The Question

Not long ago, I was asked what makes our style of Karate different than any of the others.  For years, my standard response was to explain how Renbukai was not like Shotokan or Kyokushin or any of the rest.

I started to think that through.  I wouldn’t describe my house the same way.  “It isn’t a double-wide trailer” or “I don’t have vast front lawn that needs a riding tractor in the summer” doesn’t seem get the idea across!

So, what is it?

In my view, Renbukai is a loose collective of Karate schools that agree (mainly) on one thing: full contact fighting in protective armour.  There are a number of other groups that use very similar gear (Chito-Ryu and Koshiki come to mind), so the armour itself doesn’t make Renbukai unique.  It is the way this type of fighting permeates its’ way into everything we do.  

Rather than keep with a syllabus, or guide from a single point authority, Renbukai has adopted a very Darwinian approach to fighting. Renbukai dojos have kept what works, and discard the rest.  This is why everything is focused on a balance between power and speed.  Techniques are built to achieve the maximum damage with the fastest delivery time.  But the best part is that you get to actually see if it works.  I am certain that someone somewhere was teaching their students some flipping high wheel kick (probably with a half twist for style).  That kick looked fantastic, and was unstoppable in non-contact sparring, and won the student a 3 foot high trophy from the All Area Open Challenge.  

But when tried in the armor, when your opponent is looking to knock your block off, it’s not so good.  Too risky, and even if it does actually hit, it doesn’t deliver that ‘crack’ you’re looking for!  It just makes the other person mad.

So that kick was dropped.  So was anything that has “snap” in the name.  If it don’t work, don’t do it.  Renbukai should adopt the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) motto in our official letterhead.

Next time you’re training, ask yourself if the technique has the potential to be both fast and punishing.  Can you make the shield or the bag “pop”?  When you see the advanced students, do they use it?  

Best of all, when you use it against a quality opponent, does she laugh?