Training

Karate training is very beneficial

Karate can change your life
Karate training provides students with improved self-discipline, coordination, strength, agility, and flexibility. Karate training helps students develop practical self-defense skills in a controlled atmosphere. Karate is also an excellent way to improve mental attidudes and health. In many cases the Karate masters of old overcame personal adversity and sickness through the practice of Karate.

Karate teaches core skills
As a weaponless system of self-defence, Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do teaches how to:

· Defend yourself against physical and mental assault
· Increase your physical fitness and health
· Develop self-esteem and confidence
· Increase self-discipline and self-reliance
· Develop more courage, commitment and tenacity

Karate develops new abilities
Karate-do through its practice and processes can also help people:

- Foster an openness to face and deal with life’s challenges
- Build positive and rewarding relationships with all people.
- Become a willing, capable and contributing member of society.

Becoming a black belt

It’s all in the attitude
To reach Black belt is to begin to realise your own potential.

A “black belt” means many things to different people and usually their understanding is directly related to their exposure to the martial arts through the media, films and actual Black belt holders they have encountered. When people talk of Black belts they automatically think of superb fighters, athletes or superhumans who can perform wonderful feats of endurance and speed.

A Black belt may be all of this and more.

Black belts internalise core skillls
A Black belt is expected to have:

1. Internalised the basic movements
2. Studied the pre-arranged forms (kata) including their application (bunkai)
3. Understood the principles of balance, power generation and dynamics
4. Studied the pre-arranged fighting combinations (yakusoku kumite)
5. Experienced free-style kumite
6. Gained an overview of contemporary health and fitness concepts
7. Gained an overview of the body’s functions and anatomy
8. Studied the historical and traditional elements of Karate
9. Experienced and deepened one’s understanding of meditation and the mind

Ultimately, Karate is a life-enhancing practice
Karate-Do training is a microcosm in which our attitudes and abilities are challenged and stretched. Certainly training for Black belt involves the acquisition of the finely tuned physical skills of movement, kata and kumite. However, its ‘Do’ or life way is to develop an awareness of ourselves, our relationship with others and the universe

Many people never reach Black belt. Often despite natural ability or aptitude they are defeated by their own self-imposed limitations. However, once a student realises the inherent advantages gained in the pursuit of the physical, emotional and intellectual developments fostered by traditional Karate-Do training the road becomes much more sure.