One can easily create a flow chart describing the possible scenarios (and the required skill sets to deal with an opponent). For example, Figure 1 (also on www.DownloadKarate.com in a free video form lecture) illustrates the initial questions in a thorough analysis of training approaches to focus on one sub-category of fighting or another to become an expert in that domain rather than becoming a generalist in all areas. Throughout this article an attempt is made to break down the needs to specialize in one area or another and then relate that to expanding your own training over time, or creating focused students.

Training philosophies that are” Jack of all trades” vs. “specialists in a subs

• Does your dojo have a check system (flow chart) for decision based training towards either dealing with an untrained attacker versus an elite karate athlete?

• Do you have a 1:1 link to your fighting training, kata form and bunkai in a way which also relates to tournament kumite performance?

• Do you engage in the correct tournament fighting approach, or street fighting approach when training?

The recent evolution in sports karate and research into rejuvenating karate bunkai has required schools to change training curriculums in order to be correct and effective in their fighting. Embracing the old and the new Ways is a difficult but necessary challenge to make ones’ karate a complete and educated empty handed fighting art. Understanding why modern day karate evolved (and realizing what was lost or gained) is a worthwhile journey. This article will overview some of the pros and cons of Dojo curriculum approaches for empty handed fighting. It will touch on: fighting practicality for a particular approach, diversity of knowledge base and training methods, a realistic check against why modern sport Karate differs compared to the traditional koryu & kata (bunkai) ways (such koryu styles include: various Okinawan arts, koryu-uchinadi, Daito-ryu, Matsushita Kushin Ryu, Araki-ryu).

Figure 1: see www.downloadkarate.com/index.asp?Sec_ID=302

Most of the world’s Japanese karate community has evolved to where it is because of:

• a sports approach with rules
• starting a fight at distance away from the opponent
• training methods that allow the masses to follow in a group class
• use of a very small range of techniques (as discussed below approx. only 12 techniques or so are drilled in high frequency).

The notion of keeping the curriculum to a small subset of fighting techniques represents some of the benefits of one of Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” strategic clauses, “avoid weakness by not dividing the troops” i.e. do not become a “Jack of all trades and master of none”. The upside of this approach is that mastering one sub category of fighting leads to understanding true core strength which is not possible if studying a broad diversity of techniques. Hence Japanese styles keep the technique diversity very small, often even up to the rank level 3rd dan, so that only once a true understanding of real strength is reached in one area the study of other techniques are explored. The difference between superficial and deep insight (“ura” and “omote” are the Japanese terms used for this in the martial arts) is a key attribute of any Zen art. Modern day Japanese karate dojo(s) who have revived their kata bunkai knowledge to encompass original applications now have the complication of technique diversity compared to modern approaches seeking excellence in just a core few techniques (given that karate was adapted to the masses by the Japanese one can begin to see why the simplifications in curriculum began).

Real world fighting is not restricted by rules and does not assume one starts at a distance from at an opponent. In the street one does not know the strategy or skill level an opponent may employ. Before karate entered Japan Kata revolved around these self defense scenarios and also included:

- fluid, round and open hand techniques rather than the rigid stiff bunkai often seen in Japan which assumes a linear “karate style” punch as the primary entry in to the application.

- kata motions are iconic representations of a scenario not complete moves or descriptors. Modern variants in particular often do not show the various loosening techniques (head buts, spits and open hand slaps) that may comprise the full application which are still practiced by certain Koryu (old time/traditional) styles.

One can easily create a flow chart describing the possible scenarios (and the required skill sets to deal with an opponent). For example, Figure 1 (also on www.DownloadKarate.com in a free video form lecture) illustrates the initial questions in a thorough analysis of training approaches to focus on one sub-category of fighting or another to become an expert in that domain rather than becoming a generalist in all areas. Throughout this article an attempt is made to break down the needs to specialize in one area or another and then relate that to expanding your own training over time, or creating focused students.

Training philosophies that are” Jack of all trades” vs. “specialists in a subse

Figure 1: see www.downloadkarate.com/index.asp?Sec_ID=302

Most of the world’s Japanese karate community has evolved to where it is because of:

• a sports approach with rules
• starting a fight at distance away from the opponent
• training methods that allow the masses to follow in a group class
• use of a very small range of techniques (as discussed below approx. only 12 techniques or so are drilled in high frequency).

