Karate by McCall, Jeff

isn’t required. Your abilities will only take you so far, but it’s the unwavering belief that you belong. Have the confidence that you know you CAN do it. Can’t is not an option. Conclusion Karate (and all martial arts for the matter) are NOT about fighting or combat. They are about developing the mind, the spirit and the body. They are about teaching someone the arts of being gentle and being patient. The combat techniques are part of the sporting and self-defense elements but they are NOT the essence of the art. As you advance through the techniques and the variations, you will come across weapons like the nunchaku, the shuriken, the sward, the spear and the stick(s). These are not meant to teach you more effective ways of killing, crippling or wounding people. These are meant to teach you to NOT BE THERE when the blow comes. And of course how to defend against the blow. The entire concept behind a martial art is to teach you to avoid fighting. To fight only when it is absolutely necessary and as much as possible in a controlled environment. If you need to blow off some steam, this is what Kumite is for. If you need to work out, that’s what Kata is for. When the tension is high and a fight is on the air, two people that have been properly trained will never fight because they will both be maintaining a defensive stance waiting for their opponent to make the first move. This is why it is of the utmost importance to decide why? You cannot learn any martial art for show. You c