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Karate

The Japanese martial arts styles of Karate are focused on punching, striking with hands, knees and elbows and kicks. There are many styles of karate.

Karate Do

The Evolution of Karate-do

Today there are four main styles of karate-do in Japan and they include Goju-ryu, Shorin-ryu, Shotokan, and Wado-ryu. Bodhidharma also known as known as "Daruma"...
Karate Styles

About Karate Styles

When people hear the term “martial art” they generally think of Karate. One of the most popular martial arts, Karate had its roots in...
History of British Karate and Jujutsu

History of British Karate and Jujutsu

The first Englishman to be made a Samurai was William Adams (read his Wikipedia page) in the 1600s. But Adams was a one-off. He...
Kobudo Okinawan Weapons

Kobudo: Traditional Okinawan Weapons

Kobudo literally means "ancient martial ways". In the karate world, it generally refers to those traditional Okinawan weapons whose history and practice has been...

Modern Sport Taekwondo

Modern Sport Taekwondo has developed in the decades since the 1950's and  its emphasis is on speed and competition, as in Olympic sparring. Modern sport...
Kosho Ryu

Kosho Ryu

Kosho Ryu is an ancient art form founded in about 1245 AD by a monk named Bosatsu. Legend has it that Bosatsu meditated under...
Isshin-ryu: The Style that Tatsuo Shimabuku Built

Isshin-ryu: The Style that Tatsuo Shimabuku Built

On January 14, 1956, Tatsuo Shimabuku went to sleep and had a vivid dream. In his sleep he saw a vision of a goddess,...

Shobayashi Shorin-ryu

Shobayashi Shorin-ryu is a style of Okinawan Shorin-ryu karate founded by Chotoku Kyan and passed to Eizo Shimabukuro. Eizo Shimabukuro dropped the Chatan Yara...
Robert Trias

The Origins and Development of Shuri-Ryu By Robert Trias

One of the brightest stars in the firmament of Oriental thought and culture was the Indian Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. Twenty-eighth in a direct succession...

The History of Isshin-Ryu Karate

Isshin-Ryu karate was founded by one of the great karate masters, Tatsuo Shimabuku, and is derived from several of the other, older classical styles. Master...
Chosin Chibana

Kobayashi Shorin-ryu

Kobayashi Shorin-ryu is called kobayashi style aby the Japanese. "... now the Japanese call it 'kobayashi style' but that is incorrect - but that is...
Styles of Karate

4 Main Styles of Karate

History of Karate Bodhidharma also known as "Daruma" in Japan and as often as not, this Indian Buddhist monk is cited as the prime source...
Dan Anderson

American Freestyle Karate

"Karate" is a term made up of two Japanese words, "kara" and "te" meaning "empty hand". It is one kind of self defense system...
Shotokan Style of Martial Arts

Shotokan

The term Shotokan was derived from Gichin Funakoshi's first official dojo built in 1936 at Mejiro. The dojo was destroyed in 1945 by allied...
Sports Karate and Traditional Fighting

Karate the Practical Fighting Art

A Karate block can also be a strike, lock or take down throw! The disciplined and dedicated practice of Karate, the practical fighting art, can...

Shito-Ryu Karate

Karate has been taught outside of Japan for almost 40 years, and was exported to the rest of the world along both stylistic and...