Fighting Styles

[DaveB]

Personally, when I think of fighting styles I define them asthe blblending of 3 major elements

Mechanics

Strategy

Tactics

Mechanics is the power generation and ways of moving the body.

Strategy is the game plan for any fight you're in.

Tactics are the key methods and movements, the signature hit making methods of the art.

With the above as a guideline, How would you describe the fighting style (or styles) of your branch of Karate?

How would you describe your own personal fighting style?

[jaypo]

I'd say for our style, the mechanics would be based off of creating angles to attack. Tight defense and quick, powerful movements. Strategy would be close distance quick and overwhelming the opponent. Tactics would consist of blocks and grabs leading to counter punches to the face and body, strong kicks to any open target, and takedowns leading to finishing moves.

Or something like that!

[sensei8]

I'd say for our style, the mechanics would be based off of creating angles to attack. Tight defense and quick, powerful movements. Strategy would be close distance quick and overwhelming the opponent. Tactics would consist of blocks and grabs leading to counter punches to the face and body, strong kicks to any open target, and takedowns leading to finishing moves.

Or something like that!

That pretty much sums up Shindokan, in which, that includes my personal style.

Tuite is at the core of everything that we do. By that I mean, nothing is executed without Tuite being the end of the means; an In-Your-Face style/mindset, and in that, Mechanics, Strategy, and Tactics are just that.

Study your opponent

Study yourself

Make a plan

Carry said plan out

This is regurgitated over and over until the end of the means is achieved!!

[Wastelander]

Well, everyone manifests their art a bit differently. This is how my instructor teaches it, and how I try to implement it.

Mechanics - Relaxation, speed, torque, and body weight.

Strategy - Avoid/enter at angles, control the limbs, disrupt balance, strike vulnerable targets.

Tactics - Distracting strikes (elbow to the body, kick to the leg, slap to the face, etc.), tuidi, power strikes (forearm to the neck, knee to the head, etc.), and takedowns (admittedly, I tend to put more emphasis on this aspect than my Sensei does).

[Kusotare]

To my way of thinking, all martial systems (worth their salt) arrive at the same zenith eventually.

How you get there is influenced by many things (history, culture and necessity being the main ones), but it’s the pedagogy of each system that differ.

In some cases quite massively – but again, these are often influenced culture, history and necessity etc.

Different roads to the top of the same mountain.

[DaveB]

To my way of thinking, all martial systems (worth their salt) arrive at the same zenith eventually.

How you get there is influenced by many things (history, culture and necessity being the main ones), but it’s the pedagogy of each system that differ.

In some cases quite massively – but again, these are often influenced culture, history and necessity etc.

Different roads to the top of the same mountain.

I think this may be true of individuals, and that people being people we all want to be able to say that our chosen art can do it all, but I don't think martial arts are designed that way at all.

I have found that the combination of the three areas I describe above, that which makes up a given style, are each distinct to the art you are looking at.

I think most folks compromise their style, doing what is natural to them or what is culturally popular and finding ways to claim it as always being inherent in their art. Only a few persevere to bring all the elements together and embody the art rather than making the art embody them.

I say that with no sense of judgement, whatever works for you. It's your dollar and your journey, do as you please.

I admire those who can embody the art and it is what I try to do with very limited success. I think I have a long way to go before I fully understand my chosen path. Until then I mostly do my own thing.

[Kusotare]

To my way of thinking, all martial systems (worth their salt) arrive at the same zenith eventually.

How you get there is influenced by many things (history, culture and necessity being the main ones), but it’s the pedagogy of each system that differ.

In some cases quite massively – but again, these are often influenced culture, history and necessity etc.

Different roads to the top of the same mountain.

I think this may be true of individuals, and that people being people we all want to be able to say that our chosen art can do it all, but I don't think martial arts are designed that way at all.

I have found that the combination of the three areas I describe above, that which makes up a given style, are each distinct to the art you are looking at.

I think most folks compromise their style, doing what is natural to them or what is culturally popular and finding ways to claim it as always being inherent in their art. Only a few persevere to bring all the elements together and embody the art rather than making the art embody them.

I say that with no sense of judgement, whatever works for you. It's your dollar and your journey, do as you please.

I admire those who can embody the art and it is what I try to do with very limited success. I think I have a long way to go before I fully understand my chosen path. Until then I mostly do my own thing.

Couldn't agree more.

The three areas you mention are very basic (by basic I mean "core" not necessarily easy) principles that are automatic - in any worthwhile martial art (or at least should be)!

The trick is to decide...

1. Whether you want to explore these opportunities as part of the “broader spectrum” of traditional martial arts or...

2. Self Protection / fighting – is what you want to learn pdq and how to be the ultimate fighter/ sd guru.

To my way of thinking, if the latter is your bag – forget Karate, Aikido or most other gendai systems for that matter – because they don’t cut the mustard.

To each their own of course.

K.

[DaveB]

2. Self Protection / fighting – is what you want to learn pdq and how to be the ultimate fighter/ sd guru.

To my way of thinking, if the latter is your bag – forget Karate, Aikido or most other gendai systems for that matter – because they don’t cut the mustard.

To each their own of course.

K.

I'm not sure I agree with that either.

A martial art is nothing without the martial artist, so for me it's about making your chosen art work in the environment you want it to work in, not expecting it to happen on it's own.

You'll notice that nowhere in my style definition do I mention training methods. This is because training methods vary within a style from school to school. They develop with the understanding of the teacher and thus are incidental to the style.

Yet it is how we train and our understanding of the combative environment and the place in which our techniques fall within that environment which determines our effectiveness.

We expect, quite reasonably, that when we go to learn a martial art we also learnto apply it. Really what most of us learn are the three areas above and little else. This is also reasonable because we are not most if us in places where we need to fight very often.

I advocate folks learn kapap or Krav maga for self defence or Muay thai/mma for ring fighting, not because karate doesn't work, but because these are places where the training is geared to the goal. Once you know that side of things making your art work for you, gendai or otherwise, is easy.

[Kusotare]

We expect, quite reasonably, that when we go to learn a martial art we also learnto apply it. Really what most of us learn are the three areas above and little else. This is also reasonable because we are not most if us in places where we need to fight very often.

I advocate folks learn kapap or Krav maga for self defence or Muay thai/mma for ring fighting, not because karate doesn't work, but because these are places where the training is geared to the goal. Once you know that side of things making your art work for you, gendai or otherwise, is easy.

I prefer not to ignore the elephant in the room!

Just because gendai budo systems (like karate etc) don't necessarily offer "realistic" sd applications - doesn't mean you shouldn’t train in them.

K.