September 28 2022

90 Best Karate Grandmasters’ Quotes to Fire You Up

Mike Lianas Quotes health and wellness, personal growth, sports

Karate, meaning “empty hand”, is a term used to describe combat styles developed in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. It emerged from the fusion of the indigenous styles used in the islands, known as “To-te”, with the Chinese fighting styles of Fujian Province. The result was “Okinawa-Te”, which is considered the parent art of Karate and the basis for all subsequent Karate styles. The following karate quotes will fire you up!

It was not until the early 20^th century, when Karate master Gichin Funakoshi, synthesized the major Okinawan fighting styles in a total discipline that became known as Shotokan Karate, meaning “house of the pine waves”. The popularity and impact of Shotokan was so profound that Funakoshi is considered the “father of modern Karate-do.” There are dozens of Karate styles, each with its own training methods, techniques and fighting philosophy, but they all consist of 3 main elements, “kihon” (techniques), “kata” (forms) and “kumite” (sparring), aiming at the practitioner’s physical and mental development.

On the surface, Karate is practiced for self-defense, fitness or sport, but the truth is that it goes much deeper than this. Past the obvious physical and psychological benefits, it promotes mental development and self-discovery. The preparedness to stand up to a situation and respond effectively, symbolic of life’s challenges and hardships, helps you transcend your limitations and transforms your perspective and attitude towards life. Karate is an esoteric journey that opens a path towards finding meaning and purpose in life!

Karate will ignite the flame, but it is up to you to sustain the fire. To support your effort, we have trawled the internet and hand-picked the most inspirational Karate quotes to fire you up! Share them with friends and loved ones in order to enlighten them! Use them as your daily mantras to keep you focused on your path and inspire purpose in all aspects of your life!

Short Karate Quotes for Striking Instagram Captions
Inspirational Quotes about the True Spirit of Karate

Motivational Karate Quotes to Boost Your Performance
Enlightening Karate Quotes About Honor & Respect

Short Karate Quotes for Striking Instagram Captions

Short but powerful Karate quotes, selected to pair perfectly with your Instagram posts and captivate the attention of your audience!

Karate is a lifelong pursuit. Gichin Funakoshi

First know yourself, then know others. Gichin Funakoshi
Think of everyday life as Karate training. Gichin Funakoshi
Put Karate into your everyday living, that is how you will see true beauty. Gichin Funakoshi
Spirit first, technique second. Gichin Funakoshi

Practice with a good heart. Meitoku Yagi
Karate-do is a lifetime study. Kenwa Mabuni
One must try, every day, to expand one’s limits. Mas Oyama
True courage is born only when accompanied by justice. Mas Oyama

Don’t show pain, even with a broken bone. Your opponent will see it. Mas Oyama
To beat with a single strike, where to direct the energy, is what matters most. Mas Oyama
The hand (Kara-Te) is the cutting edge of the mind. Soke Behzad Ahmadi
Fast hands and a glare in the eyes. Kanei Uechi

Perceive that which can not be seen with the eye. Miyamoto Musashi
Fill yourself with Ki, invite the attack. Morihei Ueshiba
True victory is victory over oneself. Morihei Ueshiba
The way of a warrior is to establish harmony. Morihei Ueshiba

The Art of Peace begins with you. Morihei Ueshiba
Fall down seven times, get up eight (in Japanese: “Nana Korobi, ya oki”). Japanese proverb
Karate is not for rank, glory or for revenge. It is a way of life. Minoru Higa
An open mind is the best weapon in the fight between light and darkness. Soke Behzad Ahmadi

Your anger is your first enemy. Mohamed Othman
The best fighter is never angry. Lao Tzu
I can’t do anything but Karate. Takara Shintoku
Cry in the dojo. Laugh on the battlefield. Unknown
It’s better to be a weapon than to just have a weapon. Unknown

Inspirational Quotes about the True Spirit of Karate

A collection of pithy quotes that encapsulate the philosophy of Karate and provoke thinking and self-reflection, opening new paths in self-awareness and the deeper meaning of the art.

