Karate

Appeared around the mid-fifties in Europe, karate has come a long way in our western countries.

Karate is a fighting technique involving punches and kicks given with the greatest possible power and speed. Each person can find in it what he seeks, whether it would be a passion for fighting, for self-defense purposes or for the intensive sporting gymnastic aspect. Karate is a dynamic sport recommended to the energetic types, to those with a calmer character and to those who want to gain a healthy body, controlled by a well-balanced mind.

More than a sport, Karate is an art, a school of concentration , of self-control and, is a means of mastering ones own behaviour, as well as that of one of others. It is a way of life.

Karate and children

The pedagogy I bring into play seeks to enrich the child in his emotional, social and mental behaviour through his psycho-motive (space, times and rhythms…), physiological (jump-power, suppleness, endurance...) and socio-motive (friends, group life...) development.

It is of great importance for the children to develop all the muscular groups harmoniously. The symmetrical work of the body in karate will prevent effects of a disharmonious nature. Concerning the physical aspect, the co-ordination work is extremely salutary. The spatialization of this gymnastic that constitutes karate, converges to provide the child with a very interesting body picture on the psychic level. The aggressiveness of the child is more than canalized by karate ; one can say that it is in fact domesticated, for karate must be placed in the context represented by the dojo (working hall), the respect of the partner, the different salutations and so on ...

Through this pedagogy the child will be able to acquire a physical and intellectual preparation and an experience that will allow him to practice later on, more combative adult karate, and eventually if the child wants "competition karate". But above all, he will be himself and consequently, feeling secure, he will express himself freely.

It will be interesting to observe the growth of these young sprouts brought to full maturity through the method we propose. We can confirm that karate will have contributed to making them well balanced and confident men and women.