thought on shotokans effectivness in the street?

[WhiteBelt]

The most effective style? ... Aren't we taught to avoid conflict where possible? Meh. I have been in fights, but I try and avoid them now. You never know if you'll be looking at a gun, and no style can teach you to dodge a bullet. Besides, physical conflict is not as necessary as it may have been many years ago (except at school when us boys are around ).

 

Personally, I train so that if I ever truely needed to defend myself, or another, that I might be prepare. And, because I have a passion for this stuff.

 

My most effective style is my mind and my spirit.

[ramymensa]

I like the idea of the best art is what you make of it ... Shotokan and karate in general are badmouthed these days, but they are good. Just think of those guys in Okinawa who became masters. They trained in Shuri Te, Naha Te, Tomari Te, became very good and went on to establish some styles: Gojo Ryu, Wado Ryu, Shotokan, Sh..to Ryu ... They trained in katas and fought guys on the street (Motobu's case). so I guess they were good at self defence too

 

A karateka in a street fight (an advanced one) would be hard to knock, becasue even the blocks are made to inflict pain to the attacker. An "upset" karateka is to be feared. We hit to break, block to break, punch to break (in a normal dojo situation we avoid it, but when a karateka's life is thretened there's no mercy.)

 

I have some coleagues who had to defend themselves and it got nasty (broken noses and so on). One of my coleagues (he is just an orange belt) had to fight with 3 guys in the neighbourhood. He kicked the and punched using basic techniques, but fast and really hard. He got some bruises on the knuckles from punching them in the face ... imagine how nice they looked He didn't use sweeps or other "nasty" things learnt in Shotokan, just kicks and punches. He is an average karateka in our dojo and still was succesful. He is well conditioned (any karateka with at least 2 years of practice and 3-4 training sessions a week would be the same), very fast and relaxed in fighting situations from all the sparring in the dojo.

 

A girl who's shodan (first degree BB) had a fight with a guy and threw him in a Coca-Cola refrigerator (the tall nice ones ). Just a kick and it was over.

 

So train in whatever style and after some years you'd be quite OK. In karate it takes some time to become proficient, but there's no BB in aour comunity who would't resist an attack in the streets. They are ferocious when the get angry.

[Shotokan_Fighter]

thanks for the replys

[TJS]

TJS, the most street effective form, is the one that that person can use to its most effective.

 

The more "blinkered" martial artist would say Mauy Thai is the most effective, Salvate, Silat and even Brazlian Jiujutsu. Well thats simply not true. If a person really loves Shotokan, trains in Shotokan, believes in Shotokan and lives Shotokan, then they are going to very effective indeed.

 

It boils down to what you can use at the end of the day.

 

I dont doubt that somone can use Shotokan Effectivly if they put their mind to it....but if they put the same effort into a more combat oriented stlye i belive they could be "more" effective.

[hobz]

If you train in Shotokan then Shotokan is the most effective for YOU

 

I'm not gonna change styles just so that I can fight better on the street :\

[G95champ]

TJS I disagree certin things fit certin people. A 45 year old woman can take Shotokan or TKD or something and enjoy it and become pretty good at SD. But that same 45 year old woman could not last a week in MT or BJJ because of the beating shew would take. Certin arts fit certin people. No question about that.

 

You don't see many 300lbs guys in Kung Fu and you don't see many skinny guys in Sumo.

[TAKBULLDOG]

Shotokan is good for the street. My system is a mix of Shotokan,Shorin-Ryu, and San Soo. All are very good for the street