Karate is a popular martial art that first came to prominence on Okinawa as a means of weaponless fighting. Many people practice karate not only as for self-defense but also to improve physical fitness and mental concentration. In fact, many choose to only learn karate moves for fitness benefits rather than for self-defense. While many people learn the skills at a karate school or class, it is possible to learn karate at home, thus saving travel time and the expense of classes and uniforms.
Step 1
Review karate books and videos. Look for products that contain lots of clear pictures from a variety of angles so you can see how each move is supposed to be performed. Briefly skim the text or listen to the instructions to determine whether they are given clearly.
Step 2
Set a regular time to practice your karate skills. Daily practice will get the fastest results, but two to three times weekly is acceptable. Karate is also intended to help you learn discipline and patience, thus regular practice is essential.
Step 3
Before each session, make sure your practice area is free of obstacles. Be sure to wear loose-fitting clothes and that your feet are bare. Bare feet will help you to maintain balance.
Step 4
Follow the lessons given in the book or video and refer back to them as you practice each move. Practice each move slowly several times until you feel comfortable doing it. As you feel more comfortable, gradually increase the speed of each move until you can do it fluidly. Then move on to the next move.
Step 5
Karate is most often taught in a building-block format: You will first learn blocks (how to fend off an attack with an open or closed hand, with your wrists or with your feet and legs); basic punches; and then kicks. Once you learn the basic moves, then you will learn how to combine them into katas (brief routines to simulate combat).
Tips and Warnings
- While you may learn the basics of karate at home, more advanced skills, such as combat training, are best learned at an accredited karate school. If your only karate training is at home, do not attempt to practice combat moves with another person. Otherwise you may risk injury. If you have questions that are not covered by the karate book or video, consult a karate website, such as All-Karate.com, which has video clips, newsletters and other resources. As with most martial arts, karate has many forms and styles, each with its own terminology.
- If you feel any pain or discomfort during a move, stop. Consult a doctor if the pain persists. Despite movie stereotypes, karate is intended as self-defense and karate practitioners are trained to never attack first.
Things You'll Need
- Space large enough for you to step forward, backward and sideways without injuring yourself or others
- Loose-fitting clothes
- Television with VCR or DVD player (as needed)
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