How could the Crane Kick in Karate Kid be illegal if there are multiple kicks to the head in the whole tournament (even at least one winning kick from Johnny)? The Crane Kick was 100% legal within the rules of the All-Valley Tournament.
So no, Daniel's kick was not an illegal move, even if Cobra Kai sort of seems to treat it as if it was (as the show is clearly buying into the fan debate over the years, but as I wrote recently, the show also retconned some of Johnny's tournament history past, as well, so it's not always the best authority on the ...
The crane kick is a fictionalized version of the Mae tobi geri (Japanese: 前飛蹴). The move was created by Daryll Vidal for the classic film The Karate Kid (1984). The move is taught by the character Mr. Miyagi to Daniel LaRusso and eventually used in the final scene with his arch rival Johnny Lawrence.
I do Kyokushin, a full-contact karate style, and yes, kicks to the face are very much allowed in that. Junior kyokushin competitions usually use head gear and kicks to the head have to be controlled (light contact). A KO through a kick to the head in a junior competition leads to a disqualification.
b) ILLEGAL TECHNIQUES: Head butts, hair pulls, bites, scratches, elbows, knees, eye attacks of any kind, take downs on a hard surface floor, ground fighting on a hard surface, any stomps or kicks to the head of a downed competitor, slapping, grabbing for more than one second, uncontrolled blind techniques, any ...
Was the crane kick illegal as claimed in Cobra Kai? (Feat. a response from Ralph Macchio) - Part 1
What is not allowed in karate?
Grabbing the opponents arm or karate-GI with one hand without immediately attempting a scoring technique or takedown. 9. Techniques, which by their nature, cannot be controlled for the safety of the opponent and dangerous and uncontrolled attacks.
It is important to note that sweeps do not make it legal to kick the legs. A sweep must be deemed proper sweep and not a kick, to be legal. A competitor may grab the uniform top of his/her opponent in an attempt to score.
The kick, which is legal, has been a controversial one for some time. It is a technique that former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has become somewhat infamous for using. In 2013, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson let his thoughts be known about the kick after a loss to Jones.
The actor joked that he is not as flexible and revealed that there was no stunt performer used. Read Macchio's comments about bringing back the crane kick below: "It took a little more work getting off the ground that quickly, you're not nearly as pliable as you are 38 years ago.
Popular with both fans of the beloved 1984 The Karate Kid and a new generation who want to follow the karate drama, Cobra Kai is now a well-known name of a fictional type of karate practiced in The Karate Kid movie franchise and Cobra Kai series.
Fortunately, an acrobatic martial artist named Darryl Vidal figured out how to make it work. Vidal appeared as one of Johnny Lawrence's semifinal opponents in The Karate Kid and doubled for Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi on the log at the beach when Daniel-san sees the technique silhouetted in the distance.
The Crane Kick used as a training technique can also be very effective. The single leg stance increases the strength and endurance of the legs. The springing and jumping motion into the kick offers a plyometric exercise to improve the explosiveness of a Mae-Geri or Tobi-Geri.
Johnny lunges toward Daniel, who jumps and executes a front kick to Johnny's face, scoring the winning point and becoming the new champion. Having gained newfound respect for his nemesis, Johnny presents the trophy to Daniel himself, as an enthusiastic crowd carries Daniel while Miyagi looks on proudly.
Based on the real-life rules (via the USA National Karate-do Federation), it does seem that the move was illegal — but not because Johnny was hit in the face. Strikes to the face and front kicks are actually permitted according to these rules, as long as the strike isn't open palmed.
In some tournaments you are allowed…but these, without exception are fought with glowes on. Kyokushin is the only style that bans punching the face, but also fights bareknuckle… being punched in the face bareknuckle can severly destroy your face. Most dojos allow for headpunching when sparring, but only with glowes on.
Karate is primarily a striking art, with punching, kicking, knee/elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques. There are many different styles of kung fu, but it usually features circular, fluid movements and moves that mimic the attacks of animals.
Such strikes can lead to catastrophic injuries, including paralysis, severe brain damage, or death, due to the vulnerability of the back of the head and neck area. The only exceptions are no-holds-barred events such as the International Vale Tudo Championship (prior to rule changes in mid-2012).
The primary justification for banning 12–6 strikes was the damage that could result from such a strike on the orbital bone, and the potential for spinal injuries if 12–6 elbows were used in certain positions, due to size differences between fighters. This was before weight classes were standardised.
The average Fpeak values with palm strikes and elbow strikes were approximately 1000 N higher than those by straight punches. In the complete dataset that included extreme values, the highest strike force measured was for the elbow strike (13,188.2 N) and next for the palm strike (9804.2 N).
In Karate Combat, takedowns are indeed allowed, and they add an intriguing dimension to the matches. Practitioners are permitted to execute takedowns to bring their opponents to the ground, showcasing their skill and strategy in close combat situations.
