My karate sucks

[Thepet]

I've been training karate(Goju Ryu) for 4 years now and I'm a brown(2 kyu) belt. I've very easy to learn new stuff, a natural talent as many people say. And I've also been practising kobudo for almost two years now. I have a very big interest in budo so I read a lot and also analyze the things I've been taught during the last years.

 

I've come to a point in my life were I realise that my karate sucks. I'm training (5 days/week) with several Senseis in different clubs. and with all respect they have learend me a lot. But now I've realised that the stuff I've been learing the past years is just "Martial Art" and not useful for any kind of selfdefence. If we're doing some "fighting" this problem shows up. None of my fellows in any of the clubs can actually fight, even to put up a simple guard against face-punches are hard for them (inlcuding the Senseis).

 

I've talked about this to some of my training friends, but they all think I'm "full of *" and that they actually would have something to put up with in a "real fight", while I believe they(including me) would be knocked to the ground right away.

 

Lately I've also had some conflicts with one of my Senseis on how to perform on some stances/techinques. While I practice with weapons while he's not, I've found out a lot of "things that won't work" for me (unarmed or with weapons) and simply changed/modified them to work as I perform them. While my Sensei demands me to perform them in a "wrong way", I insist on doing them "my way".

 

The fact that I feel that all the applications (bunkais) that I've learned are just the "school version" (sport karate), and not a realistic ones. And all my Senseis always tell me the importance of the basics no matter how high level you're on (4th dan), doesn't make it easier. Why would I spend years on training in a "Martial Art", on unrealistic applications, until I've become as them? A dinasour with a stereotyped knowledge of a "martial art", without any practical use. Ok, it looks "very cool" when performing a kata with full power, speed and zanshin, but what about the rest ? If I'm getting attacked on my way home from the pub after a couple of beers? (I doubt I will do any "if the attacker does this, you'll do this and this...")

 

But what the heck do I know? I've been practising karate for 4 years while most of my Sensesis have at least 25 years of experience.

 

Anyone else having similair thoughts ???

 

/ThePet

[TJS]

sounds like it's time to seek out a new school or possible a new stlye.

[LeopardGold]

I agree with TJS. If you don't like the school its time to find a new. By the sound of it you train at different schools anyway. Maybe you should find a different style. Or maybe you could cross-train with a different, more self-defense based style. What types of martial art schools are around your town?

[Lord Apocalypse]

ThePet, i know exactly what you mean. I am in the exact same position as you, brown belt and been doing karate for 4 years and since being exposed to work such as russell stutely's pressure points and waveforms and such and iain abernethy's realistic bunkai methods, i have been questioning everything. I have checked out other karate and martial art clubs and they all have that 'sports' emphasis that i don't care about. The nearest realistic karate to me is 100 miles away, so in the meantime i'v been getting all the books and videos i can and practicing on willing participants but my fellow karateka also think i'm aiming far too high with claims that 'oh the instructor does know but he can't teach us' etc and all that rubbish. It's really disheartening, but i'm hoping one day i'll maybe get to learn from the two guys i'v named above ancd have a realistic practical karate defense.

 

Good luck.

[kempocos]

KNOWING YOUR ART AND KNOWING HOW TO APPLY YOUR ART IS NOT THE SAME. I as many have come across this in thier training. I then started studiing under Rick Moneymaker/Tom Muncy of THE DRAGON SOCIETY, Russel Stutely is a member as well and trains under thier direction. They showed me how to apply the BASICS to combat effective techniques regardless of style. They teach how to BUNKAI with a wider view offering move techniques from each movement.

 

There is are books and a great DVD at https://www.dragonsociety.com. Anotehr thing I did was when sparring I approached it like a street fight, some did not like it, some did. I also found as time went on more of my training partners saw the need to approach sparring more like a street fight.

