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Kickboxing is a
combat sport A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport that usually involves one-on-one combat. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent, submitting the opponent with a hold, disabling the opp ...
focused on
kicking A kick is a physical strike using the leg, in unison usually with an area of the knee or lower using the foot, heel, tibia (shin), ball of the foot, blade of the foot, toes or knee (the latter is also known as a knee strike). This type of at ...
and
punch Punch commonly refers to: * Punch (combat), a strike made using the hand closed into a fist * Punch (drink), a wide assortment of drinks, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice Punch may also refer to: Places * Pun ...
ing. The combat takes place in a
boxing ring A boxing ring, often referred to simply as a ring or the squared circle, is the space in which a boxing match occurs. A modern ring consists of a square raised platform with a post at each corner. Four ropes are attached to the posts and pulled p ...
, normally with
boxing gloves Boxing gloves are cushioned gloves that fighters wear on their hands during boxing matches and practices. Unlike "fist-load weapons" (such as the ancient cestus) which were designed as a lethal weapon, modern boxing gloves are non-lethal, desig ...
,
mouthguards A mouthguard is a protective device for the mouth that covers the teeth and gums to prevent and reduce injury to the teeth, arches, lips and gums. An effective mouthguard is like a crash helmet for teeth and jaws. It also prevents the jaws co ...
, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is practiced for
self-defense Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force ...
, general fitness, or for
competition Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero-sum game). Competition can arise between entities such as organisms, indiv ...
. Some styles of kickboxing include: Karate, Muay Thai,
Japanese kickboxing Kickboxing is a combat sport focused on kicking and punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is practiced for self-defense, general ...
, Sanda, and
Savate Savate (), also known as boxe française, savate boxing, French boxing or French footfighting, is a French kickboxing combat sport that uses the hands and feet as weapons combining elements of English boxing with graceful kicking techniques. ...
. Although since the dawn of humanity people have faced each other in hand-to-hand combat, the first documentation on the use of kicking and punching in sports combat is from
ancient Greece Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of Classical Antiquity, classical antiquity ( AD 600), th ...
and
ancient India According to consensus in modern genetics, anatomically modern humans first arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa between 73,000 and 55,000 years ago. Quote: "Y-Chromosome and Mt-DNA data support the colonization of South Asia by m ...
.Section XIII: ''Samayapalana Parva''
Book 4: ''Virata Parva'', ''
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the s ...
''.
But nevertheless, the term kickboxing originated in Japan, in the 1960s, and developed in the late 1950s from karate mixed with
boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...
, with
Taekwondo ''Taekwondo'', ''Tae Kwon Do'' or ''Taekwon-Do'' (; ko, 태권도/跆拳道 ) is a Korean martial arts, Korean form of martial arts involving punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast k ...
, Muay Thai, and
Savate Savate (), also known as boxe française, savate boxing, French boxing or French footfighting, is a French kickboxing combat sport that uses the hands and feet as weapons combining elements of English boxing with graceful kicking techniques. ...
also having some influence, with competitions held since then. American kickboxing originated in the 1970s and was brought to prominence in September 1974, when the Professional Karate Association ( PKA) held the first World Championships. Historically, kickboxing can be considered a
hybrid martial art Hybrid martial arts, also known as hybrid fighting systems or sometimes eclectic martial arts or freestyle martial arts, refer to mixed martial arts or fighting systems that incorporate techniques and theories from several particular martial arts ...
formed from the combination of elements of various traditional styles. This approach became increasingly popular since the 1970s, and since the 1990s, kickboxing has contributed to the emergence of
mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...
via further hybridization with
ground fighting Ground fighting (also called ground work or ground game) is hand-to-hand combat which takes place while the combatants are on the ground. The term is commonly used in mixed martial arts and other combat sports, as well as various forms of marti ...
techniques from Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and
folk wrestling A folk wrestling style is any traditional style of wrestling, which may or may not be codified as a modern sport. Most cultures have developed regional forms of grappling. Europe Britain Traditionally wrestling has two main centres in Great ...
. There is no single international governing body, although some international governing bodies include the
World Association of Kickboxing Organizations The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (W.A.K.O or WAKO) is an international kickboxing organization counting over 120 affiliated countries representing all five continents. WAKO is a major governing body of amateur kickboxing and is ...
(also known as WAKO),
World Kickboxing Association The World Kickboxing Association (WKA) also known as World Kickboxing and Karate Association, is one of the oldest and the largest amateur and professional sanctioning body for kickboxing and Karate. History In 1976, the WKA was founded by Ho ...
,
International Sport Karate Association The ISKA (originally International Sport Karate Association, later also called the International Sport Kickboxing Association) is one of the major international bodies regulating sport karate and kickboxing matches, and is based in the United ...
,
International Kickboxing Federation The International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) is a sanctioning body for kickboxing and Muay Thai based in the United States. The IKF sanctions and regulates all aspects of these sports from Semi Contact IKF Point Kickboxing (IKF/PKB)) to Full Co ...
, and World Kickboxing Network, among others. Consequently, there is no single kickboxing
world championship A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
, and champion titles are issued by individual promotions, such as Glory, K-1 and
ONE Championship ONE Championship (formerly ONE Fighting Championship) is a Singaporean combat sports promotion. Founded on 14 July 2011 by entrepreneur Chatri Sityodtong and former ESPN Star Sports senior executive Victor Cui, its events have featured mixed ...
among others. Bouts organized under different governing bodies apply different rules, such as allowing the use of knees or clinching etc.


