Full Contact Karate

If you have seen a Bruce Lee film, especially “Enter the Dragon” in the 1970s, or been to an actual karate training school, you must have known what a full contact karate is.

It is a tough martial arts sport participated by the toughest karate fighters in the world. While karate is the art of striking that uses punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes and liberal techniques, full contact karate differentiates competition formats of karate to allow competitors to spar full contact and those in light contact or semi-contact sparring. Competition formats for full contact karate have been developed simply for the art of karate, a Japanese art of self-defense, at different places and times in the world. These formats include the Full Contact Point Karate, American Full Contact Karate, Knockdown Karate, Glove Karate, Bogu Kumite, and the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)-Inspired Karate.

The Full Contact Point Karate has originated in North America and has a small following in Europe. Its formal is similar to other competition karate, having points scored for clean hits to specified target areas in the body.

The American Full Contact Karate format has been developed in the US from borrowed rules, settings and gloves of Western boxing. Closely related to American kickboxing, it does not allow kicks below the waistline, with point scores summed up at the end of the contest.

The Knockdown Karate was pioneered in 1960 by the Japanese Kyokushinkai Karate Organization founded by Korean-born Masutatsu Oyama. It features bare knuckle fighting in which competitors do not wear gloves, padding or any other body protection, except a groin protective covering.

The Glove Karate formal originates in Japan where it is still a popular amateur sport for those desiring to enter professional kickboxing. Its rules are based on Knockdown Karate but have been modified to allow the use of boxing gloves and punches to the face of an opponent.

Bogu Kumite karate is associated with some traditional karate styles in Okinawa, with a format that uses heavy protective padding to avoid injuries to competitors. In this formal, knockout is a criterion for winning the bout although a knockout is unlikely because of the protective padding.

The MMA-Inspired Karate format allows grappling on the ground in addition to stand-up combat with techniques associated with many traditional forms and variations of karate.

Any of these formats can be trained for in many full contact karate schools and centers in some countries, especially Japan, China, England and the United States. From this training you can gain snap power in both punching and kicking, and acquire knowledge of various karate styles that have been practiced throughout the world since the past. This can also help with the promotion of physical fitness or a strong social aspect in which you can make friendships with many other people.For more details click here.