Sauzin

In our system, the kata we practice is directly applicable to the street. Move by move if necessary with minimal or no changes. Bunkai is important as it shows you how to perform the techniques relative to an opponent. However if you are practicing movements in kata that don't work on the street unless they are heavily modified, you are practicing kata incorrectly, in my opinion. Good kata don't just enhance speed and focus. Line dancing could do that if that is all you were looking for. Even sanchin works very well with very little modification. Especially Ueichi sanchin, where every move counters and redirects attacks and every turn throws or disables an opponent. Of course bunkai and kata offer different things, but the moves don't have to be.

To really prevent violence, you must learn everything about it. This includes knowing and facing the violent potential within yourself. Some people meet this in the dojo, others meet it elsewhere in life. But knowing it is the first step to truly controlling it. Congratulation on taking an important step forward in your art.

OK I'd really boil it down to three points. The first is that it is generally considered a dishonor to yourself and your teacher to use what you've been taught in a martial art for any other reason then self defense or the defense of the physical well being of the helpless. I think you know this. The second is that someone that really knows fighting, I mean really understands it, knows what they're risking. Put the self respect aside, you don't want to go to jail do you? You don't want to have your leg broken do you? You don't want your girlfriend to get hurt do you? Then why risk it? Honor isn't about about giving into your temper by using chivalry as an excuse. Honor is not risking her life, your life, and the attackers life if you can help it. That's honor, and to do that you shouldn't have thrown that kick, which also I think you know. The third is that you're not going to get validation from us for what you did. It's not something that everyone has done and it's not accepted by any legit martial arts community. It seems that you feel bad about it, that good. I suggest you keep it that way. One more thing, from a purely technical perspective. A hook kick on the street?!? You're a very, very lucky man. Thank your friends when you get a chance. They did you a big favor in more ways then one.

I have a slightly different view then Meguro does. Karate is more then just self defense, it's a specific means of self mastery for the purpose of self defense and there is a difference. But the purpose of it's design is self defense, though the means often yields other benefits. There are many different styles and there are many different teachers of karate with many different philosophies. But I'll tell you this. Karate was birthed in Okinawa and I've been there and seen the dojo's and the mindsets and training mannerisms that are found there. They are single minded in their devotion to the perfection of fighting skill. Not play fighting, or any manner of controlled confrontation. They conditioned their bodies, their minds, and their souls for life and death fighting. They honed and perfected their responses. Everything they did, every moment they spent in their dojo, directly related to fighting. Nothing was wasted. They were purists and trained for the sole purpose of being the most capable fighters in the world. This permanently affected how I view what they called "kara te do" and in my mind I see no reason nor fear to say anything other then karate is the art of self defense through self mastery. If you stick with it and give it the devotion that it deserves and you have a capable and legit instructor you will not only be able to defend yourself in almost any circumstance from almost any opponent but you will intimately know for yourself what a human can and cannot do in a fight. That is something that all the research and forum reading in the world will never get you. You have to go out and experience it for yourself to get it.

You have a legit question and from my perspective there's a short and a not so short answer. Your short answer is: Yes, it is extremely effective on the street. That is what it was created for. Your not so short answer has been discussed many, many times on various threads throughout the forum. Questions like; How effective is it? Is it effective against other arts like ones that grapple? What about the UFC? Why doesn't traditional karate do well there? Has anyone ever used it on the street? How much of the effectiveness is dependent on the instructor? What is a Mcdojo and how do I avoid it? These questions have all been asked and if you do a search on them after you do some reading you will find many answers. But when you are all done what you really will have is a bunch of opinions and a few facts that only raise more questions. My suggestion is that you look for a quality instructor teaching more then just generic "American Karate". Ask him specifically what art he practices (Goju-ryu, Shorin-ryu, Okinawan Kenpo, Ueichi-ryu, Shotokan, Issin-ryu for example) and if it is a type of karate ask him if he can trace his lineage to Okinawa. If it's a Kung fu, ask him if he can trace it back to China. If it's a Korean or Japanese art, ask the same. If he can provide you with a direct lineage then give him a chance, most dojo's offer a intro week or two for free. Ask him questions about effectiveness and watch him demonstrate and then make up you're own mind. But if you're going to judge something you need to get these things from the horse's mouth, via personal experience. All the opinions and explaining in the world will mean nothing otherwise.

