“I have not permitted myself to be ignorant of any martial art that exists. Why? Such ignorance is a disgrace to someone who follows the path of the martial arts.”- Mas. Oyama
Sometimes people ask me what martial arts go well with Kyokushin. It’s a fair question — especially given how training emphasis can vary from dojo to dojo. Some assume Kyokushin is “incomplete” because we don’t punch to the face, but that’s really a misunderstanding of the difference between style and the ruleset used in knockdown competition.
Kyokushin was founded on the concept of what would work in a real fight. Shihan Cameron Quinn has often pointed out on his YouTube channel that if you look at Sosai Masutatsu Oyama’s three major works—What is Karate, This is Karate, and Advanced Karate—you’ll find that roughly 70% of what he taught takes place within stand-up grappling range.
Kyokushin is often criticized because it “doesn’t teach punching to the face”. Anyone who took the time to think about it would realize that’s not true. For example, where do you think seiken ago uchi, uraken gammen uchi, and seiken jodan tsuki are aimed? The issue is not the style of Kyokushin, but that in some schools, hand strikes to the face and head aren’t practiced in sparring to the degree they once were.
Once again, let me say that even though it’s a common misconception, people should not confuse the style of Kyokushin with the ruleset for knockdown. One is a martial art. The other is a sport. That does bring up an important point that bears mentioning. I remember my sensei saying to us more than once, “Anytime you take a martial art and turn it into a sport, you weaken it.” (A few of you may have seen me write that before.)
I started training in 1980, and in the dojo I came up in, we absolutely punched to the face—wearing lightweight gloves—and were allowed to grab, throw, and take down during sparring. If we were preparing for a competition, we trained to that ruleset.
Years later, a student of mine who had previously trained in judo asked to do randori with me after class. He was surprised when I took him down and locked him in an armbar. As I said, not all Kyokushin schools are alike.
The rise of knockdown competition created a problem. One that led to some people asking a question like, “What martial arts go well with Kyokushin?”. As more and more dojos began focusing on the sport aspect, which doesn’t allow face punching, grabbing, or throws, other aspects of the system were neglected. There are exceptions, of course, but it became more common than it should be.
I should mention that I’m not suggesting everyone start cross-training in other martial arts just for the sake of it. Kyokushin absolutely is a valid system of self-defense, and like other martial arts, can also be trained for physical fitness, focus, discipline, and also for sport. My point is simply this:
- If you happen to train at a Kyokushin dojo that may have drifted toward a sport-focused approach and you’re happy being focused on sport (and there are definite benefits there), then that’s fine. But if you feel something is missing, this post may apply to you.
- If you train at a dojo that includes face punching, clinching, and groundwork (much more common these days), there’s still value in occasionally training with specialists in those areas—boxing coaches, judoka, wrestlers, and so on. This post may also apply to you.
Done with the right mindset, this doesn’t replace Kyokushin; it strengthens your understanding of it. Sosai Oyama’s vision was never about limitation—it was about exploration and truth through experience.
It’s safe to say that Kyokushin dojos conduct sparring under knockdown rules. Yes, it’s a ruleset for a sport, but it’s also an effective way to prepare the body for contact. That, couple with training centered on conditioning, kihon, renraku, and kata can absolutely provide effective training for self-defense. If you’re not also putting on gloves occassionally, practicing face punches, and working on your standup grappling and ground game too, then For students in those dojos who want to become more well-rounded fighters, my advice is simple: talk to your sensei first.
There’s real value in building a solid foundation before branching out. Your instructor should be the one to let you know when you’re ready—and may even have recommendations for teachers in your area. That was my experience. When I was a young shodan, I was interested in learning weapons more in-depth. My teacher recommended someone who taught both kobudo and taijitsu and encouraged me to train in both.
Different combat arts each emphasize different aspects of fighting. There’s nothing wrong with training with a specialist in an area you wish to develop more fully. Having said all this, if it were me making the recommendation, I would suggest the best arts to complement Kyokushin training would be:
- Boxing — for footwork, body movement, and hand skills.
- Judo, BJJ, or Wrestling — for grappling, clinch control, and ground fighting.
Each of these, in my opinion, will enhance the skills you’ve already developed in Kyokushin and make you a more complete martial artist.
Good luck! Osu!
Final Thoughts
I’m trying to write a little more these days, and I have several new articles in the pipeline. I look forward to reading your thoughts and comments on this and other topics. OSU!
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