What’s the point of karate?
What’s the point of karate? This question can be asked against the onslaught of “modern” martial arts and combat systems, all of which profess to be full of “street effective techniques.” To be fair, to most observers they look and feel far more “real” than karate. This misunderstanding of what karate is or is not is easy to understand, especially considering karate as it is predominantly practiced today bears little or no resemblance to how it was practiced when it first became known in the west, let alone how it was when it was originally formed. Modern combat systems based on military training are highly effective to get raw recruits up to a reasonable standard in the short time that basic training allows. This makes them very practicable for people who want a quick fix to their needs for self-defense training. Karate, on the other hand, takes a very long time to become effective in, let alone master. Another “problem” with karate, is its many varied types available; some, if not mo...