Terminology

The term can be used in a narrow and in a broad sense. * The narrow use is restricted to the styles that self-identify as kickboxing, i.e., Japanese kickboxing (with its spin-off styles or rules such as shootboxing and K-1), Dutch kickboxing, and American kickboxing. * In the wider sense, it includes all modern
stand-up Stand-up comedy is a comedic performance to a live audience in which the performer addresses the audience directly from the stage. The performer is known as a comedian, a comic or a stand-up. Stand-up comedy consists of one-liners, stories, ...
combat sports that allow both punching and kicking, including those mentioned above, Sanda, Muay Thai,
Kun Khmer Pradal Serey ( km, ប្រដាល់សេរី) or Kun Khmer ( km, គុនខ្មែរ) is a combat sport originated in Cambodia. The official Khmer name of the sport is Kbach Kun Pradal Khmer. In Khmer, ''pradal'' means fighting or ...
, Lethwei,
Savate Savate (), also known as boxe française, savate boxing, French boxing or French footfighting, is a French kickboxing combat sport that uses the hands and feet as weapons combining elements of English boxing with graceful kicking techniques. ...
,
Adithada Adimurai is a Tamil martial art originating in modern-day Kanyakumari, the southernmost region in India. It was traditionally practiced in the Kanyakumari district of modern-day Tamil Nadu as well as nearby areas in southeastern Kerala. Its pr ...
,
Musti-yuddha Musti-Yuddha (Sanskrit: मुष्टि युद्ध) is a traditional combat sport originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term literally means "fist combat", from the Sanskrit words ''muṣṭi'' (fist) and ''yuddha'' (fight, battle, ...
, and certain styles of karate (especially
full contact karate Full contact karate is any format of karate where competitors spar (also called Kumite) full-contact and allow a knockout as winning criterion. History Full contact karate competition comes in several different formats developed for the art of k ...
). The term itself was introduced in the 1960s as a Japanese anglicism by Japanese boxing promoter
Osamu Noguchi (24 January 1934 - 9 May 2016) is often credited for creating the sport and the term kickboxing. Biography Osamu Noguchi family moved to Shanghai in 1938 at the invitation of Yoshio Kodama, Noguchi spent his childhood being entertained by Jap ...
for a
hybrid martial art Hybrid martial arts, also known as hybrid fighting systems or sometimes eclectic martial arts or freestyle martial arts, refer to mixed martial arts or fighting systems that incorporate techniques and theories from several particular martial arts ...
combining Muay Thai and karate which he had introduced in 1958. The term was later also adopted by the American variant. Since there has been a lot of cross-fertilization between these styles, with many practitioners training or competing under the rules of more than one style, the history of the individual styles cannot be seen in isolation from one another. The French term ''Boxe pieds-poings'' (literally "feet-fists-boxing") is also used in the sense of "kickboxing" in the general meaning, including French boxing (
Savate Savate (), also known as boxe française, savate boxing, French boxing or French footfighting, is a French kickboxing combat sport that uses the hands and feet as weapons combining elements of English boxing with graceful kicking techniques. ...
) as well as American, Dutch and Japanese kickboxing, Burmese and Thai boxing, any style of
full contact karate Full contact karate is any format of karate where competitors spar (also called Kumite) full-contact and allow a knockout as winning criterion. History Full contact karate competition comes in several different formats developed for the art of k ...
, etc.


Kickboxing styles

Arts labelled as ''kickboxing'' in the general sense include: * Japanese kickboxing — combat style created in Japan, and origin of the term "kickboxing". * Any style of
Full contact karate Full contact karate is any format of karate where competitors spar (also called Kumite) full-contact and allow a knockout as winning criterion. History Full contact karate competition comes in several different formats developed for the art of k ...
* Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) — The applicable component of wushu/
kung fu Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to commo ...
of which takedowns and throws are legal in competition as well as all other sorts of striking (use of arms and legs). * Shootboxing — A Japanese form of kickboxing which allows throwing and
submission Deference (also called submission or passivity) is the condition of submitting to the espoused, legitimate influence of one's superior or superiors. Deference implies a yielding or submitting to the judgment of a recognized superior, out of re ...
while standing, similar to Sanda. * American kickboxing — a style originating in the United States. * Dutch Kickboxing — incorporate from three combat arts — Muay Thai,
Boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...
, and
Kyokushin is a style of karate originating in Japan. It is a style of stand-up fighting and is rooted in a philosophy of self-improvement, discipline, and hard training. Kyokushin Kaikan is the martial arts organization founded in 1964 by Korean-Jap ...
style of Karate. * French
Savate Savate (), also known as boxe française, savate boxing, French boxing or French footfighting, is a French kickboxing combat sport that uses the hands and feet as weapons combining elements of English boxing with graceful kicking techniques. ...
— a historical sport which developed in the 19th century. It is mostly known for its foot-kicking techniques. * Ukrainian
Combat Hopak Combat Hopak (also Boyovyy Hopak, Boyovyi Hopak from Ukrainian Бойовий гопак ) is a Cossack martial art from Ukraine. It was systematised and codified in 1985 by Volodymyr Pylat (a descendant of a Cossack family from western Ukraine). ...
is mostly built around punching and kicking techniques. * Indian
Musti yuddha Musti-Yuddha (Sanskrit: मुष्टि युद्ध) is a traditional combat sport originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term literally means "fist combat", from the Sanskrit words ''muṣṭi'' (fist) and ''yuddha'' (fight, battle, ...
(also known as Muki boxing) and
Adithada Adimurai is a Tamil martial art originating in modern-day Kanyakumari, the southernmost region in India. It was traditionally practiced in the Kanyakumari district of modern-day Tamil Nadu as well as nearby areas in southeastern Kerala. Its pr ...
, a form of kickboxing that uses knee, elbow and forehead strikes in Southern kalaripayattu. * The
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...
n family of kickboxing sports (also known as the ethnic neutral term of "muay" at the
Southeast Asian Games The Southeast Asian Games, also known as the SEA Games, is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia. The games are under the regulation of the Southeast Asian Games Federation with sup ...
) including: **
Pradal Serey Pradal Serey ( km, ប្រដាល់សេរី) or Kun Khmer ( km, គុនខ្មែរ) is a combat sport originated in Cambodia. The official Khmer name of the sport is Kbach Kun Pradal Khmer. In Khmer, ''pradal'' means fighting or ...
— a combat sport with an emphasis on kicking and extensive use of clinching for elbow techniques (Ring-wise). It is also known as Kun Khmer and based on the fighting techniques of the ancient Khmer Empire. It adopted boxing gloves, the boxing ring and rules inspired by European
boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...
after the arrival of French colonists in Cambodia. ** Thai Muay Boran (Ancient boxing) — Predecessor of Muay Thai, allows the use of headbutts. ** Thai kickboxing or Muay Thai — a modern Thai martial art that allows punching, kicking, knee and
elbow strikes An elbow strike (commonly referred to as simply an elbow) is a strike with the point of the elbow, the part of the forearm nearest to the elbow, or the part of the upper arm nearest to the elbow. Elbows can be thrown sideways similarly to a hook ...
. Knee strikes and kicks are the most popular strikes. ** Burmese Lethwei — a traditional Burmese martial art of which has now grown into a popular kickboxing event that allows
headbutt A headbutt is a targeted strike with the head, typically (when intentional) involving the use of robust parts of the headbutter's cranium as the area of impact. The most effective headbutts strike the most sensitive areas of an opponent, such as ...
s, knees and
elbow strikes An elbow strike (commonly referred to as simply an elbow) is a strike with the point of the elbow, the part of the forearm nearest to the elbow, or the part of the upper arm nearest to the elbow. Elbows can be thrown sideways similarly to a hook ...
. It bears resemblance to neighboring Muay Thai, but Lethwei uses more punches and less kicks. Head butt, choking and throwing techniques are also used. The fighting intensity and momentum is also considered faster. No boxing gloves are used. There is also no scoring system and knockout is the only way to win a match. ** Laotian
Muay Lao Muay Lao ( lo, ມວຍລາວ, lit. "Lao Boxing" ) is a combat sport from Laos. It incorporates punches, kicks, elbow, and knee strikes. It is similar to Muay Thai from Thailand and Pradal Serey from Cambodia. Historians believe Muay Lao o ...
— Laotian boxing which is similar to Muay Thai ** Filipino
Yaw-Yan Yaw-Yan, also called Sayaw ng Kamatayan (English:''Dance of Death''), is a Filipino martial art developed by Napoleon A. Fernandez and based on older Filipino martial arts. Since its inception in the 1970s, it has dominated the kickboxing scene i ...
— Sayaw ng Kamatayan (Dance of Death) is the proper name for Yaw-Yan, a Filipino martial art developed by Napoleon Fernandez. The art resembles Muay Thai in a sense, but differs in the hip torquing motion as well as downward-cutting nature of its kicks and with strong emphasis on delivering attacks from long range.


