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Shihan John Richards :: Magazine Articles
Traditional Karate - Volume 1, Number 8 - January 1988
The force and form of John Richards Article by Dave Wakeling
page 4 of 5
D.W:Nowadays, what does the term 'Traditional Karate' really mean? It seems to me that Karate is changing to meet the demands of a bigger audience and that it has probably been evolving since it was invented.
J.R: That's a good question. Of course, any tradition worth keeping is ever-changing. From the Chinese to the Okinawans to the Japanese to the Europeans to the West Indians: the balance is to keep a traditional attitude toward teaching the basics, and then develop a style that reflects the nature of the teacher and his students, and their environment. Remember, traditional Karate not only teaches you how to fight, but it also teaches you an attitude and a respect for the world through it's discipline. As soon as you throw away tradition the discipline goes. You have nothing to compare with, and the mental aspects of teaching go out of the window. Things have been altered. I think that Karate is a lot faster now, for example. However, I think that things like Kata should be left alone. I remember being told off at a meeting because I, as a referee, had marked a competitor down because of a variation within the Kata Bassai-Dai. I think that I was in the right. People usually change Kata because they've learned it from a book and have found it hard to understand. I like to follow the WUKO guidelines on traditional forms and so keep it pure. There's no harm in experimenting, though, and we have put together a Zen-Shin Kata, mainly for the higher grades. This way we can have our fun without destroying the past. Some of the old Kata are perfect. They need learning, not changing!
D.W:Which are your favourites?
J.R: Heian Godan and Kanku Sho. Heian Godan is a lovely balance of hard and soft, with speed thrown in. I like Kanku Sho because of it's power and elegance.
D.W:Do you have any favourite strikes? Is there a particular 'John Richard's Hammer?'
J.R: There's a few, and they've changed over the years, but fake Uraken/Ashi-barai/gyaku zuki is an old favourite. I'm especially keen on using gyaku zuki when an opponent is flat on the floor because there's nowhere for him to go while you're hitting him!
D.W:How do you feel about the increased use of protective equipment in Karate training? For example Headguards.
J.R: One of the things that have changed over the years is that a lot of people use Karate firstly for fitness, secondly for self-defence and thirdly for competition. People want a damn good work-out, and then to be able to walk home in piece so as to get up for work the next day. Personally, I think that good focussing is more important than headguards, because a wild kick can still cause damage, whatever protective gear you wear. However, I think that headguards are good for teaching self-defence because there is a difference in your final position if a punch or kick lands, rather than stopping short of the target. For competition training, though, good control and focussing are essential, or you'll keep getting disqualified (like I did!). I think that headguards are a good thing for senior grades, because they should only be used when the student already knows what he's doing.
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Shihan John Richards :: Magazine Articles
D.W: Nowadays, what does the term 'Traditional Karate' really mean? It seems to me that Karate is changing to meet the demands of a bigger audience and that it has probably been evolving since it was invented.
D.W: How do you feel about the increased use of protective equipment in Karate training? For example Headguards.