Google and Jon Sells Unate are probably some of you're best resources, though I have to say, in my mind, lineage is one of the most important questions you can ask, and it's worth taking the time to ask it.

Seikichi Odo was a small 4' 1" man who barely tipped the scales to 80lbs. He lived on Okinwawa, an island that comprises of about 40% US military bases. Odo worked as an air conditioner repair man on base and was always friendly and very nondescript. On one fine rainy day, Odo was walking with a couple of his students on base across an area where several marines were pitching tents in the mud. The mud in Okinwawa consists largely of clay and limestone with coral and it is quite a chore to pitch a tent in it. One young marine was going around the outside of the tent placing spikes in the ground so that two other marines could painstakingly over several strikes, knock each spike in with a large John Henry sized mallet. As Odo and his students were crossing the area Odo accidentally knocked over one of the spikes that had been strategically placed. The marine who was about to hammer it in threw his mallet down and began to yell at Odo, cursing the clumsy old man. Odo relatively apologized saying in broken English "sorry, please, very sorry". The marine demanded that he bend down and place the spike back in it's original position. Odo bend down on one knee and stood the spike back up, then knocked it completely into the ground with one tremendously powerful shoto. The marine gasped and didn't say another word. Odo got up, apologized again, and left with his very amused students.

I think you did the right thing. It's better safe then sorry and in my view if there's a serious chance you're going to get hurt too badly to complete the matches then you shouldn't be starting them. It really doesn't do any good to get into the politics of tournaments. They are organized the way they are organized and in most circumstances the people responsible aren't very open to suggestions (that's been my experiance anyway). Both you and you're students learned a lot from the competition and performed your arts with integrity which in traditional arts is really where the prize lies. Our arts weren't meant to bring home trophies.

Um let me add a step .5 and perhaps a step .75. Find a good sai before you start beating a post with it. I keep telling people these production $20-30 sai out there are not made for contact. One little imperfection in the mold or a bubble in the alloy and the thing will snap. It's not safe. On top of this productions sai all have a nub in the center or round moto. This makes it harder to get the thumb in the correct position and makes it more likely that it will slip if it is, possibly injuring yourself, especially if you are working against a bo. So my suggestion, before you do any kind of impact work, is get a good shureido, murasaki kobudo, or agina energy sai. If I were to add a step .75 it would be to find someone who does know sai and pick up tips in person from them. You don't have to go to another teacher per say, just find someone with some legit kobudo experience and ask them questions. It will really help you out long term.

Sure it's called "taisabaki" and it's everywhere in kata.

Sure let me provide some references... http://www.angelfire.com/ego/narcissism/ This is a great article that details how narcissism can develop as a result of insecurities of the ego. This goes to my point that hard training rids you of some of these insecurities thus removing excessive pride which is viewed as a narcissistic trait. http://samvak.tripod.com/faq50.html A fantastic article by Dr. Sam Vaknin which details the finding that narcissism is the effect of a "False self" which supports my thesis that knowing ones true potential establishes a better sense of ones "true self" and as a result combats narcissism and/or an over abundance of pride. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3752/is_200003/ai_n8902781 This article goes into detail on the development of the ego and how it is relative. This article also goes to support my statement that a prominent example of humility affects one's development. I think you misinterpreted my second point. When the teacher "demonstrates" it often involves putting a overconfident student on his rear end. That or performing a technique at a level far enough above the student to where he is forced to recognize his deficiencies. Like I said, it's all relative. Now you are correct there are no studies that prove that what is done in a traditional classroom encourages a person to be humble. It is as they say, in the world of psychology there is little proven. But the theories are sound.

