What is legal where
Sixteen codes, one table. Every row is a question the rulebooks actually disagree on — there is no point listing techniques all of them permit. Select codes to narrow the comparison, or filter to only the rows where they diverge.
Comparing
Modern professional
Foundational codes
WAKO amateur
Adjacent traditions
Legend Permitted Permitted with limits Not permitted
Tap a cell for the caveat. Scroll the table sideways to reach every code.
| เค-วัน | GLORY | ONE | ญี่ปุ่น | ดัตช์ | ฟูลคอนแทค | โลว์คิก | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง | Light-Contact | WAKO Full | WAKO ล็อกคิก | WAKO K-1 | ซานด้า | ซาฟาท | Kyوكุชิน | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strikes | ||||||||||||||||
| Punches to the head | เค-วัน: Permitted | GLORY: Permitted | ONE: Permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Permitted | ดัตช์: Permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Permitted | โลว์คิก: Permitted | WAKO Full: Permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Permitted | WAKO K-1: Permitted | ซานด้า: Permitted | ซาฟาท: Permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Not permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted | ||
| Leg kicks to the thighThe single sharpest divide between codes. | เค-วัน: Permitted | GLORY: Permitted | ONE: Permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Permitted | ดัตช์: Permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Not permitted | โลว์คิก: Permitted | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง: Not permitted | Light-Contact: Not permitted | WAKO Full: Not permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Permitted | WAKO K-1: Permitted | ซานด้า: Permitted | ซาฟาท: Permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted |
| Knee strikes | เค-วัน: Permitted | GLORY: Permitted | ONE: Permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Permitted | ดัตช์: Permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Not permitted | โลว์คิก: Not permitted | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง: Not permitted | Light-Contact: Not permitted | WAKO Full: Not permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Not permitted | WAKO K-1: Permitted | ซาฟาท: Not permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted | ||
| Elbow strikesNo mainstream kickboxing code permits them — this is the clearest line between kickboxing and Muay Thai. | เค-วัน: Not permitted | GLORY: Not permitted | ONE: Not permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Not permitted | ดัตช์: Not permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Not permitted | โลว์คิก: Not permitted | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง: Not permitted | Light-Contact: Not permitted | WAKO Full: Not permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Not permitted | WAKO K-1: Not permitted | ซานด้า: Not permitted | ซาฟาท: Not permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Not permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Not permitted |
| Spinning attacks (backfist, back kick, hook kick) | เค-วัน: Permitted | GLORY: Permitted | ONE: Permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Permitted | ดัตช์: Permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Permitted | โลว์คิก: Permitted | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง: Permitted | Light-Contact: Permitted | WAKO Full: Permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Permitted | WAKO K-1: Permitted | ซานด้า: Permitted | ซาฟาท: Permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted |
| Kicking with the shinSavate requires the shoe to make contact. | เค-วัน: Permitted | GLORY: Permitted | ONE: Permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Permitted | ดัตช์: Permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Permitted | โลว์คิก: Permitted | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง: Permitted | Light-Contact: Permitted | WAKO Full: Permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Permitted | WAKO K-1: Permitted | ซานด้า: Permitted | ซาฟาท: Not permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted |
| Targets | ||||||||||||||||
| Any target below the waist | เค-วัน: Permitted | GLORY: Permitted | ONE: Permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Permitted | ดัตช์: Permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Not permitted | โลว์คิก: Permitted | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง: Not permitted | Light-Contact: Not permitted | WAKO Full: Not permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Permitted | WAKO K-1: Permitted | ซานด้า: Permitted | ซาฟาท: Permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted |
| Kicks to the head | เค-วัน: Permitted | GLORY: Permitted | ONE: Permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Permitted | ดัตช์: Permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Permitted | โลว์คิก: Permitted | WAKO Full: Permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Permitted | WAKO K-1: Permitted | ซานด้า: Permitted | ซาฟาท: Permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted | ||
| Grappling | ||||||||||||||||
| Clinch work | ฟูลคอนแทค: Not permitted | โลว์คิก: Not permitted | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง: Not permitted | Light-Contact: Not permitted | WAKO Full: Not permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Not permitted | ซานด้า: Permitted | ซาฟาท: Not permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Not permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted | ||||||
