The Karate Ornament is about 4¼ inches tall and 3½ inches wide. It shows a young boy practicing his Karate side kick. He is wearing a typical Karate uniform with a brown belt. Behind him is a 25/8 inch diameter gold circle with a 3½ inch long by 1 inch tall banner. The banner is red with a green border and says KARATE in large white letters. These are perfect Birthday Presents for young Karate students. Select this link to view our Sports Ornaments.
What is Karate?
Karate is a martial art developed from Chinese kenpō in particular, Southern Chinese kung fu and indigenous fighting methods from the Ryūkyū Islands. It is primarily a striking art, featuring punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open handed techniques but grappling, joint manipulations, locks, restraints, throws, and vital point striking are also taught, depending on the style. A karate practitioner is called a karateka. Select this link to view our Martial Arts Ornament.
What are Martial Arts?
Martial arts are systems of practices and traditions of training for combat. Though studied for various reasons martial arts share a single objective: to defeat a person physically or to defend oneself from physical threat. Some martial arts are linked to spiritual or religious beliefs or philosophies such as Buddhism, Daoism or Shinto. Select this link to view our Female Karate Student.
Martial arts are commonly associated with East Asian cultures, but are by no means unique to Asia. Throughout Europe there was an extensive system of combat martial arts, collectively referred to as Historical European martial arts that existed until modern times and is now being reconstructed by several organizations. In the Americas Native Americans have a tradition of open handed martial arts, that includes wrestling and Hawaiians have historically practiced arts featuring small and large joint manipulation. Select this link to view our Potential Marathon Runner.
While each style has unique facets that makes it different from other martial arts, a common characteristic is the systemization of fighting techniques. Methods of training vary and may include Sparing, "forms" or "kata"; which are sets or routines of techniques that are performed alone or sometimes with a partner, they are particularly common in the Asian and Asian-derived martial arts and drilling of a technique. Select this link to view our Gifts for Snowboarders.