Learning Karate
How to Kill Or How to Live?
People learning karate today have a massive amount of content available online, some good, some not so good. in this article I would like to talk about attitude when the proverbial Doo Doo really hits the fan.
The founder of shotokan karate, Master Gichin Funakoshi, said, ‘The ultimate aim of the art of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the characters of its participants’.
Other Karate sensei preach Ikken Hissatsu (To kill or finish with one blow), which is correct?
I once witnessed a no rules fight between two karateka (someone who practices karate) and there was a referee. One of the karateka wore his
The guy in the karate uniform had a look that I can only describe as ‘monk like’, he looked very calm and relaxed. The guy in the shorts looked like a wild animal who had not eaten for a week.
This is what I saw.
At the start of the fight the fighter in the shorts (let us refer to him as ‘shorts’), took up a balanced stance, both hands up and open, chin down.
The fighter in the karate suit (let us refer to him as ‘karate suit’), put all his weight on his back leg, arms out to the side and half closed his eyes, like he was meditating. I knew what was going to happen, but part of me hoped it would not.
Shorts launched himself at karate suit, who remember, had all his weight on his back leg. I remember karate suit trying to do a pathetic kick off his front leg, shorts hit him so hard and fast, they both hit the deck hard, while they were falling, shorts was still throwing these wild punches, all targeted to karate suits head, once they hit the floor, shorts continued a barrage of wild swinging punches, as each punch connected, shorts eyes opened wider, he could smell blood and he was going in for the kill!
There was blood everywhere and karate suit was asleep, if it was not for the referee, karate suit would probably be dead, because shorts had no intention of stopping.
So the ref stepped in and saved karate suit, shorts was still trying to kill karate suit as the ref pulled him off, shorts then proceeded to run around screaming and punching his fists into the air, he reminded me of one of the zombies out of the movie, ’24 days later’ (of course, modern day zombies are not like they were, they now move with the speed of Usain Bolt!)
Five minutes later shorts was still out of control, eyes wide and rolling, body pumped and breathing heavy. At the same time, our friend had started to come around, he was sitting, but unable to stand.
So which fighter would you rather be?
Neither! I hope you shouted. I would like to think I have the animal instinct of shorts and the ‘monk like’ attitude of karate suit, but someone like the great Randy Couture has taken this to a whole new level, that man is in control!
After all, what is the point of having a Ferrari California, if you cannot keep it on the road?
Great care should be taken when practicing and learning karate moves, if practiced incorrectly they may cause injury, so please find a qualified instructor and sign up for their karate classes online or off.