Martial Arts: Karate 101
Karate has become a surprisingly common form of martial arts. It has been taken on as a form of training at academies and schools all over the world. Being a defensive form of martial arts it is also studied by women across the world, women who are learning to defend themselves. Karate is primarily a stand up or striking martial art that can be traced back to have first emerged on the island of Okinawa (The largest island in the Ryukyu chain) as a blend of native Okinawan fighting styles and Chinese fighting styles. The term karateka refers to a karate practitioner. In early times, natives to the Ryukyu Islands developed a fighting system that was simply referred to as ‘te’.
In 1372, relationships were formed on the basis of trade between the Ryukyu Islands and the Fujian Province of China, and this eventually resulted in many Chinese families moving to Okinawa. This mix of cultures, with the Chinese families sharing their Chinese Kenpo with the native Okinawans they came in contact with, a blend between both Chinese and Indian fighting styles came about. Through this, traditional Okinawan fighting techniques began to change, even if many families simply developed their own styles of martial arts in isolation. Still, there were three general styles that emerged and were named after the areas they developed in, namely Shuri- te, Naha- te, and Tomari- te. The differences between the three styles were small and more about emphasis than anything else.
The fact that weapons were banned in Okinawa in the 1400's by the invading Japanese Shimazu clan was a huge factor in the development of this art. The formation of this fighting style was based on self defense and though it its basic form did not involve the use of weapons, people made use of inconspicuous farm tools as weapons for the development of the fighting skill.
As relations with China grew, the mixture of the traditional Okinawan fighting styles with Chinese Kenpo and the empty handed Chinese styles of Fujian White Crane, Five Ancestors, and Gangrou-quan, became more obvious. In addition, Southeast Asia influences were also brought into the fold, though to a very small degree.
Sakukawa Kanga (1782-1838) was one of the first Okinawans to study in China. In 1806, he began teaching a martial art he called “Tudi Sakukawa,” which translates to “Sakukawa of China Hand.” One of Kanga’s students, Matsumura Sokon, then taught his own style of the art which was a combination of te and Shaolin styles, which would later become known as Shorin-ryu. However, it is a student of Sokon's by the name of Itosu Anko, who is often called “the Grandfather of Karate.” Itosu is known for creating simplified kata or forms for less advanced students and helped karate gain more mainstream acceptance. Along with this, he brought karate to Okinawa’s schools and the forms he developed are still used today to quite a level.
Karate is primarily a striking art that teaches practitioners to utilize punches, kicks, knees, elbows, and open hand strikes to disable opponents. Beyond this, karate teaches practitioners to block strikes and breath properly.
Most styles of karate also extend into throws and joint locks, with the extent of this dependent upon the style. Weapons are utilized in most styles as well, and interestingly these weapons continue to be farm tools. By using farm tools, Okinawans did not bring attention to the fact that they were practicing to defend themselves.
The basic goal of karate is self-defense. It teaches practitioners to block the strikes of opponents and then disable them quickly with pinpoint strikes. When takedowns are employed within the art, these tend to be used to set up finishing strikes.
A few famous people in the world of karate whose names deserve to be mentioned in the lime light include Gichin Funokashi, the man who led the first public demonstration of karate in Japan in 1917. Which led to the great Dr. Jano Kano inviting him to teach at the famous Kodokan Dojo there. (Kano was the founder of Judo which meant that his invite allowed karate to gain Japanese acceptance). Joe Lewis, who was a karate tournament fighter, and was voted the greatest karate fighter of all-time by Karate Illustrated in 1983 is also a very popular name in the world of karate. Then there’s the very famous Chuck Norris, who is both a tournament fighter and a Hollywood star. Norris is well-known for appearances in several movies and the television show Walker, Texas Ranger.
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