Spreading of Karate

[eyebeams]

I think the problems with shotokan have more to do with training emphasis than kata. After all, a shotokan BB went on to found kyokushinkai.

One thing worth noting is that in my experience, the "classical okinawan karate" people talk about now is largely reconstructed backwards from post-Meiji karate. We're really talking about three live fighting (striking, arm-grappling and wrestling) methods supplemented by Chinese martial arts and other influences from all over the place. The amount of knowledge has really become diffuse, with different people knowing different things. Hell, I myself know a little two-person kata designed for sword-taking against someone armed with an Edo-period weapon (the way the sageo's tied apparently makes a difference, IANASword Guy). Is this some bit of uchinadi fighting? Some jujutsu that got tacked on? Something wholly invented? I have no idea. Lots of Okinawan-rooted systems are like this. I remember reading about one early master who collected dozens of one and two move kata from various obscure systems on the islands.

So it's my impression that if you want "original karate," you'll have to learn it the same way that mid-level nobles from Okinawa did, which seems to be:

1) Wrestle with the arms and body.
2) Learn bareknuckle kickboxing
3) Learn a bit of FMA and Indonesian MA to reflect some recieving techniques found in various places.
4) Learn a bit of koryu bugei
5) Top it all off with a smattering of Chinese martial arts.

 

[Robert Lee]

If you consider the fact that Judo and jujitsu had already been brought to light and was starting its spread across the globe Karate was to be next. Japan asked for representives to come to japan But would not except the art as it was So chose it to be called Karate. And the changes and the spread fell into place. Being excepted as a school exersise A competing event After WW2 american servicemen Hid to learn at first Karate as the U S military did not allow open instruction at first. Then Karate was later introduced to both america and the world. Alot of myth played along at first. And some of the first who taught Karate to beginer students had not made a black belt rank at the time But did so later. Karate was more or less doomed to die off As it was less needed in the changing world. And much of the first Karate has died by being changed to a softer less combat worthy art. This was to allow for a spread that made it easy for most anybody to train it. And if you look today Alot has been lost from the original Okinawan version That latere was to be called karate. As later the Gung Fu arts were finaly to be exposed to the outside world It was and is a matter of time and A change in beliefs that spreads the M/A s around the globe. Credit must go to the okinawan people for they were the first The Japanese were perhaps the first to adapt much change to the old ways And spread the modern form And new named styles. Karate lays in both ZEN culture and Fighting survival methods Todays M/A training is much more geared for sport and money making for many a instructor. Which has watered down made softer what Karate or other arts had trained years ago. Few Dojos kwoons ect train small select classes of hard core students that wish to really learn Because of the libility. the need for student retention. and the push for money and self reconization. The different M/A s are losing the interest of real selfdefence training And being brought more and more to just a sporting event training The few scools that keep more real and do not push the sport aspect will be the few that keep some kind of real structure to the modern times of real M/A training Be it Karate or any other art. Perhaps it is meant to be that the full circle far M/A is to become sport not violence Who really knows But the spread does continue.