Useful Information

A Short History of Karate

Karate means 'empty hand' - Kara, empty; Te, hand

The earliest origins of Karate as we know it today, are somewhat vague due to lack of documentation. The most traditional and acceptable concept believed by most authorities, suggests that it started in India. A Buddhist priest called Duruma in Chinese, or Bohididarma as he is more commonly known, wished to take his particular sect of Buddhism called Zen to the Chinese as a missionary venture. It was not uncommon for intinerant priests to be able to fight as they would often be in danger on their wanderings from both men and animals.

Even Gautama Sidartha himself had been a warrior before he became the Buddha. When he established Buddhism, he saw no contradiction in the idea of a man of peace and love also being skilful in combat.

About 500 AD, Bohididarma reached the court of Emperor Wu at Chein-K’ang in China where he was warmly received. He left the courts eventually, heading north to Henan Province and into seclusion in the Shao-Lin temple (Shorin in Japanese) to teach Zen. He also taught his system of unarmed combat Shorin Kempo.

Forms of Chinese combat have been recorded as far back as 3000 BC. Bohididarma is credited with being the founder of Chinese Kempo, mainly because he added the meditative practices of Yoga and Zen, making it a more comprehensive system, as we know it today. Zen is inseparably linked with Karate, and every Master of Karate seeks a more enlightened experience by studying Zen. In fact, all the major developments in Shorin Kempo were achieved by various priests through the years. For example, one priest (Chiao Yuan) co-ordinated all his techniques after contemplating the fighting methods of five beasts: the tiger, leopard, snake, crane and mythical dragon.

Finally, the close connection between priests and medicine resulted in not only discovering vital spots on the human body where cures could be applied but also spots where Kempo attacks could be directed for best results.

From China, Kempo spread north to Mongolia, east to Korea and south-east to Okinawa. Eventually, it reached Japan where it became extremely popular after the Kamakura era (about 1200 AD). The soldier class (Samurai) in particular welcomed both combat forms and the Zen philosophy.

The morality and mysticism of Zen Buddhism appealed to their sensibilities, but the real attraction was the way it provided the Samurai with a discipline that made them capable of great endurance and excellence in fighting, by giving them the special psychological skills and insights into both themselves and their opponents.

At various times in history, ie in 1400 and again in 1609 in Okinawa, the authorities forbade the use of arms to the populace. In order to protect themselves against bandits and sometimes the authorities too, unarmed combat became widely taught for obvious reasons. The schools themselves, usually confined to temples, were nevertheless kept secret, as discovery would have meant their annihilation by those in power.

It was not until 1901 that Karate, as we now know it today, was brought out of secret study and taught openly in Okinawa. In 1916, Master Gichin Funakoshi came from Okinawa to Tokyo and pioneered the modern system of Karate in Japan. Born from many origins there are today many schools of Karate, each with merits and perhaps some faults.

Basic Japanese

Osu: 'Everything and Yet Nothing'

The word Osu implies to push oneself to the limit of one’s ability and to endure. It is a universal term which can be both a respectful greeting and/or acknowledgement to the instructor, senior grade and other student or the dojo itself. A student is not expected to say ‘yes’ to a senior but to use the word Osu instead. The word Osu is of ten thousand meanings expressing the willingness to strive against and overcome all obstacles and to persevere on the courteous road to physical, mental and spiritual strength. Osu at its simplest means perseverance under pressure. At its most profound, it assumes a Zen like spiritual ambiguity (everything and yet nothing), a plea to the soul itself to overcome the frailties of the human condition. This single word expresses the true meaning of Karate. For a good student is expected to have both strength of spirit with the underlying force and tradition which affects Karate practitioners’ execution of duties, physical training and human interaction.

Dojo Terms and Commands

Nihóngo Japanese Nihón Japan
Gamman represents one of the virtues encompassed in the Bushido (the code of the Samurai). Emperor Hirohito: “To bear the unbearable”.

The Route To Focused Achievement

In order to generate true focus and power, the student must understand the various steps of progressive development.

Position

The student should have a good theoretical and practical knowledge of stances and techniques.

Balance

This is the means by which the student controls the actual position of his or her body when it is either stationary or moving.

Co-ordination

Co-ordination enables the student to execute the various techniques with control and balance in a given position.

Form

Form can be developed by executing all the techniques with good position, balance and co-ordination.

Speed

To achieve speed the student must increase the rhythm or performance without any loss of form.

Power

The strengthening of the techniques is power.

Reflex

Having successfully understood and developed all the above steps the student will reach a stage through constant repetition whereby the techniques become a natural movement.

Conclusion

The learning process should not be rushed, and as far as possible try to establish and understand each individual movement.