Haha, It is nor out of fear that i agree with you SW...We both are in the same art..so im guessing that is the reason our view's are the same...
ShotokanWarrior wrote: You need to relax and take a deep breath. I didn't insult the JKA, I merely related the FACTS as they happened. The story I told was true, regardless if whether or not you approve of it. I've been in Shotokan for 47 years, many of those spent in the JKA. The late Master Nakayama purposely set out to turn the JKA into a more sport-minded competetive form of karate, and did so in good fashion. When the JKA first came to the US, they were one of the best karate organizations in the world, with a cadre of some of the most knowledgable instructors in the art. However, over time they became burdened by too many internal politics, and shortly after Nakayamas death, they began to implode. Since then, the original JKA has fragmented into countless separate organizations, some of them led by some of the JKA's most prominent instructors, like Kanazawa and Kase, who broke away because of the constant internal bickering and politicizing. Likewise, even within the US, some of the JKA's most stalwart defenders eventually decided to leave (Ray Dalke, for one) due to the internal strife within the JKA. Are these breakaways, some led by people who devised the JKA's modern syllabus, somehow less legitimate than the old-line JKA? I don't think so. Nishiyama was ALWAYS interested in making karate an Olympic sport, and was willing to do so at the exclusion of all of the other styles of karate. He, like you, was convinced that the JKA was, or is, the only true form of karate on this planet. Well, after many, many years in karate, I have come to this simple conclusion; There is no "best" style of karate! They are all pretty much the same, only different! And most of those differences are trivial, at best. While it's all well and good that you are dedicated to your art and to the association to which you belong, don't get into a huff when someone else thinks the same way about their particular form of karate and their organization. To the best of my knowledge, God has not declared the JKA to be the best karate organization on earth, and as far as I can see, no one else has the credentials to do so.
There's only one way to solve this problem. We need to resurrect Funakoshi and ask his opinion. Anyone got any electrodes or black magic techniques?
I can understand why someone from a traditionalist point of view would want to keep their art "pure". But I don't think there really is any art that is really pure anymore. Almost anything I've seen out there has been altered in some way. I'm sure if you went back to the 30's and 40's you'd find the stylists saying that ALL of it has been watered down today. REmember the oldies training on gravel, getting hit with rods when an error was made, etc.... So is ANY art really pure anymore? I don't know.
I dont think any art could be called ''Pure'' any more...but i do think it is good to keep trodition in the art..i enjoy sport Karate...but it is good to keep the Trodition Alive
WHAAAT? I WOULD NEVER WRITE THIS!!!!!!!! Shotowarrior wrote it, not ShotoKANwarrior, that's me and I'm viscerally and emphatically opposed to what he argues for. Oh, and thanks Kyu.
What is a true JKA follower? The JKA has split so many times over the past 15 years that there is no JKA anymore (except in a trademarked name). The JKA style taught today bears no resemblance to that learnt by Sensei's Enoeda, Asai, Yahara, Abe, Tanaka, Osaka, Kase etc and is far from being Budo. The JKS is closer to the original style of JKA karate than the JKA is... Comments?
Don't let it worry to you. This sort of thing tends to happen to everyone who makes valid points and debates them well sooner or later. I personally think it's a lot less arrogant and egotistical to claim that you are a good fighter based on an established record in competition than..... on what basis exactly? a good performance of kushanku?
Thanks KE. You're absolutely right. I've been hearing so much about the importance of katas lately, I'm starting to feel like there's a massive conspiracy going on. 2 quotes from my sensei: 'Katas are very important, guys, you have to practice them.' (not sure this is an exact quote) 'If you make a mistake in your kihon or kumite, you might get away with it, but it you make a mistake in your kata, you won't see him confer with me, he'll mark you down and that's it.'
I'm guessing this is in a grading scenario, in which case I fail to see the controversy, Kata are the formal exercise of Karate, if you cant do them, you cant do Karate, simple as that regardless of whether or not you like them. Again in a grading you wouldn't because your partner should exercise control, but I agree in general it is better not to make a mistake in kumite.
I guess it varies from club/style to club/style. If we get clouted (whatever the situation), it is our fault, we should have blocked it.
Surely not in controlled kumite (gohan sanbon etc), then the emphasis should be on the attacker to pull the attack short if there is no block.
