Just a thought

What is practical applied Karate ?

IF YOU HAVE DOUBTS, TEST YOUR TECHNIQUE AGAINST A MOVING RESISTING OPPONENT             

I think there isn't one Karate student in world who hasn't said to himself or herself at one time or another,

"This block will never ever work in a real fight, so why am I learning it?" 

But he or she is within the confine of the dojo, and for those Karate styles or dojos who practice "tradition" over everything else, it is and was unthinkable and disrespectful to question your Sensei. 

When your Sensei said, you listened, trained and that's it. The most common reply would be it's not working because you did not train hard enough or long enough. 

Nobody ever thought it's because that particular Karate block (used in that way or this) is not practical in a real fight.

So your own common sense, body biomechanics and anatomical capability are thrown out of the window just because of tradition or ego.

 I suggest every time you have doubts on a particular Karate technique, voice it out or better, pressure-test the technique against a moving resisting opponent.                                                                       

 All those typical Karate blocks you've been taught:

Gedan barai (downward block), 

Jodan uke (high block), 

Shuto uke (knife hand block),

Soto uke (outer forearm block), 

Uchi uke (inner forearm block), 

Morote uke (supported hand block) and etc. most likely won't work in a sparring context . 

You probably never got those blocks to work in your dojo Kumite (sparring) sessions.  
This is because sparring and fighting are different (one is a practice tool, the other is not).
Totally  different and  attacks in the street are totally different.  
 So techniques meant for one purpose are not readily interchangeable for sport or play.                                                                                     

If you've been training in the way that most Karate styles are, you would be hit while drawing your hand back  to chamber a block, it's simply too slow. You probably stand a better chance blocking those incoming strikes or punches by covering your head with both your arms, or by flinching.
 In the heat of a real fight, everything would be flying fast and furious. 

So chambering any punches, strikes or blocks will not be effective, whether to block, to strike or to generate more power.  

It's better to just strike or block from where your hands and legs are, unless the opponent has been stunned or sufficiently incapacitated for a final KO blow.

That's why any simple one move street fighting move is always more effective than any elaborate fancy Karate technique from most typical Karate tournament style. News about black belts being beaten-up by some street gangsters thugs or hoodlums are nothing new.

The way unarmed people fight now is no different from feudal Japan few hundred years ago. Most fights consist of lots of hand work: punching, slapping, grabbing, pushing, pulling, poking and scratching. Most of the strikes will be aimed at your head.