brickshooter

I would not exclude high kicks in a fight. But I would use it to finish someone off rather than lead with it. This minimizes the risk I would take for using a high kick. I would hate to completely exclude any technique. They all have their uses. It is really a matter of time and place rather than the attack itself. For example, I do not practice foot stomps, nor ever seen one used in sparring. But on the street and in certain circumstances, I will use it.

My problem with Bunkai is that it is often taught by people who are very good at sparring and tournament, resulting in a lot of unreasonable explanations that makes me roll my eyeballs to the top if my head.

IMO, people unable to kick high should work hard at developing mid level kicks that can fold a person in half, and foot sweeps that throws a person on their back. You work with your strenght rather than try to catch up and be mediocre

New folks tend to try and kick with only their feet, using only their leg.

Like a punch, one should use one's body to start the motion. Whip one's shoulders, waist, and hips over. That should get the momentum going. Then the leg will follow with little effort.

Start with low round kicks at a knee target. Once the form is perfected, kick at the rib cage target. Once one is completely warmed, kick at a head target. They all use the same basic mechanics, just at different levels.

I want to see 2 vs 2 kumite. Watching it is pretty spectacular. Sorry i can't find any on youtube at the moment. But this is the points Karate I would like to see.

Rick Horton out of Florida looks like an amazing instructor. His knowledge is broad and deep, and he is an excellent communicator. Found him on youtube. LoL

I don't use a head kick that I cannot break 2 inches of wood with. And I have never been able to do it with a crescent kick. And I cannot recall ever seeing anyone doing it either. I think it's taught because it's a very easy kick to learn, and it helps with stretching. I have seen guys land it solid in competitive sparing and it barely stunned the other guy.

For me, head kicking is a finishing technique. It is slower and leaves me very vulnerable it if fails. I won't use a head kick that doesn't have knock out potential.

I have been practicing (Shotokan) karate for quite a while now, and my technique is quite solid (according to my instructor). However, I am just not able to spar. When someone comes in with an attack, I more or less freeze up, and fumble to block (and often cannot). My movements are jerky and tentative at best. I'm wondering if this is a mental block, because I can do the individual techniques, but when it comes to putting them together and sparring someone, I just cannot. Any ideas on how to get over this/how to get better at sparring? Thanks

You need to do more Ippon Kumite until where you can apply a technique (block) from reaction.

Personally, I would prefer Olympic MMA over Karate.

It depends on what schools you come out of. For example, if you come from the Shito-Shoto schools, you do a lot of straight punching. But if you come from the Goyu-Kyohushin schools, you do a lot of circular punching. Now why don't the Shito-Shotokan schools practice more versus round punching? Because it screws up their punching form. BTW, the Goyu-Kyokushin do practice straight punching as well. But alot of their punching is at close range, and it's where the circular hooks rule.

Some things can't be done on a heavy bag like a front kick. And some things can't be done on a makiwara such as punching at full power. The best training use both.

IMHO, in a couple of years, the Olympics will pick between TKD and Karate. There is no way that they will keep both because they are too similar to the common spectator.

Kyokushin knockdown rules absent face punching are pretty lame in my opinion. I hope that they adopt Daido Juku rules & equipment instead. This is by far the best spectator martial art to watch.

In highschool I had issues with a linebacker that outweighed me by about 60 pounds. I used a Judo footsweep after I wrist locked him. He threatenned to sue me the next day. For a football player, he didn't fall gracefully and threw out his back.

Will it work again? I dunno. But football players like going in only one ditlrection - forward. And they love to grab your arms and wrists if they can't grab you around the waist.

Neither would get a point from me because they both lack knock out power. To me they're both set up techniques rather than finishing techniques.

I started with TKD, then migrated to several Japanese styles. It was very obvious to me that these were cousin systems. Individual Techniques, kata, and even how classes were conducted. Warms ups, followed up with kihon, then kata, then kumite, in that order.

So despite what was taught in the dojangs re history, it is my opinion that TKD originated from Karate, Shotokan in particular.

Anyone watching MMA McGregor fights lately? Deep wide stances. Non telegraphing punches without cocking, using hip and shoulder whips to generate power. And dare I say it... as the commentator described, "piston" like punching.

What else does McGregor do? Well, he likes to use his lead hand to grab on to his opponent's lead hand for control. Sounds familiar? Karate techniques are alive and well in MMA. I won't go into the TKD kicks that he uses.

Something has been seriously bothering me lately and I've not been.able to put my finger on it until now. I shall start by asking fellow forum members this simple question:

"Where do you see the future of karate?"

