Karate-sport/fitness/fun

[Rich]

OK I know a lot of you are sport oriented. I'd like to hear some considered views on why you do Karate if its not for self-preservation.

 

IMO Karate as fitness falls down badly. Major components of fitness include strength, endurance and aerobic capacity. Strength is best trained with weights and bodyweight calisthenics- these are used in dojos but are not specifically what Karate is about. Endurance- yes repeated techniques help but there are better and more complete ways. Aerobics- again because a lot of training isn't aerobic training the old favs of running, cycling etc. are still the best.

 

Fun. OK can't argue with this as its an individual thing but I'd like to know why train in mainly a punch and kick style when you could have some grappling/ wrestling/ night training/ sensitivity training fun in a more rounded style than most modern dojos provide?

 

Sport. I'd go for rugby any day personally. No contact sparring is quite boring to watch and pretty pointless to do from my perspective. Kata competitions without the rationale of realism can be quite pretty to watch but sport? No.

 

For me that leaves self-preservation and the zen-like striving for perfection in the moment. Within that I have a lot of fun!

 

So guys tell me whats in it for you with some detail please.

 

Regards

 

Rich

[SaiFightsMS]

A middle aged handicapped female is probably the last person you would expect to find in a dojo. I have trained with aerobic and strenght work but it is martial arts that I found to be the most total package.

 

I do not find karate to be lacking in the overall fitness area. I developed strenght, flexibility, coordination, and endurance during my training. Sure the level of fitness I reached did not matched that I left basic training with but I am not 18 anymore. And I can honestly say I have never seen anyone loose any physical conditioning they came to karate allready possessing loose any of it.

 

Fun? Yes, some of it was fun. Some of it is not fun. It is not always fun to try to keep up with people a third of your age. It is not fun to do drills and kata until you feel like one more trip across the floor and you will land in a heap on the floor.

 

As for rounding out your training - well most people are not really capable of seeing what is lacking or not until after they have past the demarcation line of the black belt.

[Rich]

Interesting Sai. Thank you for your contribution.

 

Regards

 

Rich

[fireka]

lol! i figured we'd drive you to make this post eventually! Rich i guess its just an individual thing. but i find one, that in fitness, my body is better trained through kata than weights, though i do both. Secondly, heck yea its fun! thats obvious. and i guess in sport, its still just a matter of taste. i mean, i like watching sparring, its cool to me, and i like performing it even better. i guess some like baseball, some like football, and i like karate. But i do it for self preservation to, i think its the best sport for that very reason, it can be aplied to so many things.

[AndrewGreen]

OK I know a lot of you are sport oriented. I'd like to hear some considered views on why you do Karate if its not for self-preservation.

 

I'd say I'm more "having fun" orientated. And for me that means sparring, on the feet, ground, strikes, no strikes, weapons, no-weapons, etc.

 

Point fighting doesn't really do much for me, niether does kata competition. I like my kata, but more as something that I find relaxing, not a competitive dance routine.

IMO Karate as fitness falls down badly. Major components of fitness include strength, endurance and aerobic capacity. Strength is best trained with weights and bodyweight calisthenics- these are used in dojos but are not specifically what Karate is about. Endurance- yes repeated techniques help but there are better and more complete ways. Aerobics- again because a lot of training isn't aerobic training the old favs of running, cycling etc. are still the best.

 

I'd say fighting is the most intense form of excercise you can do. Roll hard for 10 minutes with someone at your level without sweating, now add strikes.

 

I've done some other things, and for me martial arts is the best all round fitness program I have been involved in.

 

Yes weight training and running and other things can help. For many those are a part of the martial arts training.

Fun. OK can't argue with this as its an individual thing but I'd like to know why train in mainly a punch and kick style when you could have some grappling/ wrestling/ night training/ sensitivity training fun in a more rounded style than most modern dojos provide?

 

Guess it depends on your school, I have had grappling and wrestling training as a part of my program since I opened my school. Same for weapons sparring, which is also a lot of fun.

Sport. I'd go for rugby any day personally. No contact sparring is quite boring to watch and pretty pointless to do from my perspective. Kata competitions without the rationale of realism can be quite pretty to watch but sport? No.

