Elbows, Knees, Shutos and Head Butts.
One of the first things I got excited about while training in Kenpo was the drilling in the use of these weapons.
All of these strikes are in Karate, but outside of their use in Kata, you don't see them practiced much.
This is a shame as these are powerful self defense techniques and are essential in close quarter combat.
I recommend that all artist make an effort to drill in these techniques. Use them while training in Ippon Kumite. Drill in their use while practicing various self defense techniques. Practice close quarter combat attacking and countering attacking with them.
If you want to take your art beyond the sport aspect, hard training in these four weapons will dramatically improve your ability to defend yourself and add to the total grasp of your art.
Learn real self defense
KARATES NEGLECTED WEAPONS
KARATE STRIKES
Your karate strikes can be made more effective in many ways:
1. Use your body - As an example you could punch by moving just your arm and possibly hit reasonably hard but it makes far more sense to practice better techniques. Practice a stance that will give you a firm base to punch from, the punch starts right down from the foot where a twisting motion is initiated, push your knee, push your hips, rotate at the waist and rotate your shoulders all whilst extending your arm to punch. It is a way to focus more muscle into a punch than just arm speed.
2. Brace your Target - This can be done by the person being against a wall or floor or even brace the Target yourself by holding the person or limb in place whilst striking. Basically, you do not want them to move away from the strike so hold the target in place or even pull it towards the strike.
3. Strike through the Target - Don't aim at the Target but aim approximately 6 to 8 inches through it.
4. Time on Target - Don't pull your strikes back too quickly. Your strike is kept in contact for a count this helps create a maximum transfer of Energy. Striking with a larger surface also gives a better transfer of energy.
5. Over loading - Strike several times to the same target. If you are targeting a motor nerve for example the repeated strikes in the same area will shut the limb down and stop it from working properly or at all.
6. Target Weak or Senstive Areas - Many people know the obvious targets such as eyes, nose, solar plexus, groin, thighs, shins and insteps.
7. Shouting - Helps you focus on your energy into your Karate Strikes.
Shouting alone serves many purposes:
1. Startle the Attacker.
2. Attract Attention of passers by.
3. Create witnesses to the Attack.
4. Tenses your abdominal region which will stop you being winded if you're hit at the same time.
5. Helps you focus energy into your karate strikes.
As a general striking rule strike with hard to soft and soft to hard - For example:
1. Elbows to Ribs
2. Knee to Thigh
3. Knee to groin
4. Head to Nose
5. Palms to head
Avoid punching to the head if possible. It's so easy to break knuckles and fingers as the head is so hard and these days most people's hands are pretty soft. There is also the risk of someone transmitting nasty infections or even HIV or hepatitis via puncture wounds from the teeth to the knuckles. You can hit just has hard with the palm of your hand with much less risk of injury to yourself.
Further Targeting and Striking
When working with these sensitive areas, pressure points or motor nerve points, full on karate strikes would cause lasting damage and even 5% strikes can have an effect on people, sometimes there is even a delay before the reaction. Due to this, we are very careful. Striking these areas can have the effect of shutting down that limb and can also cause unconsciousness. Be warned that strikes to the Throat could cause permanent damage to the throat and even result in death so this must be treated very cautiously in Training and only used in a true Self Defense situation. The same caution is necessary with strikes to the eyes, you must treat this with total caution in training and only use firm karate strikes in a real Self Defense situation.
Train Smart - Fightwize!
Malcolm Bale
Head Instructor of Alberta Self Defense - http://www.fightwize.com
3rd Degree Blackbelt in Jiu-Jitsu
Author of "The Essential Elements of Self Defense"
http://www.fightwize-self-defense.com
"Is Karate Effective On The Street"
This is a question you see posted on many different forums. This was my response to one such posting, feel free to comment if you agree or disagree.
The question isn't valid. If I chop you across the front of the throat, yes it works, if you hit me in the head with a bat, no it doesn't. Question should be "Can karate be an effective form of Self Defense?"
Even asked in this manner is not completely correct. Lets try: "Are punches in the face, kicks in the groin, stomps on the knees, strikes to the throat, pokes in the eyes, hammer fists to the nose, knees and elbows to the head and joint breaking techniques really effective on the street? What do you think?
