Traditional Karate and Sport Karate have many similarities and differences, but perhaps the most important difference is the fact that Sport Karate is bound by rules of competition and Traditional Karate is not. Traditional Karate is defined by the International Traditional Karate Federation as “an art of self-defense which uses only the human body in the most efficient way. It employs mainly blocking, blowing, punching, and kicking techniques.” Practitioners of this form of Karate practice and train techniques that are intended to cause harm to someone else.
Techniques such as throat strikes, chokes, and knee strikes are perfect for self-protection but will incur immediate disqualify in most competitions! On the flip side of this is “sport” which is defined by Oxfords Learner Dictionary as “activity that you do for pleasure and that needs physical effort or skill, usually done in a special area and according to fixed rules” Karate practiced in the context of sport is done for the purposes of pleasure, according to fixed rules, and in a controlled environment. Organizations such as the World Karate Federation (WKF), North American Sport Karate Association (NASKA), and others have worked to create and standardize a set of rules to govern martial arts competitions. These rules help to give martial athletes organized, fair, and safe competitions in which to display their best skills. (World) Most local and regional tournaments will also have competition rules in place that mirror those of the above organizations to create events that protect the safety of the participants, provide structure, and promote impartiality when judging. Karateka that practice solely for the purpose of sport will have different training priorities and methods than those that practice for self-protection to include focusing practice sessions on learning and perfecting techniques that are competition legal, avoid vital areas, and will best help in scoring points to win matches. With such a drastic difference in training philosophy, it is no wonder practitioners on both sides tend to degrade the other, but let’s look at how participation in competitive karate tournaments can be both a benefit to a traditionalist and be a drawback to their training.
Build Self-Confidence and Character thru true testing of skill
Karate was designed to be used against an untrained unexpecting enemy who is intending to cause harm. (Motobu) The confidence gained from knowing how to defend yourself can carry over into other aspects of your life and is very empowering. Martial arts competitions, however, have turned that idea around completely. Now, not only does your opponent know how to defend himself against your techniques, but he also knows it’s coming! The result of this type of mutual combat has led karateka to practicing skills such as feigning and working out of a guard as well as the creation of new techniques such as the roudhouse kick, axe kick, superman punch, and others that are designed to hit an opponent at a greater distance. Competitions group participants together by age, rank, and skill level thereby putting each competitor on an equal level unlike a street fight where the opponent may outweigh by 50 lbs and be 8 inches taller. The use of divisions helps competitors test their abilities against peers like themselves and acquire an honest evaluation of their skill. Successful performance through sports participation is achieved in a number of ways, including physical accomplishment such as successfully landing that spinning back fist to win the match, vicarious experience like watching your sensei compete in board breaking and being inspired to follow suite, physiological such as competing even when you are nervous, scared, or anxious, and finally emotional whereby you compete because it makes you happy or excited (Morris) The tournament environment also encourages competitors to learn from their mistakes, learn from each other, and overcome fears and obstacles which creates and instills confidence needed to be successful. Winning or placing in a category like weapons and winning your sparring division also brings a sense of joy and pride that is hard to duplicate from regular dojo training. Sports competitions also build character through learning how to handle a loss. How a karateka deals with a loss in kumite or a disqualification can help to define their character. Does the karateka bow out gracefully, go home, and train harder, or do they pout and complain or try to blame the judges. (McGraw) Building confidence as a person can be aided by participation in both Karate and regular sports. Confidence as a martial artist can be attained thru competition that both tests skills and provides corrective feedback. These are elements that cannot be replicated in a traditional dojo setting but will help to build confidence and character of the karateka as a person.
