When I was young, fighting was very important to me, even though I lived in a safe environment. As I get older, my thoughts on karate have changed.
I always ask new karateka at our dojo, why they want to learn karate, most people give very similar answers, which are self-defense and fitness and these are the answers that I expect them to say. I then explain to them that karate is much more than just these two elements. After a short period of attending our karate classes, I soon discover if their character makeup will be suited to karatedo.
For someone who just wants fighting, mixed martial arts (MMA) clubs are the best, for someone who just wants fitness, aerobics classes are great. But if someone likes the karate kata(forms), fitness, self-defense and the amazing history and philosophy that goes with traditional karate, then we may have a match! Self-defence is a state of mind, it is much more than just fighting techniques. You can show someone all the fighting techniques known to man, but if they cannot ‘switch on’, they will NEVER be able to defend themselves. At the same time, you can show someone who CAN ‘switch on’, very few karate techniques and they will be a force to be scared of.
In self-defense and fighting, you must have the ability to ‘switch on’ and ‘switch off’ at will. You need to have the same attitude a wild animal has as it’s about to kill it’s prey. A lion attacking an antelope, has complete control of it’s emotions, but at the same time, it has relentless determination to get the job done, because for the lion, it’s either kill or starve!!!!!
With most karateka (someone who practices karate), this ability to ‘switch on’ and ‘switch off’ is not present. If karateka practiced their karate as if their life depended on it, their fighting skills would improve dramatically.
I recently watched a film with the actor Tom Cruise, in the film he played a professional hit man and in one part of the movie, it epitomised the attitude you must have when having to defend yourself. He was tasked with the elimination of a Chinese mobster and had Tom Cruise visiting a night club. The next part of the film reminded me of wild animal stalking and killing it’s prey! Tom cruise was in complete control of his emotions and at the same time, like the lion, he showed relentless determination to get the job done, only in this instant, the reason was not food, it was money!!!!!!!
So in conclusion, for me, my karate is like a jigsaw and fighting is a piece of that jigsaw, but if it was the only piece in the jigsaw, my karate practice would have ended many years ago.
Ossu Linden
