Karate is Not Fighting
Posted in General Topic on 04/17/2009 09:08 pm by cejames“Mind, Body, Spirit together, we can help others. Shingitai (True meaning) [of karate is] we should not fight.” Karate expert Tatsuo Sensei says “Karate is not to be wounded.” which meant in his words, don’t fight. ” - Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei, founder of Isshinryu Karate-do
“Karate is not for fighting.” “Karate is not for winning. If you want to win use a gun or atomic bomb . Okinawan karate is for self-defense.” - Kaneshi Sensei during personal interview with Advincula Sensei on Okinawa
“Seishin means mind, soul, heart, spirit, and intention. The true intention of karate is seishin which is not to fight. It is the essence of karate. It was Kyan Sensei way.” - Nakazato Joen Sensei during personal interview with Advincula Sensei on Okinawa
I feel we can now extrapolate from the Masters of the Okinawan Fighting Arts that in essence a practitioner of Karate-do should strive to reach a level where they no longer fight except as a “LAST RESORT.”
I am a “Marine” which means I am a “Warrior!” As a Marine I know that there are various levels of engagement. One such level is hand-to-hand combat. Others might be air strikes, patrols that involve themselves in fire fights using automatic weapons, rifles, handguns, grenades, mortars, and so on.
In all those levels of engagement one very important rule is “Engage in hand-to-hand combat as a LAST RESORT!”
Use everything you have at your disposal but if left with no other recourse when your position is over run then as a last resort go to hand-to-hand. Even then you should have fixed bayonets and then utilized the rifle with bayonet to defeat the enemy that has over run you. Even here there is most likely a means of engagement that keeps us away from the last resort of hand-to-hand combat.
Whether in combat or on the street there are many levels of engagement you must take before resorting to a last resort of hand-to-hand (karate) combat.
Give this a good deal of thought and consideration each time you enter the training hall to practice and train in the fighting arts of Okinawa, Karate-do!