The attacker on the right strikes to his opponent’s face with a left yonhon nukite jodan (four-finger spear hand at head height).

      To be capable of looking after oneself, all aspects of self-defence must be practiced regularly, not just kicking, striking and punching. Karate-do encapsulates all of this and the movements must be repeated as often as possible, whether you are training on your own, or with a partner. The aim of all karate practice is to make techniques instinctive, delivered without any hesitation whatsoever.

      Black Belt Karate gives a brief history of how the karate we are now studying came into being and how it has developed from the latter part of the last century right up to the modern day. The book also describes how sport competition karate is now the driving force behind many karate schools, which makes it very attractive to younger practitioners. The lack of emphasis in many schools on traditional karate values and ethos has led to a fall in the number of adult students, but this book is suitable for all ages and aims to further your karate education and all-round development.