"A BODY IN MOTION STAY'S IN MOTION, A BODY AT REST STAY'S AT REST"
"A BODY IN MOTION STAY'S IN MOTION, A BODY AT REST STAY'S AT REST"
Sport aspect of Karate is a rather new phenomenon. It first started in an official fashion in 1956 in Japan. Sport karate is a controlled form of testing out your skills in Shotokan with another competitor. The techniques that each competitor uses against the other are delivered in a controlled fashion. In other words the punches and kicks are pulled back just in time so no one is hurt. Light contact is allowed to the body and no contact is allowed to the head excepting for the higher ranking black belts who have developed extreme control of their techniques. Light contact is then allowed to the face and head by only these higher ranking black belts. The development of sport karate has created a large debate about its merits and disadvantages. For those who are heavily involved in the self defense aspect of karate (Bujutsu), they frown upon sport tournaments because many of the techniques that would be use in self defense cannot be safely use in sport karate without the competitors getting seriously hurt. So they argue that those who compete regularly only practice the techniques they need for sport competition and ignore the martial aspect of karate. They also say that in fighting there are no rules except for chaos in tournament fighting that cannot be allowed for obvious reasons. Those who argue in favor say it is necessary to develop martial skills since it puts you against a competitor in a situation where you don't know what the other person is going to do and how and when. It builds timing and rhythm sensing the opponent and learning how to read the opponents moves before he commences them. Also when you're in competition there is the pressure and adrenalin effect that some argue simulates a confrontation situation and therefore teaches you how to control this stress and fear. In traditional Japanese Shotokan Karate we believe that sport completion has its place but it is secondary to the true meaning of Shotokan Karate as spelled out earlier, "The Way".
Shotokan Karate training is made up of three basic units Kihon, Kata, and Kumite. The three K's of karate. Each category is broken up into many levels of progressive learning. We start out with the simple and build up to the more complex. Each person progresses at their own rate. There is nothing easy about karate and requires great effort and determination, but the end result in time is spectacular! If you have a child who attends a truly traditional Asian martial and he works hard at it for a year you will not believe the progress he will make as a person and in his physical abilities. This will only get better as he continues. For an adult or an aged person the gains are also likewise spectacular. In traditional karate you cannot lie or cheat your way through the gains are as large as you work at it!