History of Full contact karate

Full contact karate competition comes in several, and sometimes very different, formats. These different formats have different histories and were developed for the art of karate at different times in different places. Some developed independently, others developed out of other full contact rule systems or from light contact rule systems.

There are no major unifying organizations in any of the different formats, and the rule details may change drastically between the many rival sport/style organizations and different promoters. Some organizations stick rigidly to one set of rules. Other use several rule formats harmoniously side by side. Some even have tournaments that switch rule formats between rounds of the same bout. Sometimes the differences between the different rules are large, and sometimes the only significant differences between different sport rules are the organizational structures that use them.
Different formats
Knock-down

One major format of full-contact sport karate is known as knockdown karate or sometimes Japanese full contact karate. This style of sport fighting was developed and pioneered in the late 1960s by the Kyokushinkai karate organization in Japan, founded by Masutatsu Oyama. In fighting the competitors traditionally wear no gloves, padding or body protection other than groin guards (although local regulations sometimes enforce exceptions to this tradition), but it is bare knuckle fighting. Punches to the face, groin, and joint are prohibited but all bare-knuckle and elbow strikes to the body and limbs (with the exception of joints), and kicks (including kicks with the knee) against legs, arms, body, head and face are permitted, as are sweeps. Grabbing and holding the opponent, including clinching, is not allowed under the basic knockdown karate rules as used in Kyokushin, but are occasionally allowed in some variations used in other styles. Scores are only made by knocking your opponent out, down to the floor, by sweep and controlled follow-up for half a point, or by otherwise visibly incapacitating them. Unless there is a knock-down or sweep, the bout is continuous, with stoppages only to break up locked clinches or if the fighters leave the fight area. Unlike American full-contact karate, or point karate, clean hits are not counted in and by themselves, as the scoring depends entirely on the effect of the hits, not on the formal or stylistic appearance of the techniques. No matter the perfection in execution of a technique, it will not score unless it visibly affects the opponent. In the same manner, if a technique does show a visible effect, it does not matter if it is executed in a manner regarded as inferior.

Common minor variations to the basic knock-down rules include Shidōkan karate knock-down that allows clinch and throws (as well as very brief attempts to follow up a throw with a submission technique), and Ashihara Karate and Enshin Karate knock-down rules that allow one handed grabbing in order to execute throws to score points.[2] Many other variations exist, some so extensive that they can no longer be classified as knock-down rules, and several other branches of full contact karate (typically included in the "gloved", "MMA inspired" and "others" groups) originate as such a variation of the Knockdown karate rules.

Although this sport format originated with the Kyokushinkai karate organization, it has spread until it today is used by many karate styles and organizations. Karate styles embracing these rules are often called knock-down karate styles, and these include both organizations that originated from Kyokushin, such as World Oyama Karate, Ashihara Karate, Enshin Karate, Shidōkan, and Seidokaikan (the style that originated the K-1), as well as styles that originated independently from Kyokushin.

Though severely divided by rivaling styles and organizations (several of which use their own minor variations of the basic rules), and lacking a unifying sport organization, the sport of knock-down karate is today common all over the world. Despite the lack of a unifying sport organization to hold unifying championships (and the friction between the different styles and organizations), there is a long tradition in most knock-down karate organizations to hold special open tournament knock-down karate events, where fighters from any knock-down karate (or any other) style and organization are welcome to participate.
American

A second full contact karate competition format is American full contact karate which was developed in USA during early 70s by borrowing rules, settings and gloves from western boxing, and adapting it. It is continuous fighting, where you do not break the bout for scoring, but sum up point scores at the end of the bout. Protective equipment used is boxing gloves and often foot-pads, shin pads, and amateur boxing helmets.

American full contact karate is closely related to American kickboxing, and it is often difficult to separate the two sports. As a guideline, both do not allow kicks below the waistline, or the use of knees or elbows.