(Approx 2 minute 35 second read)

In the modern world of martial arts, we have more information than ever before – yet we cling to methods that seem to have lost all meaning.
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So many facts and opinions are out there, but none of it really sticks. Many people continue to revolve around outdated dogma.
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Shouldn’t greater access to history, science, and knowledge make people smarter and better informed?
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Every time someone pokes at the sacred cow of traditional practice, the comments fly. Challenge decades of dogma, and the resistance comes fast – even when the argument is perfectly sound.
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What’s happening is this: many of these people understand what’s being said, but they can’t let go of what it means to them. They’re defending their past training rather than engaging with the point. And often, they’re missing the point.
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In my articles, I try to question whether certain practices are the right or effective way to develop certain attributes – especially in the context of self-protection. I try to open the door for thought. Why? Because I was there too, decades ago, wondering why the heck I was doing some of this stuff.
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And frankly, if someone is still arguing that rehearsing a mutually agreed-upon sequence with no chaos prepares them for an unpredictable assault, then they haven’t thought seriously about violence at all. You have to understand the concept behind the motion, not preserve outdated methods just because they look familiar. That’s not progress – that’s attachment.
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Maybe I’ve hit a nerve. When the truth offends the comfortable, there’s always a backlash of denial.
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So what are we doing here? Training for fantasy? Going through motions because we’re afraid to move on? At some point, we have to face the truth.
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Otherwise, we will just keep walking up and down the hall.
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I’ll be blunt: I don’t understand how people can’t see the contradiction. They admit some practices don’t work in real encounters, then turn around and defend them as if they still do.
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What’s more worrying is the emotional resistance. Some responses are defensive, even angry. Why? Because it offended your comfort.
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You can tell they’re clinging to what they were shown years ago by a respected sensei – and they just can’t let it go. They’ve become attached to the method, not the reason behind it.
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And that’s the problem.
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Karate has changed enormously from its original purpose – that much should be clear by now. But some of us still care about why it was created, and we’re trying to bring that purpose back into focus.
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I repeat myself because in my practice, on my Page, and in my dojo, our priorities are based on HAPV theory and practical training. This effectively means that everything has to work in a self-defense environment.
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Karate movements weren’t originally designed to defend against attacks from other trained martial artists. Yet we keep rehearsing these scenarios as if they prepare us for something. Often, these drills become self-justifying. We rehearse them, then reframe them, and eventually they persist simply because they’re familiar.
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They’re not preparing us. They’re just familiar.
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I’m not here to trade likes or bow to tradition for the sake of it. I’m here to get people thinking – really thinking. Not nodding along to dogma, but asking: Does this hold up in reality? Or am I just doing what I was told to do?
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If that upsets some, so be it. But if it wakes up even a few, then it’s worth it.
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Ultimately, the choice is yours. You can play at karate, compete, or practice for health and fitness – and those are all valid choices. Just stop calling it self-defense – because you are lying to yourself and your students.
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Written by Adam Carter – Shuri Dojo