The Biggest Problem With “Sport Karate”

Great article Jesse San. I totally agree with your view that Kata or Kumite should never be sacrificed for either. My Sensei would always make it mandatory for us to participate in both in any tournament.

Hello Jesse, Congrats on your article. I can't see why you are so surprised though. You see the ultra-competitive spirit of a tournament-oriented athlete is not leaving much space for many other things. You have to focus and reach the maximum of performance either in Kumite or Kata. And the one's performance is strictly measured by specific rules (in the case of sports). The rules are set by some federation (WKF in this case) which takes in mind many parameters to create them. The qualities of karate itself as a martial art is just one of them. Overall making the whole sport product attractive for the audience is the key in making it popular (you remember what happened with classical wrestling which, although one of the few original Olympic sports, is not so attractive any more). This makes Kumite nothing more than a type of Kick-boxing in white pajamas. As for the kata, the rules themselves and the judges are not allowing much space for "traditional" performances or performances based on the practical aspect of the kata. This has turned the competition kata into choreography. Nice for the audience to watch, but still...a choreography. So the question is what someone seeks over his training. Our expectations of our involvement in Karate (as in any activity) drive our efforts and our (limited) time investment. In the case you describe, the ultimate goal is a medal, so it sounds fair that someone practices only "this or that". Because his priority is not to be fairly good in all aspects of Karate but #1 in one aspect of a small piece of the whole picture, sport karate. No doubt that, if your priority is Karate as a whole, you need the whole "package".

Jesse, it's great you promote being a "martial" artist and not a "partial" artist! Keep up the good work!

After spending the summer focused solely on kumite - returning to taking and teaching classes that emphasize both (we have a very good Sensei!), has reminded me of this, with emphasis! My stances are not where they should be, my technique and timing off - even my memory for kata needed a kickstart! While it is hallenging to try to maintain a high level at both these areas of skill, I am convinced it is entirely necessary - one enhances the other - a low strong stance in kata helps with explosiveness in kumite; a fast, linear punch in kumite translates to a tight, well-timed kata technique. Recently had the privelege of training with Junior Lefevre and he said he essentially trains for each using the other.

In our practice we have also taken kata and kamite and buy them together. We have learned that doing this gives us a better understanding of both. It starts in white belt and continues all through all our belts.

Thanks for the article. That's why competitions should be over all karate experience. Kata first round Kumite second round Tamishewari third round Then practioners can call themselves - COMPLETE

The real truth about Karate as taught today is it is a sham. It is not a fighting system it is a sports and social system. A grading system but most of all a profitable business for those teaching it. I studied Karate for year all through the grades a.and time and time again saw self proclaimed Master have their arse kicked. Because today's Karate is a business and not something your life depends on. Still not convinced? Original Karate fighting Art, Jutsu could be taught in 6 months. Not years of paying for lessons, buying grades or belts not good for getting rich on.

I honestly think it's up to Kata practitioners to prove the usefulness of Kata. Kumite in it's current WKF, sports-oriented, form is - while not effective as self defense (and perhaps not even as fighting) - very clear in what it does. People who do WKF Kumite know exactly what they're getting, and why they're getting it. There may be confusion as to how effective it is "on the streets" (which is it's own danger of course) but most people seem to understand that kumite is about scoring those sweet, sweet, points the same way one might say Olympic fencing is about scoring points. Kata, however, is something of a mess. Not Kata ITSELF, but how it is taught. Too often there is massive confusion as to what the purpose of Kata is, it's function, how it's broken down and how it is analyzed, etc. I don't have enough fingers on my hands to count the number of times I've been told Kata is effective self defense training, only to have it shown to me like it's dance! A string of techniques with no thought to it's function and principle. If you teach Kata the same way you teach dance, you are teaching your students how to dance! (The only major difference being that dancers are better taught how to dance than us Karateka are, so really, we're only learning how to dance poorly.) The inescapable truth is that Kata is too often taught with a backwards-mentality. Under reasonable circumstances, Function begets Form - that's how it started in the before-times. Nowadays, we behave as if Form begets Function. It's no wonder somebody would pick Kumite over Kata - Kata too often plays like a poor man's dance routine, and to keep on training it under such circumstances is perplexing at best. The guy that hadn't practiced Kata in 2 years had it right. If there's no quality Kata instruction, why would you ever practice Kata? I'm guessing this guy recognized that he was learning how to dance, rather than train Kata, and decided not to do it anymore. So, I think it's unfair to say the guy chopped off one of his proverbial legs - I think he chose to keep his head instead.

