HITTING SPORTS CONCEPT（English）
1) Combining various combat sports into a hitting sport
I would like to propose combining kickboxing, Kyokushin Karate, and other combat sports that mainly rely on striking techniques as a hitting sport. The reason for this is to raise the social reputation of not only Kyokushin Karate but also kickboxing and other striking martial arts.
As a side note, in Japan, compared to the social recognition of judo as a martial art and combat sport, which is considered the national sport, the social recognition of Kyokushin Karate is far behind that of judo. However, the worldwide recognition of Kyokushin Karate is as high as that of Judo. Despite this, why is their social evaluation not even comparable? I would like to briefly examine the reason for this.
Actually, the history of judo is not that old. About 140 to 150 years ago. However, Judo is being integrated into one organization. Along the way, the founder Jigoro Kano combined judo with Western sports. With such a dissemination strategy, he made the idea of judo and its training methods widely known to the world. On the other hand, karate was already known in mainland Japan from Okinawa around the time judo was created. However, Okinawan karate is a martial art unique to the Ryukyus, and its founding philosophy and purpose for popularization were different from the judo envisioned by Jigoro Kano. Whether this is right or wrong is a different matter, but in terms of its popularity, there was a big difference compared to judo.
One of the reasons for this is that karate was difficult to spread in a uniform manner like judo. In short, judo was founded by Jigoro Kano, while karate is divided into various schools. On the other hand, I wonder if the reason why karate is as popular as judo all over the world is because karate is so attractive. I will not discuss this here. Also, like karate, kickboxing is popular worldwide, but it must be said that it has a lower social reputation than boxing, which has many similarities. The first reason for this is that kickboxing, like karate, is divided into many groups and is not unified. In addition, amateur boxing has slightly different rules than professional boxing, and amateur boxing is one of the Olympic sports. In other words, boxing has a status not only as a professional martial art, but also as an amateur sport, and is highly regarded by society as it is an Olympic sport. However, professional boxing does not use amateur boxing competitors as the basis for training professional competitors. However, boxing’s Olympic status as an amateur sport gives it a higher social status compared to kickboxing. As a side note, boxing as an Olympic sport has become a sport by adopting a judging method that emphasizes the quality of boxing skills of competitors, rather than knocking out opponents. In this way, the match rules were slightly improved from those of professional boxing to make it more sporty, and it became an Olympic sport. It also made boxing more suitable for the education of young people, different from the grueling professional boxing that requires long rounds with the goal of knockout.
On the other hand, Kyokushin Karate and Kickboxing have tried to create a social position by using the “label” of martial arts or martial arts, as if denying their status as sports. Of course, some kickboxing enthusiasts are trying to popularize kickboxing as a sport. However, these efforts have not yet borne fruit. It is not the purpose of this paper to discuss the reason further, so I would like to leave it for another time. In short, I believe that in order for Kyokushin Karate and Kickboxing to be widely appreciated by society, they need to be established as sports. As for kickboxing, there are currently organizations that are trying to popularize kickboxing as a sport. My idea is to combine Kyokushin Karate, kickboxing, and other martial arts that mainly involve striking techniques into the martial arts sport of “hitting.” In this way, I would like to recommend that martial arts as a traditional martial art be spread alongside martial arts sports. This is because we believe that implementing such a dissemination strategy will change the social evaluation of martial arts. Specifically, I would like to make the social benefits of martial arts competitions more clear and make society aware of them. To that end, we will clarify the philosophy that governs kickboxing, Kyokushin Karate, and other martial arts. And create a fairer competitive foundation. To add some additional information, first of all, rather than emphasizing the spectacle value of fighting competitions, the idea is to clarify their usefulness as human education. Centering on this philosophy, we aim to embody it and create a competitive foundation that everyone can understand. If the competitive platform I envision is created, it will be possible for a wide variety of martial arts enthusiasts to interact as friends. At the same time, a variety of martial arts skills will be fused, and as the skills improve, the level of competition will surely develop and evolve.
