From the beginning, karate was never meant to be an activity dominated by huge men full of muscles. Karate was and still is a practical way for average people to take full advantage of what they have already by relying on speed and stealth rather than brute strength.
If you are planning to become a karate girl or karate child the benefits you can expect to achieve are not only fitness related. Self protection skills like how to deal with someone grabbign you, or grabbing at your purse can be learned. There is also the skills learned to doing breakfalls. Thousands fall and injure themselves on slippery pavement every year, to learn how to fall properly and avoid serious injury is an important skill for todays karate girl. Learning how to fall is also a a particular benefit for the karate child. Perhaps more so than the combat aspects of the art. As children are much more apt to find themselves in situations where they might fall and injure themselves
The karate style you take should address self defence and breakfalls just as well as fitness and traditional forms. All of the original okinawan karate style incorporated these things into their training.
Chukido Kwan combat hapkido for women
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