Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 35

Thread: Point Karate for self-defense?

  1. #1

    Point Karate for self-defense?

    Point karate is essentially just a combative game of tag, but fighters who are good at it do excel at certain things, most notably the ability to effectively measure and control distance as well as develop footwork that is very evasive. We’ve seen some of these attributes translate pretty well over into MMA for certain athletic and highly mobile individuals, but does any of it applicable or translate over to self-defense?

  2. #2
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Illinois
    I started martial arts basically doing point karate.

    It was fun as a kid and helped me learn where my body was and how to move it without taking a lot of head trauma, but once I started doing kickboxing and boxing I was getting lit up on the regular. The ending of an exchange after a scoring hit is made encouraged bad habits for me.

    For instance, I would be extended or off balanced just to trying to score a backfist only for it to land on someone's high guard and then eat a counter hook over the top of my extended arm once they timed the backfist. Sure I scored, but my partner would land with better power and timing.

    It's probably more to do with my inability to combine the two martial arts to any effective degree, but I wound up feeling more confident with some kickboxing and more basic footwork. Especially now that I have old guy knees.

    But more than a few really good MMA fighters use point karate blitzes and footwork and every now and again I realize just how brilliant they are at amplifying the best parts of point Karate and accounting for it's liabilities.

    Really I suppose that's the story of most martial arts being applied in the context of a fight or a combat sports contest.

    Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    The Nostomaniac 03RN's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    New Hampshire
    I started with Tang Soo Do when I was 6. I'm glad I did. While technically the sparing was point based there was a lot of contact.

    The lead instructor incorporated a lot of judo/jujitsu in which was nice when I started wrestling in highschool.

  4. #4
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    West
    In pre-UFC days, I worked nightclub security with a couple guys who were good competitive point fighters. One of 'em was a good buddy I nicknamed "Dalton", after Patrick Swayze's character in Roadhouse



    When necessary, my colleagues were able to strike quickly and accurately, and they decisively ended most fights they were involved in.

    That said, if they'd spent the same amount of time learning boxing or MT, I suspect they'd have been even more formidable. In the era of MMA, I'm not sure there's much to be gained from point karate.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Mister X View Post
    Point karate is essentially just a combative game of tag, but fighters who are good at it do excel at certain things, most notably the ability to effectively measure and control distance as well as develop footwork that is very evasive. We’ve seen some of these attributes translate pretty well over into MMA for certain athletic and highly mobile individuals, but does any of it applicable or translate over to self-defense?
    Footwork is key to everything; without pushing against the planet little if any power is delivered on target.

    Timing is the other thing learned in point 'tag' whether with hands or weapons (like fencing).

    Of course the potential detriment is engraining some idea that all fights stop as soon as someone is hit once; if that is overcome there's no harm in picking up the benefits of learning to make that first hit.

  6. #6
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Illinois
    A really cool competition to see is the "Combat karate" that Bas Rutten has been running.

    It's got takedowns, opportunities for limited ground and pound, and striking in a ring that doesn't involve a cage like most mixed martial arts contests, which is kinda cool.

    I highly recommend checking out a few highlight reels on YouTube

    Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    A great start for kids. For adults, I think better than nothing, or if it will keep you interested, go for it. If you can convince a classmate or two to informally roll around/wrestle occasionally, learn a couple offenses and defenses from YouTube, it's a great start.
    "It was the fuck aroundest of times, it was the find outest of times."- 45dotACP

  8. #8
    The problem with point karate is you internalize pulling your punches and kicks.

    My early training I did that. In spite of 300 strikes on the makiwara each day each hand I would still pull punches and kicks in sparring.


    This was made very apparent when I started training Ryu-Te , Taika Oyata's system.

    We sparred full contact in Bogu gear ( Kendo type barred steel face guard helmet and padded chest protector with reinforcements).

    Full contact was made. Match was decided by: one cannot continue, one quits, or 3 full points.

    1 point was a knockdown or the recipient was dazed.

    Helmet kept face intact but you ate the impact.

    It took a while to learn to not pull punches and kicks.

    YMMV.

  9. #9
    Smoke Bomb / Ninja Vanish Chance's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Quote Originally Posted by Mister X View Post
    [T]he ability to effectively measure and control distance...
    It's my opinion that these two points do not translate well to self-defense. The dynamics of movement and distance control in point karate arise due to the mechanics of the rule set that both participants consent to observe a priori. A karate player's ability to control distance is at least partially facilitated on their ability to anticipate the other person's reactions because that other person is working within the confines of that rule set. Without the rule set, I think a lot of that goes out the window.
    "Sapiens dicit: 'Ignoscere divinum est, sed noli pretium plenum pro pizza sero allata solvere.'" - Michelangelo

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Chance View Post
    It's my opinion that these two points do not translate well to self-defense. The dynamics of movement and distance control in point karate arise due to the mechanics of the rule set that both participants consent to observe a priori. A karate player's ability to control distance is at least partially facilitated on their ability to anticipate the other person's reactions because that other person is working within the confines of that rule set. Without the rule set, I think a lot of that goes out the window.
    I was pretty much about to type exactly that. I was the mook in the padded suit for a bunch of community ed self defense classes. We had a guy who made it known he was a black belt in some kind of point style karate or TKD and was there to “check out your stuff.” He had spent 15 years training at a mutually agreed upon distance, and when I closed to clinch range it fucked his shit up so bad he literally burst into tears and flew into a rage.

    That is kind of an extreme example largely driven by some deep self esteem issues, but if you go watch a bunch of YouTube videos of people being assaulted and some videos of point karate matches, yo won’t see much overlap.

    The flip side is while some folks live within easy distance of a school that offers some kind of street applicable MMA. Some of us have a choice of Master Kim’s House Of Karate or nothing. I think there is value in any training that involves a fist coming at you.
    I was into 10mm Auto before it sold out and went mainstream, but these days I'm here for the revolver and epidemiology information.

User Tag List

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •