Karate Styles

Author:

Gene Frazier

Karate is a martial art as well as a sport which originated in Okinawa, an island in Japan. Karate is actually a product of indigenous Okinawan fighting techniques and southern Chinese martial arts which came to influence their ways. Karate features punching, kicking, knee/elbow strikes and open hand methods.  However, it may also include methods such as grappling, joint manipulations, locks, restraints and throws.

Karate is categorized and differentiated with others because of its use the hips and certain stances to generate striking power. There are also distinctive breathing methods that are used to generate power within. The common prearranged forms which are basically needed to be memorized are called kata. A student or a practitioner who involve himself or herself in karate is referred to as a karate-ka. Karate is also called karate-dō by traditional practitioners.

Karate training is basically divided into three major areas which a student needs to go through. These are the basics, the forms, and ultimately the sparring. The stage of Basic motion (Kihon) refers to the study of the fundamental techniques of the karate. In this stage, a student will be learning the principles and core values of karate. Forms (Kata) on the other hand are movements and techniques which are predetermined. They are remembered like steps in the dance. These forms are necessary because they serve as foundation in learning higher levels of karate. The last stage is the Sparring. In this part, a karate-do will have to apply the theories as well as the forms which he/she has learned in all the karate lessons. They are often done with actual partners whom stand as imagined opponents.

There are many karate styles. To know them, here is a list which enumerates the most common ones.

• Goju-ryu karate - This style belongs to the hard/soft school of Karate. It is one of the four original Okinawan styles of Karate which was founded by Chojun Miyagi.
• Shotokan karate -Shotokan is also one of the four main schools of Karate in Japan. Its common traits are its long and deep stances and the use of inear movements. Competitions and tournaments are common in Shotokan karate style.
• Wado-ryu karate - This style was developed by Otsuka Hironori. It is a combination of Shotokan karate, Jujutsu, grappling and Tai Sabaki styles. It does not have the tough exercises that common karate styles require but use methods to evade opponents instead.
• Shito-ryu karate - this Karate style was developed by karate master named Kenwa Mabuni. It is a combination of the kata and techniques of Gojuryu KArate and Shuri-Te Ka. They are known for their square-on stances and linear strikes.
• Kenpo karate - Kenpo Karate is a popular in the United States. This is because it involves complete fighting techniques. Kenpo balances the use of hands and feet.  It also involves the learning of Kata. Experts of Kenpo style usually wear black uniforms.

When a person enters a karate school, he should have at least a good look on the karate styles. This is to allow him to choose what style he is best suited. Aside from that, it focuses the attention of the student beforehand.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/martial-arts-articles/karate-styles-4157637.html

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How To Start Learning Karate

Author:

Paul Campbell

Popularity of Karate is growing as a hobby and sport. Teenagers to adults have realized the tremendous potential that Karate carries to improve the physical and mental well being. If you are a resident of Briery Hill who either wants to join a Karate club or want to enroll your kid into a karate club then here are some tips that would help you to find the right Karate club at Briery Hill:

When looking for a Karate club in Briery hill, check out if the club is affiliated to any major organization such as JKA, KUGB, KARATE ENGLAND, ITKF or any other major group. This ensures the consistency in method of teaching and advancement to higher levels.

Check out the credentials of the instructors of the Karate club at Briery Hill that you plan to join. The Dan grade that the instructor holds is very important in determining the quality of training you would receive.

In case of accidents, to secure yourself from any liability make sure that the instructor has the Public liability Insurance/Indemnity insurance.

During karate practices students at times may get hurt The Karate club at Briery Hill that you choose must have a personnel present all the time during the classes who is trained in delivering First Aid or the instructor must hold a fist aid certificate.

All the personnel at the Karate club at Briery Hill should be CRB (Criminal record Bureau) cleared. This is especially important if you are sending your children to such clubs. The Karate club should have emergency procedures such as fire exist to combat any untoward accident.

