Karate- what chances does it stand on the street?

[holyman]

In a street fight there no rules. If you see a brick on the ground pick it up and smash it over the guys back.

Throw sand in his face and then do a reverse punch to his stomach or face.

If u see a flower pot throw it at his head..there are no hard and fast rules just use anyuthing as a weapon and mould it into your style.

I understand that this topic may have been played out, but im still gonna ask it....ive been training karate now for 11 and a half years, and ive never used it in a street fight, so i was wondering if I could ask anyone that trains it how youve done in street fights, and if you have any advice on how to adapt karate into street fighting more.



All feedback appreciated.

[HiryuHien]

Maybe it works

I trained in Shotokan, Shorin, and Shorei from the age of seven until sixteen.
Won a few and lost a few during that time. Grew up in a ghetto so fights were easy to find.

Went to private school through the actions of a middle school teacher.
Met this guy who was from okinawa, Kenji Omuki or something like that at school.
In phys-ed class he beat the snot out of some of our blackbelts who picked on him.
I asked him what style. He told me that his dad trained him.
hung out and his dad agreed to train a few of us.
Never named a style, we learned breathing, meditation, and ki postures first.
And that went on for about 8-10 months. some guys dropped it. After then we learned different fighting applications for the three or so years. we did not spar more than he told us to battle and win however we could using hat we had personally learned. And we learned two katas. Never named , but I found out at present one was called nanfuchin or something.

anywho, even after just learning breathing and ki, I lost less fights.
but the funny thing was at that time I avoided em.

my last fight was two years ago defending my ex wife drom this guy.
and as with many of them... I just remeber someone telling me to let go of his arm and to stop punching him.

and one time I was in the breakroom at work and someone apparently threw a mock punch at me froma back angle, I had his wrist twisted and a knee coming up before i knew it

funny thing is, I am a devout pacifist.

so karate worked for me...

[HtTKar]

Originally posted by Phorce

ive been training karate now for 11 and a half years, and ive never used it in a street fight, so i was wondering if I could ask anyone that trains it how youve done in street fights, and if you have any advice on how to adapt karate into street fighting more.

I'd have to say that if Karate has allowed you to go 11 1/2 years without getting into a streetfight, then yes it is quite effective for you. Maybe it's the confidence that it has installed within you, but sometimes that's all it takes.

[Thai Bri]

But thats so weak. Its like winning through false confidence. It only takes one person to call your bluff one time, and down you go.

[brokenelbow]

Lack of use is not proof of effectiveness.

[HtTKar]

Lack of use does not prove effectiveness is true.
Nothing proves effectiveness, except being effective.
11 years of constant training without being forced to defend yourself p
+hysically is effective.

Most people that want to fight on the streets are nothing but drunken idiots, with less fighting skills than my sister. They want to push people around and inflate their egos. Half of these people can be set straight and will be set running with a good ole' fashioned bitch-smack. A 4-5 hit combination puts most of them in the hospital. These people dont want to get beat up, they just want to look cool to their drunken buddies or some girls. I don't think it's false-security to say that Phorce would be able to take most of the people that would start crap. These people haven't started a fight with him for at least 11 years. I'd have to say that's because Phorce doesn't make himself to be a target.

Phorce has been training Wado and Jujitsu, and states that he feels that he is a pretty good fighter. In that 11 1/2 years, noone has called his bluff. If they do, they will find someone that has been waiting for this moment for too long.

[ZenZhu]

Look at it this way, in a recent interview with [I}Men's Health{/I}, Jet Li stated that he knew there were plenty of people out there that could beat him up... that's not what it's all about.

Remember the phrase that's something to the effect of "the greatest swordsman is the one that resolves a conflict without ever drawing his sword."

You learn to use the sword.

You and the sword become one.

The sword disappears because there is no longer any need for it.

[jubaji]

You learn to use the sword.

You and the sword become one.

The sword disappears because there is no longer any need for it.

...then some dude with a sword comes along and kills you.

[ZenZhu]

Ah, but if you are at the level of achievement where the sword disappears, you will not be in a situation where the "dude" pulls the sword out to begin with. The conflict will have been resolved long before then, or not even have arisen. Thus, no one is killed.

