Karate Archives - Page 10 of 11

Different martial arts teach different aspects of fighting. The same goes for Karate. Although it's a fantastic martial art, it has 3-primary weaknesses. Knowing the flaws- is crucial since if you start learning Karatewithout knowing the disadvantages, you may be disappointed when finding out about them in the future. The following list is the 3-weaknesses of Karate. A lack of sparringDoesn't teach grapplingA lack in the ground game These weaknesses are prominent, although they don't seem like it. As a result, it may influence your decision, and you may pass on learning Karate. Instead, if, for example, you want to learn grappling, it may be best to practice BJJ, Judo, or even MMA. Consequently, you'll study the ground game, which is highly effective in real life. The following sections will discuss the consequences of these disadvantages and why they may influence your decision. #1- A lack of sparring Sparring is the act of fighting in practice. For example, it's most known in the world of boxing; in it, sparring is a regular exercise everyone participates in during their training. Karate lacks sparring, as most schools don't bother including it in their training routine. The Karate schools that do involve sparring are those that focus on self-defense rather than on the martial art itself. Nonetheless, sparring should be involved in any type of Karate training. If you want to study self-defense correctly, it'll be more crucial to involve sparring in your weekly routine. From my perspective, including it in your routine will ensure you're ready to react to any self-defense situation. After all, if you don't prepare for the worst-case scenario, you'll be left to wish it wouldn't happen. Sparring is the counteract to luck. Although I hope you'll never stumble upon a scenario where you need to use physical force, it's plausible and has already happened to many of us. Consequently, don't be the one that leaves matters to luck. Instead, ensure you know and are ready to react to dangerous situations, such as a street fight. #2- Doesn't teach grappling If you're unfamiliar with grappling, you're unfamiliar with the best fighting technique one can learn. But, yes, grappling is that effective. When properly executing a grappling technique, you can disable an opponent in seconds. Seconds. In fact, many BJJ fights end in a single grappling execution. So, now we understand that it's a practical and vital technique you should learn. Karate doesn't cover grappling, an effective fighting technique that martial arts such as Judo and BJJ teach. However, one properly executed grappling movement is enough to finish a fight in less than a few seconds. The following video showcases grappling and why it's as effective as I say it to be. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HALf3esHQJ0 You'll see in this video how the fighters can finish a fight in a few seconds regardless of their opponent's defense. When discussing real-life situations, I can confidently say that grappling will help you win more fights and remain safe. Unfortunately, however, Karate doesn't teach it. As a result, if you want to learn how to grapple, it'll be best to consider moving to martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. #3- A lack in the ground game Most fights end on the ground. Especially street fights, known for their aggressive nature, will end on the ground. Because of that, it'll be best if you learn how to control and maneuver your opponent while in such a position. Karate lacks ground game because it doesn't teach or practice the trainees in ways to finish the fight quickly. As a result, if a Karate trainee ends up on the ground in a real fight, his winning chances immediately decline, which we don't want to happen. Although it's a significant weakness, Karate does teach ways to ensure you won't end up on the ground. Regardless, the fight will transform into a ground game if you get caught off-guard or if your opponent is incredibly aggressive. Unfortunately, that means that when it does happen, your chances of losing increase. Image by PranongCreative from Pixabay Other martial arts, such as Judo, BJJ, or wrestling, teach ground game fantastically. However, BJJ has to be the best one. So, if you're interested in learning proper ground game regardless of the martial art you do, I encourage you to take some BJJ classes. Tips to overcome Karate's weaknesses Although Karate isn't perfect, you can implement some ways to ensure you avoid them. As a result, you'll become a much better fighter by honing your skill set. The following sections will discuss 3-primary tips to overcome Karate's weaknesses. If you want to study Karate, I encourage you to read them carefully and consider how to implement them in your daily life. #1- Learn ground game by yourself The first tip is to learn ground game by yourself. I know, I know, it's not as easy as I put it to be. However, today, some courses teach grappling movements in less than a month. These courses are rapid-learning courses often related to a martial arts school. I believe these courses can be helpful to any Karate trainee since it doesn't teach ground techniques. Regardless, once you learn proper grappling techniques, you'll regret not learning them before. As a result, I encourage you to check your local BJJ or Judo school for such rapid courses. Eventually, they'll shorten the gap in your skillset. Hence when you stumble upon a real fight, you'll know how to take the fight to the ground whenever you want to. Finally, many online courses teach the basics of grappling techniques. As such, you can learn how to use the ground to your advantage in a couple of weeks. #2- Set small milestones in your training Many who start their martial arts journey set big goals, such as becoming the best fighter possible or reaching the black belt in under a year. While that may sound fancy, it's really not. In fact, often focusing on your long-term goals may sabotage your motivation to stay dedicated and consistent. Because of that, it'll be best to set small milestones in your training. For instance, my motivation will decrease drastically if I concentrate on reaching the black belt and can't manage to do so in under a year (which is almost impossible). On the other hand, if I set weekly or monthly goals of progressing to the next belt or learning a technique, I'll be more inclined to do more work to achieve it. That's the power of small milestones, which you can achieve monthly. So you'll always have something to expect, which is a popular way of keeping yourself with fuel. #3- Focus on perfecting your current skills The last tip to countering Karate's weaknesses is perfecting/honing your current skills. Eventually, focusing on what's lacking- isn't a reliable way of moving forward. But, concentrating on what you can improve upon- is a suitable way to progress to the advanced stages of training. Although Karate lacks ground game and grappling techniques, you're better off learning the techniques you can master in training. As such, if you focus on perfecting your punches and kicks, you'll become a much better fighter. Some forgotten aspects of fighting can also be the correct use of footwork and weight shifting. Although they're not as fancy as throwing a perfect punch, their impact on your fighting ability is much higher than the ability to punch. Consequently, figure out which movements or techniques you're not as good at. Then, focus on performing them as best as possible. Finally, dedicate every Karate session to honing them. Eventually, you'll become a much better fighter. Perfecting your skills is a fantastic way to improve your fighting ability and shorten the knowledge gap. Final words Although I'm a big fan of Karate, there's no doubt that it has some weaknesses. However, knowing these disadvantages will give you an advantage because you'll know what to expect. Fighters in the UFC combine martial arts to ensure they have no gaps in their skillsets. Because of that, an elite fighter may master 2-fighting styles, such as Karate and BJJ. As a result, they can maneuver over these gaps and become much better fighters. Martial arts have changed my life, and I'm sure they can change yours. Hence I encourage you to begin studying Karate if that interests you. If you start as soon as possible, you'll notice results much sooner; thus, your motivation will increase. If you enjoyed reading this article, I encourage you to also read about the belt order of Karate. However, if you want to study it, it'll be best if you'll familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of Karate ranks.