KARATE is a type of Japanese martial art, a system of defense and attack without weapons, (Jap. 空手) translated as "empty hand". The term "karate", coined in the 18th century, is a philosophy and a way of life. Karate is based on the concept of non-violence. In Japan, members of the armed forces and police are required to master the art of karate.

There is no one international federation in karate, in it each major style has its own federation.

The history of the emergence and development of karate

There are many legends about the origin of karate, although there are no facts and historical information.

According to one legend, the founder of karate is Bodhidharma (also known as Daruma), who came to China to spread Buddhism and settled in the Shaolin Monastery. Later, the Shaolin martial art spread throughout China and throughout the East. In 1392, Chinese colonists arrived in Okinawa, the capital of the island of the Ryukyu archipelago, and they introduced the locals to the martial art of the Shaolin Monastery. The Chinese art of fighting on this island merged with local varieties of fighting and a new and improved direction was born. In Japan, karate was the only way to defend yourself, since the use of weapons was forbidden in those days. The martial art has been passed down from generation to generation and the fighting technique has become the mystery of every master.

According to another legend, Chinese boxing came to the island of Okinawa in the 15th century after being captured by China. Japanese soldiers after some time occupied Okinawa and introduced the inhabitants to their folk types of wrestling. However, after the uprising of the local population, the Japanese authorities issued a decree banning the carrying of weapons by ordinary people. The inhabitants of the island were helped to defend themselves without weapons by mastering a mixed style of Chinese boxing and Japanese wrestling.

At the end of the 19th century, Okinawa became a prefecture of the Japanese Empire. During the recruitment of conscripts to the ranks of the valiant Japanese army, doctors noticed that a number of conscripts from Okinawa were in good physical shape. It was found that they all practiced the local martial art of tote. After that, tote was included in the curriculum in the lower grades of Okinawan schools as physical education. The martial art quickly spread beyond Okinawa and conquered all of Japan. In 1936, a school was opened, called Shotokan, where a style consonant with the name of the school was taught. It was later recognized as a classic style of karate. For Shotokan, the force of impact is not important, the main emphasis is on speed and accuracy.

After the defeat of Japan in 1945, all Japanese martial arts were banned. In 1948, the Japan Karate Association (JKA) was established. Since that time, karate began to develop both as a system of self-defense and as a sport. Karate began to rapidly gain popularity all over the world, in 1957 the first Japanese karate championship took place, and in 1963 the world championship in unofficial contact karate was held in Chicago.

In August 2016, at the 129th session of the International Olympic Committee, the sport of karate was included in the program of the XXXII Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020. By this date, this sport has been going on for several decades. It has become a massive and beautiful, powerful and spectacular Olympic sport all over the world - more than 20 million people practice karate.

Basic styles of karate

Shito-ryu (糸東流) is one of the oldest styles of karate. It includes the powerful Shuri-te kata, the hard and soft Naha-te kata, and the artistic White Crane Chinese style kata. Founder of Kenwa Mabuni.

Goju-Ryu (Jap. 剛柔流) is one of the most common styles of karate. It is based on close combat technique, which includes strikes with elbows, knees, throwing technique, grabs and wrestling on the ground. There are 3 main variations of this style - Okinawan, Japanese and American. Founder Chojun Miyagi.

Wado-ryu (和道流) is one of the four major styles. The peculiarities of the style include the desire to be afraid to minimize the expenditure of forces and the amplitude of movements made for defense, without sacrificing its effectiveness. Founder Hironori Otsuka.

Shotokan (Japanese: 松濤館) is a style characterized by linear movement and linear application of force. Racks are low and wide. Blocks are hard. Punches are powerful and reversible with the inclusion of hips in the punch. Founder Gichin Funakoshi.

Kyokushinkai (Jap. 極真会) is a contact style of karate, fights in which are full of high kicks and powerful punches. In Kyokushin, punches to the head are prohibited. Founder Masutatsu Oyama. Styles in karate do not stop appearing, each outstanding master is trying to bring something of his own, which often leads to the creation of a new style.

Karate under the Union was banned until 1978. In 1978, the  USSR Sports Committee  recognized the existence of numerous underground karate sections and issued an order to form the USSR Karate Federation. In 1981, repeated persecutions began. Karate began to be gradually legalized again during the “perestroika” in 1989, but it was fully allowed only after the collapse of the USSR. WKF Karate-do Federation  of Kazakhstan  (  Kazakhstan WKF Karate-do Federation) - Formed in 1991. Coordinates actions and exercises leadership and control over this sport in  Kazakhstan . The headquarters is located in the city of Astana . Federation  recognized as a member   WKF  (World Karate Federation),  AKF  (Asian Karatedo Federation). Also  , the  WKF  Karate- Do Federation of Kazakhstan  is responsible for the work and punishment of judges, as well as for holding national championships. 

In May 2017, a karate-do department was opened at the Olympic Training Center for the types of wrestling, where athletes of the youth national teams of the Republic of Kazakhstan are registered: cadets, juniors and youth. The head coach of the national team of cadets was appointed Moldagali Askar, juniors and youth - Kazhymұқan Shattyk. 

The coaching staff of the youth team of the Republic of Kazakhstan in karate

Kazhymұkan Shattyk Aidarkhanuly - senior coach in karate-do (junior team). Honored Coach of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Trainer of the highest category of the highest qualification level.

Toguzbaev Rauan Kanatovich - senior coach in karate-do (youth team). Master of sports of international class. Coach of the highest qualification level of the 1st category.

Khalidov Khalid Bagadinovich - senior coach in karate-do (team of cadets). Master of sports of international class. Coach of the highest qualification level of the 1st category.

There are 45 athletes in the karate department, 15 athletes in the national team among cadets, 30 athletes in the national team among juniors and youth.

MSMK - 11, MS - 11, KMS - 23.

As part of the current national team, 3 athletes are WKF world karate champions:

Berultseva Sophia, Baitureev Erkinbek, Batyrgali Abilmansur.

Winners of the World Championship: Tynysbek Nurtiles, Erdaulet Asemgul, Mukhat Aidos.

Winner of the YOI - Batyrgali Abilmansur, Buenos Aires 2018.

Asian champions: Sofya Berultseva, Batyrgali Abilmansur, Kulazhan Olzhas, Kanai Asel, Nikita Tarnakin, Zhanybyr Beybarys, Mamyr Dulat, Marat Azamat.