Karate not being the right choice for self defence?

Question

Hello,

I'm 15 years old and i've been practising Shotokan karate since i was 7 years old or so.
I've seen some Jeet Kune Do videos last night along with some Bruce Lee footage, and i just loved it, which pretty much left me in confuse.
Is Karate a bad choice for self defence?

In kumite, you're allways in the low fighting stance, and to be honest, I dont know how that would work in a real fight.
In karate, the only punch you ever really use is the "geyagotsoki" (i know that's not how you spell it) but in Jeet Kune Do it's so much more than that, and the defence techniques in Karate are pretty much just blocks and are nothing compared in the ones in Jeet Kune Do.

I just can't imagine myself in a real fight using my Karate teachings, but i dont feel the same when it comes to Jeet Kune Do.

Thanks for reading.

Lee M: Now i dont know if that's an insult or what.

Answer 1

Talk to your Sensi. He is there for this kind of stuff.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I am going to give you my honest opinion on shotokan karate.
I believe it has become too much of a form based art.
The one punch kill does not work in the real world.
Shotokan is not a bad style but it is a bit too formal.
Jeet kune do has excellent concepts.
I don't think you will be very able to find a good instructor though.
Finding an actual instructor of jeet kune do ( not a fake )is not easy.

Here are some other styles you may wish to consider.

Kajukenbo
Freestyle karate
CHA 3 kenpo
Choy li fut gung fu
Jujitsu
Muay thai boxing
Jeet kune do (if they can prove they learned from Dan Inosanto)

All of the styles listed will teach you more about actual combat.
Just remember, fighting is a last option.

Answer 4

Ok, I dont think that the low stance in shotokan is used for fighting, just for developing leg strength, in real fighting your horse stance shouldnt be so wide, it kinda makes it hard to move. I've done a little bit of Jeet Kune Do, it is basically modified wing chung, with no set stances, so it is more flexible. I liked it alot, but honestly if you're sick of doing forms and katas and all that BS take up MMA, because more like 80-95% of fights end up on the ground I'd recommend BJJ or sambo and dont ignore wrestling either. I would also tell you to try boxing. Bruce Lee is the whole reason I started martial arts, and he studied many of them including boxing and karate, you just have to find the style that works for you.

Answer 5

No Karate isn't a bad choice.
It was Bruce Lee whosaid that any thing you've learned, if it helps you take care of yourself in a fight then you should learn it no matter where it comes from (not the EXACT quote but something to that effect, from Return of the Dragon)

Jeet Kune Do has a more efficient way of fighting, but Shotokan is just as effective as Jeet Kune Do. it all goes back to how effective the INDIVIDUAL is.

and Jeet Kune Do just as ANY OTHER MARTIAL ART will only help you to find what is useful and will work for YOU. but only YOU can find that out for yourself.

there's nothing wrong with what you're feeling, but in my opinion, you may just need to train a little harder and use a little more of you're imagination in you're sparring to find out what will work for you in any given situation.

The thing about Martial Arts is that they are NO different from each other. They only have special emphasis on certain aspects or techniques in their utilization.

So in short EVERY Martial Art has the SAME principles, just emphasized differently.

but it's up to you to make the decision about what is right for you.

Answer 6

I have a black belt in karate and am a former bouncer/bodyguard and I will be the 1st to tell you that its a bad choice for self defense. Why because it's sport based ever see or have your sensei to tell you to bite or use an object around you to hit and take out your attacker with? See my point.

Regarding JKD it's ok but there is alot of boxing stuff in there bad thing to do if you are in a street fight with a guy who outweighs you by 40-70 pounds. You will be seeing stars before you know it. You got to fight outside the box to be successful. Remeber their is no such thing as adirty fighter only an educated one. Find a tactical combat style if you want to learn how to protect yourself that involves dirty mean moves..

Answer 7

I do a street oriented version of JKD Concepts called Executive Progressive Fight System I highly recommend this but any branch of JKD is better than none. There are many moves from different Karate Styles in JKD as well as other arts. JKD is more of a fighting philosophy that you can adapt to your fighting ability.
Concept Branch JKD is made up of 27 martial art styles, part of the JKD philosophy 'Absorb what is useful, disregard what is not and add what is unquily your own.Paul Vunak creator of E.P.F.S. says that there are no superior techniques in martial arts only superior training methods.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeet_Kune_Do

And/or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Fighting_System

Answer 8

You may want to look into AIKIDO. It's all self defense. It's all about taking the energy from your attacker and using it agents them.
Don't ever think that any type of martial art you have taken was a mistake. I think martial arts teaches young and old a lot about themselves. Look at you for instance. Your question sure does not sound like it's written by a 15 year old.
If you stay with what your in or change over to something else good luck.

Answer 9

Jeet kune do was developed by Lee because he did not believe in pre-arranged forms of fighting he was unorthodox and believed what ever means it takes to win just win.Defeat was no answer.He wanted to be free to explore and mix different styles instead of sticking with one way of doing things.This made some of the old school Masters upset so he was banned from many dojo's in China and the Orient.You might not be practicing in the right system for you.I mix Goju-Ryu with akido Sitsu a form of jujitsu,it works for me.

Answer 10

I have been doing shotokan for 10 years and...
The low stance is for training. If you can hold that stance while training, then a higher stance on real fight would feel easy.
Also a good (enough to be the first and only) punch MUST be rooted on the ground.
A real fight (not for points, not for show) should finish in ONE technique. A good, solid, fast and rooted gyakosuki is enough to disable (talking hospital at least) anybody.
In real life, on a real fight, with somebody in decent health and some practice you would not be able to use any flashy punches.

Answer 11

I think at 15 you would be old enough to start training in Muay Thai. You'll learn to throw kicks with your shin being the point of impact & not your foot, you'll learn to throw razor-sharp elbow strikes in close quarters combat, Thai clinch & knees again for CQC, and you'll learn Western style boxing. Bobb & weave, footwork, how to carry your hands, & how to throw a proper core punch & not arm punches.