Jiyu Ippon Kumite (Semi-Freestyle Sparring)

[rafielsugatan]

People who saw karatedo as merely the performance of physical techniques are misguided. If Sensei Funakoshi Gichin is still alive today he would adviced them to look deeper on the spiritual aspects of true karatedo. Nothing bad 'bout this video, just two karatedoka honing their skills. I think the movements are part of their syllabus, i've just saw some karate clubs doing the same patterns. But you could sense the discipline that they have acquired through many years of training. Ossu!!!...

[shotolondon]

For the record, Sensei Randall is not 'loosely affiliated' to Sensei Kanazawa - he is a personal friend of Sensei Kanazawa's and even lived with him for a time. You only have to Google Sensei Randall's name to see the impact he's had on British Karate-do and the esteem the Karate world holds him in. For those who know the history of British Karate, Sensei Randall needs no introduction. Oss.

[WestBfella]

Ossu. Master Randall is AWARDED a 9th Dan - honarary title. As many of his grades. Just like many through the post grades - I do not recognise this grade. The highest western 'real' grade is 8th Dan - Stan Smidt is one. None in England. I have trained with Kanazawa Shihan and have seen a variety of instructors that are 'loosely' affiliated with that name. Some are fantastic - Steve Carless (5th Dan) some are not. I respect good karate. This video is not good karate. Ossu

[shotolondon]

@WestBfella I notice from your website that you are a 3rd dan and have posted numerous videos of yourself rather than the masters you have said you admire. If I view your performances and don't like them then I can ignore them. If I like them I can say so, but I would not be so rude as to rubbish a fellow Karate-ka online as you have done. You might do well to remember that Gichin Funakoshi promoted humility in Karate-do. Oss.

[WestBfella]

Ossu. A fair comment. But how would O sensei feel about this type of karate-do? I put my karate on show in 2011 and feel free to say what you will - I will take the advice on board with a smile and an Ossu. Cook me a bad meal and I will tell you, sell me a bad suit and have it back. Why should bad karate be any different. I perceive this as bad karate - Kagawa Sensei is one grade under this man. Notice - Kagawa Sensei not Kagawa Master. Not a master here - maybe he got better?

[sixofonehorsemen]

@WestBfella I have a better analogy. If you're INVITED to someone's house for a free meal and you eat it, then tell your host afterwards that it was crap then that's just rude. Nobody made you pay to watch this video so your bad suit argument just doesn't wash. You're just making yourself look cocky and foolish, fellah.

[WestBfella]

@shotolondon the leaning forwards is one of MANY aspects of this I dislike. I agree about the non contact (for the most part) but the way this goes out of its way to create unnatural movements is what I do not agree with. If you kick yoko geri it still must remain effective even in non contact. This does not. When you drive forward your body mechanics must work - this does not, etc etc. Thankyou for your comments. But this still remains awful. Ossu

[WestBfella]

This is awful

[TheBronxApache]

@WestBfella Why

[WestBfella]

@TheBronxApache Where to start. Impractical counter attacks. Hoping back out of the way. Pause it at 2:15 and see the attacker leaning so far forward I'm surprised he doesn't fall forward. 3.01 misses the counter attack kick by incorrect distance 3.02 hops out of the way. etc etc etc Many thanks

[TheBronxApache]

@WestBfella I see; thanks for replying so quickly.

[TheStevie1000]

@WestBfella I can't see anything wrong with the techniques - the techniques are impeccable. The only problem I can see is that they are doing semi-freestyle but neither participant moves until the attack. I was always taught to be constantly moving during free/semi-free.

[shotolondon]

@WestBfella I'm not sure what kind of sparring you may do yourself - assuming you practice Karate in the first place - but the purpose of Karate-do isn't to make contact in a training session. The point at which you mention that Sensei Randall is 'too far forward' is at the moment he's moving forward. Why is this wrong? Sensei Randall was recently awarded his 9th Dan, has an MBE for services to Karate and trained under Kanazawa. I would expect more respect from a true Karate-ka. Oss.

[TheStevie1000]

@shotolondon "the purpose of Karate-do isn't to make contact in a training session"

Sorry, but I have to disagree. Contact needn't be hard, but controlled/touch contact helps to develop proper distancing. If the strike, punch, kick, etc is always falls several inches short of the target, you will develop an intuitive tendency to stop short. Not good.

[TheStevie1000]

@shotolondon Also, if you are a traditionalist, it is worth bearing in mind that there was a time when all karate training was full contact. Admittedly, I wouldn't want to train in full contact, but controlled contact didn't start to become the norm until the 1950s when JKA introduced it for competition purposes (though I understand that JKA instructors and students rarely kept this rule at the time). But quite where non-contact came from I don't know.

[devinfoster14]

Wow.... the narrator's Japanese is craptacular. Seriously if your going to narrate a karate video and use Japanese terms at least take an 18 week college course in Japanese so you can do it right.

[toxi87]

@devinfoster14 i think it's awsome like how for wsome reason you hear Brits still calling america the "Colonies"