Karate Chop Life , Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at 5:48 AM, in

Karate is a martial art that has existed for thousands of years. It originated in China and is based of the fighting system of Gongfu. Karate is now widely practiced throughout the world and has undergone many changes throughout its practice. While Karate is mainly a self defense and fighting system, it is also used to improve physical fitness level and lower stress levels. Children as young as five can begin karate for the disciplinary and self esteem benefits. It is a magnificent sport and have numerous benefits for participants of any age.
When you join a karate class, there are a few things that you can expect. As karate is a sport like any other, you will need to do some preparations before getting into the fighting aspect. To begin, you should do a warm up. This warm up can include some light running or jogging, pushups, situps, jumping jacks, etc. This will get your muscles ready for the challenge they are about to face. The next step will be stretching. Stretching is so incredibly important to karate, this is a step you can not skip. Stretching your muscles allows them to loosen up and allows you to perform better moves without the danger of injury.






You can do stretches on your own, with a partner, or with the assistance of a machine. This becomes even more important as we get older and we begin to see stiffness in our joints, but starting out young is still the best way.
While karate is mostly a physical exercise, it is not entirely. There is a strong mindfulness aspect of karate which is nurtured through meditation. You should go into each practice with a clear head and a relaxed mind. This will allow you to gain the most from your training and the benefits will remain long after you leave the class.
After you have warmed up and done your stretching and meditation, you will start to learn the basic moves of karate. This includes both the offensive and defensive aspects of the art. Your offensive moves will include attacks such as upper cuts, punches, elbow strikes, knife chops, etc. You will also utilize kicks and learn to keep your balance while delivering or receiving a hit.






The defensive moves will include blocks for all of the upper and lower body strikes. You will learn how to fall properly, in a way that protects your head from injury and does the least possible amount of damage.
The last part of a karate class is the sparring. Sparring is fighting with little or no contact. This allows you to put the moves and techniques you have learned to use in a more realistic but safe environment. Learning karate can be extremely fulfilling and can enhance every aspect of your life. So what are you waiting for, go karate chop life!

Sydney Garrison is an avid cyclist and sports enthusiast. She is also a partner in an online bike rack store