Why is their so much disrespect for Karate? And what can we do to stop it?

[JowGaWolf]

I dont understand that I cant talk about Karate casually without getting that awkward look.

The awkward look that you are getting is not disrespect. It's a lack of understanding and anyone that does martial arts will get it. Most people don't have the same interest or passion for martial arts that Martial artists have, and this often means that they aren't sure how to respond.

Oh yeah. Only people who like martial arts talk martial arts and enjoy listening to someone talk martial arts.

It's like if I tried to start a conversation with you about how great it is to create 3D rendered art and then I start talking about the models I use and why I like those models.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Of course sometimes, but it's not a good idea to have so many black eyes than your workmates etc feel compelled to mention it.

Most of the folks I've worked with would mention it on the first one. I know because I rarely work with anyone more than a few months (consulting), and each time I've had one, it's been mentioned by several people in the first day.

 

[Tez3]

Most of the folks I've worked with would mention it on the first one. I know because I rarely work with anyone more than a few months (consulting), and each time I've had one, it's been mentioned by several people in the first day.

Ah but you are a bloke. Black eyes on women elicit a totally different response even if people know you do martial arts. The first thing people do it look sideways at you, they don't mention it. They don't mention it because you might tell them something they don't want to hear and aren't prepared to deal with. For the rest of the day they don't look you in the ye when talking to you, it's easy to see how uncomfortable they are. The second type of reaction is the pulling aside into a quiet space and the fervent, 'you can tell me anything' talk. When you tell them it was martial arts, you get 'but no really you don't have to hide it'. They will never believe you.
There is a third response where they know you do martial arts and don't approve of females fighting, this view can also be held by martial artists. It's fine for women to do martial arts but not actually hit each other.

However what I meant and I think you know, that is where you train a couple of times a week and are always coming into work with bruises, black eyes and injuries. When you work with the same people everyday and they notice it's far from normal to be always covered in bruises.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Ah but you are a bloke. Black eyes on women elicit a totally different response even if people know you do martial arts. The first thing people do it look sideways at you, they don't mention it. They don't mention it because you might tell them something they don't want to hear and aren't prepared to deal with. For the rest of the day they don't look you in the ye when talking to you, it's easy to see how uncomfortable they are. The second type of reaction is the pulling aside into a quiet space and the fervent, 'you can tell me anything' talk. When you tell them it was martial arts, you get 'but no really you don't have to hide it'. They will never believe you.
There is a third response where they know you do martial arts and don't approve of females fighting, this view can also be held by martial artists. It's fine for women to do martial arts but not actually hit each other.

However what I meant and I think you know, that is where you train a couple of times a week and are always coming into work with bruises, black eyes and injuries. When you work with the same people everyday and they notice it's far from normal to be always covered in bruises.

I think my wife hasn't had quite that experience, but that's probably because most folks around her know she trains. When people know, they're less concerned of the alternative (or perhaps just more comfortable writing it off as MA than confronting the possible alternative). We don't see much of the attitude around here that women shouldn't be training MA.

 

[Buka]

Getting back to the OP, I don't really find any disrespect for Karate or any other Martial Art anywhere. I mean, is that a thing?

 

[_Simon_]

Getting back to the OP, I don't really find any disrespect for Karate or any other Martial Art anywhere. I mean, is that a thing?

Hehe bringin' it back!

Yeah I think it's more the presumptions people have about it more than anything, which we can't control anyway. If we're comfortable enough with what we do it won't matter what others think .

I guess it depends what's meant by disrespect... Whether it's credibility/effectiveness related or just people not liking and mocking what they don't know about (usually for reasons more reflecting something about themselves rather than MA)

 

[sinthetik_mistik]

yeah at the Facebook page of the Muay Thai/BJJ gym i used to train at this one girl who is really into BJJ said in a mocking way that one of her coworkers practices Karate. a bunch of people from the gym were poking fun at the Karate person and talking about how inferior it is to BJJ and asking if she could "Karate" her way out of a choke hold. I mean no disrespect to BJJ it's a great martial art, but I have heard a lot of people talk about it like it's the holy grail.

 

[pdg]

asking if she could "Karate" her way out of a choke hold

Could they "BJJ" their way past the "Karate" to apply the choke in the first place?

 

[Gerry Seymour]

yeah at the Facebook page of the Muay Thai/BJJ gym i used to train at this one girl who is really into BJJ said in a mocking way that one of her coworkers practices Karate. a bunch of people from the gym were poking fun at the Karate person and talking about how inferior it is to BJJ and asking if she could "Karate" her way out of a choke hold. I mean no disrespect to BJJ it's a great martial art, but I have heard a lot of people talk about it like it's the holy grail.

This comes, IMO, from some of the marketing talk the Gracies did early on. There are a lot of BJJ folks who couldn't BJJ their way out of a good (meaning well-applied) rear naked choke, too, until they reach a certain level. And many (especially if trained specifically for BJJ competition) would have issues with someone bringing punches, unless they managed to shoot in and get to the ground fast.

Those people you're talking about are weenies. Arrogant weenies, at that. I have no time for them. There are much better informed, more rational, and better mannered BJJ folks to talk to - we have a few of them here on MT.

