(Approx 2 minute 15 second read)

Does a change of character begin when you commence karate training? Does karate improve your character?
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It is often cited that one of the precepts of modern karate was to improve the character. But can karate truly shape who we are?
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Character traits can be built, forged, and altered with a sufficient amount of effort and willpower. The benefits of character building largely depend on your personal values and goals.
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However, ultimately, the most important question is how important is having a good character to you?
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Ki’ichi Nakamoto, 10th-dan in Goju-ryu Karate, was once asked whether karate was popular in Okinawa before the war.
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His response was revealing: “In those years, karate was a required physical education subject throughout Okinawa. The plan was to develop children’s health, but it did not prove as poplar as hoped. Some of this was due to the old master-disciple method of teaching. Pre-war karate masters treated students harshly, and expelled them for the slightest reason. A student also had to have a good character or they wouldn’t teach him.”
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Nakamoto sensei suggests that you had to have a good character before learning the martial arts.
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So can the martial arts contribute to personal growth? Absolutely. But it’s not automatic. It depends on the person, the instructor, and the environment. Just as training can build discipline, confidence, and resilience, it can also reinforce arrogance, ego, and aggression if guided poorly.
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I have seen instructors and students which at first seemed good martial artists, but when I saw how they actually lived their lives, I was no longer impressed by their knowledge or their character. They were not very good instructors, not good students, and not good people.
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Unfortunately, I have known individuals who called themselves ‘sensei’ but failed to live up to the responsibility that comes with it. Despite their rank and status, their actions – whether through dishonesty, lack of integrity, or mistreatment of others – revealed their true character.
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A belt or a title does not define a person; actions do. This is why it’s important to look beyond reputation and observe how someone truly conducts themselves. A good instructor doesn’t just teach technique; they lead by example.
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The phrase “perfection of character” is often used in martial arts circles. But does “perfection” even exist? And if it does, are the martial arts truly the best path to achieving it?
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For me, any character building that a person gains from practicing karate comes from what they put into it. It’s certainly not an automatic byproduct of simply turning up and training. Most people don’t attend classes enough as it is, it takes time and effort outside of class too, it takes vision, self-analysis and a willingness to want to improve.
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Time is the true test. Character isn’t built overnight – it erodes or strengthens through the choices you make and the lessons you take from your experiences.
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And karate, like character, takes time.
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So, does the martial arts have the power to change who you are? That depends entirely on you.
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“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” — attributed to Abraham Lincoln
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Written by Adam Carter
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Photo Credit: Okinawakan Goju Ryu Karate Do International Association