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