all styles

hi, currently i am practicing shotokan karate, and i have enterd numerus competitions since,i am only 17 but latley i have had the urge to try some all styles competitions. the reason being is i would be up against many other wonderful styles aswell as martialartists! i have spoke to my instructer and he isnt to keen about it??? so i wonderd if there is anyone out there who could tell me about theese types of competitions. thanx

It depends on the tourny, with the UFC PRIDE , NHB out there you may run into more of a grappling street fight than you are used to. I think it would depend on your back ground how long have you been training, your rank as an adult student which at 17 is likly to be less than two years. I would go watch a couple to see what your expected to contend with and then train towards those goals. If you approach it in this manner you may be able to get your instructors support.
He may be lookinng out for safety if he feels you are not training for that goal.

as always IMHO

If competition is what you want, the only way to prepare for such a thing is to SPAR!

Sparring is done many different ways however. I'm NOT referring to "point sparring" which just isn't realistic enough.

You have to spar with CONTACT in a continuous manner (unlike karate sparring). You have to keep going for a set amount of time.

These competitions aren't just about ground fighting either. Fighters come from striking backgrounds as well and are doing quite well actually...especially those who know how to sprawl (something that should be learned on the first day when training someone for self-defense).

Learn to box and grapple all in the same session and you'll do more to prepare yourself not just for competition, but for the street as well.

Good luck!

-John

Observe the tournys, spar as much as you can, then when you are ready go for it. I think all tournaments should be mixed MA's but alas I am not so lucky...yet.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by gazdoneganmartialartist:
hi, currently i am practicing shotokan karate, and i have enterd numerus competitions since,i am only 17 but latley i have had the urge to try some all styles competitions. the reason being is i would be up against many other wonderful styles aswell as martialartists! i have spoke to my instructer and he isnt to keen about it??? so i wonderd if there is anyone out there who could tell me about theese types of competitions. thanx[/QUOTE]
Hello, fellow Shotokan!!!
Good advice from Chen.
My advice to you is, BY ALL MEANS, DO IT!!!
Some Shotokan (And other) sensei take this exclusivistic view that you should only participate in Shotokan tournaments, because that way you don't "pollute" your Karate and learn "bad habits". Which translates to seeing something from another style or art and incorporating it into your repertoire, thereby diluting the "purity" of your Shotokan. What rubbish!!
Personnally, I LOVE mixing up (And mixing it up!) with ANY style/ art worthy of the name, and if they have something good, I'll use it. I've often been thought to be TKD, because of some of my kick combinations, or Kyokushin- kai because of the way I infight.
Although I'd've done it ANYWAY, my SHOTOKAN sensei has always had an open door policy in our Dojo. Respected Sensei from other styles are frequently invited to teach, sometimes for weeks at a time. Their students are welcome into our classes at any time. We also have an ongoing constant back and forth with a Kajukenbo Dojo whose sensei is our's very good friend and eternal rival (They constantly faced each other in the past in tournament finals. One day one would win, next tornament it'd be the other).
Sensei's attitude is that when it's time to do Shotokan, DO Shotokan! When it's time to fight... Whatever works!!!
As to the tournaments, rules nowadays are pretty similar. Just ask for a written copy of the tournament rules before enrolling, and study them. I haven't been to one where the rules weren't readily available.



[This message has been edited by MAGon (edited 08-05-2003).]

Just ask for a written copy of the tournament rules before enrolling, and study them. I haven't been to one where the rules weren't readily available.

The only thing I'd add to that is, if it's the first time you've attended a tourney run by a particular organization, check out the rules by all means, but also watch the first couple of fights to see what the unwritten rules of the day are.

If you're first up, keep your guard tight.

JohnL

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JohnL:
The only thing I'd add to that is, if it's the first time you've attended a tourney run by a particular organization, check out the rules by all means, but also watch the first couple of fights to see what the unwritten rules of the day are.

If you're first up, keep your guard tight.

JohnL

JohnL
[/QUOTE]

I stand properly corrected, JohnL. Wish I'd thought to say that! One time I entered a tournament in another country. The rules were straight JKA, so I didn't worry about face contact, only to catch one hell of a wallop at the very beginning of the match. If I'd followed your advice, I'd've noticed that that was ONE rule nobody paid much attention to, and would've gone in ready. As it was, I lost 5- 3, another deviation, since JKA rules are best of 3!
In fact, now older and a bit wiser, I should've been ready in any case, no?

[This message has been edited by MAGon (edited 08-06-2003).]

Any of the tournies I've been to are mixed style. I would have to say, if you really want to compete in a mixed style tourny, you probably need to find a different school to study at. I have nothing against shotokan karate, but if your sensei is against you going to an open or mixed style tourny, it's just not good politic to go agains his wishes. At least if you leave for another school, there is likely to be less hard feelings between you two for doing it, as you are likely going to have to switch schools to continue competing eventually.

Do check up on the rules. And when you get to the tourny do watch to see what's going on. Some tournies don't always follow association rules, and many aren't even association affiliated. Remember that at a mixed style tourny, if you have a brown or black belt in shotokan, you will have to represent your highest rank during competition. It's just wrong to expect someone who's only been training for a few years to compete against someone who is a BB.