“The 100 Deadliest Karate Moves”
Posted on 21. Jun, 2009 by Jesse in Archive, Karate
Last week, while browsing some Karate books, I found a really interesting book.
It is in English, and on the front page it says (with big letters): “The 100 Deadliest Karate Moves”. I just had to read a little!
I won’t do a review though. But let me quote a little. If you are a sensitive person, you might want to skip this.
First, let’s look at some of the techniques the author thinks are especially good for self-defense.
I have not made anything up. This is straight from the book:
15: Side Kick to Throat
Damage; crushed throat, broken Adam’s apple. Result: attacker will die unless given immediate medical attention.16: Side Kick to Jaw
Damage: broken jaw, loss of consciousness. Result: attacker will be knocked out for several minutes, require medical attention.19: Side Kick to Heart
Damage: crushed or cracked chest, broken sternum, possibly stopped heart. Result: attacker will be unable to breathe for several minutes; may die.20: Side Kick to Back of Head
Damage: broken neck, loss of consciousness. Result: attacker will be knocked out, usually permanently crippled; may die.23: Roundhouse to Temple (toes directly contact temple)
Damage: cracked skull, nerve damage, blood stoppage to brain. Result: attacker will be knocked out, may go into a fit or delirium.33: Knee Drop to Heart
Damage: heart will be stopped, rib cage crushed, lungs punctured. Result: attacker will usually die unless given immediate medi- cal help.34: Stomp to Heart
Damage: stopped heart, cracked or crushed chest, punctured lungs. Result: attacker will usually die unless given immediate medical attention.36: Stomp to Throat
Damage: crushed throat. Result: attacker will usually die unless given immediate medical attention.
Okay, now you get the idea. But, a Karate book wouldn’t be complete without some street fighting applications, right? Well, the book has loads of those.
I quote (this is exactly what the book says):
Situation One: You are standing by your car ready to get in when an attacker with a crowbar tries to kill you. Response: You have several courses of action. You may turn quickly and snap a FRONT KICK into his throat.
Situation Two: You are getting into your car with your wife when two thugs attack you with a crowbar, trying to kill you. Response: You both react with kicks; the man with a SIDE KICK to the face; the woman with a BACK KICK to the groin. You then finish them off with STOMPS to the throat and neck.
Situation Four: A woman is walking down the street when a would-be rapist grabs her. Response: She reacts with a ROUNDHOUSE to the groin. She continues to turn and thrusts a HEEL KICK to the throat, kicking him down where she finishes him off with a STOMP to the head.
Situation Six: You are at the cash wash when two men jump you and manage to grab you. One gets you into a bear hug. Response: You react to the one in front of you with a SNAP KICK to the groin.Then you do a REAR LIFT KICK to the groin of the man holding you.The come around with an ELBOW SMASH to his face, knocking him down.You finish him with a STOMP to the face, with the other one you use a SHUTO to the throat [picture of you kneeling down and executing the unconscious attacker with a SHUTO to the throat].
Okay, that’s enough.
Are you feeling sick? I was, when I read this the first time. And you haven’t even seen the illustrations (everyone wears Speedos)! By the way, the author is a 5th degree black belt, and holds a Dr. title!
This is not Karate.
Sure, the techniques might be similar to Karate techniques. The Japanese terminology used here and there (Shuto etc.) might be similar to Karate. But the rest is just… killing.
The book should be titled “The 100 Best Moves For Killing Somebody”!
Don’t you think so? And besides, when is (for example) # 20: “Side Kick to Back of Head” ever self-defense?
Karate is self-defense.
If you are standing behind somebody, and somehow manage to whip up a side kick (in your tight jeans), to the back of somebody’s head, that’s not self-defense. How is the back of somebody a threat?
And if you really need to attack people violently from behind, why not kick them between the legs? Or simply trip them over? Or choke them? Or bend their arm the wrong way? Or sweep their legs away? All of those, combined (!), are easier (and more humane!) than doing a side kick to the back of the head.
And do we even have to mention the rest of the techniques? Stomp to the head, heart, throat, face…
That’s not anywhere near Karate.
It’s etaraK. The opposite of Karate.
Yet… I have seen those exact moves in demonstrations here in Okinawa, the birtplace of Karate.
I am not kidding.
