What is Karate

Karate is a martial art, or fighting method, involving a variety of techniques, including blocks, strikes, evasions, throws, and joint manipulations. Karate practice is divided into three aspects: kihon (basics), kata (forms), and kumite (sparring).  The word karate is a combination of two Japanese characters: kara, meaning "empty," and te, meaning "hand;" thus, kara means empty hand. Adding the suffix -do ("doe"), meaning "way," i.e., karate-do, implies karate as a total way of life that goes well beyond the self-defense applications. In traditional karate-do, we always keep in mind that the true opponent is oneself. Shotokan founder Gichin Funakoshi has said that "mind and technique become one in true karate." We strive to make our physical techniques pure expressions of our mind's intention, and to improve our mind's focus by understanding the essence of the physical techniques. By polishing our karate practice we are polishing our own spirit or our own mentality. For example, eliminating weak and indecisive movements in our karate helps to eliminate weakness and indecision in our minds--and vice versa.      It is in this sense that karate becomes a way of life, as we try to become very strong but happy and peaceful people. As Tsutomu Ohshima, chief instructor or shihan of Shotokan Karate of America, has put it, "We must be strong enough to express our true minds to any opponent, anytime, in any circumstance. We must be calm enough to express ourselves humbly."

Benefits of Martial Arts for Kids

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Get Active                                                                                                      Of course, one of the most obvious benefits of Martial Arts for kids is that it includes a physical activity component. Not only will your child move around a lot, but they’ll also build on their strength and flexibility.                                                              

 Build Self-Esteem and Confidence                                          Learning new skills increases children’s confidence and self-esteem. They’ll also need to work together with other students in the class and even perform their skills in front of people during grading or special events.                                                                                               

Work on Goal-Setting and Self-Improvement            Most types of Martial Arts have a belt or ranking system that children work through, meaning they are rewarded for their practice and mastery of skills. Focusing on a goal such as achieving a new rank or belt is a great way to learn about goal-setting and motivation.     

Get Physical in a Safe Environment                                          If you have a child who likes to punch, kick, roll or wrestle, Martial Arts offers a safe environment  in which to do it. Children learn how to punch bags, how to land safely if they fall backwards and  how to block someone else’s punches or kicks. It’s much safer than practising on their siblings  on the lounge room floor!                                        

Learn Respect and Listening Skills                                           Respecting your instructor or teacher is an important part of Martial Arts. Children will need to listen to and follow instructions in order to learn new moves and skills.    

Encourage Teamwork and Belonging                                       While Martial Arts is typically done as an individual, team work is still a vital part of practice. Working in pairs is often used to teach sparring or to work on moves.Being part of a club also Creates a sense of belonging and creates lifelong friendships.

Learn About Conflict Resolution       

You might think that Martial Arts is about fighting but it’s quite the opposite in most cases. Many Martial Arts styles focus on self-defence and don’t allow fighting between students until they are older and have more advanced skills. The ultimate aim of Martial Arts is to teach childrenpeaceful, non-violent conflict resolution skills and to help them work out ways to avoid physical altercations. Martial Arts has a lot to offer children. It gets them active and teaches them to be confident, peaceful and focused. Plus, if your child grows to love it, they can continue practising into adulthood where they will still reap many of the same benefits.