Controversial issues in karate training: what do the masters say?
Should karate include jyu kumite or free sparring?
Gichin Funakoshi (Shotokan):
“Yes…but it does not exist apart from the kata…only as part of the kata."
“Karate, to the very end, should be practiced with kata as the principal method and sparring as a supporting method.”
“Sparring should not be for the beginning student” (Funakoshi, 1935/1973, p.113)
Kanbun Uechi (Uechi Ryu): “Yes, but not in a competitive spirit…a training one” (only after kata has been learned – 3 years as a guide; Matteson, 1974, p. 323)
Kanki Izumigawa (Goju Ryu): “Too much focus on kumite…kata is karate, karate is kata.” (Matteson, 1974, p. 443)
Katsuya Miyahira (Shorin Ryu): “Sparring is essential to development but only when it comes from the kata…no one spars until they are San Dan rank or above.” (Matteson, 1974, p. 448)
Shoshin Nagamine (Shorin Ryu): “Free-fighting is unrealistic and develops bad habits of form.”
Only, “very advanced students could free-fight in a limited manner…but only under careful supervision.” (Matteson, 1974, p. 451)
Ansei Ueshiro (Shorin Ryu), “Kumite practice should be second to kata practice…using uncontrolled techniques, as in tournament fighting…develops bad habits.” “Pre-arranged fighting is more conducive to the development of a proficient karateka.” (Cummins & Scaglione, 1985, p. 44)
Choki Motobu: “Kumite (hand grappling) has been used in Okinawa and China since ancient days, but must be done by those who fully understand the art of karate” (Motobu, 1995/1926, p. 37)
Seiki Arakaki (Shorin Ryu): "Sparring should be part of training, but not a competition or sport) (Bishop, 1989, p. 68)
Other Karate Masters who support the use of jyu kumite in the dojos (Bishop, 1989; Patterson, 1974):
Hironori Otsuka (Wado Ryu)
Kori Hisataka (Shorinji Ryu)
Eiichi Miyazato (Goju Ryu)
Joen Nakazato (Shorinji Ryu)
Zenpo Shimabukuro (Shorin Ryu)
Shuguro Nakzato (Shorin Ryu)
Shintaro Yoshizato (Kushin Ryu)
Should karate be a sport?
Chosen Chibana: “no” (Bishop, 1989, p. 105)
Gichin Funakoshi: “no”
Kanei Uechi: “no, but sparring competitions could be considered” (all bodily targets are used, padding is not, and all techniques are controlled” (Matteson, 1974, p. 323)
Katsuya Miyahira: “too much emphasis on competition, karate is a competition with the self”
Shoshin Nagamine: “Zen is overlooked in favor of sport training…the sport of karate must not be overemphasized.” (Matteson, 1974, p. 451) “The study and practice of karate should not be as a sport, but as a martial art.” (Nagamine, 1976/1998, p. 29)
Mitsugi Saotome: “Teaching a competitive martial way is not the teaching of truth”; “Budo is not a game” (Saotome, 1986, p. 136); “Aikido is not a sport.” (Saotome, 1986, p. 245)
Kenko Nakaima : “Japanese sport karate competitions are unrealistic as speed is all one needs to win.” (Bishop, 1989, p. 22)
Eiichi Miyazato: "sport karate is, silly and unfair” (Bishop, 1989, p. 33)
Meitoku Yagi: “competition fighting is good…but ..the present Japanese rules are inadequate” (Bishop, 1989, p. 36)
Shinyei Kaneshima: “too much emphasis on competition in karate” (Bishop, 1989, p. 72)
Joen Nakazato: supported frequent sport competitions and free sparring events (Bishop, 1989, p. 84)
Zenpo Shimabukuro: "karate sport competitions are, fashion shows complete with long hair and multicolored karate uniforms.” (Bishop, 1989, p. 92)
Seiki Arakaki: “In true martial arts, unlike sports, there are no rules.” (Bishop, 1989, p. 68)
How many kata are required to truly understand karate?
Miyagi Chojun: “If one practiced Sanchin all of one’s life, there would be no reason to learn anything else.” (Bishop, 1989, p. 29)
Kanbun Uechi: “Sanchin is all you need” (Matteson, 1974, p. 51)
Gichin Funakoshi: "In the past most experts only knew 3 to 5 kata”
How long to study a single form to “master” it?
Kanbun Uechi: “10 years for Sanchin” “Kata study should be an adequately broad and extremely deep study rather than a very broad and shallow study.” (Matteson, 1974, p. 309)
Gichin Funakoshi: “in the past it was about 3 years” “now breadth is valued more than depth…there is value in learning a wide selection of kata.” (he spent 10 years on just the Naihanchi forms) (Funakoshi, 1935/1973, p. 38)
Shoshin Nagamine: “Generations of experience have shown that it usually requires 3 years to learn the basics and 7 years to acquire a fundamental proficiency of kata” (Nagamine, 1976/1998, p. 57)
How should one breath?
Kanbun Uechi: “naturally, just avoid inhaling when executing a technique” (Matteson, 1974, p. 88)
Kori Hisataka: “inhale prior to the execution of a technique, retain the breath while executing it, and exhale while retracting the technique” (Hisataka, 1994, p.72)
Shinsuke Kaneshima: “never breath forcefully as in dynamic-tension Sanchin. One should always breath naturally…” (Bishop, 1989, p. 128)
Gichin Funakoshi (Shotokan):
“Yes…but it does not exist apart from the kata…only as part of the kata."
