Forget Karate Techniques!

Forget Karate techniques! So you've been training for years and you know the whole curriculum...but when push comes to shove (literally) how much of that will you be able to actually use? Today we talk about learning a curriculum and how that relates to real life self defense. Bottom line...forget those Karate techniques!
◼️𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗘𝗫𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧! ◼
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[@sthelenskungfu]

A great master once said, "Learn the form, master the form, then forget the form. Then you will be a master."

[@blockmasterscott]

You’re spot on about practicing and getting that muscle memory. About 20 years ago, a physically abusive female relative tried to stab me in the stomach with the basic middle thrust that people say would never happen in a real confrontation. Well, it happened. Luckily, I had been practicing wrist locks for ten years at the time, so I did the white belt stepping to the outside and applying the basic double hand wrist lock that people say would never work in a real situation. Well, due to constant practice, it worked. So yeah, I agree with you 100%.

[@bobafatt2155]

Had a karate friend also with a physically abusive female who tried to stab him with the classic that will never happen downward stab . He did a technique that would never work was the double x block up with a redirect and arm bar . Good thing he practiced choreographed karate techniques or he might not be around to tell the story

[@LiShuBen]

Techniques are the embodiment of certain principles. When the principles are understood and burned into the body through the training of technique , the techniques can fall away and you can apply your art naturally based on your own size, physical shape and personality preferences

[@christopherspohn8071]

If you mean body mechanics, and physical structure it does cross into all martial arts i agree then. I mean the physical positions used when fighting, such as bear shoulders-monkey back- so on so forth.

[@bernardortiz7351]

We use the phrase "what are the original masters trying to say [with x move or combination]?'. We note that when people go to spar, curriculum also tends to go out the door, so "forgetting" it - and letting the moves that you've trained just come through - becomes really important.

[@camiloiribarren1450]

There’s always the make concept that Jesse Enkamp stated: 1) Learn the rules 2) Break the Rules 3) Make the rules. Techniques, kata and curriculums are for learning how to apply the forms work, then we get to play with it in applications or kumite or pressure testing and finally, use the techniques in ways that work personally for you

[@carlosdeleon7475]

And absolutely yes, grafting together the concepts of motion... understanding the physics of what's going down.

[@adhdmed]

Years ago at age 13 about a few months after I started training Karate, I've only had Kata experience with some bunkai , hitting and kicking pads . 2 older kids came to my school to cause trouble. One of the kids came towards me to attack. I instinctively gave a sidekick to his stomach and he flew backwards to the floor. He jumped up and tried kicking me back, and without thinking my left arm just blocked he's kick while I kicked he's standing leg out under him sending him back to the floor. My body was just moving without me thinking what to do. Some teachers came and broke up the fight after that. It's amazing how muscle memory works.

[@Shadowman9348]

Absolute truth! The martial arts, regardless of styles are but a roadmap. "Be formless, shapeless, like water" - Bruce Lee.

[@jsantiago38]

"You can only fight the way you practice" Miyamoto Musashi.

[@additive8924]

Many years ago well my instructor was still getting used to how his wedding ring affected his grip. He was demonstrating a fast bo spin to a younger student. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye. I saw the 6-foot staff spinning towards my head. Without even thinking about it I snapped into a back stance and grabbed the staff out of the air with both hands as if ready to use it. Even my instructor was surprised at my reaction. That was the moment I realized I could react faster than I could think.

[@robertnguyen9493]

The curriculum helps to engrain the concepts and principles into the mind and body. It is one of the tools used to condition the body and the mind to respond to violent stimuli.

[@davidgeorge3713]

Like the difference between finding your way in a town when you first move there and finding your way after living there for 20 years. First week, you need directions. You have one way to get from home to the store, the way in those directions. Twenty years later you can get to the store from anywhere and route around a traffic jam on the fly.

[@ArtofOneDojo]

I like this analogy a lot! Well said!

[@gypsygirl6010]

I've said before that the only time I ever had to use karate in real life, I used the 2nd half of Hooking Wings while flat on my back. I didn't think about it. I just saw his face and did the hammerfist-backknuckle-upward elbow combination. I think in most self-defense situations, the fight is not going to last more than a few seconds if the targets are hit properly but the techniques don't have to necessarily be executed in the exact way we are taught in techniques classes to be effective. Like you said, reading the body and the attacks triggers the mind to respond appropriately. Great video!

[@ArtofOneDojo]

That combination is considered a "standard" extension, which means a portion of a technique that can be added anywhere as an "extension". You used it exactly how it was intended to be used!

[@kevinmccleskey3858]

The first maneuver that stuck in my instinctual response is covering up to protect from attacks and countering by slipping in. Big hip throws and sweeps are a close second.

