PSA: "Karate blocks" are not blocks!

[KarateStylist]

Okinawan Karate styles seem to be better at conserving and conveying these proper uke usages.

In terms of more emphasis on fighting application, IMO this would be correct. As I've posted before, however, there is a very large caveat when coming to this conclusion as some overriding principle.

Japanese Karate styles (Shotokan and Kyokushin mainly) discarded them almost completely since they don't fit well with their competition rulesets.

Well, there is nothing I know of preventing blocking in karate kumite. Competitive mindset would be more accurate.

Sadly, it's the Japanese Karate that's most popular worldwide so this knowledge isn't globally common.

The Japanese karates are trying to do something different compared to the Okinawan karates. Broader acceptance & appeal is one of those, and the Japanese have succeeded massively.

It's best not to stereotype traditional karate, say Shotokan. You won't understand it properly; and you likely will still lose in kumite should one go over & attempt to match the Japanese. Not that they are invincible, they clearly are not.

 

[KarateStylist]

I was responding to a statement about "karate blocks", not general techniques. .... [no one] is saying that karate is not used in MMA.

This is one of the better karate threads I've seen by MMA media. Lot's of legitimacy. I'll add a short perspective about some of the criticism of the Japanese karate form.
Low Area Block - Seiken Gedan Barai
854 views


US Budokai Karate Association
Published on Dec 1, 2015

The MMA confusion which arises out of observing karate, is that the MMA-minded place an MMA (or boxing, wrestling, whatever) interpretation on what karate is doing. MMA then (&so can I) find plenty to complain about in this Seiken version of the down block or low block.

To answer globally what this is doing, one must answer globally what karate, any karate style (here Seiken) is doing.

The Seiken technique being taught is technically speaking by karate, a low block. Hence, a BLOCK. Yet that is not @ all the correct characterization of the exercise by karate tradition.

MMA has this great need to come up with technique or drill which will outdo the opponent, thus questions how gedan barai would ever work (and it may well not). Hence the appeal of the Ian Abernathy presentations. The karate answer is that this is not a technique. Once one understands that, karate won't be watered down, & gedan barai AS A BLOCK will work wonders.

 

[panamaican]

This is one of the better karate threads I've seen by MMA media. Lot's of legitimacy. I'll add a short perspective about some of the criticism of the Japanese karate form.
Low Area Block - Seiken Gedan Barai
854 views


US Budokai Karate Association
Published on Dec 1, 2015

The MMA confusion which arises out of observing karate, is that the MMA-minded place an MMA (or boxing, wrestling, whatever) interpretation on what karate is doing. MMA then (&so can I) find plenty to complain about in this Seiken version of the down block or low block.

To answer globally what this is doing, one must answer globally what karate, any karate style (here Seiken) is doing.

The Seiken technique being taught is technically speaking by karate, a low block. Hence, a BLOCK. Yet that is not @ all the correct characterization of the exercise by karate tradition.

MMA has this great need to come up with technique or drill which will outdo the opponent, thus questions how gedan barai would ever work (and it may well not). Hence the appeal of the Ian Abernathy presentations. The karate answer is that this is not a technique. Once one understands that, karate won't be watered down, & gedan barai AS A BLOCK will work wonders.

Yeah, have to agree. If you watch that video as a concept or a principle, as opposed to strictly a technique then many of the questions and concerns disappear.

It doesn't resolve the "Can you apply it in a non-compliant environment?" question but it does change the "it" from applying a technique to applying a principle.