Practical Self-defense Against Habitual Acts of Violence
Karate traces is roots to China when, in the 6th century AD, a Buddhist monk named Bodhidharma traveled from India to the Shaolin temple in Henan Province. In working to spread the teachings of Buddha, the monk integrated the learning process of Buddhism with holistic exercise punctuated with defensive themes as a means of strengthening the body and defending oneself against the habitual acts of physical violence present in the world in which he lived. This historical perspective has been passed down to us via the Okinawan teacher Motobu Choki in his book Watashi no Karate-jutsu (Karate My Art) written in 1932.
Today, more than any time in recent memory, we live under the very real threat of habitual acts of physical violence be it domestic abuse at home, threats faced in the street, or threats of political or systemic violence facing each of us every day. While nearly 100 years have passed since Motobu Choki’s teachings, the basic human condition has persisted. We are still at risk of being physically or psychologically intimidated, being pushed, pulled, punched, choked, or grabbed by someone who may be larger, stronger, or otherwise hold some leverage over us in our lives.
Karate practice continues to blend the practice of mindfulness with physical strengthening, cardiovascular conditioning, and the 3 primary pillars of self defense training: kata, kumite, and kihon. Through the practice of kihon, we learn the basics of how to stand, move, punch, block, and kick. Kata takes those basics and organizes them into pre-set flows of movement that eventually create the muscle memory needed to respond to a variety of threats. Kumite (or sparring), teaches timing, distancing, and conditioning under controlled, but real, threats. Taken holistically, karate provides a full system for building strength, discipline, confidence, and a practical set of skills necessary to defend yourself against the most common threats of violence you are likely to face and ultimately live a more peaceful life.
It is important to note that karate practice does not teach you how to fight or brawl and in fact discourages those behaviors. Sports like MMA or boxing are great outlets for fitness and confidence building, but lack the grounding in peace, discipline, and practical self-defense. In the case of an actual physical threat, you’ll want to have a set of skills that will allow you to end an attack quickly and decisively – the longer you are physically engaged, the higher the risk you face of having something go wrong. Keep this in mind as you consider your future training.
