| Even the western world has recognized the value of | | | | environment where they train clean and |
| martial arts both in self-defense and in physical | | | | well-maintained. You will also notice that bad karate |
| fitness. Martial arts have been introduced in the | | | | schools would have pictures of celebrities and other |
| United States in the mid 1940s when the first martial | | | | posters that boast of how good their training is. |
| arts school in the country was opened in Phoenix, | | | | The best endorser for a karate school is the |
| Arizona. It was in the 1950s when tournaments and | | | | instructor himself. Talk to the instructor about the |
| karate associations were established. Karate was | | | | particular styles and values they teach in the karate |
| propelled to popularity with the rise of the martial | | | | school. Ask also to observe their students. You will |
| arts genre in American film dom. One of the most | | | | notice that good karate schools have happy and |
| popular movies about karate is the "Karate Kid" | | | | respectful students instead of a gang of burly, |
| series which featured an American teenager who | | | | blood-thirsty students who look like they are about |
| succeeded in learning the art of karate under the | | | | to take their lessons out on the street. A sense of |
| tutellage of an Okinawan karate master. Among the | | | | reverence towards their teacher would show how |
| movie stars that are famous for their karate moves | | | | much students of good karate schools value their |
| include Dolph Lungren, Cynthia Luster, and Wesley | | | | karate training. This would indicate that their teacher |
| Snipes. | | | | possesses the capability and the effectiveness in |
| You too can learn karate and train with karate | | | | imparting the values of true martial arts to his |
| masters. There will most likely be a karate school at | | | | students. A teacher with a sense of history is also |
| your locality. You have to be careful, though, in | | | | one who can effectively inspire his students. Sharing |
| choosing a school that is true to the teachings and | | | | his story on how he himself trained as well as some |
| philosophy of the art of karate. There are some small | | | | valuable information about the place where karate |
| karate schools that are not well-maintained and do | | | | originated from and about the place where they |
| not really teach karate right. Among the first things | | | | teach could give another dimension to the learning of |
| that you will notice about bad karate schools is their | | | | karate. Perhaps one of the greatest indicators of the |
| premises. In all likelihood, their premises will not be | | | | quality of a karate school is the way the teacher |
| well-maintained. Good karate schools have rooms | | | | commands his students. A quiet and commanding |
| called "dojo" that are clean, although not necessarily | | | | presence in a teacher would show that he is |
| spotless. Those who have respect for the art of | | | | respected by his students for his expertise and |
| karate have enough sense in them to keep the | | | | wisdom. |