Welcome to Our Website!

Since 2001, INDIAN RIVER KARATE SCHOOL has been providing instruction in Karate and other martial arts in the Cocoa, FL area.

We hope you enjoy our website and will stop by and visit us if you are in the area. This site is designed to give you information about our facility, our style of martial arts, our staff and provide you with information on how to contact us as well.

Since 2001 Member of WMKA (World Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate Association)

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.

Okinawan Karate styles tend to be hard and external. In defense they tend to be circular, and in offense linear. Okinawan Karate styles tend to place more emphasis on rigorous physical conditioning than the Japanese styles. Japanese styles tend to have longer, more stylistic movements and to be higher commitment. They also tend to be linear in movement, offense, and defense.

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 the U.S., Japan and Europe.

"The dojo is the place where courage is fostered and superior human nature is bred through the ecstacy of sweating in hard work. It is the sacred place where the human spirit is polished." -- Osensei Shoshin Nagamine

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

"Even after many years, kata practice is never finished, for there is always something new to be learned." -- Osensei Shoshin Nagamine