Traditional Karate for Self-Defense

Sensei John Solheim has been practicing Karate since 1992. The focus of his teaching and instruction since 2000 has been on Karate as it applies to self-defense and as a tool for his students to achieve self-actualization.

In this episode, John talks about how he got started in Karate and explains some of the key principles of Karate including targeting, distance control, and awareness, and how they can be applied in self-defense scenarios. He also talks about the importance of being exposed to other martial arts and the effect on different martial arts as they have evolved into sports and combat sports.

Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlX2KeKYnkY

Chapters

• 0:10 Introduction
• 10:00 Key Aspects of Shitoryu Karate
• 10:50 Distance Control
• 13:32 Targeting
• 18:00 Traditional Karate vs. Full Contact Karate
• 24:25 Figuring Out What Martial Art is Best for You
• 26:02 The Impact of the Evolution of Karate into a Sport
• 31:15 Recognizing an Opponent's Fighting Style
• 33:00 The Effects of UFC on Martial Arts
• 39:00 The Challenges of Making Changes to a Martial Art
• 40:30 The Pros and Cons of Modern Karate
• 45:50 The Importance of Awareness
• 53:50 Using Your Voice for Self-defense
• 55:31 Learning to Hit and Take a Hit
• 1:02:01 Fighting vs. Self-defense
• 1:06:00 The Role of Kata
• 1:13:50 The Importance of Proper Biomechanics
• 1:21:30 Economy of Motion
• 1:23:45 The Role of Belt Level in Martial Arts
• 1:31:20 The Importance of Continued Learning & Cross Training
• 1:37:00 Basic Strategies and Techniques for Kumite