Emanon

Fair statement and good points. It makes a lot of sense to me. But I tend to view karate as a template, more or less. There are many ways. The toolbox is full and we choose our tools based on our preferences. I kind of prefer to be a bit like Choki Motobu personally. I tend to prefer striking and while I have a working knowledge of grappling and a bit of throws and takedowns, and I uses such things from kata, it is all only to open up the strike. I have come to the conclusion(for me) after many years that I no longer care as much about what "might have been." I wasn't there so I can't say for sure. Some claim that their teacher's, teacher's teacher's uncles best friend was there and it was passed down directly to there instructor but again I...me...myself, was not there so I now look at it as anyones guess. Even with the holy passed down writings. But that's just me and I've been at this a long time. I've grown tired Now...for me...the truth is in the training. I have the template and I fit it to my needs. If I'm teaching then it is made so that the student can eventually do the same. Principles of movement. Principles work many different ways. Thanks ....like I said...good stuff.

The word McDojo gets tossed around a great deal these days. Personally I remember a few years back that only really traditional dojo used to use the term referring to the business or commercial schools. These days everyone uses the term and oddly enough even the McDojo themselves use it! They have no clue and now the Mcdojo is calling other schools Mcdojo. I have to wonder what it all means. Surely we can look at many great masters from Okinawa and Japan teaching today and traveling the world giving seminars and producing DVD's etc. It's all about money. Some of them technically may have thousands of students worldwide. Who is more business than these supposed great masters? Descendent's of the founders. It's all business these days. I had a smile this morning while reading a timely post called "Farm Fresh Karate" on a new blog I have been visiting. https://outercirclekarate.blogspot.com It reminded me of this thread. This guy speaks my language...seriously.

I guess the immediate reaction for most is to look at the other school and their business tactics. But I tend to look at things a bit different, my focus is on the students. If they wish to leave and train at the easy dojo and look forward to a quick easy shodan then they aren't worthy students and I wouldn't want them in my dojo anyway. I guess this is why in old time Okinawa a perspective student had to get approval first and prove himself before being accepted. If they want to switch schools then they have no hope in being true karateka anyway so they did you a service. What if there were no gradings at all? What if there were only white belt and then black at your discretion and you just gave a student there belt when you saw fit. What if that was anywhere from 5 to 10 years? True karate spirit means "who cares?" As long as you are constantly improving on a daily basis physically as well as mentally in body and spirit as well as character then who cares about rank? If this type of dojo isn't to their liking then goodbye. The ones who stay will be the good students who want to learn and show true spirit. Do you need a belt or certificate to tell you what you know? Or is that belt and certificate not for you but for others? Is it a "look at me?" Especially in todays karate world where practically everyone has a black belt these days. Old men and woman who only started training a few years ago at an old age as well as kindergarten children (Babies) I don't think a black belt is anything to brag about anyway. In my opinion this is all silly modern karate politics and business ventures and it all kills true karate and what karate is all about.

Once again modern karate has blurred the publics vision of what karate is. Students are so used to going to class, warming up, practicing basics then practicing more basics this time while marching across the floor, then doing group kata followed by sparring, stretching and class is over. many establishments now get this all done in an hour! Then they spend their karate life wondering and searching the internet (HA! Years ago that luxury wasn't available) for answers to what the hell the kata are all about. The problem is that kata is being practiced separate from their karate practice when in reality it should BE the practice. Kata is being memorized rather than learned and it has become a performance. True kata practice should be the whole class working out applications and practicing against a resisting opponent. A kata shouldn't even be learned until the techniques of the kata have been practiced and applied against an opponent over and over for months and finally ingrained into muscle memory and become automatic. Thats is true kihon (basics) Then once those things are absorbed then a kata is taught and now the student has no question about what the kata is because he recognizes all of it from prior practice. The kata is the class and the "solo" kata is only homework/notes to be taken home for reference and practice of technique and principles. Simple

It's hard to judge what went down between you and him without seeing it. You may say he is a Muay Thai practitioner and he may also refer to himself as such but without actually seeing him in action we know nothing. He may be good or terrible, experience or not very. You may say and think he is great but others may not. Hard to say. With that said and from my own experience lets assume he is really good. Then he may have been just play fighting with you. Going against the typical Shotokan stylist isn't so easy for the skilled Muay Thai, kick boxer, MMA fighter etc. The reason is that they don't want to hurt the less skilled practitioner. It's sort of like sensei sparring with a white belt. Some techniques he has to let slide by because to deal with it he's have to hurt you. If leg kicks were tough then imagine them if he were fighting you for real! You mentioned him having a hard time with backfists. Well, as a Shotokan stylist myself for over 30 years I never understood a backfist. I don't point spar so I don't use it. The typical backfist to the face followed by a reverse punch to the midsection...to me...is silly. I have trained in kickboxing and Muay Thai to a degree as well as MMA and when I mess around sparring with Shotokan practitioners they "get me" (in their mind) with backfists all the time. However that is because to me, it is meaningless. If you come from a full contact background then unless the technique is a danger then I let it go. A backfist is like an annoying fly buzzing around. Eventually you get fed up and just swat it! Many modern karate stylists who point spar always think they are doing a lot while the full contact guy is just trying to figure it all out. All the dancing and bouncing and multiple kicks and punches, fakes and half contact strikes and the full contact guy just moves around confused and trying not to hurt him. But at any give time it could just be "whack!" Done! Just a thought from an old man who played on both sides of the fence

