Is Karate Only about Offense?

 Hey everyone, I'm back with a new entry! This time, I'll be writing about something that I have loved since I first watched Kung Fu Panda : martial arts. The one sport I chose from this wide range of disciplines is karate. There are many karate styles that exist, but the one I picked is the root of them all. It's name is "Shorin Ryu".

This is the link I used this time : 

https://worldbudokan.com/worlbudokanhome/articles-2/the-essence-of-shorin-ryu/

The Origin of Shorin Ryu

Shorin Ryu is the origin of every karate style. All of the contemporary styles of karate have been influenced by it ; may it be in Japan, in China or in Korea, today's styles found root in Shorin Ryu. However, because it is the oldest one, it is slowly being forgotten. Indeed, rare are the times where you will find participants using Shorin Ryu  in a karate competition. The one that is said to have founded this style is Sokon Matsumura (1797-1889). He came up with many of the techniques and ways of thinking that still exist today in this discipline. It saw the day when weapons were banned from Okinawa. Because of that, its citizens had to find a way to defend themselves with their bare hands. Thus, karate was born. Back then, karate had to be practiced in secret ; something bad would happen to those who were caught. 

Much More than Violence

Many believe that every type of combat sport, whether it be karate, boxing or kung fu, revolves around attacking and violence. This statement is false when it comes to Shorin Ryu. This style focuses mostly on defending oneself. Many combat simulations made of combinations of movements, also known as kata, show an impressive amount of techniques used for defense. Moreover, the style's fighting style revolves around avoiding direct contact. Using taisabaki, which is a specific way to move your feet, a person can dodge an attack while blocking, as well as ending up in a situation where he can hit the enemy without being in danger. Indeed, instead of charging head first to land the first hit, Shorin Ryu encourages avoiding to land a good counterattack. This technique is hard to use, however, because it requires a lot of precision in terms of speed, distance and timing.

Technical Stuff About this Particular Style

There are a few technical words used in my source, but I was able to understand most of them :

Kata is a series of movements used for defense and offense that simulate a fight. There are many of them, some as old as the birth of Shorin Ryu.

Bunkai are pretty much the same as kata, but they include a partner with whom you can practice your moves in a more realistic setting. 

A kiai is a shout you will unleash while fighting of practicing a kata. It's used to surprise your opponent and show your fighting spirit.

Kime is, as described in my source, "the ability to make a muscular contraction at the end of the execution of a kick or a punch". In other words, it refers to strenght.

Gi, although not mentioned in the source, is most likely the attire you wear when practicing karate (It is, actually. I already knew that. I just felt like it would be nice to explain what it is even thought it's not included in my original source).

My Opinion

I believe that the philosophy of Shorin Ryu is pretty wise. Even though attacking may sound easier to some, it's actually not the best option. Attacking can be effective when done by tall and muscular people. People who have a big built. It is not, however, when done by average and small-built people. I think that defending and counterattacking can give those people a chance. Even when being confronted by an angry giant, a small person can easily stand his ground when equipped with proper and refined technique. When the timing is right, you just have to take the opponent's energy and redirect it. When the attacker is unable to hit you, you fire back with a direct strike. Yet, as I mentioned before, being able to do this requires a lot of practice. Karate in general is a sport you can't afford to underestimate. Even the greatest masters out there, the ones that reached the highest degree in karate, don't stop practicing. They keep searching for ways to make moves more efficient and to facilitate certain motions. The fact that we're still able to recreate forms and techniques that were invented centuries ago is proof of the will, determination and practice that people put in this discipline in order to teach younger generations.

My question for you : According to Sokon Matsumura (Matsumura sensei), how does one attain true power?