What Shorin-ryu sensei says is fundamentally correct. Anyone who really knows fighting will not be phased by visual tricks used as intimidations. In fact most people with real world fighting experience dream of the day that someone who thinks they know "karaty" decides to try the stuff they see on tv in a fight. Because they know it doesn't work, they've been there. Maybe they've tried it and seen it fail or maybe having been in 20 fights they just understand the basics of what works and what doesn't. Either way any experienced fighter who sees someone do a "trick" knows that's his moment of opportunity to wail on you. It's like sending up a big red flag to them asking to be hit. And they won't hesitate, not for a second. Now yea, it might back up a guy with little or no experience or who has watched too much TV but why train for the lowest common denominator? Why spend hours and hours working on flash that will only work on the least capable opponents? Why not optimize your training for the worst case scenario. That way if anything less occurs you'll be pleasantly surprised, and prepared either way.

Let me repeat what Andrew Green said here. A weapon kata is not simply an empty hand kata with specific substitutions like a overhead strike where a punch would be. There's a lot more to a weapon kata. The stances are changed to fit the weapon, the movements are not just strikes, but locks, disarms, throws, sweeps, and in the case of the eku sand or coal flings. The maneuvers between these things employ complicated taisabaki (body shifting/movement) that enable their use. In order to optimize the use of a weapon you have to change almost every aspect of what you do. This is why kata are developed specifically for each individual weapon. If you are interested in the eku my suggestion is you find someone who knows an eku kata that is at least 3 generations old. This means it has had time to be perfected and refined by at least 3 generations of masters.

Learn to apply your kata to your sparring. I know a lot of people that are going to laugh at that and that's fine. I'm not suggesting that he get in there and start low blocking and lunge punching. There's a connection that can be found and does exist between good kata and good kumite. Look for it and if you find it they won't be able to touch you. If you can't find it I would suggest re-evaluating your kata.

I have one suggestion. And it's just a suggestion. Learn to enjoy your art. Forget testing, blackbelts, recognition, and superficial accomplishments that really mean nothing. Enjoy your art for what it is, every day you do it, every moment it's done. Don't do your art because you want something, do it because doing it is it's own reward. In this way it will serve as an expression, a release, a joy, and tool of self improvement. A martial art doesn't necessarily have to be you're art of choice but you should have some art in your life that serves these purposes. That's my suggestion anyway.

What kind of training do you think will temper one's pride? Learning to punch, strike, kick, block and other physical skills involved in the art of defending and attacking doesn't seem to have anything to do with modulating one's pride. In fact, it may even bloat it when one has mastered the art of winning over or defeating another person. You are probably referring to the philosophical or ethical teachings that accompany most traditional arts as the critical factors that may induce one to be more humble. If so, that should be an encouraging angle to research on and test for validity in a scientific study. No I don't think that's what he was referring to. It might be, but that's not how I interpreted it. In my experience traditional arts teach humility in three ways. The first way is by example. The teacher presents a humble and and often inconspicuos image. This often has the effect of breaking the mold of preconceived notions about what skill looks like and what forms it takes. The second way is by teaching a student or allowing him to experience greater potential. By giving students a peak into what is possible a student is often humbled. This is often done by means of the teacher demonstrating. The third and perhaps most important is effect that hard, earnest, and effective training has on ones perception. As you train hard and "beat the demons out of the soul" as they say, you become less defensive of your inadequacies...more secure with yourself. This has the effect of opening your eyes and allowing you to see the potential of what is really out there as you are no longer afraid to see it. There is nothing more humbling then this. Everything is relative. Especially pride. If you compare yourself to a dog then you are superior in almost every way. If you see nothing else, then pride will naturally fill you as even your slightest accomplishments will glow. But if you become aware of the human potential then even your greatest accomplishments will seem like speaks of sand against a sea of potential. Now I'm not going to argue that only traditional arts do these things. But most traditional arts have a "tradition" of doing these things. That much I can say.