I believe headbutts are a great tool. I see there are those who warn of the dangers of injury and I can see that...I don't really disagree. However, like I said, it's a great "tool." I'm not saying (and I'm sure Mr. Armstrong isn't either) that is the go too choice for defense. But it is a great tool to have in your toolbox and in certain situations it is perfect and quicker/more unexpected than anything else. Pulling a face/head down into your knee strike is great too but have you ever gotten teeth stuck in your knee? That isn't fun either. I broke my foot on someones face in the street once. I'm sure you get what I'm saying Stuff happens...we hope for the best. But at the time we have to tie our chances sometimes and a headbutt may save your life. When in danger of loosing it I can't stop and think that I might hurt my head! Everything has its moments. Self defense has no guarantees.

It's nobody's business so I won't get into it but I too am from the streets and it wasn't a good place were I grew up...that's all I'll say. But as far as respect in and out of a dojo? I don't get the point of the OP's views. He isn't alone however because it seems many these days have a skewed view of karate. When you have choices you choose what fits you best. Don't choose something that doesn't suit you then complain about it. In other words...let's take this forum or any other as a small example. Maybe you have a cell phone and text with people all the time. On your phone you can say whatever you please. On a forum you can't as there are rules. You can complain about that all you want but the fact of the matter is that a forum is "it's own thing." It is designed a certain way for a purpose and if it's not for you then go someplace else. You have choices. People do the same thing with karate. "karate would be better if it were more like boxing or this or that." What? It is what it is....if you like boxing then do that. If you want your karate to be more like whatever, then create your own system and call it something else. Karate is it's own package and what it comes with is what makes it work. Remove something and it becomes something different. Sometimes the message is in doing things we don't like. That is where we find out what we are made of. Worrying about what others think of us means we still have more in life to learn. If I like and respect someone I show it however I choose wherever I choose without concern for who is looking or what they think whether its a fist bump, a shake a hug or a bow. That's my business and screw whatever anyone thinks. I had street codes to live by also and have had friends killed over such silly things. Today, due to my training and respect I understand those things and can still carry myself through bad areas, but don't have to follow such codes because once again....there is nothing I have to prove. But karate is what it is and if its not to your liking because of certain things then maybe it's just not your thing? I do agree however that a lot of it has gone too far. Most of it is pretty new with all the respect and bowing and karate uniforms etc. This was started by Japan not Okinawa so it's fairly new. Okinawan karate at its start wasn't like it is now with all the demi gods and the over respect. A lot of it goes overboard. Respect is good...subservience and butt kissing is not. I never demanded that from my students and felt we were equals. I may bow to them first. And usually out of the dojo I would tell them to stop....but they never listened...lol. You don't have to call me sensei out here..."oh..ok...sorry sensei." Geez!

Hi all, first post here. Hopefully I won't insult anyone as that isn't my intention. But I have seen this video already on YouTube and it is kind of what led me here (somehow by googling related things and Patrick McCarthy a link to here came up). First off let me say how much I enjoyed the video and the techniques and my respect for Patrick McCarthy and his work. That said, I guess it's one of those "agree to disagree" type of situations for me. I tend to view karate as self defense and as a striking art. The defenses shown in the clip are quite interesting; however, if that type of self defense were my interest I'd enroll in a grappling style school or MMA. I can see the connection drawn from Bubishi drawings and some of the MMA and other fights depicted but I have to liken that to looking at clouds and seeing a horse or a face. (sorry but I borrowed that analogy from a book I recently read). But to me it makes sense. Seeing it in a kata doesn't mean that's what it is. Come to think of it there are many techniques that appear as if the practitioner is holding a gun!! What does that mean? What it looks like? Hmmm...doubtful. It's interesting, (and I just posted this somewhere else....not on this forum) that I just finished reading a blog post I found interesting that pertained to similar thoughts here https://outercirclekarate.blogspot.com. Actually it was his book where I got that quote. The book wasn't great by any stretch but I had to agree with 90% of it. Anyway, Like I said, I'm not trying to stir anyone up as I love digging into kata and defenses, but I kind of hold a different view I guess. And after all how else do we learn? By everyone agreeing? Looking at all sides (imo) is a good thing.