The style bares many surface-level similarities to other styles of Karate, using a traditional gi and incorporating Kata (form) training. This differs from Muay Thai where theres a big emphasis on elbows and knees which changes the dynamic of fighting massively. Another name for the style is Kyokushinkai Karate. They do not wear gloves or hand wraps like in Muay Thai or other kickboxing sports. Lets find out if one is truly better than the other. Another name for the style is Kyokushinkai Karate. Muay Thai will teach you how to read opponent who can kick competently. It is what people . It's absolutely disgusting watching how they train to eat rib shots. That being said however, not a single one of them can withstand even a half-assed hook or straight right to the head without staggering back and getting substantially fazed (something any decent amateur boxing competitor can do); the large majority of them (all shodan or above) also tend to shell up and freeze whenever I blitz them with long punch combos to the head (pretty much one of the only tactics I can use against them since theyre practically immune to body shots and leg kicks). Some say that because of this split, Kurosakis place in Kyokushin history is somewhat diluted. I've sparred with Kyokushin guys and they handle themselves very well against Muay Thai. Man I hate when people pinch me in the head. Sadly, since then the international reputation of Karate has suffered and in some circles, Karate is even laughed at. Boxing
What would be good for conditioning? In fact, back in 1963, three fighters from Kyokushin fought three Muay Thai fighters in a challenge. I think they're both fine for self defense. However if you were to do this in Muay Thai you run the risk of eating a knee in the face. The Best self defense books for the streets. This also led to strip mall dojos opening up with questionable senseis and techniques. However, there is one particular style of Karate that draws a lot of valid comparisons to Muay Thai. Your email address will not be published. This means that they dedicate a lot of training time to the many kinds of kicks in Kyokushins arsenal. But karatekas who find success in kickboxing are few and far between. In this article, we explore the deep connection, similarities and differences between Muay Thai vs Kyokushin Karate. Oyama became the face of Kyokushin and was mainly responsible for promoting the style while Kurosaki worked on the grounds, instructing students at their dojo. It really comes down to whether you want to wear a gi or fancy shorts. Luckily for us this dream fight has taken place at least once or twice. The main difference being that Kyokushin fighters can throw elbows and punches only to the body but not the head. However this also means that Boxing has extra time to focus on footwork and defense. Regardless of what discipline is better, its also fair to say that if taught correctly, both Karate and Muay Thai are incredibly effective when it comes to fighting and self defense. Your opponent in a real-life situation is going to probably go for your head first, so you need to know what to do. Your opponent in a real-life situation is going to probably go for your head first, so you need to know what to do. In fact, Kyokushin training sometimes incorporates padwork involving punches, knees and kicks. Try out both, see which one melds with you better, and go from there. This type of striking takes a much longer time to learn when compared to just using one form of attack. This not only involves increasing your stamina but also conditioning the body to normalize getting hit. Thai fighters like Buakaw Banchamek, Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong, and Superbon Banchamek are all able to achieve success in kickboxing against their Dutch, Chinese and Japanese counterparts. Muay Thai incorporates all of this. On the other hand, Muay Thai fighters have continually proven themselves against the best of other kickboxing styles. ofc muaythaicitizen.com says that muay thai is better but 
I'm under the impression that a lot of kyokushin places will wear boxing gloves and allow pinches to the head during sparring, just not in competitions, so the only real difference might be the elbows and clinching. Kurosaki left to start the legendary Mejiro Gym in 1969 not long after his defeat against Muay Thai fighter, Rawee Dechachai in Lumpinee stadium (1964). Whether you have been in martial arts for years, or if youre a newbie looking to find the best martial art to start with, you will be able to learn a lot from this martial art breakdown.
The point is to try and accurately hit the opponent as quickly as possible to avoid retaliation. When you compare the two, both Boxing and Muay Thai can be easy and difficult at the same time depending on which aspect of training youre learning. For example, in Boxing an effective defense allows you to change levels by rolling/slipping (ducking) punches to the head and upper body. Kyokushin matches and free sparring look closer to Muay Thai than other popular Karate Styles. I'm not asking for people to debate which is better, I just want to know a bit more about both! edit: Also after watching some Kyokushin sparring I find it kinda unusual looking, the opponents just seemed to stand close and kick and punch the shit out of each other, there weren't many "tactics", shall I say. The style bares many surface-level similarities to other styles of Karate, using a traditional gi and incorporating Kata (form) training. Training Tips Being used to and prepared to defend against punches to the head is very important in fighting.
