How effective is karate for self-defence?
In high school, I had a friend named Bill. Bill’s mom was about 5′2″ and had a petite build. She had also earned a black belt in Karate under Tak Kubota.
Sometime in the 70s, she was getting off work at a department store when a large man attacked her from behind in the parking lot. When he grabbed her, she stomped on his foot so hard that she broke her high heel off in his instep.
Then she proceeded to whale on him. Based on her description of his injuries, the police found the man. It turns out he was a wanted serial rapist. This violent predator was taken off the street because a 105 lb woman knew Karate.
She ended up marrying an LAPD officer who earned black belts under Kubota. He was a pretty small guy and always claimed his training from Kubota helped him compensate for his size disadvantage.
How effective is karate for self-defence?
While taking Kenpo Karate for six years in the 90s, I met a 3rd-degree black who told me about a few altercations he’d had since he started karate.
I don’t remember if he was being challenged to a fight, threatened physically, attacked, or whatever, but what I do remember is him telling me that he ended every threat the same way – with a hard kick to the groin using the top of his foot as the striking surface, followed immediately by a palm heel strike driven as forcefully as possible into their nose.
He said that the kick not only brought their hands down towards the pain inflicted but also caused them to bend forward slightly, giving him an easy and unprotected path to their face and head. He said he used the palm heel to their nose almost instinctively and then kept using it because it was so effective the first time.
He said that despite the hundreds of different strikes, kicks, punches, techniques, pinions, katas, forms, etc., that he learned in karate, it was those two strikes that worked, and it was those two strikes that he went back to each time he found himself in a threatening situation.
He also said that most of what you learn in karate would not be practical in a real physical altercation but that some of the most basic strikes could and, in his case, work effectively.
His combination would not be effective in every situation or against every opponent. I’m just relating these stories as they were told to me.
It should also be noted that this person was around 5′ 11″, was physically fit, and probably weighed 185 lbs. This, plus the fact that he had the common sense enough not to attempt moves that most likely wouldn’t work, all contributed to his effectiveness.
And what might even be the most important factor of all –he was not afraid to take whatever means necessary to defend himself!
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How effective is karate for self-defence?
You can teach just about anybody the basics of fighting art or another. Still, if they’re afraid to commit, timid, or hesitant in any way to utilize what they’ve learned, there’s very little chance of their effectively defending themselves.
So take from this what you will. Street fights and self-defence situations have so many variables and are so wildly unpredictable that nothing is guaranteed.
However, if you research enough, you’ll discover which styles are likely more practical than others for self-defence.
You should keep in mind, too, though, that temperament, fitness, confidence, fortitude, etc., will all matter if you find yourself in an unfortunate situation of having to apply what you’ve learned.
So, is karate effective for self-defence? Depending on the techniques used, how they’re used, and who uses them, I’d say that it would be effective in certain circumstances.
But by the same token, if incompetent individuals attempted questionable techniques, I’d say that karate would be pretty useless under those circumstances.
Is Karate a good self-defence a myth? Why or why not?
It is NOT a myth, and I will tell you why.
The “Karate” Style does not make or break a fighter in an encounter. It is the fighter himself. Whether you study Karate, Taekwondo, kung fu, Muy Thai, or even becoming an MMA practitioner, It is about your discipline in what you study and how you study it. I have seen 5th-6th degree black belts become experts at Kata and have a whole arsenal of knowledge; However, they suck at live sparring and real-time fighting.
On the other hand, I have also witnessed coloured belts beat the snot out of black belts with only a few techniques. Regarding actual self-defence, I would much rather a student study the crap out of a few practical techniques and work on using them in real time rather than become a kata master.
Now, you also have to understand that people study Karate for many more reasons. Some people love the art and come to study the kata movements and techniques as a physical hobby. Some love the mental state and the relief from their daily stressful lives. Some study for the pure purpose of physical exercise, social study activity and friendship.
Because of the varying reasons people get involved in a karate system, belts and ranking have to be tied to a study of the art just as much as a study of self-defence.
