Kyokushin Karate: One Of The Toughest Martial Arts On The Planet

“Kyokushin” translate to “The Ultimate Truth”.

Founded by Mas Oyama in 1964, Kyokushin (or Kyokushinkai) is one of the toughest and most effective forms of Karate. Known for its hard style, Kyokushin is distinguished by its full-contact style of fighting and its emphasis on combat effectiveness.

Sparring is a requirement in Kyokushin. Black belts Kyokushin practitioners do not spar with any martial arts sparring equipment. Each martial artist is expected to deliver strong attacks as well as absorb attacks as they come. Kyokushin is tough, physically demanding and difficult to master.

Although Kyokushin is has its roots in traditional systems such as Shotokan and Goju Ryu, it incorporates many effective fighting techniques from combat sports such as boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai. Axe kicks, knee kicks, and low kick are common techniques in Kyokushin that aren’t found in the traditional styles.

Since Kyokushin is based on physical toughness and the effectiveness of its techniques, some of its practitioners have entered to kickboxing competition known as K-1. Kyokushin fighters such as Andy Hug and Fransisco Filho have found success using Kyokushin against other styles of standup martial arts.