There is one certain big organization (no names mentioned) that always finishes their Karate (self-defense, remember?) demonstrations with stomps to the head, throat and groin of the downed attacker. Apparently, they think it’s Karate – The way of the empty hand.
I think it’s disgusting – The way of the empty head.
Hmm…
My Kobudo teacher sometimes says this (in very basic “Japlish”): “Karate and Kobudo is not for killing. Because after the fight, you can be friends.”
He believes Karate and Kobudo (deadly, sharp weapons, remember?) is used to help people who have “swayed off” the path of peace. You just use a little force, simply to bring them back to the path, and then you can continue to walk it… together.
I think that is a great philosophy.
That… is Karate.
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30 Responses to ““The 100 Deadliest Karate Moves””
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So true…
By the way, I just have to ask – what was the #1 deadliest attack?
…sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind…
@Oliver:
They were not ordered like that, it was just “here are the 100 most deadly moves”. All of them are number 1!
@Jim: Sure, but there is a limit to cruelty too.
When someone slaps u at the back of ur head,what should you do?what would be your immediate response?
@Chetanya M:
I think the natural response is to bend forward a little, raise both hands and turn around?
I don’t understand what that has got to do with the post…
If someone slapped me on the back of my head I would probably…
turn around and BREAK HIS FACE WITH A HEADBUTT while I GRAB HIS NUTS AND TWIST EM THE F*** OFF followed by GOUGING HIS EYES OUT WITH MY THUMBS and then right on the spot SNAP HIS NECK OFF. After that I would of course SIDE KICK HIM TO THE THROAT, because that is karate, AND WHEN HE LIES THERE CRYING IN PAIN I WOULD STOMP HIS HEART OUT and finish with a KNEE-DROP on his forehead.
I think I learned this from a book…
Jesse I think you have been misguided.
Yes I have read this book and felt it was a boat load of crap but it did have some information which is true.
Although your comments on karate are very negitive.
Karate originated from okinawa and the techniques in karate are meant for killing.
Infact the principle of karate is one hit one kill.
Does not always mean you have to kill your opponent.
you have the choice to either put your opponent in a lock, stun him, break his bones, or even kill him but that is your choice.
I am not trying to justify this book but the title did mention deadliest …. i have seen the other books from this same author and most of them make me want to laugh cause i know for a fact he wont last in a real street fight with opponents with knifes and guns.
But you cannot generalise the idea that karate is not violence.
Karate has and will always be violence.
Martial arts… means the art of killing not making friends
peace
@Kj
I’m sad you feel that way.
And I for you feel that way.
Kj,
Karate is not made for killing, karate is made for surviving.
The army teaches how to kill. Karate was trained by civilians who wanted to defend themself, these civilians (peasants/merchants etc) were not taught to kill but to survive. They didn’t fight any wars or battles.
The samurai on the other hand, who were in the army, or todays soldiers, are being taught to kill. (and they are not being taught karate)
@Kj
Karate was not made for killing, but can certainly be used for killing (as we see in the “100 Deadliest…” book). The original purpose was purely from a civilian self-defence point of view.
If Karate is about killing, then half of Harlem’s ghetto would be Hanshi 10th Dan, and the first person on Okinawa with a gun would be the greatest Karate master who ever lived.
Haha very well said regarding the harlem ghetto. I think that the philosophy you mentioned before about getting people back on track through karate is one that all true practitioners should consider before confrontation with an opponent. I do think that when someones life is in danger that a side kick to the throat may become necessary but that avoiding such violence should be the first option. By the way great vids on youtube and great articles.
Hi James,
Thank you!
Methinks this is more like the martial side of martial arts.
If I may throw out a hypothetical situation.
Your only transport is by foot. You are attacked in an alley. Here are the first 5 choices that come to mind (not in any order).
1. Kill
2. KO (which could result in option 1 do to brain bleed or suffocation [if submitting them] etc.)
3. Incapacitate (risk of death by blood loss)
4. Hide (probably the best choice if you don’t want to damage your attacker, but he doesn’t really learn anything accept “Well, maybe I can get the next guy” either that or he finds you)
5. Weapons(tazer, pepper spray, surroundings. May result in having your cards played against you)
Options 1 and 2 are usually the most obvious choices due to the fact that they can be achieved by simply striking in “soft” spots, or choking off vital air supply to the brain.
