sensei please teah me how to fight.

[quinteros1963]

After a recent training session a black belt asked his teacher to teach him how to fight. What has he been teaching him for the past 6 years? Isn't karate about self defense/ fighting? Thoughts....

[bushido_man96]

It depends on some people's perception. Some think of MMA types of competition as "fighting." Some schools don't do much sparring, so they don't see the fighting applications. Maybe he knows the techniques, but needs to be taught some tenacity? This could mean lots of things. Do you have any more info for us?

[JusticeZero]

Yeah, need more. There are some training methods for combat that are not in the standard curriculum, also; pressure and stress work to deal with adrenaline tend to make most students flee at high speed.

[Kusotare]

Isn't karate about self defense/ fighting?

On the surface yes. Underneath.... not really.

As others have suggested, it depends on what "type" of fighting he wanted to learn. They are very different and require quite different skill sets.

K.

[Harkon72]

"The art of fighting without fighting"

If you have respect for your Art, then violence is the last option.

[bushido_man96]

"The art of fighting without fighting"

If you have respect for your Art, then violence is the last option.

But does that mean you know how to be violent when you need to?

[Harkon72]

Well, appropriate force and all that. The know how is human nature; I don't pride myself in it, but at the end of the day that's what we train for; each Kata has potentially lethal technique, whether you realize it or not. If I had to defend my life or the lives of those I love, I would kill with not a second's thought. I would have to live with the consequences after. As they say it's better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6.

[bushido_man96]

I quoted your post there, because it segwayed into my thought, so please don't think I was just pointing you out...that was not my intention.

That said, I mean by and large, there are people out there who can spend lots of time training and learning all the lethal techniques and tactics to defend themselves, but in the end, may not have what it takes to actually engage when they need to. Its one thing to learn the techniques. Its another to apply them in the heat of the moment, with blood running down your face, a cut on your arm, etc. Then, there is dealing with the possibility of the post-traumatic stress, which can be a nightmare for some people for many years to come.

My point is that there is so much more to consider about fighting than just technique. Its mindset, too.

[Harkon72]

This is Very true. I have used lethal force in Self Defense. As you imply, you can give a man a weapon, you can train him for years in the art of using it; but it may be in the heat of a life threatening situation his constitution will not allow him to use it. I admire Pacifists but I owe my life to my training.

[bushido_man96]

I admire Pacifists but I owe my life to my training.

There is a quote I've seen floating around here: "Only warriors can choose pacifism."