Serves as an element of cross-training
Incorporating competition training into the curriculum of Traditional Karate and using it as a form of cross-training can help to develop skills that a traditional karateka may not practice or utilize through their normal training routine. Cross-training is defined as “an exercise protocol that utilizes several modes of training that are outside the athlete’s main sport to develop a specific component of fitness”. There are several benefits to cross-training and some of these include decreased burnout and break in routine. (Rodden) Traditional Karate training is packed with routine whether it is done through standard kihon drills or hidden in skill building games. It is literally the foundation of how a karateka develops the muscle memory necessary to perform and retain techniques and behaviors learned in class. Former Olympic Track and Field coach Carl Valle, suggests a change in environment such as in training venue and modifying training routines or creation of fresh new programs can help with this type of athletic burnout. (Valle) For a traditional karateka participation in Karate competitions can accomplish both! Karate tournaments offer the opportunity to practice and showcase skills in an unfamiliar location such as a convention center or school gymnasium and adds an environment filled with variables beyond the control of the participant such as the crowd noise. With so many unknown elements a karateka must focus their training to be able to put out their best performance! The training necessary for Sport Karate competitions is unlike that of traditional training. Kata practice will now focus more on aesthetics and presentation to include additional movements and kiais, changing the timing, and even adding music will go into a karateka’s overall performance training. Sparring practice will change from free sparring to a more point style and fights will be controlled and timed. Additional fitness elements like more cardio, speed and footwork drills, as well as more focused reaction training can also be included. Seeking the competitive side of martial arts as a way of cross-training and break from the routine also adding new goals to achieve are a good way to maintain interest and keep the martial arts the lifelong activity it is intended to be.
Provides tangible short term and long term goals and motivation
Achieving a goal is a great feeling and Karate is a wonderful vehicle that can be used to teach this important life skill. Through the belt system and other methods utilized by Karate dojos such as achievement stripes, patches, etc., students can set regular attainable goals for themselves and work to achieve them. Many join with the aspiration to achieve the rank of Black Belt but sadly most do not reach this goal. The journey for a traditional karateka should not be in search of accolades but in self-development (Funakoshi) Now that combat sports have become an established part of the martial arts culture, seeking to make oneself a better competitor can be incorporated into the idea of self-development. There are many practitioners today whose sole purpose of training is not for self-defense but to be the best martial arts competitor they can be. The traditional martial artist whose training focus is self-protection can still take advantage of what the world of competition offers and can even benefit from it. In addition to cross-training, competition and the added motivation of earning a medal or trophy may help to keep a karateka who is losing interest focused, engaged, and active. This type of reward for superior performance phenomenon is known as “Extrinsic Reward” and can be in the form of many things but the most common is trophies, medals, titles, and money. (Choi) The world of competition provides many opportunities for martial artists to set goals for themselves that are outside their dojo, association, and personal training regime. For many, winning a trophy or medal is reward enough. It was a goal that was set, worked on, and achieved. Others, however, may set higher goals for themselves and desire to become a tournament champion or even a professional fighter! Opportunities through the world of sport are vast, from small local tournaments to the world’s highest stages including the Olympics! Those who desire a professional career have a variety of outlets from kickboxing associations, UFC and similar mixed martial arts organizations, as well as becoming a professionally sponsored tournament competitor. Tournament success can also bring its own rewards as in the case of famed martial artist and actor, Chuck Norris. Mr Norris was a relatively unknown martial arts instructor until winning world titles and professional bouts kickstarted his acting career. (Norris) Yet another martial arts pioneer whose success in competition garnered him respect and stature in the Karate community is Yoshukai Karate’s own Hanshi Mike Foster. Mr. Fosters accomplishments as a tournament champion, both in the US and internationally helped solidify him as a world class martial artist which led to him being tapped to coach multiple US Amateur World Championship teams. Mr. Fosters reputation as a fighter, sensei, and coach also gave him opportunities to spread the Yoshukai style in multiple countries. (Foster). The opportunities, both large and small, offered by the world of sport to traditional karateka are numerous. Practitioners can set attainable goals for themselves in an area outside of their normal training program without sacrificing what they have achieved through their classical training. Traditional karateka must be careful, however, that their primary training focus is not altered by the rules of competition. The evolution into a game to be played instead of an art to be studied can have detrimental effects on its practitioners. These effects include the understanding of Karate kata, the fighting response, and overall costs.
Improper (if any) understanding of kata bunkai
The integration of competitive karate and the mindset of what the kata was created for has brought a lot of criticism to Traditional Karate. Many schools of martial arts do not practice the old forms other than using them as warmups or as a belt promotion requirement. Choki Motobu, the founder of Motobu Ryu, once said, “The techniques of the kata were never developed to be used against a professional fighter, in an arena, or on a battlefield”. The practice of kata was designed as a solo form of training and not something to be performed in front of a panel of judges. Since the advent of competitive martial arts, kata performance has become a widely popular category at tournaments and has even been an Olympic event! Karateka that solely focus on the form of the kata, however, and do not learn the function will develop an improper understanding of the movements and combative concepts they teach. Take for instance the angles and turns found within kata. There are many karateka that practice and teach that the angles mean that a person is fighting a new opponent with each turn. This theory was debunked in 1938 by Master Kenwa Mabuni when he stated, “it is often heard that “this kata moves in 8 directions, so it is designed for fighting 8 different opponents” or some other such nonsense” This quote by Mabuni is clearly criticizing an application he was seeing taught regarding the turns and angles in kata nearly 100 years ago! Practicing the complete art by way of proper kata study reveals an art filled with strikes, chokes, throws, join locks, takedowns, kicks and other techniques thought not to be related to Karate. Traditional karateka that choose to participate in competitions need to be mindful that the kata they practice are not merely a collection of movements designed to be learned for a belt exam or a routine to be practiced for a tournament but are a vital tool in learning the complete art of Karate.
