When you think of karate, a lot of people go to images of Bruce Lee or some other iconic character who was featured on the big screen in TV and movies. The Shaw brothers were famous film directors and flooded theaters with cheesy martial arts imagery made in Hong Kong. This is really to do with Kung Fu (Chinese) rather than Karate (Japanese). Depending on the country of origin, the characters doing karate were villains or heroes. The strength of each martial art is related to the ethnicity of the filmmaker.
I imagine that all of the martial arts are branches off of the same tree. Some are more focused on kicking (like Tai Kwon Do from Korea) and others utilize weapons (like Kendo from Japan using a sword). In all cases, the martial art has traditions passed down from teacher to pupil and maintains some “secrets” that are not taught until students reach a higher level of training.
My feeling is that the core of each martial art has to do with a spiritual connection to some greater source of energy. Our daily tasks can be done casually, but martial arts require a combination of breath, focus and techniques that are not from everyday life. The sensation of strength and energy in each style is described differently and expressed with “signature” movements. Some are more sports like (Judo) and others are movements for their own sake (Tai Chi). Each of these activities are valid and connected to a tradition that takes time to learn and appreciate.
In the past seven years, I’ve observed how our group has changed and how our classes are constantly evolving. Some ingredients will always stay the same; working to maintain balance, strength and effective movements no matter what the origin. All of us are a part of this evolution. Pay attention to your reaction to various ways to move and strike and kick. You may be a part of the next great thing in martial arts! Most of all, relax and enjoy the connection with so many who have come before us.
Breakthrough Karate is a powerful limb on a tree that’s thriving!
Ossu!
Steve