 

[Headhunter]

This comes, IMO, from some of the marketing talk the Gracies did early on. There are a lot of BJJ folks who couldn't BJJ their way out of a good (meaning well-applied) rear naked choke, too, until they reach a certain level. And many (especially if trained specifically for BJJ competition) would have issues with someone bringing punches, unless they managed to shoot in and get to the ground fast.

Those people you're talking about are weenies. Arrogant weenies, at that. I have no time for them. There are much better informed, more rational, and better mannered BJJ folks to talk to - we have a few of them here on MT.

Yep the Gracie's were extremely arrogant and refused to adapt. Hence why no gracie has done much in Mma since Royce. I'm not a fan of the Gracie's attitude and I train at a gracie Barra school but I think their attitude sucks but luckily the majority of the bjj community is better than that. At my place people know I'm a black belt in karate and the response is "ah cool" or "nice do you still train?"

 

[Headhunter]

yeah at the Facebook page of the Muay Thai/BJJ gym i used to train at this one girl who is really into BJJ said in a mocking way that one of her coworkers practices Karate. a bunch of people from the gym were poking fun at the Karate person and talking about how inferior it is to BJJ and asking if she could "Karate" her way out of a choke hold. I mean no disrespect to BJJ it's a great martial art, but I have heard a lot of people talk about it like it's the holy grail.

Funny thing is in kenpo karate at least there is exactly that a way to karate out of rear naked choke

 

[Headhunter]

Getting back to the OP, I don't really find any disrespect for Karate or any other Martial Art anywhere. I mean, is that a thing?

Not in the real world I find. Only sad losers on the Internet who most have never trained in /anything/ but want to put people down to make themselves feel better about their sad empty lives

 

[sinthetik_mistik]

Could they "BJJ" their way past the "Karate" to apply the choke in the first place?

I thought the exact same thing

 

[sinthetik_mistik]

This comes, IMO, from some of the marketing talk the Gracies did early on. There are a lot of BJJ folks who couldn't BJJ their way out of a good (meaning well-applied) rear naked choke, too, until they reach a certain level. And many (especially if trained specifically for BJJ competition) would have issues with someone bringing punches, unless they managed to shoot in and get to the ground fast.

Those people you're talking about are weenies. Arrogant weenies, at that. I have no time for them. There are much better informed, more rational, and better mannered BJJ folks to talk to - we have a few of them here on MT.

yeah i watched a video of one of the Gracies, i think it was Royce, who submitted a Hapkido black belt. he narrated the video "i bet he feels bad that he wasted the last 15 years of his life training Hapkido" that pissed me off something serious

 

[Headhunter]

yeah i watched a video of one of the Gracies, i think it was Royce, who submitted a Hapkido black belt. he narrated the video "i bet he feels bad that he wasted the last 15 years of his life training Hapkido" that pissed me off something serious

Someone should narrate his fight with Hughes and say I bet he feels bad that he wasted his life training jiu jitsu because its exactly the same context in the way it's said

 

[sinthetik_mistik]

Someone should narrate his fight with Hughes and say I bet he feels bad that he wasted his life training jiu jitsu because its exactly the same context in the way it's said

yeah I'm with you on that

 

[Mountie]

Could they "BJJ" their way past the "Karate" to apply the choke in the first place?

This isn't karate, but I had to include it. Too many BJJ schools aren't training to be well rounded fighters anymore, and they're useless on their feet.

 

[sinthetik_mistik]

This isn't karate, but I had to include it. Too many BJJ schools aren't training to be well rounded fighters anymore, and they're useless on their feet.

yeah BJJ works well on the ground but on it's feet not so much. when i was taking BJJ the only punch they taught me to defend against was the haymaker, which is a seriously easy punch to defend against. other punches such as jabs and crosses, they told me i need to take Boxing

 

[sinthetik_mistik]

yeah BJJ works well on the ground but on it's feet not so much. when i was taking BJJ the only punch they taught me to defend against was the haymaker, which is a seriously easy punch to defend against. other punches such as jabs and crosses, they told me i need to take Boxing

and once again i am not trying to disrespect Brazilian Jiujitsu. in certain situations it can be extremely effective. i'm just pointing out that it is not perfect and it is not superior to every other martial art... the only reason I'm saying that is because i have heard numerous BJJ practitioners basically say it is completely superior to every other martial art. with that i disagree. i know this thread is supposed to be about Karate and i kind of got sidetracked but yeah Karate is a great martial art and so is BJJ. that's all

 

[Mountie]

and once again i am not trying to disrespect Brazilian Jiujitsu. in certain situations it can be extremely effective. i'm just pointing out that it is not perfect and it is not superior to every other martial art... the only reason I'm saying that is because i have heard numerous BJJ practitioners basically say it is completely superior to every other martial art. with that i disagree. i know this thread is supposed to be about Karate and i kind of got sidetracked but yeah Karate is a great martial art and so is BJJ. that's all

If someone loves their martial art, go for it. Get a strong base style and improve your skills. And we can have a discussion about pros and cons of martial arts. No style is perfect.

However, I worry when I see people doing mental gymnastics to discredit other styles or justify over-specializing.