“Karate, to the very end, should be practiced with kata as the principal method and sparring as a supporting method.”
“Sparring should not be for the beginning student” (Funakoshi, 1935/1973, p.113)
Kanbun Uechi (Uechi Ryu): “Yes, but not in a competitive spirit…a training one” (only after kata has been learned – 3 years as a guide; Matteson, 1974, p. 323)
Kanki Izumigawa (Goju Ryu): “Too much focus on kumite…kata is karate, karate is kata.” (Matteson, 1974, p. 443)
Katsuya Miyahira (Shorin Ryu): “Sparring is essential to development but only when it comes from the kata…no one spars until they are San Dan rank or above.” (Matteson, 1974, p. 448)
Shoshin Nagamine (Shorin Ryu): “Free-fighting is unrealistic and develops bad habits of form.”
Only, “very advanced students could free-fight in a limited manner…but only under careful supervision.” (Matteson, 1974, p. 451)
Ansei Ueshiro (Shorin Ryu), “Kumite practice should be second to kata practice…using uncontrolled techniques, as in tournament fighting…develops bad habits.” “Pre-arranged fighting is more conducive to the development of a proficient karateka.” (Cummins & Scaglione, 1985, p. 44)
Choki Motobu: “Kumite (hand grappling) has been used in Okinawa and China since ancient days, but must be done by those who fully understand the art of karate” (Motobu, 1995/1926, p. 37)
Seiki Arakaki (Shorin Ryu): "Sparring should be part of training, but not a competition or sport) (Bishop, 1989, p. 68)
Other Karate Masters who support the use of jyu kumite in the dojos (Bishop, 1989; Patterson, 1974):
Hironori Otsuka (Wado Ryu)
Kori Hisataka (Shorinji Ryu)
Eiichi Miyazato (Goju Ryu)
Joen Nakazato (Shorinji Ryu)
Zenpo Shimabukuro (Shorin Ryu)
Shuguro Nakzato (Shorin Ryu)
Shintaro Yoshizato (Kushin Ryu)
Should karate be a sport?
Chosen Chibana: “no” (Bishop, 1989, p. 105)
Gichin Funakoshi: “no”
Kanei Uechi: “no, but sparring competitions could be considered” (all bodily targets are used, padding is not, and all techniques are controlled” (Matteson, 1974, p. 323)
Katsuya Miyahira: “too much emphasis on competition, karate is a competition with the self”
Shoshin Nagamine: “Zen is overlooked in favor of sport training…the sport of karate must not be overemphasized.” (Matteson, 1974, p. 451) “The study and practice of karate should not be as a sport, but as a martial art.” (Nagamine, 1976/1998, p. 29)
Mitsugi Saotome: “Teaching a competitive martial way is not the teaching of truth”; “Budo is not a game” (Saotome, 1986, p. 136); “Aikido is not a sport.” (Saotome, 1986, p. 245)
Kenko Nakaima : “Japanese sport karate competitions are unrealistic as speed is all one needs to win.” (Bishop, 1989, p. 22)
Eiichi Miyazato: "sport karate is, silly and unfair” (Bishop, 1989, p. 33)
Meitoku Yagi: “competition fighting is good…but ..the present Japanese rules are inadequate” (Bishop, 1989, p. 36)
Shinyei Kaneshima: “too much emphasis on competition in karate” (Bishop, 1989, p. 72)
Joen Nakazato: supported frequent sport competitions and free sparring events (Bishop, 1989, p. 84)
Zenpo Shimabukuro: "karate sport competitions are, fashion shows complete with long hair and multicolored karate uniforms.” (Bishop, 1989, p. 92)
Seiki Arakaki: “In true martial arts, unlike sports, there are no rules.” (Bishop, 1989, p. 68)
How many kata are required to truly understand karate?
Miyagi Chojun: “If one practiced Sanchin all of one’s life, there would be no reason to learn anything else.” (Bishop, 1989, p. 29)
Kanbun Uechi: “Sanchin is all you need” (Matteson, 1974, p. 51)
Gichin Funakoshi: "In the past most experts only knew 3 to 5 kata”
How long to study a single form to “master” it?
Kanbun Uechi: “10 years for Sanchin” “Kata study should be an adequately broad and extremely deep study rather than a very broad and shallow study.” (Matteson, 1974, p. 309)
Gichin Funakoshi: “in the past it was about 3 years” “now breadth is valued more than depth…there is value in learning a wide selection of kata.” (he spent 10 years on just the Naihanchi forms) (Funakoshi, 1935/1973, p. 38)
Shoshin Nagamine: “Generations of experience have shown that it usually requires 3 years to learn the basics and 7 years to acquire a fundamental proficiency of kata” (Nagamine, 1976/1998, p. 57)
How should one breath?
Kanbun Uechi: “naturally, just avoid inhaling when executing a technique” (Matteson, 1974, p. 88)
Kori Hisataka: “inhale prior to the execution of a technique, retain the breath while executing it, and exhale while retracting the technique” (Hisataka, 1994, p.72)
Shinsuke Kaneshima: “never breath forcefully as in dynamic-tension Sanchin. One should always breath naturally…” (Bishop, 1989, p. 128)
Shinsuke Kaneshima, Tatsuo Shimabukuro, Zenryo Shimabukuro and Chozo Nakama. Zenji Shimabukuro, Isamu Tamotsu and Joen Nakazato