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Kyokushin

*** Shopping-Tip: Kyokushin
style placing great emphasis on realism, dedication, and combat effectiveness. Oyama himself fought and killed bulls in demonstration fights, fighting unarmed and without protection. In this form of karate the instructor and its students all must take part in hard sparring to prepare them for full contact fighting. Unlike some forms of karate, Kyokushin places high emphasis on full contact fighting which is done without any gloves or protective equipment. This apparent brutality is tempered somewhat due to the fact that you are not allowed to strike your opponent in the face, thus greatly reducing the possibility of serious injury; knees or kicks to the head and face on the other hand are allowed. In the earliest kyokushin tournaments bare knuckle strikes to the face where allowed also, but after turning into regular bloodbaths it was decided that removing strikes to the face was better than fighting with gloves as boxing gloves did not fit the kyokushin spirit.

Techniques

The Kyokushin system is based on traditional karate like shotokan and Goju Ryu, but incorporates many elements of combat sports like boxing and kickboxing in kumite. Many techniques like mae oroshi kakato geri (axe kick) are not found in other styles of karate. The three signature circular techniques, shuto mawashi uke (knife-hand roundhouse block), mae mawashi uke (front roundhouse block) and enkei gyaku tsuki, are techniques exclusive to Kyokushin and are therefore the recognised techniques of this style. Today, some kyokushin fighters (like Francisco Filho and Glaube Feitosa) appear in kickboxing events like K-1, but Kyokushin does not allow its students to appear in paid fights and remain with the style.

Grading

Kyokushin karate has a belt grading system similar to others in existence. The belt assigned to each student upon commencing training is a white belt. With each successful grading attempt, the student is awarded a kyu ranking, and either a stripe on his current belt or a new belt color altogether. The corresponding kyu and belt colors are as follows: 10th Kyu (Red or Orange), 9th Kyu (Red or Orange with Black Stripe), 8th Kyu (Blue), 7th Kyu (Blue with Black Stripe), 6th Kyu (Yellow), 5th Kyu (Yellow with Black Stripe), 4th Kyu (Green), 3rd Kyu (Green with Black Stripe), 2nd Kyu (Brown), 1st Kyu (Brown with Black Stripe). Grading to this level can take up to ten years of training. Once a student has attained his 1st Kyu ranking (the highest of the "beginner grades"), he may apply for dan grading: the rigorous process of attaining a first-degree black belt, also referred to as 1st dan or shodan. This usually consists of a 6-8 hour grading with all required elements of the grading syllabus completed including: kihon (basics), ido geiko (moving basics), goshinjitsu (self defence), sanbon and ippon kumite (three and one step sparring), kata (predescribed series of movements/forms), tameshiwari (board, tile or brick breaking) and kumite (contact free fighting). In Australia and New Zealand, Kumite for Shodan normally consists of 40 rounds: 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per round with no rest time between rounds. The last 10 to 15 rounds are usually against fresh black belts. In the IKO1 organization the shodan kumite consists of 20 rounds full contact fighting, and getting knocked down is not unusual. These tests are far more strenuous than the testing procedures for shodan for many other karate styles, like shotokan. Critics assert that since no one ever fights 20 people in a row in self defence, the test, while difficult, is somewhat pointless.

Dojo Kun

Sosai Oyama wrote the dojo kun as an oath for all kyokushin followers to proclaim. Today, it is often recited in kyokushin dojos all over the world. (Japanese Version) Hitotsu, ware ware wa, shinshin o renmashi, kakko fubatsu no shingi o kiwameru koto. Hitotsu, ware ware wa, bu no shinzui o kiwame, ki ni hasshi, kan ni bin naru koto. Hitotsu, ware ware wa, shitsujitsu gÅ?ken o motte jiko no seishin o kanyo suru koto. Hitotsu, ware ware wa, reisetsu o omonji, ChÅ?jÅ? keishi sobÅ? no furumai o tsutsushimu koto. Hitotsu, ware ware wa, shinbutsu o tÅ?tobi, kenjÅ? no bitoku o wasurezaru koto. Hitotsu, ware ware wa, chisei to tairyoku to o kÅ?jÅ? sase koto ni nozonde ayamatazaru koto. Hitotsu, ware ware wa, shÅ?gai no shugyÅ? o karate no michi ni tsÅ«ji, Kyokushin no michi o mattÅ? suru koto. (English Version) We will train our hearts and bodies for a firm, unshaking spirit. We will pursue the true meaning of the Martial Way, so that in time our senses may be alert. With true vigor, we will seek to cultivate a spirit of self-denial. We will observe the rules of courtesy, respect our superiors, and refrain from violence. We will follow our religious principles, and never forget the true virtue of humility. We will look upwards to wisdom and strength, not seeking other desires. All our lives, through the discipline of karate, we will seek to fulfill the true meaning of the Kyokushin Way.

Kyokushin Today

After the death of Masutatsu Oyama in 1994, the International Karate Organization (IKO) splintered into several groups, generally recognised as three IKO groups. Shinkyokushinkai, currently led by Kenji Midori, formed the World Karate Organization (often known as IKO2). Some also joined Hanshi Steve Arneil who left the IKO in 1991 to form the International Federation of Karate (IFK). Other groups splintered off even before his death, among these Seido Juku, formed by his student Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura, U.S. Oyama, formed by his student Shigeru Oyama, and Mushin Karate Do formed by his student Ganci. IKO is currently led by Kancho Shokei Matsui. IKO3 is lead by Kancho Matsushima. Many Kyokushin groups throughout the world have chosen to focus their experience around the philosophy of Kyokushin as a method of self-improvement and discipline. The Kyokushin way teaches its students that the most important aspects of training are not the ability to knock down an opponent. Instead, the person must contemplate the technique and understand that the true meaning of the Kyokushin way is not in violence, but the mastering of oneself. An important philosophy is never to do what you cannot undo, and never use more violence than is prompted or necessary. Through understanding of this comes the ability to fight on an elite level, but fighting is not the Kyokushin student's overall goal.

See also

- Full contact karate

External links

The death of Sosai Oyama sealed the devastating annihilation of the Kyokushin world into numerous independent organizations. The consequent court battles resulted in many others leaving Kyokushin to found their own organizations. The major organizations still operating under the name or spirit of Kyokushin Kai Kan Karate-Do are listed as follows. Many of these organizations were founded by students of Sosai Oyama himself:

Organizations still operating under the name "Kyokushin"

- International Karate Organization (IKO) 1: Matsui, Isobe, Hollander, Chong, Goda, Bobby Lowe group

Kyokushin News Network

Philippines Official Branch

New York Official Branch

Canada Official Branch

Australia Official Branch

European Official Branch

Dutch Official Branch

- World Karate Organization Shin Kyoksuhin Kai (IKO) 2 (NPO World Karate Organization): Midori, Sampei, Fujiwara group

Europe Official Branch

Danish Official Branch

Canada Official Branch