Koshiki karate

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Koshiki karate is not a style (or ryu) of karate but rather is a way of practicing one's karate fighting skills. In practice and in tournaments, koshiki fighters are allowed to throw near full-force punches and kicks to their opponent's body, which is armored with bogu, a thick armor. Some koshiki tournaments also allow fighters to sweep or take down their opponents.

The protective armor, called bogu, consists of a chest protector (anzen bogu), helmet (men), and groin protection (Kin ate). The chest protector protects from the clavicle to just above the groin. It also wraps around the side offering some protection to the arm pits. The cut of the arm holes allows for unimpeded movement. It is made from material that prevents shock from penetrating to the wearer. The helmet is made of similar material and has a bullet-proof clear plastic face shield.

Koshiki fighters typically fight with bare hands and feet. Because of the impact resistant material of the bogu, they can throw full force, or near full force techniques to the body. This heavy contact more closely approximates the kind of force karate-ka are trained to produce. Without the armor, in a typical kumite match where hands and sometimes feet are padded but the body is unprotected, punches and kicks have to be pulled before they penetrate the opponent's body.

The koshiki system of fighting was developed by Hanshi Masayuki Hisataka in the 1980s. Considerable research went into discovering the material that would offer the most protection. The resulting gear is known as “Super Safe” protective equipment.

Tournaments are open to all of the martial arts that use atemi (blows to the body), not just to karate-ka. And technique banned at many martial arts tournaments-- spear hands, palm heel strikes, knifehands, etc.-- can be employed safely at koshiki tournaments.