I'm trying to make a point. If a grappler walks into a dojo and says "Hey lets spar a little" I'm probably going to end up on the ground in a very uncomfortable position.
If someone confronts me on the "street" I'm not going to "spar" with him, I will stomp the knees, poke the eyes, strike the throat, kick the groin and maybe if i react swiftly, with power and speed and control the situation before my opponent can get started, maybe my "karate" will be effective.
If a boxer lands a solid hook on a grapplers chin and knocks him out, is grappling an ineffective art?
If a football player runs head on into a boxer an flattens him out, is football now the most effective art on the street?
Maybe the question should be "Are you effective on the street?"
I believe trained properly anyone can be effective and I also believe everyone can be beat.
Here you can learn powerful effective basic self defence techniques for yourself or to teach to your family.
Click Here!
Speed Training
Speed training is essential to effective self defense. "The ultimate goal of the warrior is to learn to end the fight with a single blow" this was stated by Miyamoto Musashi in his famous text "A Book of Five Rings. So how does the martial artist attain their own level of maximum speed for quick strikes and devastating kicks? Lets explore.
'
1. repetition
2. proper technique
3. visualization
4. explosive conditioning
5. natural reaction
Repetition: No speed training method can be effective without repetition training, practicing your techniques over and over until they become ingrained in your consciousness.
Proper technique: Fast sloppy techniques are ineffective and will keep you from advancing. This is part of repetition training. Practicing your techniques over and over using smooth form and proper technique.
Visualization: See yourself as fast, may sound funny, but this works. I have visualized my backhand striking my opponents head and it does. It's amazing when it happens, because it just happens.
Explosive Conditioning: Slow progressive exercise is great for building strength, but explosive training like plyometrics, Olympic type weight lifting and sprinting are great for building explosive power and should be part of every martial artist speed training regimen.
Natural Reaction: The hardest to develop even thou you already possess it. Ever strike a match, have a piece fly off at your face and you jerk out of the way or have someone throw something at you unexpectedly and you deflect, dodge or catch it, no thought, just happens. One instructor I trained with was always throwing tennis balls, or would lash out with a kick or punch at his students unexpectedly. In the beginning you would just stand there and get hit in the head with the ball or take a quick kick or punch to the body, but the students would quickly learn to react. These were difficult people to sucker punch as they developed their natural reactions.
Every effective Martial artist follows an effective speed training program.
Deadliest Style Of Martial Arts
What is the deadliest style of martial arts?
ARE TRADITIONAL MARTIAL ARTS DEADLY?
Add Krav Maga to your skills, this is one of the most complete online offers i've seen. I wanted it just for the bonus material.
LEARN KRAV MAGA HERE!
LEARN REAL SELF DEFENSE!
WHY DO YOU TRAIN
1. You want to get in shape.
2. It's a hobby.
3. Your interested in learning about the mystical Asian culture.
4. Your going to be the next Bruce Lee.
5. Your having your kids train so they can learn discipline.
To these reasons I say BULLSHIT!
From Wikipedia: Martial arts or fighting arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. While they may be studied for various reasons, martial arts share a single objective: to physically defeat other persons and to defend oneself or others from physical threat.
Training for combat and to physically defeat your opponent. This should be the reason you train. If it's a hobby, get yourself some jigsaw puzzles, your wasting the classes time.
Want to learn about Asian culture?, spend a year in Laos or Cambodia, they should give you a feel for real Asain culture.
Your not going to be the next Bruce Lee or B.J. Penn, but I guess it's fun to day dream.
If you can't teach your kids discipline, don't bring them to my class, they won't last a day.
For all of you who just want to GET IN SHAPE, take a jazzersize class, believe me no one will ask you to "SHOW ME SOME OF YOUR MOVES"
NINJUTSU
Ninjutsu
Over 70 different Ninjutsu Ryu have been identified and discovered over the years, however most of them have died out. A majority of them were created around a set of specific techniques and skills, although when those skills of a specific Ryu were no longer needed or wanted, the Ryu seems to die out and fade away from existence.
The art of Ninjutsu is best associated with the ninja’s from ancient Japan. The ninja’s are well known all around the world, for their stealth and very secreted life. The ninja is known to have went through very tough and demanding training, which hardly anyone really knows about. Those that were actual ninja’s are either dead, or not allowed to let anyone know their true identity.
