Karate Sayings and Quotes

Below you will find our collection of inspirational, wise, and humorous old karate quotes, karate sayings, and karate proverbs, collected over the years from a variety of sources.

Karate-do is definitely a martial way, and its identity lies in do or principles. Any martial art without proper training of the mind turns into beastly behavior. Shoshin Nagamine
Karate is like boiling water, if you do not heat it constantly, it will cool. Gichin Funakoshi
The purpose of Karate is to guide you out of trouble by any means necessary, both in actual combat and in life Soke Behzad Ahmadi
True Martial Arts is universal, simple and practical. Anything else is too complex to be used in combat. Soke Behzad Ahmadi
Karate-do may be referred 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
Lesson not just karate only. Lesson for whole life. Whole life have a balance. Everything be better. Miyagi
To be trained in karate is something because karate is a vicious thing. If you are any good at it, you can kill somebody with it. It is a vicious way to fight. Thomas Foran
Karate is not about winning over others. It is about winning over one's self. Ultimately, the most challenging opponents we face reside from within our hang-ups, our insecurities, our prejudices. Overcome these and you will have truly won. David Walker
Karate is a form of martial arts in which people who have had years and years of training can using only their hands and feet make some of the worst movies in the history of the world. Dave Barry
Karate is not about techniques and their execution, but about boldness, integrity and fight for justice and common good. Soke Behzad Ahmadi
Karate is a defensive art from beginning to end. Gichin Funakoshi
Since karate is a martial art, you must practice with the utmost seriousness from the very beginning. Gichin Funakoshi
One of the greatest gifts of the martial arts is that they ultimately guide us to new levels of spirituality. Joseph Cardillo
The ultimate goal in Karate is to defeat opponents in a real life-or-death situation. Teruyuki Higa
Nothing is more harmful to the world than a martial art that is not effective in actual self-defense. Choki Motobu
Since Karate exists for cultivating the spirit and training the body, it must be a moral way surpassing mere techniques. Mas Oyama
A brave man, a real fighter is not measured by how many times he falls, but how many times he stands up. Rickson Gracie
The more understanding you have about Karate, the less you need to change or modify it. Tsuguo Sakumoto
The difference between winning and losing is most often not quitting. Walt Disney
Karate is Budo and if Budo is removed from Karate it is nothing more than sport karate, show karate, or even fashion karate-the idea of training merely to be fashionable. Mas Oyama
Karate is a very boring sport, but when you know the technique you can go further and further. Jean-Claude Van Damme
Karate is a lifetime study. Kenwa Mabuni
The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants. Gichin Funakoshi
Karate is not a game. It is not a sport. It is not even a system of self-defense. Karate is half physical exercise and half spiritual. The karateist who has given the necessary years of exercise and meditation is a tranquil person. He is unafraid. He can even be calm in a burning building. Mas Oyama
Karate is, Not to hit someone, Neither to be defeated, But to avoid trouble. Konishi Yasuhiro
Karate begins and ends with courtesy. This means respect others, refrain from violent behavior, practice fairness in the spirit of good sportsmanship. Takahashi Miyagi
Karate is a technique that permits one to defend himself with his bare hands and fists without weapons. Gichin Funakoshi
To appreciate the best opportunity for attack and defence, you must fully understand the rhythm of movement. Sadami Yamada
Karate aims to build character, improve human behavior, and cultivate modesty; it does not, however, guarantee it. Yasuhiro Konishi
Karate is action, survival, living; hesitation is paralysis, reaction, mortality. Soke Behzad Ahmadi