2) Good example of exchange between different martial arts
Here, I would like to use judo as a good example of the exchange of diverse (different) martial arts. Judo was created by Jigoro Kano, the founder, who combined various techniques from Japanese jujutsu. Furthermore, judo has developed and evolved by incorporating techniques from Western techniques such as wrestling. This is probably because Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, practiced interaction not only with a variety of jujutsu practitioners, but also with wrestlers and karate practitioners. As a sport, competition rules for judo have been repeatedly revised. There may be some objections to this, but I believe that it is necessary since judo has been integrated with sports and has become a means of popularization and development. On the other hand, I also believe that it is necessary to protect the nature of martial arts and the traditions of martial arts. In fact, I used to be a judo enthusiast, and I am one of those who wish for the development and inheritance of judo. On top of that, although I am presumptuous, I am in favor of judo as a martial art and judo as a sport. However, it may be necessary to clarify the martial arts and sports aspects, and to modify the fusion part. On the other hand, Kyokushin Karate’s founder Masutatsu Oyama, like Judo’s Jigoro Kano, studied a variety of martial arts, martial arts, and karate, and attempted to combine these techniques. He also practiced interaction with Muay Thai. As a result, Kyokushin Karate has achieved a unique development and evolution that is different from other karate by combining traditional karate techniques with techniques from other martial arts. A little off topic, but there was once a martial arts event called K1 that was all the rage in Japan. K1 is a martial arts event organized by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a karate expert, that brings together kickboxing, karate, and other competitors to compete on the same stage. “K1” created competition rules that made it easy for a variety of martial artists to compete. This made the fight easier for the audience to understand. Furthermore, “K1” included not only kickboxing but also leading Kyokushin karate competitors. This attracted the attention of various martial arts enthusiasts. As a result, awareness of Kyokushin Karate has increased dramatically. However, it is also true that the participation of Kyokushin Karate competitors in K1 increased doubts about Kyokushin Karate’s reputation as the strongest on earth and its self-evaluation at the time.
I think the establishment of “K1”, devised by Kazuyoshi Ishii, was a great idea. As is well known, Mr. Ishii’s concept was a huge success and developed a new fan base for martial arts. However, sustainable development was not possible. People say that the cause of K1’s decline is that the compensation for competitors has skyrocketed, making management difficult, but we will not discuss this cause here. However, I believe that K1 has not been able to sustain itself because it has not been able to expand its amateur base, that is, the base of enthusiasts that other major sports have. At the same time, I think this is because they were unable to attract a wide range of sponsors. Therefore, if we are to hold a professional martial arts event like K1 once again, we believe that we first need to expand the base of enthusiasts. To achieve this, I think we need a high philosophy as a sport and a system for developing players.
The reason for this is that without a high philosophy and a foundation for player development, we believe that even if we may have temporary success, we will not be able to sustain it over the long term. I think this is the same for professional boxing. Looking back, I think the popularity of K1 was an extension of Kyokushin Karate and the rise of mixed martial arts in professional wrestling. And I think that its birth and development were successful in meeting the demands of the zeitgeist, which wanted to see people who were truly strong. Looking at examples of success and failure, I intuitively feel that if a professional competition is to be established, it is necessary to establish a high philosophy that will create lasting sympathy, rather than temporary stimulation. A sufficient condition is the establishment of a foundation for the development of fans and players.
3) What is hitting sports?
Returning to the topic, up until now I have been looking at the history of the birth and development of various martial arts and combat sports, and at the same time examining the development forms of other major sports. The concept we came up with was “HITTING SPORTS.”
Hitting sports is the name of a new martial arts sport. The content is also a platform that allows enthusiasts of kickboxing, Kyokushin Karate, and other martial arts to interact. Furthermore, through this platform, I would like to expand the circle of sympathy for martial arts and connect the hearts of not only martial arts enthusiasts but also the audience. However, forming such a platform requires high ideals, objectives, and fair rules. The problem is that each martial arts organization and martial arts organization wants to protect their own traditional ideas. I believe that if each organization wants to protect its traditions, it should do so individually.
