Wednesday 25 June 2014

Interesting Facts About Karate

By Leigh Metopher


Karate is an ancient martial art that originated on the island of Okinawa in Japan. The word karate actually means "hand," and while punching and striking are important components of karate, kicking and knee strikes also important elements that students will learn during their training.

About six hundred years ago, Chinese martial arts were introduced to the people of Okinawa by visitors from China coming to trade goods with the inhabitants of these islands. During the years of the Ryukyu, karate was developed out of these ancient Chinese martial arts, but while it was hugely popular in Okinawa, the art did not reach the mainland until around 1910. However, it quickly became popular and by 1924, the first karate club was formed. By the mid-1930s, karate clubs had been established at most Japanese universities. During World War II, American soldiers were exposed to karate and the first American karate dojo opened in Arizona in 1945.

There are many different types or styles of karate. For instance, you might hear a practitioner say they are a student of Kyokushin karate or perhaps Shotokan karate. There are more than one dozen different types of karate, not to mention the fact that karate skills often are incorporated into mixed martial arts.

During training, students of karate earn various belts to mark the level of their skill and improvement. As beginners, karate students begin with a white belt, and their first goal is to learn enough skills and master them in order to earn the yellow belt. After yellow, the belts continue to orange, green, blue, purple, brown, red and finally, black. For young adults and older adults, you can earn different degrees of black belts.

However, it's not simply the earning of belts that is important in the study of karate. Karate can provide the skills one needs to be successful in life in general. Karate students are encouraged to be humble, thoughtful and maintain self-control. The emphasis is not on fighting but on self-defense and in improving one's body and mind to make it stronger in all areas. Students of marital arts tend to see improvements in self-confidence, mental focus and discipline.

For those seeking a school of martial arts in Carlsbad or a school of martial arts in Encinitas, Team Mai might be just what you need. Students from age four and up are welcome to take classes, and the focus is always on learning respect, improving discipline and instilling a sense of confidence in each student. Through karate classes, your child will learn crucial self-defense skills as well as improving their physical ability and improving their overall self-esteem.




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