There are some great thoughts here. I will add my 2 cents... Karate is a lifetime activity! I guess most of us know this. What we tend to forget is that karate evolves throughout your life. I have been studying since I was 13 years old. From 16 to 30 my karate life was dominated by competition. I was chasing points throughout the US in kata. I competed less often in kumite and then only with the expectation of getting to fight with someone new, not to win. As I entered my 30's and early 40's, my interest waned. This was partially because of injuries and body changes that come with age, but it was more so a change in interest. It was then that I began to delve deeper into my karate. I started to understand that kata was only part of the whole. Kihon, waza, kata, kumite, tamishuwari, and zen are ALL important. If you leave one out, your karate is incomplete. My early years were focused on winning. To do so in kata I had to have the best, most dramatic dance. It didn't matter if I understood the bunkai (other than the most basic). In kumite, one had to be fast, strong, but not too strong (or you faced penalty). I had none of these qualities! Now I choose to "rise above the dance" (O-Sensei Peter Urban's words, not mine). At 54, I focus on all aspects, breaking kata down to individual waza and then kihon. I strive to understand the 3 levels of bunkai, rather than just the first level. I still do kumite, but not for points, and only in the dojo. I choose mostly ju kumite that allows me to use applications of kata into my kumite. On rare occasion I will participate in go kumite with limited contact to test my skills on a more realistic level. So I guess I need to make a point... Tournaments are for the young. I still compete on occasion, but it is not my main focus. So don't fault the person who chooses kumite over kata or vice-versa, especially if they are young. If they are true karateka, they will find their way to true karatedo.

Thank you for another great article Jesse-san. I used to be the kumite only guy, but then in my late 20s, I met a Sensei that helped me understand the benefits of both kata and kumite. My current Sensei believes the same thing. It is because of people like this, and people like you that help show that kata is just as important as kumite and kumite is just as important as kata. Thank you.

Finding this post. It's just a big piece of luck for me.

Dear Jesse, that is the way my both Senseis in Germany teach me karate even if they came both from the "full contact" karate style. I always show them your newest articles because you bring it on point! Thanks a lot and hopefully see one day here in Berlin, best wishes. Son.

From an application and development point of view, KIHON is the practice which is necessary to be able to perform a KATA, which is a necessary practice to be able to perform a IPPON/SANBON KUMITE, which is necessary practice for the JIYU KUMITE ...... which is a practice in a real fight outside the dojo (which hopefully will never happen). In (every) training, we do all three or four. In competition, it would be nice to have an integrated competition like Djabarail suggested above. At the whole picture ... it depends on what the meaning of KARATE is for me and you individually. Some people see KARATE as a sport to take care of the body, some other people feel the need to raise their self confidence through it - than yes, KUMITE will help the most. And still others see it as a way of life, as a rule or guide how to think and to act in everyday life. There is no right or wrong. In other words: KARATE is not one single thing. No one has the authority to give a closing definition of what KARATE is, except for him/herself. In my dojo there are many karateka's who prefer do randori and kumite all the time, but our shihan sets the requirements for the kata's at every grade, so it is impossible to have a second kyu karateka without the ability to perform pinan's correctly. But yes, these guys and girls prefer the kumite above the kata and kihon. Sad fact? It is the reality, man. Hajime Kazumi, the famous Kyokushin champion in kumite's, said in a interview after finished competing in championships that he still keep asking himself what the real meaning of karate is for him at this moment. He came up with: kata. The circle is round.

I am just a shodan but a doctor one : i insist in my club for both kata and kumite. If you practice only kata it will be hard muscle work with poor heart work, so not good on many years for the heart. Instead kumite help to develop heart. So in this point of view kumite is needed. So i love kumite when you sweat a lot, and when at the end each one is smiling and friend.

Sensei Enkamp, Thank you for this. I have studied Shotokan for nearly 30 years and have competed many times. I will always compete with kata and kumite and require the same of my students. I do not allow them to focus on any one area. Like you, I believe that this stunts the growth of the karateka.

Jesse, I wish I could agree with you. But the kumite in sport karate is more or less speed tag. So when the gentleman stated he had not practiced kata in years, I would not be shocked. A friend of mine had a "karate" school where the kids only trained in sport karate fighting and NO KATA. The kids always place 1st or at least 2nd place at local and national competition levels. At their dojo the training consisted of drills and sparring. In fact some of the kids grew up to be on nationally sponsored teams, without knowing any kata at all. Jesse, as you have stated many times, kata application is for self defense. Brother, I would like to add that I believe kata should not be for competition.

A good article Jesse. Thank you