Old Karate Article

[Graywalker]

Hey fellow Karateka, I thought some might enjoy this picture. It comes from a book I recently purchased by Toyama Kanken and translated by Tobey Standbury. It seems to be circa 1949 and I though it was interesting. It seems that American journalist were interviewing Toyama and he described his Karate in this way.

My question is, do you in your art, have any of these descriptions in common?

One that I noticed, is the fencing, I think the explosive straight line attack that you find in fencing can be seen in Karate. So far this is the only concept that I mulled over.

What do you guys think, are there any simaliarities between these concepts and your art?

 

[Christopher Adamchek]

My school uses karate in this way

 

[dvcochran]

I could only blow up the picture enough to read the title. It is an accurate description for traditional TKD as well. It is an amalgamation of both Japanese and Chinese influences. Of course there is little to no wrestling in TKD but some of the joint manipulation and leverage you learn in wrestling in used.

 

[Graywalker]

I could only blow up the picture enough to read the title. It is an accurate description for traditional TKD as well. It is an amalgamation of both Japanese and Chinese influences. Of course there is little to no wrestling in TKD but some of the joint manipulation and leverage you learn in wrestling in used.

Yeah unfortunately, the picture in the book was difficult to read as well, I needed a magnifier to read it and it was difficult.

I might transcribe it and then put it up here, in the appropriate forum.

 

[Hanshi]

I agree. Karate is generally a straight line attack. Somehow along the way I was taught angles and circles which I used in karate. Since I was small and worked best inside this "fencing" line of attack suited me quite well.