May create and instill poor reaction habits
Changing the context of Karate training from self-defense to sport has made a game out of combat. Adding in the various rules to be followed, gear to be worn, timed rounds, floor matting, officials, and other safety measures has completely changed the idea of what fighting is. Obviously within the realm of sport, the safety of both athletes is a primary concern, however in self-defense keeping yourself safe and free of harm is the primary objective. Famed Karate bunkai expert Iain Abernathy has coined the phrase “consensual and nonconsensual violence” with respect to the different forms of fighting. According to Mr. Abernathy, Consensual Violence is violence that is agreed upon by two people such as two competitors meeting in a ring. Both parties agreed to the fight, understand the possible outcomes, and agree to abide by the rules of combat. Traditional Karate was designed to deal with Non-Consensual Violence, meaning one of the two parties did not agree to the fight but is now forced to defend himself to avoid being harmed. (Itsou) In non-censual violence the rules are essentially dictated by local laws pertaining to self-defense. There are no safety precautions such as officials, padded gear, or rules. A karate practitioner whose sole purpose is sport could and possibly will respond inappropriately to the situation depending on their training practices and how they have developed their muscle memory (FITTR). If a karateka only practices the skills and techniques for “safe” fighting, then what they need to execute in self-defense, may or may not be what is needed to survive the encounter. A street fight is not the time to try out a new spinning back kick nor will a point be awarded for a backfist to the forehead. Illegal and forbidden tactics such as face contact, kicks to the groin, and strikes to joints may be the only option and a karateka must be conditioned, trained, willing and able to use those tactics if needed. Another possible problem with sports competition is the overly competitive fighters who do not know when to stop when an opponent is down. These types of competitors do not train, nor do they practice the restraint or respect as taught in Traditional Karate. Athletes such as UFC Champion Jamahal Hill who was recently charged with physically assaulting his brother is an example of this type of behavior. (WZZM) These types of athletes not only harm the sport but are a poor example of what the martial arts is about. A karateka that only learns and trains the fighting skills of the art and does not practice the elements of restraint, respect, honor, and self-control is a danger to himself and to his community.
Competition is expensive
Karate is a relatively inexpensive activity. Standard costs associated with Karate training include monthly tuition, uniform, training weapons, sparring gear, and testing fees. Some of these costs such as uniforms, weapons, and sparing gear are intermittent and based upon need, while tuition and testing fees are recurring. In my local area of Southeast Georgia tuition ranges from $40-$120/month. Testing fees range from $30-$100 depending on the rank being tested. The retail cost of a standard student uniform is $60 and a standard sparring gear bundle is around $100. Many dojos will offer specials discounts on tuition for things like having a friend sign up, additional family member, Summer specials and a host of other business practices including not charging a testing fee to help students and parents with these expenses. When a traditional karateka chooses to enter the world of competition, they must be prepared to incur the additional costs associated with competition. Just like activities such as soccer and baseball, Karate competitions can be found all year long! The costs associated with competition will depend on the level of commitment the karateka is willing to make toward this endeavor. Those that see tournament competition as a supplement to their regular training and martial arts activities will spend less than those whose primary purpose of training is competition. Costs associated with competition include things such as the registration fee, travel expenses such as gas and lodging, food, the purchase of event specific uniforms (lightweight gi for fighting and special cut heavy gi for kata), specially designed or decorated weapons, regulation style sparring gear and customized gear bags and weapons cases and much more. There are many dojo that oblige students to join their “competition team” and doing this incurs additional costs as well such as custom warmups, uniforms, gear bags, and other merchandise. While researching this topic, I investigated the total cost for myself to compete in the Battle of Atlanta a nationally recognized tournament. On the high end of the scale (registration for tournament, lodging at the recommended hotel, estimated cost of food for the weekend and gas driving to the event would cost over $1000! Below is a breakdown of these expenses.
