why teach skills that are illegal in "matches"

[Wastelander]

Some guy out of his mind on meth who becomes convinced that you are a government agent conspiring against him or something isn't going to care what is and isn't legal in

God help you is your trying to stop that guy with an inside crescent kick!

Agreed, but what if you use that inside crescent kick from the ground against a meth-head who is leaning over you? Suddenly that kick becomes valid. Certainly there are other things you can do that could be more effective, but it's a viable option at that point.

[honoluludesktop]

Karate as self defense, a sport, or as an Art, make up its totality. Every one's focus is different, and it doesn't invalidate the other perspectives. If you stick at it long enough, you may find your preference changing from one to another, or even embracing all.

It's a mistake for any point of view to claim exclusivity for Karate from their personal perspective.

[evergrey]

Some guy out of his mind on meth who becomes convinced that you are a government agent conspiring against him or something isn't going to care what is and isn't legal in

God help you is your trying to stop that guy with an inside crescent kick!

Whatever works, man, even if it is something that seems completely redic.

[ramymensa]

We have techniques that are illegal in matches, but still learn them. As others said before me, not teaching anything but the tournament "curriculum", would make me question the instruction more than if the students were taught a wider area of techniques.

[BDPulver]

Yup, we teach techniques to certain parts of the body that are illegal in a tournament. But by doing so we stress on being attacked to sparring. And as sensei8 said what is legal in a tournament is not usually legal outside.

[sensei8]

Real life doesn't exist in a tournament venue!!

[bushido_man96]

Some guy out of his mind on meth who becomes convinced that you are a government agent conspiring against him or something isn't going to care what is and isn't legal in

God help you is your trying to stop that guy with an inside crescent kick!

Agreed, but what if you use that inside crescent kick from the ground against a meth-head who is leaning over you? Suddenly that kick becomes valid. Certainly there are other things you can do that could be more effective, but it's a viable option at that point.

This kick is in our Combat Hapkido curriculum, but it is used more low-line, like an attack to the leg. Should you not be able to turn the hips over for like a round kick, this one is viable.

In sparring, while jammed in close, it is a viable attack to the head, if your flexibility can handle it.

[zalexia]

My question was only because, after being only brown belt, i've seen how experienced my shihan is. Knowing he teaches us how to do things correctly after watching many youtube videoes to try and learn the actual moves i realized that even black belts many of their forms and stances are wrong/poor.

you should punch w/ the same effect that you're going into battle. Reason i asked this question was after watching many of the kids in karate class that are "eager " to just fight many dont realize the severity of what they're doing or comprehend why.

Guess i'm stubborn and dont like to do things hap hazzardly. its funny he teaches us throws and i hate the falling part, but as u said doesnt mean someone wont try it on you.

Yet makes me wonder if its smart to teach certain levels those moves? i mean we started learning the those moves as early as yellow belt? Yet i know it takes a while to master most techniques.

[bushido_man96]

I see at even the low levels learning this. Wouldn't it be wise to tell the students when they're younger the dangers of it?

In the Martial Arts, there is a modicum of danger involved in any technique you do. There is a reason why the punch is one of the first moves you learn: simple, effective, and popular. Anyone can do one. So, anyone who gets involved in the Martial Arts should already hold themselves accountable for any technique they might try to do, regardless of rank.

[Liver Punch]

Karate as self defense, a sport, or as an Art, make up its totality. Every one's focus is different, and it doesn't invalidate the other perspectives. If you stick at it long enough, you may find your preference changing from one to another, or even embracing all.

This is exactly right. It's often hard for a lot of people (including myself sometimes) to not use "karate" as a blanket term for "martial arts" - in the United States at least, this is the phrase that's often used to describe martial arts as a whole. The newest Karate Kid doesn't feature a whole lot of Karate, but using the well known term "karate" as well as piggybacking on the previous movies was smart marketing.

When people talk about what they do in their individual systems on this forum I often think "wow, that's kind of dumb, doing that will get you killed". But then I usually remember that them doing whatever it is that I find dumb has a purpose and isn't necessarily wrong, because the purpose of their martial art is different from mine.

So, to answer the question of "why teach technique that is illegal in matches" you have to ask yourself what the purpose of your art is. If it's to win matches, then learning things that are illegal in those matches makes little sense. If the purpose is to learn a wide variety of things, then perhaps there is a valid reason.