Whether you are just training yourself at home or want some extra practice away from the class setting, a Karate training DVD is invaluable. Not only have martial arts seen a big resurgence in Asian countries but the popularity of Karate and other forms for martial arts is exploding in western countries like never before. Some people see karate as a different way to get fit, tired of pounding the pavement or trying to work out in cluttered unfriendly gyms, karate offers a un...

Beginner level Karate Kids seem to be getting younger and younger nowadays. What is the right age to start the martial arts? Is your little one ready to become a karate kid? Back when I started practicing martial arts in the early 1980s in England the youngest child my local karate school would take was 8 years old. Consequently I started karate at the age of 8. I was then thrown in with the older kids and the adults and was given the option to ?sink or swim?. As karate...

I have a five-year-old son who recently decided he wanted to take up the art of karate. Well, as you can guess, I was thrilled that he wanted to get involved with something that would teach him so much for the life that lies before him. Little did I know that I too, would have to become an expert in the ways of karate fashion! We went through all the steps to get him signed up and get his karate gi. Now all there was to do was await the big day when he was to start his cla...

"Hey. Wait a minute! I only just started Karate and now you?re talking to me about quitting already. What do you think I am ? an undisciplined, unmotivated loser or what?? OK, maybe you?re right, maybe I shouldn?t talk to you about quitting yet but I think there are some valuable lessons to be learned from the beginning about the different reasons why people quit karate. By knowing this you will know which pitfalls to avoid. There are some common reasons for quitting ka...

?Do I have to practice this again? I know how to do it already. Why can I not learn the next punch and the next form? Do I still have to do the things that WHITE BELTS do?!?? Have you ever felt agitated with your instructor for having you drill basics when you already ?know? them? You are not alone. ?Basics again?? is a common question asked by karate students. In fact, you could probably handle some of the more advanced techniques but slow down ?grasshopper?; your sense...

There are many reasons that people first get started in the martial arts. Usually the reasons are for self-defense, health and fitness, discipline, confidence, self-control and spiritual growth among others. Most of us have heard about these benefits of the martial arts, yet despite knowing the potential rewards of karate, it is not always clear why we should stay on the path for the long term. I would like to let you know what I believe is the number one reason for you to...

This question seems innocent and easy to answer. But the truth is that it is not an easy question to answer at all, because it must be answered on so many different levels. ?What is karate really all about?? Is it about learning some punches, kicks and blocks? Is it about memorizing endless forms? Is it about self-defense? Is it about health and fitness? How about making friends and socializing? And what about all of those buzzwords such as self-discipline, self-confidence...

The educational system often talks about the ?Three Rs? of Reading Writing and Arithmetic. To a casual observer, one might say that the education system was flawed from the very beginning by the fact that it can?t spell! In Karate, however, we can spell, and the three Ks really are three Ks ? Kihon, Kata and Kumite. Let?s look at each one and explain what it is. Kihon means Basics. Basics are the fundamentals of our art or style. In Karate, basics are our punches, our kick...

Many of you reading this article may already be well on your way to becoming a black belt in your chosen martial art. Some of you may just be starting out on your journey and others may have reached the coveted black belt and are now working towards higher degrees of the black belt. How long were you told it should take you to get the black belt? Two years? Three years? Five? Ten? Why does it take so long to get a black belt? This article will help to answer your questions...

Many martial arts schools around the world promote a philosophy of self-improvement as well as an expected standard of technical skill. When you think about it, it is the philosophy rather than the technical skill that should influence every practitioner?s daily life. The martial arts philosophy, or at least the traditional karate philosophy, is called the Dojo-Kun. The Dojo-Kun is simply a five point ethical guide for training in the martial arts and for behavior in your ...