History


Overview

Since kickboxing is a broad term, understanding the history can be somewhat difficult, since combat is an inherent part of being human.
Kick A kick is a physical Strike (attack), strike using the leg, in unison usually with an area of the knee or lower using the foot, heel, tibia (shin), ball of the foot, blade of the foot, toes or knee (the latter is also known as a knee (strike), ...
ing and
punching Punching is a forming process that uses a punch press to force a tool, called a ''punch'', through the workpiece to create a hole via shearing. Punching is applicable to a wide variety of materials that come in sheet form, including sheet meta ...
as an act of
human aggression Aggression is overt or covert, often harmful, social interaction with the intention of inflicting damage or other harm upon another individual; although it can be channeled into creative and practical outlets for some. It may occur either reacti ...
have probably existed throughout the world since prehistory. The earliest known depiction of any type of boxing comes from a Sumerian
relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term '' relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...
in Iraq from the 3rd millennium BC. Forms of kickboxing existed in
ancient India According to consensus in modern genetics, anatomically modern humans first arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa between 73,000 and 55,000 years ago. Quote: "Y-Chromosome and Mt-DNA data support the colonization of South Asia by m ...
. The earliest references to
musti-yuddha Musti-Yuddha (Sanskrit: मुष्टि युद्ध) is a traditional combat sport originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term literally means "fist combat", from the Sanskrit words ''muṣṭi'' (fist) and ''yuddha'' (fight, battle, ...
come from classical Vedic epics such as the ''
Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...
'' and '' Rig Veda,'' compiled in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. The ''
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the s ...
'' describes two combatants boxing with clenched fists and fighting with kicks, finger strikes, knee strikes and headbutts.Section XIII: ''Samayapalana Parva''
Book 4: ''Virata Parva'', ''
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the s ...
''.
Mushti Yuddha has travelled along the Indosphere and has been a preceder and a strong influence in many famous martial arts of
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...
such as Muay Thai, Muay Laos and
Pradal Serey Pradal Serey ( km, ប្រដាល់សេរី) or Kun Khmer ( km, គុនខ្មែរ) is a combat sport originated in Cambodia. The official Khmer name of the sport is Kbach Kun Pradal Khmer. In Khmer, ''pradal'' means fighting or ...
(of
Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...
). In the
Pankration Pankration (; el, παγκράτιον) was a sporting event introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC, which was an empty-hand submission sport with few rules. The athletes used boxing and wrestling techniques but also others, such as ...
, a
mixed martial art Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorpo ...
from
ancient Greece Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of Classical Antiquity, classical antiquity ( AD 600), th ...
, a form of kickboxing was used in its Anō Pankration modality, being able to use any extremity to hit. In addition, it is debated whether kicks were allowed in ancient Greek boxing, and while there is some evidence of kicks, this is the subject of debate among scholars. The French were the first to include
boxing gloves Boxing gloves are cushioned gloves that fighters wear on their hands during boxing matches and practices. Unlike "fist-load weapons" (such as the ancient cestus) which were designed as a lethal weapon, modern boxing gloves are non-lethal, desig ...
into a sport that included kicking and boxing techniques. In 1743, modern boxing gloves were invented by Englishman
Jack Broughton John "Jack" Broughton (c. 1703 – 8 January 1789) was an English bare-knuckle boxer. He was the first person to codify a set of rules to be used in such contests; prior to this the "rules" that existed were very loosely defined and tended to ...
. Frenchman
Charles Lecour Charles Lecour (1808 – 1894) was a French boxer. He began his studies of Savate at an early age and was a student of Michel Casseux, who merged Savate and English boxing to a fighting style he eventually called French Boxing Savate (), a ...
added English
boxing gloves Boxing gloves are cushioned gloves that fighters wear on their hands during boxing matches and practices. Unlike "fist-load weapons" (such as the ancient cestus) which were designed as a lethal weapon, modern boxing gloves are non-lethal, desig ...
to la boxe française. Charles Lecour was a pioneer of modern savate or la boxe française. He created a form where both kicking and punching was used. Lecour was the first to view savate as a sport and self-defense system. The French colonists introduced European boxing gloves into the native Asian martial arts in
French Indochina French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China),; vi, Đông Dương thuộc Pháp, , lit. 'East Ocean under French Control; km, ឥណ្ឌូចិនបារាំង, ; th, อินโดจีนฝรั่งเศส, ...
. The use of European boxing gloves spread to neighboring
Siam Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. It was during the 1950s that a Japanese karateka named
Tatsuo Yamada was a Japanese actor best known for the protagonist of Sōgo Ishii's 1980 film ''Crazy Thunder Road''. Filmography * ''Crazy Thunder Road'' (1980) * ''Yokohama BJ Blues'' (1981) * ''Welter'' (1987) * '' Evil Dead Trap 3: Broken Love Killer'' ( ...
first established an outline of a new sport that combined karate and Muay Thai. This was further explored during the early 1960s, when competitions between karate and Muay Thai began, which allowed for rule modifications to take place. In the middle of the decade, the first events with the term kickboxing were held in
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
. By the 1970s and 1980s, the sport had expanded beyond Japan and had reached North America and Europe. It was during this time that many of the most prominent governing bodies were formed. * In Japan the sport was widely popular and was regularly broadcast on
television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
before going into a dark period during the 1980s. * In North America the sport had unclear rules so kickboxing and
full contact karate Full contact karate is any format of karate where competitors spar (also called Kumite) full-contact and allow a knockout as winning criterion. History Full contact karate competition comes in several different formats developed for the art of k ...
were essentially the same sport. * In Europe the sport found marginal success but did not thrive until the 1990s. Since the 1990s the sport has been mostly dominated by the Japanese K-1 promotion, with some competition coming from other promotions and mostly pre-existing governing bodies. Along with the growing popularity in competition, there has been an increased amount of participation and exposure in the
mass media Mass media refers to a diverse array of media technologies that reach a large audience via mass communication. The technologies through which this communication takes place include a variety of outlets. Broadcast media transmit informati ...
, fitness, and
self-defense Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force ...
.


