Shotokan - Dead End

[pers]

My question to you guys is, without breaking the tradition of shotokan or cross training, how can we get more mileage out of Shotokan, bring it to a new level?

I have read the whole clip here and so many people have helpful views to share. I have practiced JKA Shotokan for 38 years. In my limited experience, I know Shotokan have forked into two major roads: sports and traditional SD. Most schools have travelled the sports route and many who went this way have realized that in the end their Shotokan karate has been defanged, enmasculated and become mere entertainment.

In both sports and SD Shotokan karate, the kihon practice remained more or less fundamentally similar in training. However, in kata, sports Shotokan has emphasized mainly or exclusively solo kata, where these formal exercises are done by oneself or in unison with others, but demonstrates fighting only imagined and not real opponents. On the other hand, SD Shotokan karate, which is a minority group in the Shotokan world, has insisted on bunkai and oyo training, practising these formal kata with actual opponents, advancing training from cooperative to uncooperative or free-styled training partners.

Finally in kumite, sports Shotokan engages in non-contact tournament sparring or what is derisively known as "tagging" competition. On the other hand, SD Shotokan karate, also a very small minority, practices full-contact sparring rather games of tag.

So, Jion, if you want to actualize or upgrade your Shotokan training to a much higher level, without abandoning or corrupting your Shotokan style, (which I presume you love above all else like yours truly) by grafting or creating a hybrid style with other karate or martial arts styles, then you should go the SD Shotokan route, rather than the sports route. Your choice, buddy.

Shotokan karate offers both possibilities of skill development. You need not be limited by your own formal training, if it taught you only the sports type. You can plan and manage your training henceforth to achieve what you want to achieve with your karate. Find the right Shotokan karate school that teaches SD rather than sports. If you don't find one and you are already a Shotokan blackbelt, create your own training group with your BBs friends. If you are not a Shotokan shodan, you may want to finish it first and then go on your own training for further self-development. The practice of and training in karate ends only when life ends, IMO.

In the end, it is not the dojo, karate school, karate style, nor the instructor or organization that will make you the karateka you want to be, it's how you make your karate work for you.

Well said ! as someone with 38 years in shotokan you are 17 years my sempie ! so respect to you and OSS !

[jion]

then you should go the SD Shotokan route, rather than the sports route. Your choice, buddy.

In my heart, although I respect und admire sports karate, self-defense was and is what it's about. Although the schools I attended weren't really sports-centered, they weren't SD-centric either. We would always do bunkai, or what I'd like to call Bogus Bunkai (like the jumping over the staff in Heian Godan, or the dogding of those sweeps in Tekki Shodan). That, more than anything, tired me out.

nor the instructor or organization that will make you the karateka you want to be, it's how you make your karate work for you.

It has always been a big dream to start up a club. And you're absolutely right, it's not the org or instructors.

Let me ask you something since you've been doing it for an incredibly long time. How are you dealing with the politics of it, the effectiveness of the official bunkai, are you more interested in SD or Sport? And can you relate to the first post that started all of this off?

I should actually write an article as a followup to this thread noting all the changes that have happened in the past week or two. Maybe I can help someone see it from a different perspective too.

[lgm]

Let me ask you something since you've been doing it for an incredibly long time. How are you dealing with the politics of it, the effectiveness of the official bunkai, are you more interested in SD or Sport? And can you relate to the first post that started all of this off?

Historically, the JKA which is one of the biggest karate organizations in the world has had its share of bad politics. At JKA Phils.-PTKF, we have our own share of dissensions, desertions and political conflicts through the years, but I would not find it right to wash our dirty linens here nor in any public forum. As for me, I stuck it out with the first commissioned JKA instructor, Sasaki Sensei, who was sent by Nakayama Sensei to teach JKA karate in the Philippines in 1965, come hell or high water. I have already retired from group practice and training 2 years ago with the rank of sandan, but I have remained an officer of our organization. (BTW, we have only 2 yondan so far, the highest rank a JKA Phils.-PTKF member has attained)

There is no "official" bunkai for the JKA kata, sorry to say, at least in our JKA Phils. In fact, not much bunkai or oyo practice has been regularly taught or done in our dojos. Our organization is basically sports-oriented, not really SD oriented. That was my frustration too, I have to admit. I learned and mastered my kata bunkai on my own through personal and independent research and though late in the day, I'm still trying to work out a few applications. Better late than never, I often tell myself. I'm now an old fart of 55 years.

Yes, I can definitely relate to your sentiments and the thread you started. I have felt and still feel what you feel about Shotokan karate. But, you are still young I believe and you have a long way to go. So, find the right road now and reach a better destination than I did.

To be aboveboard, I must say I have always been SD-oriented than sports-oriented. But, in my country, there's not much martial arts choice to select from, and in my experience, JKA Shotokan karate still remains to this day as the next best thing to SD.

I should actually write an article as a followup to this thread noting all the changes that have happened in the past week or two. Maybe I can help someone see it from a different perspective too.

That would be nice indeed. You have my best wishes.

Gene Mata

JKA Phils.-PTKF

http://www.lampcc.com