| Traditional Karate or Karatedo is one of the best | | | | Japanese fencing martial art based off of samurai |
| known styles of martial arts and is considered to | | | | sword fighting techniques. After over twenty |
| be and competition sport. It first became popular | | | | years of study he began teaching and |
| in the west in the 1960's, but Karate was originally | | | | demonstrating his new style in Okinawa and later |
| developed for self-defense. Created with Chinese | | | | Japan where he continued to write and teach. His |
| help on the island of Okinawa traditional Karate is | | | | son Yoshitaka Funakoshi would add kicking |
| brutal form of combat that employs vicious | | | | techniques and low stances and long attacks, |
| strikes with the hands and feet as and depending | | | | chained techniques that would break with |
| on the style throws, grappling, and joint | | | | traditional Okinawan martial arts. |
| manipulations are also part of the training. There | | | | The long and deep stances and more linear |
| are many different styles of Karate with each | | | | movements used in Shotokan Karate differ from |
| focusing on a different area, and countless other | | | | the circular movements other Okinawan styles |
| styles have incorporated Karate techniques. | | | | use, but those wouldn't be the only changes |
| Of all the styles of Karate being practiced today | | | | Funakosi would make to the art. Once in Japan |
| though Shotokan is probably the most recognized. | | | | Funakosi began calling Karate the"empty hand" |
| Action star Jean-Claude Van Damme practices | | | | instead of "China hand" which had been the |
| Shotokan Karate, and the style was used in the | | | | tradition in Okinawan schools for generations. His |
| Karate Kid films. The style was brought to | | | | actions angered many other instructors and |
| mainland Japan from Okinawa by Gichin Funakosi | | | | Funakosi could never go back to Okinawa, but his |
| in 1921, and it includes elements from ShMrei-ryk | | | | style of self defense continues to be taught are |
| and ShMrin-ryk Karate, and even Kendo. Created | | | | the world. Sadly though Shotokan Karate has |
| with self defense in mind, Shotoanwas named | | | | been turned into a tournament combat sport with |
| after the training a hall where his students | | | | a points based system. Funakosi intended for his |
| practiced. The style stresses dynamic power and | | | | style to be used for self defense against enemy |
| constant movement, and devastating strikes. | | | | soldiers and criminals not to score points in a |
| The basic goal of traditional Karate was to kill or | | | | martial arts competition. |
| disable an opponent as quickly as possible, and | | | | Today many martial arts schools are concerned |
| considering the samurai who guarded Okinawa | | | | with combat sport Karate which is basically point |
| were armed to the teeth it was necessary. The | | | | sparring while others focus on the self defense |
| Japanese ruled Okinawa with an iron fist and one | | | | aspect with others trying to teach both. Prior to |
| of their first acts was to completely ban the | | | | World War II Karate was all about full contact and |
| natives from owning weapons. So Shotokan | | | | self defense, but now it is about trophies and kids |
| Karate was developed with real life combat | | | | birthday parties. All the traditional forms were all |
| situations in mind not sport competitions. Though | | | | about hard strikes and offered many different |
| Funakosi would create his style that uses deep | | | | options to help a martial artist win in a fight, but |
| stances and linear movements much later than | | | | over time, they became civilized. Traditional styles |
| some of the other styles he still held to Karate's | | | | like Shotokan at their heart are meant for self |
| founding principals. His style was simple, effective, | | | | defense, but many of the lethal techniques were |
| and deadly. | | | | removed to make things safer for sports. Though |
| In 1879 Gichin Funakosi like many of his peers | | | | there are some instructors out there teaching real |
| started training in martial arts and studied both | | | | combat karate they are few so do your research |
| ShMrei-ryk and ShMrin-ryk styles of Karate which | | | | and know that just because you're learning |
| were popular at the time. Finding them to | | | | Karate doesn't mean you can protect yourself. |
| complex he began to develop a simpler style | | | | Remember real self defense is never complicated |
| taking from the best aspects of both. He also | | | | and it always works whether you have on a gi or |
| drew from his experiences in Kendo, the | | | | not. |