Karate

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ABCMMA incorporates Japanese based Shotokan Karate, literally empty hand. This is a traditional hard style of kicking, punching, blocking, varying hand strikes, katas, wazas and weapons. ABCMMA training results in fine toning of ones physical condition, mental awareness, endurance, strength, weight loss and  flexibility.

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KARATE

The martial art translated from its two Japanese characters as “empty hands”, was formalized on the island of Okinawa.  Karate’s roots are traced back to Western India.  The Indian Priest Daruma or Budhidharma, founder of Zen Buddhism first brought his style to China.  The Shaolin Temple is famous for its system of Kung-Fu using Daruma’s style.  It is told that traders carried the martial art from China to Okinawa.  Master Gichin Funakoshi an Okinawan educator was the first to take karate to the Japanese mainland in 1916.  His total discipline method he named Shotokan (House of Shoto), which was, his pen name.  Because of Shotokan’s popularity, Funakoshi is known as the “father of karate”.

After World War II, karate became extremely popular in the United States.  Tustomu Ohshima studied under Master Funakoshi during his attendance at Wareda University in Tokyo, Japan.  Mr. Ohshima migrated to the United States in 1955.  In Southern California he created what is now a national organization, Shotokan Karate of America.

As a martial art Karate is considered a “hard style”.  Concentrating on strong linear kicks, punches and hand strikes.  Many different systems have evolved from the original Shotokan.  But, the foundational roots are evident in all of these off-springs.