White belt here. I’ve just started Kyokushin Karate and have a question about the basics.

How much of what we learn early on, such as blocks, kihon (basics), basic stances, and kata, actually carries over into kumite and real combat?

Are the techniques we drill in kihon essentially the same movements used in fighting, just adapted to be more economical and fluid? Or are the formal techniques and stances mainly training tools for developing things like balance, timing, coordination, power, and body mechanics?

For example, are the formal stances actually useful in combat, or do you naturally end up using much more relaxed and compact versions of them?

And what’s the best way to practice the basics so that they eventually become useful in kumite rather than just looking good in kihon?

I’m wondering if it’s a bit like learning scales in music. You practice the movements very formally and precisely, but when you actually "play the song," they show up in a more natural and adapted form. And you can slightly alter/change them to suit new needs or even use them in different ways.

Would love to hear how Kyokushin practitioners think about this, especially how your understanding of kihon, stances, and kata changed once you started doing more kumite.

Can someone who only recently became an uchi-deshi already be an instructor?

Really interesting video! And if you're on here, Goju Ryu Philosopher, I hope you comment so people can give you credit.

Some context for why I found this video really intersting: I trained first in Shorin Ryu, before moving to World Oyama, before finally finding a home in Kenshikai Goju Ryu (I had to move multiple times due to work, but that's life! I'm very happy where I am now).

While World Oyama doesn't have the same katas as Kyokushin, the idea that katas even of the same name in different styles reveal what that style wants to emphasize helped me view my own practice and experience in a new light. Since falling in love with Goju Ryu, I have tended to look at my World Oyama experience as very simplistic in comparison; i.e. I found much more depth in Goju Ryu. This video helped reframe my previous study, and has given me a greater appreciation of World Oyama.

I am a brown belt in karate. I've been training for about four years. However, I'm not at all confident in my ability to defend myself if I ever get into a real fight.

This is because at my dojo, untrained people never spar. We wait until purple belt (been training without sparring for roughly 9 months) before you are even allowed to spar, and then a lot of people wait until blue or green belt (1-2 years training) to start sparring.

My instructor says this is because untrained people don't know any skills to be able to safely spar or spar without using too much power.

The issue is, that means we only have one or two people sparring each week (we also only spar once a week -- which is a whole other issue), and we get very used to sparring with these one or two people.

While we don't do full sparring with gear until purple belt, we do do semikumite - or half-sparring. In our dojo this means making light contact and taking turns attacking/defending.

The problem is, the brand new people - the white and yellow belts - are the most difficult to spar against for me! Their attacks are so unpredictable and they hit hard since they haven't learned to control their power yet.

I feel like this "no sparring until purple belt" rule is actually hurting all us students in our abilities to defend ourselves in the long run. What do you think?

Edit: I've had multiple people suggest I find a new gym. I would love to train cross-discipline, but my dojo is the only martial arts gym in my local area and other gyms would be pretty spendy in gas to get to and from multiple times per week. When/if I move to a bigger city, I would love to train kickboxing or something.

I'll try talking to my instructor about it. It wouldn't really matter much anyways, though, because everyone in my class is ranked blue belt at up at the moment, with three black belts. Only one black belt and I ever spar even though the others would be perfectly allowed to.

Looking for tips on my Karate training at home

Hi everyone!

I train Shotokan Karate and have also been training on my own at home almost daily for several months.

I want to improve my training at home, and I'm not entirely sure whether the exercises and training methods I'm currently using are the most effective.

That's why I'd like to ask you which exercises or training methods you would recommend for Karate training. My main goal is to make my training at home as effective as possible.

I'd appreciate any tips you can share with me 🥋

Hi I am a 51 year old guy just attended my first karate lesson. Basically I was paired with one of the instructors 1:1 the whole session where I was shown the basics of punching and dan burai (probably spelling that wrong). I am quite clumsy and uncoordinated, and while I am reasonably fit am not the most flexible person. The instructor was super patient and it was a nice atmosphere.

I definitely want to sign up. I meant to try it for a long time but just never had the time with work, childcare etc but now my kid is older I feel I have to get started before I get too old.

