This is an interesting one as this was sent to me in a private message, intended as an insult, by someone who IS true karate-do apparently, who then ran off and hid, by deleting his post, leaving my group and blocking me on social media, rather than having a grown up conversation, (and it should have been a grown up conversation, the man is 58 and I am 62 ).
Although I have remained relatively unscathed by this sort of behaviour during my time interacting on-line I am aware from many of my peers, most of whom have many decades of karate training behind them, that this (and much worse) is not uncommon from those who know themselves to be “true” karate-ka
Anybody who knows me will be aware that I would obviously be devastated to be on the receiving of a telling off from a white belt who, having returned to training after a very long break, is able to recognise my lack of understanding of the true way of karate (because I tried to engage in a discussion rather than bowing to the wisdom of a trite “old masters” meme).
Ho hum, I have no doubt he’ll find his spiritual home out there as there a plenty of places for people who think (or rather don’t) that way. ( Have a good life Michael 🙂 )
However, having said all that there is a point to be made here as he could be said to be partially correct.
There is a very good chance that I am not “true karate-do”, although in my defence, I do not and never have claimed to be. I am just a man who teaches what he knows about the physical aspects of karate. I am not a life coach, a spiritual leader, a guide to the mysteries or anything else people may want me to be. What you see is, pretty much, what you get.
Now, this obviously depends to a very large extent on what your definition of “true karate-do” is but I think it would be possible to make a fair argument that I am not it.
I certainly came up through the ranks in a group that prided itself on it’s “traditional” values and am well versed in the rituals and dogma of karate-do.
Since I went down the path of independence I have certainly cut down significantly on the rituals and pretty much completely abandoned the dogma. It comes from a culture that is not my own and does not fit comfortably with my views or the training culture that I try to operate in and adhere to.
Does this mean that I have also abandoned the values that went with them?
I don’t believe so but my personal values were already well established long before I got involved in serious martial arts training and I do not need a set of rituals to enforce my behaviour and interactions with others. I am who I am in spite of my martial arts training, not because of it.
I come from a generation where mutual respect, good behaviour and good manners are expected as a matter of course, despite the external picture I may occasionally (and intentionally) paint 🙂 , and the marketing of martial arts practice for children as a way of parents abrogating this responsibility to a third party for money is not a positive move in my (obviously outdated) view.
I am fairly old school and gave up teaching children some years back as it was not what I wanted to be doing with the limited time I had but a phrase I used often in those days was “I’ve never met a child who needed a slap, but I have met many parents who did!”
Does karate-do achieve the desired result with children?
It certainly can do and can have some very positive effects so I have no real argument with that.
However, the same can be said of many, if not most, organised activities that provide a focus and a goal, karate is not particularly special in that respect. It can also have some very unhealthy attitudes and outcomes in the suppression of free thought as well that need to be watched out for if you are trying to produce well rounded and complete individuals from young children (for some adults it is seemingly way too late).
That is all a bit of an aside however to the topic of whether I am “true karate-do…and false”
My personal statement would be on the first part, am I “true karate-do”? I have no idea, it is not something I claim, I do not really have an opinion on it nor is it a particular aim of mine. It is one of those things best decided by those who know better than me (as mentioned at the start ) and will be down to your definition…although if pushed, I would say not.
Am I “false”, that will come down to the picture you have painted for yourself of me, and, to be honest, is not my problem.
I very much try not to be, what you see is what you get. Although I would say that even if I was, (it’s called marketing, apparently, and is all the rage at present in the karate world 😉 ).
I make no claims of anything past being a fat old man trying his best (and not always even that ).
However, stick a karate Gi and a black belt on someone and people will paint their own picture of who and what you should be, not who you are.
Don’t be surprised if that leads to disappointment occasionally.
RedFish Applied Karate 