Hello fellow Shoto-Karate-ka,

I've been "sandbagging" and reading your conversations and have found
a place to jump in. The issue of Point Kumite in training. Does it
have significance and is it adding or subtracting from the art?

I have a view that may be a little unique.

I tend to draw a big thick line between Kata and Kumite for grading /
advancement / real life and points / tournaments / trophies. One kind
of Kumite is for the development of traditional skills, the other is
a sport with no greater significance to Martial Arts than Football.

Yes, a sweeping generalisation may be that Kihon, Kata and Kumite
must all be represented with equal balance in the training regimen of
a good dojo BUT the KIND of Kumite that is practised should be
defined so that students never need to ask this question of either
themselves, or their Sensei.

We've all seen TV footage of tournaments with music, coloured Gis,
acrobatics and all of that absolute RUBBISH that people try to pass
off as Karate. That's the only thing that upsets me. Take a kid,
teach him how to do back-flips and scream on cue, dress him in a
purple outfit with glitter and flashing lights, tie a samurai band
around his head and get him to dance to club music. That's all fine
if you live in Vegas but for God's sake don't put a black belt on him
and give him the idea that he's a practitioner of Martial Arts.

In my dojo, we practice ALL forms of recognised Kumite. Gohon,
Sanbon, Kihon-Ippon, Jiyu-Ippon and Jiyu (for points) however, if I
see a student performing a technique that they cannot demonstrate,
with real Bunkai, would actually work, that it to say - end a fight
or a life, then it is outlawed.

At the same time, we also have our tournaments for points. They are
very social. We wear only traditional Gi with no bells & whistles. We
compete under WKF Rules and have qualified and certified referees &
Judges. That's important too. If you have students like kids, what
else can they aspire to at their level of maturity. They must have a
tangible goal to work towards until they achieve the maturity to
recognise that the journey itself is the destination too. Until then,
tournaments are a cute substitute.

In the words of my own Sensei Hachi-Dan Master Sumi, "Tournament
fighting is merely a game we play with our friends using the skills
we learn on our life journey, nothing more."

Hope this input has been well received.

Domo-Oregato!

Sensei Elliot Kleiner - Karate Union of Australia
www.kua.com.au
Unit 6, Federation Business Centre
198 - 222 Young St
Waterloo NSW 2017
Ph: 612 9699 9669 Fx: 612 9699 9934