5 Things You Need to Know About the Karate Philosophy

1. Ancient Wisdom

For thousands of years, the martial arts practice of karate has evolved and continues to evolve with each new generation of practitioners. Karate is a physical sport that involves both self-defense and combat; however, the spiritual practices often transcend the body and the fight. Whereas the fighting techniques of throwing, kicking, punching and jabbing are embedded in the practice, the combatant's primary goal always is to overcome his competitor or enemy as quickly as possible. Karate is not an aggressive sport, but is used to defend against physical harm and in so doing maintaining a balance with the universe.

2. The Ultimate Physical Goal

To reach physical perfection, the ultimate goal of a karate devotee, you must endure rigorous training and experience pain from bruising, strains, sweating and exhaustion. The martial artist's body is finely tuned to perform the karate moves consistently, no matter what the circumstances may be. Rigorous training and self-discipline must be finely honed for the student of karate.

3. The Spirit Guide

The core of a karate student's training revolves around the "chi," or spiritual anchor within. In karate, the practitioner relies on chi to provide focus and balance, to guide his every move and to derive his inspiration and courage. The intense physical training in karate is combined with this spiritual training, which builds the student's sixth sense. It is vital that the karate student be aware of his surroundings at all times. Through physical endurance, he must also know his ego and sense of safety. When rigorous physical demands seem overwhelming, the karate master insists on maintaining internal self-awareness.

4. A Way of Life

The philosophy inherent in karate martial training is that karate is a way of life, not just something you practice in the gym or at competitions. The trained martial artists also take pride in a code of conduct that expresses the ethical ideals of the karate philosophy. These ideals include integrity, honor, respect and loyalty. These codes should be practiced in all of your daily affairs.

5. The Past and the Present

The yin and yang symbol that many martial arts practices use to express their religious beliefs is also integral to the karate philosophy. Many karate followers practice meditation, Zen Buddhism or Taoism, having in common a desire to know the higher power that drives the universal link between all people. This need for a oneness with the universe trains a karate student to reach deep within to find his chi, which provides the balance to keep all the aspects of the practice together in a meaningful way.