20 Principles of Funakoshi Shotokan Karate

1. Karate fight is started and finished with a greeting, by taking a respectful bow to the opponent.
2. Karate never attacks.
3. Karate is the helper of justice.
4. Get to know yourself first before getting to know others.
5. Your spirit is first; then, the technique.
6. Always have a clear and clean mind.
7. The reason of accidents is idleness, doing nothing.
8. Don’t be mistaken that you can learn karate only from Dojo.
9. It takes a lifetime to learn karate.
10. Karate is everything to you.
11. Karate is like hot water: it cools down if not heated.
12. Don’t think you have to win; think you don’t have to lose.
13. Victory depends on your ability to find out the opponent’s weaknesses.
14. Harmonize your movements with those of your opponent’s.
15. Treat your opponent’s arms and legs as sharp swords.
16. When leaving home, think there are millions of enemies waiting for you.
17. Pay more attention to the advanced learners rather than to the beginners.
18. Learning kata and taking part in a real fight is not the same.
19. Always know:
    • where to use power, and where not,
    • when to attack, and when to retreat,
    • when to perform the technique slowly, when fast.
20. Always improvise in a fight.