You are here for no other purpose than to realize your inner divinity and manifest your inner enlightenment. Morihei Ueshiba
To injure an opponent is to injure yourself. To control aggression without inflicting injury is the Art of Peace. Morihei Ueshiba
Those who are enlightened, never stop forging themselves. Morihei Ueshiba
Apply the beauty of Karate to all things. Therein lies its beauty. Gichin Funakoshi

The purpose of karate training is to discipline the mind and body and to master the art of self-defense. Kanei Uechi
Karate-do may be referred as to as the conflict within yourself, or a life-long marathon which can be won only through self-discipline, hard training and your own creative efforts. Shoshin Nagamine
Train to be able to defend yourself against any attack, and at the same time, retain your good heart towards other people. Don’t allow bad people to turn your heart hard, but always be ready to defend yourself should you have to. Bohdi Sanders
On the path of the budo one does not strive for victory over an opponent. One strives to avoid defeat by one’s own self. Akira Toriyama
Never become so attached to following the path that you cease to question whether you should still be on it. Tori Eldridge

Karate is not about techniques and their execution, but about boldness, integrity and fight for justice and common good. Soke Behzad Ahmadi
A karate practitioner should possess two things : wicked hands, and Buddha’s heart. Soke Behzad Ahmadi
A man who conquers himself is greater than one who conquers a thousand men in battle. Buddha
Always remember that the true meaning of Budo is that soft overcomes hard, small overcomes large. Mas Oyama
Power is no more than a part, no more than the tip of the iceberg of limitless profundity and sublimate of Karate. Mas Oyama

Eliminating one weakness is better than adding one strength. Tsutomu Ohsima
Wearing a black belt does not make you a super hero, and wearing a white belt does not mean you have little to offer as a person. It is what we do in the belts we wear, and not the belts themselves that matter. Chris Matakas

Motivational Karate Quotes to Boost Your Performance

Through unity of mind and spirit you can unleash your full potential. The following quotes convey the wisdom of the great masters and provide profound insight and guidance on how to become a true “bushi” (warrior).

Practice is not a matter of years and months. It is a matter of concentration. Koichi Tohei
When you coordinate your mind and body, you have unlimited access to the wisdom of the universe. Koichi Tohei

They say that a lion puts his all, even into catching a rabbit. You should make it a habit of putting your all into every little thing you do. Koichi Tohei
In battle, do not think that you have to win. Think rather that you do not have to lose. Gichin Funakoshi
When you are learning a new technique, practice it wholeheartedly until you truly understand it. Gichin Funakoshi
Practicing a kata exactly is one thing, engaging in a real fight is another. Gichin Funakoshi
One becomes a beginner after 1,000 days of training. One becomes a master after 10,000 days of practice. Mas Oyama

Behind each triumph are new peaks to be conquered. Mas Oyama
Practice a hundred moves five times, it is of no use whatsoever. But practice one move every day, and it’ll be your lifetime protector. Abhijit Naskar
Do not fall into the trap of thinking that just because a kata begins to the left, the opponent is attacking from the left. Kenwa Mabuni
It is not the number of kata you know, but the substance of kata you have acquired. Gogen Yamaguchi
It’s easy to listen to what you are taught. But it’s difficult to find what you have within yourself and master it as your own. Gogen Yamaguchi

Move quickly. Sound, calm mind. Be light in body. Have a clever mind. Master the basics. Gogen Yamaguchi
A good stance and posture reflect a proper state of mind. Morihei Ueshiba
If he can’t reach you, he can’t hit you. If he can’t hit you, he can’t hurt you. Arun D. Ellis
Even after many years, kata practice is never finished, for there is always something new to be learned about executing a movement. Shoshin Nagamine
Do not place hope in finding a secret technique. Polish the mind through ceaseless training; that is the key to effective techniques. Kyuzo Mifune

