Arguably the most well-known martial art in the world, Karate is a striking based fighting style that does not include grappling in its training. Relying on keen focus and a firm center of gravity, Karate teaches you how to strike correctly but more importantly that you must understand the reason behind your strike.

The Philosophy behind the practice

Karate is far more than just a style of fighting. It is a way to understand oneself and the world. The word Karate can be understood in English as "empty hand." Empty hand has two meanings within the discipline. 1) Referring to a practitioner's ability to fight empty handed or without weapons. 2) Empty hand is interpreted as containing Japanese Zen principles. In this regard, the empty hand refers to a person holding onto nothing except the perfection of one's self and art of the style. By being like a quiet valley where every sound can be heard a person can remove the selfishness and wickedness within themselves and become an exemplary and spiritually fulfilled individual.

In this sense karate is not a martial arts so much as it is a training path to spiritual knowledge. In fact, a founder of one of the first schools of karate, Gichin Funakoshi, thought that practitioners would have to use their training at most once in their lives. Except for an instance where you must defend yourself to avoid personal harm, all other situations should be resolved nonviolently. To quote Funakoshi, Sensei, " The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants."

Why study Karate?

At Nisei Goju-Jitsu, we endeavor to not only impart the techniques of Karate but also its philosophy. True strength is not the ability to cause harm, but the ability to remain calm and resolute in the face of adversity. As my teacher, Peter G. Urban, stated in his famous book, THE KARATE DOJO. "Karate deals primarily in developing the body so as to bring about a practiced control of the limbs and in developing certain mental energies so as to make the body into a highly effective tool of the mind; the body becomes in effect 'a weaponless weapon'. The mental demands in Karate training are more taxing than the physical demands. "

When the people of Larchmont decide to learn karate with Nisei Goju-Jitsu they will learn:

• Self-control
• Balance
• Respect
• Discipline
• Concentration

If you live in the greater Larchmont area and are interested in taking a class with us then please feel free to contact us through phone or email. We look forward to training with you.