Shotkans effectiveness

[Gyte]

I'm too amazed that you were able kick so high. You must be very flexible in the hips. To get a clearer picture, I have a few questions. Did your opponent throw you a left or right punch? Which block did you use and with which arm? With which leg did you kick?

In a self defence situation high kicks are risky, because you easily can be pushed off balance by your opponent. So they're not advisable. It is better to kick at the groin, the inner legs or the knees.

[johnnymac]

I don't see why everyone is drilling this poor kid. If he kicked the dude in the face, then good on him. Why is everyone dwelling on this so much?

[Gen_Tora]

For one I was told never kick above the waist when I learned shotokan. Two, I was just curious...

[Jake90]

No, it's not like im ashamed or lying, i'm happy to answer questions.

Ok, first, he punched with his right arm, right foot forward. I blocked with a kinda scrambled age uke, more just throwing my left arm up and stepping back. I then stepped through with my back leg and kicked him Jodan Kekomi. I really fail to see how it is that difficult, not only I (and im happy to admite im not a fantastic Karate ka) but most other 5th kyu - upwards can kick a head hight Kekomi.

I have also been told that kicks to the head are far less effective in most situations then a good strong chudan strike, but what can i say? I did what i did on instinct, i didn't plan it, it happened, if i could have thought ahead i would have gotten a different bus.

Gyte, you claim to practice TKD and yet you are 'amazed' at the use of a high kick? Interesting.

[Gen_Tora]

As long as your safe thats all that really matters. Hopefully they learned a leason from this. But most likely they'll try & come back at you later. Cowards are always the same.

I was told never kick above waist level when I studied stotokan, we practiced a few high kicks for exercise but it wasn't a requirement. Course I also only had the origional 15 kata to work with as well.

[Gyte]

Ok, first, he punched with his right arm, right foot forward. I blocked with a kinda scrambled age uke, more just throwing my left arm up and stepping back. I then stepped through with my back leg and kicked him Jodan Kekomi. I really fail to see how it is that difficult, not only I (and im happy to admite im not a fantastic Karate ka) but most other 5th kyu - upwards can kick a head hight Kekomi.

Ah, I have a clearer picture now. From your description I can see it's not so difficult at all to do kick from there.

I have also been told that kicks to the head are far less effective in most situations then a good strong chudan strike, but what can i say?

Well, the important thing is that it got the job done. In my view a kick is to the head is always more damaging than a punch to the head, since legs are stronger than arms. I wonder what Kyokushinkai guys think of that, since kicking to the head with full power is common practise for them.

Gyte, you claim to practice TKD and yet you are 'amazed' at the use of a high kick? Interesting.

Well, actually I have practised Taekwondo for one year in the past and then I practised Tang Soo Do for one year. After that I switched to Shotokan. Taekwondo and Tang Soo Do have definately more expertise in how to throw a good kick.

[Gen_Tora]

Heres a question, my partner & I are getting bacl to full-contact Karate with shotokan in the dojo. He deals with karate in the school. Any way do we rename the art since it won't be shotokan endorsed by the USKA or JKA or just another karate org? Or just leave it where its at in the dojo?

[Traditional-Fist]

Heres a question, my partner & I are getting bacl to full-contact Karate with shotokan in the dojo. He deals with karate in the school. Any way do we rename the art since it won't be shotokan endorsed by the USKA or JKA or just another karate org? Or just leave it where its at in the dojo?

If it is still is shotokan, then call it Shotokan and just sub-headline it as full contact . There are quiet a few Shotokan schools that practise full contact.

If you change the name of an art that means that you become the founder of a new art and that has its own implications.

I personally believe that there are enough "new" arts around nowadays.

[Gen_Tora]

I'm not sure when I studied Omoto Ryu Ninjitsu, I was told knowledge was a gift. And as a gift it no longer is my sensei's but mine to own & use. So that when I pass it onto someone else it will no longer be Omoto Ryu but "my art." Which I chose to name after the nickname sensei Omoto gave me, Gen Tora, even though it was only a half serious thing.

I know the Okinawans followed the same concept as well as many Japanese stylist... So

[Traditional-Fist]

By that logic there would be a few million Shotokan derivatives in the MA world and I won't even go into Wing Chun . I believe that you are right in saying once someone teaches you an art then you can make it your own but my understanding is that this is true when you yourself are practising it, i.e. you become the art and the art becomes you.

So when you really absorb an art you become it and it becomes you but the art is still constant i.e in this case Shotokan will be Shotokan and will be recognised as Shotokan by those who know it. You may teach it to someone eventually and if they are dedicated and learn it well then they can make it their own, but the art would still be Shotokan. Anyway, that is how I have been taught about the traditional oriental MAs.