Jissen Karate
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Welcome to the Jissen Karate homepage. Content within this site explains the historical background of modern karate, and for a bit of judgemental value (this is my space, after all), I've included some conclusions that can only be described as personal opinions.
The History and Original Idea "True karate, that is, Karate-do, strives internally to train the mind to develop a clear conscience enabling one to face the world truthfully, while externally developing strength until one may overcome even ferocious wild animals. Mind and technique are to become one in true karate."Under Gichin Funakoshi, Sport Karate as we know it today was non-existent. Karate practiced only kihon (basic), kata and bunkai (application of kata). The spirit of ikken hitsatsu (kill with one blow) was considered vital and emphasized under control. I believe that the karateka (karate practitioner) at that time had the ability. Take Gichin Funakoshi as an example: his daily training included punching the makiwara (a thick post covered with rice straw) over and over, practicing kata 50 to 60 times. Gichin Funakoshi believed in perfecting one's skill through the practice of kata and bunkai. The Deterioration Yet Sport kumite (sparring) has been the main event and purpose from the moment it was introduced. Sadly, the introduction of Sport Karate reduced the quality of the art as karatekas tend to think that kumite in a tournament is similar to a real street fight. The original idea of kumite was to apply techniques from kata as in real fight, conversely the rules of Sport kumite prohibit many techniques taught in kata such as furi-uchi (hook), hiji-uchi (elbow strike), hiza-geri (knee kick). Body contact is disallowed and both fighters must stop when either side scores a point. Only straight punches is allowed in hand techniques. This illusion gives the fighters no choice but to concentrate on easy score techniques. If a punch swings near the opponent's body the judge will halt the fight and bestow a point. We are made to assume that one punch could 'kill' the opponent upon contact and that the opponent did not have a chance to react. But the true fact is, no such thing was proven. And because of this false sense, Japanese karate faced the biggest shame in losing against Thailand in 1950s. Japanese karatekas were badly beaten by the Thai boxers. The same happened in 1970s when traditional karatekas was vanquished shamefully. Real Way of Empty hand The lost bouts do not mean karate is vulnerable or weaker than any other martial arts. It is the failure brought on by Sport kumite, which traditional karate still blindly believe until today. I am strongly of the opinion that karatekas who train like Funakoshi would not have lost. |
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In 1962 when Thailand's martial art challenged all Japanese karate
schools to determine which nation was more superior, only one karate
school accepted. A man,
Tadashi Nakamura (founder of today's Seido karate) sent
by Kyokushinkai-kan, knocked out the Thai boxing champion
and won the match. He followed the true and
older way of practicing karate.
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Last updated Saturday 31st July 1999
HTML by Nina L. All content by Dan Loh.