See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body. Yagyu Munenori
The ultimate fighter does not rely on his hands or feet to defeat his opponent, but rather his mind. M.J. Stoddard
Always observe your opponent carefully. You need to use the first seconds of every encounter to evaluate the length of their blade, the length of their arms, etc. Masaaki Hatsumi
Ever Tried? Ever failed? No matter! Try again. Fail again. Fail better! Understand? Good. Play. Masaaki Hatsumi
The ultimate goal in Karate is to defeat opponents in a real life-or-death situation. Teruyuki Higa

When you are in a combat situation, you mustn’t let your mind be polluted by emotions like fear and anger. Simply accept the situation and react, even if you are facing impossible odds. Keep your head clear and you will be one step ahead of your attackers. Aaron B. Powell

Enlightening Karate Quotes About Honor & Respect

Bushido, meaning “the way of the warrior”, is the Japanese code of chivalry, encompassing the moral and ethical values that a true warrior should possess. The path to true mastery passes through honor and respect.

A karate practitioner must never bring shame upon himself or his school in either speech or action. Kanei Uechi
Karate aims to build character, improve human behavior, and cultivate modesty; it does not, however, guarantee it. Yasuhiro Konishi
Karate-do begins with courtesy and ends with rei. Gichin Funakoshi

Seek perfection of character. Be faithful. Endeavor. Respect others. Refrain from violent behavior. Gichin Funakoshi
The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants. Gichin Funakoshi
No matter how you may excel in the art of Karate, and in your scholastic endeavors, nothing is more important than your behavior and your humanity as observed in daily life. Gichin Funakoshi
My way is the way of Karate, which is also the way of Humanity, and which is consequently related to the way of Heaven. Mas Oyama
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them. Dalai Lama
A karate practitioner should possess two things: wicked hands and Buddha’s heart. Soke Behzad Ahmadi

Karate training will make you strong and confident, but restraint will make you respected. Soke Behzad Ahmadi
Through courtesy you will take a humble attitude toward your opponent in training & be grateful to him. Shigeru Egami
Respect for your opponents. Always. That is Karate. Antonio Diaz
Train hard, sweat, finish, bow and say thank you for the opportunity to sweat. Shojiro Koyama

In the old days rank was not important. The complete opposite of today. You just trained. Higa Yuchoku
The main thing Karate offers to me is a philosophy of life. The philosophy of Karate is respect and discipline. You give 100% of whatever you do, in every activity. Lyoto Machida
The humble man makes room for progress; the proud man believes he is already there. Ed Parker
A black belt is nothing more than a belt that goes around your waist. Being a black belt is a state of mind and attitude. Rick English
It is not about how you are when things go well. What defines you is how you are when you fail from an obstacle. George St. Pierre

When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you. Lao Tzu
He who conquers others is strong. He who conquers himself is mighty. Lao Tzu
Cleanse your body and soul, removing malice, selfishness and desire. Morihei Ueshiba
Those who are skilled in combat do not become angered, those who are skilled at winning do not become afraid. Thus, the wise win before the fight, while the ignorant fight to win. Morihei Ueshiba
When your temper rises, lower your fists. When your fists rise, lower your temper. Chojun Miyagi.

The fastest draw is when the sword never leaves the scabbard. The strongest way to block, is never to provoke a blow. And the cleanest cut is the one withheld. Unknown
The true warrior is a man of compassion. Bohdi Sanders
If you can accept losing, you can’t win. Vince Lombardi

Karate is a path. It is a life-long journey and a personal quest on discovering yourself and expanding your spiritual horizons. Developed in a spirit of humility, Karate teaches you courage, confidence and strength but also honor, respect and integrity. It helps you turn fear into courage and adversities into opportunities for growth. Forging your spirit in the fire of Karate is about developing an indomitable spirit to conquer life and a way to becoming a noble human being!

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