Sport vs Traditional Karate

Sport Karate vs. Traditional Karate During the years after World War II, American servicemen stationed in Okinawa trained in the traditional art of Okinawan Karate. Most of these servicemen were in Okinawa long enough to gain only a very basic understanding of the art. Upon returning home, these men introduced their interpretation of karate to the American public for the first time. Since then, karate has grown to be one of the most popular sports …

… the true value offered by traditional martial arts training -- a healthy mind, body and spirit, along with a calmer and more peaceful lifestyle. The martial arts are not a sport or a game. They are a way of life enhancement for the greater good of society as a whole. For the martial arts to be seen or practiced as anything else does a great injustice to the arts and those who embody them.