Beer-monster

Its all true. The secrets of old karate are kept in the kata. Most of the bunkai (which include throws, joint lock chokes and some rudimentary ground fighting) of the kata are designed to defend against such pushes, grabs and haymakers expected by an untrained fighter. However old karate did include hook punches and uppercuts (it is the modern styles such as Wado-ryu and Shotokan that ignore the hooks in basic traing (although Kirves makes it sound that this is not so in Kyokoshin , is that true?). The reason for this is that the fundamental principle in karate defence is what in our dojo we call one-hit/one-kill. Now do not misunderstand me this is not some secret flick 'em and they, die dim mak garbage. It simply means that each technique aims to end the fight in that one move (whether it be a single punch or a combination). A tried and tested knowckout technique which is popular amongst todays modern bouncers and doormen, is the rear hook to the jaw. Whack 'em hard and clean there and its lights out (the brain gets rattled in the head and the jaw bone is driven in to the nerves). Trust me it works. And so such techniques are contained in the kata (Pinan Godan for one in the first 3 moves). However such kata techniques are less likely to work against a trained fighter (unless you can surprise them or have good timing) without modification. But the core techniques of karate the kicks and punches will work (as Kyokushin well know) but not as they do in kata, or as they are trained in lines. The problem with karate is that the style that the techniques are performed are well know, and often expected by a clever fighter. I applaud styles such as Kyokushin that has adapted to match with the other styles through hard training. Maybe the rest of the Karate-do styles will learn soon. However, why do we need to? The only real reason to learn how to fight and hold your own against trained opponents is for competitions like K-1 and UFC. But if these do not intrest you, then karate as it stand is fine (provided you understand you kata). Unfortunately this means swallowing our pride when we watch more and more karateka get pummeled by grapplers and have them wave it in our faces.

The essence of karate blocking is not the whole movement but the sharp twist of the forearm at the end. This teaches you to bat aside punches and deflect rather than whack them aside like you would expect. With high handed guard this deflection and taisabkai should get you through. Do not attempt the full traditional kihon block. Low kicks, as it was said shin blocks are the best idea. If you can you could use a modified mae geri to jam the jeg as it rises or turns (but it takes alot of skill, timing and practise to pull of). If there is enough distance and warning, a body evasion will avoid most Mae geri and yoko geri, and may take some of the force out of the mawashi, but once again hard to pull off. In the street however, your typical untrained skinhead will come at you with some sort of foot ball volley (ie the will swing the leg upwards in a wild, rising arc as if to cleeve through your groin) these are the kicks you should be traing for. A side step with a swing to the hips usually take care of that.

Who's to say you wont. No one has tried. But to find a solution one must understand the p-roblem, which requires cross training.

Know your enemy, know yourself, and you will never fear defeat in 1000 battles. Point is, studying BJJ makes no one a traitor. You must know how to grapple if you want to counter grapple.

Kempo is a stand up art very much like karate. Karate was actually kalled kempo jutsu in the days before Funakoshi. You have a point, we'd have to learn grappling to know how to beat it. BUt it doesn't mean we have to grapple to do it. They are wrong, I wouldn't want to go against the gracies at any point no matter how much I trained. But I'm sure karate is not down for the count yet, and grappling is not the be all and end all, it aint the ultimate art as the ultimate art doesn't exist. Style does matter but in a fighter, it is talent and dedication.Any tool is useless in the hands of a person who doesn't know how to make it work. Beside that aren't we all digressing.

Suki nage. Good throw, but how did you apply it. It kind of hard to get into with someone swinging, also how did you avoid being pulled down too.

fair enough

While we're Pinan Godan I got another one, just remembered it. First three movements. At some point in the fight grab the opponents hand (eg after blocking a punch) perform a hikite and step to the outside flanks. In neko ashi dachi (a short defesive stance) grab a handful of their hair and yank on it using the soto uke motion (or uchi uke depending on your style, y'know the block in the 1st movement). This will open a line to jaw for you to slam in the hook punch (2nd move). Then pulling them by the hair lower them to your waist and bring the arm across to wham on the choke. 10 seconds later and night night. Howz that one?

If they can ask them to prove it Shotokan. But I do think Kirves is wrong, no one may beat a BJJ fighter yet. But eventually a karateka will get off his backside and do it. Where there's a will there's a way. I'm sure karate can beat BJJ, no one thought it up yet.

If by the low spear hand you mean the last moves of the godan kata, I know something similar. Its a throw called suki nage (scoop throw) The low high hand seizes hold of the lapels or some other convenient grip depending on the while the low hand grabs the back of the thigh (or depending on the amount of pain you want to cause, the groin) You then drop your height and push down with the high hand on pull up with the low hand, scooping the guy up and dropping him like a sack of spuds. A thows that works well close in, especially if you can duck and shoot in beneath a guys punch combos (who says karate doesn't have good takedowns?) but it hard to avoid being pulled down to. The drop to the lower stance emphasises dropping your weight as you thow, to slam him down. Try not to just pick him up and let him drop wrestler style. What do you think?

It will happened one day fire ka, calm down. The martial arts philosophy proves it, but lets not all get big head and say we're invinsible.

Yes someone already mentioned that one. It is a perfect hip or shoulder throw. Either a modified tsuri komi goshi, or kotomo/ippon seoi nage. Any for pinan godan, that ones kind of confusing

I personally find that your gari and gaki throws will works in most situations. And tai-otoshi and seoi-otoshi are great from haymaker. But what about your kote gaeshi throws, my school likes to emphasise such techniques (and most wrist locks) hwo are they for combat effectiveness.

