Karate

    The Purple Dragon School of Self Defense instructs students in the Shotokan style of karate. We do not wish to imply that one style of karate is superior to any other.
Rather, the incorporation of karate techniques complements the learning of other
martial arts. Karate, or empty hand, emphasizes the principle of atemi, or striking.
Karate is often though of as a, "hard" martial art because of its focus on breaking,
blocking, and chopping. The Shotokan style of Karate was founded by master Gichin
Funakoshi. Karate traces its roots back to ancient mainland China. Indeed, some of the
more traditional Chinese animal forms are visible in the Shotokan taught in today's western  schools. Many karate stances resembe those of traditional shaolin kung-fu. The horse stance, for example, replicates stable and balanced stature of the large animal. The Purple Dragon School teaches karate through various methods including sparring with protective gear, working with punching bags, and the demonstration of kata, or forms. As students advance, new kata are learned that incorporate more complicated and diverse striking forms into the routine.  Kata are essential to karate practice and are often performed at the beginning of a class to facilitate warm up. Kata routines are how karate differs from kickboxing. Furthermore, kata allow participants to practice techniques on their own.