| Karate is a system of unarmed self-defense | | | | are also strengthened and used like a spear point. |
| which originated in eastern Asia and involves the | | | | Katas are acrobatic forms of punching, kicking, |
| use of the hands, elbows and knees, or feet for | | | | blocking, turning, leaping, and dodging and are |
| kicks and blows to vulnerable parts of the body | | | | often practiced with an imaginary opponent. |
| such as temples, throat, and groin. Karate should | | | | In a dojo, or karate school, training is done |
| not be confused with a similar Asian sport, | | | | barefoot on the wooden floor with no mats used. |
| ju-jitsu, sumo and judo which involve wrestling, | | | | The basic equipment available includes punching |
| throwing, and holding an opponent on the ground | | | | bags, weights, bamboo blocks, and deep boxes of |
| and choking him. In karate, there is little personal | | | | dry beans or coarse sand for strengthening the |
| contact and an adversary is immobilized by | | | | extended fingers of the hand. |
| well-directed powerful blows, delivered from as | | | | The traditional costume is the gi, a loose fitting |
| safe a distance as possible. | | | | jacket and pants, usually made of white canvas, |
| In the seventies, it was some times called | | | | and a long cotton sash or belt. The color of the |
| "acrobatic boxing." Karate has evolved from a | | | | belt denotes the wearer's rank. Beginners wear |
| purely personal-combat defense system. It is best | | | | white belts, and experts black. The belts in |
| known for the amazing feats of demolition that | | | | between are yellow, green, and brown in this |
| experts can perform: a large block of ice can be | | | | respective order. The black belts also have |
| crushed by the fist, six inches of pine wood can | | | | various degrees or dans, based on skill and |
| be splintered by a kick and stacks of roofing tiles | | | | teaching ability. Most schools go no higher than the |
| can be shattered with a the elbow or the top of | | | | eighth dan. |
| the head. | | | | In the seventies, when karate was very popular, |
| The three main areas of karate training are | | | | lots of movies came out with this theme. From |
| calisthenics, kumite, and kata. Calisthenics are | | | | Bruce Lee's "Game of Death" which pits him with |
| rigorous and build up acrobatic flexibility and speed. | | | | different martial art styles to the African |
| Kumite is training in specific karate blows, kicks, | | | | American "Three the Hard Way." Even television |
| chops, and blocks, involving the use of knuckles of | | | | had David Carradine wandering from place to |
| the fist, the "blade" of the hand, the ball and | | | | place with "Kung Fu". |
| outside edge of the foot. The extended fingers | | | | |