Chapter Seven
MiyazakiFan18
Know what you're doing yet?
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It was the morning of July 19th, 2016 where I began to catalog my progress, set goals for myself and really start to map out most of what truly lay ahead.
The first thing I did was start to research things in this world. I remembered Robby finding plenty of information on Kreese while in Juvie using a PC in a computer lab he had there.
It turned out everything Kreese had told me about all his tournaments were true. The first recorded Karate Championships held by the US Army for US Army officers and enlisted men did include John Kreese as one of the first ever champions from 1967 onward.
The second thing I started to research was just exactly what the fighting style and kind of competition the All Valley Karate tournament was, what specifically was allowed and what wasn't, because the show and Karate Kid films weren't exactly clear and all the tournaments I had been in were very specific.
After some digging, I was able to find a detailed rule book of the All Valley Under 18 Karate Tournament.
What I realized was why exactly the karate looked so different than the karate I was used to. In my karate tournaments you at least needed to wear gloves and foot protectors, but everyone sparred in tournaments without so much as light cloth coverings on their knuckles.
The reason why was simple. The rule book for the All Valley Karate tournament hadn't been updated since the first All Valley tournament was held in 1968. Just like all karate tournaments at the time, no sparring gear of any kind was required or used at all.
It was an absolute miracle no one ever decided to include gloves, mouthguards, and helmets for sparring. Because bruises, injured knuckles, elbows, shins, forearms, and all sorts of things would happen in this kind of fighting. Oddly, it just didn't.
The scoring ruleset was useful, and I was able to find specific sources for context and reference in the rulebook specifically. Most of the All Valley Tournament rule book was used from the American Tang Soo Do Association Tournament rules very faithfully actually.
First, the scoring was clear that all strikes, if scored properly, were worth a single point.
The second was that you couldn't use open hand techniques to the face. Meaning a very easy score of throwing a knife hand over the top to the head was not allowed.
Despite how detailed and admittedly fair and realistic the rules were besides no sparring gear, the most important information I deduced was how to build my combination attacks.
In competitive karate, a 'blitz' or 'combination' attack were just very rapid and sudden forward strikes chained together either applied to taking the initiative on offense, or countering while on defense to interrupt an attack.
I began to write down a list of combos, similar to the ones I had in boxing.
Like the one two hook, or the jab jab cross, or the one two one. I could come up with simpler attacks based off the All Valley tournament ruleset, and ultimately they all felt effective.
Because the All Valley tournament simply didn't allow for enough information merely from the rules the show gave us, I had developed the following strategies.
First, face and body punches were allowed, which were easily the best ways to score right off the bat or while as a counter. I planned on using my fists to attack more than anyone else probably in the Karate Kid universe until now possibly, all the kicks were flashier in the show and movies so that's what people remembered them by.
Kicks, like the classic 'pump kick' with the front leg, were probably ineffective unless I would be insanely good and fast with it. You had to be creative and strong with it, not just flicking it out there weakly hoping to get scored on.
Front kicks were okay as long as they were part of a combo or done as a scissor kick or another attack set it up first.
The jab punch. Wow. A karate jab punch that was rarely ever seen except in very major fights on occasion. I had started to perfect it in all forms because it was incredibly useful because it was so fast and easy to score with as a first attack.
Above all I had begun to study Tang Soo Do karate as much as I could online. Finding videos, tips, and techniques as much as I could and surprisingly enough, videos of basic how-tos from the 80s and 90s by people like Bill Superfoot Wallace who had perfected the three point American Tang Soo Do sparring method on a globally competitive scale gave me the best tips, essentials, and combination attacks.
Most of the fighting style was actually pretty effective on paper, it mostly boiled down to how well a karateka in this style would apply it to real life that made it worthwhile to me in self defense.
The reactivity, guard or how well a fighter kept his hands up and reacted to blows to the head and chest area, adapdativity, aggression, flexibility, stamina, and strength of a fighter were key to this style.
Ultimately I didn't see much use for me to study Miyagi-Do for more than one year anyway besides my plans. From what I gathered it could give me extremely good reflexes for counters and even attacks if applied aggressively instead of defensively in a fight.
Huh. Nevermind then, I'd hold onto it for as long as I could then, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world if I had to walk away from it.
…
It was a hot summer afternoon, nice day out, and I decided to do my grandparents a favor while getting some kata practice done at home.
I waxed on and waxed off all their wildly expensive collectible cars from the 60s to the 80s.
I was in a tank top and shorts, practicing my standard Miyagi-Do blocks by washing cars when I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"Hi."
