Word ‘kara te‘ translated from Japanese language means ‘an empty hand’, ‘karate do’ means ‘the path of an empty hand’.

According to Funakoshi karate is not a set of techniques to defeat an opponent but rather it is an opportunity to form a character.

Current karate consists of 3 the most rational elements: breathing methods from India; plastic, circular moves from China; low stance and philosophy of Budo from Japan.

Traditional karate – like the art of self-defence has been developing in Japan for many years. The main techniques are based on principles of Okinawa ‘To-de’ and its background is China’s armless self-defence martial art ‘Chuan-Fa’. The basis of the philosophy of traditional karate is the philosophy of ‘Budo’ which is crucial to most of Japan’s traditional martial arts. This combination of Okinawa martial art and Japan’s philosophy of Budo became Traditional karate. The main idea of traditional karate is ‘Todome waza’ – final technique which helps to neutralise the opponent. This technique makes traditional karate a martial art not only a sport. These conditions oblige people who do karate to develop not only physically, but also spiritually, to seek for a better result every day.

Traditional karate is a development of a person both physically and spiritually with the help of exercises and the philosophy of Budo.

Kata – ‘form, position’. It is a sequence of defence and attack actions in various directions and in particular rhythm. The main idea of kata is the imitation of fight with one or more opponents. With constant trainings of kata and repetition, the technique is improved, the reaction is trained, and the body is strengthened.

Kihon is the beginning school. Ki means ‘inner energy’, hon – ‘root, origin’. In kihon you learn the basis of an ideal form of technique. First of all – single elements and afterwards their combinations.