Option 3 is less obvious, but can easily be achieved. It is hard to chase someone with a broken leg. After having taken him to the ground (There is a bunch of ways to do that). Simply slip your leg inside your opponents leg (this is similar to “leg riding” in wrestling, except you slip your opposite leg into your opponents leg). From there pull his ankle to his butt. the tibia and fibula should make a funny popping sound if done correctly. This prevents the opponent from chasing you when you go to run away, and he will have to go through plenty of surgeries and muscle rehabilitation before he can attack anyone ever again. (If he ever thinks about attacking anyone ever again) Also, call an ambulance for him so he doesn’t end up dieing of malnutrition in an alley
Option 4 is obvious, but less likely to work. If he’s faster than you he will see where you try to hide. If he finds you and you’re back is not to a wall he may try to attack from behind. You can rough him up a bit and hide, but that gives him more incentive to find you if you don’t do enough damage to scare him off. Although there are plenty more variables to consider.
Option 5 is great if you can keep your opponent from using your weapons against you, which shouldn’t be a problem if you know how to use your surroundings as a weapon. If you have poor grip don’t use weapons as your opponent will probably be able to take them from you.
Note that all this data was written at 8 A.M. and I have not yet went to sleep since Friday so I may have overlooked several variables, and this post could probably use much improvement. I’m sure breaking a bone isn’t the best choice, but I can’t think of anything better at the moment. (Gah I need to go to sleep)
and the first person on Okinawa with a gun would be the greatest Karate master who ever lived.
Also, I noticed “GUN” which does not fit the “empty hand” quota.
Hello –
Just stumbled onto your site and couldn’t resist replying to the idea proposed above.
I studied Goju-Ryu more than 50 years ago, under Sesnsei Toguchi Seikichi, in his original dojo on Okinawa. Sensei Toguchi was one of the most peaceful and uncombative persons I’ve ever encountered, but he certainly taught a lot of deadly techniques. He had been taught those techniques, by the way, by his own instructor, Sensei Miyagi himself.
Many of those techniques were taught at first in slightly different, less destructive form, then later if the student seemed stable and trustworthy, more serious variations on the techniques would be taught which were extremely destructive. As the student progressed into the more advanced techniques, he would be taught the actual, seriously destructive forms without first going through the preliminary, less destructive application.
That’s why there was no such thing as karate competition on Okinawa at the time — at least, not in Goju-Ryu schools. The idea was that students would become reflexively capable of employing whatever level of violence was necessary to defend himself against attack, without having to first consider whether he was in a real fight where there were no rules, or in a tournament where he would have rules to obey.
Later on, just as Judo was a transformation away from the most destructive techniques of Jiu-Jitsu, karate began transforming itself away from its most effective techniques, in order that there could be competitions, with rules.
Whether one wishes to study karate in its original, destructive form, or on the other hand wishes to study karate in its less destructive, competition form is up to the individual, and I would criticise no one for choosing to teach, or to study, either type. I don’t think it’s correct, however, to suggest that in its original form, karate was anything but a terribly destructive art, capable of inflicting serious damage and/or death.
Just one other comment; although seriously out of practice after many years away from the dojo, I believe that I am still capable of defending myself, and of inflicting serious or deadly damage if necessary. However, I also believe that if I were ever to enter a competiton I would be beaten badly, as I would have to forgo my most effective techniques, and would have to constantly be thinking about what I would and would not be allowed to do against the opponent, rather than just reflexively defending myself to the best of my (now admittedly diminished) ability.
that’s… gross.
karate is self defense and karate teaches us to be patient and not to kill people unless we really had to. like war or something.
but if we accidentally killed someone only by some karate moves, there’s nothing much we can do. after all, the world now is very dangerous. you can’t trust people very, very much. you have to be alert. and sometimes we have to kill for self defense. but it’s better if we only traumatize the person who’s trying to attack us. only use killing when we really need to.
whers the rest of the moves
In the book.
Good point about the kick to the back of the head!
I have only been training (shotokan) for 9 months, but I am absolutely loving it (hence discovering the videos of Karate by Jesse on Youtube) and very much agree with the idea that it should be used for defence and isn’t “violent”.
