From The Martial Arts Encyclopedia

Article by Chuck Hardin.

Summary

Ryoute is described on its homepage as an art which uses the movements of karate kata as a basis for a non-combative grappling art. It is a combination of competitive sport and dance, and is therefore similar in some respects to capoeira, but it specifically disclaims any combat application.

Origin

Ryoute is a modern art, according to Martin Clewett, its co-inventor along with Ian Campbell. Clewett claims that it was created as an alternate way to interpret the practice of bunkai. Instead of finding combat applications in kata, ryoute is a ruleset intended to create a sport in which the movements of kata arise naturally from the rules, and in which artistic expression emerges similarly from the constraints of the art.

Discussion on Bullshido

Ryoute was the subject of a Bulldhido thread. At the time, members believed that it was intended as a combat art, and criticized it harshly. Member Ke?poFist pointed out that ryoute's proponents stated explicitly that it was not intended as a fighting art, but this did not appear to diminish the criticism leveled at the art.

Clewett came onto Bullshido to clarify his intent, stating that "[t]hese grappling styles are not intended to teach self defence or fighting and are purely recreational".

Member It is Fake pointed out that some of the text on the ryoute website could be taken to imply that it was a combat grapplling art or that it had combat applications. Clewett agreed to post an FAQ on his site to clarify this point, and did so promptly.

Bullshido has no outstanding investigative issues with ryoute or its inventors. As long as it makes no claims to have combat applications, it is not subject to the usual Bullshido critiques about aliveness or practicality. Instead, it is an interesting alternative interpretation of kata.