While driving home Saturday morning I spotted a small paper sign that said, "KARATE TOURNAMENT",it was mixed in with all the yard sale signs hanging on every street sign in my neighborhood.
I anxiously followed these little red signs which led me to the local high school gymnasium.
The first thing I noticed upon entering was all the Black Belts kids, some that looked about 10 yrs. old.
Well they had Kata competition going on one side of the gym and kumite on the other, so I seated myself in the middle so I could catch all the action.
Hmmm, not to exciting, very poor technique, no focus, but a whole lot of yelling that I guess were suppose to be Kiai's.
Now I hear from the group next to me that Danny's fighting next, he's the top junior Black Belt in Kumite. I don't want to criticize Kids, so lets just say I anxiously awaited the mens Black Belt sparring.
Now I'm really glad I didn't criticize the Kids, I see where they learned how not to be effective, to have weak techniques, to lack power, to have no focus, no timing.
It seems the only technique they know is a "side push kick", lean back on your rear leg and push your front leg out, no power, no focus and these are "BLACK BELTS".
I know these Karate instructors sell parents on the fact that they are building character or teaching kids discipline, I say bulls@#t, you take your child to KARATE CLASS, so he /she can LEARN HOW TO DEFEND THEMSELVES IF ATTACKED!
This was a very disappointing event. I remember attending high school gym Karate Tournaments in the past and seeing fighters like Jim Kelley, Howard Jackson, Lenny Ferguson Sho Kasugi, Bob Dunek, Donny Williams, Steve Sanders, Darnell Garcia etc etc... Is this what the new age of Karate and Kumite is all about?
Karate Fighting Techniques: The Complete Kumite
Karate Tournament
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5 comments:
Interesting post on tournaments. I am a student and instructor in traditional Okinawa Kenpo. When prospective students (kids) and parents come to the dojo I try to find out what the goal is for the student. Parents usually tell me they want their child to improve coordination, self-confidence, discipline and to learn self-defense. We do not require participation in tournaments.
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Dear Joe-
I just read your message 2 1/2 years after you posted it- so I don't know if you'll even see this.
I too was a karate student in the 60's-70's
(okinawan style). I began lessons at 10, and probably was one of the first females to begin practicing martial arts in the nation. I competed at everyone of those high school gym tournaments, across southern california, on almost every given weekend.
I also competed at the larger national tournaments in Dallas, Memphis, Kansas city, San Francisco and of course the Ed Parker international championships in long beach.
I was very successful as i focused as a kata specialist(kumite at the dojo) . My Sensei, felt very strongly that his students be mature enough to become black belts.
I waited untill I turned 16 - 6 years after starting training, with hundreds of tournament wins, before I received my black belt. And, that was done as a complete surprise to me. I had just won a Four Seasons Tournamt (Mike Stone's Event) and was asked to perform my Kata that evening at the finals- after the kata - Chuck Norris handed me my trophy and my Sensei Phil Perales handed me
My black belt!
So yes- to see young 8 year olds walking around with black belts is a shame!
Ruby
My husband who was named as one of the fighters in your blog and I practiced in the 60s thru the early 80's.
We competed every weekend throughout southern California and the major tournaments in the US (Texas, Florida, Arizona )
I started lessons as a 10 year old. Probably one of the earliest female martial artists in the US. I was very successful as a kata specialist (kumite at the dojo).
My Sensei was very strict that he would not award a black belt untill he felt his students were mature enough. I was 16 years old- 6 years of study and hundreds of championships latter. I taught younger students and i mentored other young girls.
And, in unusual fashion, after winning at a Four Seasons tournament (Mike Stone event), I performed my Kata at the evening presentations, Chuck Norris handed me my trophy and my Sensei Phil Perales handed me my black belt!
So yes, I have a difficult time understanding how a 10 year old can deserve and be mature and responsible enough to be a black belt.
Ruby
So yes, to see 10 year olds walking around with black belts is a shame.
I remember the 4 Seasons tournaments quite well, competed at many of them. We probably were at some of the same ones. Some of that great competitors of our time got their start at these events. Good times.
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