Karate in the Olympics?

[Koei-Kan]

TKD is out, however not sure about karate being in. Think that is still just a rumour. Hopefully it will stay that way!

KEEP KARATE OUT OF THE OLYMPICS!!!

Now I'm not sure that you take karate, but I want it in.

[Oahngoji]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Karate=sport if it replaces Taikwondo

[AngelaG]

TKD is out, however not sure about karate being in. Think that is still just a rumour. Hopefully it will stay that way!

KEEP KARATE OUT OF THE OLYMPICS!!!

Now I'm not sure that you take karate, but I want it in.

Off course I take it. Just look over there:

<<<<<<<<<

Karate will degenerate into pure sport if it gets into the Olympics and there will be nothing to separate it from the Olympic TKD on display.

Not only that governments will start to try regulating it, and you can probably kiss goodbye to any of the self-defence stuff (Especially in the UK with our Nanny State)

As you can see I take shotokan, and if you read Karate-Do: My Way of Life from Master Funakoshi you will see that he was totally against sports karate.

Olympic Karate will mean an influx of the local McDojo - lots of wanna be Olympic Warriors who have no interest in preserving the traditions and ways of karate; have have no concept of Karate-do. Dropping all the aspects which won't get them any firther in their goal of winning the Olympic gold. And the stark reality? Only a tiny proportion of the people training will ever have the slimmest hope of actually making it into the Olympic team.

[italian_guy]

I will bring up my point here.

Sport Karate already exist. It is based on point sparring rules which already exist and in my opinion even if they reflects only a very limited aspect of karate (limited amount of techniques, very little contact etc.) they allow people to spar quite safely.

So why not being an olympic sport? I think this will attract people also to the art. I wonder how many of you had a precise idea of what karate was when you started. If this is a way to actract people to karate as a whole I think it is positive.

Even my dojo has the sport aspect, but does not neglect the traditional aspects. We have two classes one general class with kihon, kata, kumite, self-defence and another that does specifically sport kumite. I'm attending both and I don't dismiss the value of sport kumite.

So since the sport aspect is there why not make it fully visible?

[y2_sub]

You know , from the way i c it , eliminating point sparring from karate is the goal to reach , not turning it into pure sport . When karate become a part of the Olympics , traditional dojos will disappear and Mcdojos will flourish and grow in number , basic stances and moves would be lost and the stress on the training would be point sparring which is INEFFECTIVE in real life and we will c more of those black belts who are excellent within the walls of dojo , but in a real situation they would run like wind . I also heard that it is required to add more protective gear ( just like TKD ) . Changing rules will demolish karate , and if you do not believe me , just take a look on how judo was and how it is now after it became Olympic ( leg locks are eliminated , ground work is limited , etc..... )

[kotegashiNeo]

I don't care if karate enters the olympics some will enjoy it but I really don't think it has the appeal that TKD has. If you don't realize the skill involved in the type of point sparring it looks like bad amatuer boxing. WKF rules are a bit of a bore but they are throwing real punches and are strong atheletes. I think these guys would kick butt in a street fight, they are not the guys you see on ESPN 2 flicking their feet at each other. These guys are in great shape are used to taking some really hard shots. While it isn't traditional karate who here is training tradtional. NO sparring just kata and maybe some pre-arranged kumite. who here is doing the conditioning required for truly lethal hands, feet, fingers and mind, If your are then I salute you, if you are not then well what do you care.

[ivette_green]

They should introduce kickboxing into the Olympics not karate. Karate has too much spirit and history to be pulled down by calling it a sport.

[AnonymousOne]

I dont think traditional karate will disappear at all. There are 50 million Karate-ka around the world with enough teachers to preach tradition.

There is one major advantage to Karate getting to the Olympics and that is the type of training will need to be examined.

Utra performance will only come from ultra training methods. Karate will then climb up to the training regiments of the boxing world and perhaps receive some much needed cash for training methods research and thats a good thing

[AngelaG]

What will actually be judged? Kata? Kumite? How perfect one's character is?

I just think there are other sports which are better suited to the Olympic games.

[kenpo_fighter]

I am all for tradition, but as an instructor I need to have the sports aspect incoporated in order to keep and gain interest in my school. From day one I tell my students the difference real fighting and point fighting. Point fighting doesn't work on the street, however it is controlled fight that shows that they are able to control their techniques with distance and timing. Point fighting shows the Discpline of your students. However it should be taught seperate due to the confusion it causes.

TKD is out, however not sure about karate being in. Think that is still just a rumour. Hopefully it will stay that way!

KEEP KARATE OUT OF THE OLYMPICS!!!

Now I'm not sure that you take karate, but I want it in.

Off course I take it. Just look over there:

<<<<<<<<<

Karate will degenerate into pure sport if it gets into the Olympics and there will be nothing to separate it from the Olympic TKD on display.

Not only that governments will start to try regulating it, and you can probably kiss goodbye to any of the self-defence stuff (Especially in the UK with our Nanny State)

As you can see I take shotokan, and if you read Karate-Do: My Way of Life from Master Funakoshi you will see that he was totally against sports karate.

Olympic Karate will mean an influx of the local McDojo - lots of wanna be Olympic Warriors who have no interest in preserving the traditions and ways of karate; have have no concept of Karate-do. Dropping all the aspects which won't get them any firther in their goal of winning the Olympic gold. And the stark reality? Only a tiny proportion of the people training will ever have the slimmest hope of actually making it into the Olympic team.

i understand and see both points of why karate should & should not be allowed in the olympics. for those who want to see karate in the olympics....for the right reasons, it would show the world, especially "soccer moms & dads" here in the U.S. that taekwando is not the only form of martial arts that they're kid/s can sign up for. IF DONE RIGHT, the olympics can show the beauty & controlled physical aspects of karate. being a kyokushin karate practioner myself & having trained in japan myself, i'd love to show the world what i had learned in my years of training. but, if it gets too "commercialized", like AngelaG had stated, it'll fuel McDojo's nationwide & that's something i don't want to see happen.

but, being a future instructor myself, i see Fox_NFLs_GG point also that we must keep & gain interest in the true dojo's in order for the school to stay in business. all good instructors that are true to the art should teach their students that there is a defined difference between "sport" & "real" karate. unfortunately, for McDojo's, all they teach is watered down karate or taekwando, taking families life savings & giving the student a false sense of confidence. leaving them with false techniques that will have no affect in on a street corner, in a dimlit parking lot, or typical convienience store robbery.

i feel it essential that all true dojo's should adapt with the changing times, because they are legitamite businesses. they should also keep in touch with honorable traditions of their style; karate, real taekwando, wing chun, etc. full contact is the way that the ancient warriors of the past trained & fought. it is tradition. and it is also tradition that times must & always do change.

i think it would be great to see karate in the olympics. and not that watered down "american karate". i want to see the real stuff, just like in japan. if boxing is allowed in the olympics, i see no reason why karate can't be in it.