A reply to “What is really wrong with Olympic style Karate By Filipe Tsoy” From one of those annoying purists.

 Recently I read a very emotional article by Filipe Tsoy about his being upset that some of us traditionalists or purists don’t like the system of Karate he was supporting. My understanding is he does three different systems of Karate and he participates/participated in the WKF Sports competitions. To be 100% upfront I don’t mind the idea of a competition component and I really don’t mind even the alteration of the Shobu Ippon rules I grew up with…that’s not at all what I mind when you talk about the Kumite part of the practice….its other things that tick me off. And having said that I would rather see WKF fix the issues I hate and not have them just go away as some suggest we want.

  “Sport karate” is not really a definition of anything. It’s used in different contexts but it always means “the other people that do karate in a way I strongly disapprove”.

            Depending on who you ask the definition of what sport Karate is may change, this I admit. To most of us we are referring not to “competition” but to WKF rules specifically. I think its sort of disingenuous to make that statement knowing full well that most of us see WKF Karate as being sport and not just the competition practice. It’s the rules and system or style not just the act of competing.

 Funakoshi quit his post at the Tokyo University because he did not endorse his students to spar and run competitions. He believed this was not what karate was about. Of course, this was his opinion and he was entitled to it.

             This is sort of a funny thing to write.  So, Funakoshi Sensei was entitled to his opinion and apparently the extreme action of leaving his post in opposition to something is his right…but we cannot have our own opinion?  Seriously, I have not really met a lot of people who want to cancel “Sport/WKF” Karate, most of us just don’t want our practice to be confused with the “Sport/WKF” Practice…that’s our opinion and I feel we are entitled to it without being attacked for it.  Funny how some people scream oppression but oppress the freedom to have an independent thought of our own when they get the chance. I don’t mind if Sport/WKF Karate exists, I just don’t want the confusion.

As karate changes and evolves, some people seem to feel threatened by it. Karate is not necessarily the way they know or knew anymore. And some seem to have a point to prove. Thus, “sport karate” (meaning anybody that competes in tournaments under WKF rules?) becomes the external enemy.

 

Karate rules changing for sport is not a new thing, and most of us are not “threatened” by the changes or new rules. We don’t like them and don’t want to participate in them, but we are not threatened. I don’t see WKF as an external enemy in the least, I see it as a failing attempt to bring many different systems together to compete under one roof and an unfortunate bi-product is the homogenization of several systems to all compete together.

 Some even like to argue that shobu ippon represents the real karate spirit because you fight for that only strike that will finish the fight: ikken hissatsu. Amazing! Sounds so romantic, except for the fact that even that concept has been introduced to karate much later than its Okinawan origins and, apparently, was borrowed from sword fighting.

 I think you are getting wrapped up in the “Traditional = Old” thinking and the thought that the ideals of “Traditional” Karate are somehow taken from “Ancient” practice…and it’s a common one on both sides. Yah, its also a bit romantic, but misunderstood.  The focus of Karate should be production of a single technique that is almost perfect and could end an encounter. It also focuses on CONTROL and use of techniques that could be produced in the real world.  NOTHING I have seen of WKF tournament systems (Locally at least) would suggest that the near Tae Kwon Do esk bouncing would be useable in the street.  Now having said that I have seen some downright garbage Shobu Ippon practice as well.

Unfortunately, I don’t see a future for karate in the Olympics. I asked many friends who don’t do karate to watch parts of the competition and give me their honest opinion. People expect contact, Karate Kid fights. Not tactics. Kata is beautiful like gymnastics but too complicated for laypeople. But you know what? I’m ok with that. As a karateka, I would like to see karate in the Olympics every four years and cheer for people I know, but I do have a lot of karate to do inbetween. And so do we all.

