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What characteristics of a karate style make it the best for speed? Best for strength? Or the best suit for self-defense?
As the DefenseTrendz team, we are highly concerned about your self-defense and would love to share with you the knowledge and experience we have gathered every time. Aside from the speed and strength, I prioritized my concerns for self-defense.
When I go through to find the answer to this question, what facts can make a karate style more relevant to self-defense? I observed an Okinawan style called Uechi Ryu has more tools suitable for real-life bad situations.
This article is not to compare the style with any other karate styles or any other martial arts. Not to compare cultural values with each other, but only to consider a few tactics developed with this style from the point of self-defense.
Open-handed fighting stance?
In the modern self-defense systems which are considered and proved by the results for their suitability for self-defense in the street, like Krav Maga, the open-handed passive stance can be observed.
The ready position of this Uechi Ryu style is also open-handed. This is a better position to inform the opponent or aggressor that I do not want to trouble with you. With this open palm hand position, the aggressor may not be encouraged to start a fight in the street like the fist up position.
This type of communication and body language before the fight will be an opportunity to avoid the fight or prevent it as well.
Furthermore, the open palm fighting stance provides support for effective surprise attacks. Dirty attacks can also be followed, like an eye gouge, neck attack. It is easy to have a grab of the collar or to grab the mouth/face around if the opponent is turned back.
These seem to be illegal to use in many of the karate styles. Since karate is nowadays developed as a sport, which may be learned by children also.
Deep stances in a street fight?
Deep stances can be practiced in training but are not very effective in the street. While an individual and the attacker are in a fight, a third person can have a groin attack unexpectedly. because there are no rules in the street like the training Therefore, no deep stances are encouraged to be practiced in this Uechi Ryu Karate style.
No high kicks
Having a high kick in a street fight is not very practical in the real bad scenario. The opponent has a good time slot to have a killing counter attack, so practicing high kicks can make you sound but not fit for reality. Higher kicks are also not encouraged to be used in this Karate style.
Conditioning
Doing body conditioning exercises may make your body conditioned and also prepare your mind to be fearless when getting hit by the opponent. In a real fight, it is unavoidable to get hit. If you are fit enough both mentally and physically, your comeback is unavoidable. The students of this style are always instructed to keep a good level of whole body conditioning every time.
Attitude, Guide, Update
Any of the styles can be upgraded to the most lethal level with a few changes to ready positions, training, and fighting techniques. Apart from this, the teacher’s attitude and tactics in developing his students will also be additional support in considering relevancy to self-defense.
Personal experience – Game plan to win
I can remember my karate teacher who I met in my teens, Master B. Prasanna Fernando, who followed Shotokan karate, won several national and international fighting championships. He used to maintain a high level of conditioning schedule for his students also.
The way he developed was that, although the individual may be attacked by the opponent or by multiple attackers, the individual should have enough courage and fitness to come back at a surprise time in the fight.
Later, he moved to Kobudo and Jui Jutsu, along with Shotokan Karate. He was employed in the Department of Prison. He may have experienced this concept because of the violent background that he had worked with. He is regarded as a competent person in self-defense because he escaped from the prison in a rebellion in the late 90s.
I observed another uniqueness of him also. keeping the distance every time is one of the main facts in self-defense. He used his awesome kicking ability to keep the opponent away in fighting.
Conclusion
Along With correct adjusting and updating any style can be made more effective to self-defense in reality. Not only in physical training but also mental training can make a proper fit for self-defense.
If you understand any other tactics which can make a person who is a good fit to self-defense. Please share with me.
Please comment on your special plan in guiding students or the guidance you received from your own teachers
Don’t forget to practice, keep practice every time & maintain your hobby.
