Читать книгу Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters онлайн

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When I am asked about Okinawa, I often like to say that it is the island from which karate first surfaced, rather than describing it as the location that was decimated during the Second World War. I feel confident that most foreigners whom I have met are satisfied with my description. Yet, a question which remains unanswered is how karate achieved such international magnitude?

Considering its practical attributes, the ability “to kill with a single blow” or similar “supernatural powers of destruction,” were developed by learning to use the entire body as a weapon. It is not surprising, then, that such a practice spread so rapidly. However, the principal basis for karate’s world-wide popularity has to be the “anytime, anywhere, anyone” principle. Simply put, the practice of karate knows no limitations; there are no time, place, age, or gender restrictions. One can train any time, any place, and with anyone, or even by oneself. Moreover, one can practice for fitness, self-defense, recreation, competition, character development, or spiritual discovery. Especially in such a hectic modern society as ours, karate is an attractive and practical consideration.