Japan

On December 20, 1959, a Muay Thai match among Thai fighters was held at
Asakusa is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. It is known as the location of the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals, such as the . History The ...
town hall in
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
.
Tatsuo Yamada was a Japanese actor best known for the protagonist of Sōgo Ishii's 1980 film ''Crazy Thunder Road''. Filmography * ''Crazy Thunder Road'' (1980) * ''Yokohama BJ Blues'' (1981) * ''Welter'' (1987) * '' Evil Dead Trap 3: Broken Love Killer'' ( ...
, who established "''Nihon Kempo Karate-do''", was interested in Muay Thai because he wanted to perform karate matches with full-contact rules since practitioners are not allowed to hit each other directly in karate matches. At this time, it was unimaginable to hit each other in karate matches in Japan. He had already announced his plan which was named ''"The draft principles of project of establishment of a new sport and its industrialization"'' in November 1959, and he proposed the tentative name of "karate-boxing" for this new sport. It is still unknown whether Nak Muay was invited by Yamada, but it is clear that Yamada was the only
karateka (; ; Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the influence of Chinese martial arts, particularly Fujian ...
who was really interested in Muay Thai. Yamada invited a champion Nak Muay (and formerly his son Kan Yamada's sparring partner), and started studying Muay Thai. At this time, the Thai fighter was taken by
Osamu Noguchi (24 January 1934 - 9 May 2016) is often credited for creating the sport and the term kickboxing. Biography Osamu Noguchi family moved to Shanghai in 1938 at the invitation of Yoshio Kodama, Noguchi spent his childhood being entertained by Jap ...
who was a promoter of boxing and was also interested in Muay Thai. The Thai fighter's photo was on the magazine "The Primer of Nihon Kempo Karate-do, the first number" which was published by Yamada. There were "Karate vs. Muay Thai fights" on February 12, 1963. The three karate fighters from ''Oyama dojo'' (
kyokushin is a style of karate originating in Japan. It is a style of stand-up fighting and is rooted in a philosophy of self-improvement, discipline, and hard training. Kyokushin Kaikan is the martial arts organization founded in 1964 by Korean-Jap ...
later) went to the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Thailand and fought against three Muay Thai fighters. The three kyokushin karate fighters' names are Tadashi Nakamura, Kenji Kurosaki and Akio Fujihira (also known as Noboru Osawa). The Muay Thai team were composed of only one authentic Thai fighter. December 28, 2015 Japan won by 2–1: Tadashi Nakamura and Akio Fujihira both KOed opponents by punch while Kenji Kurosaki, who fought the Thai, was KOed by elbow. The only Japanese loser Kenji Kurosaki was then a kyokushin instructor rather than a contender and temporarily designated as a substitute for the absent chosen fighter. On June of the same year, karateka and future kickboxer
Tadashi Sawamura was a Japanese kickboxer whose real name was . He was one of the first popular participants in the sport, and enjoyed great fame throughout his career. He is sometimes credited with sustaining the early boom in the popularity of kickboxing. ...
faced against top Thai fighter Samarn Sor Adisorn, in which Sawamura was knocked down 16 times and defeated. Sawamura would use what he learned in that fight to incorporate in the evolving kickboxing tournaments. Noguchi studied Muay Thai and developed a combined martial art which Noguchi named ''kick boxing'', which absorbed and adopted more rules than techniques from Muay Thai. The main techniques of kickboxing are still derived from a form of Japanese full contact karate where kicks to the legs are allowed,
kyokushin is a style of karate originating in Japan. It is a style of stand-up fighting and is rooted in a philosophy of self-improvement, discipline, and hard training. Kyokushin Kaikan is the martial arts organization founded in 1964 by Korean-Jap ...
. In early competitions, throwing and butting were allowed to distinguish it from Muay Thai. This was later repealed. The ''Kickboxing Association'', the first kickboxing sanctioning body, was founded by Osamu Noguchi in 1966 soon after that. Then the first kickboxing event was held in Osaka on April 11, 1966. Tatsu Yamada died in 1967, but his dojo changed its name to ''Suginami Gym'', and kept sending kickboxers off to support kickboxing. Kickboxing boomed and became popular in Japan as it began to be broadcast on TV. By 1970, kickboxing was telecast in Japan on three different channels three times weekly. The fight cards regularly included bouts between Japanese (kickboxers) and Thai (Muay Thai) boxers.
Tadashi Sawamura was a Japanese kickboxer whose real name was . He was one of the first popular participants in the sport, and enjoyed great fame throughout his career. He is sometimes credited with sustaining the early boom in the popularity of kickboxing. ...
was an especially popular early kickboxer. In 1971 the All Japan Kickboxing Association (AJKA) was established and it registered approximately 700 kickboxers. The first AJKA Commissioner was Shintaro Ishihara, the longtime Governor of Tokyo. Champions were in each weight division from fly to middle. Longtime Ilyushiner Noboru Osawa won the AJKA bantamweight title, which he held for years. Raymond Edler, an American university student studying at Sophia University in Tokyo, took up kickboxing and won the AJKC middleweight title in 1972; he was the first non-Thai to be officially ranked in the sport of Thai boxing, when in 1972 Rajadamnern ranked him no. 3 in the Middleweight division. Edler defended the All Japan title several times and abandoned it. Other popular champions were Toshio Fujiwara and Mitsuo Shima. Most notably, Fujiwara was the first non-Thai to win an official Thai boxing title, when he defeated his Thai opponent in 1978 at Rajadamnern Stadium winning the lightweight championship bout. By 1980, due to poor ratings and then infrequent television coverage, the golden-age of kickboxing in Japan was suddenly finished. Kickboxing had not been seen on TV until K-1 was founded in 1993. In 1993, as
Kazuyoshi Ishii is a Japanese master of Seidokaikan karate and founder of the K-1 fighting circuit, a widely televised international martial arts competition combining Muay Thai, karate, sanshou, taekwondo, kenpo, boxing, and kickboxing.Maylam, J. (2001)K-1 h ...
(founder of
Seidokaikan is a traditional full contact karate derived from Kyokushin by Kazuyoshi Ishii. Seidokaikan organized the first professional full contact karate tournament named the Karate World Cup. The Karate World Cup had special extension rounds; if the j ...
karate) produced K-1 under special kickboxing rules (no elbow and neck wrestling) in 1993, kickboxing became famous again.Maylam, J. (2001)
K-1 hits the spot: Ultimate fighters pack a punch
''The Japan Times'' (October 21, 2001). Retrieved on November 25, 2010.
Tashiro, H. and Tyrangiel, J.

''Time''. September 3, 2001. Retrieved on November 25, 2010.
In the mid-1980s to early 1990s, before the first k-1, Kazuyoshi Ishii also partook in the formation of glove karate as an amateur sport in Japan. Glove karate is based on knockdown karate rules, but wearing boxing gloves and allowing punches to the head. In effect, it is oriental rules kickboxing with scoring based on knockdowns and aggression rather than the number of hits. As K-1 grew in popularity, Glove karate for a while became the fastest-growing amateur sport in Japan.


