Benefits of Karate
Developing Mind with Body
Child development experts now recognize the correlation between movement and cognitive learning – especially complex, functional movement as in karate which emphasizes balance and coordination. Karate challenges the mind and body to gain skills analogous to perfecting a golf swing or techniques of dance. Karate complements physical conditioning with development of self-confidence, self-esteem, concentration, discipline, and cooperation.
Balance and Harmony
Karate seeks to harmonize intention, breath, and movement. One learns to achieve maximum power with minimum effort by focusing mental and physical energies in one direction.
Functional Conditioning
Our program improves strength, flexibility, ability, and increases stamina. The discipline teaches proper techniques for movement, strengthens back and abdomen muscles, stabilizes the spine and joints, and improves posture. A key is to ensure body joints are free and those movements are light and efficient. The result is a body that performs better in almost any activity – not just karate.
Good for All Ages
Each student applies the principles of karate to their body. Each student learns to listen to his/her body and adapt karate knowledge in a personal way. Every karateka (practitioner of karate) reflects karate according to individual body characteristics.
Longevity and Quality of Life
In addition to regular exercise, karate stimulates both the mind and body. Research has also found that certain activities that stimulate the mind, like music and martial arts, also stimulate the growth of new brain cells even at an advanced age. It is a fact that most of the famous karate masters trained into their eighties and nineties – physical and mental vitality.
Self Defense
Karate is based on technique rather than strength or size. Even a small person can learn to create great power; this is done with techniques reflecting a deep understanding of the body. Furthermore, timing and sharp reaction can be acquired with systematic training methods and are more important than innate athletic ability. In karate, we do not simply counter the aggressor’s strength; we capitalize on it through strategy and technique.
However, our karate program is not about fighting. The highest objective of karate is to avoid physical confrontation. Students are taught to practice humility but with the confidence that comes from knowing they have the tools to defend themselves if necessary.
This naturally leads to a discussion of bullying. It is our intent to embrace both the bullies and their targets with karate. Our students, in general, have the self-esteem to not bully but rather serve as agents of civility. It is the way of karate to avoid physical confrontation by leveraging the confidence, body language, and discipline of our training.
Students learn the ancient philosophy of peace that is the basis of Karate. They also learn techniques that give them the confidence (and demeanor) to calmly deal with bullying situations. Strong posture, direct eye contact, head held high, calm (stoic) expression, well-balanced body language, and especially a clear, confident and calm voice all provide subliminal clues to the would be bully. If pursued, our students are trained to maintain a barrier (their space) while avoiding and blocking aggression through shifting, footwork and other techniques.