[@williamw1332]

I love the video Dan Sensei! I love how you describe Grafting…seemlessly connecting waza. A concept which all martial art practitioners strive to perfect. Like you mentioned in a prior video about Shoshin, Fudoshin, Zanshin, and Mushin. If we can absorb these ideologies…we become artistic with our craft, and truly begin to appreciate what we blossom into…an advanced version of ourselves. 🙏

[@bw5020]

Lol loved the kempo joke ☠️ Getting real creative with the videos and I dig it But you're right. When the moment meets you, you basically got to turn a martial art essay into short hand. What tools fit well enough when it matters. Mushin is what I believe it's called. Sparring and resistance is like the best way for the body to feel and respond. Theory only goes so far, which is where pressure comes in. As you say, "grafting" is crucial in self defense

[@assoverteakettle]

I really enjoyed this analysis of how the body takes practice to the applied phase and I share in that opinion and analysis. This is the classic case of empty your mind, or I think I posted a comment on another Art of One Dojo post where I said it's just now that I'm beginning to realize that the key to acquiring skills is that you practice something over and over again until you know it backwards and forwards and then at that point...forget about it. Throw it away.

[@jfearless3420]

I love your videos. Definitely my favorite martial arts KZbinr.

[@ArtofOneDojo]

Thank you!

[@Soldier-of-God.]

Definitely agree with your analogy of the curriculum, its utility and purpose in training with it. Structure and discipline, repetition are important, so as to aspire to have techniques become sporadic, instinctive, second nature or muscle memory. The aim is to have these techniques, according to the situation itself, become second nature and performed when necessary, under pressure from a non compliant assailant or adversary 🥋🇲🇽🇦🇺Osu!

[@1888swordsman]

My personal experience with defending myself was three moves. 1. low shin kick (Muay Thai style) result the guy hit the ground - fight over. 2 side kick hitting guy (different one) in the bladder - guy doubles over and urinates himself, fight over. 3. Ducking so guy charging to grab me went over my back and onto the ground, fight over. Whatever works use it. Don't think, just do and then get out of there.

[@rogerwilliams2629]

I was in a working bar band for years and years . rough clubs all over Texas. Judo saved me many times, never thought about what I was going to do, it just happened as soon as we were close. All those years of pushing and pulling to take people off balance just kicked in. Punches were thrown, we closed, they were thrown. Any martial art that is trained well is effective when there is no thought. if you have to think about it, its too late. Randari,sparring in Kempo for years...all of it was great, but the Judo I started with and did the most was most effective for me.

[@emmetttaylor1739]

Sensei when I was a young man of 32 I was weighting for a bus and I saw a man with a knife. i picked up a stick and when he demanded my money I did my Kendo and hit his arm (kote) then the head (Migi-Men) at the time was learning Goju Karate, Judo and Kendo at the Dojo here in Chicago. The only one I used in a fight was Kendo. When you participate in the kumite you will know how to fight when you need to.

[@strikingmachine2975]

often times you have to Clear the Chessboard during a fight..

[@christophervelez1561]

Loved this video! Always nuanced. And I loved the comedy. Haha

[@roninnotasheeplikeyou.2631]

Excellent analysis, A bit off topic on my part but after decades of training in the arts on my part I've drawn some conclusions. Most people if not all of us have ego's. Most people I've encountered regarding martial arts when faced with the question if they ... #A. Would rather train in an art/system that not only teaches a foundation with techniques & also offers rank. Or ... #B. Train in an art/system that teaches foundation with techniques "without offering any rank" Ego seems to win out more often than out. Most people place a high value on rank. What they fail to realise is rank makes little difference on the street where we could be forced to defend ourselves. Having a solid foundation & understanding of techniques that one can execute under pressure in a fight or fall situation on the street now ... That's what really counts. That's my few bits.

[@tonygallagher6989]

If you ever doubt your training, go to another martial arts school and try to learn what they do. When they hear what you have done before, they will often try to prove that what they do is superior. It happened to me, several times, and I automatically fell back to what I had practised most when they put me under pressure.

[@RayRamos052569]

Great video and so very true

[@ANMTCUP]

Good one Mr. Dan

[@mlopez7091]

To have a curriculum is good because it brakes down the system that you are learning. However it only apply for the intellectual part of it. I’m 57 & I’m back in he game I’m taking USA GOJU in NYC,but at this point in my life I’m looking for the spiritual part of the system & the brake down of it. 🙏🏻🥋⛩🤔

[@joecole1504]

After I got my Black Belt in TKD, a guy I knew who had a Black Belt in another martial art told me that if I had to use what I learned in a real fight, what I would end up using is "Joe-Fu". It will be an amalgamation of knowledge, muscle memory, adrenaline and situation. Bottom line, it will look nothing like class or sparring.

[@ninji5226]

Before I became an instructor I tried teaching my nephew TKD and decided to skip all the "useless" stuff. Well it turns out a lot of the useless stuff laid down a usable base before you got to the good stuff. It was a little humbling knowing what I was doing but not being able to just vomit that on someone else without the proper steps.

[@bobafatt2155]

I tried the same thing with my cousin

[@ArtofOneDojo]

Honestly, it's pretty cool that you were able to recognize this and go back to reabsorb it. That's the sign of a great student/teacher, to recognize and analyze such things.

