TYPES OF KARATE, NOT STYLES OF KARATE

 A truly honest choice must be made.

At the Koryu Kyudokan, we have always been style-free and set ourselves free from the confinement of style or organisation almost 20 years ago now. I personally was always on that journey. When I started in the martial arts at age 8, I simply wanted to protect myself from being bullied. I initially trained with a friend's father, who, it turned out, was teaching Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu. I trained with him almost daily for five years, and never once was style brought up, as, truly, he was only teaching body strengthening and self-protection. It was only when the family emigrated that I found out Sifu Lung was leaving to take over the family dojo in California and was highly regarded in the Chinese martial arts world. It was only when I started Shotokan at the age of 16/17 that I became aware of style and governing bodies.

Now fast forward 40 years, and being style-free and cross-training is becoming the in thing! Yet it’s something I have always done. Even in my Shotokan days, I trained in many other martial arts. It was always about developing my skill set. To me, always in the front of my mind was my original purpose for starting: that of self-protection. In fact, it was the sole purpose I started teaching—not initially to pass on knowledge but to find like-minded people to train with. I couldn’t find what I was after anywhere. Nowadays, the martial arts have become very much a way for all, and I will attempt to put into words the way I see “types” of karate today:

Those who enter a dojo for the purpose of maintaining good health engage in a training routine that may look similar to those engaged in Budo Karate, but this similarity exists only on the surface. The physical movements may look the same to the casual observer, but in the minds of those training in Kenko Karate, there is a sense of recreation—even enjoyment—that is absent from the minds of a Budoka or Koryu Bujin.

Kenko Karate does not require its participants to understand the meaning of the kata they practice. There is no necessity to understand the principles within nor make the applications work at all. Neither is there a sense of having to deal with someone else. In Kenko Karate, there are no unfriendly adversaries. The kata in Kenko Karate have no principles nor application. They are the same kata we find in Budo Karate, of course, but not the same as those found in Kyogi (sport) Karate. Kata training in Kenko Karate is done in order to help the body maintain a sense of balance and flexibility, and the constant repetition of the kata engages the mind too! Try repeating the same kata twenty times and see how often the mind wanders from the task at hand—you might be surprised at how often it will, and how difficult it can be to remain on target and complete the challenge. Over time, the practice of Kenko Karate keeps the mind sharp, develops healthy breathing patterns, and builds physical flexibility in those over sixty. However, as beneficial as Kenko Karate may be, it is of little use for actual self-protection.

When you hear the terms karatedo or the way of karate being applied, karate is your way of maintaining good physical, mental, and spiritual health.

If you identify your karate as Budo Karate—a martial art—then you need to cultivate not a warrior’s mind but a calm and well-balanced mind, for Budo is all about balance. The training is hard, both physically and mentally, and certainly builds an indomitable spirit. Training hugely consists of the perfection of the three “K’s”: Kata, Kihon, and Kumite. In my opinion, the one defining characteristic of Budo Karate is that most of the practice is directed towards another karate-ka attacking with karate techniques. There is also a competitive side to Budo Karate, and this is very much a testing ground for the Budoka. While those involved with Budo and Kenko Karate look to external markers as a sign of progress, a Budoka understands the importance of the internal journey being made. The signs of progress for a Budoka are less obvious to those walking the path and are, rather ironically, usually observed first by others. Kenko and Budo Karate are good for young and old, male and female, able and disabled. They have real value and add to the overall quality of your life. They are a way of expressing yourself and can act as a tremendous release mechanism against the pressures of everyday life. By training the body, mind, and spirit, Kenko and Budo Karate offer the world a uniquely balanced approach to healthy living. The main requirement is honesty between teacher and student and a willingness to make a commitment.

Karate of old (Koryu) was not concerned with the development of character or becoming spiritual (though I may add, I believe this to be a great side effect of studying the old ways, rather than being a goal). The sole purpose was that of self-protection—working on the skills and mindsets required to deal with a non-consensual violent confrontation. The overall mindset is to be successful in getting out unharmed. The training consists of developing the body to be a weapon and building power to strike hard at any range for maximum effect. It includes the development of awareness and the physiological processes involved in dealing with violence from both the Bujin and the attacker (the development of the warrior spirit). The training is hard, with contact and impact being a must. Koryu Bujin relies heavily on impact training. The makiwara is definitely a tool of the trade.

Koryu Bujin is not for all. The sheer seriousness of the training puts many people off, and as such, classes are generally smaller, more personal, and more akin to the dojo of old. Training in the old ways was never for fun; it had to be serious, as the purpose of the study is quite serious.

There are a number of errors people make when training in Koryu Bujin. To begin with, it will not bring wealth, celebrity, or pamper the ego. Nor will the training produce a fearsome fighter (of course, there are crossover skills), as believed by the more immature members of the karate community.

Bujin is about learning to protect oneself and one’s loved ones rather than fighting—there is a difference. In my opinion, the study of karate, regardless of type, has one underlying principle, and though not guaranteed, it seems to churn out good human beings with strong character, spirit, and compassion for others.

So to finish off, I leave you with a quote that Sensei Colwell used to ask all the time:

“What is the purpose of your study, and does that study fit that purpose?”

Karate and the martial arts are for all, but choose wisely, for it’s not a one-size-fits-all.

Written by Steve Lowe

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