In my experience training, the conditioning and amount of work put in is a lot rougher on you and harder than any Karate place I've been, but I'm not sure if I"ve ever been to a kyokushin school, so take that with a grain of salt. Sample workout might be right straight, left hook to the body, right body kick on the mitts --> continue practicing with a partner (one attacks, one defends 1 / 1 etc..) then onto the bag continue for 45 mins sometime an hour. So that in itself is brutal however Kyokushin puts the fear of god into me. Some may be heavy on conditioning, others may want you to do it on your own time. It should be noted that the toughest form of Karate (Kyokushin) does allow clinches, but most forms do not. Kenji Kurosaki is a key figure in the founding of Kyokushin Karate. The Karatekas won 2-1 overall. Everything That You Will Learn In Adults & Kids Karate Classes, Ex-UFC fighter Brendan Schaub threatens Joe Rogan Im going to fight him, Lethwei Champ Dave Leduc calls out Buakaw the pair may meet in Bare Knuckle Bout. On the other hand, Kyokushin has, frankly speaking, nothing much to offer that Muay Thai doesnt already have, as pretty much their only notable element that separates them from other striking styles is their ability to take endless hits below the neck more so than any other combat athletes, though I dare say: any striker can develop a similar ability with the correct conditioning regime, albeit painfully. And of course in free fight , well , given what was said you be the judge. This type of movement can compromise the fighters ability to deliver or defend against (check) kicks. And don't just look at the people who are youngest and in the best physical shape, look at those who are in less great shape or a bit older and even if they aren't hitting as hard or fast look if they have sharp technique. One more thing to consider is the gear youll need for training. Please remember it was kyokushin fighters who formed the basis of both siedokaikan and k-1, kyokushin fights have prospered snd continue to prosper in all full contact sporting arenas world wide. However, there are some big differences between the two. This means a Karateka will usually wear a Karate gi when fighting, whereas a Muay Thai fighter will wear shorts and nothing else. Many of the earliest Kyokushin champions to fight in the K-1 kickboxing competitions were defeated in their quests. Muay Thai, though, is undoubtedly the more complete striking art. I like the article .
Universidad de Guadalajara. Western Boxing and Muay Thai have different defensive systems based on their respective rules. BJJ On the other hand, Muay Thai fighters have continually proven themselves against the best of other kickboxing styles. Which is why you dont see many level changes in Muay Thai, if at all. There he began learning Chinese martial arts from a farmhand that Oyama called Lee in books about his early life. When it comes to self-defense and various real life situations, both Boxing and Muay Thai are great martial arts to know. As Mejiro Gym rose in prominence in the 70s, a number of Dutch fighters traveled to train with Kenji at Mejiro Gym in the 70s. In Muay Thai, this mostly involves foot sweeps which are also used in Karate, as well as takedowns which are similar to those used in Judo. Muay Thai will also condition you in hardening your body, particularly the shins. Affiliate Disclosure, If you tell people that you train Muay Thai, some of them may ask, , However, there is one particular style of Karate that draws a lot of valid comparisons to Muay Thai. Ultimately, each style has its own pros and cons. In other words, its fair to say that Karate has more takedowns but these are dependent on the gi, whereas Muay Thais trips are used without the gi. Great boxers can slip, slide, roll, and dance around beautifully in ways that would be ill-suited for the rules of Muay Thai. If fitness is a selling point for you, a good Muay Thai gym will push you like you wouldn't believe. nothing beats kyokushin. Hey I did two years of traditional Muay Thai at Siam No. While Kyokushin has low kicks and knees, Muay Thai also throws in elbows and the clinch. In short, these two martial arts both have a decorated past and are known around the globe. To avoid the knees just place tour face on their chest and throw elbows. As I mentioned earlier, Kyokushin has a lot in common with Muay Thai.
