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The World Kenshindo Karate Organisation is the World governing body, certifying authority and technical development body for the art of Kenshindo Ryu Karate-Do with the full time, professionally run Hombu Dojo (Headquarters school) in Auckland, New Zealand.

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What is Karate?

"True karate is this: that in daily life one's mind and body be trained and developed in a spirit of humility, and that in critical times, one be devoted utterly to the cause of justice."
-- Gichin Funakoshi

Karate translated either means "Chinese hand" or "Empty hand" depending on which Japanese or Chinese characters you use to write it.

It's hard not to stereotype styles but, with reservations, Okinawan Karate styles tend to be hard and external. In defense they tend to be circular, and in offense linear. Generally, Okinawan Karate styles tend to place more emphasis on rigorous physical conditioning than the Japanese styles. Japanese styles tend to have more stylistic movements and, therefore, have more detail in technique. They also tend to be linear in movement, offense, and defense. This tendency may be linked to the sporting aspects of Karate, and so, styles without a sporting focus will include much more of the Okinawan influence and be less linear in application.

Both tend to be high commitment, and tend to emphasize kicks and punches, blocks, strikes, evasions, throws, joint manipulations and a strong offense as a good defense. Karate techniques consist basically of hand and foot techniques. Hand techniques are divided into defensive or offensive moves. Foot techniques are divided into kicking techniques; snap and thrust kicks. Other important elements of Karate include stances, posture, body shifting, hip rotation, and breathing.

Training differs widely but most of the Karate styles emphasize a fairly equal measure of basic technique training (kihon), sparring (kumite), and forms (kata). Forms are stylized patterns of attacks and defenses done in sequence for training purposes.

An art of self-defense as well as a sport, Karate has in recent decades proliferated worldwide. It is one of the most widely practiced of the Asian martial arts, with a large following in Australasia, Europe, South Africa, Asia, Japan and North America (Canada and the U.S.A.).