“Violent” implies aggression, which is not what karate is about, the way I see it. I’m finding it is simply providing me with more confidence. Both for life in general and for those nights when I might be walking back to mine from a night out. I’m not going to be looking for a fight, but if someone should try any monkey-business I’m far less likely to go to pieces!
Also @Jesse, I wouldn’t consider your comments on karate to be “negative” because you say it shouldn’t be used for killing (see Kj’s post), I think that is a positive way of describing karate. Well done!
Your site has me well and truly transfixed!
I remember getting this book in ebook pdf format years ago. Couldn’t read the whole thing. I found it laughable, but now I’m a touch more mature, I do find it sickening. There’s a lot more to martial arts than hitting/injurying/killing/EXECUTING (shuto to the throat of a downed opponent??) people who annoy you. The author, doctor and black belt or not, has seen far too many movies, and not even good ones..
surely the single main aim of any military martial art is to defeat an enemy/attacker/opponent in the shortest time causing the maximum damage thus eliminating the threat to you .and giving you the fitness skills stamina to do this . unless you are doing it for fitness or mental well being and are ok that your techniques are not something your life can depend on should the need arise,
I disagree. First the point of martial arts is to defeat an attacker, and not any enemy or opponent. At least thats my point of view.
Secondly, there is no need to inflict maximum damage to the attacker in order to eliminate the threat. Jûdô and Aikidô are perfect examples of this in my opinion; as powerful as they can be, the attacker is controlled “peacefully” without having to resort to things like a kick to the head or a shuto at the throat.
the need to end any conflict quickly is a main aim surely, if we say we are not using the arts for military reasons and a self defence situation needs the use of skills i still feel that ending the fight quickly and effectively first is of importance, restraining someone intent on doing you harm is harder than you may realise training in your safe dojo and what happens when your attacker has friends that may join in, can you restrain them all effectively ..i think not, its the same as the bjj ill choke you out argument, yeah while getting a kick or stamp on the head from a would be attackers mate who has no moral code to work to,
I’m with you Tibz. First off I wouldn’t describe karate as a military martial art as it was originally developed by monks in India for self defence if I remember correcty.
Secondly, you can stop an aggressor without inflicting max damage. A good kick to thensolar plexus will have someone on the floor for plenty long enough to let you make your escape without killing them.
That said, if someone was attacking my girlfriend i would do what it took to make them
Stop.
It is easy to see why most people, whether or not they practise martial arts are reluctant to causing another human being injury that could maim or kill. That is why normal sane people are disgusted by what is shown in the book. It may be disgusting to contemplate, but this book has essential information. This book is not for everyone and I would not recommend it for beginners or immature karateka. It is important to know what kind of injury a technique can cause in order to judge if the defense situation calls for it. There is a very big difference between a mugger and someone or a group hell-bent on killing you. The techniques in the book are quite obviously meant to be used in only the most extreme cases of assault where the attacker`s intent is simply and purely the bloody murder of yourself or your loved ones. Killing or maiming techniques like the ones shown are rarely needed(unless you live in a very violent environment or a war zone) as most attackers can be stopped with just enough pain to make them give up. Especially if they are `normal and sane` people whose intention is anything less than murder
i agree with the above and would add that practising techniques without the knowledge and understanding of the damage they will cause could have very bad consequences..
nerve damage, main artery damage ect could all result from improper use of a seemingly simple move,
i understand this book was not intending teaching this and was a bit thug ish in its direction but felt the point close to topic,
Perhaps the `thuggish` direction of the book was intentional to emphasize the type of threat that would call for maiming or killing an attacker and the relative ease of doing it with techniques that are commonly learned and practised in martial arts often without realizing their potential. An intermediate or advanced martial artist with no idea of the damage he can potentially inflict and difficulty controlling himself is more dangerous than an expert with fighting experience who know exactly how easily and seriously he can destroy another human body.
How is the side kick to the back of the head reprehensible, but according to you Motobu’s kick to the spine to an attacker who threatened him at dinner was arguably alright? Just saying.
I definitely think Motobu’s kick to the spine was overkill! I mean, he wasn’t like the rest of us. But on the other hand, his opponent was armed with a butcher knife…
And oh, he is a Karate legend, so we can’t argue with anything he does
And kicking to the head is just pointless when you can easily kick to the back/groin with nearly the same result.
But you have a point!