American Karate - Where's the tradition?

[DeeperMeaning]

I'm not American. I'm from Europe, and one thing I see is that in America (USA), it seems to be dozens of styles practiced.

 

It looks like anyone can open a dojo and call it Karate. Is it?

 

I teach a mixed-style and I don't call it Karate, though it's mainly Goju, Shukokai, Judo, Muay, and techniques from other arts, as well as original stuff. My students are aware that what I teach them is not Karate - though if I did get a huge sign saying "Karate Dojo - High Rank Sensei, Champion", I know I would get a lot more students.

 

One of the things I learnt while studying Karate was tradition. I was lucky enough to be taught by aa 7th dan in Goju-Ryu, an old man who had studied Karate and Judo in Okinawa, who taught me tradition and respect.

 

But, from what I read and know from this "new karate styles", there seems to be a lack of tradition and technique accuracy!

 

Can someone clear this out for me? How is Karate in general in the USA? Too "comercial"?

 

PS: It's not my intenttion to offend anyone, just pure curiosity.

[monkeygirl]

I live in Pennsylvania, USA.

 

My school is called a "Karate Studio", even though our main style is Tae Kwon Do, and we mix in a lot of other styles. I'm not exactly sure, but I think Karate is used as a general term. To be honest, I don't think I would have ever gone to a Kuk Sool Won or Ba Gua dojo, or any of those styles. I think I would have felt like I needed an egg roll with that.

 

I don't mean that in any offensive manner, but before I joined my school, I knew nothing about MA. I wouldn't even have known that Kuk Sool Won WAS a martial art. But Karate is a friendly-sounding, familiar term, like Kleenex.

 

Everybody's heard of the Karate Kid. But didn't he actually practice Kung Fu? (not sure on this one, but with the crane stance and all...)

 

Yes, karate is its own art, too, but not many people on the street know that.

 

Perhaps it is commercial, but I think it's neccessary.

[DeeperMeaning]

Thanks for the explanation. I see that Karate is used as a general term... Well it does mean "empty fist".

 

About Karate Kid, he praticed Goju-Ryu - at least in the movie there's the old guy called Mr. Miyagi and the founder of Goju-ryu was Kensei ("holy fist") Chojun Miyagi

 

PS: Where I live, there was some trouble about clubs using the word "Karate" to promote their arts: the national karate federation even took them to court!

[monkeygirl]

Yowza! Well, I think we use enough karate techniques to be safe

 

...I hope

[Pyros]

There are crane and other techniques in karate. Karate kid did Okinawan karate. But Mr. Miyagi's name was just coincidentally same as the Goju Ryu master. Like "John" in America - lots of Johns around, eh? Remember that on Okinawa, the most influence on karate came from China, that's why it was at first called "The Chinese Hand" instead of "The Empty Hand" as it is now called. Shorin is a direct translation of Shaolin, just to give an example.

 

I also, as a European, for some years wondered why americans call everything karate. But later I found out from my personal contacts that in USA they try to make it more familiar to the public. Like Chuck Norris started training Tae Kwon Do but he called it Korean Karate instead to make it more familiar to the public who didn't really know anything about the stuff.

[DeeperMeaning]

A bit like Jhoon Rhee did...

[G95champ]

Karate is a watered down term anymore that means fighting more or less. Usually with some form of kicking. Karate don't refer to a style for most people.

 

As far as American tradition well I think our tradition is the freedom to cross train. If you look at what America is. We are a nation based on freedom and liberty. We have people from all walks of life and from every country that call themselves Americans. So our tradition is to take a bit of this and a bit of that and make it our own. Capitalism you got to love it. LOL

[Pyros]

Karate is a watered down term anymore that means fighting more or less.

 

In USA that is.

 

Here in Europe we still have the disctinction even in the ignorant public's mind. Here you rarely see (I have never seen or heard of) a "Korean Karate" school or such. Here just about everyone who has heard of karate or judo, has also heard of tae kwon do, kung fu, jujutsu, etc.

[Faunus]

Your not paying good enough attention, Sure, the "Karate" syndrome (not being specific and calling any type of fighting Karate) Is present in america, just as it is present everywhere else, but this is not always the case. My Dojo for example, is Shidokan karate, and thats what we practice, there is tradition to it, were not just a "Karate Syndrome" school.

 

(Does that make sense? I can't think of anyother way to word it )

[Shorin Ryuu]

I would just like to say that sadly, in America, there is a lack of tradition in many schools. By this I don't mean a lack of formalized belt system, dojo rules, and all that jazz.

 

What I mean is that there is an incredible emphasis on tournament fighting, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I know many competent tournament fighters that are good martial artists and can hold their own in a fight. The problem arises when people train only for tournaments and not for real life. I sadly know some of these individuals as well.

 

Furthermore, in America, many people are drawn in by flashy styles and cool movie-type techniques that lead people to arbitrarily call what they teach karate and then blend in many martial arts together. This, again, is not a bad thing, for true martial arts (look at Okinawan karate, its a mix of Chinese and Okinawan stuff for hundreds of years) is aimed at being well-rounded and flexible. Once again, the problem arises when people just start claiming they teach kung fu or in one case, shorin ryu karate, but when we called them and asked about their ad (which said they taught shorin ryu karate), he just said that he went to three or four classes and caught its "essence"...

 

I'm very fortunate to have a teacher who isn't one of those...charlatans...

 

Just remember, as in all things, to be a critical thinker. Don't blindly take anything for its face value.

 

Blah blah blah...yeah, that was all very serious.

 

Anyway, hope this helped and take care.