North America

Count Dante Count Juan Raphael Dante (born John Timothy Keehan; February 2, 1939 – May 25, 1975) was an American martial artist figure during the 1960s and 1970s who claimed he could do extraordinary feats such as Dim Mak. Early career Keehan was born in ...
, Ray Scarica and
Maung Gyi Maung Gyi ( my, မောင်ကြီး) is a Burmese martial artist that introduced Bando into the United States. He is the chief instructor for the American Bando Association. Biography Maung Gyi was born in 1936. He father was Ba Than ...
held the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
' earliest cross-style full-contact style martial arts tournaments as early as 1962. Between 1970 and 1973 a handful of kickboxing promotions were staged across the USA. The first recognized bout of this kind occurred on January 17, 1970, and came about when Joe Lewis, a Shorin Ryu stylist who had also studied
Jeet Kune Do Jeet Kune Do is a primarily wing chun kung fu inspired eclectic martial arts philosophy heavily influenced and adapted by the Taoist personal life philosophy and experiences of martial artist Bruce Lee. Overview and philosophy Jeet Kune Do ...
with the legendary Bruce Lee, and noted champion in the Karate tournament circuit, grew disillusioned with the point-sparring format and sought to create an event that would allow martial artists to fight to the knock out. Enlisting the help of promoter Lee Faulkner, training in boxing and combining the techniques of boxing and Karate for the first time in America, Lewis arranged the bout to be held at the 1st Pro Team Karate Championships. Lewis faced Kenpo stylist Greg "Om" Baines, who had defeated two opponents in years pasts. Lewis won the fight by knockout in the second round. The event was advertised as "Full contact" but the announcers referred to it as Kickboxing, and rules included knees, elbows and sweeps. Lewis would defend his U.S Heavyweight champion title 10 times, remaining undefeated until he came back from his retirement. In the early days, the rules were never clear; one of the first tournaments had no weight divisions, and all the competitors fought off until one was left. During this early time, kickboxing and
full contact karate Full contact karate is any format of karate where competitors spar (also called Kumite) full-contact and allow a knockout as winning criterion. History Full contact karate competition comes in several different formats developed for the art of k ...
are essentially the same sport. The institutional separation of American full-contact karate from kickboxing occurred with the formation of the Professional Karate Association (PKA) in 1974 and of the World Kickboxing Association (WKA) in 1976. They were the first organised body of martial arts on a global scale to sanction fights, create ranking systems, and institute a development programme. The International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) and the International Sport Kickboxing Association (ISKA) have been the only organizations to have thrived in the modern era. The International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) was founded in 1992 by Steve Fossum and Dan Stell. Stell eventually stepped down to go back to fighting while Fossum continued with the organization. In 1999 Fossum and Joe Taylor of Ringside Products created the first amateur open North American tournament for Kickboxing and Muay Thai, now the IKF World Classic. After ending its venture with K-1 in 2006, ISKA co-operated the
World Combat League The World Combat League (WCL) was a full contact, team-based kickboxing promotion. It was founded by movie star and martial artist Chuck Norris. Rules The rules are typical of other full contact striking competitions, with some minor variati ...
with
Chuck Norris Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris (born March 10, 1940) is an American martial artist and actor. He is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, Norris won many martial arts champions ...
, and
Strikeforce Strike Force may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Games * ''Strike Force'' (video game), a 1991 arcade game *'' Commandos: Strike Force'', a 2006 video game *'' Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce'', a 2009 video game *''Marvel Strike Force'', ...
MMA in partnership with Silicon Valley Entertainment (SVE), an investor group who also own the San Jose Sharks. Norris passed the WCL to his son-in-law Damien Diciolli in 2007, and it has since become inactive. Strikeforce MMA was sold to UFC in 2011. The ISKA expanded into sport (tournament) martial arts about 15 years ago, and is a co-operator along with WAKO and Global Marketing Ventures (GMV) in the global Open World Tour (OWT) the first worldwide pro circuit of sport karate professional competitors. It sanctions and assists in the annual US Open & ISKA World Championships that anchors the OWT and the North American-based NASKA Tour. The US Open & ISKA World Championships is broadcast live on ESPN2 and ESPN3 each year. Other kickboxing sanctioning bodies include
World Association of Kickboxing Organizations The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (W.A.K.O or WAKO) is an international kickboxing organization counting over 120 affiliated countries representing all five continents. WAKO is a major governing body of amateur kickboxing and is ...
(primarily amateurs) and KICK International.


Europe

In
West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
, American-styled kickboxing was promulgated from its inception in the 1970s by Georg F. Bruckner, who in 1976 was the co-founder of the
World Association of Kickboxing Organizations The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (W.A.K.O or WAKO) is an international kickboxing organization counting over 120 affiliated countries representing all five continents. WAKO is a major governing body of amateur kickboxing and is ...
. The term "kickboxing" as used in
German-speaking Europe This article details the geographical distribution of speakers of the German language, regardless of the legislative status within the countries where it is spoken. In addition to the German-speaking area (german: Deutscher Sprachraum) in Europe ...
is therefore mostly synonymous with American kickboxing. The low-kick and knee techniques allowed in Japanese kickboxing, by contrast, were associated with Muay Thai, and Japanese kickboxing went mostly unnoticed in German-speaking Europe before the launch of K-1 in 1993. By contrast, in the Netherlands kickboxing was introduced in its Japanese form, by Jan Plas and Thom Harinck who founded NKBB (The Dutch Kickboxing Association) in 1976. Harinck also founded the MTBN (Dutch Muay Thai Association) in 1983, and the WMTA (World Muay Thai Association) and the EMTA (European Muay Thai Association) in 1984. The most prominent kickboxing gyms in the Netherlands, Mejiro Gym, Chakuriki Gym and Golden Glory, were all derived from or were significantly influenced by Japanese kickboxing and kyokushin karate. Dutch athletes have been very successful in the K-1 competitions. Out of the 19 K-1 World Grand Prix championship titles issued from 1993 to 2012, 15 went to Dutch participants (Peter Aerts, Ernesto Hoost, Remy Bonjasky, Semmy Schilt and Alistair Overeem). The remaining four titles were won by Branko Cikatić of Croatia in 1993, Andy Hug of Switzerland in 1996, Mark Hunt of New Zealand in 2001 and Mirko Filipović of Croatia in 2012.


