Kyokushin Rules: Do they cause bad habits?

**Emevas** · Posted On: 3/19/2004 6:43pm

The rule in particular I'm referring to is the no punches to the head. I've seen the effects of this on some WTF TKD guys, where they would keep their hands about stomach/chest level, and leave their head compeletely open for anything, just because they weren't used to head punches. Any guys in kyukoshin see this trend as well, or is it not quite as bad?

**GajusCaesar** · Posted On: 3/19/2004 7:12pm

Do Kyokushin rules cause bad habits in respect to guarding your head? They sure do if that is how you always train.

In every Kyokushin dojo I have seen so far, a mandatory part of training (and usually belt testing) is fighting with boxing gloves on (effectively MT rules).

I suppose if you took Kyokushin and ONLY wanted to be a Kyokushin tournament fighter and didn't care at all about street fighting or other such things, than you would be just fine only training with tournament rules.

I don't really think this is a good idea, but you could do it.

Keep in mind though that tournament fighters that don't keep their hands up usually get KOed with a head kick very quickly.

**X_plosion** · Posted On: 3/20/2004 10:44am

"Keep in mind though that tournament fighters that don't keep their hands up usually get KOed with a head kick very quickly."

I agree with that statement. Lots of people here who fought full-contact with their hands down went out cold when a roundhouse kick struck their temple or jaw.

As for the "no punches to the head" rule, it might have been started a a compromise of sorts. The head is fair game for a punch in self-defense, but in a bare-knuckle, full contact tournament, going to work the next day with your face cut up by your opponent's punches isn't something most competitors would look forward to.

**Guy Mendiola** · Posted On: 3/20/2004 5:55pm

I saw the clip where a TKD practitioner was versing that Kyokushin practitioner and he kept his hands down and I don't know why they do this unless if it was WTF rules.

**schuyler** · Posted On: 3/20/2004 7:05pm

They originally allowed punching to the face in kyokushin tournaments, but they stopped because of too many injuries and the fights ended too quickly.

**GajusCaesar** · Posted On: 3/20/2004 7:24pm

Originally posted by Guy Mendiola
I saw the clip where a TKD practitioner was versing that Kyokushin practitioner and he kept his hands down and I don't know why they do this unless if it was WTF rules.

That's a complete lie in the title of that clip. Neither of them were Kyokushin. NO fighter trained in Kyokushin fights like that. They were both obviously trained in TKD and fighting with stupid TKD rules.

**GajusCaesar** · Posted On: 3/20/2004 7:26pm

Schuyler is correct. I think it gives a very intersting alternative to K1 or MT style fighting with gloves. When you are wearing gloves, body punches simply don't hurt much and you aren't going to be able knock someone out with one. In full contact karate rules though, KOs from body punches happen with some regularity though.

**SAFTA4Life** · Posted On: 3/20/2004 7:33pm

I think every sport/martial art can leave you with some bad habits.
Kyokushin because of the no head punch rule, BJJ will get you in the habit of letting yourself be taken down, boxing will get you in the habit of ducking a punch right into a knee strike, wrestling will get you in the habit of be overly aggressive. The list goes on and on. No one art is without it's inherent flaws/weaknesses (except for maybe SAFTA )

**GajusCaesar** · Posted On: 3/20/2004 8:42pm

Originally posted by SAFTA4Life
I think every sport/martial art can leave you with some bad habits.
Kyokushin because of the no head punch rule, BJJ will get you in the habit of letting yourself be taken down, boxing will get you in the habit of ducking a punch right into a knee strike, wrestling will get you in the habit of be overly aggressive. The list goes on and on. No one art is without it's inherent flaws/weaknesses (except for maybe SAFTA )

Very true, SAFTA. Unless you can call MMA an art. I don't know what bad habits fighting in the UFC would get you.

**Nihilanthic** · Posted On: 3/20/2004 9:03pm

I read on the ~Crane69 or whatever site (its like a big CMA vs MT site) about how some indian guy entered a KK tournament and won with lots of "foul punches" to the head. He got a DQ of course.

He did get the point across of course.