My vision is not to criticize the state of each organization. However, the aim is to bridge the diverse martial arts disciplines through universal and high principles and rules, and to enable exchanges among enthusiasts. This will improve competitive skills and increase the number of enthusiasts. I am convinced that if the competitive skills are high from anyone’s perspective and the athletes have a high level of humanity, then it will be as socially useful cultural content as the major sports that started it. . To make this happen, participants must agree on a philosophy, purpose, and rules. It seems like I’m repeating myself, but what I’m talking about is bridging, which will fuse various martial arts techniques and create even higher-level techniques. Similarly, we will be able to overcome differences in ethnicity, religion, language, etc., find commonalities deep down as human beings, and be able to accept superficial differences.
4) Purpose of creating “Hitting Sports”
Here, I would like to explain what I believe was the purpose of the creation of “hitting sports.” I believe that martial arts is currently recognized by society for its professional entertainment and spectacle qualities. However, the operational foundations of professional competitions in various martial arts are weak.
One of the reasons for this may be that martial arts has no promotional effect on the image of sponsors who aim to contribute to society. Additionally, there is a slight difference in the values of fans, who form the basis of professional martial arts events, and martial arts enthusiasts. The difference I’m talking about is that fans who just watch are looking for the strength of the martial artist or the strong stimulation that comes from fighting (competition). On the other hand, fans who are involved in some kind of martial arts themselves project themselves onto professional athletes, and in other words, seek empathy from the fighter’s story. And sponsors who support martial arts events must be interested in visible numbers such as attendance and viewer ratings.
My personal, intuitive opinion is that in order for martial arts to gain lasting sympathy, it needs a “gimmick” and a “structure.” What I mean by “gimmicks” and “structures” are not just about winning or losing, but also “gimmicks” and “structures” that allow the contestants to demonstrate their high skills and mental toughness, as well as show a higher level of humanity. Also good. By creating such “mechanisms” and “structures,” we can create a foundation that not only increases the number of “viewers” but also “doers.”
5) Make the philosophy of martial arts more universal and high-leve
Additionally, I would like to try to redefine what I think is the value of martial arts. First of all, what is the purpose and significance of martial arts, which can be both physically and psychologically violent? Is it about winning the match and getting money? Will he become famous again? It cannot be denied that professional athletes have such a purpose. However, if we approach only those who have such objectives, we believe that it is likely to be difficult to sustainably secure human resources. This is because, in order to establish a foundation for training professional athletes who possess advanced skills and take risks while competing, it is necessary to understand the social value of competition not only as content that is “ to watch” but also as content that is “to do.” This is because we believe it is necessary to acquire a wide range of fans.
I believe that in order to secure a group of technicians with high-quality skills, we must create a system that can broaden the base and secure a more diverse workforce. To achieve this, it is necessary to have universality in the philosophy of amateur competition, which is the basis of professional competition. There is also a need to emphasize its usefulness for the development and progress of human society.
The concrete way to do this is to first make the philosophy of martial arts more universal and higher-level. In short, we need to make people realize that martial arts is not just a violent and exciting activity, but an activity that develops the advanced skills of individuals. Furthermore, it is important to make efforts to make people realize that this is an act that enriches and enriches each individual’s life. The above-mentioned universal and high-level ideals mean that martial arts and combat competitions should not only be about celebrating temporary victories, but should be centered on philosophies that are useful to individuals in the long run. It is. I would like to discuss this philosophy in detail on another occasion, but to put it simply, we advocate a philosophy that not only strengthens the mind and body of young people, but also promotes healthy life expectancy for seniors.
I believe that life is a long-term battle. And many people think that life is also a repechage match. In other words, learn from failure and defeat and use it to your advantage.I believe that in the end, we will win and become the winner. There are no losers in the goal of that philosophy. I want to convey through martial arts that there are only winners. Embodying that philosophy through martial arts. We also want to ensure that our activities serve as a good model for “coexistence among humankind.” To this end, I believe it is useful to use the label of sports and advocate a new and higher philosophy, separate from the philosophy of martial arts and martial arts that have prevailed throughout the era. As a side note, the new philosophy of combat sports that I think of is a philosophy that takes the philosophy of ancient martial arts to a higher level. Also, classical traditional martial arts should be preserved by preservation societies. I think it is necessary to preserve traditional martial arts. However, I would like to draw a clear line from those who use traditional martial arts to establish authority. I believe that classical martial arts have evolved over many years. What is more important is that one’s mind, body, and life are kept alive and enhanced while facing the martial arts, which is at the center of martial arts. It is also about raising the spirit of each practitioner to a higher level. If people who understand and understand my philosophy come together, the value of martial arts will definitely increase. Furthermore, the cooperation between martial arts culture and sports culture should help create a better society. There is something I would like to disclaim here. I am not trying to deny the uniqueness of martial arts and martial arts. However, the philosophy and activities of many martial arts organizations are just words, and what they do seems to be nothing more than a temporary gathering of people.