Modern sport


Kickboxing promotions

Some of the top kickboxing promotions in the world are: * Glory * K-1 * ISKA *
ONE Championship ONE Championship (formerly ONE Fighting Championship) is a Singaporean combat sports promotion. Founded on 14 July 2011 by entrepreneur Chatri Sityodtong and former ESPN Star Sports senior executive Victor Cui, its events have featured mixed ...
* RISE (kickboxing), RISE * World Association of Kickboxing Organizations, WAKO * WKN * Enfusion


Kickboxing promoters

Some of the notable kickboxing promoters in the world are: * Chatri Sityodtong * Eduard Irimia *
Kazuyoshi Ishii is a Japanese master of Seidokaikan karate and founder of the K-1 fighting circuit, a widely televised international martial arts competition combining Muay Thai, karate, sanshou, taekwondo, kenpo, boxing, and kickboxing.Maylam, J. (2001)K-1 h ...
* Pierre Andurand * Sadaharu Tanikawa


Individual rulesets

Kickboxing has a number of different rulesets. For example, #Oriental_rules, Oriental/K-1 rules allow punches, high and low kicks and even Knee (strike), knee strikes, while Full contact karate#American, American kickboxing is limited to punches and kicks only above the belt (high kicks). In the first two decades of the 21st century, several larger kickboxing promotions such as Glory, ONE Championship, One Championship and Bellator Kickboxing have adopted the #Oriental_rules, k1/oriental rule set, which allows knee strikes, kicking and punching.


Full Contact

Full Contact (also referred to as American Kickboxing) is essentially a mixture of Western boxing and traditional karate. The male kickboxers are bare-chested wearing kickboxing trousers and protective gear including: mouth-guard, hand-wraps, boxing gloves, groin-guard, shin-pads, and kick-boots and protective helmet (for amateurs and those under 16). Female kickboxers will wear a sports bra and chest protection in addition to the male clothing/protective gear. Notable fighters under full contact rules include, Dennis Alexio, Joe Lewis (martial arts), Joe Lewis, Rick Roufus, Jean-Yves Thériault (kickboxer), Jean-Yves Thériault, Benny Urquidez, Bill Wallace (martial arts), Bill Wallace, Demetrius Havanas, Billy Jackson, Pete Cunningham (kickboxer), Pete Cunningham, and Don "The Dragon" Wilson Rules: * Opponents are allowed to hit each other with Punch (combat), punches and kicks, striking above the waist. * Elbows and Knee (strike), knees are forbidden. * Clinch fighting and grappling are forbidden, sweeps are legal boot-to-boot. * Bouts are usually 3 to 10 rounds (lasting 2 minutes each) with a 1-minute rest in between rounds. * The Referee is responsible for fighter safety and keeping to the rules; judges count legal techniques and note the points on the scoring card or with the help of the electronic system.


Semi Contact

Semi Contact or Points Fighting, is the variant of American kickboxing most similar to karate, since it consists in fighting for the purpose of scoring points with an emphasis on delivery, speed, and technique. Under such rules, fights are held on the tatami, presenting the belts to classify the fighters in order of experience and ability. The male kickboxers wear shirts and kickboxing trousers as well as protective gear including: mouth-guard, hand-wraps, . boxing gloves, groin-guard, shin-pads, kick-boots, and headgear. The female kickboxers will wear a sports bra and chest protection in addition to the male clothing/protective gear. Notable fighters under semi-contact rules include Raymond Daniels (martial artist), Raymond Daniels, Michael Page (fighter), Michael Page, and Gregorio Di Leo. Rules: * Fighters can score through punches or kicks, striking above the waist and Sweep (martial arts), foot sweeps, executed below the ankle. * Punches, kicks, and foot sweeps are awarded 1 point. Kicks to the head or jumping kicks to the body are awarded 2 points. Jumping kicks to the head are awarded 3 points. * Hook kicks and Axe kicks are allowed but must be executed with the sole of the foot. * The use of the Tibia, shins is seldom allowed, save for jumping and spinning techniques. * Elbows, Knee (strike), knees, and Punch (combat), spinning backfists are forbidden. * Clinch fighting, throws and Sweep (martial arts), sweeps (with the exception of foot sweeps) are forbidden. * Bouts are usually 3 rounds (lasting 2–3 minutes each) with a 1-minute rest in between rounds.


International

International rules, or freestyle kickboxing (also known as Low Kick in the United States), contrast with full contact rules in that it also allows low kicks. The male kickboxers are bare-chested, wearing kickboxing trousers or shorts and protective gear, including mouth-guard, hand wraps, Boxing gloves, shin guards, and groin guard. The female kickboxers will wear a sports bra and chest protection in addition to the male clothing/protective gear. Notable fighters under international rules include Rick Roufus and Abraham Roqueñi. Rules: * Fighters are allowed to strike their opponent with punches, knees, and kicks, including kicks below the waist, except for the groin. * Elbows are forbidden. * throws and sweeps are forbidden. *clinch are allowed only for 5 seconds. * Bouts are 3 to 5 rounds for amateurs and 3 to 10 rounds for professionals, all rounds lasting 2–3 minutes each. Each round has a 1-minute rest in between rounds.


Muay Thai

Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, rules usually sees bouts contested over 5, 3 minute rounds and male fighters bare-chested wearing shorts and protective gear including: mouth-guard, hand-wraps, shin-wraps, boxing gloves, groin-guard and sometimes ''prajioud'' arm bands. 4oz MMA-style, open-finger gloves are sometimes used. The female Thaiboxers will wear a sports bra and chest protection in addition to the male clothing/protective gear. Muay Thai is unique in that it is the only style of kickboxing that allows elbows, Knee (strike), knees, clinch fighting, throws, sweeps and low kicks.See page 32 for the list of allowed strikes, page 35 for list of disallowed strikes, throws and sweep
IFMA Muay Thai rules
/ref> Groin attack, Groin strikes were allowed until the 1980s in international Muay Thai and are still partially allowed in Thailand itself (though the boxers wear cups to lessen the impact). Kicking to mid-body and head are scored highly generating a large number of points on judges' scorecards. Moreover, kicking is still judged highly even if the kick was blocked. In contrast, punching is worth fewer points. Notable fighters under Muay Thai rules include Apidej Sit Hrun, Buakaw Por. Pramuk, Changpuek Kiatsongrit, Rob Kaman, Ramon Dekkers, Coban Lookchaomaesaitong, Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn, Saenchai, Saenchai P.K. Saenchaimuaythaigym, Samart Payakaroon and Yodsanklai Fairtex. Rules: * Fighters are allowed to strike their opponent with punches, kicks, including kicks below the waist, elbows and Knee (strike), knees. * Clinch fighting is allowed * Certain throws and sweeps are allowed (however hip throws and sweeps with the back of the ankle are illegal). * Bouts are generally 5, 3-minute rounds with 2 minutes rest in between, but 3 round fights with 1 minute rest are used in some promotions.


Dutch rules

Dutch rules (sometimes referred to as Dutch Kickboxing) came about when #Oriental_rules, Japanese kickboxing and Muay Thai were first introduced in Holland in the 70s. European rules began to be developed by the Netherland Kick Boxing Bond in the 1970s when the late Jan Plas brought the sport from Japan to his native country. The primary difference between Dutch rules and full Muay Thai rules was the prohibition of elbow strikes and the limited knees strikes (only to the body). However, elbows were allowed when both parties agree to it. These changes were aimed at reducing injuries and making bouts more accessible to TV viewers. Like the Thai counterpart, the fights are accompanied with the traditional Thai music during a battle. The Dutch kickboxing rules were instrumental to the development of the K-1 rules.


