I once went to a Muay Thai show and all the security guards were trained in Karate. The head of security was my old Karate instructor. He said to me, ‘Daz, what’s wrong with all these spectators and Thai boxing people? (Walking round like ten men. Lol.) Their attitude stinks! Don't they know I will bite their f**king ears off!' Fortunately he’s a very friendly chap.

I laughed with him, it was all true. Please don't confuse sports and competition with real fighting.

My old instructor was there to do a job, and he can do the job. If you have the correct instructor for Karate you will learn how to fight how you have to, be that teeth, eyes and balls. In Karate I was never taught to not hit or strike someone, it is just practised this way, it is very dangerous. The Kumite is the way that it is, if is was any harder in contact, 'sorry most of you so called martial arts fighters wouldn't know what to do. You would most likely hope that your coach or ref might jump in to save you, anyway all your fans might be there like a football gang! (Hope you like my analogy?)

Hence any real competition is still not a fight. Karate to me is still my most preferred tool to put in my pocket to go anywhere. Yes I love Thai for its practicalities and it’s exciting to for us all to watch.

I preferred being the last man standing out of the gang in a real fight. No bell, no ref and no rules.

A real fight includes everything to do with survival, and any weapon, and any target. I don't care for weapons, but they do come in useful if you are being attacked with one.

Note: Kumite is for half and full point scoring. Consider this; a half point 'simulates an actual’ effective strike that would stop you, hence semi-contact. A full whole point would include a similar 'half point 'strike followed immediatelyby a takedown that would simulate the opponent being disabled. Like Thai 'drills' in pad work and bag training, Karate doesn't strike back just like those pads! So, if the correct teacher constantly 'drills' you in disabling your opponent (any opponent) it will work. It’s more about 'yourself', not going up in front of the crowd looking like a 'King'.

Note: The fitness that a competitive fighter has for his competition will mostly disappear after six weeks of normal training. Karate doesn't train for that type of fitness and stamina. Hence these training styles are very different, the competition and sparring are very different.

The main thing that will really help you in martial arts is YOU, then a competent instructor.

The actual art is secondary, decades ago each and every martial arts was as effective as each other.

The problem I see today is that mass publicity and forced fed martial arts is coning the world about practical self defence. Rules don't mean a f**king thing in real life.

Self preservation and self discipline. If I choose not to hit you in your head due to Karate and always never striking someone in Karate. Don't worry I am disciplined enough to have a real choice.

My karate instructors made my life safe. Not the ring or the hexagon.

For that you need a plugin. Beware it may not have a lasting effect.

Strange to think back, every time I got accidentally hit in karate I still remember it.  

Watch this interesting videos of Karate.

PS. Look up Kumite if you don’t know what it is. Spoon feeding is not for me.

PPS. Kyokushinkai is mainly a Karate style that practises full contact competition and is the reason Japan often beat the Thai’s years ago. Nowadays look how strong the true Japanese fighters are in many styles. Japan must be the most dominant fighting country. Then it’s America with its real weapons. Yes you heard it here first.

Daz Chadwick.

www.ronniegreentv.com/dazblog