Re-introduction of bare-knuckle face punches in Kyokushin

**ponchoflash** · Posted On: 4/29/2006 2:01pm

http://www.budokaratehouse.com/honbu...urnament3x.htm

Kancho Royama, Shihan Hiroshige, and others are working to reintroduce multiple elements of Kyokushin training that were taken for granted during the early decades following Mas Oyama's synthesis of Kyokushin, only to be eroded in following years due to the booming popularity of tournament style fighting.

For example, in the days of Oyama Dojo and in the early days of Kyokushinkaikan, punches to face and kicks to the groin were commonplace in dojo kumite.

One early uchi deshi of Kancho Royama, Shihan Okazaki, told this week how when he was one of the first uchi deshi under Kancho Royama it was his job to pick up teeth during dojo kumite so that they would not be lost.

Of course Shihan Hiroshige stressed in his introduction to his face-contact seminar that this type of training is not for everyone in every dojo situation. Even in the early days, he explained, entire dojo populations of 100 students were reduced to less than ten following just one such full-contact face punching kumite session.

It is vitally important, however, Shihan Hiroshige stresses, that Kyokushin Karate regain the reflexes of face punch defense that Kyokushin fighters once had but then began to lose once tournament style fighting became popular and face punches were eliminated in the name of safety.

This can be done, he insists, in a relatively safe, fun way by introducing certain face-punching drills designed to develop these reflexes while avoiding injury among those in the dojo who aren't interested in full-contact face punching kumite.

Work was being done to introduce Kyokushin competitions in Japan in which full-contact face-contact is allowed.

**Odacon** · Posted On: 4/29/2006 2:09pm

Good for them.

**Captain Spaulding** · Posted On: 4/29/2006 3:40pm

This might be a stupid question, but why not just wear gloves for the sparring and do the drills without them?

**Shawarma** · Posted On: 4/29/2006 3:56pm

Against the very essence of kyokushin.

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 4/29/2006 3:58pm

the essence of kyokushin is being a monumental ******

**Shawarma** · Posted On: 4/29/2006 4:02pm

AND not wearing gloves.

**broken fingers** · Posted On: 4/29/2006 4:07pm

what the **** did you just say??

**Shawarma** · Posted On: 4/29/2006 4:14pm

She called you a ******.

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 4/29/2006 4:15pm

I guess there's a reason why you have broken fingers, am i rite guys?

**ojgsxr6** · Posted On: 4/29/2006 4:16pm

Originally Posted by Captain Spaulding

This might be a stupid question, but why not just wear gloves for the sparring and do the drills without them?

Some more progressive KK and offshoot schools will spar with MMA style gloves or the cheap cloth padded gloves (imagine getting hit in the face and not just getting bruised but rugburn too), and also do the traditional sparring as well. Truthfully if this catches on I think it will be great for Kyokushin.