Kickboxing?

Question

What are the differences between Semi contact and light contact kickboxing?

Also which one is tougher and has more contact?

Please answer :)

Answer 1

why would anyone bother doing semi or light contact kick boxing?

Answer 2

kick boxing is a full contact sport. Most karate styles have semi, lite and full contact matches.

Answer 3

To the best of my knowledge and ability to explain:

Light Contact refers to sparring in a MA setting where the fighters are permitted to strike the opponent with light blows as opposed to No Contact or Full Contact striking.

Semi Contact refers to striking the opponent with moderate force but with no contact to the head. Some styles permit contact to the opponent's head with your foot.

Full Contact or Full Contact Karate: A term created in the late 60's or early 70's to describe kickboxing where full contact strikes were allowed like in Boxing with the addition of the Spinning BackFist and kicks from the waist up including striking the head. No jumping spinning kicks were/are allowed. The "planted foot" must remain on the ground when the "striking Foot" lands on the opponent. Of course one is not allowed to strikes at the opponent's back. Some organizations (the WKA:World Karate Association I believe) allowed the kicking of the back part of the opponent's legs (calf, back of thigh and so on).

Low Kick Kickboxing: A type of Kickboxing like Full Contact above with the addition of allowing to deliver Low Kicks to the side and back of the legs but not the front of the knees of the opponent.

Muay Thai or ThaiBoxing: A type of Kickboxing like Low Kick Kickboxing above with the permission to use elbows and knees to the opponent, along with allowing the fighter to grab the neck of the opponent when in the clinch. Headbutts were allowed, but for the most part they are forbidden now. I stand to be corrected on the headbutt issue by experienced ThaiBoxers in the Forum.

Hope this clears up the "contact" issues for you.

If I missed anything or have simply stated something wrong please correct me. I'm not a professional Kickboxer even thou I sparr with many of them.