Oriental rules

Oriental rules (also known as K-1 rules or unified rules, and sometimes referred to as Japanese kickboxing) was the first combat sport that adopted the name of "kickboxing" in 1966, later termed "Japanese kickboxing" as a retronym. Since the 1990s, many of the largest kickboxing promotions such as K-1,
ONE Championship ONE Championship (formerly ONE Fighting Championship) is a Singaporean combat sports promotion. Founded on 14 July 2011 by entrepreneur Chatri Sityodtong and former ESPN Star Sports senior executive Victor Cui, its events have featured mixed ...
, Glory and Bellator Kickboxing adopted this ruleset. Oriental rules began to be developed by the Japanese boxing promoter
Osamu Noguchi (24 January 1934 - 9 May 2016) is often credited for creating the sport and the term kickboxing. Biography Osamu Noguchi family moved to Shanghai in 1938 at the invitation of Yoshio Kodama, Noguchi spent his childhood being entertained by Jap ...
and Karate practitioner
Tatsuo Yamada was a Japanese actor best known for the protagonist of Sōgo Ishii's 1980 film ''Crazy Thunder Road''. Filmography * ''Crazy Thunder Road'' (1980) * ''Yokohama BJ Blues'' (1981) * ''Welter'' (1987) * '' Evil Dead Trap 3: Broken Love Killer'' ( ...
, and it was initially intended as a mix of Karate and Muay Thai, but it was later affected also by the #Dutch rules, Dutch rules, which were first formalised in the Netherlands in the 1970s. The primary difference between Muay Thai and Oriental Kickboxing was the prohibition of elbow strikes and throws. In addition, the amount of clinch fighting is drastically decreased. These changes were aimed at reducing injuries and making bouts more accessible to TV viewers. Oriental rules bouts were traditionally fought over 5, 3-minute rounds but 3 round bouts have since become popular. The male kickboxers are bare-chested wearing shorts (although trousers and karate gis have been worn) and protective gear including: mouth-guard, hand-wraps, shin-wraps, gloves. Notable fighters under K-1 rules include Semmy Schilt, Badr Hari, Ernesto Hoost, Albert Kraus, Masato (kickboxer), Masato, Peter Aerts, Remy Bonjasky, Giorgio Petrosyan, Buakaw Banchamek, Buakaw and Andy Souwer. Rules: * Fighters are allowed to strike their opponent with punches, kicks and Knee (strike), knees including kicks below the waist, except for the groin. * Elbow strikes are forbidden. * Very limited or no clinch fighting is allowed (in some competitions clinching is completely illegal, in others only one single strike is allowed before the clinch has to be released,p. 150: "It is prohibited [...] To perform more than one knee attack, while holding the opponent’s neck or shoulders with two hands
WAKO Rules
in other promotions just a few seconds of clinch are allowed). * Throws and sweeps are not allowed * Bouts are 3 to 5 rounds (lasting 3 minutes each) with a 1-minute rest in between rounds.


Sanda

Sanda or Sanshou (also known as Chinese boxing and Chinese kickboxing) is a form of kickboxing originally developed by the People's Liberation Army, Chinese military based upon the study and practices of traditional Kung fu and modern combat fighting techniques; it combines traditional kickboxing, which include close range and rapid successive Punch (strike), punches and kicks, with wrestling, Takedown (grappling), takedowns, throws, sweeps, kick catches, and in some competitions, even elbow and Knee (strike), knee strikes. The male fighters are bare-chested wearing shorts and protective gear including: mouth-guard, hand-wraps, boxing gloves and groin-guard. The female kickboxers will wear a sports bra and chest protection in addition to the male clothing/protective gear. Notable fighters under Sanshou rules include Wei Rui, Fang Bian, Jia Aoqi, Muslim Salikhov, Pat Barry (fighter), Pat Barry, Zhang Tiequan, Liu Hailong, Cung Le, Shahbulat Shamhalaev and Shamil Zavurov. Rules: * Fighters are allowed to strike their opponent with punches and kicks including kicks below the waist, except for the groin. * Elbows and Knee (strike), knees are forbidden (with the exception of some competitions). * Clinch fighting, throws and sweeps are allowed. * Bouts are 5 rounds (lasting 3 minutes each) with a 1-minute rest in between rounds.


Shootboxing

Shootboxing (also known as Standing Vale Tudo) is a unique style of hybrid kickboxing popular in Japan that utilizes standing Submission (combat sports), submissions such as chokeholds, armlocks and wristlocks in addition to kicks, punches, Knee (strike), knees and Throw (grappling), throws. The male fighters are bare-chested wearing skin tight trousers and protective gear including: mouth-guard, hand-wraps, boxing gloves and groin-guard. The female kickboxers will wear a sports bra and chest protection in addition to the male clothing/protective gear. Notable fighters under shootboxing rules include Rena Kubota, Kenichi Ogata (shoot boxer), Kenichi Ogata, Hiroki Shishido, Ai Takahashi (kickboxer), Ai Takahashi and Andy Souwer. Rules: * Opponents are allowed to strike each other with punches, kicks, including kicks below the waist, except for the groin, and Knee (strike), knees. * Elbows are forbidden (since 2001). * Clinch fighting, Throw (grappling), throws and sweeps are allowed. * Standing Submission (combat sports), submissions are allowed. * Bouts are 3 rounds (lasting 3 minutes each) with a 1-minute rest in between rounds.


Lethwei

Lethwei is a type of kickboxing originating from Myanmar that features minimal rules and protective equipment. Lethwei not only allows the use of headbutts but actually emphasizes it, and fighters wear no gloves. Bouts can only be won with a knockout, either a proper or a technical. Uniquely, after one knockout and two minutes rest, the knocked out fighter may still choose to continue the fight once, unless they are knocked out in the final round. There are no points; if no knockout happens before the end of the fifth round, the fight is declared a draw. Male fighters are bare-chested and wear shorts. Protective gear consists of a mouth-guard, groin-guard, and wraps around hands and feet. Female fighters wear a sports bra and chest protection in addition to the male clothing and protective gear. Notable fighters under Lethwei rules include Soe Lin Oo, Tun Tun Min, Dave Leduc, Too Too and Cyrus Washington. Rules: * Opponents are allowed to strike each other with punches, kicks, including kicks below the waist, elbows, knees and headbutts. * Clinch fighting, throws and sweeps are allowed. * Bouts are 5 rounds (lasting 3 minutes each) with a 2-minute rest in between rounds.


