Karate Basics

Karate-Do is a japanese martial art, introduced from Okinawa in 1922. In japanese Kara means empty ; Te means hand ; Do means the way, so'Karate-Do' means'the way of the empty hand'. Shuri-Te, Naha-Te, Tomari-Te are the 3 styles of Te ( Hands ) that Karate descended from. Even though it is 'the way of the empty hand', karate equipment for training is involved.

Karate, like jujutsu and judo, most likely came to America thru 2 primary paths : jap immigrants to Hawaii and the mainland, where it stayed mostly inside the japanese Yank community, although to a smaller degree in Hawaii, and by specialized study by members of the police and the army. It might be safe to claim that the biggest boost to the popularization of karate in America came with the american army occupation of Japan after WWII ; once American soldiers had absorbed the discipline, they returned with it to the States and started to distibute it.

Like most martial-arts active in Japan, Karate made its transition to Karate-Do at the start of the 20th century. Karate-Do does not, contrary to its Chinese relatives, include the utilization of weapons. Any weapons used are exactly within the Okinawan tradition, kobudo, the employment of modified farming tools and common implements as weapons, since 'normal' weapons were banned in Okinawa. Within Karate and Karate-Do, there are a great number of different Ryu's ( styles or colleges ). The most renowned are Shaolin ( Shorin-Ryu,'Forest style' ), Shobayashi ('small forest style' ), Kobayashi-ryu ('young forest style' ), Matsubayashi-ryu, ('pine forest style' ), Matsumura Seito ('Orthodox Style' ) and Matsumura Motobu ('Street Style' ). From these came the more favored styles we have today like Shorinji-ryu ( Kempo ) and Shorei-ryu as well as Shotokan ('pine wave' ) and Goju ryu ('hard-soft way' ) also Kyokushin ('ultimate truth' ). Other main line styles are Seido, Wado Ryu ('way of peace' ), Uechi Ryu, and Shito ryu as well as Isshin-ryu. Some styles of karate have teachers that have created hybrids of karate styles like JIKC style which uses a combination of karate styles.

The Shotokan style of Karate is characterized by deep, long stances to provide stability and robust movements. At the other end of the spectrum, Wado-Ryu ('way of peace' ) prefers quick and refined body movements ( known as 'tai sabaki' ) to dodge attacks and swift counter attacks. The Wado-Ryu style was introduced to the west by Sensei Tatsuo Suzuki.

Karate is a hard martial art and emphasises striking techniques ( i.e. Slapping and kicking ) over grappling. Karate can be split into 2 major parts, kumite and kata. Kumite means sparring and develops from well outlined forms to the free form named randori. Kata means forms and is a fight againt imaginary enemies, it is a fixed sequence of moves.

Karate is also a competetive sport although, unlike taekwondo and judo it is not yet an olympic sport. Competition can be in either Kumite or Kata and either as an individual or a team.

Yakusoku Kumite, starts at Green Belt ( Yon-Kyu ) 2 opponents usually square off and fight till a clean point is scored as indicated by one of 2 seated judges by colored flags or seen by the standing referee. At this point sparring is stopped and the point is awarded. Points systems vary but in general a half point ( wazari ) is awarded for a single punch or for a kick to the body. A full point ( ippon ) is given for an attack such as a head kick, any attack following the adversary being brought to the ground or a combination strategy ( renrakuwaza ).

Jiyu Kumite can look more of a fight or street fight. It's the more heavy side of the martial arts being done more for defense or close combat'Real Time' training than for sport. Though every methodology should be controlled, the wrestlers do push themselves to be their best ( No points are awarded ).

In Kata points are awarded by five seated judges similar to either gymnastics or ice skating contests depending on the quality of the performance. A good Kata performance should perform all of the movements properly but also show a personal interpretation of the movements through one's variation in speed. When Kata is performed as a team ( usually of 3 ), it's also vital to match the timing of strategies as closely as possible.

In Kumite there are 2 fighters paired up in a timed fight, customarily starting from 2 to 5 minutes. Score is awarded either by methodology or location.

