“In budo karate we all train to make ourselves a better person. The only competition is within yourself.” – Tomoyose Ryuko (1928-2019) 10th dan Uechi Ryu
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Masters of the martial arts believe that a strong body and mind go together: you can’t improve one without working on the other. Martial arts are just as much about building character as about learning to fight…… Or are they?
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This begs the questions, what are the qualities that make the perfect character that we supposedly strive to attain? Are these defined or prescribed qualities that we all are supposed to attain and perfect? Or are we to simply try and enhance our already existing positive qualities, while working to overcome and rid ourselves of our more negative characteristics?
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Much harm has come from the popular perception – learned largely from movies and fictional television dramas – that martial arts are concerned with violence and general disorder. Anyone who becomes involved with the martial arts soon learns that the aggressive, brutish perception people have of these disciplines could not be further from the truth. Does a change of character begin when we commence our karate training?
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The masters of traditional karate tell us rather than being confined to a singular feature, martial arts should be an extension of our way of living, of our philosophies, of the way we educate our children, of the job we devote so much of our time to, of the relationships we cultivate, and of the choices we make every day.
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I strongly believe martial arts can be amazing tools for introspection and a great vehicle to “personal growth”. However, it’s far from automatic, it depends upon many other factors, and the martial arts can just as easily be neutral or negative. In answer to the question “can martial arts change a person’s character for the better” I would say, “it depends”.
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Karate was originally developed for self-protection. Dedication to any pursuit can have positive outcomes in other facets of a person’s life, and karate practice is no exception. But that’s not how or why it came about. The art of karate as an art of self-defense, is an ethical approach to the resolution of conflict, because it is a discipline that hopefully develops the confidence to neutralize hostility by alternative, non-violent means. Or if necessary, appropriate forceful means.
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The phrase “perfection of character” is well used, but I think “perfection” infers there is a universal “perfect” and I’m note sure that is true … and even if it were true, would martial arts be the best route to that “perfect”?
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So, 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. It takes time and effort outside of the class, research, introspection and so on to improve your own character.
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Can martial arts improve or change your character? What do you think? 
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“The ultimate aim of the art of karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the characters of its participants.” – Funakoshi Gichin (1868-1957)
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References: With thanks to Iain Abernethy
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