I don't know the name of the stance but we start low, with knees bent but heels together kind of charlie chaplin style. Then rise to a full stand before dropping into the elbow blocks. The heels together is impotant for o-goshi as if the opponents slips and your legs arnet together but splayed, he could land on your knee. owch! Tai otoshi as we practise it is a fash and flowing throw which whips the opponents in a circle about you. The actual move in the kata is kind of sketchy as there are flaws. After the nukite strike you put your hand behind your back and step right around to perform a gedan barai. However my teacher always stressed that when you step around it was important to land in line with where you already were, a linear movement. This is also what my JJ sensei says about tai-otoshi so thats was made it twig. After the nukite strike, imagine grabbing the opponent with the striking arm at the shoulder and gap his wrist/sleeve with the other arm. Pull him close (but not to close, about an elbows worth of space between your chests) and step round as in the kata. This is where my bunkai is flawed as in the kata you are in horse stance but in the throw it is better to be in zenkutsu-datchi. Your step shoould pull him around you, but your out strecthed back leg (in the zenkutsu datchi) stop his own legs and you pull him over dropping him with a snap (as emphasised by the gedan barai). Tai otoshi means body drop, you should find an illustration somewhere on the net but it is likely to be the shorter judo version. But should help you picture it. When practising the throw, lift you heel up and pointing to the ceiling, with your knees turned downwards to avoid snapping it if he lands on it. This should come with practise and a large pivot of the hip in the throw. The kata then gives you an alternative throw for similar occasions (o-goshi). Hope you can picture this to. And where in the NW of England fo you the association I practise Jiu-jitsu with (The Jitsu Foundation) arer all over the UK, particularly at the universities. Hope that helps. And anyone else got any more Pinan Bunkai. Perhaps the arm and shoulder lock at the start of Pinan Shodan?

The step and flow techniques is commonly reffered to as Tai-sabaki and is used alot in jiu-jitsu and Aikido. My recent studies in jiu-jitsu have improved my understand of karate, fist by using taisabaki in defenses and by showing me armlocks and such that could be found in kata. As for the twist you desribed reketsu, definately o-goshi. The punch motion with the ki-ai can also be interpreted as a grab at the opponets waist under the arm (used in the throw). The twist then pull them forwards and your low stance (forget name) put you beneath their centre of gravity. The heels together posture is important in this throw. Your hands on hips shows that your grabbing arm pulls them arose ytour him, while your other arm pulls their free arm of clothing around to twist them. The standing motion powers them from the floor and makes the drop higher (not reccomened on fat people). The arms lock I already decsribed as the elbow block can be used as a finish. Hope I made that clear its hard to describe without a picture. You can also find the tai otoshi throw in this kata.

Sorry fireka they're right. However Don't stop trying. Perhaps there is a way to beat BJJ using karate (hasn't been found yet but doesn't mean its not there), hwoever iut will take a lot of blood, sweat, tears, pain and training to find it.

Sprawl? No one who does karate, would in their right mind use traditional blocks. The movements I use are a combo of tight cover and fast parries (more WC that karate). Kicks are only chambered high, low kicks just snap out (except stomps). Kata aren't a do as guide. They show the core movements of techniques but things such as stances and blocks are not what they seem. But anyway you are right. It would take alot of modification for a karateka to take on an experienced grappler. However the shoot is the signature takedown in these tournaments (and the one karateka usually fall for) so I just wanted to know if a karateka would last much l;onger if we could defend the sprawl (perhaps with out taking it to the mat?)

We start sitting down and back to back usually, but not always. Seoi nage is good, but Seoi otoshi works better for the small people IMO, but I like Harai Goshi.

Is there no way to do both? Besides some people like the art yet still ignore the Japanese arts.

Makes sense thanks, any techniques I should try that require less weight?

Okay same movements. Although in my style they are done in kiba-datchi. Horse stances are the kata way of telling you that the force of the movement should be projected downwards. Like in an armlock? IF your wrist is grabbed or you can grab the opponents arm from a puch (any movement that has you grabbing the opponents arms), twist your body as you pull the arm to your rear hip, twisting it so their arms points up. With your front arm wrapped over the arm and your extended elbow and forearm across their elbow joint you drop your weight and apply pressure on the elbow as you pull the capturedcwrist upwards, bending the arm painfully. With enough force and a jerking motion you can snap the arm. Then a hammerfist to finish or to whack the guy with if the lock fails. A useful technique (but the lock need practise if to be applied quickly, even though it is quite a simple technique) and one that is not reliant on 'the opponent does this' or 'i'm doing that'. Well hope you like it. What do you all think?

My Jiu-jitsu club has started putting more emphasis on ground fighting practise and ne-waza after a sensei change. Our new teacher is also an accomplished judoka. However I'm terrible at ground fighting because of my size and lack of strength (I haven't the weight to hold anyone down and its hard trying to avoid being held or to put on the VERY VERY few locks I know). What are the best tactics for a small person to use in grappling (at the moment I'm trying to get them in my guard but have troubles progressing from there.) Thanks for anyone that can help.

Could you describe the technique, I and other may know it by a different name eg Dyaku.

Care to give a bunkai yourself all knowing Tommarker.

Traing in martial arts differ from place to place and dojo to dojo. I wished I did more sparring, but I find places and people where I can. My jiu-jitsu club uses V's and Circles to learn how to takes on series of attackers and how to dehabilitate after the first attack. Tradition can be a good thing. I like kata, and I love the whole "Sensei ni rei", bit because it makes me feel like I'm part of something, part of a style. Thats somethings that can't be ignored.