| Expense | Cost |
| Registration Fee | $132 |
| Lodging Atlanta Waverly Hotel $337/night for 2 nights | $783 |
| Gas 640 mile trip Gas $3/gallon | $100 |
| Food | $75 |
| Total | $1090 |
A thousand dollars for a single event is a lot of money for a family to spend. This $1000 is in addition to their regular training expenses. Most karateka will barely spend $1000 a year on their regular training outside the purchase of new gear or a uniform. Costs can often be offset with fundraisers, sponsorships, and private donations to help students reach these larger events and work to achieve their competitive goals. Karateka must be aware and be willing to sacrifice the time and money necessary to compete in order to reach their goals.
Sport Karate, whether we like it or not, is here to stay. There are many who see the fancy kicks, the musical forms, and the overly exaggerated kiais as “not real karate” but we must remember that they are training in the context of competition and not self-protection. In the 1950s the father of modern karate Gichin Funakoshi would write “Times change, the world changes, and obviously the martial arts must change too.” Traditional Karateka do not need to fully embrace the sport aspect but should seek to understand it, if for no other reason than to increase their overall knowledge of Karate. While working to perfect the basics is a cornerstone of Traditional Karate it is only a foundational step to a sport martial artist. Competition, while not a primary focus of traditional training, should be encouraged and supported in the dojo as a means to improve confidence, provide additional goals, and serve as a form of cross-training to combat fatigue. Traditional martial artists must remember that the primary purpose of their training is self-defense and not get caught up in changing the focus from practical to aesthetic in regard to kata training, and kumite. Traditionalists who are seeking to compete must also recognize that competition will incur additional costs and they must be willing to endure these costs to achieve their competitive goals. Overall, by adding this element to their training and practice in the martial arts, it will help to make the traditional karateka a more rounded practitioner and they will appreciate their time doing it whether short or a lifetime.
References
International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF) Definition of Traditional Karate https://www.itkf.org/definition.php
Oxford Learners Dictionary https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/sport_1
World Karate Federation Statutes https://www.wkf.net/pdf/WKF_Statutes.pdf
Motobu Choki “Ryukyu Karate Kempo” 1926
Morris, Adam Developing Confidence in Sport http://members.believeperform.com/developing-confidence-in-sport/
McGraw Eliza How losing at sports — even all the time — can be good for kids Washington Post (2016) https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2016/10/26/how-losing-at-sports-even-all-the-time-can-be-good-for-kids/
Mabuni Kenwa and Nakasone Genwa “Kobo Kenpo Karatedo Nyumon” (1938)
National Institute for fitness and sport (NIFS) Finding Your Lifetime Activity https://www.nifs.org/blog/finding-your-lifetime-activity-staying-active-should-be-fun
Gichin Funakoshi “Karate-Do My Way of Life” (1956)
Valle, Carl How to Prevent Athlete Burnout https://simplifaster.com/articles/prevent-athlete-burnout/
Choi, Whan Bong (1996) The effect of extrinsic reward on sport performance, perceived competence and intrinsic motivation. PhD thesis, Victoria University of Technology.
Norris, Chuck Against All Odds: My Story B&H Publishing Group, (2006)
History of Yoshukai Karate Mike Foster https://web.archive.org/web/20110718142855/http://yoshukaitampabay.com/History.aspx
Abernathy Iain Consensual Violence (Fighting) vs. Non-Consensual Violence (Self-Defense) https://iainabernethy.co.uk/content/consensual-violence-fighting-vs-non-consensual-violence-self-defense
Itsou Anko 10 Precepts for Karate http://www.shitoryu.org/heritage/itosu/precepts.htm
Fitness Transformation FITTR Muscle Memory: Understanding the Concept and its Benefits https://www.fittr.com/article/what-is-muscle-memory-178/
WZZM 13 News Jamahal Hill, title-winning UFC fighter, arrested in Kentwood for assaulting brother https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/title-winning-ufc-fighter-arrested-for-assaulting-brother/69-da895cb3-d0e8-4877-b4a2-1f8c857fd3dd
Battle of Atlanta Pricing and Tickets https://www.thebattleofatlanta.com/pricing-tickets
Hotel Pricing Expedia Hotel Pricing Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel https://www.expedia.com/Atlanta-Hotels-Renaissance-Atlanta-Waverly-Hotel-Convention-Center.