In the U. S. karate tournaments are a well-liked part of karate as a sport, ranging in size from small local gatherings to countrywide events. They're often split into classes by ability, age and event type ( Kata, Kumite and weapons-kata ), and have rules depending on location and the chief style ( s ) involved.

For Karate Instructors: The Art Of Effective Feedback In Class

If you want to become a successful and influential instructor, you will have to become a master of not only the martial arts but also of interpersonal skills with your students. The Art of Effective Feedback will become a cornerstone of your relationships with your students and of the ultimate success of your students within your program. Practice this advice and reap the benefits, ignore it at your peril!



Be sure to give feedback to students in the class on a regular basis. Try to make all feedback either positive or constructive, and avoid any negative feedback if possible. Negative feedback should only be used as a last resort when there are behavioral issues, rather than issues of poor technique; and even then, there are steps you should take before resorting to negative feedback.



Positive feedback is obvious. Comments such as "that was a great kick," "nice stance," "that's the best I've seen you do that kata (form)," "you really looked like you were trying hard in sparring today" go a long way towards creating a positive atmosphere and a comfortable environment in which to learn.



When you add the student's name to any of the above types of encouragement then your relationship to that particular student will improve almost immediately. The importance of using your students' names when giving feedback cannot be understated. If you get nothing else from this article, please remember that personalization of your feedback is often more valuable than the feedback itself!



Constructive feedback should always have the objective of giving the student some new information from which they can learn. Comments such as "your stance is terrible," "your punches are way off target," and "why do you even bother coming to class?" are inappropriate and should be avoided, even if they are true.



It would be better to say things like "Johnny, your kicks are really good today, you must have been practicing at home. When you go home today practice the same kicks from a deeper stance and your karate will look fantastic next time you come back to class"; or, "Mary, your punches have a lot of power, if you can deliver them on target every time you're going to be extremely strong"; or, "James, it looks like you're having a bad day and that's OK but do you remember that time you came to class and you were doing an awesome job and trying your best. I was impressed. I'd love to see that strong spirit again."



These kinds of comments are not going to work every time but they certainly have more of a chance of encouraging a change in the student's output in terms of effort and technical competence than a short one-sentence put down.



These approaches are very simple ways to break the ice between you and your students and show them not only that you are serious about helping them progress in the martial arts, but more importantly that you care about them as a person and as a valued member of your club.



Gone are the days of the Prima Donna instructor who plays the role of an indifferent and unaffected demi-God. Here-to-stay, are the days of realistic and honest feedback from an expert in the arts to his or her esteemed and paying members.

Real Karate Is More Than Just Kicks And Punches

With all the different styles of martial arts that are practiced today karate is definitely the most popular. There are karate studios all over the country in virtually every town and city. They are not all the same, however, as the best ones will teach traditional Japanese karate, which involves more than just self-defense techniques.



Karate is a truly incredible art form, one which is built upon the basic concept of merging the body and mind into a defensive weapon and using it to protect not only ones own self, but others as well.



Karate has actually always been one of the most practiced martial art forms in the world, and it strongly relies on physical coordination and mental focus. There are many different physics that are involved with this particular type of martial arts, and this is important because in any fight between two people, both of the fighters bring in a certain amount of energy to the situation.



Generally a stronger person will be able to exert more energy and stamina than a weaker one, but this does not mean that they will always come out on top. It is also important to realize that just because someone is taller this certainly does not mean that they are stronger or in any way that they will come out as the victor simply because of their physical stature.



The Importance of Concentration



Concentration is one of the key elements involved in karate. First of all, you have to begin by learning how to focus on your breathing and making your mind still. This will eventually enable you to concentrate all of your focus on one part of your body, your hand for example when throwing a punch.



Learning how to focus with all of their intensity is how martial artists can generate so much force behind a punch or kick. Without the proper concentration no moves can be made properly and they will not be effective.



You also have to have serious dedication in order to be successful at this martial art form, and if you are interested in learning about it, then there are a few steps involved in doing so.



What to Expect When You Start Learning Karate



When you first start learning karate, you are going to be introduced to certain individual techniques, which include single blocks and strikes, for instance. These are basically the easiest of all to learn and are the basic fundamentals of the martial art form.



