| Karate was fashioned on the model provided by | | | | be nourished and nurtured. It's a bit like thinking that |
| Kendo and Judo. It was intended to be a 'style' of | | | | karate builds character. If someone is of poor |
| Martial Arts in itself but this never came about, perhaps | | | | character then that may be impossible to change. |
| because of WW2, or there may be other reasons. In | | | | It is important to ensure that a sense of fairness and |
| any case, the original school system spawned | | | | consideration of others is the benchmark of any |
| Shotokan-Ryu, Wado-Ryu and Shito-Ryu. Goju-Ryu | | | | karate class. If we are to allow training partners to |
| was developed much later and was accepted in to | | | | punch, strike and kick just mm's from our body then |
| the Okinawa school system many years after the | | | | we must have trust in their character and faith in their |
| original karate program of Itosu. | | | | humanity. |
| If there had not have been a revision of Jujutsu into | | | | Nobody likes to be taken advantage of and we are |
| Judo, and Kenjutsu into Kendo, it is possible that those | | | | brought up to have faith and trust in those in authority |
| arts would not have survived. They were frowned | | | | such as teachers. Hypocrisy by karate teachers |
| upon by the new society. Similarly, Okinawa 'Te' was | | | | destroys that trust, especially in the area of morals and |
| not popular and considered a violent activity by the | | | | ethics. Poor instruction can lead to karate damaging a |
| general community, the more refined art of karate | | | | person's character. Poor role models can influence a |
| succeeded and was responsible for the continuation of | | | | student of any age in the wrong direction. |
| this Okinawan Martial Art, albeit in another form. | | | | It is a great responsibility in teaching anything, but |
| Itosu realized that education was the key and that with | | | | especially karate. If it is misused the consequences |
| education came humanity and understanding, and less | | | | can be very serious. Certainly karate training does not |
| need for civil self-defense. Okinawa had no organized | | | | make anyone invincible but it can make one dangerous |
| sport like we know it today so an exercise regime, | | | | to those that have no self-defense skills. |
| such as karate, was a brilliant stroke of genius on his | | | | Students need to be taught with great caution about |
| part. Karate was to be a community exercise | | | | the effects of striking another human being. Many |
| program, an educational undertaking to promote | | | | people suffer serious injury from being knocked to the |
| humanity and a pathway back to brutal self-defense | | | | ground, not from the punch but from hitting their head |
| should it be necessary. | | | | on the hard floor. How can you give someone a |
| Unfortunately karate has become a sport and | | | | loaded gun with no instructions in the why and when, |
| recreational activity taught by those of both a high and | | | | and not be responsible if another human being is |
| a low rank. Very few know what it is they are | | | | maimed? |
| teaching and mainly focus on all the wrong aspects. | | | | Luckily most human beings are reasonably sensible |
| The physical techniques are not well understood so | | | | and humane. I remember a case where a karate |
| the basics of kata are taught as the foundation of | | | | student was convicted of killing his own unborn child by |
| karate. The humane aspects are rarely discussed or, | | | | kicking it's mother in the stomach when she was |
| are taught via the dojo kun and paid lip service only. | | | | pregnant! We all know of karate instructors that have |
| Karate was developed in Okinawa, a small backward | | | | been charged with crimes against children. |
| country at that time, with very few people involved, | | | | If karate is to be taught like an aerobics class at the |
| yet we somehow consider that they have developed | | | | gym then there is a problem. Aerobics is about health |
| a complete system that will allow one to beat of 4, 8 | | | | and fitness, karate may be utilized in that fashion but |
| or more attackers. The secret of karate is common | | | | there is still a need for explanation and standards of |
| sense and a combination of physical practice and | | | | behavior to be set. |
| intellectual study (bunburyodo). | | | | Are you a karate teacher, a sports coach or a gym |
| One of the mistakes made today is to sell Karate as | | | | instructor? Is your place of instruction a dojo, a |
| a product, it is not something that can be bought and | | | | clubhouse or a gym? All are worthwhile but you should |
| sold like a hamburger. You are paying for someone's | | | | not fool yourself or others. If your level of expertise is |
| knowledge, skill and ability to pass on important | | | | of a low level then admit to it and don't leave others |
| information about how to gain health, fitness, compete | | | | thinking you are an expert. Otherwise, unintentionally, |
| in sport and defend yourself. You are paying a fee for | | | | you are giving the experts a bad name. |
| an educational service. Apparently it's no longer | | | | Karate should be enjoyable, i.e. serious fun. One cannot |
| important whom you learn from but at the end of the | | | | pretend to be a Doctor, a Dentist, a Solicitor or a |
| day, the only rank you hold is that of personal | | | | karate teacher, these are all known as Sensei, |
| knowledge and ability. | | | | someone that has reached a certain stage of |
| How can one teach humanity? By setting standards. I | | | | understanding, not someone who has yet to pass |
| don't think it can actually be taught but perhaps it can | | | | beyond the novice stage. |