This thorough and lively history demonstrates how karate has been shaped into the demanding and rewarding pursuit that it is today.Karate began, hundreds of years ago, as a way of life that included mastering the mind as well as training the body. Buddhist monks learned exercises to stay fit and healthy, and fighting skills to protect themselves. Okinawan peasants gathered secretly in fields to learn how to disable attackers. This comprehensive and readable book traces the development of karate from the meditations of Chinese Buddhist monks to the dramatic power and flair of modern practitioners.