 

I think we both agree on this one. The general public wants flash and pomp! They want the dynamic Chuck Norris movies and Karate Kid Movie Karate that probably attracted most of us to Karate in the first place. Kata is looked down on and misunderstood by other martial arts so why do we expect them to be accepted by the public who know nothing.  Our Kumite looks so much like TKD that we honestly should not be shocked that its not accepted by the public.  One of the best reasons to do Shobu Ippon and really focus on the “Grounded” methods for sparring and the rules that separate us from WKF is the fact that it would take us a step further away from TKD. 

Unlike some traditionalists, I did watch the Olympic Karate Kumite, have not found time for the Kata yet, and I know exactly why I don’t like the Kumite.  The bouncing, the slappy techniques overtook the nice sharp, controlled waza. The athletes were, for the most part, super athletic and I am sure if they worked on form most of them would do well in whatever tournament they entered, WKF or not. My beef was not with the, but the rules and horrible officiating. We saw clean points not called while questionable ones went unnoticed. Nothing new in any tournament but they are supposed to be better at officiating than some guy doing a local Shobu Ippon tournament.

So let’s assume that 99% of what competitors do is bad or wrong. From their way of training to the techniques they perform. In that case, there would still be one thing purists and traditionalists could learn from them: Karate begins and ends with respect.

 This is an assumption that we are the only ones being disrespectful, or that we are being disrespectful at all! Most of us simply complain because the sports people are saying how they will “Save Karate” assuming we want to be saved by them. It would be the same thing as if TKD were to say they could save Karate by making TKD more popular. No, we are more worried that our systems will be watered down by people wanting to come in and just spar to get into the Olympics. And don’t get me wrong, this is already happening. As a point of fact, in my home town there is a guy who teaches a “KUMITE ONLY” dojo and even got a black belt in “KUMITE KARATE”. He does not practice or teach Kata. His “Modern” Karate is focused only on the art of Kumite.

 

Traditional Karate has seen a lot of “Changes” and “evolutions” of its practice and name over the years. We still teach what we were taught in our Dojos.  I am one of those instructors who does not fear or care about sport Karate and what its influence could be.  If you train a student to move a specific way and spar a specific way (no bouncing) and teach them well they will do well in any situation.  I think the WKF is a tool, and needs to be tweaked and altered to stay alive. We need to stop seeing people who are in one system applying pressure to alter rules in their favor and we need to make it more open and fairer.

 

I honestly think that there is a place for sport Karate or competition Karate amongst the traditional students and instructors. However, I honestly don’t see it as being the answer to our issues with the general public. This is only regarding the Kumite as well....dont even get me started on the issue of Kata!  Many moons ago you had to choose between only a select few different Kata to do at a WKF tournament, then they threw the doors open to ANY Kata that is deamed from a traditional style.  This is obviously an issue for officiating. If you have a Shito Ryu guy, a Shotokan Guy and a Chito judge....and the competitor does a Goju Kata...how do you know if they made a mistake.  Proper execution of the Kata NEEDS to be a priority.  Being showy and snappy should not take president over getting the darn thing right! 

Anyways, I for one am not totally against a sport aspect to training, Hell I encourage my students to work hard and go into tournaments....but I don't feel WKF is fair to them when they train for years to get good Shotokan Waza and they are judged by a Shito guy or a  Goju judge....and then judge Shito and or Goju students next to them. Also, we train, and I am being honest not poking fun, without a bounce in or movements. We do shuffle a bit and we explode off of a dead stop sometimes, heck we even shift around a bit, but the hopping up and down is not something I teach or want to. Also, we don't wear a tone of padding because its been suggested (and its my opinion) that students wearing big puffy padding tend to hit each other more. 

Lastly, the scoring system is confusing and takes away from the actual art. we are an art that does not do a lot of kicking, its is flashy but not practical. Why then is it so much more point-wise to kick someone in the head (Even off-balanced) than it would be to execute a perfect punch to the face. The scoring system makes no sense! 

In the end the WKF system will go back to being the official sport system in Europe and having its own little following over here while the traditional clubs all focus on organizational tournaments and "Traditional" Shobu Ippon Kumite and same system Kata tournaments. and the olympics will go back to scratching its heads to what Karate actually is.