tons of kata is for fags. Its an excuse not to have to spar.
Chi is bullshit.
Did you really say "mystical power"? Oh boy.......
The jka and jkf sent their #1 guy to North America in 1974 to introduce traditional japanese Karate. He was the 2 time all japan Karate tournement champion Tetsui Ura. he was my first Instructor when i was a kid. around that time some american karate guys like Bill "superfoot" wallace and benny "the jet" arquidas went to japan to spar and train and got their asses handed to them on a plate.
All the dancing in pyjamas isn't worth sh1t.
Boxers are good at what they do because they train and spar in a logical systematic proven manner.
A single karate punch would have more power (maybe) than a boxer punch because it comes from farther back and the fighter is stepping forward quickly as he strikes as in the lunge punch also the karate punch is bare fisted. Most real japanese karate fights only last maybe 20 seconds. One punch (or kick) lands and the guy is knocked out.
I have watched 100's maybe 1000's of matches and 1000's of full contact sparring sessions.
In all those matches I saw very few high kicks, 70% shin kicks,20% groin,rest abdomen.
North American KArate is shit. Almost always it is regulated non contact to the face and no foot contact below the waist except for leg sweeps. Japanese karate is the opposite! If a guy trains for 5 years and never has guys trying to punch him in the face or kick him in the nuts?? good luck in the bar! WE HAD 100'S OF MARTIAL ARTS GUYS COME TO OUR OPEN TOURNEMENTS. Most had never been punched in the mouth! I have had over 70 stiches in my face (i lost count) nose broken twice. Goju-ryu is the most linear or the 5 main styles,shotokan is the most chinese like or round. Kyokushinkai is a more "dirty" style more real.
The real differance is the mind set of the japanese people. The intensity of the training. The brutality (in our mind) of the instructors.
In WWII the japanese had Kamakazi pilots,they were all volunteers!
In japan in the 70's they had maybe 6 levels of karate clubs from University team Karate to city public dojo's. Every year we sponsered our top toughest best guy to go and train there, most didn't last 2 weeks. It's like the worst army boot camp,with the meanest nastiest drill seargant,times 10, but they can actually hit ,kick and beat you,and it goes on for years.