The notion of keeping the curriculum to a small subset of fighting techniques represents some of the benefits of one of Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” strategic clauses, “avoid weakness by not dividing the troops” i.e. do not become a “Jack of all trades and master of none”. The upside of this approach is that mastering one sub category of fighting leads to understanding true core strength which is not possible if studying a broad diversity of techniques. Hence Japanese styles keep the technique diversity very small, often even up to the rank level 3rd dan, so that only once a true understanding of real strength is reached in one area the study of other techniques are explored. The difference between superficial and deep insight (“ura” and “omote” are the Japanese terms used for this in the martial arts) is a key attribute of any Zen art. Modern day Japanese karate dojo(s) who have revived their kata bunkai knowledge to encompass original applications now have the complication of technique diversity compared to modern approaches seeking excellence in just a core few techniques (given that karate was adapted to the masses by the Japanese one can begin to see why the simplifications in curriculum began).

Real world fighting is not restricted by rules and does not assume one starts at a distance from at an opponent. In the street one does not know the strategy or skill level an opponent may employ. Before karate entered Japan Kata revolved around these self defense scenarios and also included:

- fluid, round and open hand techniques rather than the rigid stiff bunkai often seen in Japan which assumes a linear “karate style” punch as the primary entry in to the application.

- kata motions are iconic representations of a scenario not complete moves or descriptors. Modern variants in particular often do not show the various loosening techniques (head buts, spits and open hand slaps) that may comprise the full application which are still practiced by certain Koryu (old time/traditional) styles.

One can easily create a flow chart describing the possible scenarios (and the required skill sets to deal with an opponent). For example, Figure 1 (also on www.DownloadKarate.com in a free video form lecture) illustrates the initial questions in a thorough analysis of training approaches to focus on one sub-category of fighting or another to become an expert in that domain rather than becoming a generalist in all areas. Throughout this article an attempt is made to break down the needs to specialize in one area or another and then relate that to expanding your own training over time, or creating focused students.

Training philosophies that are” Jack of all trades” vs. “specialists in a subs

The notion of keeping the curriculum to a small subset of fighting techniques represents some of the benefits of one of Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” strategic clauses, “avoid weakness by not dividing the troops” i.e. do not become a “Jack of all trades and master of none”. The upside of this approach is that mastering one sub category of fighting leads to understanding true core strength which is not possible if studying a broad diversity of techniques. Hence Japanese styles keep the technique diversity very small, often even up to the rank level 3rd dan, so that only once a true understanding of real strength is reached in one area the study of other techniques are explored. The difference between superficial and deep insight (“ura” and “omote” are the Japanese terms used for this in the martial arts) is a key attribute of any Zen art. Modern day Japanese karate dojo(s) who have revived their kata bunkai knowledge to encompass original applications now have the complication of technique diversity compared to modern approaches seeking excellence in just a core few techniques (given that karate was adapted to the masses by the Japanese one can begin to see why the simplifications in curriculum began).

Real world fighting is not restricted by rules and does not assume one starts at a distance from at an opponent. In the street one does not know the strategy or skill level an opponent may employ. Before karate entered Japan Kata revolved around these self defense scenarios and also included:

- fluid, round and open hand techniques rather than the rigid stiff bunkai often seen in Japan which assumes a linear “karate style” punch as the primary entry in to the application.

- kata motions are iconic representations of a scenario not complete moves or descriptors. Modern variants in particular often do not show the various loosening techniques (head buts, spits and open hand slaps) that may comprise the full application which are still practiced by certain Koryu (old time/traditional) styles.

One can easily create a flow chart describing the possible scenarios (and the required skill sets to deal with an opponent). For example, Figure 1 (also on www.DownloadKarate.com in a free video form lecture) illustrates the initial questions in a thorough analysis of training approaches to focus on one sub-category of fighting or another to become an expert in that domain rather than becoming a generalist in all areas. Throughout this article an attempt is made to break down the needs to specialize in one area or another and then relate that to expanding your own training over time, or creating focused students.

Training philosophies that are” Jack of all trades” vs. “specialists in a subs

Real world fighting is not restricted by rules and does not assume one starts at a distance from at an opponent. In the street one does not know the strategy or skill level an opponent may employ. Before karate entered Japan Kata revolved around these self defense scenarios and also included:

- fluid, round and open hand techniques rather than the rigid stiff bunkai often seen in Japan which assumes a linear “karate style” punch as the primary entry in to the application.