In regards to the art, the term of Ninjutsu doesn’t actually refer to any certain style, but rather a group of the martial arts, with each one having it’s own view that’s expressed with each of the different Ryu. The Ryu vary, meaning that one may focus on one certain physical dynamic, while the next may be focused on redirection.
What many people aren’t aware of, is the fact that Ninjutsu involves both unarmed and armed fighting skills, along with philosophy, strategy, and history. There are a few dojo’s that offer the art, many of them being quite comprehensive with the way they teach.
During combat, Ninjutsu focuses on distance, posture, and flow. Stylists are taught to react to every movement, and respond in ways that will place them in the advantage position. From being in a position of advantage, the stylist can effectively change the outcome of the encounter - quickly going from negative to positive.
Those that practice the martial art of Ninjutsu are instructed and trained to use their entire body for everything they do, which provides the most leverage and power. The techniques are a form of effectve self defense. It can be a great martial art to learn - if you can find a dojo that teaches the real thing and not all ninja hype.
Effective Striking For Serious Self Defense
Effective striking with the weapons of the body to the opponent’s vital points is essential for a victorious outcome in a hand-to-hand struggle. A person must be able to employ the principles of effective striking if he is to emerge as the survivor in a serious self defense situation..
1. Attitude. Proper mental attitude is of primary importance in your ability to strike an opponent. In hand-to-hand combat, you must have the attitude that you will defeat your attacker, no matter what. In a serious self defense situation you must have the frame of mind to survive above all else; the prospect of losing cannot enter your mind. You must commit yourself to hit the opponent continuously with whatever it takes to drive him to the ground and end his resistance.
2. Thrusting Strikes. A strike should be delivered so that the target is hit and the weapon remains on the impact site for at least a tenth of a second. This imparts all of the kinetic energy of the strike into the target area, producing a fluid shock wave that travels into the affected tissue and causes maximum damage. It is mperative that all strikes to vital points and nerve motor points are delivered with this principle in mind.
3. Target Selection. Strikes should be targeted at the opponent’s vital points and nerve motor points. The results of effective strikes to vital points cause temporary mental stunning and muscle motor dysfunction to the affected areas of the body. Mental stunning results when the brain is momentarily disoriented by over stimulation from too much input—for example, a strike to a major nerve. The stunning completely disables an opponent for three to seven seconds and allows you to finish off the opponent, gain total control of the situation, or make your escape. Sometimes, such a strike causes unconsciousness. A successful strike to a nerve motor center also renders the affected body part immovable by causing muscle spasms and dysfunction due to nerve overload.
Effective striking in a self defense situations can make the difference between walking away with you and your family safe, or becoming a victim to an aggressive attacker.
The Speed Of Kempo
The Speed Of Kempo
Throughout the world of martial arts, the style known as Kempo is one of the best. Kempo uses extremely fast strikes, which is the area it is most known for. Kempo has been around for many years, originating from Japan. It was tested on the ancient battlegrounds, using punches, kicks, and very little grappling. Kempo employs weapons as well, including disarming techniques against opponents who are using weapons.
What many don’t realize, is that Kempo is actually an older form of Karate. Throughout this deadly martial art, stylists will be taught that every block is a counter, and ever counter is a block. Instead of simply blocking an attack, stylists will learn how to block in a way that executes a strike.
The most well known aspect of Kempo is speed. If you’ve ever seen it in action by someone who has been studying for many years, the hand speed of the stylist is simply amazing. Those that have been practicing for many years, including black belts, are able to execute techniques with blinding speed. Often times, a Kempo stylist can land many strikes before you can even get the chance to counter - or block.
The hand speed in Kempo comes from something known as “speed striking”. Although Kempo uses weapons and weapons training, it is more an unarmed martial art that teaches students how to defend themselves in any situation. This style isn’t about just going around and hurting people though, as stylists learn a lot in terms of self control, and only to react when they are given no other option.
The speed striking in Kempo takes many years to master. Students of the art will practice forms on a daily basis, which helps with the speed. By practicing a certain movement over and over again, students will get faster and faster. They will practice with other students, the instructors, and also with equipment such as punching bags. Over time, students will get amazingly quick and able to execute strikes with amazing speed and precision.
