Does Karate actually work when hitting others?

Question

Our schools has been teaching us wushu, but it has nothing to do with physical combact. I want to take karate lessons. Can ppl please tell me if you can actually use karate as self defense? (Does it make your punches and kicks hurt more?)

Answer 1

Training in Karate for self defense is OK but in general until you have a lot of confidence and you have mastered the breathing and control of fear you will not have the presence of mind in a self defense situation to use anything properly

Answer 2

yes it is very good self defense. yes as you learn how to punch and build your strength and staima. you do get stronger and punch harder kicks too.

Answer 3

Yes you can, and yes it does.

I trust that you would only use this for defence and not for offence ?

Answer 4

well you practice your punches and kicks improving technique and strength so you should be able to do at least a litle be more damage to somone

Answer 5

wushu helps but karate does more forms and sparring and fight stuff so yea

Answer 6

are you using karate, to denote karate? or as a general term like alot of other people do?

1 yes, you can use karate as self defense. you can use any art for self defense. even wushu in china often times has the applications taught. but it's mostly for asthetics. thing is, a traditional art is going to take a long time to learn, and get good enough at it to use it realistically in self defense. i am referring to arts like karate, most styles of kung fu..etc.

2 yes it can and will. if you want to learn to swim, what do you do? ...go swimming yes?...if you want to hit harder, hit something (like a heavy bag, makiwara etc) ...and it's more to do with technique, than strength of the arms and legs, as was insinuated in another post. strenght can definately help, but it's more important to strike and fight smarter...not stronger or harder.

if you want quick results, i'd find a self defense oriented school personally. not so much a traditional art (if it can be avoided) ...if you are in it for the long haul, then by all means, choose a traditional art if that is what you like.

but as i said about swimming. fighting/ self defense is the same...if you want to be good at it, you have to do it, and practice.

Answer 7

Lyoto machida, great young fighter in the uufs has his main background in karate

Answer 8

Karate focuses a lot on linear, efficient movement rather than a lot of circular or flashy techniques.  Obviously as you get into the higher ranks (purple belt and above) you learn hook punches and roundhouse kicks and such, but that's because by then hopefully you have a general understanding of body connection and hip rotation.

In that regard, I've found that getting punched by a good karateka, as opposed to maybe a tang soo do or tae kwan do practitioner, hurts a h**l of a lot more and I've never been hit full force.  The best way to both test and improve your punches and kicks are to 1) practice good form and 2) hit a makiwara (punching board).

As for self-defense, I look at it this way.  Karate is not self-defense.  However, karate is a great tool to use in self-defense.  That means all those kicks to the mid-section or head that you practice can be easily converted for striking to knees, thighs, and groin.  Those punches can be easily retargeted to the throat and other vital areas.

Answer 9

Hi,

Your two questions are not necessarily the same.

1. Can ppl please tell me if you can actually use karate as self defense?

2. (Does it make your punches and kicks hurt more?)

An easy example of this is the idea of judo or aikido or jujitsu...they do not use many strikes or kicks but they can be effective for self-defense.

Which is more important for you?

Good karate can teach both without a doubt. But it is a little difficult to find a good school that will teach both properly.

Answer 10

traditional karate will help you strike harder and focus your power.  i think there is no doubt about that.

in my opinion, its the defensive element of karate that is tough to learn.  its simply not feasable to train with full power, full contact bare knuckled striking very often.

so while its very possible to learn to strike harder and faster, its not nearly as easy to do so whith someone trying to punch you back.

even the most hardcore of karate compeitions dont allow for bare kncukled striking to the face (please correct me if this is wrong and give me an example).

the first thing an opponent in the street will do is likely try to punch you in the face.

you question pertained to self defense, and in my opinion self defense is not getting hurt or hit in the first place, rather than destroying someone else.

and if you do knock someone out in the street you will go through a lot of c**p with the law, even if you can prove self defense.

Answer 11

It doesn't affect your strength. It teaches you a new fighting style, but it's up to you to dertermine how hard it hits by building some upper arm and length strength so you kick and punch harder.

Answer 12

Yes difinitly. Real karate is great for anyone to learn. The problem is, there are not many decent karate school around anymore and for this reason it is probably best you take Mauy Thai. For me that is the next best striking art

http://markstraining.com Fighting and Training Methods for Unarmed Martial Artists.

Answer 13

I think it depends on whether or not the dojo you learn karate at has instructors who are actually qualified. Many American dojos are just money-making ventures and just teach people the flashy moves that aren't useful in a real fight. I've beaten the h**l out of so-called 3rd-dans before, and I've never received any martial arts training..

The style of karate you learn also matters. More contemporary styles have evolved karate from an art of killing/ disabling to more of a form of self defense. You can read up at wikipedia if you want.