What is Free Style Karate?

[DoctorQui]

Expanding on Dobbers 'What is MMA' thread, I've always been confused by the notion of Free Style Karate!

What is it?

[Dobbersky]

Good Thread topic!

Yeah, from what I've seen from my experience its a school which doesn't conform to 1 specific style of martial arts, predominantly Karate. Would love to have my post varified by a Freestyle Karate Player, appologies if I've got it all wrong, its just my opinion of what I have experienced

For Example I know of a Free Style Karate School where the Instructor is a Shukokai Black Belt BUT competes and trains with predominantly ShotoKan Based Kata.

Also If they have amended the syllabus which doesn't conform to the mainstream Style (Ryu).

Also Most Freestyle Karate schools have made the tradtional Kata Redundant but instead formulate their own "Kata" to compete within the "musical Kata" stage etc.

I think most of it too is Money in the correct pot. and legal Reasons too

[brickshooter]

In addition to being unaffiliated, Freestyle Karate is tournament-focused whether it's kata or kumite.

Their kata tend to be musical and creative rather than functional. Their kumite style is created to take advantage of the point-system.

[wagnerk]

IMO, it's basically what's already been said (however there are variations between schools). I did freestyle karate for a little while, but preferred the TMA.

[Harkon72]

Some styles of Freestyle have no Kata at all. It's all combinations and Kumite. They use the semi-contact style of fighting or light continuous sparing. Lau Gar is an example of such a style, some couple the training with kung fu sets, some don't.