6) Reviewing the state of martial arts today
The essence of this HITTING SPORTS concept also involves reconsidering the state of martial arts today. Specifically, we should think about what martial arts are, the origin of martial arts, and then once again aim to elevate that spirit. Beyond that, we can see the path to creating a higher quality culture. Furthermore, I believe that it is better to affirm sports rather than denying sports culture and advocating the value of martial arts culture. I think that the reality of people who deny sports culture is that they are doing something similar to sports, or even worse, but they don’t realize that they are denying other cultures. If martial artists truly understood the high quality of martial arts and spirituality that lies at the heart of martial arts, I don’t think there is any need to deny it. If it were me, I would take advantage of the strengths of sports culture and work together to increase each other’s value.
I also want to contribute to society by bridging martial arts and sports, allowing them to respect and improve each other. Through such means, each other’s cultural characteristics can further develop and evolve, and be recognized as beneficial to society.
As a side note, the hitting sport that I envision has its roots in martial arts. Regarding martial arts, my personal opinion is that martial arts are physical techniques (skills) to control an opponent in situations where you are likely to kill or injure an opponent, or be killed or injured yourself, and at the same time, they are mental techniques (mental skills) to control yourself. be. In other words, I think it’s fair to say that martial arts is a way to enhance the martial arts and at the same time enhance the spirit of the person using them.
7) SPIRITS OF REI
I would like to mention one more thing about the unique philosophy of hitting sports. Hitting sports remind us of the situations envisioned in martial arts. However, the purpose is not to win by killing or injuring the opponent. Needless to say, sports recognize humans as less than human, and are not training for fighting to kill or injure. However, as a new fighting sport, hitting sports has its origin in the combat envisioned by martial arts, but I would like to use it as a means of controlling one’s spirit and maintaining one’s nobility under the circumstances. Therefore, in a hitting competition, after the match is decided, the player is considered “no side.” However, this is also a word that expresses the philosophy of rugby and football, and in hitting sports, as in rugby football, we want to be “no side” after the match. On top of that, I would like to make it obligatory to practice the etiquette of “REI” immediately after a match.The form of “REI” is similar to the way Japanese samurai did in ancient times. Follow the ceremonial etiquette. However, this word “rei” has various origins. However, in hitting sports, it means using one’s actions to express the meaning of protecting the dignity of life and the honor of the individual, which is the most universal path that humans should take. In other words, the “spirit of courtesy” in hitting sports is the act of “protecting the honor and dignity of life of the enemy you have stolen, and at the same time protecting your own honor and dignity of life.” It’s safe to say that it is.
This spirit is not extrinsically imposed values such as loyalty and filial piety in the master-servant relationship of Japan’s feudal rulers, but an internally derived sense of valuing the ultimate “dignity” and equal “honor” of one’s own existence. Relying on. Also, don’t take more from your opponent than necessary. It is also a sensibility that is an extension of the idea that a life taken should be put to good use, which can be seen throughout Japanese thought. This spirit is the “SPIRITS OF REI” in FIHA competitions.
Moreover, it is no exaggeration to say that there is a hitting sport to express that “spirit of rei”. In short, improve your own fighting skills by competing with your opponent in high-level skills. At the same time, it increases the opponent’s fighting skill level. The core philosophy of hitting sports is the mutually permeable exchange of ideas and the pursuit of higher standards.
