Shotokan Effectiveness & Realism.

[Sapper6]

I don't want to start any civil wars I just want an educated answer.

I have recently moved to a different area and the only style that really appears to be available is Shotokan. I don't have much knowledge of karate.

Does this style use really effective self defence techniques or (as some know-all suggested to me) is it an outdated style that is best used for well-being, similar to the way Tai Chi is used.

Any constructive advice would be appreciated.

good luck in your search.

 

[terryl965]

I wish to thank you for the negative ding. My post was not belittle anybody it was a statement on my way of thinking and then I personally did a open apology for the mases. The case is close in my eyes.
I wish to thank everybody for there responses and there opinion about the subject, I hope everybody trains hard and gets wiser in there training.
Terry

 

[AdrenalineJunky]

In my experience, there is no bad martial art, just people being unrealistic about what it is. The only way to tell if it's a good art for you is to go down, meet the instructor, get introduced to some of the top students, do a few drop ins, and make your assessment from there. I have frequently been without Muay Thai instructors; it has not been very popular until recently. I have made due by training on my own, and trying to find new places to train. TKD wasn't for me, although I found someone there that was interested in training Muay Thai, which we did. Kenpo wasn't for me (although I'd give it a second thought, if I had to), but I found a great guy there to train with on the side. We became good friends, a I helped prepare him for the sparring portion of some of his tests, and tried to help be the "dummy" for some of his two man drills. Kenpo ain't easy. I trained with a Ninjutsu guy that was relocated here, without anyone to train with. Found him at an Aikido gym, along with a guy that was interested in getting more experience with "Atemi," whatever that is. A guy I met at a Shorin Ryu place wanted to get into cage fighting; worked with him for a while. Worked a little at an MMA gym that was mainly doing JKD and PFS for stand-up. JKD is also something I'd rethink.

 

[Danjo]

I began training in Shotokan when I was 12 years old. I had trained for about 6 months when a kid in my Jr. Highschool decided to fight me. He had heard that I was taking Karate lessons and decided that he had to test me. He threw a sloppy front kick and I blocked it reflexively (hard too). Then he threw a punch which I also blocked effortlessly (also hard). He quit right then. Two blocks, both of which hurt him a bit. And he quit before finding out what I would do if I started throwing at him. Real fight (though not really dangerous) and what Shotokan allowed me to do. I imagine any martial art would have done me as well in that situation, but it was Shotokan that I had trained in.

 

[madfrank]

Gemini thanks for the kind words, I know poeple have there opinions about life in general. I also know I should keep my emotion out of posting.

I would like to make an formal apology to MadFrank, since I do not know you I have no right to fry you as I did.

May your life be long and may your training take you to the pinnacle of life.
Terry Lee Stoker

Hi

Thank you for the apology

I was about to issue a challenge till I read that.

Apology accepted

I've not heard anyone saying anything about Itosu and Funakoshi apart from saying they disagree with what I say.

Which bits?

Itosu did develop his karate for school children and that is what he taught funakoshi.

The JKA were and still are No contact competition based.

Can anyone deny this with evidence, it is true.

I've trained with Enoeda, Kase, Ohta, Terry O Neill, Sherry Brennan etc.

Unfortunately I have had several street fights and survived a mugging by 5 guys in my time not big or clever just fact.

I'm constantly looking for knew training partners if any one feels likes testing me get in touch.

MF

 

[terryl965]

Madfrank maybe instead of saying testing me, like it is some kind of challenge, one should say come in train with me so we can learn together. I believe the latter of the two statements would be accepted with less anger.

Challenges have been gone from my personality for over 20 years but training with other MA'ers is a oppotunity I fully enjoy. What part of the country are you in as you can tell I'm fromTexas Arlington to be exact. If I'm ever around you maybe we can have some training time together.

Terry

 

[peter]

Hi Guys

Talking from a UK perspective, I feel very lucky and honored to have witnessed the late Keinosuke Enoeda Sensei demonstrate Shotokan Karate-Do at the very highest level. This was 1979, and his fierce fighting spirit and the destructive power of his technique still haunts me today.

The UK has produced, largely via the teachings of Enoeda Sensei, some serious worldclass Karate-ka, many of whom were in the first team to ever beat the Japanese during the early 1970's. Discussions with one very senior instructor certainly suggest that Shotokan can work extremely well in the street.

I think that Shotokan is certainly one of the major Karate systems and deserves a great deal of respect. :asian: Regardless of comments concerning a 'children's art,' Shotokan has earned the right of respect from all serious martial artists. The JKA Instructor class has always been regarded as one of the toughest within the Karate world. Certainly not for the faint-hearted or armchair practitioner.

Best regards

Peter Lewis - 5th Dan
www.yuli-romo.com
www.bakbakan.com
www.worcester-eskrima.co.uk

 

[Makalakumu]

For those who truly know Itosu's kata, there is no way one can call them a "children's art". The pinan katas contain brutal ways to kill an opponent and they contain others that "only" maim. Master Itosu taught these kata to children in order to train them for the military. He did not teach the applications...saving those for a later day when they were ready to understand the material.

 

[Zorba]

i have been doing shotokan now for a couple years and tho i dont know close to everything about the art, i do know that our school does concentrate a lot on self defense. We are also lucky that our sensei is also black belt and other arts such as jiu jitsu and hapkido.

but in karate class, we use karate self defence. We do a lot of ipon kumite (1 step sparring) and we also do some jiu kumite (free sparring). When doing free sparing we are in kumai stance, which is lite and flowing, but for basics we use low strong stances to build up strength.

obviously we do Kata as well, which is a very important part of the training. if you cant do the kata well, you will not be promoted. However, we also do bunkai of the kata, which i have heard a lot of schools (in australia anyway) skip. Bunkai is the self defence application of the kata. So kata is not just a set of moves to us, kata is a way of defending against certain attacking methods.

so in my view, yes shotokan is very effective for self defence.

 

[jujutsu_indonesia]

For those who truly know Itosu's kata, there is no way one can call them a "children's art". The pinan katas contain brutal ways to kill an opponent and they contain others that "only" maim.

The pinan kata is basically a longer Kata (Chatan Yara Kushanku) broken down into five smaller and easier-to-digest katas, so that the younger practitioners could learn them easier and faster.

And yes, it's simply cut up into pieces, not diluted in any ways