Bushido (pronounced boo shee doe) is the ancient moral code of the Samurai, and can be literally translated as “The way of the warrior”, and is loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry.
In Bushidō: The Soul of Japan (1904), author Nitobe Inazō wrote:
"...Bushidō, then, is the code of moral principles which the samurai were required or instructed to observe... More frequently it is a code unuttered and unwritten... It was an organic growth of decades and centuries of military career."
The Bushidō code is typified by seven virtues:
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Rectitude/Duty (義, gi)
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Courage (勇, yuu)
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Benevolence (仁, jin)
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Respect/Politeness (礼, rei)
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Honesty/Truthfulness (誠, makoto or 信 shin)
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Honour (誉, yo)
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Loyalty (忠, chuu)
It is with these virtues in mind that the Bushido Martial Arts instructors pass on their teachings and shape their students, always trying to make them better people, better members of our community. These principles are reflected in our slogan;
"Traditional Values in a Modern Style"
Bushido Martial Arts teaches a number of discrete styles of martial arts. The Karate style is a present day system, with it's origin dating back to around 1900 from Goju Ryu, which at that time merged ideas from Chinese Kung Fu and Okinawan Karate. The main traditional systems incorporated into BMA Karate are traditional Goju Karate, and Judo. The main modern competition techniques are from Kickboxing, Boxing and Thai-Boxing. We also utilise the skills of Ju Jitsu, Aikido, Kung Fu and Tae Kwon Do. Hence the reason for BMA Karate often being referred to as all styles or freestyle.
The BMA Iaido style is based on a traditional Japanese style of swordsmanship and also incorporates elements from Jodo, Kendo, and Ken-Jitsu.
At all of our clubs you will find our instructors friendly and knowledgeable, making your involvement with us enjoyable and enlightening.