Freestyle Karate??

Discussion in 'Karate' started by mani, Jul 24, 2003.

  1. mani

    mani Valued Member

    Ive seen a numerous amounts of karate clubs teaching so called "Freestlye Karate"


    Im not quite sure what freestyle karate is? Is it a karate style which mixes all karate styles together.

    If it is a mixture of all karate styles what style do the Kata's come from.
     
  2. Andrew Green

    Andrew Green Member

    Could be just about anything.

    From creative forms and point sparring to full contact fighting, to an ecclectic blend of traditional elements.

    Basically it is a generic term used by people who no longer fit any of the established "styles"
     
  3. karatekid

    karatekid MOOOOOOOOOOOO

    free style karate is a mixof ma styles aswell as different karate style well....
    that is wot it is where i train:)
     
  4. bishu-ronin

    bishu-ronin New Member

    freestyle karate basically shows you how to fight no set kata or anything might as well do boxing.
     
  5. bishu-ronin

    bishu-ronin New Member

    or kick boxing
    (sorry typo)
     
  6. Bushi

    Bushi New Member

    You know...

    Kickboxing has developed from the All Style Karate.
    I guess, Freestyle Karate is something like this...
     
  7. Mike Flanagan

    Mike Flanagan Valued Member

    Usually (in the UK anyway) 'freestyle karate' refers to a martial art that is geared strongly to some form of competition. It might be the touch contact form of competition or it might even be something more like kick-boxing. It is devoid of the stylistic peculiarities of the traditional styles of Japanese Karate. Indeed it probably bears as much resemblance to Taekwondo or some Kung Fu systems as it does to Karate. There is likely to be little or no emphasis on kata. There is probably more emphasis on high, impressive looking kicks than there is in traditional Japanese Karate.

    Depending on the instructor/association it could be quite good, quite awful or anywhere inbetween. It also depends, of course, what you actually want out of a martial art.

    Mike
     
  8. kobudo_tob

    kobudo_tob Valued Member

    Mike took the words right out of my mouth, except his passage was a lot more organised and contained long words. Me go now.
     
  9. vinceb

    vinceb New Member

    As someone who has worked and taught in both camps (Freestyle and Traditional) I'd like to add the following:

    Freestyle is logically about what the name says. It's about being free from the concept or in some cases confines of a style. It's ultimately a western reaction to the eastern arts. You have to put the whole thing into context. Traditional arts are born in Eastern culture. As such not all aspects necessarily work for all people. Freestyle should be about being open minded to all arts.

    Unfortunately as is the case across all martial arts, you sometimes encounter bad ambassadors for arts and it can taint the view of what the art is.

    Generally, it is a broad based syllabus that allows for interpretation by the instructor and enables them to teach a variety of techniques. Quite what each individual club is like will depend on what mix the instructor brings to the equation. Many will have roots in traditional arts (not just Karate either) and others will have always been freestyle.

    This is why some clubs will be competition oriented, some may be high flashy kickers, some may box a lot, some will completely amaze and some will disappoint. At its root it should be about being open to change, trying to move forward and tailoring a fantastic sport to individuals.

    I enjoy both sides of the fence and a number of other arts. As someone else put it , it depends what you want from it.

    What is traditional anyway? Most masters have been through transitions in their training and teaching. As an example and sorry to go on....

    Hironori Ohtsuka who founded Wado Ryu was first a Jui Jitsu master. He then trained Karate and formed his own style base don his experience. He was a pioneer in sparring which was originally viewed as far too dangerous and likely to result in death. Who is to say that any one of you wont improve upon your art based on your experience? Would that be any less valid than what Master Ohtsuka did? He was just a person like the rest of us.

    Does that help?
     
  10. Chris J.

    Chris J. Valued Member

    Hi,
    We call this in the USA 'hodjimapodjima-Ryu'. ;) Also sometimes called 'dancing'. Some call it a waste of time, others swear by it. Really it depends on who you ask. If you ask me it is generally insulting and worthless, but that is just my stubborn oppinion. I could be wrong. WUSHU! Oh, somebody sneeze? (Actually that one was a legitimate term until it was recently *******ized; now people run around in circles, jump, yell, gyrate, flip, and call it Wushu).
    Sorry if I offended anyone.

    -Chris J.
     
  11. vinceb

    vinceb New Member

    No offence taken here. Each to their own and everyone is entitled to their opinion. The proof of the pudding, they say, is in the eating.

    Clearly, the experience here is of those people that entered freestyle because they couldn't succeed in an other system. My experience of Freestyle is with people who have succeeded in a traditional system and moved on.

    All depends on your outlook on change. All that said, there probabaly isn't a great deal of value in debating the matter. Like I said, each to their own.
     
  12. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

    Karate without rampant japan-o-crap? without cookie-cutter training techniques? without obligatory kata?
    I'll take it :)
     
  13. 47Ronin

    47Ronin New Member

    One of KE's infamous troll posts I assume........:p
     

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