Kickboxing

Female kickboxers will wear a tank top and chest protection in addition to the male clothing/protective gear. In European kickboxing, where kicks to the thigh are allowed using special low-kick rules, use of boxing shorts instead of long trousers is possible.

Kickboxing usually is full contact but amateur rules often allow less experienced competitors to use light or semi-contact rules, where the intention is to score points by executing successful strikes past the opponent's guard, and use of force is regulated.

Kickboxing usually refers to one of the following kickboxing styles: American, Japanese or European-style:

American Style Kickboxing

American Style Kickboxing rules apply to both American Kickboxing and Australian Full Contact Karate. The boxers are allowed to strike with their fists and feet, but only above the hip. Elbow strikes and kneeing is not allowed in American Style of kickboxing, but the shins are allowed only in some competitions. Bouts commonly are 3 to 12 rounds of about 2 -3 minutes each with 1 minute in between.

European Style KickBoxing

European style kickboxing originated from Muay Thai and Japanese kickboxing and evolved into three different disciplines: semi-contact, light (or medium) contact and full contact. Bouts are five rounds, of 3 minutes each. Punches and kicks are allowed to the front and side of the head, the front and side of the body (above waist) and sweeping is also allowed. Striking with elbows and knees is forbidden. Some amount of neck-wrestling is allowed but throws and head-butts are forbidden.

Japanese Kickboxing

Japanese kickboxing closely resembles Muay Thai kickboxing, except for some minor differences in the rules: interval between two rounds takes only one minute in kickboxing (as in English boxing) and punching is worth less points in Muay Thai as compared to kicking. As in Muay Thai, the competitors are allowed to strike using their elbows and knees. Kicking in the lower half of the body is allowed other than the groin. Neck-wrestling is allowed, but head butts and throws have been banned since 1966 to increase boxer's safety.

The term 'kickboxing' is something used generically to refer to all types of boxing where at least four points of contact are allowed (fists and feet, plus additionally sometimes, knees, elbows, less frequently also forehead). In the strict sense of the term 'kickboxing' refers to the sport similar to Muay Thai but with no kicks below the belt and no strikes with knees and elbows. The following styles are independent sports, which are sometimes referred to under the umbrella term 'kickboxing':

4 points of contact:
- Savate (French kickboxing) - fists and feet, but allows the use of shoes.

8 points of contact:
- Muay Thai (Thai boxing) - Traditional Thai martial art of which has now grown into a popular kickboxing event with strong emphasis on knee and elbow strikes.

- Yaw Yan (Filipino kickboxing) - see further

- Pradal Serey (Khmer "Cambodian" kickboxing) - Possible predecessor of Muay Thai with an emphasis on elbow techniques.

- Gwon-gyokdo or Kun Gek Do (Korean kickboxing), a mix between Muay Thai and Tae Kwon Do.

- Muay Lai (Laos boxing), also knows as Muay "Seur Lark Haaung" as the movements are like "a tiger moving while dragging its tail"....

9 points of contact:
- Adithada (Indian kickboxing) - A form of kickboxing that uses knee, elbow and forehead strikes.

- Lethwei (Burmese kickboxing) - Traditional Burmese martial arts of which has now grown into a popular kickboxing event with strong emphasis on knee, elbow strikes and headbutt. Any part of the body may be used to strike and be struck. It is also known as Bando kickboxing.

- Muay Boran (Ancient Boxing) - Predecessor of Muay Thai, allows the use of headbutts.

Including takedowns, throws and/or grappling/submission:
- Sanshou (Sanda) (Chinese kickboxing) - The applicable component of wushu/kung fu of which takedowns and throws are legal in competition as well as all other sorts of striking (use of arms and legs).

- Shoot boxing, also known as "standing vale tudo" is a Japanese form of kickboxing which allows throwing and submission while standing, similar to Sanshou.

- Yaw-Yan (Filipino kickboxing) - Sayaw ng Kamatayan (Dance of Death) is the proper name for Yaw-Yan, a Filipino martial art developed by Napoleon Fernandez. The art resembles Muay Thai in a sense, but differs in the hip torquing motion as well as downward-cutting of its kicks. Yaw-yan also differs from Muay Thai because its practitioners can deliver their attacks from long range.