Can Karate be effective?

[shaolin-warrior]

The system
was brought back to the United States following the
Korean War by a man named Ray Flowers.It incorporates techniques from a wide variety of martial arts
including aikido, judo, hapkido, kobudo, kyushojutsu,
tuitejutsu,jeet kune do, win chun, and of course all styles
of karate and jujutsy. In short, if a technique is effective it
is worth learning, regardless of its origins. pretty progressive in thought....where do i sign up?

[matsushorinryu]

Speak for yourself, bitch.

wow...that was so clever. please sir, can i have more of your infinite wisdom?

[jubaji]

wow...that was so clever. please sir, can i have more of your infinite wisdom?

Help yourself, shitbag.

[Uke]

I think that the biggest prank okinawans ever played on america is our versions of karate. it all became about money, and has become watered down. Most of you who post on this site, including myself, would probably not be able to handle old fashioned karate training. Karate was invented to defend ones self and family, so yes karate itself can be very effective. As for watered down American versions of the art, no they can't.

So, do Okinawans still train in the non-pranked version of karate? If so, that becomes a very interesting point because Americans defeat Okinawans and Japanese regularly. Is it that our(Americans) "pranked" version of karate evolved to a form capable of defeating the "authentic" style? Or could it just simply be that the majority of americans are not fanatical about their training the way that much of the Okinawan/Japanese culture is about theirs, but the exceptions in America reach that upper level as well and win?

[LoneHusky]

Two words Danny Bonaduce

[KotoRyu]

Help yourself, shitbag.

Hey jubaji, it's been a while

[jubaji]

Hey jubaji, it's been a while

................................................
Hey!

[missionaryman12]

karate can easliy be effcetive. I have been training in shorin-ryu karate for about 3 years and have had to use it in a street fight before and it was highly effective.

[blitz]

Like i said before, ANY martial art can be effective if you train in the right way, and you work hard enough. Haven't you heard of Mas Oyama? If you have, I think he has done enough damage using Karate, that shows that Karate can be effective. However, as you said you used it in a street fight, martial arts also gives you confidence which plays a key role in fights. Maybe if you fought a guy from a different martial arts like boxing/thai whatever, you would get beaten up badly, remember on the street you are most probably facing an inexperienced fighter so you have the advantage no matter what you take.

[missionaryman12]

Like i said before, ANY martial art can be effective if you train in the right way, and you work hard enough. Haven't you heard of Mas Oyama? If you have, I think he has done enough damage using Karate, that shows that Karate can be effective. However, as you said you used it in a street fight, martial arts also gives you confidence which plays a key role in fights. Maybe if you fought a guy from a different martial arts like boxing/thai whatever, you would get beaten up badly, remember on the street you are most probably facing an inexperienced fighter so you have the advantage no matter what you take.

Blitz i have fought with mai thai kickboxing people before and have won easily. and have only taking two or three leg kicks.

[Tom Yum]

Blitz i have fought with mai thai kickboxing people before and have won easily. and have only taking two or three leg kicks.

How strong were their mai tais?

I'm just teasing, man.

[Ascended]

Which style are you referring to? If I'm not mistaken, there are hundreds. My instructor holds rank in at least fifteen.

In any case, every art is effective - depending on who your opponent(s) is/are, what art they study, and the length and quality of their instruction and training. Every style has something to offer - some more than others.

In my experience, Karate is a poor art to fight with against Aikido, and most are poor to fight with against JKD.

[Ascended]

karate can easliy be effcetive. I have been training in shorin-ryu karate for about 3 years and have had to use it in a street fight before and it was highly effective.

Exactly what are you referring to when you say 'street fight', because Karate isn't exactly the best art to use in an alley with three potentially armed assailants around you.

And by the way, the guys you fought... knew nothing. However, I'm assuming you took on a single aggressor. If, by chance, he attacked you with a knife, or any other weapon, chances are, he did not know how to use it.

[shaolin-warrior]

Exactly what are you referring to when you say 'street fight', because Karate isn't exactly the best art to use in an alley with three potentially armed assailants around you.

I agree,
I've had the misfortune of being in a few scrapes and although my MA training gave me confidence, the fighting style was far from shaolin, It was strictly down an dirty. I've heard too many tales of people with MA training that get their buts kicked. Even the most proficient MA practitioner has to realize,( and most do ) that we train in a controlled environment with willing participants. Some arts are best for the octagon and some for the mats and most have some very good street value. The big thing is that unless your training is so engrained into every fiber of your being, how do you know what technique to use or even worse, what will be effective against your opponent.
For the last few years i've trained with the same few sparring partners and we get agressive. Fat lips black eyes ansd the occassional bloody nose. But we know each other to the point of predictability. On the streets you had better not under estimate your opponent or over estimate your ability, those two mistakes could very possibly be your last.

[Nutz]

The big thing is that unless your training is so engrained into every fiber of your being, how do you know what technique to use or even worse, what will be effective against your opponent.

Believe it or not, this is easier to accomplish that most people realize. I was privy to "special" training a few years back and it became apparent that the trick to engraining your movements into long-term muscle memory is simplicity + repetition, repetition, repetition. It sounds like common sense, but most don't really comprehend how easy it is if done correctly. For example, take the Army SF's training of the time which was only 8 weeks long at 8 hours a day. You do that and you're good for life (as they often considered are). HOWEVER, these guys fought. Hard. Lots of knockouts, several dislocations, and plenty of pain. If you can train that hard you'll be a formidable foe with the requisite autonomous reactions necessary in real life situations.