Shotokan Karate
Karate was developed over a thousand years ago, not only as a form of unarmed combat but as a way to discipline the body in order to improve the spirit. In this way, the unity of body and spirit can be achieved. It is a combination of physical and mental training of the art of self-defense, which requires a healthy body, a sound spirit and a refined character.
Karate conditions the body and improves speed, strength, coordination and increases alertness and self-awareness. It also teaches deep discipline in one’s abilities to deal with the outside world.
Shotokan Karate is one of the most popular martial arts practiced today. It has its roots in the ancient Chinese martial arts, and can even be traced back to the Shoalin temple. Having its roots in China, Shotokan was developed in Okinawa, was named in Japan and from there became known to the world.
Compared with other martial arts like Aikido and Tai Chi Chuan, which are regarded as “soft” for having circular soft movements, Shotokan karate would be the “hard style” having linear movements. These linear movements can be very destructive and harmful to the opponent.
Karate-do is an empty-handed technique, exercised with the power of one’s own body and the basic movements can be developed into a superior level, at which the enemy can be controlled by a demonstration of strength like that of using actual weapons.
The beauty of essential techniques are demonstrated in the so-called “kata”, fixed exercises, through which the karateka (student) rhythmically performs body movements, such as bending, jumping and balancing, backward and forward, left and right, up and down smoothly and fiercely, at low and high speed. In the free sparring games, the offensive and defensive techniques, such as striking and kicking with simultaneous block-attack combinations, are performed with great speed, requiring a keen coordination of the movements of the athlete.
Karate-do might be considered as the most ideal physical exercise, not only because the limbs and the movements of the body are systematically trained, but also because of the required exercise of muscles, which are normally not used.
At Traditional Martial Arts & Fitness we provide Shotokan Karate lessons from beginner to advance, by highly professional and experienced instructor, training our students to achieve a high level of skills in Shotokan Karate.