- kata motions are iconic representations of a scenario not complete moves or descriptors. Modern variants in particular often do not show the various loosening techniques (head buts, spits and open hand slaps) that may comprise the full application which are still practiced by certain Koryu (old time/traditional) styles.

One can easily create a flow chart describing the possible scenarios (and the required skill sets to deal with an opponent). For example, Figure 1 (also on www.DownloadKarate.com in a free video form lecture) illustrates the initial questions in a thorough analysis of training approaches to focus on one sub-category of fighting or another to become an expert in that domain rather than becoming a generalist in all areas. Throughout this article an attempt is made to break down the needs to specialize in one area or another and then relate that to expanding your own training over time, or creating focused students.

Training philosophies that are” Jack of all trades” vs. “specialists in a subs

One can easily create a flow chart describing the possible scenarios (and the required skill sets to deal with an opponent). For example, Figure 1 (also on www.DownloadKarate.com in a free video form lecture) illustrates the initial questions in a thorough analysis of training approaches to focus on one sub-category of fighting or another to become an expert in that domain rather than becoming a generalist in all areas. Throughout this article an attempt is made to break down the needs to specialize in one area or another and then relate that to expanding your own training over time, or creating focused students.

Training philosophies that are” Jack of all trades” vs. “specialists in a subset of fighting” are often (but of course not always) seen more so in some styles than others. For example, grouping and comparing Kung-Fu, Koryu Okinawan Karate or Tae Kwon Do reveals a “Jack of all trades” approach compared to a modern Japanese Shotokan or Shito-Ryu approach which becomes highly proficient at a small set of techniques. Mainstream Japan’s karate approach is at the least related to the Japanese mainland mindset, its sports nature and Japanese Zen arts as they are practiced in Japan. Each of these variables influence any art/skill base and have pros and cons when it comes to critiquing a system.

To elaborate, as an example Shotokan dojo(s) often master a few techniques rather than a large diversity with only 15 or so regularly drilled techniques (front fist, reverse punch, back fist, front kick, side kick, roundhouse kick, back kick, oizuki, foot sweep and just a few more are done in extremely high repetition in any given training class). In comparison Tae Kwon Do & Kung Fu dojo(s) have a very large variety of kicks compared to what one would see in a Japanese mainland Shotokan dojo and often more hand technique types that Japanese karate. The nature of this article is not to state that one approach is better than another (as I do not believe that) but to awaken practitioners to the consequences of focusing one way or another in training and understanding the implications in terms of knowledge, or competency in a certain scenarios. After many years of study in one quality art, or another, a good 5th Dan equivalent in any of the arts may be equally dangerous and will have situations they are best trained for. However, there are often notable differences in the early stages of the paths up to 3rd Dan (or equivalent rank) in the given martial arts styles (again returning to technique diversity and even further spread by not limiting the curriculum to empty handed fighting but including weapons).

Figure 2 (also located on www.DownloadKarate.com) begins with a simple scenario involving an untrained attacker. Modern Japanese karate is designed for beginners to quickly comprehend and has evolved into something the masses can handle (which in part was forged by its introduction into schools in the early 1900s; see “Unante” authored by Sells 8th dan, ISBN 0-910704-96-1). Consequently it specializes in the following skills over a 3-4 year period:

1. getting out of the way of an attacker (ashi sabaki/tai sabaki)
2. blocking or receiving (uke)
3. countering

The above describes modern Japanese Karate, the original version of the art encompassed more than this from the word go. However, an important thing to realize is that the most likely scenario when a male is being attacked by an untrained male is that the lead technique will be a strike (as best stated by a website member of ours who had been a bouncer for 20 years, “just think of the bar fights you have witnessed and how the majority began - most of the time a swinging punch began the event”). This makes karate the ideal art for this scenario. Further evidence to suggest this is what will be attempted to begin a “male vs. untrained male fight” is based on at least the following data:

1. Interviewing people (especially those exposed to bouncing in bars) as to what they recollect when they see a bar fight with 2 untrained males - rarely is the lead a gab/grapple as untrained people don’t do this well and they hesitate to get that close. Often when it goes to ground it is because someone:

a. was hit down
b. has lost balance evading
c. neither party could end the situation quickly with a strike so it went to ground

2. Interestingly even when one reviews the full contact UFC fighting th