Hitting sports share the spirit described above, that is, competition rules that make it possible to realize the ideals. Furthermore, if more and more athletes embody this philosophy, special fighting sports will no doubt become widely recognized as a competition and sport with even greater significance and social value.
As a supplement, the hitting sport (new martial arts sport) that I envision must evaluate the physical and tactical skills for fighting in light of more universal values. In this respect, the current competitive methods of Kyokushin Karate are not in line with universal values. Also, the more free the methods of fighting in martial arts, the more violent they can arouse. However, he believes that when each contestant controls his or her violent nature, the act becomes noble. And the possibility of that sublimity manifesting will increase as fear increases in battle. I think that’s where the value of martial arts sports lies. In short, in the fierce battle between individuals, the state where one tries to internally practice the “spirit of respect” (SPIRITS OF REI) is the horizon where “human nobility” is manifested, and if this is realized, , predicts that the social value of martial arts will reach its highest level.
I believe that when contestants face their fears and bravely try to overcome them, they become more serious and sincere inside. Their seriousness, sincerity, self-control, and courage become the spirit (reason) that allows them to demonstrate their skills at the highest level. At the same time, it becomes a noble spirit. In addition, by putting themselves in extreme conditions during competitions, they are forced to confront their inner selves, giving them an opportunity to intuit the heights of their rationality. If the above philosophy is realized, it is inevitable that the battle will be moving. On the other hand, a competitor who loses self-control and fights like an animal in order to defeat his opponent may even create a kind of disgust. Of course, I think it is necessary to fight instinctively and like an animal in certain situations. Also, if you think about it ultimately, there may be no problem with fighting instinctively like animals. However, even under extreme circumstances, I think it is necessary to exercise the power of reason and aim to demonstrate the nobility of humanity so as not to lose our humanity. I believe that if one can demonstrate such nobility, even if one dies, one will not lose one’s self-respect.
I believe that by making the ultimate goal of competitions to internally manifest this sublimity as a human being within the competitors, we can eliminate the acts of slaughter and war between humans that have not disappeared yet. I want to aim to realize my ideals and ideas. I also believe that the pursuit of that ideal will elevate violent martial arts to a higher level and make more people empathize with it. Furthermore, I would like to work with the philosophy of hitting sports as demonstrating and fostering the sublimity of human reason. In other words, fighting competitions are established as a hitting sport, which is held for the purpose of realizing ideals.
8) Purpose of sports
If you’ll forgive me for digressing a bit, it is said that the purpose of sports is to liberate humanity. Similarly, I believe that the hitting sport that I envision has the effect of sublimating the emotional violence inherent in humans and liberating the mind and body. However, in order to sublimate emotional violence, demonstrate higher-order reason, and embody ideals, we must unite with a common ideology. It is also necessary to make the competitors recognize each other as comrades and allies.
9) Regarding the evolution of hitting sports
Here, I would like to talk about the evolution of hitting sports. When hitting sports were first established, a competitive format consisting only of striking techniques would be adopted, but we would like to maintain the advantages of the various existing fighting sports and make it easier for more athletes to participate. And I would like to aim for gradual fusion. To this end, five types of competition formats will be established.
It may seem repetitive, but the basics of hitting sports are three types of competitions: “IBMA Kickboxing” using gloves, “IBMA HITTING” using face armor, and “IBMA KYOKUSHIN”. However, in addition to these three types of competitions, they are also considering holding “HITTING STICK”, which uses short sticks, and “HITTING FREESTYLE”, which allows the use of throwing techniques.
