How to Participate in Karate

Martial Arts has to be one of the most interesting activities in which to participate. It has something for everyone. If you wish to work on your physical strength, karate is for you. If your balance is out of kilter, then yoga may be your choice. From the sharp reports of breaking boards to the soothing mantras of yoga, martial arts indeed has a place for just about anyone. However, one form of martial arts has stolen my heart: Shorin Ryu karate.

Shorin Ryu is a style of karate that exercises both mind and body. Focus is very important to develop, and it is nurtured as your physical self is put through its paces. This style of martial art has graduated prearranged forms called kata. Kata start at a simple place, one that any beginner can grasp and master. As the student improves in the learning of the first kata, physical and mental habits are cultivated that will enable that student to progress to the next kata. Each form is more difficult and teaches different ideas and movements.

By the time the student is ready for the first promotion, concepts of balance, power and respect are ingrained. As the student progresses through the many levels, physical strength as well as control of that strength become second nature.

Shorin Ryu karate is for self defense only and must not be used out of context. The main precept of this style is that “there is no first attack” as penned by its Okinawan founder, Shoshin Nagamine. His son, Takayoshi Nagamine, carries on the family tradition, continuing to teach the world his father’s dream of combining Zen peace with the force of karate.