Does Karate work in a real fight?

Question

Does Karate work in a real fight?

Answer 1

If the person has trained long and hard enough for the techniques to become automatic, then yes.

Answer 2

Yep,

Answer 3

Most likely your going to be a better fighter after doing karate, but to what extend of a better fighter you'll be depends on how and how hard you train

Answer 4

It has worked very well for me in every situation I've ever been in.

I would have to beg to differ with you stslavik.

I've taken multiple different styles of martial arts over my 18 years of study and have to say that Okinawa Karate is by no means too slow. I've grown up fighting to defend myself my entire life with people who are after me for whatever reason they so choose. There has been only once or twice in these times that it was a "fair" fight with only one person against me. Every other time there was more than one individual involved in antagonizing me. I moved to studying Okinawa Shuri Ryu Karate Do (Shurite Karate Jitsu to be the subsystem) roughly 12 years ago, which was when the fighting was at its worst as far as the life in danger quotient.

What I've learned in my time with this particular system is invaluable, and is what has kept me alive even through my six years in anti-terrorism. So with that I would venture to say you are wrong in your assessment.

It is and will always be the individual that makes the difference and not the system itself... This is when dealing with a standard "Traditional" style.

For our young inquisitor... Be careful of any who are quick to judge (this not focused on the afore mentioned individual). You have to take the advice you receive from everybody and analyse it, compare it with as much research as you can to come up with your answer. Be cautious of the schools you look at for attending and give it time to make your decision. You have your whole life ahead of you and if you're looking for the right reasons you will find a school that could very well change your life.

EDIT- dogtear- you must get away from your computer and go outside and play. You are missing out on the world while you are inside pretending to be somebody else. Not 99% of fights end on the ground. 99% end with a few shoves and walk aways. Next, real Okinawa karate is a well rounded martial art as the others have mentioned "Sensei Scandal and Katana 172 version 2".

Answer 5

Only the crane kick. If do right, no can defend.  

Answer 6

First let me say that while many here are well meaning the fact is many of the people that answer these questions have no clue about the real world. Some inaccuracies have been stated that i would like to address first.

stslavick- If you think Okinawan karate is slow obviously you have never trained it, or seen somebody who was well versed in it. Okinawan karate rely's heavily on speed, as opposed to Japanese styles most of which rely more on power. The style I trains (Isshin-Ryu karate) main focus is on fast snapping techniques. We only have one slow thrusting kick in our style. Our punches, even our reverse punches are done more with speed then muscle mass.

Tyler_ro- Have you ever seen a good Okinawan practitioner fight? Honestly it will look much like a Muay Thai fighter. We have clinching, elbow's, knees, low kicks, sweeps. In addition all Okinawin karate's have throws, take downs, joint locks, and chokes in them.

Jeremy- yes most karate is not noted for it's ground fighting, however being as Okinawin karate has throws and take downs, against somebody that is trained well getting a take down is very difficult. Especially if it is BJJ, as the weakest part of most schools training is take downs, with the majority focusing more on what happens after you are on the ground. Yes a good BJJ/Judo?Sambo person could probably take them down, but how many times is somebody this highly trained going to attack you for no reason? We are talking self defense here people, not street fighting.

First understand that there are many forms of karate, mainly grouped under 3 main headings.

1) The original Okinawan styles: These tend to have more grappling incorperated, more upright mobile stances, and lower kicks. Most are extremly oriented for self defense. Most have very rigarus body conditioning.

2) The Japanese styles derived from the Okinawan styles: These tend to focus more on power, and have lower deeper stances. Most of these are taught more as a sport today, however are still extremly effective for self defense.

3) Hybred styles- These are styles developed fairly recently, and run the gambit from excellent to p*** poor.

This is just a brief overview, but understand that many people who answer these questions will never have trained in the style in question, or in fact never trained at all. They see the UFC on tv or read something on here and accept it as fact.

there have been some quizes put up lately, running all the way from BJJ to Okinawin karate, about general techniques that a fairly compatent beginer should know. The same 10-14 people have answered all of them. With the exception of Arron J, none of the other people that have responded to you question have participated. You will get many answers on what style is best questions, and almost none on how do I actually do something that can't be googled on the internet. Keep that in mind when reading answers.

in short Karate if trained well, especially the Okinawin variety, is excellent for self defense, any one that tells you different has no clue.

Edit- Dogtear is obviously a UFC fan that cannot distinguish between a street fight and seld defense.

Answer 7

Here is a mostly unbiased answer.  My background:  I studied karate for about 2 years but was turned on to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu/Muay Thai/MMA and have not looked back since.

