Karate Styles: Kyokushin Kaikan Karate

Submitted by staff on Thu, 08/13/2009 at 1:06pm.

Kyokushin Kaikan Karate is a relatively modern style of karate, founded in 1964 by Masutatsu Oyama in Japan. The fundamentals of kyokushin kaikan karate focus on hard training, self-improvement, and discipline. It is a full-contact style of karate, including kicks to the head, but do not allow hand strikes to the head. Famous kyokushin kaikan karatekas include Sean Connery, Dolph Lundgren, and Georges St. Pierre.

Kyokushin is known as the most physically intense and strongest form of karate, due to its full-contact style. Kyokushin emphasizes physical toughness and realistic combat situations and practicality in its training. The cirricculum of kyokushin karate consists of kihon, kata, and kumite. The kihon is the basic fundamentals of karate, and kyokushin karate kihon is based largely on Shotokan and Goju-ryu karates. Kyokushin is a circular style and is practiced without gloves or protection. It is meant to be a realistic combat style. The kata of kyokushin is a ritualized sequence of stances and movement key to the kyokushin karate style. There are several interpretations of kata even within Kyokushin karate. Kumite in Kyokushin karate is the sparring training, which is a very essential aspect of kyokushin training. Hand strikes to the head are not allowed, but knee strikes and kicks to the head are permissable. Kumite in kyokushin is very physically intense and is seen as a very important test of strength.

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