[Elitexboxer]

I just want to know what style of full contact karate is the most effective/popular so I can decide

[bamboo]

At the moment, kyokushin is the way to go for hard training, full contact, competition proven results.


-bamboo

[dscott]

See my first post and do some research on this website.

[Hengest]

If you're looking purely at karate styles, you can't do much better than kyokushin. It's actual techniques are probably more sport-oriented than muay thai, but it offers a similar level of conditioning.

My personal choice would be daidojuku, but training is not so freely available as for kyokushin. Although it's still a sport, all ranges are legal, as are most techniques (including groin kicks under certain circumstances), so you'd be a better all-round fighter. It annoys me a bit that they look to other styles to flesh out their training. If they took the time to research karate more, they'd have little need, but you can't have everything I suppose.

Of course, any karate style can be effective when taught well - Wado Ryu is a particular favourite of mine - but it seems much more difficult to find decent instructors in other ryuha.

[glennf]

Hi guys, new here, don't know if topic still open for discussion. I have been training in Goju-kai for the last ten or so years, having done some shotokan, judo and muay thai along the way. As Black Panta said a crap fighter is crap no matter what style he/she does. I have found Goju to be a very good all round style (except for groung work). It seems to me that in your posts you don't seem to differentiate btw dojo and comp fighting. In the dojo we don't have restrictions. Groin kicks are very common as are hiji ate's, hiza geri's etc. even on special occasions, head-butts! Makes for a decent defence on the street.

[bamboo]

Thanks for the input Glenn.

Threads are always open when people have new things to add, we only frown on ressurecting dead threads when nothing new has been added.

See you around,

-bamboo

[Hengest]

Originally Posted by glennf

It seems to me that in your posts you don't seem to differentiate btw dojo and comp fighting. In the dojo we don't have restrictions. Groin kicks are very common as are hiji ate's, hiza geri's etc. even on special occasions, head-butts! Makes for a decent defence on the street.

I don't differentiate because, when it comes to free sparring, in my experience at least, most dojo don't differentiate.

Are you allowed to use groin kicks and headbutts in free sparring? If so, then I would say your dojo is the exception rather than the rule. There's a big difference between practicing a groin kick in a controlled scenario and using it in free-flowing combat. That's why schools like Daidojuku have caused a stir, because they allow this stuff in free sparring. Some see them as the saviours of karate, some see them as thugs, but the same things were said about Geoff Thompson years ago.

I don't mean to be cynical, but we get these claims a lot here, e.g. it seems every TKD guy goes to a dojang where they train in "classical street-effective" TKD and not that sporty stuff the other places do.

[glennf]

We use those techniques during free sparring, but it is up to the karateka to practice control. Personally I've been floored a good couple of times with a groin kick!

As for the cynicism, it is understandable. There is always someone who thinks that they are the 'real-deal', and that they can take anyone. I myself am an average fighter at best, but I love the ART of karate.

Cheers!

[Hengest]

That's refreshing to hear glenn. Sounds like you've got an excellent dojo there; make the most of it!

It's also nice to hear from someone who speaks so highly of karate. I'm not a karateka myself (at least, not at the moment), but I have nothing but respect for the karate ryuha. I find it a fascinating art; it has all the techniques you'll ever need. But it gets such a bad press these days, what with McDojos and poor instructors in abundance, not to mention the public's cliched view of karate. It's a shame such a great art isn't taken as seriously as it should be.

[setsu nin to]

Elitexboxer

Any style beats Muay Thai if you are better than Muay Thai fighter, same as same as Muay Thai fighter will beats you no matter which style you practice is he is better fighter.