The Quest for Karate’s True Purpose

- The Quest for Karate’s True Purpose

Rediscovering the ancient art of application-based karate
By Jon Chalmers

As any serious student of Shotokan karate can tell you, what is being taught to students now is not the same as what was taught prior to the 1920’s. The techniques and kata are the same; what has changed is their purpose and application.

Even the name tells us something has changed: Before 1935 it was called karate-justu, the art of the empty hand; application-based karate. Now it is karate-do, the way of the empty hand. Like judo and kendo, karate has become a sport form.

Why did this happen? Paul Lopresti, the technical director for the Shotokan Karate-jutsu schools, offers this explanation:

“In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s karate was introduced to the primary schools in Japan/Okinawa as part of the physical education curriculum”, Lopresti says, continuing “many of the nastier applications in the kata, like strangulations, joint locks and throws, just couldn’t morally be done with students whose bones and cartilage were still growing”. Consequently, he concludes, the applications were simplified to reduce the risk of injury.

Paul, who holds a degree in physical education as well as a certification by the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA), understands the reason karate had to change. He also understands that there are older, more effective, more logical applications for the various techniques in kata. Along with his father, chief instructor Sal Lopresti, he has been on what some would call a quest to discover the true purpose of kata techniques.

Paul has studied for the last 5 years with Patrick McCarthy, whose decades of research into the tactical applications of kata have made him one of the foremost modern masters of application-based karate. McCarthy sensei has developed a system whereby the original striking, choking, locking, throwing and grappling techniques1 can be identified in the kata and applied in a practical way. Paul has adopted this system in his teaching, and with the help of Sensei McCarthy, has been introducing the training methods back into the Shotokan system by which he has started spreading the word.

Instructors and students of the American Shotokan Karate Federation (ASKF), a group of non-profit clubs located primarily in Minnesota and South Dakota, had the opportunity to hear the word last July at their summer training camp. The Lopresti’s were the featured guest instructors at the camp, and for 2 days they opened their audience’s eyes to a new way of applying karate.

Their seminar was so well received, in fact, that the ASKF wanted more. Paul was invited back for an encore presentation at the Lakeville, MN club’s annual tournament. Over 30 students from all over the region attended Paul’s 2 hour Friday night seminar and over 40 attended the Saturday morning session. Nearly half those in attendance were black belts, with a 5th dan, 4th dan, and several 3rd dan’s among them.

For those who attended the training at the summer camp it was an opportunity to build on what they had learned there. For everyone else it was a chance to find out for themselves what everyone was raving about. Certainly no one was disappointed.

Paul led the group through a series of applications, starting with a handshake, which built on each other. 14 techniques in all, each could be executed alone or in sequence. All the techniques exploited the same attack points and vulnerabilities; in this case the focus was on the triceps tendon. In an amusing twist, the last technique returned the students to their starting point, a handshake. “Karate begins and ends with courtesy”, he quipped, jokingly quoting one of Master Funakoshi’s Twenty Precepts.

With each technique Paul demonstrated where they could be found in various kata. Unlike some schools that modify the techniques in the kata to make the application work, Paul strictly uses the techniques that are in the kata. His intent, he emphasizes, is not to change the kata or change karate, but rather to learn karate the way it was for centuries before the advent of sports karate. As he made these points, he credited the dedication to his Sensei, Patrick McCarthy, and how his seminar was either directly or indirectly derived from his long hours of study with his mentor.

For the Saturday morning seminar Paul cherry-picked sequences from the different kata, showing a composite of application techniques that could be derived from the moves. The open delight on everyone’s faces as they absorbed the techniques was ample evidence that another group of converts was ready to start spreading the word. The only disappointment was at how fast the time went by and how quickly it was all over.

Fortunately for those who want still more there is another opportunity just a few months away. In March of next year Shotokan Karate-jutsu will host a 4-day camp in Atlantic City, NJ. With several excellent and respected instructors from all over there will be plenty of opportunity to learn. Details can be obtained on the organization’s website, www.shotokankaratejustu.com.

Paul Lopresti began training in 1977. He is a 4th dan, and a graduate of the Scientific Karate Institute International’s instructor program, which is offered in affiliation with the Long Island University. He is the technical director for Shotokan Karate-jutsu, and is also a certified instructor for Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo Jutsu, McCarthy sensei’s system.

Sal Lopresti is a 7th dan and the founder and chief instructor of Shotokan Karate-jutsu. He is also a graduate of the SKII’s instructor program. He had been studying karate since 1972, and opened his first dojo in South Jersey area near Philadelphia 30 years ago. Despite a double hip replacement in 1994 he continues to teach at his primary dojo and several satellite schools.

Patrick McCarthy is a world-renowned karateka, researcher, author, and historian. He is an 8th dan and is the founder of the International Ryukyu Karatejutsu Research Society. McCarthy sensei has produced numerous books and instructional videos. More information can be found at, http://www.koryu-uchinadi.com/.