BOLTON SHOTOKAN

Before he established the Japanese Karate Association, Master Funakoshi laid out the Twenty Precepts of Karate, which form the foundations of the art. Within these twenty principles, lies the philosophy of the style of Shotokan Karate-Do.

 

1.            Never forget: karate begins with rei and ends with rei (Rei means courtesy or respect, and is representedin karate by bowing)

 

2.            There is no first attack in karate

 

3.            Karate supports righteousness

 

4.            First understand yourself, then understand others

 

5.            The art of developing the mind is more important than the art of applying technique

 

6.            The mind needs to be freed

 

7.            Trouble is born of negligence

 

8.            Do not think karate belongs only in the dojo

 

9.            Karate training requires a lifetime

 

10.          Transform everything into karate; therein lies its exquisiteness

 

11.          Genuine karate is like hot water; it cools down if you do not keep on heating it

 

12.          Do not think of winning; you must think of not losing

 

13.          Transform yourself according to the opponent

 

14.          The outcome of the fight depends on one's control

 

15.          Imagine one's arms and legs as swords

 

16.          Once you leave the shelter of home, there are a million enemies

 

17.          Postures are for the beginner; later they are natural positions

 

18.          Do the kata correctly; the real fight is a different matter

 

19.          Do not forget control of the dynamics of power, the elasticity of the body and the speed of the technique

 

20.          Always be good at the application of everything that you have learned.