[Uechi Kid]

I understand completely about the bunkais not making sense. If you know a little history about karate and Okinawa you know that the Okinawans watered down karate when they started to teach it in schools and to Americans. Most of the moves are the same but what they teach as the application for those moves are not. The Okinawans have been true to their styles by teaching the techniques correctly. They just aren’t teaching the real applications. So be very careful about wanting to change anything in a kata. Hundreds of years of practice has go into making these moves work, and they do work on the street if you know what they are really for. So don’t try to change them because you don’t like them.

 

If you are getting bored with the same old moves, you probably don't know the true meaning of the moves.

 

A few years ago two friends and myself started to look deeper into our techniques. Our goal was to find "the original intent" of the moves in our kata.

 

We discovered applications that will work on the street. In fact they should only be use against a real attacker. These applications are devastating to an opponent.

 

My point is, now when we do those same old moves they take on a whole new meaning.

 

Look deeper into your forms.

[Guest]

I would find a new school. It is going to be difficult for you to find a school that teaches practical methods of self defense. My school used to teach traditional martial arts. I was also coming to the same realizations you are. I had begun to search for a new school. Fortunately, my instructor is open to new ideas and isn't too proud or too egocentric to re-evaluate his methods. Our school is now in a sort of a transition period, where along with the traditional karate, we are phasing in more practical techniques. If it works, and you can prove it, then we will use it. I am very excited about the new curriculum. In the past couple of months, I have learned to fight and defend myself better than in all of the time I had spent training the traditional methods.

[kempocos]

SMR it sounds like you are actually looking at the original intent the creators of your style had for your art. The term MAKE THE ART YOUR OWN, means exactly that. The movment in a KATA can be used against many types of attacks, the only why is try variuos situations and see what works. There is NO techniques that will work the same on /for all people. I stated sparring like a street fight, no DOJO type stances, so you learn to flow and drop into your stances during techniques. This includes grappling, take downs, ground work. Not just kicks and punchs.

[Uechi Kid]

I would caution you about changing schools. You might find it difficult to fine a Sensei in the same style to take you in. You have a lot of time invested in your training. At least get to shodan.

[I-Self]

The truth is that 98% of all MAs suck. This especially true for the styles that call themselves karate. My experience with most Goju is that it is now like most Japanese karate. It is for fun, discipline and sport. That is it. You will understand how to defend yourself on the streets at some level, but not at a level that would allow you to necessarily wax someone (quickly) who really knows how to fight.

 

Goju has become a sparring intensive art as has most karate- Okinawan, Japanese or Korean. Goju has always been about old-style body conditioning with less emphasis on realistic fighting, unlike some (but very few) Shorin Ryuha. You should understand this. Now that we have gyms and weights, plyometrics and modern conditioning we can throw that antiquated crap out. Anyway, for this ryu muscles take the place of effective fighting technique. The only Goju Ryuha that has impressed me is Morio Higaonna's group. Some Jundokan groups are cool too.

 

Money talks. That is the bottom line. Making karate interesting in this ADHD dominated world (especially the West) is the modern intent. Original intent is outmoded and boring for many. We now have guns and half-stupid police to protect us (or so they claim). What if you can't get to your gun or wait for the police? The intent of karate WAS for SD. Now it is for * and $$$$$$, IMO.

 

You have every right at 1st kyu to test your sensei if what they are teaching seems ineffectual or is pure poppy-cock. It is your mind-body, time and money after all. As a Brown Belt you can probably enter another dojo as that rank and with a couple of months of being acclimatized to a new style, keep your rank and reach yudansha in a reasonable amount of time.

 

P.S., hard Sanchin and the ibuki breathing associated with it is bad, bad, bad for your health. That is scientific/medical fact, something which true karate-ka need to understand in order to be true fighters.

 

BTW, what do people mean when they say traditional? True traditional karate was ALL ABOUT FIGHTING for the reals. If you need modern aspects or styles to augment your "style" then you are not doing real, TRADITIONAL Okinawan karate. But then again how many of us live in a true concept of reality? How many of us will ever fight on the streets for our a$$ or someone else's?

 

 

 

Whatever. You have to know to know. No more rant. Bye and bye.