Were I you I would sit down and think long and hard about why I started in the first place. Did you start because you wanted to be a martial artist like what is on TV only to be disillusioned by the reality of fighting? Did you start because you wanted a black belt or any other trophy accomplishment to be proud of and now that you have it, it no longer inspires you in the same way? Did you start because because it was fun and now it isn't as fun? Did you start to improve yourself in a certain way and now you no longer feel that need? Or did you start because you wanted a different life and now you don't? These are the questions I would be asking myself. I would look for the reason I was practicing and why that reason is no longer as relevant as it once was. Then it is up to you to either find another reason or rediscover the relevancy of the reason you started. That or move on.

I'd go with the bo. Shorinryu Sensei is correct though, size has nothing to do with that. Working the bo simply teaches you more things that are important to learn early on. What you learn with the bo will make the rest of your weapon training easier as well as enhancing your empty handed techniques.

Yes I have experiance with the eku. It's a little similar to a bo or a polearm, probably more similar to a polearm, but it is unique in many ways. It is blade heavy and the paddle edge feels as though it would hit with authority. You have to learn how to distinguish between the round side and the angular side. And in general strikes and blocks are done in rowing motions. One advantage the eku has over polarms is it's speed. The bladed portion is not sharp and while it still very capable of lethally damaging an opponent, it won't get stuck like a bladed polarm could, making it very quick. I can't think of a weapon (except for maybe an automatic firearm) that I would prefer over the eku if I had to fight 6 people.

Okinawan Kenpo does have a few high kicks in kata, though as I mentioned they are done low in bunkai. Okinawan Kenpo also does side kicks along with front kicks. Most of the side kicks are done at knee height, even in kata. We like to thrust at the knee and follow through. Effectively breaking the guy's knee and then standing on it.

Asked no, but accepting an offer yes. It usually goes something like, "Hey sensei, would you like to go out to such and such bar at the corner of such and such after we finish class?" Then once you get there, "Let me buy everyone their first round of drinks, no I insist it's the least I can do." After all the more he drinks the more you learn. Of course in the instance I personally experianced we skipped the bar all together and just made sure to bring a couple of six packs with us to the dojo when we visited.

It's pretty much the same principle as in Goju. We practice high kicks occasionally for flexablility and control in class and kata but on the street and in application practice we never kick above the waist.

Like I said, two sides of the same coin. You have to take into account both the individual, or individuals and the style. For the purposes of discussion lets say by style I am referring to the curriculum and by individual I am referring to whomever is learning or teaching it. Admittedly both affect the other.

You know it's a quite a bit more similar then I first thought. I'd say Okinawan Kenpo is a little less of an inside fighting art. It approaches hip work differently though at higher levels they look very similar. It uses a shortened front stance in the same way Goju uses sanchin-dachi. Both styles have a sanchin kata but Goju emphasizes there's more. We chamber low on the belt instead of high. This effects how we grapple and makes it a little different from Goju but the concepts are the same. We have less tiger work and we are a little more crane and monk fist like. Aside from this and having different kata we are very similar. Similar flow at higher levels, similar taisabaki, similar throws, similar extensions, and very similar stances. In fact we are so similar that my sensie teaches three Goju kata. San Se Ryu, Seiuchin, and Superempei. Seiuchin and Superempei are some of my favorite kata. Of course I used to practice Goju before I started Okinawan Kenpo so I may have some biases.

You know the individual does makes a big difference, but to say style doesn't seems to be putting a blind fold on for the sake of being PC. It is true that at the end of all the progression (if there is such a thing) the results become the same. In other words, all roads lead to Rome, but the roads are different and not all of them are equal. Styles affect how you progress, in what manner, and how quickly just as the individual does. They are two sides of the same coin, the means and the method, both matter, because I have never met anyone who is at the end of their road.