I've been practicing karate on and off since I was 16. In terms of martial arts practice this means next to nothing. The one thing I have learned about karate is that there is no certainty. Good and bad are measured many times in degree rather than in stark black and white. Kata for instance depending on who you talk to is either the heart of karate or a complete waste of time. Both views have their merits based on their understanding of it's purpose, but since the purpose of kata can vary as much as its interpretation than there is very little point in trying to argue whether one way is more legitimate or correct than another.
To put it simply, some things work, some things don't and some things work depending on the situation and the environment. This is the only certainty.
The person who enjoys performing kata and competing in point sparring tournaments is equally as legitimate as the person who ensconces himself in tradition and practices the kata for more practical reasons.
This will be both a training journal and a place to post my own ideas about karate and how it can be practiced.
To put it simply, some things work, some things don't and some things work depending on the situation and the environment. This is the only certainty.
The person who enjoys performing kata and competing in point sparring tournaments is equally as legitimate as the person who ensconces himself in tradition and practices the kata for more practical reasons.
This will be both a training journal and a place to post my own ideas about karate and how it can be practiced.
