The Oriental Style Rules Kickboxing format, is also commonly known as 'K-1' Kickboxing rules.

In recent years on Kickboxing events across Europe, as the American style of Kickboxing ( known as Full-Contact) and the Thai style of Kickboxing ( Known as Thai-Kickboxing or Muaythai ) has become less popular, as most of the major Kickboxing promotions have moved to using the same , ' K-1 ' Kickboxing or ' Oriental Rules' format for their galas.




Pict:

IKF World Super-Middleweight Champion

Graham Sayer ( Warrington )

vs

Rajeet Singh ( India ).

Due to this, across Europe ' K-1 ' rules has simply become known as 'KICKBOXING'.

Should you attend a Kickboxing Gala by one of the major promotions like...

K-1 ( Link to official website )

Its Showtime, ( Link to official website )

Super-Kombat ( Link to official website )

or

FIGHTCODE, ( Link to official website )

...the kickboxing format you would expect to see fighters competing under would generally be the following...

Kicks ( including holding-knee-kicks ).
Boxing ( including the Spinning-Back-Fist technique ),
Restricted clinch-hold-defence ( just 3, or possibly 5, seconds holding allowed )

also, the following are usually disallowed...

Sweeps
Throws
Catching the leg ( over-hook defence ).
Striking with the Elbow.

In most instances Kickboxing bouts are conducted over three rounds of three minutes.

If the Kickboxing contest is part of a Grandprix, which is an 8 man tournament consisting of Quarter-Final, Semi-Final, and Grand-Final bouts, and a 'DRAW' decision is the result, combatants contest an extra round!

A.K.A. Kickboxing events are held under Oriental Style Rules / K-1 format. If you feel you would like to be an Amateur K-1 Kickboxer then why not enter the A.K.A. Championships!

The best Professional athletes in the World usually gain their initial experience in the Amateur ranks. Should you be interested in one day becoming a Professional Kickboxer and competing at the highest level on some of the worlds most succesfull events in Europe or Japan, then competing on A.K.A. events could give you an ideas place to start!