Your email address will not be published. But if I cannot punch to the face, my jab is pretty much useless. One of the earliest and most notable kickboxers from Mejiro Gym is Toshio Fujiwara, the first. The conditioning and fitness is going to vary by school. nothing to say about muay thai, but if we will consider the conditions that will be part of a street fight, such as tight pants, short time of reaction ecc in my opinion boxing could be more suitable because of the semplicity of the strikes , and the head movement more than the rest. Firstly, it really depends on your own personal preference and what you want from training. Kyokushin doesnt rely on quick blitzing footwork like other Karate styles. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The answer to this question depends on the practitioner and the time. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A common perception is that Boxers have more finesse on defense, this is something I tend to agree with. So a few things, I REALLY enjoy striking (I did do a year of MMA and will continue when I can) What I find most difficult about Kyokushin is the condition it is down right fucking awful. In terms of kyokushin vs muay thai , of course muay thai gets the edge in a competitive sporting arena due to its superior rule set however in terms of testing you pain thresh hold kyokushin trumps muay thai as taking bareknuckles , knees, elbows, over a given rounds is one of the most punishing things you can . If a Muay Thai fighter were to fight a boxer in the street, he would have the advantage of front kicking his opponent to keep him at bay. Often, the kicks wont be as flexible in Muay Thai, but the punches will be thrown with more force and impact. After moving to Japan to join the Imperial Air Force, Oyama began to train in both Shotokan and Goju-Ryu Karate. Fighters Stories, About Required fields are marked *. Kyokushin cons: No head punches, no hand off to grappling, sometimes have to waste time doing Kata. Muay Thai pros: Head punches, clinch work, Ram Muay is better than Kata, Muay Thai cons: Gloves, usually expensive, sometimes it's not real Muay Thai, just generic kickboxing, Kyokushin pros: Bare knuckle, usually cheap, consistent quality. Followed by perhaps 10 - 15 mins of shadow boxing and the rest of the time mitt / bag work. However I personally would prefer Muay Thai training as you would know more about the clinch and have a longer striking range. So that's the difference in the rules. One needs to only look at kyokushin shinken shobu to see what or how kyokushin is represented in a proper showing of the style . Boxers usually come out in a robe and take it off to fight.
Or in the more advanced classes you would warm up with maybe 200 kicks (left 100, right 100, then maybe 1 / 2 swing (100 / 100). Hypothetically speaking, the ideal Muay Thai fighter would be one who masters the traditional fighting style whilst at the same time being able to throw punches as fast, crisp, and powerful as Ramon Dekker. Is that like Karate or some variation of that question.
But some of the information is flawed when it comes to kyokushin as it is practiced. This type of striking emphasizes quick hands and head movement to avoid punches. When it comes to striking martial arts, there are two that distinctly come to mind. I fought many Muay Thai fighters in Thailand as a kyokushinki style and found the opposite of your analogy. Boxers have a better advantage of learning their martial art much quicker because there is much less to pin-point and much less to learn. I'm planning on moving on a bit and trying another martial art seriously but am stuck between Muay Thai and Kyokushin. , k-1 was founded by a kyokyshin expert and kyokushin off shoot style ( siedokaikan) , ishii sensei. He then developed a new style of Japanese kickboxing fusing Kyokushin with elements of Muay Thai. I'm guessing it probably wasn't a great one then? One reason for this may be its lack of belts, which mean frauds arent attracted to Muay Thai to gain recognition. Muay Thai is useful because it gives you a great advantage on the range and separation of your opponent.
