Karate, Kobudo, Teaching, Practicing, Training, Physics, Human Physiology

It is my contention to emphasize the need to separate the many disciplines currently lumped under the single heading of karate and provide a means to verify and certify that those assuming the responsibility of teaching others the art of the empty hand are qualified and capable of doing so with professionalism and proficiency. There is a good deal of knowledge required to do any or all of these separate disciplines and to achieve recognition and serious consideration in our efforts requires we take steps to achieve and promote such practices.

If we can clean up our own acts in the world of karate, etc. then maybe it will lead us to certifications and validations from entities that are respected by society much like major well known and respected Universities, etc. We do to DMV for drivers licenses, we go to local magistrates to get marriage licenses, we seek out such recognized organizations to show we have the skills and knowledge to perform driving or to get married, etc. so why not the fighting arts.

After all these are venues of self-protection where brute force coupled with hopefully proper attitudes, etc. can and sometimes do end up as legal and social issues, i.e. self defense, injuries to persons, and legal type problems.

There is a great deal of misinformation and misunderstandings regarding the "martial arts" that lessen the viability and authentication of such practice so it would be to our advantage to fix this.

Karate:

Kara-te means, kara if the current character are used means "empty." The "te" or character in kanji means "hand." So, if we want to be critical when you use or say or read or hear the term "karate" then we should know and understand that it is referencing the art of the "empty hand."

I have always felt that it should be separated from weapons which is a complete art form or discipline that does not require knowledge or experience in karate as karate does not require it of weapons, or kobudo, either. It seems it has been lumped under one heading simply for convenience. It remains so for that same ease as well as societies misunderstanding of what karate is, what martial arts are, and what weapons are.

MORE TO COME - CHECK BACK!

Kobudo:

Kobu-do or is it Ko-budo, depends on your knowledge and understanding of the language. It is difficult but in a nutshell kobudo is the term used for "weapons."

When we say weapons in English the uninitiated will make assumptions per their knowledge so they may think a club, knife, gun, or some other innocuous instrument that could and would be used to do harm.

It would be proper to refer to this particular and distinctly separate discipline as "Okinawan Weapons." One such blog actually titles itself as "Okinawa Karatedo & Ryukyu Kobudo" blog which I perceive as closer to being correct than most I have visited/read.

One reason I feel it should be a totally separate discipline practice is it involves many of the same aspects as karate but with changes due to the type and use of the weapon being taught. Just seeing and handling the various types of Okinawan weapons should show the practitioner the vastness yet similarity in training/practice.

It can and does have some crossover but reality shows that it is "different." It should be treated as so and those who have an interest in this art form of practice should be able to learn/practice it with out requirements of other disciplines such as karate.

Teaching:

This one is almost totally and exclusivly overlooked in the martial art, karate, kobudo, etc. circles. It is like the training of the mind/brain, it is assumed that what you do means you can "teach." Nothing could be so far from the truth than the assumption one who practices/learns a discipline can teach. If none else are to be considered separate then this one is critical and MUST be separated.

In addition, if a black belt is considering both teaching and opening a training facility they should, in my view, make it a priority to learn and practice "teaching." Remember, teaching and practicing and training are different and separate.

Schools, Universities, private Institutions all have requirements necessary before anyone is allowed to stand up in front of others and teach them a subject. Lets not forget that at a bare minimum they need a specific amount of knowledge and experience in the subject but must understand that teaching also has specific requirements to include knowledge and experience in teaching, outside of the practice of the subject to be taught.

Many karate-ka seem to forget this and as soon as they achieve a black belt, first level which is still considered a level between novice and a serious student, they can go out, open a training facility, and teach karate, etc.

How many karate, martial art, teachers that are fully qualified as "teachers" in their state do you think actually run training facilities today. I can tell you from my meager experience very, very few. I can count the ones I know on my two hands and can tell you that most have no real teaching experience and simply follow the same path their karate instructor used.

Heck, I can ask the question to many instructors/teachers of karate, "What is your strategy? What is your tactics? What is your philosophy? What are your teaching credentials? Do you have a teaching outline? Do you know the appropriate language, body and spoken, necessary to teach? Do you teach using words, demonstration, and hands on techniques? You know, most will say no to all of these questions. It never occurs to them to seek out the knowledge and acquire experience in teaching properly.

If I had go classify the "MOST IMPORTANT REQUIREMENT" of a karate teacher/instructor it would be attaining the expertise necessary to be certified by competent authorities to teach.

Practicing:

I have a feeling most will find this unusual to be separated out from the general training/practicing of karate. I did this because I suspect most who say they "practice karate" actually don't but attend a work out class that happens to be done using the karate format, i.e. warm ups, fundamentals/basics, kata and kumite, etc.

There is a way to practice that provides for maximum assimilation and later use in such things as self protection on the street or performance in the sporting aspects, i.e. kata demo's for tournament competitions, etc.

There is more than just repeating the "movements." Just one major and important aspect of practice is the use of "imagery." Visualization and how you actually tackle that is interesting and yet mostly unknown to many practitioners of the fighting arts.

How many times has anyone heard an instructor shout out as a type of last minute thought, "practice your karate." How many actually instruct you how to practice for there are many ways to practice. Example is there are three ways to practice kata, in general, which are the traditional method as taught by the teacher, then there is the honto method which is taking the repetitive parts out of the kata performance, and finally a chaotic version where the practitioner takes each separate technique out of the kata context and incorporates it into imagery of attacking violent persons.

Training:

Most would assume that practicing and training would fall under the same category but they don't. Training alone using those practice techniques your teacher, of course, has taught you. Training in various environments. Training in street clothes. Training for sport competition. Training for self protection/self defense situations. Training for truly violent attacks.

I look at training as how you get practice done in as many different types and ways possible. Most people practice in the training hall with no more than what is actually conducted in the hall/facility for that session. To train means one must take their practice to the next and varying levels that will put into your expertise more than just the clean, smooth dojo floor type controlled practice.

Training is what you do with what you learned and practiced.

Physics n Physiology:

This is the management of the body, mind, and spirit in the training/practice of karate and/or karate-do. In the discussions that arise regarding the punches and kicks karate teaches and uses sometimes involves explanation of such things and how power is generated, how we remain stable, and how damage is done when striking/kicking human targets.

Striking points, those more vulnerable area's on the body that when struck have the potential of disabling someone easier that hitting a harder target. What is it that allows this to happen, is it physics or something else.

Body alignment, the blood, bone, ligaments, tissue, etc used to make karate devastatingly effective, in most contests, is taught but is it taught correctly.

If you wish to maximize your knowledge and enhance your performance and expertise in karate then learning about the physics of the skeleton, the lungs and breathing, the ear for hearing, the pressures on the body, the physics of the cardio vascularture systems, etc. then this is also a separate and interesting topic of teaching.

Next class, ask your instructor/teacher to explain how the skeletal system works in regards to physics and karate. Then again, don't, it would be rude!

Human Physiology:

More than mere physics but a means of understanding the relation of karate training/practice to the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of the body. You hear about "chi or ki" then wonder what it really is so you can go here and find out what it truly means and means to both your health and to karate performance, etc.

This is the study of form, the study of function; this assists in discussing/explaining the why of things in karate for the why leads to clarity and then to understanding which enhances efforts to achieve proficiency in karate and by proxy new levels of life practices, i.e. health both mental and physical, etc.