Karate, a complete fighting system

[brickshooter]

Personally, I'd rather see Karate remain predominantly a striking art. I just think that specialization pushes the envelope more and allows instructors to become better experts.

I guess that's why I do avoid the MMA gyms. I prefer to seek out the best Judo, Karate, and Aikido instructor I can find. And when the time is ripe, I'll seek out the best BJJ instructor I can find.

If there is one thing I'd want to change about Karate, it's to make it more Budo and less tournament oriented. I'd hate for Karate to become the jack of all traits and master of none.

[Ueshirokarate]

Personally, I'd rather see Karate remain predominantly a striking art. I just think that specialization pushes the envelope more and allows instructors to become better experts.

I guess that's why I do avoid the MMA gyms. I prefer to seek out the best Judo, Karate, and Aikido instructor I can find. And when the time is ripe, I'll seek out the best BJJ instructor I can find.

If there is one thing I'd want to change about Karate, it's to make it more Budo and less tournament oriented. I'd hate for Karate to become the jack of all traits and master of none.

Karate, just like real Japanese Jiu Jitsu was a complete martial art with throws, joint locks, kicks, punches, ground wrestling, neck breaking, etc, etc. Hard to be a real martial art and not know what to do when you get thrown on the ground and jumped on top of. Do you have the Pinan katas in your system? If so, think of Pinan Godan, there is a sequence at the end where you are throwing someone on the ground and breaking their neck. It holds all the elements from striking to throwing to ground technique.

[bushido_man96]

I'm in agreement with Ueshirokarate here. Specialization has done some great things with many styles; Boxing, TKD, Wrestling, and Judo have all done well, and even become Olympic games due to their specialization. However, as a TKD practitioner, the lack of ground defense, and even the lack of defending head punches in live sparring detracts from an overall practicality of self-defense.

I'd hate for Karate to become the jack of all traits and master of none.

I don't really agree with this concept. I don't think that because you know several things, that it means you can't be an expert at them at the same time. Now, if you only diddle here and dally there, but with no real direction, then yeah, one will fall into the "jack of all trades, master of none." But, that shouldn't be confused with someone who is dilligently studying and working multiple disciplines together; if done right, one can master a few different styles.

[Shotoseidoka]

Personally, I'd rather see Karate remain predominantly a striking art. I just think that specialization pushes the envelope more and allows instructors to become better experts.

I guess that's why I do avoid the MMA gyms. I prefer to seek out the best Judo, Karate, and Aikido instructor I can find. And when the time is ripe, I'll seek out the best BJJ instructor I can find.

If there is one thing I'd want to change about Karate, it's to make it more Budo and less tournament oriented. I'd hate for Karate to become the jack of all traits and master of none.

Karate, just like real Japanese Jiu Jitsu was a complete martial art with throws, joint locks, kicks, punches, ground wrestling, neck breaking, etc, etc. Hard to be a real martial art and not know what to do when you get thrown on the ground and jumped on top of. Do you have the Pinan katas in your system? If so, think of Pinan Godan, there is a sequence at the end where you are throwing someone on the ground and breaking their neck. It holds all the elements from striking to throwing to ground technique.

Japanese karate is mostly a strikers art since the Japanese addapted karate to fit into their sport orinented mindeset.

Okinawa karate is more of what you all are talking about when you say "complete fighing art". However, there are those of us who study an Okinawan style of karate, but to it's adaptation tot he business side of the werstern mindset, it to has taken on more of a striker only concept. Which is why so many serious karateka are trying to find out wat the original bunkai to their kata is. Because honestly why would we have so many kata to chose from if it was all just kick, punch, block? Tuite and throws are no doubt part of karate that IMO needs to be reintroduced bit by bit.