If a martial art at least once in your life helps you out in a difficult moment, you have already wasted your time on it. Self-defense skills are important and useful, however, when learning them, the difficult question of choosing a particular martial art always arises.
Differences between hand-to-hand fighting and karate
First of all, you need to understand that there is no separate martial art with the name "hand-to-hand combat", this term unites a number of combat systems. Therefore, you should always clarify what kind of hand-to-hand combat is in question. This can be, for example, army hand-to-hand combat, Russian hand-to-hand combat, etc.
Nevertheless, all hand-to-hand combat systems have common features that allow them to be quite clearly identified and distinguished from karate, kung fu and other eastern martial arts. One of the most important principles of hand-to-hand combat is its real applied efficiency. Imagine a situation: winter, frost, ice, you are in warm tight clothes and winter shoes. Now think, can you in this situation kick in the head of the person who attacked you? Probably not.
The harsh weather conditions in Russia alone render many elements of karate and other martial arts ineffective. In addition, for a European, the very plasticity of these combat systems is usually unusual - most of the blows are delivered not with the whole body weight, with a sweep and in circular trajectories, but in a concentrated manner, to a point, with an instant release of energy at the moment of contact. This fighting technique has its advantages and its own aesthetics, and yet for people with a European physique, it is quite alien, it is difficult to get used to it.
Hand-to-hand combat in this regard is a more reliable martial art. Everything in it is quite simple and pragmatic - what is not effective is ruthlessly thrown away. In addition, there is no predominance of striking or throwing techniques, which is typical, for example, of karate or aikido. The entire arsenal of strikes, throws and other techniques that can ensure victory over the enemy are actively used.
Sports and real combat
Master's karate is an extremely effective martial art. That's why he is a master to win in any conditions and in any situation, But if we compare the effectiveness of karate and hand-to-hand combat in terms of training time, then hand-to-hand combat is in the lead. What can you teach in karate, for example, in six months? Basic stances, movement techniques, simple blocks and strikes. And this is understandable, since basic technique is very important in karate. First, the student masters the form (basic techniques), then, as mastery appears, moves away from the form towards free improvisation.
When studying hand-to-hand combat for six months, a student is made a completely full-fledged fighter. He is still far from a master, but in terms of real practical fighting skills, he will outstrip his colleagues, who began to study karate at the same time. This aspect is also very important: many karate schools strongly gravitate towards sports. Take karate kyokushinkai at least, this style is considered one of the toughest and most effective. At the same time, blows to the head are prohibited in it, because in sports fights, a fatal injury can be inflicted on an opponent. But if an athlete gets used to avoiding blows to the head, he simply cannot effectively apply them to a real combat situation.
In hand-to-hand combat, everything is different. Its technique is aimed specifically at applied use; special helmets can be used to protect the head in training sparring. All this brings training as close as possible to real combat, makes the technique reliable and effective.
Thus, if you want to quickly learn real practical fighting skills, it is better to choose hand-to-hand combat. If you, in addition to purely practical martial skills, are interested in the philosophical aspects of martial arts, choose karate. You will spend more time learning, but you will find a life path with your philosophy.
