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Andy Sloane Sensei has written an excellent description of these “kumite” from Tatsuo Shimabuku Sensei. As an example, most of us believe we know that kumite means, “sparring.” He presents the meaning as, “grappling hands.” He, apparently, meant it to mean a specific set of two-person training of combinations/techniques used by Uke and Tori to learn applications for specified types of attacks (my interpretations, not Sloane Sensei’s). Here are some examples:
Where I come in is that these “kumite” are meant to be self-defense scenario’s. I expect some might simply say that these are common, in Tatsuo-san’s time, fighting situations a karate-ka needs to learn for self-protection. I must note that these theories are simply that, theories, that are unsubstantiated by any known historical facts other than as transmitted as kata and/or “kumite (as defined by Tatsuo-san).”
When you view these or if you are a practitioner of Isshinryu who learned and practice Tatsuo-san’s kumite you may have accepted them as solid self-defense kumite or you may have simply learned, practiced and taught them to maintain the historical origins of Isshinryu.
Here is where if stray from that seemingly necessary connection for historical preservation. I don’t believe we must remain steadfast and dogmatically glued to these kumite because most, if not all, are not really realistic to modern self-defense or even fighting, i.e., as protection against violence.
If we are to study violence and self-defense then we have to believe that almost all non-socially monkey dancing school yard fights are actually composed of “surprise-fear-pain” triad of violence. Except for the monkey dance a good deal of violent attacks are from complete and utter surprise with a large doze of both fear and pain. It happens quickly, ergo the surprise and it involves the attacker situating the attack to avoid or at least limit their own damage as well as to accomplish their goals.
Take for instance, no violent attack be it for reasons of robbery or simply to hurt a person seldom does the attacker attack by application of such things as the “full nelson” or the “wrist grab” and so on. This may, may, occur in the school yard scuffle or the monkey dance at the local bar on football night when you friend gets pissed because you are giving him hell over his team losing, etc.
Granted, these kumite still serve a purpose as long as the mind-set/mind-state is such that the practitioners understand the disconnect between them and reality. If you are using them to teach self-defense then they are lacking. If you teach them from combatives, then they are lacking. Lacking a reality toward what combat is and what violence is as applied both in combat and in self-defense.
Add in a certain level of complexity that goes against any professionals view of what works vs. what does not. It is about using them for what they can achieve, i.e., some of the physiokinetic principles, vs. what they will not.
Tatsuo-san’s kumite, historically and for preservation of his legacy, are great. Tatsuo-san’s kumite, for fighting, combat and/or self-defense, simply will not get you fully and completely there. This is not to disparage his teachings but to convey that as time passes and society progresses things change including violence and how to defend against it. If you fail to change to meet those changing challenges of the current times then you allow yourself to fail when you need it most.
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