in being subjected to strong physical treatment and, even fewer still will change their outlook and train seriously.

**Odacon** · Posted On: 11/01/2010 1:44pm

Originally Posted by aiyer

Don't kyukushi guys generally do well in K-1? I'm thinking off Andy Hug, Semmy Shiltz, Glaube Feitosa, Musashi... All off them are from kyukushin (or offshoots) and do well or even great in K-1.

They do ok, AFAIK only Schilt has won a world title. Specifically, I was thinking of Ewerton Teixeira, Kyokushin's new golden boy who honestly is in way over his head fighting world class kickboxers.

**aiyer** · Posted On: 11/01/2010 6:33pm

Originally Posted by Odacon

They do ok, AFAIK only Schilt has won a world title. Specifically, I was thinking of Ewerton Teixeira, Kyokushin's new golden boy who honestly is in way over his head fighting world class kickboxers.

Andy Hug has won a world title as well, Semmy Shilt has won four and both Musashi (2x) and Feitosa were runner ups.

And Teixeira really doesn't do bad, I just looked his record up. 13 fights, 10 (7KO) wins and 3 losses.

**Lindz** · Posted On: 11/01/2010 10:30pm

Re-introduction of bare-knuckle face punches in Kyokushin - No BS MMA and Martial Arts

**patfromlogan** · Posted On: 11/01/2010 10:50pm

Originally Posted by Lindz

Re-introduction of bare-knuckle face punches in Kyokushin - No BS MMA and Martial Arts

Well ****, you're no fun. Though it was fun to read Hannibal's posts!

**Lindz** · Posted On: 11/01/2010 11:36pm

I was really excited when I found that thread. But I don't think anyone around me does it. Anyone who wants head punching probably does muay thai or kick boxing.

**DAYoung** · Posted On: 11/02/2010 1:01am

Tell me, folks, what kind of protective gear do the Kyokushin head-hitting chaps use? From my karate days, I remember using tiny little cotton gloves, with no headgear. I always assumed Kyokushin used the same.

Now, I'm not sure about the helpfulness of headgear - overconfidence and limited vision, and all that. I've had no experience with them. But the gloves interest me, if only because punching with 16oz gloves makes for very different tactics sometimes (e.g. bigger guard, less emphasis on traditional karate blocks). And I don't know how useful these cotton mitts are for hand protection.

Can someone shed some light on this?