In addition, “HITTING STICK” can also apply skills such as stick techniques that exist in the Philippines, Thailand, Japan, and other regions, as well as sword techniques. Furthermore, by using tools, “HITTING STICK” allows people with physical disabilities to participate in the skill. To put it simply, Hitting’s philosophy is that all humans develop physical disabilities as they age. However, this obstacle can be compensated for by using tools. In other words, in martial arts, the destructive power of attack techniques can be supplemented by the use of tools. In addition, exploring the skills to use tools enables a deeper confrontation with one’s self by aiming to become one with the tool, which is another person. Furthermore, it is possible to still compete even in old age. This is because skills using tools are more important than manual martial arts. More details will be explained in a separate paper, but the hitting sport conducted by IBMA will be accessible not only to physically strong people and young people, but also to people with physical disabilities and elderly people. By doing so, you will be able to attract a wider range of fans. And it will be widely recognized as a sport that benefits society. By doing so, they will be able to receive support from governments and businesspeople who are aware of their social responsibilities. In addition, the “IBMA KYOKUSHIN competition” is based on the competition method practiced by another organization, Kyokushinkai, because it is the most popular worldwide. However, after the death of its founder, Kyokushinkai has split into many groups and is no longer cooperating with each other. In order for Kyokushinkai, a popular organization that has split into many groups, to cooperate again, I believe that the method of competition should be made more sporting in a positive sense. In other words, we believe that it should be fair and understandable from everyone’s point of view. In short, I think it’s not a matter of changing the rules, but rather a change in the refereeing method used to determine winners and losers. However, even if we suddenly say we’re going to change the judging method, there’s a high chance that they won’t understand, so we’d like to start by showing them the competition method that incorporates the new judging method. By actually experiencing and witnessing this method, I would like to improve the serious problems in Kyokushinkai’s competition methods. If this becomes a reality, it may be possible to bring together the world’s most popular karate enthusiasts on a hitting sports platform. In order to realize such a concept, I believe that above all else, a fair trial law (judgment system) is necessary. I believe that unless this is established, high-level interaction between competitors will be impossible. Just to be clear, I think that the unique philosophies and training methods of not only Kyokushinkai but also various karate and traditional martial arts should be left to the discretion of each organization.
10） About IBMA・KYOKUSHIN
I would like to mention one point about the refereeing law in the “IBMA/KYOKUSHIN” competition. In various hitting sports, the target and viewpoint for ensuring safety and evaluating is “the offensive and defensive skills of the athletes.” Also, this is clearly shown in terms of victory and defeat. If these points are unclear, not only spectators but also competitors will not be able to understand what they should aim for. As a result, the competitive skills of the athletes do not improve, and it is not considered a sport. The fact that your competitive skills have not improved means that if you were to fight against different types of martial arts, your chances of winning would be lower. Of course, each competition method has its pros and cons. However, in order to make the most of these and integrate them, an association and a federation will be established to allow the five types of competition to coexist, based on universal elements centered on batting techniques. Additionally, competitions with different strengths and weaknesses will be co-located, allowing athletes to participate freely. Such a system allows the competition method to be changed depending on the physical fitness level, skill level, or age of the athlete, thereby making it easier for athletes and enthusiasts to participate in the game for a long time. I believe that the above-mentioned system is in line with the future direction of sports culture as well as the future direction of martial arts culture.
As a side note, hitting sports also allow dangerous combat sports to vary depending on physical strength, skill level, or age. Again, having such a system allows enthusiasts to participate in the competition for a longer period of time. Furthermore, I believe that the future of martial arts and combat competitions is to allow the elderly and people with physical disabilities to participate in martial arts.
The reason for this is that I believe that future martial arts and fighting competitions should be combined with sports culture, shared with people of diverse religions, languages, and cultures, and contribute to their coexistence. I also want it to be a means of raising the spirits of individuals, as well as a means of liberating people’s minds and bodies and keeping them strong throughout their lives. By realizing this concept, not only Kyokushinkarate, but also kickboxing and karate competitions will be able to be understood by more people. And it will contribute to enriching each individual’s life. First of all, I would like to find like-minded people who will hold “HITTING SPORTS” competitions in each country and region. In the process, he connects with various martial arts organizations and martial arts organizations and becomes friends with them. If that happens, “HITTING SPORTS” will be completed in the shortest possible time. When a talented athlete is born, the circle of companies, media, fans, etc. that support that athlete expands. If such a concept becomes a reality, it may be possible to make HITTING sports one of the Olympic Games. However, HITTING SPORTS’ goal is never to become an Olympic sport. This is because, if the idea for establishing HITTING SPORTS is realized, I believe that even if it does not become an Olympic sport, it will be popularized and recognized as a new, independent sport that is on par with other Olympic sports. For example, like FIFA soccer.
