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why karate in north london
Karate at it's best in North London - classes
in Traditional Karate and Self Defence in Southgate, Potters
Bar, Enfield, Arnos Grove, Edmonton, Cock Fosters. By high
ranking 7th Dan English Black Belt. Beginners and Advanced
welcome. Children and Adults. From 6 to 60.We welcome all
nationalities.
All gradings for coloured and black belts taken at the club.
friendly club atmosphere
Ring 0208 368 6249
- NOW!
CHINESE ORIGINS:
The origin of karate dates back more than a thousand years. When
Daruma Taishi was at the Shaolin monastery in China, he taught
his students physical training methods in order to build
endurance and physical strength required to carry out the rigid
discipline that was part of their religion. This physical
training method was further developed and adapted to become what
is known today as the Shaolin art of fighting.
The martial art was imported to Okinawa and blended with the
indigenous fighting techniques of the islands also known as Te.
The lord of ancient Okinawa and later the feudal lord of
Kagoshima, on the southernmost tip of Kyushu in Japan, banned
the use of weapons, thus giving rise to the development of
"empty hand" fighting and self - defense techniques. This
martial art, due to its Chinese origin, was called karate,
written in characters with the literal meaning "Chinese hand."
The modern master of this art, Gichin Funakoshi, however, chose
the character for its meaning in Zen Bhuddist philosophy:
"rendering oneself empty." To the master, karate was a martial
art, but it was also a means of building character. Master
Funakoshi wrote: "As a mirror's polished surface reflects
whatever stands before it and a quiet valley carries even the
smallest sounds, so must the student of karate render his mind
empty of selfishness and wickedness in an effort to react
appropriately toward anything he might encounter. This is the
true meaning of kara or 'empty' of karate."
Funakoshi was first introduced to the Japanese public in 1922,
when he was the then professor at the Okinawa Teacher's College,
was invited to lecture and demonstrate at an exhibition of
traditional martial arts sponsored by the Ministry of Education.
His demonstration so impressed the audience that he was flooded
with requests to teach in Tokyo. Instead of returning to
Okinawa, Funakoshi taught karate at various universities and at
the Kodokan, the mecca of Judo, until he was able to establish
the Shotokan in 1936, a great landmark in the history of karate
in Japan.
The Japan Karate Association was established in 1955 with
Funakoshi as chief instructor. At this time, the organization
had only a few members and a handful of instructors who had
studied karate under the then aged master. In 1958 the
Association held the first all-Japan karate championship
tournament, now an annual event, helping to establish karate as
a competitive sport.
As a practical means of self-defense, karate is taught in a
great number of colleges and universities in their physical
education programs. In Japan and elsewhere in the world,
moreover, karate is gaining great popularity as a competitive
sport, one which stresses mental discipline as well as physical
prowess. What was originally developed in the Orient as a
martial art, then, has survived and changed through the
centuries to become not only a highly effective means of unarmed
self-defence, but also an exciting, challenging sport.
'Dojo Kun', or training code, which not only ensures a
disciplined training environment, but serves as a tool for
moulding behaviour, so that a true Karateka will fight with
words and only employ physical violence as a last resort.
BUSHIDO:
The Samurai Code Zen was introduced into Japan in the
twelfth century. Championed by Hojo Tokimune, who led the defeat
of repeated Mongolian invasions, Zen became firmly established
amongst the samurai warrior classes.
Reflecting the basic nature of goodness underlying all
things, the Warrior is devoted to the spiritual welfare of
the world at large, vigilantly defending peace, justice and
humanity.
“Although it stands to reason that a samurai should be
mindful of the Way of the Samurai, it would seem that we
are all negligent. Consequently, if someone were to ask,
"What is the true meaning of the Way of the Samurai?" the
person who would be able to answer promptly is rare. This
is because it has not been established in one's mind
beforehand. From this, one's unmindfulness of the Way can
be known. Negligence is an extreme thing" .
Yamamoto Tsunetomo
KARATE - A WAY OF LIFE:
Nowadays it is virtually a cliche to say "Karate-do is
a way of life/a lifestyle", but very few really know
what they are talking about and actually explain their
words. In Shotokan Karate you obtain, through a
rigorous training, a knowledge about yourself, that in
our hedonistic present materialistic culture, is very
hard to obtain.
This knowledge gives you the tools with which you can
face any critical situation in your life. You can then
confront them calmly, firmly and with an unusual
success. But it not only expresses itself in crisis,
furthermore in any activity, the spirit of excelling
and the self-knowledge attained give you better tools
to achieve a better life.
*********
MICHAEL BOULTON,
child psychologist
I WATCHED in horror as a
10-year-old boy picked up his friend and threw him onto the
tarmac playground. The victim lay groaning on his back, his face
contorted in agony. A lunchtime supervisor rushed up to the boy
still standing and demanded to know what he was doing. Even
before he opened his mouth I know what he was going to say -
"But we're only playing, Miss." "What do you mean, 'only
playing?'" she gasped, "that's not playing." I knew what he
would say next as well. "We are Miss, it's WWF." (World
Wrestling Federation for the uninitiated.)
Like thousands of children
- girls as well as boys - these two had incorporated "fighting"
scenes from television, film and sport into their play. And,
like thousands of others, they did so without injury. As the
supervisor approached, the "victim" jumped to his feet - he was
only acting hurt.
If young children
participate in kick-boxing, younger viewers will watch and
others will get to hear about it. Make no mistake, some children
will copy what they have seen or have heard about. And although
most children who play-fight don't get hurt, some do, and a few
are hurt badly. Young children simply do not have the motor
coordination required to execute kick-boxing manoeuvres safely.
They might intend to stop a kick before it reaches a friend's
stomach but may not be able to do so every time. Children who
copy kick-boxing in the playground or the street will not be
supervised or protected with padding unlike those involved in
clubs and contests.
There are other dangers.
Children are not the same as adults - they only slowly develop
an appreciation that kicking someone in real life has more
serious (and painful) consequences than doing so in a film ...
or a kick- boxing bout. Playful fighting and contact sports such
as kick-boxing are important in allowing children to develop
this appreciation, as well as self-control, and I do not
advocate a ban on such activities. However, kick-boxing for
five-year-olds may be too much too soon.
My most serious concern is
that some children - participants or onlookers - could
mistakenly think that adults are endorsing physical aggression
by encouraging children to engage in such sports. Studies I have
carried out have shown me that young children often find it hard
to appreciate the difference between fighting that is truly
aggressive and fighting that is done in the spirit of play and
sport. While most children get better at making this distinction
with age, some do not. These individuals have a
higher-than-average propensity to become aggressive or bullying
to their peers. They might be particularly likely to form a
distorted view of the nature of child kick-boxing.
My concerns are not
directed at the girls involved in this contest. Their parents
would not place them in any physical danger. But I am worried
more generally. As with violence on film or television, we owe
it to our children to consider the cumulative impact on their
developing attitudes
***********
Karate on the other hand is known to have
good control and discipline.
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