Karate: A look into its origin

Chomo Hanashiro

Depending on what part of the world you are in, the kind of martial arts you are exposed to varies. However, one of the most popular and timeless forms of defense forms is Karate. It is considered one of the oldest and most effective forms of fighting that can be put into use for protecting yourself and others. Along with protection, practice of karate gives the body inner strength and power to heal different ailments. In addition, Karate is being practiced for having inner peace and sanity. This specialized art of fighting was originated during the 20th century. It is said that karate was originally brought into Japan from China, which was the birthplace of karate. Sakukawa Kanga and Matsumura are known as the fathers of karate. It is said that these two had brought in karate from Ryukyu Kingdom to Japan.

About its history

It was from the year of 1932 that Karate gained popularity with schools and training institutes being set up so that enthusiasts could know about and learn this unique form of self-defense. In karate, a person uses their hands, elbow and legs to punch and kick the opponent. The body movements are swift yet slow with some proper leg movements. Use of weapon is also adapted in karate. Weapons like Nunchuks and swords are customized for using in karate. Experts state that, karate is one of the deadliest yet simple forms of safety that can be taken into use for safety and body healing. It was during the era of 60s and 70s that karate got even more popularity. Hollywood adopted the methods of karate and it was extensively used in the movies. Masters of karate have always taught their students that Karate should not be taken into use for harming any person in particular. It is something that has to be ethically followed, and one can gain perfection with years of practice. There are different styles of karate, and all of them need to be learned and understood before putting them into practice.

Mentioned below are the primary styles of karate:

Kihon: This is one of the major styles of karate and highly popular. In Kihon, various styles of karate are mixed together. It is can also be performed as a part of drill by group of Karateka’s.

Kata: In karate, Kata is stated to be the stance in which a person is standing in front of their opponent. It is a formulized steps or movements, which comprises of different leg and hand sequences. There are defensive and offensive postures, which can be learned with use of Kata. To attain the higher levels or belts in karate, a person has to demonstrate all the forms of karate in Kata.

Kumite: There are different stages of Kumite, which is to be learned in Karate. Kumite means the meeting of hands. Full contact, semi contact and light contact are the different Kumite techniques. Along with the style, it is important to get the proper coordination of hands and legs so that movements can be swift and you can easily have control on your body and mind.

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