Karate will work many times in a real fight if it is kept on the feet.  There are several reasons for this.  The self defense techniques of karate are useful for the most part.  Also, when engaged in a "real fight", most opponents one will face lack martial arts training of any kind.

However, there are drawbacks.  First and most obvious is the lack of ground training karate provides.  When a karateka is taken to the ground, few techniques apply.  It is not true (although often repeated) that 95% of street fights end up on the ground, but it does happen.  Secondly, even if the fight remains standing, when a karateka is faced against a well-trained opponent of western boxing or Muay Thai (or perhaps even a frequent street brawler), the outcome probably will not be favorable.

The effectiveness of karate in a fight also depends on the quality and level of training one receives.  As the saying goes, not all black belts are created equal.

Answer 8

it depends on how good you weild it

Answer 9

A lot of Karate (And I'm referring to Okinawan Karate here) is a little slow for a fight, since it focuses mainly on producing power and being conditioned to take a hit if necessary. The principles are good and can be adapted to modern fighting, but most instruction is toward tradition and not functionality.

Look, MMA isn't a bloody miracle martial art. These kids see a UFC match and suddenly it's all MMA. Truth is, there really is only one way of fighting, and that's as a human being. Therefore truly mixed martial arts is nothing new. Being a balanced martial arts means knowing striking, knowing grappling, etc. Just train, learn what works, and examine why. Keep working and you'll figure it out.

Answer 10

Yes, it properly teaches to you to be aware,

to defend yourself, and teaches you to through strikes.

But remember it is not the man in the fight but, the figh in the man.  

Answer 11

The stand up fight (Kumite) is fine, but when Karate experts are on the ground in a real street fight, they devastingly will lose.  So, the answer is "NO", Karate is just one piece of an art of total self defense.  The ground game is where it is at, most street fights end up on the ground within seconds.  

Answer 12

The answer to this does not lie in the art of karate as much as it does in the training you receive.

Those who said "no" or posted video of a karateka giving a leg to Royce Gracie, have never seen true karate.

True karate cannot be used in UFC or such, because it utilizes headbutts,  elbows and knees, chokes and arm-breaks, knee breaking, throat striking, eye gouging, tearing, snapping, stomping, groin striking or ripping... all things deemed "illegal" in the UFC.

There is standing AND - GROUND grappling in true karate.

The sport karate is what has made people speak such nonsense.

Okinawan karate is slow??? A person who never studied, or has only a couple of years of karate training, cannot make claims like this.

It works in real situations - or else, I shouldn't be here today.

I have found myself saying this alot lately - if you do not have extensive training and knowledge of a subject, you should not be answering questions on the subject.

Misinformation is dangerous.  

Answer 13

Yes.

Read some of the old answers....

Answer 14

this is a good question, but karate does give you the advantage in real situations...

Answer 15

Generally, yes. But it depends on who your opponents are and what they do. If it's a 1 vs 6 fight and all of them are untrained, you have a chance of winning. If all 6 charge at you at the same time and simply dogpile on you, well no martial art can defend against that. Although a firearm would fare pretty well against them.  

Answer 16

yes. its not the style that matters, its the person using it.

Answer 17

The simple answer is yes it does work.  When I worked in Baltimore I was attacked an average of twice a year.   Funny thing is that no attacker ever tried to roll around on the ground with me, and no attacker tried to pin my shoulders to the ground.  

Answer 18

Karate has worked on battlefields and in back alleys for centuries...long before rubber mats, mouth pieces, television, etc. existed.

Answer 19

Most fights end up on the ground but all fights start with striking

Answer 20

its really whoes using it but i would suggest not even getting into it. in a real fight it wont do anything. its all for looks. take kickboxing or muay thai. and even jujitsu if you really want to be good. pretty much just mma. thats a real fight.

Answer 21

yes,

it is a common misconception that arts like karate and taekwondo don't work in a real fight.

and to be honest I'm sick of all these clueless people telling you that bbj and mauy thai beat everyone, they are wrong, they are dumb

The fact is that mos arts that people say wont work on the streets, actually will be excellent for self defence. its just that these arts take longer to master, but in genrall the loonger it takes to become competent at an art, the more potential, and the better it is iin the long run.

people think that bjj and mauy thai own, even though they are compotent for defence, they have fairly simple fundementals.

so their training only goes so far,

so even if it becomes cempotent on the streets quicker, the art only goes so far until it reaches it maximum potential.

whereas tkd and karate may not work on the streets for a long time, but once mastered it supercedes any bjj or mauy thai fighting style.

peope are just too impatient to take the time to realise that the best arts take time and paitence to master.