# What styles participate in JKA tournaments?



## ckstuds (Feb 7, 2012)

From my understanding, JKA doesn't use protective gear like TKD does. They also allow free fighting and full contact tournaments.

What styles participate in this organization. I am looking for a popular karate that gets a little more rough (no protective gear) in there tournaments. 

Correct me if I am wrong in anything I have said, thank you.


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## sfs982000 (Feb 7, 2012)

From my understanding the JKA is associated with Shotokan, but as far as their tournaments I'm not entirely sure if it's closed to just Shotokan stylist or if martial artist from other styles of Japanese martial arts can compete in them as well.


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## Grenadier (Feb 7, 2012)

The Japan Karate Association is a Shotokan Karate organization, so most of the people competing in such tournaments will be Shotokan Karate or something very similar.  Those who aren't Shotokan, will study and perform Shotokan kata as well.  

JKA tournaments use JKA rules, meaning that each competitor uses hand pads, mouth guards, groin shields, and for the ladies, chest protectors.  They'll allow solid contact to the body, since anyone who competes should be in somewhat good condition, and will also allow light contact to the face.  Excessive contact is penalized, unless it's the other guy's fault for not even defending.  

Since you want something with no gear and full contact, a JKA tournament does not appear to be what you seek.  

Instead, you're probably looking for a full contact knockdown tournament, something like the tournaments held by Kyokushin Karate organizations, such as World Oyama Karate, etc.  Those tournaments use no padding (except groin shields and mouth guards), and allow full contact to the body (kicks to the head area allowed, but no punches to the head) and the upper legs.  Here's a short list of tournaments that they support:

http://worldoyama.com/Events_Tournaments.html


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## ShotoKHAN (Feb 29, 2012)

If anything, kickboxing is also a viable option if you want to take your karate and go harder contact with it. I'm not talking about Muay Thai, where knees and elbows are allowed, but Kickboxing, the original hybrid of Muay Thai and Karate, that only allows kicks from the waist up, and has boxing gloves on the hands. No knees, no elbows.


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