| Karate, or Karate-do, loosely translates empty | | | | hand). It was not until the 20th century that t'ang |
| hand ("kara" means empty and "te" means hand). | | | | became known as Karate-do. The suffix do was |
| This art is indeed predominantly concerned with | | | | added by Gichin Funakoshi's son Yoshitaka |
| fighting with bare hands and feet. The basic | | | | Funakoshi, in friendly opposition to his father's |
| principle is to turn the body into an effective | | | | Okinawa-te style. Practice and demonstrations until |
| weapon to defend and attack when and where it | | | | that time had been extremely violent. Punches |
| is appropriate. | | | | were not pulled and full contact was an integral |
| History: | | | | part of the Okinawa-te style. Yoshitaka Funakoshi |
| Karate is one of the most widely practised of the | | | | transformed the techniques of Okinawa-te into a |
| oriental martial arts. It evolved during one of the | | | | gentler system, seeking not to deliver blows fully, |
| Japanese occupations of the island of Okinawa, | | | | but to focus strikes at skin level. The do suffix |
| part of the Ryukyu chain of islands, in the 15th | | | | expressed the move away from the aim of the |
| century. Its roots, however, can be traced back | | | | warrior and towards physical and spiritual |
| much further than this - all the way back to | | | | development. |
| ancient India. Many people hold the view that what | | | | Styles: |
| we regard today as the oriental martial arts have | | | | There are numerous styles of karate practised. |
| their roots in India. In fact, when we look at such | | | | Wado Ryu and Shotokan are just 2 of them. |
| disciplines as yoga and the breathing techniques | | | | Other popular systems include Shinto Ryu, |
| that originated in India, there does seem to be a | | | | developed in 1948, and now one of the main |
| great similarity between those and many of the | | | | systems in the world. It is also important to |
| modern martial arts systems. | | | | realise that the various styles of Karate are the |
| Zen Buddhist monks took the Indian fighting | | | | results of the personal ideas of many individuals |
| techniques to China from as early as the 5th | | | | about how each basic technique should be carried |
| century BC. Bodhidharma, an Indian monk, | | | | out or applied. The different techniques within the |
| travelled at the end of the 5th century AD from | | | | styles of Karate also dictate whether strength, |
| India to China, where he became an instructor at | | | | speed, hand or leg techniques are emphasised. |
| the Shaolin monastery. He taught a combination | | | | Competitive Karate: |
| of empty hand fighting systems and yoga. This | | | | Karate has been a self defense system and a |
| became the well-known Shaolin Kong Fu - the | | | | form of physical exercise. The competitive and |
| system on which many Chinese martial arts | | | | sporting elements have a further part to play in |
| systems are based. | | | | the individual's enjoyment of this activity. It is |
| In 1470, the Japanese had occupied the island of | | | | because of the possibility of participation in |
| Okinawa. The law of the land dictated that | | | | competition that many people take up this art. |
| anybody found carrying weapons would be put to | | | | Competition is not the only reason for engaging in |
| death. In order to protect themselves from local | | | | this art. It is possible to learn Karate without |
| bandits, who largely ignored the prohibition on | | | | participating in competitions, however for some |
| weapons, Zen Buddhist monks developed the | | | | people, competition provides motivation and |
| empty hand system known as "te", importing | | | | stimulation for training. The sense of achievement |
| new techniques from China. Eventually the new | | | | that comes from just taking part can be carried |
| art was translated as "t'ang" (China hand), but | | | | over into everyday life. |
| was familiarly known as "Okinawa-te" (Okinawa | | | | |