Choosing a Karate club at Briery hill is not only about infrastructure but also whether the Karate Club at Briery hill is in line with your expectations. Here are some pointers that can help you in choosing the right Karate Club at Briery hill whose Karate style and emphasis matches your expectations and Karate goals.

Observe the training session at the Karate club at least once or twice to get a feel about the way classes are run, how instructors interact with the students? What is the overall ambience of the Karate club training session and whether you or your kid would be comfortable training there?

Introspect to know what is it that you want from karate? Do you want to pursue Karate as a hobby or as a serious sport? Whether your karate learning goal is to exercise or learning combat style karate? Answers to these questions will help you to choose the right Karate club which can serve your expectations the best.

Instructors play a very important role in determining your overall learning experience at the Karate club. Interact with your instructor, talk to him/her about your expectations and whether the instructors Karate style fits into it or not?

Last but not the least; do not pay the membership in the first instance. Take some time, avail some free lessons if the karate club at Briery hill offers one and then put any money on the table. At the same time do not compromise on quality for money.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/martial-arts-articles/how-to-start-learning-karate-1516918.html

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If you are interested in starting karate in the midlands
then visit dudley karate
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Shotokan Karate Can Help Kickstart Your Day

Author:

Paul Campbell

Shotokan Karate is a Karate style that was developed by Gichin Funakoshi and his son Gigo Funakoshi. The shotokan training can be divided into three broad parts: Kihon meaning basic. Kata which means patterns of moves or forms. Kumite meaning punches and kicks.

The moves in Kihon and Kata are deep long postures that make the movements powerful and make legs stronger. Because of its approach and training style Shotokan is considered \'tough\' and \'exterior\' martial arts. The beginners are trained in power, strength development and fast moves.

Kumite part of the Shotokan training is similar to Kihon and Kata training in the beginning but later adopts a more flexible approach compared to the kata and Kihon training.

Shotokan karate benefits its practitioners in numerous ways: Shotokan Karate enhances the hand eye coordination and body reflexes. This can help you improve your driving. For kids it is very effective in improving their sporting skills. It enhances the ability to concentrate. It helps the kids and adults alike in improving various aspects of life. Shotokan Karate is an excellent form of exercise not only to reduce weight but also to increase power and endurance. Shotokan Karate teaches you one of the most powerful martial arts style. This can help you defend yourself or your near and dear ones in hour of need. Shotokan Karate enthuses positive energy into the body, this improves the over mental and physical performance of Shotokan Karate practitioners in all areas of life.

Shotokan karate is very specialized karate style that can be taught well only by good Shotokan karate clubs. If you are looking for Shotokan karate clubs in Dudley make sure to choose the best. Here are some questions to ask before joining any Shotokan Karate club at Dudley:

Is the Shotokan Karate club enlisted with the local chamber of commerce or better business bureau?

What is frequency of the classes and cost per lesson? Prefer paying per lesson fee or month by month over a lump sum fee in the beginning. Does the Shotokan karate club have any affiliations? Affiliations play a vital part in ensuring the consistency in the method of teaching and advancement procedure.

What is the primary emphasis of the Shotokan karate club? Is it competitive karate training or simple exercise? Are your shotokan karate goals in line with the focus of the Shotokan Karate club? It would not work out well if you want to do Shotokan karate for exercise while the main focus of the club is on competitive Shotokan Karate.

How are Instructors? How is your experience after interacting with the instructors and other students? Are they friendly, social and open?

How was your experience while watching the martial art training session?

Answers to the above questions will lead you the right Shotokan karate club that meets your expectation the best.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/martial-arts-articles/shotokan-karate-can-help-kickstart-your-day-1516947.html

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Real Karate Is More Than Just Kicks And Punches

Author:
Brue Baker

With all the different styles of martial arts that are practiced today karate is definitely the most popular. There are karate studios all over the country in virtually every town and city. They are not all the same, however, as the best ones will teach traditional Japanese karate, which involves more than just self-defense techniques.

Karate is a truly incredible art form, one which is built upon the basic concept of merging the body and mind into a defensive weapon and using it to protect not only ones own self, but others as well.

