Karate Useless?

[Tai Chi Fighter]

We use padded gloves, Shin guards and foot padding.

[treelizard]

Yes.
We have class three times a week, and this helps with the training. Our classes are held on Mon. Thurs. and Sat. We only spar on those days.

When you say full contact sparring, do you mean with or without any protective padding? Cos three hours is an awful long Fight Club session.

[Tai Chi Fighter]

You do full-force full-contact sparring for three hours after each class?

Yes.
We have class three times a week, and this helps with the training. Our classes are held on Mon. Thurs. and Sat. We only spar on those days.

[treelizard]

We do, we go as hard as we can. We can go that long because of our endurance training. And it helps push past our limits. We go and go, until we can't go anymore.

You do full-force full-contact sparring for three hours after each class?

[Tai Chi Fighter]

You must not be sparring very seriously if you can go for three hours...

We do, we go as hard as we can. We can go that long because of our endurance training. And it helps push past our limits. We go and go, until we can't go anymore.

[>:)]

Many fights are won by what happens before the fight rather that what happens during the fight. How does this effect our training?

It means we have to prepare ourselves mentally and psychologically also? How would you go about doing this?

[treelizard]

Yes, it does. I think all Karate classes should do Full Contact Sparring. After every class I go home and spar with one of my friends from class. And he is a big guy. We spar for 3 hours. This really helps to develop your timing, distance, and technique.

You must not be sparring very seriously if you can go for three hours...

[darrianation]

Many fights are won by what happens before the fight rather that what happens during the fight. How does this effect our training?

[>:)]

I'm currently looking into a few martial arts, trying to narrow down what I'd like to take. My main focus on self-defense. However, most people have been telling me that if I want REAL, effective self-defense, I should stay away from any type of karate. Part of this might be sparring style, if it's a little light on contact. But other than that, I can't figure out why so many people are against it for defense. Can anyone explain this to me?

Get yourself into a decent self defense class. If you can't, look into weaponary. If you don't want to go down that route, get to a good hardcore boxing gym and train your ass off. If you can get into all 3, the better.

If you find a karate dojo that isn't of a follow-the-herd traditionalist mentality, And employs full contact sparring, then fair enough. I Imagine it won't be an easy find but have never been to new york so..

[darrianation]

Where do you begin on a thread like this.

Maybe we should start with determining what attributes a street fighter (self-defense student) should have, what skills he should possess, and addressing the issues (or discrepancies) between the training environment and the reality event.

[Tai Chi Fighter]

Yes, it does. I think all Karate classes should do Full Contact Sparring. After every class I go home and spar with one of my friends from class. And he is a big guy. We spar for 3 hours. This really helps to develop your timing, distance, and technique.

[weehoagie]

Sparring

some of the confusion seems to revolve around free fighting (sparring) and kata. we practice them as two sides of the same coin. free fighting is used for ballistic assaults and closing distance. in the meantime our bunkai and oyo from kata show a lot of stand up grappling and throwing along with striking.

trying to interpret kata as free fighting is like trying to dance about architecture.

oh, hi everybody ...

Yea, I agree with this. Sparring is vital for learning distance, techniques,sweeps etc. However, my point was directed specifically at " competition sport karate" were just lightly touching your opponent results in being awarded a point. Some of these " champions " try their stuff in the street and get wasted. The point I was trying to make is that this gives the serious side of Karate a bad name.

Cheers

[Tom Yum]

some of the confusion seems to revolve around free fighting (sparring) and kata. we practice them as two sides of the same coin. free fighting is used for ballistic assaults and closing distance. in the meantime our bunkai and oyo from kata show a lot of stand up grappling and throwing along with striking....

Perv

trying to interpret kata as free fighting is like trying to dance about architecture. oh, hi everybody ...

Great class!

Interpretive Dance 304B (architecture, construction and demolition)

Nice!!!

[explorer]

some of the confusion seems to revolve around free fighting (sparring) and kata. we practice them as two sides of the same coin. free fighting is used for ballistic assaults and closing distance. in the meantime our bunkai and oyo from kata show a lot of stand up grappling and throwing along with striking.

trying to interpret kata as free fighting is like trying to dance about architecture.

oh, hi everybody ...

[weehoagie]

karate

Yawn !! here we go again. People are always dogging Karate. The problem with Karate is the sport side which has evolved into a game of tag. Try that in the street and you will get killed. People think thats real Karate when its not. You have to look closley at the Katas and you will see locks, throws, grappling and some brutal and lethal strikes. Check out the " ian abernethy" web site to see how Karate is an effective close distance complete fighting system. like I say, the sport karate has given the martial art a bad rep !!!!