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Excerpt Ageless Athletic Assassin: Page 86
KARATE - GICHIN FUNAKOSHI 1372
Karate began in the 14th century in Okinawa and became mainstream in the 1920s when Gichin Funakoshi introduced karate into mainland Japan beginning in Tokyo. Unarmed combat techniques developed when King Shō Shin banned weapons in 1477. Karate’s techniques come from Chinese Kung Fu - particularly Fujian White Crane.As a teenager, Gichin Funakoshi (born in 1868) was sick and weak. Fortunately Gichin was in the same class as the son of karate master Yasutsune Azato. Funakoshi was Azato’s only student who taught at night as the government forbid the teaching of karate - viewing the hands and feet as “weapons” against government authority. Gichin also learned martial arts from Yasutsune Itosu and Itosu's master Sokon Matsumura.
In 1922, Gichin traveled from Okinawa to Tokyo on behalf of the Ministry of Education in Japan. At the demonstration, Gichin impressed Jigoro Kano (the father of Judo) and Hakudo Nakayama (Kendo Master) so ended up staying in Tokyo to introduce Karate to the major universities of Japan. At age 55 in year 1923, Gichin had very few students and lived in poverty saying “To pay for the tiny room where I slept, I took on odd jobs at the dormitory: watchman, caretaker, gardener, and even room sweeper.”
At the close of World War II in 1945, U.S. General Douglas MacArthur banned the teaching of Judo and Kendo in Japan. Fortunately for Karate, Professor Ohama asked the U.S. Occupational Force to classify Karate as physical education not a martial art, which allowed Gichin to teach martial artists from other disciplines looking for permitted “martial arts” such as Karate. Gichin’s biggest contribution was when he sent Karate instructors to the United States in the 1950s per request of United States citizens who learned basic techniques from returning American soldiers.
Famous karateka are James Caan, Madonna, Elvis Presley, Sean Connery (James Bond), D’Brickashaw Ferguson (NFL Athlete), James Johnson (NBA Player), Steven Ho (stuntman), Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Georges St-Pierre (UFC Fighter), Taylor Lautner (“Twilight” show), and Wesley Snipes. Best films featuring karate are “Blood Sport” featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme and “The Karate Kid” featuring Noriyuki Morita. You can learn more about karate in Gichin Funakoshi’s books titled “Karate-do kyohan” and “Karate-do: my way of life.”
Gichin lays out “The Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate.” The principles are: training begins and ends with bowing, there is no first strike in karate, Karate stands on the side of justice, First know yourself then know others, Mentality over technique, The heart must be set free, Calamity springs from carelessness, Karate goes beyond the dojo, Karate is a lifelong pursuit, Apply the way of karate to all things - therein lies its beauty, Karate is like boiling water where water returns to its tepid without heat, Do not think of winning and instead think of not losing, Make adjustments according to your opponent, The outcome of a battle depends on how one handles emptiness and fullness, Think of hands and feet as swords, You face a million enemies when you step beyond your own gate, Formal stances are for beginners - one stands naturally, Perform prescribed sets of techniques exactly - actual combat is another matter, Do not forget the employment of withdrawal of power/the extension or contraction of the body/the swift or leisurely application of technique, and Be constantly mindful, diligent, and resourceful, in your pursuit of the Way.
KARATE - GICHIN FUNAKOSHI 1372
Karate began in the 14th century in Okinawa and became mainstream in the 1920s when Gichin Funakoshi introduced karate into mainland Japan beginning in Tokyo. Unarmed combat techniques developed when King Shō Shin banned weapons in 1477. Karate’s techniques come from Chinese Kung Fu - particularly Fujian White Crane.As a teenager, Gichin Funakoshi (born in 1868) was sick and weak. Fortunately Gichin was in the same class as the son of karate master Yasutsune Azato. Funakoshi was Azato’s only student who taught at night as the government forbid the teaching of karate - viewing the hands and feet as “weapons” against government authority. Gichin also learned martial arts from Yasutsune Itosu and Itosu's master Sokon Matsumura.
In 1922, Gichin traveled from Okinawa to Tokyo on behalf of the Ministry of Education in Japan. At the demonstration, Gichin impressed Jigoro Kano (the father of Judo) and Hakudo Nakayama (Kendo Master) so ended up staying in Tokyo to introduce Karate to the major universities of Japan. At age 55 in year 1923, Gichin had very few students and lived in poverty saying “To pay for the tiny room where I slept, I took on odd jobs at the dormitory: watchman, caretaker, gardener, and even room sweeper.”
At the close of World War II in 1945, U.S. General Douglas MacArthur banned the teaching of Judo and Kendo in Japan. Fortunately for Karate, Professor Ohama asked the U.S. Occupational Force to classify Karate as physical education not a martial art, which allowed Gichin to teach martial artists from other disciplines looking for permitted “martial arts” such as Karate. Gichin’s biggest contribution was when he sent Karate instructors to the United States in the 1950s per request of United States citizens who learned basic techniques from returning American soldiers.
Famous karateka are James Caan, Madonna, Elvis Presley, Sean Connery (James Bond), D’Brickashaw Ferguson (NFL Athlete), James Johnson (NBA Player), Steven Ho (stuntman), Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Georges St-Pierre (UFC Fighter), Taylor Lautner (“Twilight” show), and Wesley Snipes. Best films featuring karate are “Blood Sport” featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme and “The Karate Kid” featuring Noriyuki Morita. You can learn more about karate in Gichin Funakoshi’s books titled “Karate-do kyohan” and “Karate-do: my way of life.”
Gichin lays out “The Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate.” The principles are: training begins and ends with bowing, there is no first strike in karate, Karate stands on the side of justice, First know yourself then know others, Mentality over technique, The heart must be set free, Calamity springs from carelessness, Karate goes beyond the dojo, Karate is a lifelong pursuit, Apply the way of karate to all things - therein lies its beauty, Karate is like boiling water where water returns to its tepid without heat, Do not think of winning and instead think of not losing, Make adjustments according to your opponent, The outcome of a battle depends on how one handles emptiness and fullness, Think of hands and feet as swords, You face a million enemies when you step beyond your own gate, Formal stances are for beginners - one stands naturally, Perform prescribed sets of techniques exactly - actual combat is another matter, Do not forget the employment of withdrawal of power/the extension or contraction of the body/the swift or leisurely application of technique, and Be constantly mindful, diligent, and resourceful, in your pursuit of the Way.