Shadow boxing is also essential to developing speed with Kempo. Students will spend quite a bit of time shadow boxing, learning their own movements. As a result of shadow boxing, students will learn physical resistance as well as improve their levels of fitness. This also helps with technique as well, as students will be engaging in practice with themselves.
The main exercise where speed striking will really come into play is with sparring. When sparring, students will test their knowledge and skills against other students. The instructors will pay close attention during this exercise, to see just how well the students are learning. Sparring can be very fun to watch, especially when there are two black belts squaring off. The more time a student spends sparring, the faster he will develop in the art of speed striking.
Throughout the years, Kempo has proved to be a martial art with very fast strikes. It is one of the fastest striking martial arts in existence, although it teaches students self control and how to avoid confrontations. Kempo is taught all around the world, making it an excellent martial art for children as well. From adults to children, the martial art known as Kempo can teach self defense, harmony, self control, self confidence - and how students can help others in the world live a better life.
Shorinji Kempo
Good Martial Arts Feeds
Like Samurai Warriors? (who doesn't) Click Here On Ronin for some cool warrior pics and info.
IKIGAIWAY.COM
Looking for solid information on all aspects of Martial Arts training. Interviews from highly trained and knowledgeable Masters of their arts. A website by a Martial Artist who understands the principals and philosophy's of the Arts, that will take you to the next level. Go to http://www.ikigaiway.com . Martial Artist from every style can and will learn from this site.
A New Domain Name
I been thinking about going beyond my karate blog and set-up a karate website.
After a lot of thought and planning I set out to find the best Karate Domain for my new site. I tried all the obvious ones, Karate.com, Shotokan.com, Karate Training.com, KarateKa.com, KarateDo.com etc. etc... There all gone!
Most of them are just owned, no site, parked somewhere and being offered for sale. One was priced at $6000, another at $4500, no bids, no offers, just like their sites, nothing.
So I thought about it and found a Japanese to English Martials Arts terminology page and went to town, Karateuchi.com, Bujutsu.com, Kumite.com, Ahh, heres a good one, Ikken Hissatsu.com (the death blow), GONE! I tried some variations Ikken.com, Hissatsu.com, GONE! Ikken is parked with real estate ads and Hissatsu is a knife, thats kind of cool.
I could have got BritneySpearsInADeepKiba-Dachi.com, but eveyones already seen thos pics.
I say "THE HELL WITH IT" all the karate domain names are taken. I'll just stick with my IPPONKUMITE and forget about a karate website for....wait a minute, ipponkumite, thats a karate term and I own it! I'll see all of you at ipponkumite.com as soon a I figure out how to build a website. OH and the name is "FOR SALE" only $12500.
OLD SCHOOL TRAINING
Awhile back, after what seemed like a very hard workout, I was thinking back to when I first started training.
My first training was in Tae Kwon Do at the local YMCA. A friend was training there and got me interested.
This was either late 1970 or early 1971, I was 14 at the time, involved in Olympic Weightlifting and in pretty good shape. The workouts weren't to tough, but somewhat difficult at first, very different from what I was used to. There were a lot of breaks and while other people were sparring or doing kata, we would set and watch. Latter in life I understood that you have to accommodate your class some, there were children, elderly and people who hadn't really done any real exercise in there life.
One day we stopped at the local boys club because we had heard that they taught Karate there. We went up to the gym area and watched as an Instructor was just finishing teaching a class with four students.
We thought, this guy can't be to good, he only has four students.
The Instructor approached us after the class, he was sweating and his gi was dirty. He was pleasant enough and seem to have a real knowledge and passion for the art. He explained that the art he taught was called SHOTOKAN KARATE and that it was similar to our art, just less emphasis on kicks.
He told us that we could train there for $2.50 a month, we were paying $10 at the Y. (Ahh the good old days)
We signed up, feeling a little sorry for the guy, just four students, maybe we could help him out with our months of experience in Tae Kwon Do.
The workouts were Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, but they were two to two and a half hours long, that seemed kind of long to me.
We arrived with our clean, pressed Gis, I brought my yellow belt, (just earned that week) all of his students were white belts and he might want me to take over and show them some of my stuff.
Only three of his students show up for this workout, Chuck 17, Mike 16 and Vince 16. The other student had joined the marines and wouldn't be back.
