Karate Builds Self Defense Abilities

All traditional Okinawan karate builds self defense abilities in many ways. Karate in the way we train at our dojo teaches a high level of self defense. With skill, that expands into life protection. Meaning you can protect others as well as your self. We teach those skills in both adults’ classes and kids’ classes. There are many ways in which our physical training helps you protect yourself. There are several non-physical ways in which learning karate at our dojo will also improve self defense. But I will focus mainly on the benefits of physical training here. I’ll start with the benefits that all martial arts should include. Then I’ll work into the training benefits more specific to our style or dojo.

KARATE BUILDS SELF DEFENSE ABILITIES THRU KINESIOLOGY PRACTICE

In martial arts training you use your body in ways that you may have never done before. You learn more about how the body moves and how the human body works best. Also, karate builds self defense abilities through the practice of moving among other people of different sizes and abilities in different drills.

KARATE BUILDS SELF DEFENSE ABILITIES WITH FITNESS 

Again, any martial art should help with this benefit. Physical fitness should improve with training regardless of style. And the more work you put in, the higher your fitness gains. Karate builds self defense abilities by building not only strength and muscle, but also importantly stamina. If you don’t have any energy left, you’ll find it difficult to fight for your safety in a physical attack. Also, most martial arts styles should bestow agility upon their students. This helps them to move quickly and change directions. This also helps with all areas of self defense.

KARATE BUILDS SELF DEFENSE ABILITIES THRU DIFFERENT PARTNERS

One benefit of karate training in a group class is that you get to work with different partners. The more you can work with people of many sizes and shapes, the better you will be able to protect yourself and others. Partner work may include drills with short, simple moves as well as more advanced techniques. You can learn how to respond to an attacker that is faster as well as slower. Many other variables make a difference in their attack and response to your technique.

KARATE BUILDS SELF DEFENSE ABILITIES THRU KATA

Here we are getting more into how training in our style of traditional Okinawan karate builds self defense abilities. Kata is choreographed moves learned in a specific order. Kata can help a student’s self defense positioning and postures. That is, specifically if the katas for your style of martial arts are for life protection applications. In our Ryukyu Kempo and at our dojo, we teach and practice kata to build habits. Those habits form a base of strong life protection skills.

KARATE BUILDS SELF DEFENSE ABILITIES WITH MATCHES 

There is more to what I said above about working with partners. Our students learn such in many different partner situations. We do light contact sparring that helps with distancing and timing. In the U.R.K.A., students have the option to do bogu or full-contact sparring. Proper bogu gear is highly important. At our dojo, the Groundfighting classes enrich the standing partner work with techniques on the ground.

Through martial arts, students study the art of how the human body moves. Especially with defense and attack movements. You also build your awareness of moving among others. You improve your fitness, stamina and agility. Traditional Okinawan karate also trains you in how different-sized people move. Your kata makes self defense second nature. And the many different partner drills in karate build self defense abilities.

-Jenifer Tull-Gauger