Why old school Karate targeting the groin and body.

 

 

Robert Chu

Someone asked in another forum why old school Karate targeting the groin and body. My answer was because Okinawan arts are based on the Chinese, and Chinese Medicine, the principle is to cause damage to the internal organs, which shows intent to shut down and kill an opponent, not just knock them out. In Chinese arts, “kill the body”, in boxing,””kill the head”.\

Top of Form 1

 

ERozmin-Sensei Lakan Dalawa My response to same topic other page:

Not sure if it was your question or you where clarifying or both but I'll answer as best I can, at least give a general understanding. High kicks are impractical really,Okinawans particularly but japanese and other Asian cultures are practical by nature if you consider ALL the contributing or situational factors from culture attire i.e. Zeta and "kimono", remember although the dogma says people wore loin cloths ( not literally) and where farmers historical facts imply quite the opposite, to natural surroundings sand ,rock , UNEVEN GROUND, roads and sidewalks where not paved generally.

In addition as mentioned above the basis of the arts where targeting vital points and internal arts, but also unbalanceing an opponent, throws etc some "kicks" are very effective sweeps and throw components as well as strikes to vital points if you preform Bunkai (did unassembly) and Oyo.

High kicks where a small part of both the contributing arts of Gong fu (Incense shop which was A form of Sholin and various White crane contributors its in THE BUBUSHI).

On OKINAWA it was said thier are 3 types of Karate 1. Childrens Karate ( you see alot of this in America) 2. Sport Karate ( again you see this very prominent in USA and some European/Eastern European countries. XMA and the like never existed in OKINAWA and is a different discussion) this is also where the high kicks became more popular.

I'm gonna get a bit of smoke from this but as a combative tool high kicks didn't really become as common place until "Educational Karate" basically Childrens and Sport Karate was introduced to Japan by Funakoshi, Toyama and two other Okinawans( that names escape me right now) in order to add Karate as a curriculum into the militarized imperial collegiate level educational system.

And finally "OLD MAN" Karate
" Kyosho" this is where the practicality comes into play and the arts Kyoshu-Juitsu and Tuite come together with the throwing arts, this is where the targeted low to mid level kicks come from, By nature Ryukyu arts fight inside or close , they don't fight at long range there for low kicks are more effecient, practical and efficient, low kicks are also in general faster/quicker. And balance is much less of an issue.

I learned that if you want to kick them in the head bring thier heads down to or kick thier heads when they are down as a target of opportunity, many Oyo and Bunkai study reveals the techniques are inherent for bringing the heads down to lower levels. Where your kicks are more powerful. This is especially prevalent in Isshinryu studies, I've also encountered it as a principle in both my FMA studies and Ba Gua/ Hsing-I studies of the past.

All of this and more comes together to give an understanding of why low kicks especially are emphasized verses "Super Bill" high kicks.

It maker more sense when you look at in a wholistic view from a contextual sense.

Maybe this analogy, Snipers aim for the thoracic triangle, body mass chest becuase they are more effective and a better targets of opportunity, percentages of success are higher, many vital targets in the thoracic (chest) region head shots are considered more of a target of opportunity.

 

Russ Sinclair Thanks for your input. Just one point. Toyama Kanken did not teach karate in universities, but in the private dojo system and not for sport. He was a traditionalist who didn't participate in sport karate.

 

ERozmin-Sensei Lakan Dalawa Russ Sinclair Agreed and thank you for clerification. He was however among the initial practitioners that introduced a version of Karate to the Japanese Officially, and later to Korea (if not directly via students) to become an intricate part of Tae Kwon Do, his Karate instruction to the Japanese was altered for various reasons as was Funakoshi's, and others agreed ?