I am being cheated out of not getting punched in the face.

**Evergrey** · Posted On: 6/03/2011 12:11am

Well, today in class when we started fighting down the line in kumite, I heard Shihan bellow "EVEY, GET YOUR GUARD UP" a few times, and I knew I was in for it. When the 5th dan instructor got lined up with me, and he does a really good sinister laugh by the way, Shihan said "work her face over!"

I was treated to one of that godan's famous toothy grins, the kind that never reaches the eyes, and I knew he was going to have fun with this. I got a minute or two of light pummeling to the face. Nothing broken, nothing terribly swollen or anything (I'm still such a noob) but I sure as hell started trying to effectively keep my guard up!

Anyway, I see lots of jokes on here about how Kyokushin never punch to the head, because that's a tournament rule. In my dojo though? Low ranks feint to the face, black belts and up will sure as hell get you in the face if they can.

So people with Kyokushin experience- did they bitchslap you and hit your face in class? Or were class rules tournament rules?

Being hit in the face for me isn't particularly fun, and I'm not craving missing teeth or a broken nose... but I'm VERY happy that we do work on it here. It is not a hole that I want in my training.

**Sang** · Posted On: 6/03/2011 12:31am

There was no face punching in my dojo, in fact i was warned that I would get one warning before getting kicked out if i did.

My face got way more fucked up in Kyokushin than Muay Thai. Padded gloves seem to do a lot less damage than unpadded spinning heel kicks to the cheek. Class rules were tournament rules and the same tournament intensity (at least when people sparred me).

**Evergrey** · Posted On: 6/03/2011 12:35am

Yeah, boot to the head is rough.

One of the head instructors also does MMA, and sometimes he has everyone wear gloves. He was wearing gloves today while he punched me in the face, and I was pretty much really okay with this. I haven't been kicked with any real contact in the head yet, and I am not looking forward to the experience, though I've had my head tapped many times.

I hope the trend happening in my school continues. I mean most people actually attacking you in an actual fight are gonna try to punch you in the face anyway... that, and if you're going to allow a boot to the head, you might as well allow some facefisting too. :p

**Hiro Protagonist** · Posted On: 6/03/2011 12:36am

**Sang** · Posted On: 6/03/2011 12:39am

With gloves, sure.

Without, anyone with a job is going to be really pissed off at the dojo after a week. That or you compromise the whole point of allowing punches to the head by lightening them to the point of no damage (non contact sparring).

**Evergrey** · Posted On: 6/03/2011 1:01am

Yeah, I mean I love the Kyokushin no padding style, but I think it needs to be mixed up from time to time with gloves if that allows facepunching. I mean, I don't wander around with gloves and I kinda like having rough knuckles. I'm not very good at being a girl, but I am also okay with that. :p