karate olymipcs

[Nidan Melbourne]

If they allow Karate to be an Olympic Sport they have to say which International Federation is the one to organize it.

The WKF (World Karate Federation) is the most well known and is respected. It does look after dozens upon dozens of styles. So they would be the most likely. Kumite is more likely to be run over kata. like unknownstyle said they can't water it down.

[Wado Heretic]

I am doubtful it can water anything down; any combat sport format reduces a martial art to what can be used within the sports rule set. Even free fighting does not allow a good old eye gouge.

I believe it is the WKF that is pushing for Olympic status. As per the K is on the way project of theirs, and also they are authority and governing body as recognised by the Olympic Committee.

On balance we have both advantages and disadvantages present in the notion of Competitive Kumite becoming an Olympic Sport; I believe there was an idea to push for kata to be in the Paralympics but that this fell to the way side.

Advantages:

 

The Olympics are often the dream of many athletes, beyond even professional careers. They are also seen as the peak of achievement in athletics. For other combat sports, such as boxing, wrestling, Tae Kwon Do and Judo; the Olympics has been the beginning of great careers in both those disciplines, and cross over sports, for those who reach the Olympic dream. It is no sure thing, yet it is far from unlikely, that entry into the Olympics will bring Karate to a higher level and will provide opportunities for the best and brightest rising up through Karate. I believe that is a worth while possibility for us to chase.

Furthermore; it will increase interest in our discipline. I do not say this for monetary reasons, but for the fact we have all had karate enrich our lives in some manner, and also many of us are responsible for the preservation of a rich, living tradition. A larger pool of people trying karate will leave a larger pool of talented individuals to preserve and advance karate. Plus, can any of us say we would regret seeing more people enjoy our past time?

Disadvantages:

 

It will tempt many to modify their teachings and priorities towards something suitable for the sport kumite scene. It will detract from the wider spectrum of established methods and may lead many away from methods not directly relating to potential Olympic success.

Well, an ugly wake up call for us all; of those people likely to embrace Olympic karate? Same people who now have “Karate and MMA” signs for their clubs. Trend followers with commercial concerns will always follow trends that will bring in the money.

Furthermore; we followers of the non-sport methodology are a rare breed and those whom enjoy our methods equally rare. Olympic Karate is not going to appeal to the people which the established methods appeal to. Also, people who are looking for effective fighting methods are being lured into MMA and other systems which have success in MMA promotions, because that is what the common martial arts fan uses as a litmus test for what they should try. Plus, peer pressure. What potential tough man wants to admit to his friends that his Gi is not for BJJ but karate, which to most is just a collection of screams and ethnic dance routines.

Conclusion:

Benefits outweigh the detracting elements. Simply put; competitive kumite opens more doors than it closes. The established methods of decades are already under siege and we can adapt and provide a way for the traditions to survive, or we can close our eyes and cover our ears, and pretend if we just keep trying eventually the golden days will come back.

I say we embrace Olympic potential while keeping our feet strictly in our traditions. Just because Karate has Olympic representation does not mean we have to abandon how we do things. All it does is give people who enjoy Karate another goal to aspire to; and I do not think we should deny any one a goal to aspire to.

Also, trend followers will follow trends. We have not stopped the Soke councils, we have not stopped the bastardised hybrid styles started by green belts promoting themselves to Judan, and we will not stop bad practice by simply carrying on as we do. What we need is a platform to show high quality karate, even if it is but a narrow aspect of our arts, and the Olympics is that potential platform.

Further note:

My personal opinion is that I would rather modify the extant combat sports. I would rather replace the Tae Kwon Do with an open bogu competition similar to Nippon Kenpo, which will draw competitors from all martial arts with a semi-contact sport format. I would also replace the Judo and varieties of wrestling with a Gi grappling and a No Gi grappling format. This would allow folk wrestlers and other grappling sports that use the Gi, or Gi like clothes to compete. I would also like to see MMA introduced under rules similar to amateur shooto and I think the introduction of kickboxing based on K1 rules would be another possibility.

Doing as above would create larger talent pools for the involved combat sports without removing or detracting from the Prominence of Tae Kwon Do and Judo.

Edit: Made the format a bit clearer.

Edited May 23, 2014 by Wado Heretic

[JohnASE]

If karate gets into the Olympics, I believe it will be under the World Karate Federation (WKF). They've been working with the IOC for a while now. The form it takes will likely be similar to what the WKF is doing already, although they're constantly making changes, trying to fit into the Olympics. Oh, and by "karate", I mean traditional, Japanese-style karate. NASKA, ISKA, and NBL open-style groups aren't anywhere near being in the running, as far as I know.

The WKF does kata and kumite, but not kobudo. They used to have official versions of kata, called shitei kata, that competitors had to chose from, but I hear they've stopped doing that. I believe the shitei kata were taken from Shotokan, Goju Ryu, Shito Ryu and Wado Ryu, but I know a lot of people from other styles that compete in WKF events.

