WAKO
WAKO - when it all started. The birth of the wild 70s.
What's the similarity between WAKO and a Big Mac? Both of them arrived Germany in the wild 70s. Admittedly, the Big Mac had a time advantage, because the first McDonald's restaurant opened in Munich in 1971. Only three years later, in 1974, finally, a solid set of rules for cross-martial martial arts was developed - the birth of the WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organization), Initially known as “Sportkarate”, the new name kickboxing was soon implemented.
In the meantime, 126 countries worldwide have joined WAKO, including WAKO Deutschland e.V. with its 15 national trade associations. The tasks of WAKO are very diverse and range from the conveyance of social values to the creation of a continuously perfect set of rules. The six disciplines admitted in Germany alone show that this is a thoroughly challenging task: Point Fighting, Light and Full Contact, Kick Light, Low Kick, K1 Style, and Freestyle. Each discipline has a comprehensive set of rules, protective equipment, and well-trained coaches. Everything united under the umbrella of WAKO.