Karate has actually always been one of the most practiced martial art forms in the world, and it strongly relies on physical coordination and mental focus. There are many different physics that are involved with this particular type of martial arts, and this is important because in any fight between two people, both of the fighters bring in a certain amount of energy to the situation.

Generally a stronger person will be able to exert more energy and stamina than a weaker one, but this does not mean that they will always come out on top. It is also important to realize that just because someone is taller this certainly does not mean that they are stronger or in any way that they will come out as the victor simply because of their physical stature.

The Importance of Concentration

Concentration is one of the key elements involved in karate. First of all, you have to begin by learning how to focus on your breathing and making your mind still. This will eventually enable you to concentrate all of your focus on one part of your body, your hand for example when throwing a punch.

Learning how to focus with all of their intensity is how martial artists can generate so much force behind a punch or kick. Without the proper concentration no moves can be made properly and they will not be effective.

You also have to have serious dedication in order to be successful at this martial art form, and if you are interested in learning about it, then there are a few steps involved in doing so.



What to Expect When You Start Learning Karate

When you first start learning karate, you are going to be introduced to certain individual techniques, which include single blocks and strikes, for instance. These are basically the easiest of all to learn and are the basic fundamentals of the martial art form.

These fundamentals are incorporated into so many of the other, more advanced karate moves that they are basically essential to learn in order to progress to higher learning. As stated above good karate instruction will also be centered around mental focus and discipline, not just kicks and punches.

If you are interested in bettering your mind and spirit as well as learn how to defend yourself, karate classes might be right for you or your children. It is also a great way to get in physical shape while having fun at the same time.

Look around your local area for classes, but remember to make sure that you are learning traditional Japanese karate and not some trendy strip mall self defense.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/martial-arts-articles/real-karate-is-more-than-just-kicks-and-punches-383948.html

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Brue M. Baker, is an expert on natural health and fitness who has helped people from across the world sky-rocket their health and well-being. Rather than hitting your head against a wall trying to find unbiased health information let Brue take you by the hand and give you the best natural health information and resources on the web. Visit DietHealthAndFitness.com to learn more.

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Several Facts About Karate

Author:
Alex Olson

Contrary to popular opinion, the martial art Karate was not invented in China. Rather, it has its origins in the island of Okinawa in Japan. The word 'Karate' means the 'empty hand' or the 'Chinese hand', and it has been given this name because it involves a rapid use of hands and legs in an extreme close combat.

It was sometime in the sixteenth century that Chinese Kung Fu fighters experimented around with their styles and formulated the 'te' technique ('Te' means hand). The art grew in China and evolved from a very rough and simple fighting style into a hard, close-combat style.

Around the late nineteenth century, Gichin Funakoshi, a famous martial arts practitioner from Japan, blended new moves into the 'Te' style and displayed his art to the Japanese martial arts masters in early twentieth century. This was the beginning of Karate, as we know it.

Karate kicked off with the original Okinawa style; later on, the Japanese patented their own styles, which are now appropriately called Japanese styles of Karate. With time, many karate schools all cross the world began naming their Karate after their school\'s or master\'s name, giving birth to many sub-styles.

The original style - known as the Okinawa style - is a very hard and external style. It employs circular means of defense while its attack is linear in nature. The physical condition is extremely rigorous, as compared to the Japanese style of Karate. The Japanese style of Karate is more stylistic and its movements are linear in both defense and offense.

Some of the important Karate sub-styles are: (i) Wado-Ryu style, which combines JiuJitsu movements with Okinawa karate techniques, and (ii) Uechi-Ryu style, which blends Okinawa Karate with Chinese martial arts tactics. The Uechi-Ryu style appears more Chinese than Japanese though it is a blend of both the cultures.

As you know, Karate is a fast-paced martial art that involves electric movements of the hands and legs. So, you need to ensure that you are attired in a comfortable Karate uniform.

As Karate involves close combat and can be lethal, you will also need to protect your head and groin by strapping on a head guard and groin protector, respectively. Arm, chest and leg guards are available too, and so are karate mitts and shin protectors. And, of course, mouth guards can be considered too, just in case.