 

That is only one way to do sport in the martial arts. How about just switching from point fighting to MMA sparring. It's more fun, and in my experience safer in many ways.

[Rich]

fireka- each to his own as they say. As this is a different thread I'm not going to repeat anything on the dangers of confusing sport with self-preservation but please look into it yourself- I've given plenty of pointers- I just don't want to see a young person, or anyone, get hurt because of not having the right teachings. Nuff said. Apart from that- great. I'd take you up on the issue that someone who weight trains (free weights and body weight) and runs wouldnt outperform a kata performer- these things help you to have the fitness to perform any Karate better.

 

Andrew- you are describing things not found in most modern 'traditional' schools so its a bit different to what I was asking. Rolling around and doing allsorts is definitely much more fun- I was aiming the comment mainly at the kick and punch brigade. Same with your final comment on MMA.

 

In terms of fitness- grappling is a great workout, high reps of techniques is a great workout of sorts. In terms of fighting you may need endurance developed through grappling but in overall fitness terms the running etc. plus weights and bodyweight exercises will take you to a much higher level if done properly- look at some of the superhuman guys we get in special forces particularly our SAS- aerobic exercises and carrying weights in various ways make them that fit, which IMO is probably the foundation for their abilities- everything else gets laid on top.

 

Glad you are having fun and for you it gives you what you want anyway.

 

Regards

 

Rich

[IAMA_chick]

i do it for fun and also the people are awesome! i love it and it keeps me in shape for soccer season. it also made me a much better person.

[Wannabgood]

I do it for a couple of reasons. First and formost is because I like the fact that if I had to I could wreck somebody. As far as going to a gym, I need motivation, and going to the gym by myself just doesnt last very long. Plus I bore easy and lifting weights is boring in my opinion. I beleive you also stated other things you can do for cardio. Sure, but I like to do things like that outside, (mountain biking, hiking) I cant do that when the weather is crappy. And where I live that is 6mos out of the year. The dojo where I go is a mile from my house which leaves me with little excuse not to go. Also I am fortunate because the place where I train is awsome. It has many of the positive characteristics which have been mentioned on various forums, (even by Mr negative himself Redmond) My sensei is in his sixtys, Hall of Fame Karate coach, seventh dan. Several of the students have several golds and silvers in competition. International and national. Do not get the wrong opinion that this dojo is just a school for competing. For I am not interested in it myself.

 

I kind of got off on a tangent about the dojo, but anyway learnig a craft that is challenging is interesting to me. Being able to do moves, combinations and the like, I think are kool. I am not crazy about Kata, but it is a part of the art. I am trying to set small goals so that I may achieve them.

 

I am also an aggresive person, so after full contact sparring (normally on a Fri night) I feel invigorated and even high. All though often I am sore the next couple of days

 

As far a grappling, we also do that. I myself am not that experienced with it for I am a novice, but someday I will be. Anyway I am tired of writing, I could go on and on and on and on

[ramymensa]

Shotokan for me works like a charm

 

Strenght, flexibility, endurance, power ... my trainig helped me into these. I'm rather tall and skinny so I needed some workout. And like somebody already said, I don't feel motivated in a gym.

 

Fun ... it's fun to be with people you like, your friends ... it's nice to be able to trust a partner in that way you let her throw you or kick you in the head.

 

Tradition and philosophy ... I'm into that too. Karate for me is indeed a way of life. I've shaped myself to fit the pattern. And it works. My relationship with others slightly improved and I feel better.

 

Psichologycal development. YES I've made some changes there too. Karate made me patient, responsible, confident (well I was confident before, but a little more is just OK ), calm and happy.

 

Sport ... I've come to do 7 training sessions a week. I do workout and feel great. I love all sports, but still MA training is the best for me.

 

I'm happy like that and only wish I'll have the health and strenght to go to my way. i wish you these too. Be happy and enjoy your life in MA

[ninjanurse]

Not sure how to answer this but here goes....

 

Karate(or any art) , practiced in a traditional manner with heart and soul and mind, is no less effective in training the body than any other way. And, the added benefits are obvious. If you are not getting the results you want from your karate training maybe it is your training, not the karate?