I am talking about a specific style, I am more interested in the overall future of karate as a whole.

As I see it, now karate is practised as various peoples interpretation of how they were taught, Shotokan is Funakoshi interpreting his teachings by Itosu and Azato, Kyokushin is Mass Oyamas interpretation of what he learnt from Funakoshi (you can get the idea here).

Now to my concern, I am worried for the future of karate. There are people.out there who are happily making a merry buck from "teaching" what they understand or want to promote as karate and it is not good. There are too many people taking what they have been taught (often by "legitimate" instructors) and making a hash job of it into something else, something that isn't karate in order to promote themselves as something new, different and even better than what they were taught when, in fact, it is quite the obvious.

I know of the theory in karate reference the changing circle (can't remember the 3 word Japanese term of it), but surely there is only so much change there can be.

I foresee a future where the dojo/school evolves rather than Karate itself. The best school that I have seen offered traditional Karate, Judo, Jiu Jitsu and even Kendo. Some how they fitted everyone in. Even the traditional Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are filling their schedules by adding MT kickboxing and Judo.

However, no one is trying to teach a jack of all traits, master of none style. As a consumer this is what I want. Expertise rather than some Karate guy trying to teach a wrist lock. Or a BJJ guy trying to teach a throw.

I do not see Karate changing. Just the package offered to consumers changing.

Im right handed and spar leading with my left because I want knock out power at all times, and I cant generate that lower with my left.

I think that its easiest if explained this way - if a 75 kg man steps on a scale, how much does the scale say he weighs? 75kg.

Now if one were to ask him to bounce up and down to manipulate the scale, how much does the scale say he weighs? Between 50-100 kg.

That is the essense of manipulating ones weight. TKD, Karate, Western boxing, MT boxing, and even non-combative sports like Tennis and Baseball etc . all have their unique explanation on how to manipulate ones weight.

But thats all it is. The manipulation of body weight.

This is a pretty funny thread. As I recalled, green is when we put pads on people and get them into sparing. Then after getting punched in the face, roughly 1/2 stop showing up.

There are many stories and accounts of karateka who can punch or kick much harder than what a person of their size could be expected to be capable of doing.

What is the process that allows a small person to strike with such power? Training and applying proper body mechanics is certainly the key, but what are the limitations?

For example, how hard can a man weighing 150lbs/70kg for 5ft7 or 1meter68cm become able to hit? My sensei strikes like a freight train but is shorter than that, Bruce Lee also could hit quite hard for his size. How does it work? The theories are somewhat familiar but understanding it and actually beginning to apply it still escapes me.

There are two ways to generate kinetic energy. (1) weight transfer, and (2) body rotation. Most people do neither when they start training. Instead they try and "muscle" their arms and legs into the target. Many people learn the (2) body rotation after their instructors constantly yell at them to thrown their hips into their strikes. But most people fail to execute (1) the weight transfer.

Therefore you must find ways to manipulate your weight when you strike. Most people either (a) push off the ground, or (b) take a baby step before a strike. They are really the same thing, just explained differently. Katatekas usually favor (a) pushing off (which is why we are obsessed with not lifting the heel off the ground). Most Muay Thai boxers favor taking a baby step. Once you master this weight manipulation, you will be able to temporarily increase your weight from 150 lbs to 200lbs.

You can buy a protective head gear if you're apprehensive about head kicks.

Head gears are not allowed in kuokushin

I don't know kuokushin so may be very naive, but why!? Seems ludicrous to me? Sure in a real world situation you wont have pad on but in a real word situation are you likely to be attacked by another Karateka!? No.

How do kuokushin clubs get insurance? I assume a waiver is signed?

Seems like its very open to getting injured to me?

Tournaments bar headgears. Inside the dojos, you can wear almost anything you want as long as the instructor is ok with it.

IMO they both stink.

To this day, I still can't figure out why TKD required chest protectors. Now you have a lot of paddy cake kicks instead of those power kicks that used to fold people in half. It's painful to watch some of todays matches as competitors sometimes look like donkeys gone wild.

The real danger is your head hitting the ground if you black out, especially the back of your head.

That being said, it's actually difficult to hit a trained fighter with a head kick. Exception - Dan grades can do it regularly versus beginners. But they don't because it's poor etiquette it plus anger the head instructors since beginners tend to complain, complain, complain and eventually drop out after continuous abuse.

You can buy a protective head gear if you're apprehensive about head kicks. BTW, in tournaments your purpose is to KO the opponent, who is likely an evil stranger. During class sparing, you're really messing around with a friend. He/She isn't going to want to take your head off.