Hi, I'm doing Karate (WadoRyu) for about a year and have

 

reached the 2nd Kyu (I know this is not much). But I'm

 

getting more and more the impression, that Karate is a good

 

"sport" but is not really effective in a fight

 

against people who not actually use Karate.

 

I mean that in a fight against another Karateka I

 

would certainly be abled to block most of the "ordinary"

 

techniques such as zucki, but what if someone does

 

something unexpected like attacking with feet and arms

 

at the same time.

 

Another point is the distance to the opponent, in Karate

 

there'S always a distance about one meter, but what if your

 

opponent comes so close to you, that you can't really

 

use techniques or block his attacks because Karate koncentrates

 

more on fighting distant.

 

So my question is, if Karate is as effective in self-defence

 

as other arts (like Win-Tsun e.g) or if it is just a sport

 

which techniques you can only use against other Karateka.

2th kyu after just one year? Interesting. It takes us at least 4-5 years to get to this rank. Maybe in your dojo things are different. About karate being a good self defence thing, I say yes it is. Anyway, we had this conversation a few moths ago in the forums. Perhaps you should dig a little deeper

karate does alot of times lack ranges of a fight..like you said you are used to fighting with distance.

 

Most people are not used to people just rushing them wildly and throwing haymaker punches and trying to clinch/tackle them.

 

so try talking to you instructor about doing some clinch fighting and ground fighting if you are concerened..they are definetly areas that should not be ignored.

It all depends on how you train.

One has to take into account the political climate in Japan in the early part of the Twentieth Century. In order for karate to be successful in Japan, it had to be made to conform with the Japanese idea of "Budo." This meant restructuring the art to enhance phiosophical ideals. In addition, the militaristic climate of the Showa era made group training in martial arts very popular. In order for Karate to survive and flourish it needed to have these attributes emphasized.

 

Two of Funaksohi's early students, Konishi Yasuhiro and Otsuka Hitonori were accomplished practitioners of Shindo yoshin Ryu Jujutsu, as well as high Dan ranks in Kendo. Dissatisfied with Funakoshi's emphasis on Kata, both studied with Motobu Choki, who advocated Kumite (indeed, Wado's head level blocking may be directly attibuted to Motobu).

 

Otsuka's departure from the Shotokan due to rivalry with Funakoshi Gigo allowed him to expand his ideas about martial art training. With the help of Motobu he developed the Yakusoku Kumite exercises of Wado. He also adapted the movements and techniques to more closely fit a "Japanese" model. Indeed, the Kanji for "wa" may be interepereted as "Japanese" as well as "Peace," thus making Wado Ryu Karate "Japanese way Karate."

 

In my ten years of training in Wado Ryu I met many people who were indeed excellent fighters, and would doubtless have been effective in self defence situations. They were ,however, aware that standard Dojo training was designed around the competition model, not the self-defence model.

Well I think Karate is excellent in self defence, it also helps you to grow stronger and faster. Maybe its just becuase of the style I do, Trodai karate has a big focus on self defense.

I would say...Yes. Karate is effective in a self defence situation.

 

Alex...Wado Ryu is a very thorough art. It's not just a striking art as many would prematurely say. Dig deeper into your studies, ask your sensei questions.

Wado guy, are you one of Cecil Patterson's students?

 

Through lineage, yes

 

I only trained under him directly once before his passing. It was great. A very nice, down to earth man. He was a great teacher.

 

Did you study with Sensei Patterson?

No, but I met him at a seminar waaaaaayyy back in 1983. Wonderful man. I was doing a "summer of science" thing for HS students at Vanderbilt,and there was a Wado seminar in Nashville that he attended.