The workout begins and the Instructor has us do this little bowing ritual which was kind of cool, very Asian and mystical. Then he said something in Japanese which I think meant: WELCOME TO HELL.
he was throwing out terms like Gedan Barai, Oi-zuki, Uraken-uchi,
Mae-geri, well it was all French to me.
This continued on and on, up the floor, back down the floor. I'm thinking he's trying to kill us, I felt bad for his students, they must really be dieing.
We then moved into this thing he call "Ippon Kumite", he explained that we probably did something similar and that we would just do some basic Oi-zuki and Chudan-Ude-Uke, HuH. "He forgot about our break"
I'm paired up with Chuck, he gets in a front stance, I get in my ready stance and Chuck punches me square in the chest and I land on my ass about five feet back. I immediately look to the Instructor, he's really going to let chuck have it, no, he looks at me and says "GET UP, LETS GO!", Chuck still has 4 right handed Oi-Zukis and
5 left handed Oi-zukis, then I get my turn.
Next were going to do a little Kumite, The Instructor has a Dentist appointment so were going to have to cut the workout short about an hour, forty-five minutes, we'll make it up on Saturday though.
He wants Chuck and Vince to Spar a little, show us what he wants to see when his students spar. I was just punched in the chest THIRTY TIMES by his students so I assume the best crossed leg stance on the floor that I can, only to quickly find out that there is no setting down, we could stand in a deep Kiba-dachi and if our legs got to tired in that stance, we could switch to any of the very comfortable stances offered in Shotokan Karate.
Well, we each sparred for about 20 continuous mins, "light day". Didn't have time for Kata, because of that Damn Dentist appointment, so we ended the workout with a hundred squatting front kick, fifty squatting side kicks, 25 squatting round kicks, and 25 squatting back kicks.
He explained that he was sorry for the light workout that day and promised he would make it up Saturday.
We left there that day, my friend said "he's never going back, he's staying with the Tae Kwon Do, he's not going to pay good money to get beat up". I thought about it all night between the cramps, the gasps for air, the bumping of sore arms and legs from the THOUSAND BRUISE WORKOUT.
I was there the next Saurday and every TUESDAY, THURSDAY and SATURDAY after that, getting beat up, shins all banged up and watched as the "NEW RECENTLY EARNED YELLOW BELT" students from other schools would come and want to try a class and maybe show us a few things.
The Advanced Shotokan Karate Bible: Black Belt and Beyond
OLD SCHOOL TRAINING GOT TO LOVE IT.
MY FAVORITE MMA FIGHTERS
I love watching the top MMA fighters compete.
Their skills and sheer determination to win, is so impressive.
I like different fighters for different reasons, the only ones I don't care for are the one skill fighters, knockout punch, but nothing else or great grappler, but no stand-up.
Those guys usually get weeded out when they compete with the top fighters, so it's all good My favorites are.
Some of my Favorite "Quotes" M.A. and Others
"The true value of the martial arts is not in 100 victories but in the perfection of the character of the students." -- Funakoshi
"He who hesitates, often meditates, in the horizontal position" Ed Parker
"Before I learned the art, a punch was just a punch. After I learned the art, a punch was no longer a punch. Now that I understand the art, a punch is just a punch" Bruce Lee
"Mercy is for the weak" Reese Kobra Kai
"Myagi don't like fighting, Someone always get hurt" Mr. Myagi
"Well, the best course is still intercourse" Ronald Reagan
"The couragous man dies a single death, the coward dies a thousand deaths"
"What techniques do you use to psyche out your opponent" --reporter "I punch him in the face"--Mike Tyson
The deadliest weapon in the world is a marine and his rifle. It is your killer instinct which must be harnessed if you expect to survive in combat. Your rifle is only a tool. It is a hard heart that kills. If your killer instincts are not clean and strong you will hesitate at the moment of truth. You will not kill. You will become dead marines and then you will be in a world of shit because marines are not allowed to die without permission. Do you maggots understand Sergeant Hartmann
"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character."-- Albert Einstein
"Our Enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we.They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and people, and neither do we,"--George Bush
"Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don't have time for all that. -George Carlin
Only Wine gets better with age
Oh, and some women.
I wonder where the myth of the 80 yr old Karate Master soundly defeating 5 young warriors started.
