Garner Karate-Do

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Karate is a martial art in which the ultimate purpose is not to seek to win, but to work toward perfection of character and a strong body. As with any other martial art, karate requires solid discipline. The body must go through long and strenuous exercises for many years. Total control is required over not only one’s techniques, but also emotions such as fear, pain, and hate. As a fighting art, karate involves the confrontation of two wills, each determined to win. In this way courage and strength of spirit develop, as well as humility and respect for one’s self and others.

Although karate can be used as a form of fighting, it will also foster the patience necessary to temper aggression. When karate techniques are practiced solely as a fighting method as a result of misunderstanding or lack of guidance, they cease to be karate. Although a person who practices karate is capable of fighting, training leads to resistance of provocation, and avoidance of trouble and hostile situations.

Patience is another quality that a student of karate will develop. Progress in some cases tends to be very slow, and there is often the desire to give up out of disappointment. However, the person who persists in the program will always progress, no matter how small each step is.

The Shotokan style of karate, the style of karate offered in this program, was developed in the early part of this century by Gichin Funakoshi, who culled and assimilated critical aspects of several Okinawan styles such as shuri-ryu, shito-ryu, and shorin-ryu. Shotokan has kept its traditional roots alive by continuing to stress simplicity, movement that is sure and swift, and inner growth.

HISTORY OF SHOTOKAN

Funakoshi Gichin (1868-1957) was the founder of the Shotokan-ryu style of Karate. Funakoshi was born in the Okinawan capital of Shuri into a family of the Shizoku class (upper class). He began his karate training at the age of 12, with master Azato and then with Master Itosu. As an adult, he worked for many years as a primary school teacher, but then resigned to open a karate school. He was chosen by the Okinawa Karate Masters for a karate demonstration to be held in Kyoto, in 1922. He remained in Japan and began to teach karate in some Tokyo University clubs.

Master Gichin Funakoshi was instructed by Yasutsune Azato and Yasutsune Itosu. He was also responsible for changing (or defining, depending how you look at it) the meaning of the word Karate-do. He changed the "kara" symbol in Karate from the old symbol, meaning "China", to the new symbol, meaning "empty".

In his book Karate-Do Nyumon, he writes: "Just as an empty valley can carry a resounding voice, so must the person who follows the Way of Karate make himself void or empty by ridding himself of all self-centeredness and greed."

At first, times were very hard, but soon karate began to grow; and in 1935, Funakoshi pupils built the Shotokan dojo, and karate was taught in many places in Japan. World War II brought many changes to karate in Japan, causing Funakoshi to reorganize it. Gichin Funakoshi died in Tokyo in 1957.