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Exercise Nutrition: How To Keep That Energy Up!
How many times has this happened to you? >> You psych yourself up mentally (you are GOING to do it!) >> You don the outfit (you can practically feel the energy flowing through your veins!) >> You lace up the running shoes (Nike: Just Do It -...
Lyle Overbay: Milwaukee Brewers First Baseman
Not too many people would know who I'm talking about if I mentioned Lyle Overbay before the season started. Now that he's batting .347 with 5 homers and 31 RBI's(2nd in NL), many fans and fantasy owners are taking notice. Overbay has helped...
Miscellaneous Racing Sports
Racing is a sport that has been in existence literally for
thousands of years. It's certainly progressed since the days of
the chariot races in ancient Greece but the drive behind racing
still remains the same. When people race, regardless if...
The Importance of Physical Activity
Regular activity, fitness and exercise, are critical for the health and well being of people of all ages. Research shows that everyone , young or old can benefit from regular exercise, either vigourous or moderate. Even very old adults can improve...
Who MadeThe First Parachute Jump?
The first parachute jump in history is a bit debatable. While
many seem to think that an extreme sport like parachuting
has its roots in recent history, it has, in fact, been around
for centuries.
In 852 A.D., Arman Firman, a...
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Karate a History
Although the basic forms of self defense are probably as old as the human race, the art of karate as it is practiced today can be traced directly to the Okinawan technique called, in Japanese, Okinawate-te (Okinawa Hands). This system of defense in turn is a descendant of the ancient Chinese art of chuan-fa (kung-fu).
Little is known about the historical development of karate in Okinawa, but there is an interesting story to be told about it. About five hundred years ago, the famous King Hashi of the Okinawan Sho dynasty succeeded in uniting the Ryukya islands into one kingdom. To ensure rule by law and to discourage and potential military rivals, he seized all weapons in the kingdom and made the possession of weapons a crime against the state. About two hundred years later, Okinawa became part ot the domain of the Satsuma clan of Kyushu, and for a second time all weapons were seized and banned. As a direct result of these successive bans against weapons, it is said that the art of empty-handed self defense call Okinawa-te underwent tremendous development.
The man most responsible for the systemization of karate as we know it today was Funakoshi Gichin. He was born in Shuri, Okinawa, in 1869, and when only a boy of eleven began to
study karate under the two top masters of the art at the time. In time he became a karate expert in his own right. He is credited to be the first man to introduce karate to Japan proper, when he gave exhibitions in 1917 and again in 1922 at physical-education expositions. The art soon caught on in Japan, and Funakoshi traveled throughout the country giving lectures and demonstrations. The main universities invited him to set up karate teams, and hundreds of people studied the art under his guidance.
As the study of karate in Japan became increasingly popular, many other experts from Okinawa came to give instruction. At the same time the ancient native Japanese hand-to-hand fighting techniques of jujitsu and kendo (sword fighting) were being widely practiced, and modern sports imported from the West were becoming popular. Karate soon took over many elements from these, and the basis was laid for the modern Japanese-style karate.
About The Author
Michael Smith is a Black Belt in Hapkido and has also studied Karate, Kung Fu and Kick Boxing. Learn the secrets of the worlds most popular martial arts. Visit http://www.allmartialarts.info Web Site Today.
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