Karate is a term used to describe a whole family of Japanese martial arts systems. Karate translates to "empty fist," signifying that it is mainly a system of unarmed combat. Most styles of karate originate on the island of Okinawa, which was influenced by Chinese martial arts. Karate tends to focus more on striking than other Japanese arts such as jiujitsu, which emphasizes joint locks and throws.
Schools of Karate
There are many different schools, or ryu, of karate. Some have only superficial differences, while others vary significantly. They range from soft styles filled with relaxed, circular movements and upright stances that resemble Chinese kung fu, such as shorin-ryu or wado ryu, to harder, more agressive styles with deep stances and strong, forceful moves, such as shotokan. Despite this, most schools share a similar approach to training. Teaching is split between learning individual moves, fixed sparring routines where one practitioner applies counter moves, kata, which are a fixed set of moves and techniques performed alone, and sparring.
Learning at Home
While it is always best to train under a qualified instructor, you may find that you need to conduct your own training at home. This can either be because you have no karate dojos nearby, or you need to train more often than you get to your dojo. If you train at home, try to work with a partner who can correct your mistakes, or use a mirror or a video camera to record your movements so you can monitor your form. Having a partner will also allow you to practice free sparring or set sparring. This is especially important for styles such as kyokushin that focus heavily on sparring.
Kata
Kata is the best method for learning karate at home. Kata are set patterns, or routines, consisting of a series of movements and techniques performed alone against imaginary opponents.The movements can be learned from an instructor, or even a DVD or book. You can then practice the sequences at home until your movements perfectly resemble the way previous karate masters have moved. Most karate styles have a whole range of kata that holds all the information required to progress from white belt to black and beyond.
Karate Styles at Home
Since most karate schools have numerous kata, they can all be learned at home once you have a basic knowledge of the style and kata. However, some styles focus less on kata and more on other forms of training, which may limit how far you can progress. For example, while shotokan karate places great emphasis on mastering katas, other schools such as kyokushin and its offshoots such as seidokaikan are more focused on full-contact sparring, which cannot be easily practiced at home. But there are ways around this. Mas Oyama, founder of kyokushin, spent years training alone on a mountain, hitting makiwara, or padded striking posts, thousands of times a day as well as performing athletic feats, calisthenics and meditation.
References
- Kata Reference Guide
- "Classical Fighting Arts of Japan: A Complete Guide to Koryu Jujutsu"; Serge Mol, 2001
- "The Essence of Karate"; Gichin Funakoshi; 2010
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