In this blog I would like to briefly discuss, the evolution of so called traditional karate from a viable system of self defence (Tode also known as Te or Uchinadi) to a watered down version of itself, otherwise known as “Traditional Karate”. I would also like to take this opportunity to point out that modern sport karate is a great way to get fit and have fun and especially at black belt levels is a very skilful sport. I have nothing against it (I spent approximately 15 years doing it), but I have moved on and for the past 10 years+ have been more involved in bringing the self defence of the original karate back to the forefront of my students and my training. For a slightly more comprehensive coverage see my downloadable article “What is traditional karate”

  I would like to offer for your consideration a different take on what is traditional karate. Firstly, must there be Japanese/Okinawan terminology in a traditional karate class. I say, NO. The Japanese use Japanese because it is their native language (and the reasons I state in the article mentioned above) the Okinawans use Okinawan and Chinese. This can and does lead to some confusion with the same name meaning different blocks for instance. Learning the terminology in your native language promotes far better communication between practitioners.

  Is the Gi a symbol of traditional karate? Back in the 1800s they did not have the tracksuit but the next best thing was essentially the underwear of Okinawan traditional dress, there was no specialist training clothes. The idea was the same as today, to wear something comfortable and it did not matter if it got dirty.

  High kicks were introduced by Yoshitaka Funakoshi, son of Gichin Funakoshi, without any attention to whether they made sense in combat these kicks included mawashi geri, yoko geri kekomi, yoko geri keage, fumikomi and ushiro geri also stances were lowered. Line work (kihon) grew to predominance (accounting for up to a third of each session). This parrot fashion repetition of techniques was engineered so that the huge classes that developed in the universities could safely train together and was developed to bring it into line with other Japanese martial arts such as Kendo. Because karate rapidly grew mainly due to the universities adoption of it, the original intent (that of self defence) was discarded in favour of a more sport oriented kumite and with this change of intent the original meanings of the kata was lost or ignored. In returning to an earlier tradition that of karate for self defence then no high kicks should be taught.

  In traditional karate cross training is frowned upon, why is this considering that the founding fathers of modern karate Gichin Funakoshi, Sokon Matsumura and Anko Itosu all cross trained and made alterations to kata. In my experience the complete self defence fighter needs to be effective at striking and grappling.

I hope my blogs get your attention and raise questions please send them to my email at shurashikata1@btinternet.com and I shall attempt to answer them either as an email or I shall post a demo by way of explanation on you tube.