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Brief History of Karate

Karate is a martial art which uses punching, kicking, and knee strikes to fight off enemy attackers. Karate has a rich history and has been used for centuries as a method of defense.

The exact history of karate is quite debatable, but many believe the martial art began as far back as 1,500 years ago. Scholars of the sport believe back around 600 AD, a young Buddhist monk invented a form of self-defense, which inadvertently became the base of karate.

The Buddhist monk traveled throughout India, China and through the Himalayan Mountains where he was constantly under attack and needed to defend himself. The monk required the original form of karate to defend himself because Buddhist monks were not allowed to carry or use any form of weapon.

While the Buddhist monk was living in China he became an important part of society and he began to develop a more advanced form of karate. His new form of karate relied heavily on Yoga techniques and exercises which consisted of stretching and deep breathing. Eventually, the monk’s new exercise and defense program continued to evolve into a martial art which gave its users a distinct advantage when being attacked.

Many believe that the Buddhist monk may have traveled to Okinawa, where he taught his advanced techniques. Once the art became practiced in Okinawa, it appears it became blended with other martial arts which were already practiced. Okinawan’s had a long history of practicing an ancient version of Kung-Fu as well as a fighting system referred to as “Tode.”

When all three martial arts were combined, others believe Karate was formed. An Okinawan named Sokon Matsumara put together a set of moves that first began to resemble the form of Karate that is known today. The Okinawans quickly began to learn modern karate out of necessity because their small island nation was constantly under attack by invading forces.

The Okinawans continued to use karate for centuries and referred to the martial art as “T’Ang Hand.” In the 1800s, Master Gichin Funakoshi changed the translation of the martial art to “Karate.” The popularity of Karate in the United States began to grow after World War II, which is when the United States placed a military base on the island. The martial art became quite popular with military men stationed there.

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