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Paul Anderson
Paul Anderson's picture
Generally Interesting Karate youtube clip

I don't really like many demonstrations of Karate you see on youtube however this one interested me.

It shows some things you don't normally see:

There are obviously the normal flashy techniques initiated at sparring distance that are .... impresively athletic however there is some interesting stuff there I haven't seen much of online.  What does everyone else think?

  • 2-3 throws done at speed
  • constant use of the pulling hand
  • a few different clinchs/grapples & and a variety of sweeps

swdw
swdw's picture

Little truly useful. Too many rely on the opponent either not moving or not being moved by a solid counter

Paul Anderson
Paul Anderson's picture

Interesting, can you expand on that please?

The non full contact/realistic aspect of the initial physical contact leads to an un-realistic subsequent action?

swdw
swdw's picture

Regarding your question. Yes, because the light contact does not move the opponent. Full heavy contact would move him enough to screw up the distancing and timing on the next technique. Take the very 1st technique as an example. A full power kick would knock the recpient back far enough to make his jumping takedown useless.

The leg catch and sweeps are excellent because  the opponent can't move as he has him tied up. 

I'll give one more example cuz I'm not going to spend the time it would take to break down the whole thing. Let's deal with the opponent not moving and cooperating as the other example. The  counter at 1:43 requires the opponent to stop dead and wait for the kick, yet he does nothing that would make the opponent stop since he's retreating. People don't stop a charge in real life because the opponent retreats. I take that back. In tournaments they do. If he keeps charging he knocks the other guy over as he starts his technique.

Seen too much of this over the years and watched it fall apart with a truly agressive opponent on the floor that's actually trying to hit you hard enough to knock you down.

Just because something looks good doesn't mean it is good.

Paul Anderson
Paul Anderson's picture

swdw wrote:

Regarding your question. Yes, because the light contact does not move the opponent. Full heavy contact would move him enough to screw up the distancing and timing on the next technique. Take the very 1st technique as an example. A full power kick would knock the recpient back far enough to make his jumping takedown useless.

The leg catch and sweeps are excellent because  the opponent can't move as he has him tied up. 

I'll give one more example cuz I'm not going to analyze the whole thing. Let's deal with the opponent not moving and cooperating as the other example. The  counter at 1:43 requires the opponent to stop dead and wait for the kick, yet he does nothing that would make the opponent stop since he's retreating. People don't stop a charge in real life because the opponent retreats. I take that back. In tournaments they do. If he keeps charging he knocks the other guy over as he starts his technique.

Seen too much of this over the years and watched it fall apart with a truly agressive opponent on the floor that's actually trying to hit you hard enough to knock you down.

Just because something looks good doesn't mean it is good.

Can't help but see your points.  Thanks for the detailed response.

michael rosenbaum
michael rosenbaum's picture

swdw wrote:

I'll give one more example cuz I'm not going to spend the time it would take to break down the whole thing. Let's deal with the opponent not moving and cooperating as the other example. The  counter at 1:43 requires the opponent to stop dead and wait for the kick, yet he does nothing that would make the opponent stop since he's retreating. People don't stop a charge in real life because the opponent retreats. I take that back. In tournaments they do. If he keeps charging he knocks the other guy over as he starts his technique.

Seen too much of this over the years and watched it fall apart with a truly agressive opponent on the floor that's actually trying to hit you hard enough to knock you down.

Just because something looks good doesn't mean it is good.

I have to agree. Everything works in the dojo and often we focus more on the artistic quality of the movement (no matter how well intentioned it may be) than the effectiveness. Terrain and your opponent's intentions will have great impact on what you can do, as opposed to what you think you can do.

Gavin Mulholland
Gavin Mulholland's picture

I think you should view this in the spirit it was made.

It's a demo and of course the moves are set up and not full contact.

I have to do a demo in a couple of week (which I hate doing) but I have no intention of smashing people up in a completely 'realistic' fashion. The audience will be mainly non-karate and kids (I think) and so I'll probably pick some 'interesting' techniques to do and  leave the headbuts and bites out.

I think you're being overly critical.

Paul Anderson
Paul Anderson's picture

Gavin Mulholland wrote:

I think you should view this in the spirit it was made.

It's a demo and of course the moves are set up and not full contact.

I have to do a demo in a couple of week (which I hate doing) but I have no intention of smashing people up in a completely 'realistic' fashion. The audience will be mainly non-karate and kids (I think) and so I'll probably pick some 'interesting' techniques to do and  leave the headbuts and bites out.

I think you're being overly critical.

You make some interesting points, which leads me to:

1. I wonder what would happen (not with the police, but the general view of Karate as a childs sport) if you rolled up to a Karate demo/show/comp etc and did a number of techniques through to completion as designed and left someone in a bloody heap on the floor and wandered off to the changing rooms as if you'd just picked a friday night DVD?  I must admit, it does appeal to the dark side of my sense of humour.

2. Can you actually give a valid demo without 'pulling' some of the techniqyues, and hence making it .... non representative to the art itself?

Dave Moore
Dave Moore's picture

Paul

1. I think people aready have a preconceived view of Karate before they watch you do anything and if you did turn up and give somebody a jolly good hiding they would just think they had seen two people street brawling in their pyjamas rather than an example of Karate. Honest,  some of the things people have asked me has made me laugh ot loud at the ridiculousness of it.

2 No because thats assaulting a friend and training partner  and  not self defencewink, I bet whoever took part wouldn't want to ever again if you left them with a nose that pointed in the wrong direction and splattered in blood and also partly because of point one above.  The other aspect is if I took part in a demo I would have to go to work the next day/ possibly that evening and I wouldn't be impressed if it involved a visit to A&E just so someone could show everyone a bit of realism.Just my view

By the way I enjoyed the clip and I bet he can look after himself if he needed to.smiley

Gavin Mulholland
Gavin Mulholland's picture

p.s. I want that uke....

Mark Laderwarg
Mark Laderwarg's picture

Good uke.

ML

shoshinkanuk
shoshinkanuk's picture

Some good skills shown in the demo clip for sure, nice technique and presentation.

Not for me mind as im interested in classical Okinawan karate and it's application for self-defence. When I/we demo we simply do what we do - were not asked to demo much, and have no real need to demo ever so it's not a problem!

swdw
swdw's picture

Gavin Mulholland wrote:

I think you should view this in the spirit it was made.

I think you're being overly critical.

Considering his note on youtube, I think the cricisms are appropriate.

As he says: NEW TIGER KARATE video presenting MIX of KARATE / martial arts fighting and self defense: shotokan, kravmaga, jujitsu etc