| The origins of Karate are to be found in 12th | | | | to focus on the heart of the matter at hand. After |
| Century China. There were a number of ancient | | | | all, the mind itself is a karate student's most powerful |
| Chinese systems, collectively known as KEMPO or | | | | asset because it encompasses not only students' |
| "Way of the Fist." | | | | ability to think, but also houses instinctual responses |
| Karate consists of self-defense practices and an | | | | and one's connection to soul. |
| entire way of life that gives students an approach to | | | | At Tetsu Shin Dojo, our student creed is as follows: |
| continual self improvement. It can be practiced simply | | | | One: To strive for the perfection of character One: |
| by visualizing its movements within the mind, without | | | | To defend the paths of truth. One: To foster the |
| involving any actual physical activity. In this way, it | | | | spirit of effort One: To honor the principles of |
| gives students the means to manage their everyday | | | | courtesy One: To guard against impetuous courage |
| lives with discipline and focus. | | | | We encourage students not to strive for the belt, |
| For students who have learned karate, its unique | | | | but for the KNOWLEDGE that the belt represents. In |
| marriage of technique, physical, mental and emotional | | | | the earlier times, the intensity of one's training was |
| conditioning became an integral part of their lives. | | | | represented by the dirt on one's white belt. The |
| Studying karate will help you continue to hone not | | | | longer and the more intensely the student trained, |
| just your mental and emotional skills but also your | | | | the darker his belt became until the white belt, which |
| entire being. | | | | was the beginning, became the black belt of a |
| Karate encourages combat without weaponry, but it | | | | hard-training teacher. |
| also encourages peaceful existence. Rather than | | | | Karate connects the mind, body and soul, so that all |
| focusing on extraneous or unnecessary details, | | | | three can be used as one exquisite tool as one |
| (including mind chatter), karate encourages students | | | | makes one's way through life. |