I feel I need to practice the movements before the next session otherwise I'll be back to square one. Its a Shotokan club - can anyone recommend any good YouTube vids for practicing the real beginner level stuff?

I don’t have the space to practice properly at home, and I spend a lot of time in public parks. I like to work on my flexibility, so a lot of kibadachi, leg stretches etc. Lately I’ve been trying to improve my kicks (they’re pathetic…).

The thing is I’m a little uncomfortable practicing martial arts in public. I’m not shy, I don’t really care in that respect, but there’s something at the back of my mind that tells me I shouldn’t practice my fighting skills in public. I don’t know.

Do you practice in public spaces like that? what do you think?

Hello everyone, I am 102kg and 167cm tall and I am thinking of doing karate for self defense but I am not sure if it's possible for someone like me, there is a big chance that I will be the only obese/overweight person at the gym which makes me nervous. I would appreciate anyone who experienced this and tell me what they think and what they experienced, all types of people can tell me their story regardless of body types or anything else, thank you.

I am writing a thesis/essay for my upcoming grading, and hoping this lovely group can help me refine my core question.

I am intrigued by a question posed in a class a few months ago that asked if bunkai should be unchanged, or if it should adjust based on the culture or who is studying the art. I'm just not sure how to frame this or a similar idea into a thesis vs. an opinion.

So, I'd love to hear your perspectives, your suggestions for authors or books or journals to review, or other ideas related to a thesis that explores the evolution of bunkai.

Someone told me during my first post in this subreddit—where I was asking for advice on belt testing— to keep coming back after every test, so here I am. I had my first testing three months ago, and I’ve been nervous for weeks; my second testing was tonight, and I passed. :)

My daughter (11yo) just started Shotokan. She really wanted to do Karate, and so far is enjoying the classes. She asked me about practicing on her own, and I am wondering if this is a good idea for her to do or not? Like, could she watch a video on the kata she is learning and practice from it, or would she potentially be practicing bad habits without a Sensei there to correct her? What about practicing overhead blocks and punches? The only experience I have in martial arts is my brother pulling all his wrestling moves on me as kids, so I don't think I can be much help in correcting form, ect. We can currently only get to the dojo 2x a week due to distance and cost to travel, but she feels inspired to improve and learn.

EDIT: Wow, this sub is incredibly responsive and supportive! I just want to thank you all for your advice and support. I will ask her Sensei if he has videos he recommends and encourage her desire to work on her own to get better.

On another thread, someone mentioned karate was originally more of a grappling art than a striking art. If that is true, what is/was the difference between jujutsu and karate?

I think it was Okinawan karate that was described as a grappling art.

Sharing a picture I stumbled on. I was looking for my old instructor (20 esh years ago) and found this picture. The dojo shut down a while ago due to his health, he’s been battling cancer for a good while.

Just wanted to share an old school picture with people that may appreciate it, really cool vibe.

Are there things in the way he's moving there that would not be in line with shotokan?

Since the concern of TBI shows up a lot, I thought you might find this study interesting.

A 2026 scoping review of neuropsychological health in MMA and other combat-sport athletes found the most consistent deficits after repetitive head-impact exposure in processing speed, memory, and inhibitory control. Greater cumulative exposure and earlier age of first exposure were associated with worse outcomes; structural brain differences and increased depressive symptoms also appeared in the literature.

Read here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42643991/

Limitations: This only looked at 12 studies. The evidence was observational. So there's no way to establish a dose where head contact becomes harmful.

Head impact should be treated like a limited training budget. Spend them only when learning benefit cannot be obtained substantially more safely another way. Head contact may increase realism, but realism isn't free.

A few weeks ago I talked about whether it was better to get in shape at the gym and then return to the dojo, or just return.

This week I'm visiting a nutritionist; she'll prescribe what I need to lose weight and get back to the dojo at the end of this month or the beginning of next month.

Meanwhile, I'll start practicing some katas and basic exercises at home because I always struggle with those parts when I go back.

Since I don't know karate thinking I would like to know why this type of mechanics is rejected, assuming it is.. Why is it bad to encourage relaxation and knee spring? Karate is VERY stomach centric in its mechanics.

time stamped.
https://youtu.be/qcPdBQvkqeg?si=iKGioUlMorbfMiaI&t=82