Techniques


Punching

Punching techniques are very much identical to boxing punches, including * Jab – straight punch from the front hand. The arm extends from the side of the torso which is quickly turned concurrently with this action. A jab may be directed at an opponent's head or body, and is often used in conjunction with the cross. * Cross (boxing), Cross – straight punch from the back hand * Hook (boxing), Hook – rounded punch to either the head or body in an arching motion, usually not scored in points scoring * Uppercut – rising punch striking to the chin * Backfist usually from the front hand, reverse-back fist and spinning back-fist both usually from the back hand – are strikes to the head, raising the arm and bending the arm at the elbow and then straightening the arm quickly to strike to the side of the head with the rear of the knuckles. * Superman punch, Flying-punch struck usually from the rear hand, the combatant hops on the front foot, kicking back with the rear foot and simultaneously extending the rear hand as a punch, in the form of "superman" flying through the sky. * Drop (boxing), Overhand (''overcut'' or ''drop'') – a semi-circular and vertical punch thrown with the rear hand. It is usually performed when the opponent is Bobbing (boxing), bobbing or slipping. The strategic utility of the drop relying on body weight can deliver a great deal of power. * Bolo punch – a combination of a wide uppercut/right cross/Swing (boxing), swing that was delivered seemingly from the floor. *Punch (combat), Haymaker - The Haymaker is a wide angle punch similar to a hook, but instead of getting power from body rotation, it gets its power from its large loop. It is considered an unsophisticated punch, and leaves one open to a counter.


Kicking

The standard kicking techniques are: * Roundhouse kick or ''circle kick'' – Striking with the front of the foot or the shin to the head or the body in a ''chopping'' motion * Front kick or ''push Kick/high Kick'' – Striking face or chest on with the balls of the foot * Side kick – Striking with the heel of the foot with leg parallel to the ground, can be performed to either the head, leg or body * Semi-circular kick or ''forty five degree roundhouse kick'' There are a large number of special or variant kicking techniques, including spinning kicks, jumping kicks, and other variants such as * Hook kick (heel kick) – Extending the leg out to the side of the body, and hooking the leg back to strike the head with either the heel or sole * Crescent kick and ''forward crescent kick'' * Axe kick – is a ''stomp out kick'' or '' axe kick''. The stomp kick normally travels downward, striking with the side or base heel (typically the base heel) * Back kick – is delivered with the base heel of the foot. * Sweeping – One foot or both feet of an opponent may be swept depending upon their position, balance and strength. Spinning versions of the back, side, hook and axe kicks can also be performed along with jumping versions of all kicks.


Knee

The knee techniques in Japanese kickboxing, indicative of its Muay Thai heritage, are the main difference that separates this style from other kickboxing rules. See ''Muay Thai#Knee, ti khao'' for details. * Straight knee (long-range knee kick or front heel kick). This knee strike is delivered with the back or reverse foot against an opponent's stomach, groin, hip or spine an opponent forward by the neck, shoulder or arm. * Flying knee – can be delivered with the front or back foot. It makes an explosive snap upwards to strike an opponent's face, chin, throat or chest. * Hook knee – can be delivered with the front or back foot. It makes a half circle spin and strikes the sides of an opponent. * Side knee – is a highly-deceptive knee technique used in close-range fighting. The knee is lifted to the toes or lifted up, and is snapped to left and right, striking an opponent's sensitive knee joints, insides of thighs, groin.


Defense

There are three main defensive positions (guards or styles) used in kickboxing. Within each style, there is considerable variation among fighters, as some fighters may have their guard higher for more head protection while others have their guard lower to provide better protection against body punches. Many fighters vary their defensive style throughout a bout in order to adapt to the situation of the moment, choosing the position best suited to protect them. * Slip – Slipping rotates the body slightly so that an incoming punch passes harmlessly next to the head. As the opponent's punch arrives, the boxer sharply rotates the hips and shoulders. This turns the chin sideways and allows the punch to "slip" past. Muhammad Ali was famous for extremely fast and close slips. * Bob and weave – Bobbing (boxing), bobbing moves the head laterally and beneath an incoming punch. As the opponent's punch arrives, the kickboxer bends the legs quickly and simultaneously shifts the body either slightly right or left. Once the punch has been evaded, the kickboxer "weaves" back to an upright position, emerging on either the outside or inside of the opponent's still-extended arm. To move outside the opponent's extended arm is called "bobbing to the outside". To move inside the opponent's extended arm is called "bobbing to the inside". *Blocking – defender's hard blocks to stop a strike in its path so preventing it reaching its target (e.g. the shin block described in more detail below) * Parry/Block – Parrying (boxing), Parrying or Blocking (martial arts), blocking uses the kickboxer's hands as defensive tools to deflect incoming attacks. As the opponent's punch arrives, the boxer delivers a sharp, lateral, open-handed blow to the opponent's wrist or forearm, redirecting the punch. * The cover-up – Blocking (martial arts), Covering up is the last opportunity to avoid an incoming strike to an unprotected face or body. Generally speaking, the hands are held high to protect the head and chin and the forearms are tucked against the torso to impede body shots. When protecting the body, the kickboxer rotates the hips and lets incoming punches "roll" off the guard. To protect the head, the kickboxer presses both fists against the front of the face with the forearms parallel and facing outwards. This type of guard is weak against attacks from below. * The Stand-up grappling position, clinch – Clinching position, Clinching is a form of standing grappling and occurs when the distance between both fighters has closed and straight punches cannot be employed. In this situation, the kickboxer attempts to Grappling hold, hold or "tie up" the opponent's hands or enter Clinch fighting, neck wrestling position. In one way to perform a clinch, the kickboxer loops both hands around the outside of the opponent's shoulders, scooping back under the forearms to grasp the opponent's arms tightly against his own body. In this position, the opponent's arms are pinned and cannot be used to attack. Other forms of clinch involve getting control of opponents neck by collar tie or upper body by underhooks, overhooks and Bear hug, body lock. It is often in the clinch where knee, elbow, sweep and throw techniques are used.


Brain injury and CTE

Knocking a person unconscious or even causing a concussion may cause permanent brain damage. There is no clear division between the force required to knock a person out and the force likely to kill a person. Also, contact sports, especially combat sports, are directly related to a brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, abbreviated CTE. This disease begins to develop during the life of the athlete, and continues to develop even after sports activity has ceased. In addition, repetitive and subconcussive blows to the head, and not just concussions, cause CTE.


See also

* Kickboxing weight classes * List of kickboxing organizations * List of male kickboxers * List of female kickboxers * Women's kickboxing


References


Bibliography

* ''Muay Thai Kickboxing – The Ultimate Guide to Conditioning, Training and Fighting'', Chad Boykin, 2002, Paladin Press, Boulder, Colorado. * ''Thai Kickboxing For Beginners'', Peter Belmar, 2006, Lulu Press.


External links

* Willem Brunekreef, The Golden Kyokushin and K-1 Encyclopedia, *
"A History of Full Contact Karate
* Delmas Alain, Callière Jean-Roger, ''Histoire du Kick-boxing'', FFKBDA, France, 1998 * Delmas Alain, ''Définition du Kick-boxing'', FFKBDA, France, 1999 {{Authority control Kickboxing, Boxing Combat sports Mixed martial arts styles North American martial arts Japanese martial arts Sports originating in Japan