[Tant01]

Originally Posted by Phorce
I understand that this topic may have been played out, but im still gonna ask it....ive been training karate now for 11 and a half years, and ive never used it in a street fight, so i was wondering if I could ask anyone that trains it how youve done in street fights, and if you have any advice on how to adapt karate into street fighting more.



All feedback appreciated.


Philosophy is one thing but the old warriors and modern ones too have human instinct or physiology to adapt in addition to technique. The adrenalin response training in some modern reality based arts do that better than your typical dojang. Once you've performed a technique under stress (real or simulated) you are more prepared to perform the technique "for real" because the line between reality and what you do to "train" for the event is much less defined. A typical mugger, rapist or carjacker ain't going to touch gloves with ya before he get's it on! I've seen a Karateka KO a real BG with one chop to the jaw... it can work if you make it work. I don't think that most schools prepare a guy to fight for real, deal (realistically) with trauma, weapons or the gastly sights and smells of blood and guts. You won't REALLY understand that untill you feel for yourself the warmth of blood on your hands. If you carry a knife for SD are you prepared to use it for real? What about dealing with the DA and police and Courts? Even serious Prison time? Think???

Now for the question... Street fights I've experienced were "typical" brawls over stupid crap usually and had all the standard tactics and techniques. Ambush type are usually the most brutal and deadly. Sucker punches are common, the big ol' roundhouse you never saw comming. Tackle type takedowns to a ground and pound. Headbutting from "in your face" range and kicks and knees to the groin are good to learn to defend against! Then prepare for knife attacks, blunt instruments, guns and multiple opponents. Never forget that INTENT is a strong foundation. Lose sight of that and it's just another "art".

Or, maybe not...

[jubaji]

the zen of pothead?

Ah, but if you are at the level of achievement where the sword disappears, you will not be in a situation where the "dude" pulls the sword out to begin with. The conflict will have been resolved long before then, or not even have arisen.

This kind of BS is just what makes the dude go nuts and kill the damn fool.

[ZenZhu]

Yep. Of course, when you're talking about the level of "the sword disappearing," you're talking about someone that has effectively reached the level of a boddhisatva... which is unlikely to be seen in this day and age. By day-to-day standards, the best way to resolve a conflict is for it to not have arisen in the first place. In terms of street fights, it obviously depends on if the situation is avoidable or not. If you're in a situation where it's defend yourself or be injured or, worse, killed, then obviously one's training proves valuable at subduing the attacker. If, on the other hand, you're in a situation where the fight never arises because you have not reacted to the bait of your antagonist, then the best resolution has occurred.. no fight at all.

Two cases in point.. one of the very, very few fights I've ever been in was a case where a fellow at an arcade got pissed at my brother for utterly decimating him at something like Mortal Kobat, Virtua Fighter.. I forget what. He came at my brother and I stepped in the way. The old "you have to go through me first" routine. O.O Anyway, he grabbed me in a headlock. I bit his arm, elbowed him in the stomach and set him off balance with a hip thrust. When he came back, I took him down with a roundhouse to the head. That ended it right there.

In another situation, a rowdy fellow was antagonizing a friend of mine and accusing him of being gay. He asked me if the fellow was gay and, in a rather silly moment, I suggested the guy hoped he was so he'd have someone t go home with that night. Well, his next words were something to the effect of "You and me.. out back." So... he headed wherever he went and we headed to another place. For all I know, the goof is still standing behind that bar.... situation resolved, since fighting would have served no purpose.

[brokenelbow]

Remember the phrase that's something to the effect of "the greatest swordsman is the one that resolves a conflict without ever drawing his sword."

That's because he's drawn his Glock.

[jubaji]

a deep stinker

Yep. Of course, when you're talking about the level of "the sword disappearing," you're talking about someone that has effectively reached the level of a boddhisatva... which is unlikely to be seen in this day and age. .

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[koto_ryu]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Once again, a superior post by Jubaji! Congratulations Jubaji, you've won the Troll of the Thread Award for the seventeenth thread in a row!