Hence, you can still get a black belt for achieving a known knowledge of karate and suck at actual fighting. However, you must be careful because some karate practitioners are very good fighters and study that way in the dojo and on their own time.
This is why I always ask people who begin their studies, during their studies, and even after advancement where they see themselves going with this. Some people hate, hate, hate. I can’t express enough….. I hate physical contact and fighting. They get all nervous, shaky, and out of their comfort zone when they go into live drills or sparring.
How effective is karate for self-defence?
They love doing Kata, having techniques taught, practising it, and doing their thing. Then there are those students who love when we line up and start doing physical drills and sparring. They love the application of techniques, love to get thrown around, and love to feel what an actual technique feels like when performed on them.
After class, we have often had overtime training for those who love to get down and dirty sparring, learn some side-grappling techniques, and love practising the practicality of using their martial arts techniques.
So this is why it’s on the Student. Are they a fighter, or are they only practising it as a physical tool for health, discipline and way of life? Both are very beneficial.
But Karate, when practised for actual self-defence, can be very applicable if it is in the right hands of a fighter. The same goes for most other disciplines of martial arts. If you have the heart of a fighter….chances are you will succeed.
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Can you use karate for self-defence, and can you give an example?
The entire creation of karate, and almost ALL other traditional martial arts, was for real-life combat. Don’t listen to those people who watch way too much UFC and think that everyone on the street is some professional fighter and say that traditional martial arts don’t work. They’re wrong.
And those people have no idea what they’re talking about… Again, there is too much UFC commentary and not enough practical experience. Most people on the street are NOT professional fighters.
And on top of that, any traditional martial art, at the very least, will teach you how to block a punch and throw a punch. So if anyone says that knowing how to block and throw a punch properly is useless for self-defence, they’re just idiots… So, to answer the question, yes, karate can be used for self-defence.
My example #1 (Tae Kwon Do) – Back in high school, some football player started mouthing off to me, so I decided to mouth back. He charged at me and tried to push me. I sidestepped while parrying his right arm. He turned around and tried to push me again.
How effective is karate for self-defence?
I sidestepped in the other direction this time and dodged his left arm. He made one more attempt to push me, and I did the same thing. And after being unsuccessful in his attempts, he calmed down and said, “You’re not worth it.”… the end.
Example #2 (again Tae Kwon Do) – Back in high school, I and some kid got into an argument; I don’t remember what about, but he came at me. I gave him a quick front kick to the stomach that bent him over.
He regained his composure and took a swing at me. I dodged his punch, grabbed him and pushed him to the ground… After that, I walked away, and he did not pursue… the end.
Quick disclaimer: My examples are from high school because I’ve never gotten into any “street” confrontations as an adult. But as an adult, I’ve also added three years of Muay Thai to my TKD training.
Are karate movements useful in a real fight?
Yes, definitely, but not in the way you would imagine. For instance, when a punch is thrown your way, you would not go into a neko ashi dash(Cat stance). Still, that movement lateral movement of the stance that you have repeated over and over again would give you an advantage over another person.
As with every martial art in existence, there are impractical movements that would never be used in a fight. The movements you learn in karate teach your body muscle memory, and your response would be almost automatic, as my personal experience was when being attacked, I instinctively moved rather than consciously.
The movements you learn in the dojo are more for muscle memory than actually using them in a real fight.
Why do people dismiss karate as a useless martial art?
Question: Why do people dismiss karate as a useless martial art? When I tell people I do karate, they say, ‘Karate is useless; I could beat your ass right now if I wanted to.’
Because they truly believe that, and with some justification.
Karate, like most traditional martial arts, has become “sportified” (my word). The way it’s usually practised today has little relevance to real-world combat.
When ten-year-olds are awarded black belts when sparring has rules that exclude dangerous attacks and defences, and when students can rise through the ranks performing Kata, which have been set to music and transformed into dance moves rather than fighting applications, the people who dismiss karate have a point.
“Old School” Karate is still taught in a shrinking number of venues. Old School practitioners can be formidable in their skills and can kick ass regularly.
