Welcome to your Kyokushin journey. Stepping onto the mat is the first step toward a stronger, more resilient version of yourself.
It's important to understand from the start that martial arts is a contact sport. We do everything we can to protect ourselves and respect our partners, but accidents can and do happen. There is always some risk.
Taking hits at a gradual, controlled pace is the only real way to condition your body and spirit. Over time, you'll build the cardio and toughness that Kyokushin fighters are known for around the world.
Why Kyokushin Is Safer Than You Might Think
I've trained in four styles over 20 years, and in my experience, Kyokushin is actually one of the safer martial arts when it comes to serious injuries.
Because we're a striking art, we avoid the big falls and bodyweight-driven injuries common in grappling sports like Judo, where one bad landing can be devastating. A couple of years ago, I tore three knee ligaments in a Judo tournament. In karate, I've never had an injury serious enough to need physical therapy or a hospital visit.
Our sparring (kumite) rules also ban punches to the head, which greatly lowers the risk of face, dental, and brain injuries.
Protective Gear
To protect beginners, we require gloves and shin guards in class.
You're also welcome, and highly encouraged, to wear:
A mouth guard, in case of accidental head contact
A groin cup, for stray kicks
A helmet or chest guard, if it fits your comfort level or you're protecting an existing injury
The Initial Shock to the System
If you're coming from a fairly inactive lifestyle, your first few classes can be a big physical shock. Many of us sit at a desk for more than eight hours a day, which leaves us with tight hip flexors and weak lower backs. That makes sudden martial arts movements feel jarring.
Warm Up First, Then Stretch
That's why we always do a few minutes of dynamic warm-ups before stretching. Avoid deep static stretching while your body is still cold.
When you stretch, aim for slight discomfort, never sharp pain. If you feel real pain, you've gone too far. Back off and let the area recover.
Feeling Dizzy or Sick
While your fitness is still developing, the sudden demand on your heart and lungs can sometimes cause lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea, or even an exertion headache.
If you ever feel ill, please don't walk off the mat on your own. Raise your hand, let me know, and I'll excuse you so you can recover safely. If this happens often, bring an electrolyte drink to class.
Do Your Best, Not Everyone Else's
When I tell the class to do 30 pushups, I want you to try your absolute best and not give up. If you can only do 10 or 20 in the time it takes someone else to do 30, that's perfectly fine, as long as you're trying.
You can always scale an exercise down, like doing pushups from your knees or switching sit-ups to crunches.
At the end of the day, we all have jobs, families, and lives to get back to. The dojo isn't meant to be a brutal boot camp. Its purpose is to help us get into the best shape we can, within reason.
The Good News
As a beginner, you'll improve very quickly. Week after week, you'll get better and stronger, and those moments of exhaustion will happen less and less. Progress only starts to level off once you're already very fit.
Common Minor Injuries
As you train, expect a few very common, minor injuries. Think of them as rites of passage.
Blisters From Training Barefoot
If you're not used to going barefoot, friction from the mat may give you blisters on the bottoms of your feet. Keep the area clean and bandage it for class. Try not to pop the blister, since that raises the risk of infection.
Skin Tears and Sore Wrists
Sweaty or very dry skin can tear when you punch pads. That's why I recommend beginners wear gloves during pad work until their hands toughen up.
The most common beginner injury I see is actually a tweaked wrist. When you first learn to punch, you can often generate more power than your wrists are ready to handle.
Until your wrists catch up, focus on forming a good fist and keeping your wrist perfectly straight. Build wrist strength with knuckle pushups and knuckle planks, always using just your first two knuckles (seiken, the forefist).
Bruises, Bonks, and Body Conditioning
Bruises are guaranteed, especially once you start sparring and doing our body conditioning drills. We regularly take controlled punches to the abs and core, and controlled kicks to the lower legs, to get used to absorbing strikes.
This leads to deep soreness and bruising. Bruises on the muscle will hurt for a few days, look a bit ugly, and then fade, leaving you stronger. Basic RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) is all you need.
You'll also bump your shins or knees against a partner's sooner or later. It stings sharply for a moment, but the pain fades quickly.
Twisted Ankles
Landing badly from a kick, having weak arches, or getting swept and falling awkwardly can twist an ankle. Building lower leg strength and focusing on your stances will help prevent this over time.
Less Common Injuries
Beyond everyday bumps and bruises, there are less common injuries. These are more frustrating because they can affect your ability to train.
Bruised Ribs
A bruised rib can take two to three painful months to heal, and it makes breathing, let alone punching, hard. To prevent this, we teach our regular classes to aim for the soft, muscular parts of the midsection instead of the ribcage.
Pulled Muscles
A pulled groin or hamstring is a frustrating experience. Thankfully, it's uncommon in our dojo because of our required warm-up and stretching routine.
Small Cuts and Scrapes
A stray fingernail or piece of jewelry can easily cut a partner's skin. That's why we require trimmed fingernails and toenails, and ask you to remove all rings, watches, and jewelry before stepping on the mat. You can read more in our dojo etiquette guide.
Rare Risks at Advanced Levels
Some very rare risks mostly apply to senior belts and tournament fighters.
Once you reach a rank where head kicks are allowed, a lack of control combined with a missed block can cause a concussion. A full-power, unblocked strike from an advanced fighter could also, in theory, break a bone such as a floating rib or collarbone.
That said, nobody has ever broken a bone in our dojo's history. Personally, I've only seen it happen once or twice in 20 years of training.
Training Through Adversity
The most important lesson I want you to take away is how we handle adversity. In Kyokushin, we try to keep training going so injuries don't force you to stop completely.
If you jam your right thumb, you don't stay home for three weeks. You come to class and punch only with your left hand until it heals.
Your body has dozens of different weapons, from the palm and elbow to the heel and knee. If one is out of commission, there's always another you can use.
Accept the risk, embrace the conditioning, and always reach out to me if you have questions about a pain, an injury, or how to train around one.
See you on the mat. Osu!