Martial Arts seems to be the only physical art where this myth survives.
As we age we may develop wisdom and experience, but we lose physical attributes. Reaction time slows, strength declines, lose of flexability and the ability to recover slows.
I can't think of any other sport or physical art that makes the claims I have heard in Martial Arts. This is especially true in combat arts. Does anyone think Angelo Dundee could have climbed in the ring with Ali and defeated him?, of course not, yet Dundee had years of experience and the "eye" to see what his fighter needed to do to win.
There was an article in the paper recently how three muggers attacked a 72 yr old man and even though his defense failed, he sent one to the hospital at the scene and had sevearly injured another, this man had been a boxer and a boxing trainer most of his life, if he was only 50 or so at the time, he probably would have walked away unharmed.
Look at non-combat sports, you don't see Arnold Palmer walking away with the Masters Trophy anymore, even though he is a Master at Golf or Jimmy Conners winning any top Tennis Tournaments, Why, because they can't keep up or out play the young warriors in their prime in there respective sports.
Now at 52, in a conflict I'm going to take the quickest path of least resistance, I'm not going to bang away, trade blows, or try to outlast any opponent, especially a trained fighter in his prime.
When I brought this topic up on a forum recently, you should have heard the ageing 7th and 8th degree black belts talk about how much better they are now, as compared to when they where 35 yr old 3rd degree black belts.
Wisdom and age do go together, thats why you see so many smart old people ,especially driving the car in front of you at 28 mph in a 45 mph zone.
I know I'm much wiser now, atleast I think I am................what was I talking about?
Karate Tournament
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
Martial Arts Clip Art
Tired of searching for karate clip art? Looking for images you can use in your newsletters, fliers, and certificates?
Now you can get an entire collection of kung fu, judo, jiu jitsu, tae kwon do and karate clip art for free! click here for more info
Self Defense
Fighting when it comes to self-defense, isn't sparring.
Many post that I have read on forums talk about squaring off and what stance to use, if you allow the conflict to progress to this point you've lost most of your advantage.
Now I know there are some real rough boys here who this advice won't apply to.
How many of you witnessed how easily a half trained BJJ purple belt trashes a highly trained Karate black belt. The Gracies walk into a school and want to spar the instructor, he agrees, throws a have-hearted kick to their stomach to see what will happen and they take him to the ground and cause him pain and embarrassment.
What about self defense on the street, in a bar or anywhere. Someone starts making inappropriate gestures toward you, your wife or your family, are you going to spar with him?
You don't know who this person is, maybe he doesn't care if he spends the next few nights in jail, maybe he knocks everyone he fights out, wants to see if he can knock you out too.
Karate is a combat art, developed to stop, devastate, or destroy you opponent. There is a time to leave and theres a time to stop the conflict before it gets going.
Hard kicks to the knees, shins, thighs or groin, knife hands to the neck or throat, hair grabs with hammer fist to the nose, pokes to the eyes. If you have a strong reverse punch, strike the nose, throat, or solar plexus.
Don't let an ex football player with a bad attitude get a run at you, you'll probably end up a tackling dummy.
I'm not against sparring in the studio or competition, it's another tool to develop timing, focus and mental toughness, all necessary in effective self defense training . There may come a time when squaring off is the only option, someone just starts swinging at you or tries to take you down to the ground. This is where sparring in the dojo helps, you block, evade and counter with all you got and hopefully it's enough.
Self Defense & Street Fighting Secrets!
Shotokan Karate
When taught and trained properly, Shotokan Karate can be the ultimate Self Defense Art.
Timing, focus, power are all developed. When backing down is not an option, a blow must be delivered to the proper target with sufficient power at the proper moment. These are the three principals of Shotokan Karate.
Find an instructor who can teach you these things,pay attention, train hard and stay with it. Shotokan founder Gichin Funakoshi has said that "mind and technique become one in true karate." We strive to make our physical techniques pure expressions of our mind's intention, and to improve our mind's focus by understanding the essence of the physical techniques. By polishing our karate practice we are polishing our own spirit or our own mentality. For example, eliminating weak and indecisive movements in our karate helps to eliminate weakness and indecision in our minds--and vice versa.
It may take a lifetime to develop these Shotokan Karate attributes, but the journey is the best part
