Why does everyone think karate is a joke?

Question

It confuses me because if you say you have a black belt in karate most people don't take you seriously and say something stupid like "Karate is gay."

Answer 1

They are ignorant.

I'd invite them to check a style like kyokushin, shidokan or enshin karate.

If they still think is gay, then they are hopeless, move on and don't waste time with people that cannot learn.

good luck!

Answer 2

Karate Jokes

Answer 3

Karate, and other arts such as Krav Maga, have taken on a different tone moving to the western world. They have become sports. Many dont realize that there are only a limited number of moves in self defense and that the roots of these sports is based in reality combat/defense. If you study several martial arts over time you will see similar moves and concepts. Original karate was developed as a system of self defense and today when you walk into the average "commercial" dojo what you find is a competitive sport that has has rules built into it to 1. Make it basiclly safe for young and old to compete yet without life and death results 2. Make it a system of fitness. 3. Make it profitable. It is not the art that is superior.. basiclly it is the quality of instruction and the direction of the instruction. If we train for combat in the martial arts then that is what you get. If you train for sport then that is what you get.... I dont know of one martial art that practices kicking to the knee.. they may teach kicking to the knee but not practice, and the reality is you will fight in the street the way you practice. I teach students all of the vulnerable points, we do drills attacking them but in free style sparring I dont allow using many techniques and targets simply because in the western society I live in I would have my butt sued off on a weekly basis. I have been teaching for over 25 years now, I have spent close to 30 years in law enforcement and the techniques I employed while working are not the same as the kids class I teach, nor are they the same as the adult classes I teach. My teacher taught hand to hand combat in the marines for many years and even had input into the content of the marine program. Can we hurt you, you bet, do we teach this in the first stage of training, not a hope. All styles are the same... if your ego insists your style is the best... so be it... at 72 my instructor was assulted outside a restaurant one night last year.... it took him less than 30 seconds to stuff the idiot under the nearest car.... nuff said. Mike

Answer 4

Because alot of karate in western countrys is not really what karate is like. I though that all styles except kyokushin were very soft, they still are alot softer than kyokushin but after watching "the human weapon" on karate and watching the training they do in a traditional goju ryu school i think, i realized that its probably just the training in western society that sucks and in Japan it would still be alot harder

I think about 90% of karate is pretty gay, its not because its karate its because of the way it is taught, the training is way too easy, maby the students think its hard but they just dont know any better, its too easy, too soft and focuses too much on little things and traditions instead of creating strong fighters

Answer 5

I wouldn't say everyone thinks karate is a joke. Regardless, I can provide some explanations as to why some people view karate as a joke.


1. UFC and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) popularity explosion
Because of the growing popularity of MMA and its leagues such as UFC and PRIDE, more people are adopting a mentality of "MMA being the surpreme martial arts style." These MMA fans believe that traditional martial arts styles (eastern styles in particular) such as kung fu and karate are ineffective. They use MMA competitions like UFC as evidence because there's no fighter who are successful with traditional martial arts style.

2. Grappling arts being viewed as better than striking
Again this is another result of MMA sports competition like the UFC. Because grappling arts like wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are popular among MMA fighters, some people believe that striking arts are ineffective compared to grappling arts.

3. "McDojos"
Basically a slang term for bad martial arts schools. These schools are inefficient at teaching martial arts to students, and they care more about making a profit. Furthermore, McDojos tend to hand out black belts easily to keep students interested, which also gives them a false impression of their abilities. Thus, students might become arrogant in their own abilities by bragging about their black belts.


Do not become discouraged if you're being mocked because you're a karate practioner. MMA and grappling arts (check the second link) are good for self-defense, but this doesn't make them the best styles. If it's anything, remember that MMA is mainly used for competitive sports. Every martial arts has the potential to become very powerful if the student works hard and is trained by a good teacher.

Answer 6

They are jealous that they are not trained in karate. Our culture has also made karate kind of a joke. It's not a respected art, as it is in it's originating ocuntry.

Answer 7

Probably because most people think that Ralph Macchio is gay : P And since he was partly responsible for making karate a household word among the youth during the 80s, karate became "gay" by association : D

Answer 8

the problem is karate was a "fad art" first it was kung fu eevryone wanted to be bruce lee then davis carridene then it was the "ninjas" in the 80's then after the karate kid success everyone wanted a blackbelt in karate so schools begin popping up everywhere and as anyhting the more shcools the weaker the they were since the people i to the "fads" dont want to do what chuck norris or bruce lee did dedicate ther elife's to the art to master itr they want to go to class 1 maybe 2 days week learn a few "cool" looking techniques and get there blackbelt there for the you have very large number of blackbelts and they are weak they are still good karate shcools and still very good karate blackbelts around

Answer 9

because the image of not only karate but all martial arts has been hurt significantly by mcdojos and teachers pushing to hand out belts too soon and graduate students that don't deserve it.

IMO- a black belt (or equivalent rank) should not be handed out on length of time you studied, but instead on whether or not you can handle yourself in a fight and use what you have learned in that school in a fight.

"kiddie krotty" classes have contributed to this.

too many people who have black belts and don't know how to fight run thier mouth off, then proceed to get slapped around like tina turner.

so naturally, you think ALL people who do karate or say they have a black belt are full of it.

Answer 10

Yeah... that is a good point one person made, alot of people think kicking isnt "manly" and it should only be fist, which is probably why if you told them you were a boxer they would think tthats cool. its sad tho really, because the mcdojos do give a bad name for real schools. also the kids who train there who they think they are super "tough" because they have a black belt. While i train in mma, and not karate i can deffinatly respect its roots, and understand what you mean.