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I've been reading tons of comments from allover the internet commenting the karate style known as Shotokan Karate. The comments often go on about it being the weakest form of karate and a worthless self-defence art. And now, I want to discuss everything that has to do with Shotokan Karate.
Many people start with the one thing about Shotokan not being about full contact. And that that alone is making it a worthless sport. But who actually believes in this bullshit? Yes, I am willing to go as long as that and call it actual bullshit, no offence. To those who have not studied shotokan they should know it's all about respect, and then you cannot harm your karateka's. You all work together at the same time you work agains yourself most of the time. Shotokan is incredibly pedantic (dunno if that's a word). Which means that the studens have to train extremely hard to get EVERY aspect of a technique absolutely perfect.
This alone creates a very tricky form of training where you have to use your brain alot. To get all the motoristic aspects working fluidly.
Shotokan does have semi-contact sparring. Is that effective then? It is incredibly good to get your footwork going. But technique wise not many techniques can be used. it's basicly just punching and roundhousekicks/front-snap-kicks. Many people say "full contact is better, it toughens you up, learn from your mistakes, you'll know how it feels like to get hi". And my natural responce to that is always "what kind of an idiot doesn't know that getting hit HURTS?
I'd say Shotokan is great contest-wise. You don't get hit noir hit your opponent. BUT, it's point gathering and due to that you really don't want to get hit because then the opponent get's either a win or half a point.
To me, this should really build up your blocking techniques due to every kick or punch has to be seen extremely serious. And not in other contests where you easily could let one punch or two slip in.
What is shotokan all about then? To be able to get out of a fight as fast as possible without any unecessairly confrontations. That's why the techniques that are teached can be very cruel and damageing. Many of the techniques have a large risk of either permanently damageing your opponent or put his/her life at danger. So that's why, shotokan wouldn't do well at all Full-Contact wise. There some are some techniques that are concidered very low-danger but it still wouldn't give much variation enough to actually win against a routine skilled full-contact opponent.
So maby shotokan doesn't do very well sport-wise. But how about in it's originally intended place? The "self-defence" section?
That is the absolutely hardest thing to answer to me. And I bet you also would have a pretty difficult time determing wether it would work or not.
I'd say, it's up to the person itself. We all know, that in a real life situation what matters absolutely most, is REFLEXES!!! If you hit your opponent first with a technique which is predicted to bring your opponent down in just one hit, you will win the fight.
What do you think would happen to a full-contact figher if he is confronted by a real-life fight? His first reaction would be to throw a punch or kick or whatever would be legal in a full-contact fight. Of course it would be effective, but due to all the contesting instead of a truly lethal blow, instead a more "soft" one would be triggered. This is something that might differ from someone who has never truly gone a full-contact match. A self-defence trainee would probably go for a neck/throat/eye blow right away.
Theese are only assumptions I'm making. Which I'm here to do in this thread. You're free to comment.
I am currently training shotokan Karate and have been doing now for almost two years. I find it a great way of getting into shape and protecting yourself. Even though you don't have to hit yourself and others all messed up. We also have almost no worries of getting permanent wounds when training. I also train some kickboxing now. But also this one, without any real full contact either than on sandbags and against an opponent who is holding a very protecting pillow.
What I would say to all who are training shotokan, is to try and snap out of the intensive thinking that's involved. If a real fight would come your first thing to do should not be to think "he's coming at me with a high blow, I can use my age-uke and then counter, or step aside and..." you get the point. Forget all about that you are training shotokan, there's no time to think. Just react and see whatever happends.
It's a very beautiful art involving life and spirit at the same time. And if you haven't trained it, don't judge it before you see it's true capabilities.
Many people start with the one thing about Shotokan not being about full contact. And that that alone is making it a worthless sport. But who actually believes in this bullshit? Yes, I am willing to go as long as that and call it actual bullshit, no offence. To those who have not studied shotokan they should know it's all about respect, and then you cannot harm your karateka's. You all work together at the same time you work agains yourself most of the time. Shotokan is incredibly pedantic (dunno if that's a word). Which means that the studens have to train extremely hard to get EVERY aspect of a technique absolutely perfect.
This alone creates a very tricky form of training where you have to use your brain alot. To get all the motoristic aspects working fluidly.
Shotokan does have semi-contact sparring. Is that effective then? It is incredibly good to get your footwork going. But technique wise not many techniques can be used. it's basicly just punching and roundhousekicks/front-snap-kicks. Many people say "full contact is better, it toughens you up, learn from your mistakes, you'll know how it feels like to get hi". And my natural responce to that is always "what kind of an idiot doesn't know that getting hit HURTS?
I'd say Shotokan is great contest-wise. You don't get hit noir hit your opponent. BUT, it's point gathering and due to that you really don't want to get hit because then the opponent get's either a win or half a point.
To me, this should really build up your blocking techniques due to every kick or punch has to be seen extremely serious. And not in other contests where you easily could let one punch or two slip in.
What is shotokan all about then? To be able to get out of a fight as fast as possible without any unecessairly confrontations. That's why the techniques that are teached can be very cruel and damageing. Many of the techniques have a large risk of either permanently damageing your opponent or put his/her life at danger. So that's why, shotokan wouldn't do well at all Full-Contact wise. There some are some techniques that are concidered very low-danger but it still wouldn't give much variation enough to actually win against a routine skilled full-contact opponent.
So maby shotokan doesn't do very well sport-wise. But how about in it's originally intended place? The "self-defence" section?
That is the absolutely hardest thing to answer to me. And I bet you also would have a pretty difficult time determing wether it would work or not.
I'd say, it's up to the person itself. We all know, that in a real life situation what matters absolutely most, is REFLEXES!!! If you hit your opponent first with a technique which is predicted to bring your opponent down in just one hit, you will win the fight.
What do you think would happen to a full-contact figher if he is confronted by a real-life fight? His first reaction would be to throw a punch or kick or whatever would be legal in a full-contact fight. Of course it would be effective, but due to all the contesting instead of a truly lethal blow, instead a more "soft" one would be triggered. This is something that might differ from someone who has never truly gone a full-contact match. A self-defence trainee would probably go for a neck/throat/eye blow right away.
Theese are only assumptions I'm making. Which I'm here to do in this thread. You're free to comment.
I am currently training shotokan Karate and have been doing now for almost two years. I find it a great way of getting into shape and protecting yourself. Even though you don't have to hit yourself and others all messed up. We also have almost no worries of getting permanent wounds when training. I also train some kickboxing now. But also this one, without any real full contact either than on sandbags and against an opponent who is holding a very protecting pillow.
What I would say to all who are training shotokan, is to try and snap out of the intensive thinking that's involved. If a real fight would come your first thing to do should not be to think "he's coming at me with a high blow, I can use my age-uke and then counter, or step aside and..." you get the point. Forget all about that you are training shotokan, there's no time to think. Just react and see whatever happends.
It's a very beautiful art involving life and spirit at the same time. And if you haven't trained it, don't judge it before you see it's true capabilities.
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