Karate, Society, Social Development & Sport

Karate and society

Karate-do is a traditional form of movement with a great diversity of appearances. This diversity makes karate-do suitable for a large target group with different objectives. Think of the development of self-confidence, self-image, discipline, structure, norms and values, respect, perseverance, assertiveness, resilience and all ground-motor qualities (strength, coordination, flexibility, endurance, speed). This wide variety of objectives is what makes Karate-Do so special.

Karate-do is not just any physical form of movement. It is based on developing the character of the practitioner. This focus on personal development in particular gives karate-do an important pedagogical value for children and adults, and tries to make a positive contribution to our society.

Responding to social developments and needs

In order to propagate the values of karate-do, it is important to respond to social developments and needs. We live in a hurried and competition-oriented society where people have a lot of free time and freedom of choice. The basic necessities of life are amply provided, so that quality of life and life realization can come to the fore. This gives rise to high expectations and individual responsibility. But people also want quality, variety and fast results with minimal effort.
Needs arise from these social developments. Sometimes the needs are in line with the developments. Consider, for example, the current competitive drive within the sports world. The demand for quality, variety and fast results is also reflected in the current exercise culture. In other cases, the needs turn out to be just the opposite of social developments. Compensation behavior arises. We suffer from lack of exercise and try to compensate for this by exercising more and more; we are getting more and more freedom and responsibility and therefore also a need for structure and identity. Developing self-confidence, resilience, respect, discipline and perseverance also meet the needs of today's society.
Karate-do teachers must therefore look carefully at the real needs and the possible contributions that karate-do can make to this. Sometimes this is in line with developments, and sometimes the opposite. The same applies, for example, to technological developments or developments in education. In order to be able to pass on this beautiful tradition to the next generations, it is therefore important to keep in touch with these developments and needs, while not losing sight of the traditional values of karate-do.
Martial arts can make an important contribution to resilience, aggression control and personal growth. Martial arts offers opportunities to improve their psychosocial well-being and social (re) integration, especially for socially vulnerable youth. Qualified martial arts trainers with sports-related and pedagogical knowledge and skills play a key role in this.

Karate: Sport or art

Due to the characteristic differences in nature and origin, karate-do and sport sometimes seem difficult to reconcile. The competitive drive and the one-sided focus on the end result that characterizes the current Western sports world, seems to be the opposite of the Traditional Eastern Budo idea. When we study both forms more closely, however, it appears that sport also contains values that characterize karate-do.

The experience of a competition is of great value. A few minutes on the competition mat can equal many hours on the training mat. The realization that the student must present and perform in front of spectators can give him / her an extra incentive to develop to the best of his / her ability. Competition provides insight into the various skills and thus makes the development of a karateka visible. Think of resilience, responsiveness, perseverance and dealing with profit and loss. The control that is necessary in a competitive fight not to lose oneself in aggressiveness or to give in to fear, anger, etc., is of great value.

In this sense, sport and karate are an extension of and complement each other. It is precisely with regard to this game element that is missing in the budo that sports karate has something to add to karate-do. The presence of a competitive form of practice makes karate-do open to the practice of youth and young adults. This accessibility introduces the young person to the practice of karate-do into a meaningful tradition, which in due course will assert itself as a discipline beyond what appears at first glance.

Given the ultimate goal of karate-do, the development of the character of the practitioner, the competition forms should be seen as an (important) means, and not as an end in itself. This offers the opportunity to put the value of winning and losing into perspective. As long as the game element remains embedded within the larger, formative whole, there will only be an enrichment of karate-do.

There are several objectives of practice Karate-Do. One can consider this in many ways, mainly as Body Fitness, Sport, Art & Self-Defense.

If Parents and Karatekas (practitioners of karate) aspiring to excel in the field of KARATE as ‘SPORT’ need to wisely choose a nearby karate dojo (training centre) that is approved by the body connected to the World Body WKF. Of course, the quality and technical ability of the karate coach is utmost importance for the growth of the karateka, besides having the approval of the dojo.

A practitioner may practice any style of Karate, learn a lot but in Sport Karate, his/her performance speaks in official Karate Tournaments.  


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