I turned around, nodding to Demetri. "Hey."
I made a circle with my fingers and whistled loudly. "Donnie! Come here boy, bring the bucket!"
The golden retriever held a pail of soapy water in his mouth and laid it down at my feet.
"That's a good boy. Yes. Good boy."
I tossed him a biscuit from my pocket and dipped the sponge into the bucket and continued to wax the cars.
Demetri nodded slightly. "You trained him well."
"Sure did. He was trained as soon as my grandparents were able to. The Mills family were all dog breeders back in Scotland or whatever." I mumbled.
"That's pretty cool. I'm just wondering though. Why would you ever wash your own cars instead of just hiring someone to do it for you?" asked Demetri. "Your family is clearly." Demetri nodded towards my house. "Loaded."
"Well. Here's what's gonna blow your mind. What I'm doing, is actually karate."
"Karate from chores. Odd." he didn't seem to question it. "Wonder how that works."
You'd actually learn it at some point.
"I'd teach you." I said. "But you don't seem like the confrontational type."
"Yeah I'm more of a hide behind guys with muscle and fighting ability like you kinda person." said Demetri raising his hand slightly.
I chuckled. "Yeah I figured."
I was his Miguel and then Robby against Kyler and then Hawk. Huh. Funny how that worked out.
I drew my phone from my pocket, texting Robby, the newest person in my contacts.
Hey. No hard feelings about yesterday, maybe know who this is? Everything okay?
Demetri spoke. "So. Eli just downloaded the new demo for Persona 5 on his Playstation. Wanna go check it out?"
"Sure." I said, quickly rinsing down the cars with some hose water and then closing the garage door to them.
After I let Donnie back inside my house I began to walk towards Eli's house, which actually wasn't that far from my own. Only about a thirty minute walk actually, and despite me being fourteen, my grandparents didn't mind me on my own or really care that much anyway.
I muttered. "My grandparents are making me have a stupid dinner at the LaRussos."
"Who are the LaRussos?"
"They're Sam's parents. Sam's the girl who walked up to me and asked to hang out with her, remember?"
"Right. You're having dinner at a really hot girl's house. And you expect me to feel bad for you?"
I chuckled. "No Demetri. I don't."
Robby had just texted me back, which actually surprised me.
The text was a bit odd.
Lucas right? I think I need your help.
…
The first thing I did was start to research things in this world. I remembered Robby finding plenty of information on Kreese while in Juvie using a PC in a computer lab he had there.
It turned out everything Kreese had told me about all his tournaments were true. The first recorded Karate Championships held by the US Army for US Army officers and enlisted men did include John Kreese as one of the first ever champions from 1967 onward.
The second thing I started to research was just exactly what the fighting style and kind of competition the All Valley Karate tournament was, what specifically was allowed and what wasn't, because the show and Karate Kid films weren't exactly clear and all the tournaments I had been in were very specific.
After some digging, I was able to find a detailed rule book of the All Valley Under 18 Karate Tournament.
What I realized was why exactly the karate looked so different than the karate I was used to. In my karate tournaments you at least needed to wear gloves and foot protectors, but everyone sparred in tournaments without so much as light cloth coverings on their knuckles.
The reason why was simple. The rule book for the All Valley Karate tournament hadn't been updated since the first All Valley tournament was held in 1968. Just like all karate tournaments at the time, no sparring gear of any kind was required or used at all.
It was an absolute miracle no one ever decided to include gloves, mouthguards, and helmets for sparring. Because bruises, injured knuckles, elbows, shins, forearms, and all sorts of things would happen in this kind of fighting. Oddly, it just didn't.
The scoring ruleset was useful, and I was able to find specific sources for context and reference in the rulebook specifically. Most of the All Valley Tournament rule book was used from the American Tang Soo Do Association Tournament rules very faithfully actually.
First, the scoring was clear that all strikes, if scored properly, were worth a single point.
The second was that you couldn't use open hand techniques to the face. Meaning a very easy score of throwing a knife hand over the top to the head was not allowed.
Despite how detailed and admittedly fair and realistic the rules were besides no sparring gear, the most important information I deduced was how to build my combination attacks.
In competitive karate, a 'blitz' or 'combination' attack were just very rapid and sudden forward strikes chained together either applied to taking the initiative on offense, or countering while on defense to interrupt an attack.
I began to write down a list of combos, similar to the ones I had in boxing.
Like the one two hook, or the jab jab cross, or the one two one. I could come up with simpler attacks based off the All Valley tournament ruleset, and ultimately they all felt effective.