[@davidwood2387]

After you block, hit the open spot. Multiple techniques are not too memorized Used no mind

[@littlegiantrobo6523]

And this is what is meant by “mushin no shin”

[@yossigoldstein322]

Competition is the best way to test this

[@ArtofOneDojo]

It's definitely one good method! It switches you to that immediate response mode as opposed to analytical and it tells you what you naturally resort to.

[@MikesDadvice]

I believe the term you are looking for is "Satori"

[@fourscorpio]

As Bruce Lee said: "IT hits all by itself..."

[@salvatoreplacidoplumari3840]

0:14.... 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@kennethmullins5998]

You have to train and fit the style to your physical attributes, not the other way around. Think of it as a tailor made suit. You can't make the art function based on someone else's body or mental perception for that matter. You can only go by your experience.

[@carlosdeleon7475]

Just like the muscle memory bwe must work on breathing and controlling that breath in stressful moments. Just like muscle memory we must practice bour temperament.

[@cjsher90]

With all due respect, there's some studies on the idea of action vs reaction showing reactions to be able to be faster. I forget exactly what I was watching but they were using wild west Pistol duels as a basis of argument. Also, you can fit 3-7 Swords into just about any technique. Lol

[@ArtofOneDojo]

I fully agree! And since you mentioned the swords...5 swords is easily altered into other combinations. It can be used with fists for good striking combos.

[@texasghostrider9644]

Simply put, if you are trained by a good Master it will come to you instinctively

[@ArtofOneDojo]

Well that's part of it. A good master can show you anything, but the student has to put the time in themselves.

[@texasghostrider9644]

@@ArtofOneDojo To quote mr. Miyagi. No such thing as bad student only bad teacher,teacher say, student do.

[@ArtofOneDojo]

@@texasghostrider9644 The key is the last part of that...the student is the one who has to "do" it :) That movie is a good example, once Miyagi revealed the lesson we see a montage of Daniel spending his own time training and practicing. Only the student can put in the time and effort to make it work but yes a good teacher is crucial for that.

[@texasghostrider9644]

@@ArtofOneDojo fair enough part

[@mattjones8426]

It sound like you are describing the chinese concept of AUTANAMIS ULTRA INSTINCT... :D

[@eranshachar9954]

The headline captured my eye, well made video Sensei. What bothered me when learning Karate and Kung-Fu was Kata/Tao-Lu. I didn't like it one bit, and I did only for achieving ranks. But I have been in real fights in my life, where I found striking techniques useful and also sticky fingers and sweeping. And after 3 years of training the knowledge started to flow out of me when needed. I just have a question about competitions and later to say what my master told us about how to learn a technique. The question is- In a competition you normally under a school. Can you do a Robby like move and represent yourself in a competition? In particular Karate competition I wonder if it's legal. And now for what my master said, and to this day I am looking for an answer where did he get it from. Because it's got damn interesting and it goes like this: "Do a technique a 100 times and you are a noob. Do a technique a 1,000 times and you are just starting to understand. Do a technique 10,000 times and you fully understood the idea. Do a technique 100,000 times and you are a master. Do a technique 1,000,000 times and you are a grand master. But all of this, is only if you do it accurately every single time." Which pretty hard to do with weapon techniques BTW, because I don't have a training partner. I have a Sword and a Knife to practice on my own alone tonight.

[@ArtofOneDojo]

It would depend on the competition but I believe you could enter many of them as an individual.

[@eranshachar9954]

@@ArtofOneDojo Oh cool. Thank you. I always thought of that as illegal thing to do. Good to know.

[@ArtofOneDojo]

@@eranshachar9954 It's not illegal as in against the law, but that will depend on the individual competition. Some tournaments may require a school affiliation, but some may not. You would have to check the rules of each one.

[@eranshachar9954]

@@ArtofOneDojo Thank you for clarification.

[@dududu5189]

Forget all you know about Karate... What are we talking about again?

[@ArtofOneDojo]

I forgot.

[@jayve4433]

Have you heard of some thing World Taekwondo is doing called virtual sparring, Karate dojo waku did a video on it, also Sensei Seth did two videos on VR boxing on oculus, what do you think of these, are they good for training, are they like shadow boxing or cardio kickboxing, should martial arts schools use these, maybe if you can’t go to a sparring session in person maybe you can virtually, should karate or other schools and styles try something like these

[@ArtofOneDojo]

I did and it's pretty interesting. And I agree about the VR boxing, I did a video on that same game last year and I think it has a LOT of application in training and I'm actually in the middle of producing another one using the same headset and game. VR is definitely a tool that can be used for training.

[@sebastianrodriguez9909]

So...Mushin?

[@ArtofOneDojo]

Sometimes things need to be phrased different ways to show perspective :)

[@sebastianrodriguez9909]

@@ArtofOneDojo so...Bunkai? Just messing a little, love your content!

[@ArtofOneDojo]

@@sebastianrodriguez9909 Exactly! Well Bunkai is part of the analytical part still. That's understanding the why and how. Once THAT is understood and repetition and formulation takes over.

[@littlegiantrobo6523]

And this is what is meant by “mushin no shin”