It saddens me to realize that they are a dying breed.
How effective is karate for self-defence?
Are karate movements useful in a real fight?
Yes, definitely, but not in the way you would imagine. For instance, when a punch is thrown your way, you would not go into a neko ashi dash(Cat stance). Still, that movement lateral movement of the stance that you have repeated over and over again would give you an advantage over another person.
As with every martial art in existence, there are impractical movements that would never be used in a fight. The movements you learn in karate teach your body muscle memory, and your response would be almost automatic, as my personal experience was when being attacked, I instinctively moved rather than consciously.
The movements you learn in the dojo are more for muscle memory than actually using them in a real fight.
Which martial arts are effective in a street fight, and which aren’t?
I once put this question to a guy who’d worked as a doorman and security guard in south London (he was just like a Guy Ritchie character). He had been in hundreds of fights and seen many people shot, stabbed and beaten unconscious. He was also a martial arts enthusiast.
The first point he made was that no martial art guarantees success. You could be a world champ boxer and a black belt in everything from taekwondo to BJJ, but someone’s friend comes up behind you and smashes a bottle over your head, or someone throws a sudden punch that kos you, then he kicks you in the head while you are laying on the ground.
Remember, most fights begin with a sudden onslaught, a barrage of punches that floor someone from which they don’t recover. You could boil the art of street fighting down to one sentence: HIT FIRST.
Anyway, he ranked the martial arts like this. At the top, he put boxing. He said kickboxers often miss with their kicks and end up on the ground, or their opponent catches their foot, or there isn’t room, or time, to put those kicks into action.
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Boxers can take a punch and instinctively roll and slip when someone goes for them. Plus, of course, they have a good guard. That means that the all-important first punch often misses them or at least lands with little impact.
After boxing, he put kickboxing and Muay Thai. But, he said, these are only good if you also know how to grapple and wrestle. Like most people, he had good things to say about BJJ and American wrestling. In his opinion, the best thing was boxing combined with BJJ.
As for the traditional MAs, he was scathing. He had seen idiots outside London nightclubs get into their kung fu stance only to be knocked unconscious. Karate, judo, and taekwondo do work, but only in certain situations.
If you are fighting one-to-one and the other guy isn’t particularly strong and can’t throw a decent punch, those MAs may help. But they are useless against someone who DOES know how to fight or even against someone who is simply big, strong, and aggressive.
How effective is karate for self-defence?
Below them, he put the joke MAs, like Aikido and Kung fu. He had seen plenty of ***kheads with coloured belts in various bullsh*t MAs beaten senseless by guys with no MA training. One of the big problems with the traditional MAs is the emphasis on blocking. In a real fight, blocks are utterly useless. People don’t throw one straight punch. They throw a barrage of quick punches.
Speed, aggression, power and, above all, surprise are those things that count. Some people carry a lot of anger and have often been in countless fights. Against them, few things work. A good amateur boxer with a black belt in BJJ could be killed in a street fight.
The problem with MA training is that it gives you a false sense of security. In my experience, boxers and MA experts are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. They rarely start fights, and they very rarely bully people. But they DO tend to overestimate their abilities.
The best thing to do is never get in that situation in the first place. The second best thing to do is run as fast as you can. If you can’t get away, get the first punch in and hit hard. Be wary of your ground so you don’t fall over, and be wary of his friends sneaking up behind you.
Hit hard, sharp and nasty. Punch on the nose or throat, and run while he falls back. A street fight is often a hideous thing to see. And it rarely ends well. Either you’ll get hurt, or you’ll hurt him and end up in jail.
Is Karate actually any use in real-life combat situations?
Jan, a Swedish man, was attacked by three robbers armed with baseball bats. As you can see in the picture, he has a black belt in Karate and defeated all three with minor personal injuries.
He was 69 when it occurred, and the guys who attacked him were in their twenties. So yes, Karate is a very efficient art of self-defence. At least full contact Karate.