To train for Karate, you will need jump ropes, breakable boards, a Karate training board and a Karate training system. To perform Karate exercises, you will need leg and body stretchers, mats, water training bags, punching bags and pull-up and push-up bars.

And, finally, before you go out there to practice Karate, do not forget to plug in a first aid kit in your bag.

Karate not only keeps your body fit, it also strengthens your mind and enhances your concentration. Only thing, you must learn to respect it and practice it seriously as an art.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/martial-arts-articles/several-facts-about-karate-256316.html

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Alex Olson is a professional journalist. Being interested in martial arts, she wrote some highly popular articles about karate and many more.

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Shotokan Karate

Author:
Gene Frazier

Karate is a common type of martial arts. More and more people are practicing it because of the various benefits that it gives. There are actually many types of karate. They are commonly called as karate styles.

One of the common karate style is the Shotokan. It was developed from a mixture of martial arts by its founder named Gichin Funakoshi with his son Gigo Funakoshi. Gichin was born in Okinawa. Because of his passion for karate, he was often seen demonstrating them to many people to encourage others to practice them. He did this by organizing public demonstrations and by supporting university karate clubs, including those at Keio, Waseda, Hitotsubashi (Shodai), Takushoku, Chuo, Gakushuin, and Hosei. Indeed it is by his passion that Shotokan karate was known not only within Japan but also later on to the whole world.

Funakoshi continued to teach Shotokan karate until his death. However, because of internal disagreements because of the clash of different principles and interpretations, many schools and organizations began to split from each other. In the end, there was only one Shotokan school left. But still it bore the influence of Funakoshi. In fact, the term Shotokan came from Funakoshi itself. 'Shoto' means pine needles. This was the pen name of the founder when he wrote poems and other philosophical writings. 'Kan' on the other hand means house or hall. As a tribute, students put the word 'Shotokan' above the hall of the building where Funakoshi taught. On the other hand, he himself just called it karate.

Shotokan training is divided into three parts: kihon (basics), kata (forms or patterns of moves), and kumite (sparring). Kihon and kate involves techniques that are branded by their deep stances. They develop the body\'s stability. It also enables powerful movements, and strengthen the legs to effectively cause injury to the opponent. Shotokan is referred to as a 'hard' and 'external' martial art. Beginners as well as experts are taught to develop strong basic techniques and stances before they can proceed to higher level of Shotokan. Like other types of martial arts, Shotokan also incorporates the idea of blet system. Most Shotokan academies use the 'kyÅ« / dan system' but others have added other belt colors to indicate more emphasis on the level of the practitioner. But the principle is still quite the same, the darker the belt color or shade, the higher the learning of the student too.

There is a long list of the Shotokan techniques. They are often divided into many categories. There are positions for stances, blocking techniques which may utilize the arms or legs, striking techniques and kicking techniques. For a practitioner to be able to learn Shotokan on the highest level, a person needs the basic value of discipline, respect and dedication. There are many karate schools who specialize in Shotokan and it may be well observed that Shotokan has been known for years already as a common hobby, art and sport by many people all around the world.

For more information about Shotokan Karate, check out Family Martial Arts Bronx

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/martial-arts-articles/shotokan-karate-4434660.html

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Ujian Kenaikan Tingkat

Pada Tahun 2011 ini INKANAS PENGDA KEPRI telah menyelenggarakan Ujian Kenaikan Tingkat  Semester Pertama untuk Cabang Tanjungpinang pada hari Minggu tanggal 13 Pebruari 2011 di Dojo SMAN 1 Tanjungpinang diikuti oleh 76 peserta, sedangkan Cabang Bintan diselenggarakan pada hari Minggu tanggal 13 Maret 2011 diikuti oleh 75 peserta. 

Jalannya Ujian langsung diawasi oleh Ketua Majelis Sabuk Hitam (Jejeng Lee) dan Komisi Teknik (Rene Alfons).

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