These fundamentals are incorporated into so many of the other, more advanced karate moves that they are basically essential to learn in order to progress to higher learning. As stated above good karate instruction will also be centered around mental focus and discipline, not just kicks and punches.



If you are interested in bettering your mind and spirit as well as learn how to defend yourself, karate classes might be right for you or your children. It is also a great way to get in physical shape while having fun at the same time.



Look around your local area for classes, but remember to make sure that you are learning traditional Japanese karate and not some trendy strip mall self defense.

Which Martial Art Is The Best?

I'm often asked the question "Which is better, Karate or Taekwondo?"; "Which is stronger, Judo or Kung Fu?"; or more direct questions such as "Could you beat a Mixed Martial artist in a fight?"



Thanks to the current popularity of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) we are seeing a showcase of different styles being pitted against one another. However my answer to all of these questions has to do with the many different paths that are available in the martial arts, and the one common destination.



Before I elaborate on what that actually means let me first give you a situation. You are standing outside your local shopping mall and you want to get home. How many ways could you do it? Well you would normally drive, either in your car or someone else's but you could also take the bus, ride a bike, walk or even hitchhike. Which way is best?



Of course most of you will tell me to drive. It's quicker, you don't have to pay for a bus, you have control of your trip and you don't have to use much energy. But are any of the other methods any less valid? You still reach your objective, and that is to get home. Granted it takes longer but maybe you learn something along the way that could be valuable for the rest of your life; or maybe you just have a miserable journey and wish you had driven!



Different martial arts are very similar to that. Some of them are like riding your bike. You get some exercise without straining yourself too much, but it takes a little bit longer than you wanted to get to your destination, others are like walking the whole way - it takes hours to get there but you see all kinds of sights on the way and learn a lot. However, you have to decide whether the time it took was worth the effort. Then finally you have the quick option to get in your car and drive in order to get there quickly. Some martial arts offer you this too but you have to ask yourself if you were even looking at and enjoying the sights along the way, much less learning something.



So which is better, Karate or Taekwondo? Which is stronger, Judo or Kung Fu? I have an answer and here it is!



No one martial art is better than another, yet at the same time all martial arts have something that is better than the others, and ultimately the choice one makes as to which martial art to study comes down to personal preference.



Let me give you some concrete examples of what I mean by this answer. Firstly consider a 250-pound muscular, well proportioned man being pitted against a 150-pound toned guy of equal technical ability in a wrestling match. There is no doubt in my mind that the bigger guy will win 9 times out of 10 because of his sheer size and strength. There is a lot of skill involved in wrestling and that is why I said they have the same technical ability. But wrestling generally favors the bigger fighter.



So let's put these same fighters in a Karate tournament where the goal is not to pin your opponent into submission but to score points through quick, powerful and focused techniques. The small guy now doesn't have to worry about being smothered, he just has to worry about whether he is fast enough to get in and out of the big man's guard and score the point. The chances for each fighter winning are a little more even in this match.



Now let's make the small guy a ju-jitsu expert who understands wrist locks, arm locks and pressure points and let's make the big guy a lumbering yet strong oaf. I would almost guarantee that the ju-jitsu guy would win this fight in spite of the seeming size disadvantage.



I hope that you've understood what I'm trying to say in this brief article. The point I'm making is that the question of whether one art is better than another does not depend on the art itself, but rather on the person who is studying that art. If the art is suited to the practitioner, then the martial artist will ultimately become very skillful and very accomplished. On the other hand, if the martial artist can't kick, yet chooses Taekwondo as his style he will have a very hard time!



So which martial art is the best? In the end it simply depends on you and what your specific skills and talents are! It would probably be better to ask which martial art would suit you best, and how can you find this information? I can help you here by offering to help you by offering the additional information in my FREE Report "Beginners Guide to Karate". You will find out how to download it at http://www.freekarateinformation.com



Good luck and best wishes on your journey in karate.



I hope you take me up on this offer and save yourself a lot of wasted time and effort in choosing the right martial art.