I Know Karate and Kung Fu and Lots of Other Foreign Words!

Martial arts have become incredibly popular in the US. Drive through any little strip shopping center in nearly any city and you're likely to see a martial arts studio. There are dozens of styles to choose from. Karate, jujitsu, aikido, kung fu, qi gong, taekwondo, tai chi. How did that happen?

I think it's partly because Americans are so competitive. To many, a martial art is just another sport. You move up the ranks from one belt color to another until finally you're at the top and you're a black belt in karate. It's also good exercise. Many of us don't get nearly enough exercise. But if we can engage in a little friendly martial arts tournament and work out at the same time, we can really get into that.

In the East where all the martial arts came from, it's a bit more than just a sport or a way to exercise. Martial arts are the physical part of an entire spiritual discipline designed to teach us to live as better and happier people. They believe that our bodies must be healthy temples for our spirits. Monks in monasteries learned the martial arts. I don't know of any comparable practice in Catholicism. Do you? There may be, but I have never heard of it.

In karate, and all the martial arts, we bow to our opponent before and after the match. Why is that? Any martial arts student from any decent school can tell you that you are honoring the other person. You honor them for their skill. You honor them as another spiritual being on the planet. You honor them for giving you the honor of the match.

I think practicing karate and other martial arts is really adding something sacred to our American understanding of people. And yes, we get to compete and get a little exercise in, too.

About this writer

Aiko Mettarod moved from Japan with his parents as a child. His father was his first karate teacher. You can read more articles about martial arts at Tsunami Karate

MORE RESOURCES:

AKF Martial Arts - Geneva Sun

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-0fd=Rurl=http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/genevasun/business/1308306,2_6_2_TC03_MARTIALARTS_S1.articlecid=1277128779ei=TUc4SdP6B4zK8ASl29ypDwusg=AFQjCNEtKVB8Vo3IwIl3uMQG3niCkxI3YAAKF bMartial Arts/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fGeneva Sun,nbsp;ILnbsp;-/font nobrDec 3, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1I#39;ve never been in a fist fight, I said to Craig Hutson, owner and head instructor at AKF bMartial Arts/b Dragon Kyuki-Do. I#39;ve often wondered how I#39;d do. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Martial arts: Pyle Tang Soo Do School strike gold at Coventry ... - WalesOnline

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sports/grassroots/bridgend-maesteg-sport/2008/12/04/martial-arts-pyle-tang-soo-do-school-strike-gold-at-coventry-tournament-91466-22397782/cid=0ei=TUc4SdP6B4zK8ASl29ypDwusg=AFQjCNFWyoEPw4vsXza6sVkksbOlNOAjRQbMartial arts/b: Pyle Tang Soo Do School strike gold at Coventry b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWalesOnline,nbsp;United Kingdomnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Gemma Henson, 13, won a gold medal in sparring with a superb display against older, more experienced opponents. Joshua Emment and Jack Horsell, both 14, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Dubai based Mixed Martial Arts Fiteselektor - first port of call ... - WiredPRNews.com (press release)

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://www.wiredprnews.com/2008/12/04/dubai-based-mixed-martial-arts-fiteselektor_200812041510.htmlcid=0ei=TUc4SdP6B4zK8ASl29ypDwusg=AFQjCNHdtwFTbKwfJrM3uGE9LC2rLGjQgwDubai based Mixed bMartial Arts/b Fiteselektor - first port of call b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWiredPRNews.com (press release),nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobr40 minutes ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1/EIN News/– Fiteselektor, the Dubai based Mixed bMartial Arts/b (MMA) event will start it’s FITESELEKTOR GLOBAL TALENT TOUR in January 2009 in Pakistan. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

RSLAF Faces Defeat in Martial Arts in Sierra Leone - Awareness Times

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Martial Arts: Devils’ golden prize - WalesOnline

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sports/grassroots/blaenau-gwent-sport/2008/12/04/martial-arts-devils-golden-prize-91466-22385732/cid=1277165270ei=TUc4SdP6B4zK8ASl29ypDwusg=AFQjCNF2DLaHtYHDG2qffAcu6o7lH_XSMwbMartial Arts/b: Devils’ golden prize/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWalesOnline,nbsp;United Kingdomnbsp;-/font nobrDec 3, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1BLAENAU Gwents Devils School of bMartial Arts/b have returned from the International Sport of Kickboxing Association championships with a glut of gold medals b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Martial Arts: Team Falcons excel in Cheltenham and Worcester ... - WalesOnline