| Sweeps and catching a kick | GLORY: Not permitted | ONE: Permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Not permitted | ดัตช์: Permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Not permitted | โลว์คิก: Not permitted | WAKO Full: Not permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Not permitted | WAKO K-1: Not permitted | ซานด้า: Permitted | ซาฟาท: Not permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Not permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted | |||
| Throws and takedowns | เค-วัน: Not permitted | GLORY: Not permitted | ONE: Not permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Not permitted | ดัตช์: Not permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Not permitted | โลว์คิก: Not permitted | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง: Not permitted | Light-Contact: Not permitted | WAKO Full: Not permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Not permitted | WAKO K-1: Not permitted | ซานด้า: Permitted | ซาฟาท: Not permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Not permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted |
| Standing submissions | เค-วัน: Not permitted | GLORY: Not permitted | ONE: Not permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Not permitted | ดัตช์: Not permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Not permitted | โลว์คิก: Not permitted | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง: Not permitted | Light-Contact: Not permitted | WAKO Full: Not permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Not permitted | WAKO K-1: Not permitted | ซานด้า: Not permitted | ซาฟาท: Not permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Not permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted |
| Format | ||||||||||||||||
| Gloves worn | เค-วัน: Permitted | GLORY: Permitted | ONE: Permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Permitted | ดัตช์: Permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Permitted | โลว์คิก: Permitted | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง: Permitted | Light-Contact: Permitted | WAKO Full: Permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Permitted | WAKO K-1: Permitted | ซานด้า: Permitted | ซาฟาท: Permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Not permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted |
| Contested in a roped ring | เค-วัน: Permitted | GLORY: Permitted | ONE: Permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Permitted | ดัตช์: Permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Permitted | โลว์คิก: Permitted | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง: Not permitted | Light-Contact: Not permitted | WAKO Full: Permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Permitted | WAKO K-1: Permitted | ซานด้า: Not permitted | ซาฟาท: Permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Not permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted |
| Knockouts sought and permitted | เค-วัน: Permitted | GLORY: Permitted | ONE: Permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Permitted | ดัตช์: Permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Permitted | โลว์คิก: Permitted | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง: Not permitted | Light-Contact: Not permitted | WAKO Full: Permitted | WAKO ล็อกคิก: Permitted | WAKO K-1: Permitted | ซานด้า: Permitted | ซาฟาท: Permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted |
| Extension round settles a draw | เค-วัน: Permitted | GLORY: Permitted | ONE: Not permitted | ญี่ปุ่น: Permitted | ฟูลคอนแทค: Not permitted | โลว์คิก: Not permitted | พอยต์ไฟต์ติ้ง: Permitted | Light-Contact: Permitted | WAKO K-1: Permitted | ซานด้า: Not permitted | ซาฟาท: Not permitted | Kyوكุชิน: Permitted | ชูตบ็อกซิ่ง: Permitted | |||
Common questions
- Are elbows ever legal in kickboxing?
- No. No mainstream kickboxing ruleset permits elbow strikes. This is the clearest technical line between kickboxing and Muay Thai, and it is the reason a Muay Thai fighter moving to K-1 or GLORY rules has to rebuild their close-range game.
- Which kickboxing rules allow leg kicks?
- Most of them, but not all. K-1, GLORY, ONE, Japanese, Dutch, American low-kick, WAKO low-kick, WAKO K-1, Sanda, savate, Kyokushin and shootboxing all permit them. American full-contact and the WAKO full-contact, light-contact and point-fighting categories do not — those restrict every strike to above the waist.
- What is the difference between K-1 rules and GLORY rules?
- The legal techniques are effectively identical. The differences are in enforcement: GLORY separates the clinch faster and actively penalises passivity, which produces higher-volume fights than the K-1 bouts of the 1990s.
- Can you throw someone in a kickboxing match?
- Only under Sanda and shootboxing. Every other code either bans throws outright or permits a narrow sweep — typically catching a kick and dumping the opponent in the same motion, which several rulesets allow.
- Why can Kyokushin fighters not punch to the head?
- Because knockdown karate is fought bare-knuckle. Removing head punches is what makes full-power competition without gloves survivable. Kicks to the head remain legal, which is why the high kick and axe kick are such prized finishing techniques in that ruleset.