Since Karate emphasises both attack and defence with powerful punches, kicks and powerful blocking, you will know how to hold off and even eliminate an opponent if needed.
Would a judo master defeat a karate master in a street fight?
I doubt you’d find a true Judo master and a true Karate master getting involved in streetfights, Jake.
Think about what it takes to reach the level of Master in the martial arts… do you really think that after all those years of disciplined training of their bodies and minds, getting into a fight in public would be a part of their approach to life?
You’re asking if Judo can defeat Karate or vice versa, correct?
Judo has advantages in that a Judoka can grab you and throw you to the ground, pin you and put a lock or a choke on you.
Conversely, a Karateka can strike you forcefully, knock the wind out of you, knock you down or out and even perform a basic takedown, throw or lock.
Who determines effectively would ultimately determine the outcome.
Either could win; either could be defeated.
How effective is karate for self-defence?
Is Karate practical for self defence?
Karate CAN be practical for self-defence IF the practitioner has done a LOT of full-contact sparring against a resisting opponent. There are many karate techniques that simply do not work in a real fight.
This was proven in the early years of the UFC when fighters from different disciplines squared off against each other to determine who had bragging rights for having the best fighting style. Club-level boxers routinely beat karate and kung-fu masters with decades of training.
Practising Karate reinforces discipline and self-control. It enhances many athletic traits. Unfortunately, it is usually trained, at least in the USA, without contact or minimal contact, using pads for protection.
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The “opponent” often cooperates to simulate what is believed to happen when a strike makes contact at full force. This approach does not allow the practitioner to learn what techniques are effective in a real fight.
Compare that to boxing. Boxers do full-contact sparring all of the time against opponents who are hitting back. They quickly learn what works and what is ineffective. They also experience what it feels like to be hit hard in the head, so they do not get shocked when it happens in a real fight.
Is Karate actually any use in real-life combat situations?
Jan, a Swedish man, was attacked by three robbers armed with baseball bats. As you can see in the picture, he has a black belt in Karate and defeated all three with minor personal injuries.
He was 69 when it occurred, and the guys who attacked him were in their twenties. So yes, Karate is a very efficient art of self-defence. At least full contact Karate.
Since Karate emphasises both attack and defence with powerful punches, kicks and powerful blocking, you will know how to hold off and even eliminate an opponent if needed.
How effective is karate for self-defence?
Would a judo master defeat a karate master in a street fight?
I doubt you’d find a true Judo master and a true Karate master getting involved in streetfights, Jake.
Think about what it takes to reach the level of Master in the martial arts… do you really think that after all those years of disciplined training of their bodies and minds, getting into a fight in public would be a part of their approach to life?
You’re asking if Judo can defeat Karate or vice versa, correct?
Judo has advantages in that a Judoka can grab you and throw you to the ground, pin you and put a lock or a choke on you.
Conversely, a Karateka can strike you forcefully, knock the wind out of you, knock you down or out and even perform a basic takedown, throw or lock.
Who determines effectively would ultimately determine the outcome.
Either could win; either could be defeated.
Is Karate practical for self defence?
Karate CAN be practical for self-defence IF the practitioner has done a LOT of full-contact sparring against a resisting opponent. There are many karate techniques that simply do not work in a real fight.
This was proven in the early years of the UFC when fighters from different disciplines squared off against each other to determine who had bragging rights for having the best fighting style. Club-level boxers routinely beat karate and kung-fu masters with decades of training.
Practising Karate reinforces discipline and self-control. It enhances many athletic traits. Unfortunately, it is usually trained, at least in the USA, without contact or minimal contact, using pads for protection.
The “opponent” often cooperates to simulate what is believed to happen when a strike makes contact at full force. This approach does not allow the practitioner to learn what techniques are effective in a real fight.
Compare that to boxing. Boxers do full-contact sparring all of the time against opponents who are hitting back. They quickly learn what works and what is ineffective. They also experience what it feels like to be hit hard in the head, so they do not get shocked when it happens in a real fight.
How effective is karate for self-defence?