Karate is a linear martial art. It uses a wide variety of movements: kicks, punches, blocks, strikes, evasions and throws. Training focuses on having a strong offense and puts equal importance on the three areas of the art: basics, sparring and forms.

Features

• People who practice Karate use their hips to generate power. • Karate teaches a specific breathing technique. • Ranks, values and styles differ from organization to organization. • Karate, which can be hard and straight line, is very disciplined and some traditional schools might seem very harsh.

History of Karate
Karate can be translated as “empty hand” which means that it is a martial art performed without weapons. While the history of Karate is somewhat vague, its ancient roots have been traced back to China in the 5th century B.C. The more modern form of Karate began in Okinawa, Japan during the late 1700s. There was a weapon ban in Okinawa at this time, so people had to come up with system of self defense that used empty hands – they combined aspects of Chinese martial arts with the Te traditional to Okinawa. By the early 1900s it began spreading throughout Japan. In 1964, the Federation of Karate Organizations was formed as a means to create some continuity for Karate world-wide. Even so, there are many different styles and variations of Karate today.

Before you decide to train a martial art or get involved in a martial art school you need some basic information.  This page is all about Karate.  Classes, history, lessons and methods of teaching.  The best student is the one that is well prepared.  And the more educated you are about training karate the better prepared you will be when you start training.