Reconstructing Old style Karate

I do not believe there is enough of a “fossil record” to outline what “old-style” Karate practices consisted of. The earliest technical information we have is from Funakoshi’s publications in the early 1920s. Prior to this, there is nothing definitive, with the possible exception of Hanashiro Chomo’s Karate Kumite; however, we only have a few pages of it that were published in An Overview of Karatedo.

Hence, I don’t think there is sufficient data to reconstruct what these early practices were like. That said, I would respectfully ask Karateka, why they would even want to revert to practicing these “old ways,” even if they could be reconstructed?

These methods were intended for a time and a culture very different from our own. Some of these practices might be considered extremely dangerous, or perhaps morally and legally hazardous as well. Not to mention the potential for bodily harm when viewed from today’s perspective in health science. I, for one, would have to think twice about undertaking such practices. I believe that a combination of modern and pre-war (i.e., 1920s to 1940s) training practices is the best compromise we can come up with. Karate is an organic and evolving entity; why limit yourself to the past?