In a full contact ( without padding) setting. Your email address will not be published. If youre looking for the best martial art to learn first visit our article. However, knees and kicks to the head are legal. Summary: Its another faceoff as we look at Muay Thai vs Kyokushin Karate two of the toughest martial arts on the planet. Learn how your comment data is processed. Kyokushin practitioners train and compete in gis (Japanese-style uniform) that all more or less look the same as Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Up until the past couple of years, Brendan Schaub has had a pretty solid relationship with Joe Rogan and used. There is no Muay Thai professional that doesnt know how to properly check a low kick. We don't wrap our hands instead we do a crap ton of knuckle push ups. Typically, Karatekas will be better at landing kicks from distance, whereas Muay Thai is better at using punches from close range.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'budodragon_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',107,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-budodragon_com-medrectangle-3-0')}; Both styles actually have a few things in common though, which revolves around takedowns. Privacy Policy From what I've seen of Kyokushin they don't allow punches to the head, elbows, or clinching. They eventually split in the late 1960s due to the difference in opinion over the commercial direction that Oyama was taking with Kyokushin. If a boxer were to match up with a Muay Thai fighter in the street, chances are he would be able to easily avoid punches that were thrown towards him, however there is a huge disadvantage when you start taking leg kicks. It allows head punches and teaches a more varied array of such punches, closer to what you'd find in boxing. Both of these martial arts are super useful for striking and self defense, and to martial artists worldwide, both are absolutely necessary to learn. Kyokushin also tends to be heavy on the kicks, as with most Karate styles. This site is a go-to resource for MMA, Boxing, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu enthusiasts. Kyokushin Karate (Japanese Kanji: ) is famous as being one of the hardest styles of Karate. This is where the benefits of Karate come in. Gear Reviews Less than 30 Kyokushin practitioners in history have completed the challenge to date. A Muay Thai fighter would actually have a huge advantage in a clinch style situation in a street fight, which is something that cant be replicated with years of Boxing training. In terms of the more complete striking art I would say Muay Thai has more weapons, but honestly they both really complement each other, adding in a bit of boxing wouldn't hurt either. Ultimately, both martial arts involve striking, but like every discipline, theyre shaped by their rules. A few decades back there was a time where this might be a tossup. The close range that the fighters take means that the vast majority of strikes are to the body. However, a Muay Thai fighter isnt as dangerous with his hands when compared to a boxer because in authentic Muay Thai punches dont contribute to points during a fight. It also doesnt allow for low kicks to the calves, whereas this is fully legal in Muay Thai. If my opponent is an idiot, it's also a great way to do some damage at little risk to myself. Both are good, I'd just go with whichever has the better school wherever you're going. Not only do you need to learn how to use these type of strikes, but you also have to learn to defend against these type of strikes. While many watered down kyokushin karate schools today , sad to say practice and quite sadly only shows the public the ,as the article quite rightly says tournament rules ( no punching to the face, no elbows to the face, no grappling (mind you knees to the face and elbows to the body are legal ) of kyokushin karate, this in no way reflects what is taught as the style of kyokushin karate in a proper dojo. At my Kyokushin school we do wear head gear, mouth guards and 16 oz gloves so we are allowed to punch to the head and we prepare more for Kickboxing tournaments then Kyokushin ones. Is Karate Really That Difficult To Learn? However, it really depends on the schools in your area. Like in Muay Thai, Kyokushin fighters also spend a lot of time conditioning their shins. But, since its creation, a lot of Karate has become less realistic, whereas Muay Thai has maintained its original effectiveness.
document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Kyokushin translates to mean the ultimate truth, expressing the founders philosophy of discovering the nature of ones true character when put to the test. In terms of testing your pain threshhold in a fight, kyokushin comes first. As Mejiro Gym rose in prominence in the 70s, a number of Dutch fighters traveled to train with Kenji at Mejiro Gym in the 70s. Thanks! They don't incorporate grappling into their competition, a la Daido Juku/Kudo or Enshin (the latter of which is a direct off-shoot of Kyokushin), and there are some oddities in the way matches sometimes go due to the no head punches rule. Thai fighters like, Karate styles is that Kyokushin is full contact, Top 10 Muay Thai Fighters You Should Know, Where to watch Muay Thai Fights in Bangkok (2022), The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Muay Thai. As a result, its fair to say that both are great martial arts in their own right. While to train boxing, youll only need hand wraps and gloves initially, for Muay Thai you will also want shin guards. The Dutch martial artists then returned to the Netherlands where they started the NKBB (Dutch Kickboxing Association) and that was when Dutch kickboxing took off. Fitness and conditioning can be greatly influenced by the effort you put in, but the quality of the technique you develop is much more influenced by the quality of your instructor. Do you do more stuff than just punch bags really? Those guys are about as tough as anyone in the world of martial arts. Most self defense situations dont necessarily call for this skill, but when you run into an opponent who can kick, this brings a high chance of ruining whatever strategy you had in place. If only I had a dollar for every time someone asked me my opinion on which martial art is the best to learn. 
