Karate Should Be Effortless

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

I recently read a posting by a well known karate-ka who said, as a lead in to a video of a leading Isshinryu sensei, karate should be effortless. It got my ole grey matter a churning and it came to the forefront on my thoughts that karate by its inherent origins and traditions is NOT an effortless discipline. 

• Yes, power is about effortlessness;
• Yes, force is about effortlessness;
• Yes, efficiency is about effortlessness;
• Yes, effectiveness is about effortlessness;
• Yes, I can go on but you, my reader, get the picture - right?

Observing karate and its practitioners it becomes very apparent that karate as currently utilized wastes a great deal of energy in its application in training and practice.

Tai Chi Chuan is easily observed as effortless but it seems like karate-ka are trying to force their methodologies and I know from experience, mine and others, this to be true. 

Americans can be fixated on what they think, and therefore believe something looks and feels strong while actually diminishing and depleting energy and force and power within without maximizing the power and force necessary for self-protection for self-defense. This is a major fault in karate because the fundamental principles that govern the manifest of power and force in a conflict tells us, proven by professionals with experience in violence, the application must feel and is effortless. 

Don’t get me wrong, at one time so very long ago karate, called “Ti (tea), was used effectively, so we have been told because there is little to no documentation of fact to that belief.

Karate does have its uses for training the mind and body and spirit YET it has been proven by professionals who are experts in conflict and violence that karate, in and of itself as a discipline, is NOT an effective skill for conflict and violence regardless of what the leaders of the karate community say, believe and teach.

First and foremost karate would require major adjustments to become an effective tool for self-defense. It’s methodologies and methods, yes there is a difference, would need an overhaul few will do and dissonance along with biases as well as setting aside certain beliefs are huge roadblocks not to forget the commercial influences one would have to overcome to get karate where it becomes effortless for the benefit of self-defense for self-protection for the reality of conflict as well as its violence.

Karate is not effortless; it is not effective for defense and protection; it IS a form of entertainment much like membership at a gym for health and fitness. 

Going back to those two professionals, watching the video you see dynamic tensioning, etc., including that participants stand toe-to-toe while practicing and maybe movement forward and backward using unnecessary effort of muscling it to perform/practice the drill all the while explaining how it all must look effortless and failing while doing it. 

For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)