Karate                                   

What is Karate ?

Karate has been portrayed in many forms and guises over the years. A form of self defence. A method of keeping fit. An Oriental art form. A spiritual experience.   Hollywood's version of karate practitioners is usually either a brutal and undisciplined killing machine or a little old Okinawan janitor who gets his cars polished and fences painted while teaching his student ??

Karate is a way of life. Like anything else karate can be used or abused. It is certainly a useful form of self defence. The practice of karate will improve one's level of fitness. The movements in karate are graceful and beautiful and through long practice one may achieve an understanding of mind and body which could be described in spiritual terms.

Karate has much to offer society. For young people it is an interesting challenge and an outlet for otherwise harmful aggression. For adults it provides a healthy exercise system which they can continue well into old age. It is never too late to begin Karate training and the health benefits, mental and physical, are obtainable irrespective of starting age or condition. Often different generations of a family will train together helping to provide a common interest to bridge the "generation gap" that can occur in a family.                                                                          

History of Karate.

The origins of Karate date back more than a millennium. Chinese monks used physical training methods to build up the endurance and physical strength required to carry out the rigid discipline that was part of their religion. The training methods were imported to the island of Okinawa where they were adapted , further developed and blended with the indigenous fighting techniques of the island.  The Lords of ancient Okinawa banned the use of weapons by the ordinary people, thus giving rise to the further development of "empty hand" fighting and self defence techniques. This martial art took it's name from the Chinese symbols for empty hand, "kara" and "te". Ginchin Funakoshi the founder of Shotokan Karate, chose the character for it's meaning in Zen Buddhist philosophy - rendering oneself empty.

To master Funakoshi Karate was  a martial art but also a means of building character. " The student of Karate must render his mind empty of selfishness and wickedness in order to reach appropriately toward anything he might encounter". This is the meaning of "Kara" or "empty".

Karate was introduced to the Japanese public in 1922 and from there it spread throughout the world. All over the world men and women learn Karate as a practical means of self defence or as part of military or law enforcement training. It is also gaining popularity as a competitive sport which stresses mental discipline as well as physical prowess.

It is not necessary to be an exceptional athlete to begin Karate training but over the years many people have achieved physical and mental health and vitality through the practice of Karate and many so-called weaklings have transformed themselves into exceptional athletes.