old school karate

JazzKicker · Orange Belt

This could be one of those "why, back in the old days we used to.." discussions. It depends on where you're from and how old you are. If you're in America, karate and tae kwon do got here in the 50's and 60's. The pioneers taught as they were trained, so "old school" dates to then.

My first instructor was from Japan, a product of one of the main universities in the 50's,and he was a leader in competitive judo. So his club reflected that background, including the canvas tatami. I can still feel the blisters and rub burns 40 years later! Equipment was not really available yet. For sparring gear we had those thin little mitts that were like wearing a padded sock on your hand. The heavy bag was a canvas sack filled with old clothes. Punching targets were stacked foam cross-tied with old belts.

When I went off to college and switched to Tang Soo Do, one of my instructors had been a Marine drill instructor, and was still Special Forces reserve. So our training was more rigid and militaristic, tougher, too. We used empty engine coolant jugs for kicking targets. Years later I saw a Moo Duk Kwan documentary from the 50's, training the same way we still did in the 80's. Us being college kids, not recruits, we kept our teeth and most of our blood.

I think there's a romantic misperception that old school Okinawan practice was bare-foot farmers and fisherman, practicing in secret in back yards at night, and that Funakoshi was the leader of a very small number of practitioners. Reading Mark bishop's book, it details how there were many dojos, out in the open, even back in the 19th century.

Spartacus Maximus · Black Belt

The most compelling evidence against the idea that martial arts on Okinawa originated with commoners is the social origin of the notable experts from the earliest records up to the early 20th century. All of them without exception were either nobles or warrior class of varying degrees. All people who had access to instruction through their connections and with their family’s reputation and wealth.

sensei8 · KF Sensei

Journyman74 · White Belt

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