“I have not permitted myself to be ignorant of any martial art that exists. Why? Such ignorance is a disgrace to someone who follows the path of the martial arts.”- Mas. Oyama
Today I ran across a post in our Facebook group that got me thinking. It was a link to a YouTube video asking which style of karate was best. Sometimes it’s best to just begin, so for my first official post, I thought I would share a few of my thoughts on the subject.
In our Facebook group, Kyokushinkai Karate, the focus is on Kyokushin and the styles that have descended from it. While discussions occasionally touch on related topics, the group exists to share, promote, and preserve Kyokushin in all its forms.
When we look at the early days of Kyokushin, when it was simply the “Oyama Dojo,” the emphasis was on what would work in a “real fight.” In a real fight, things happen! You get kicked, punched, kneed, elbowed, and knocked down! You might be thrown, or someone may grapple with you and then move into the manipulation of joints or chokeholds. These techniques are found in most styles of karate (and other martial arts systems). Given our relationships, there is value and insight to be found for all of us in seeing how other “styles” of karate practice are and what their approaches are.
Different styles of karate share many elements with each other. There is a tremendous amount of overlap. Emphasis can (and does) vary from one style to another, but we are much more alike than people sometimes realize, I think. The focus of training can (and again does) vary from one instructor to another or one karateka to another. It’s often the practitioner, more than the style and their approach to training. Cross-training, along with knowledge and understanding of various arts, does have value. Sosai’s approach in synthesizing Kyokushin resonated with me personally, and I suspect with many of you who are reading this as well!
When we approach our training with the openness of “shoshin”, the “beginner’s mind”, our training can take on new depths of understanding. Focus on the training is a good maxim to remember! Try not to get too caught up in politics or discussions of “best”. The answer to the question is actually quite simple. What is the best karate style? Why the one you are practicing, of course!
Osu!
“You must understand that there is more than one path to the top of the mountain” -Miyamoto Musashi.
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