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sports/grassroots/blaenau-gwent-sport/2008/12/04/martial-arts-team-falcons-excel-in-cheltenham-and-worcester-tournaments-91466-22384341/cid=0ei=TUc4SdP6B4zK8ASl29ypDwusg=AFQjCNHSx0BRw5CheYmMaJ1dl15ZVdEvRQbMartial Arts/b: Team Falcons excel in Cheltenham and Worcester b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWalesOnline,nbsp;United Kingdomnbsp;-/font nobrDec 3, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Congratulations also go to Kristian Evans and Mason Jones of Falcons bMartial Arts/b for their excellent display at the recent British Jujitsu Kumite b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Foley#39;s Mixed Martial Arts Training Center / Martialing business - StandardNet

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://www.standard.net/live/news/150054cid=0ei=TUc4SdP6B4zK8ASl29ypDwusg=AFQjCNEmQR9zBtMl0DK5ni7njbjEjkYj8AFoley#39;s Mixed bMartial Arts/b Training Center / Martialing business/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fStandardNet,nbsp;Utahnbsp;-/font nobrDec 2, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Deanne Winterton What the company does: Foley#39;s offers mixed bmartial arts/b classes including amateur boxing, kickboxing, Brazilian jujitsu, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Kurt Angle Is Still Lying About Competing in Mixed Martial Arts - Bloody Elbow

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2008/12/3/678678/kurt-angle-is-still-lyingcid=0ei=TUc4SdP6B4zK8ASl29ypDwusg=AFQjCNHRVRBVhT2dirjaTX-LbNj64Vwi_wKurt Angle Is Still Lying About Competing in Mixed bMartial Arts/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBloody Elbownbsp;-/font nobrDec 3, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Luke Thomas on Dec 3, 2008 12:20 PM EST in News Kurt Angle did an interview on the quot;Big O amp; Dukesquot; show on 106.7 WJFK this afternoon (entire interview b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Suspect has history of abusing shackled boy - Monterey County Herald

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2008/12/03/2008-12-03_police_arrest_aunt_in_california_shackle.htmlcid=1276708632ei=TUc4SdP6B4zK8ASl29ypDwusg=AFQjCNFRsJJ_f1xzqJZH8x8aetpeUfq4jgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=MSKsZzLb8Y0Jimgurl=assets.nydailynews.com/img/2008/12/04/amd_carenramirez.jpg width=55 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2New York Daily News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.montereyherald.com/state/ci_11135962cid=1276708632ei=TUc4SdP6B4zK8ASl29ypDwusg=AFQjCNG1STV5qhyzeRIn5wMc0F_Yl3NdlASuspect has history of abusing shackled boy/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMonterey County Herald,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Kyle told officers Ramirez hit him with bmartial arts/b sticks the day before, but had used a spatula, broomstick and a clothes hanger in the past. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-1fd=Rurl=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DXZ8QOHocItscid=1276708632ei=TUc4SdP6B4zK8ASl29ypDwusg=AFQjCNF04SCUSCGhkwb7a306byf0yt2GMwVideo: Raw Video: Boy Was Chained, Authorities Say/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrkcratv/nobr/fontobject width=448 height=356param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/XZ8QOHocIts/paramparam name=wmode value=transparent/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/XZ8QOHocItstype=application/x-shockwave-flashwmode=transparentwidth=448height=356/embed/objectbr/fontfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-2fd=Rurl=http://tracypress.com/content/view/16643/2268/cid=1276708632ei=TUc4SdP6B4zK8ASl29ypDwusg=AFQjCNGq-wVFGU5VryORjS-8kn-UEbVIZwHistory of abuse/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTracy Press/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-3fd=Rurl=http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_11132308cid=1276708632ei=TUc4SdP6B4zK8ASl29ypDwusg=AFQjCNEQpXRp9XJyAZs7UgVo4SZ7WPX6DAPolice detail escape in shackled teen case/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrSan Jose Mercury News/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276708632hl=ennobrall 1,860 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

It’s ‘The Cage’ for Jake Morris - Oregon City News

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Martial-Arts - Google News

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