Because the All Valley tournament simply didn't allow for enough information merely from the rules the show gave us, I had developed the following strategies.
First, face and body punches were allowed, which were easily the best ways to score right off the bat or while as a counter. I planned on using my fists to attack more than anyone else probably in the Karate Kid universe until now possibly, all the kicks were flashier in the show and movies so that's what people remembered them by.
Kicks, like the classic 'pump kick' with the front leg, were probably ineffective unless I would be insanely good and fast with it. You had to be creative and strong with it, not just flicking it out there weakly hoping to get scored on.
Front kicks were okay as long as they were part of a combo or done as a scissor kick or another attack set it up first.
The jab punch. Wow. A karate jab punch that was rarely ever seen except in very major fights on occasion. I had started to perfect it in all forms because it was incredibly useful because it was so fast and easy to score with as a first attack.
Above all I had begun to study Tang Soo Do karate as much as I could online. Finding videos, tips, and techniques as much as I could and surprisingly enough, videos of basic how-tos from the 80s and 90s by people like Bill Superfoot Wallace who had perfected the three point American Tang Soo Do sparring method on a globally competitive scale gave me the best tips, essentials, and combination attacks.
Most of the fighting style was actually pretty effective on paper, it mostly boiled down to how well a karateka in this style would apply it to real life that made it worthwhile to me in self defense.
The reactivity, guard or how well a fighter kept his hands up and reacted to blows to the head and chest area, adapdativity, aggression, flexibility, stamina, and strength of a fighter were key to this style.
Ultimately I didn't see much use for me to study Miyagi-Do for more than one year anyway besides my plans. From what I gathered it could give me extremely good reflexes for counters and even attacks if applied aggressively instead of defensively in a fight.
Huh. Nevermind then, I'd hold onto it for as long as I could then, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world if I had to walk away from it.
…
It was a hot summer afternoon, nice day out, and I decided to do my grandparents a favor while getting some kata practice done at home.
I waxed on and waxed off all their wildly expensive collectible cars from the 60s to the 80s.
I was in a tank top and shorts, practicing my standard Miyagi-Do blocks by washing cars when I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"Hi."
I turned around, nodding to Demetri. "Hey."
I made a circle with my fingers and whistled loudly. "Donnie! Come here boy, bring the bucket!"
The golden retriever held a pail of soapy water in his mouth and laid it down at my feet.
"That's a good boy. Yes. Good boy."
I tossed him a biscuit from my pocket and dipped the sponge into the bucket and continued to wax the cars.
Demetri nodded slightly. "You trained him well."
"Sure did. He was trained as soon as my grandparents were able to. The Mills family were all dog breeders back in Scotland or whatever." I mumbled.
"That's pretty cool. I'm just wondering though. Why would you ever wash your own cars instead of just hiring someone to do it for you?" asked Demetri. "Your family is clearly." Demetri nodded towards my house. "Loaded."
"Well. Here's what's gonna blow your mind. What I'm doing, is actually karate."
"Karate from chores. Odd." he didn't seem to question it. "Wonder how that works."
You'd actually learn it at some point.
"I'd teach you." I said. "But you don't seem like the confrontational type."
"Yeah I'm more of a hide behind guys with muscle and fighting ability like you kinda person." said Demetri raising his hand slightly.
I chuckled. "Yeah I figured."
I was his Miguel and then Robby against Kyler and then Hawk. Huh. Funny how that worked out.
I drew my phone from my pocket, texting Robby, the newest person in my contacts.
Hey. No hard feelings about yesterday, maybe know who this is? Everything okay?
Demetri spoke. "So. Eli just downloaded the new demo for Persona 5 on his Playstation. Wanna go check it out?"
"Sure." I said, quickly rinsing down the cars with some hose water and then closing the garage door to them.
After I let Donnie back inside my house I began to walk towards Eli's house, which actually wasn't that far from my own. Only about a thirty minute walk actually, and despite me being fourteen, my grandparents didn't mind me on my own or really care that much anyway.
I muttered. "My grandparents are making me have a stupid dinner at the LaRussos."
"Who are the LaRussos?"
"They're Sam's parents. Sam's the girl who walked up to me and asked to hang out with her, remember?"
"Right. You're having dinner at a really hot girl's house. And you expect me to feel bad for you?"
I chuckled. "No Demetri. I don't."
Robby had just texted me back, which actually surprised me.
The text was a bit odd.
Lucas right? I think I need your help.
…