From Art to Act: The Theatrical Turn of Modern Karate.

 

Posted by ADAM CARTER on JUN 10, 2024

From Art to Act: The Theatrical Turn of Modern Karate.

 

(Approx 1 minute 40 second read)

We’ve all been there: scrolling through the internet, minding our own business, when BAM! A video pops up that makes us snort our coffee out in disbelief.

These clips are often so baffling, so gloriously out-of-touch with reality, that they could make even the most dedicated karate enthusiast abandon your once passion and take up tiddlywinks instead.

Has karate strayed from its core principles, become just a spectacle focused on theatrics, and the demonstration of breaking boards, where screams and shouts seem to invoke some kind of martial arts specter?

It is fun to watch the odd crazy video on social media isn’t it? However, a recent video showcasing a supposed black-belt attempting multiple board breaks to an audience, at what looked like some kind of tournament, was just atrocious, really beyond belief, and serves as a case in point.

We all know that most boards are chosen because they break easily, right? Yet his technique was so bad, so very bad, he couldn’t break several of them. Resorting to removing them one by one from the stack, and breaking them across his knee in exasperation, while still screaming and shouting.

When the time came for the concrete cinder block, he had to change from a hand technique to a heel stomp because he couldn’t break it with his demonstrably flawed technique. The routine ended with more screaming and yelling.

What has karate come to? The art that once stood for self-discipline, self-control, self-defense, and mastery of the mind and body, now seems to be reduced to mere theatrics. The essence of karate is being overshadowed by these exaggerated displays of utter nonsense.

There is a proliferation of ‘black-belts’ who have not fully embraced or understood, the deeper principles of karate in the slightest. I have no idea who is grading these individuals, but it’s a crying shame.

Achieving a black-belt should signify a decent level of proficiency and understanding, a milestone in a journey of learning and growth.

When the attainment of a black-belt becomes more about the external show than the internal journey, the true spirit of karate is lost, and it becomes a laughing stock.

Karate should be a path to betterment, both physically and mentally, not just a series of dramatic performances meant to impress spectators. Or in this case make the spectators gasp in utter disbelief.