I hear there's a chance that karate will be added into the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Of course, I've heard that about every Olympics for a long time now. We'll see. It would be kind of fitting as Judo was added to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Personally, I'd like to see karate get into the Olympics, mostly because I'm sure it will be good for the business side of things. Interest in karate would definitely grow, plus, we import and distribute WKF approved kumite gear, so we would benefit directly for sure. I don't make a lot of money, and it'd be nice to have a little boost in income!

Will it be good for the karate community? I'm not sure. Olympic karate will thrive, but how much will old school dojos suffer? Will it become all about the sport, and will we lose the tradition and cultural aspects? I don't want to see that happen, and I don't think it will, at least not completely. I think it will be like the emergence of MMA. Many people will go with the change, but many will want to stick to the old ways.

[sensei8]

JohnASE...Wado Heretic...Solid posts, both!!

[Spartacus Maximus]

Karate in the Olympics would spell the final degradation and it's death as soon as the focus changes to competition. Effective techniques would be abandoned for speed and scoring points.

I hope that it never ever becomes Olympic. The only way to preserve true karate as an effective defense systems is to clearly separate the sport/competition version from the martial (for lack of a better word) karate. I do not thumb my nose a sport karate. Neither does my sensei but it can sometimes be hard to tell what is made for sport and what is for defense. It isn't always as obvious as a kick to the groin or eye poke.

[sperki]

Getting wrestling back into the Olympics is a higher priority than getting karate in. I mean it's the Olympics, started in ancient Greece and the IOC has removed greco-roman wrestling!? Come on! Wrestling and track are what the Olympics are about and the rest of it is a contemporary side show (that I happen to love watching).

[AdamKralic]

Karate in the Olympics would spell the final degradation and it's death as soon as the focus changes to competition. Effective techniques would be abandoned for speed and scoring points.

I hope that it never ever becomes Olympic. The only way to preserve true karate as an effective defense systems is to clearly separate the sport/competition version from the martial (for lack of a better word) karate. I do not thumb my nose a sport karate. Neither does my sensei but it can sometimes be hard to tell what is made for sport and what is for defense. It isn't always as obvious as a kick to the groin or eye poke.

Speed is crucial though. Anything that makes the fighter faster in reaction, footwork and in striking...is good.

Ultimately if you want to be the "baddest on the block" in fighting a pure karate training will not be ideal. With most fights ending up on the ground...well karate is very limited there. So why worry about that? You would want to add krav maga or perhaps jiu jitsu to your training already if the goal was to be a true take on any comer in a fight person.

Now if it's more spiritual in nature as the ideal: then how does the olypics change that more than it already is? People that seek the spiritual side...will find it. People that do not? Will not.

[Spartacus Maximus]

When I referred to speed I meant hand and foot speed as seen in many sport karate matches. Speed with power is good but in theses matches often the fastest person scores and wins with speed alone. There is almost no power at all behing the strikes. It becomes a contest of speed instead of proper technique.

Karate is not about being the baddest or about winning. The limits that many claim karate has come from a shallow understanding. People think they see limits and feel the need to complete these by seeking what they think is lacking outside. The root of that is two reasons.

The first is that karate has drifted a long way from its original okinawan form and even in Okinawa some techniques and applications have been left out or forgotten in transmission due to the strong influence and pressure shift towards competition. The second reason is the majority of karateka do not know where to look or were never taught where to find what the think is lacking. It is all in the kata. Yes karate has throws and yes there are joint locks. No need to borrow them from elsewhere.

Being the baddest on the block or dominating adversaries are attitudes for the ring where they belong. Unfortunately it is all too common in karate dojos. Even in so called traditional ones supposedly focussed on defense. The essence of traditional karate is at risk of being lost if the sport-focus is emphasized. Adding it to the Olympics will further encourage this shift. That is why I oppose the idea.

[wayneshin]

When I referred to speed I meant hand and foot speed as seen in many sport karate matches. Speed with power is good but in theses matches often the fastest person scores and wins with speed alone. There is almost no power at all behing the strikes. It becomes a contest of speed instead of proper technique.

.

Have you ever trained with an elite WKF fighter. While I respect your opinion and some of what you say is certainly valid the statement I hjave bolded is simply not accurate.

[Spartacus Maximus]

The second point after what you have bolded is the main point. With a shift towards contests and winning, the sport version of karate has sacrificed mechanically sound effective techniques for speed. A technique can only have power if it is structurally and mechanically correct.

Punching is a good example. From watching sport karate it is obvious that they never close their hands fully or at all. They do this to be faster. It works but they lose most of their power like that. They also very often over extend when they punch. Stances are also very unstable as they do not stay rooted to strike but bounce around on the balls of their feet. If they get hit while in mid-bounce they lose their balance.

What they do is certainly effective in a sporting environment. What is most detrimental to karate is when this becomes the standard taught without teachers and students understanding that it is the sports version. Worse still is when neither knows that it is sport.

As for your question, I have seen several WKF high level karateka who could hit with power but were quickly defeated by traditionally trained karateka who could take advantage of the flaws I stated above.