Boxing will probably get you to defensive competence in most situations faster, as the focus is on spacing, timing, and reading your opponent for the use of your hands. They fight in what looks like a stand-and-bang fashion. That style being, The term Kyokushin (Japanese Kanji: ) came from Kyokukushinkai. Aside from uniform and cultural differences, theres more that they dont have in common. If you tell people that you train Muay Thai, some of them may ask, Muay Thai? They spar harder than most other forms of karate out there (and are the most widely available of those that DO spar hard). Keep in mind that I may be a bit biased since I myself am a Muay Thai practitioner, so dont take my words as the gospel truth that was just me sharing my experience . Too many grabs, holds or hooks by a fighter can even result in a point deduction. themmaguru.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. In other words, Karate as a whole slipped into a McDojo culture where money was prioritized over legitimacy. :). Also similar to Muay Thai, sparring plays a big part in Kyokushin training, with multiple rounds every session. Basically, Karate has tradtitional martial arts customs such as bowing and uniforms, whereas Muay Thai is a bit more casual and relaxed. Bottom line: Muay Thai is a much more versatile and practical system as a STANDALONE striking art (which was what this article was about). This is once again an example of how the rules dictate the martial art. 
Do you value close range combat with hands and footwork, or do you value having a wide range of attacks while sacrificing some hand skill? The question we want to answer is which out of the two martial arts are better for MMA, better for self defense, and which one is more effective for real-life situations. Classes like cardio kickboxing are great for losing weight and conditioning your body and heart, however they arent so good for self-defense and real life situations. For the record, this article is neutral and we dont favor one over the other. Now that Im done rambling on about my experiences with Kyokushin practitioners, my point is that even though it is most definitely a strong style, it cannot be used as a sole striking system on its own, with most, if not all of its practitioners in the combat sport world needing to cross-train in another striking style (boxing, kickboxing, or Muay Thai) in order to even dream of success in the ring (due to pure practitioners being completely unacclimated to face strikes aside from the occasional high kick). As well, we can also be thankful for Kyokushin which still keeps the legacy of Karate alive. These days, it can be quite difficult at times to find a legit Karate dojo because of this. They don't stop. The promotion set the tone and rules for all kickboxing promotions to follow till this day. We love Martial Arts. The negative of this is that it means youre more likely to miss or get hit with a counter. I personally find that I love to collect Muay Thai gear and it is a more expensive hobby than boxing. Even then, the only one of them who is capable of countering my headhunting cross-trained in boxing on top of his regular Kyokushin training (the former was his original background). Eventually, Oyama founded his own style of Karate and his own dojo, originally called Oyama Dojo. Schilt, Hug, Filho, Sam Greco All of Kyokushin, All of them had to branch out and learn some classic kickboxing or boxing before their careers took off; there are very few pure Kyokushin practitioners who can take hard, sustained shots to the head dont get me wrong, it is by no means a weak martial art at all; the Kyokushin guys I know and spar with form time to time are among the toughest fighters I know (physically and mentally). One of the earliest and most notable kickboxers from Mejiro Gym is Toshio Fujiwara, the first foreigner to win a Rajadamnern stadium title. Its more about which martial art is more appealing to you personally. For everything else, they're good for the same reasons (full contact sparring). Kenji Kurosaki himself and two Japanese fighters went to the famed Lumpinee Stadium in Thailand where they were matched against three Muay Thai fighters. However, they fight using bare knuckles with no gloves or even, After moving to Japan to join the Imperial Air Force, Oyama began to train in both, Both styles also incorporate all 8 limbs of the body and use them as weapons. Japanese kickboxing took the global kickboxing sport to its peak with K-1 in the 90s and early 2000s. Here, we shall discuss the pros and cons of either martial art and ultimately, which one is better. Ive met more sloppy western boxing coaches who dont stress the importance of fitness in fighting, however if youve ever been in a professional or amateur fight youll know fitness is important. As mentioned earlier, Kyokushin fighters train and compete with bare knuckles. Every fight starts standing up (well almost every fight) and Boxing is one of the best skills to have in a fight. TL;DR; Finding a quality school that fits what you are looking for is more important than picking a particular style, at least between those two choices. Long term self-defense: Muay Thai. Go and watch a class or two at each place and look at the mid to senior level students training there. Profesoras, profesores, estudiantes:
At a young age, Oyama was sent to live with his sister on their familys farm in Manchuria. This means that there are a lot of drills where practitioners must stand there and take hits from other students, sometimes even with sticks. Kurosaki actually trained with Oyama in Goju-Ryu Karate in the 1950s before starting their own style of Karate together. But Kurosaki received a different outcome when he took on Rawee Dechachai. In terms of overall effectiveness for self-defense and fighting under unified kickboxing rules, Muay Thai edges as the more superior option. Muay Thai clinching is also vitally important to learn and that takes a long time to master. The Japanese walked away from the historical fight with realization of Kyokushin Karates shortcomings.