If you or your student can’t get enough of karate class, there’s excellent news for you: you’ve got infinite places available to learn about karate online!
Below, you’ll find a number of my favorite karate resources we can access with a few taps and clicks.
All of these can help us learn more about karate by showcasing competitions, helping us with workouts, and preserving karate history.
Keep reading to check out some of my favorite, must-follow karate accounts!
1. Search Wikipedia For Karate
Typically, we think about karate as an art that came from Japan or Okinawa.
But, did you know that karate used to be called, “Chinese hand” before it became “empty hand?”
The Wikipedia page for karate is chock full of links to learn more about the popular martial art.
Start by digging into the origins of the word karate in the Etymology section.
Then, learn more about its origins dating back to the 1300s.
You’ll be able to see more information about famous masters of karate over the years like Gichin Funakoshi, Choki Motobu, Chojun Miyagi, and more.
You can learn more about various aspects of karate, like:
- Sporting competitions and governing bodies, as well as karate’s place in the Olympics.
- The many styles of karate that people practice all over the world.
- Famous people who practice karate.
Dozens of links on this page dive deep into many facets of karate.
If you’re just starting to do research into karate outside your regular class, Wikipedia is a great place to start.
2. Karate Publications, Blogs, and Podcasts
There are a number of publications covering and promoting karate online, like blogs, podcasts, and magazines.
Arguably, the most well-known and longest-running martial arts magazine is Black Belt Magazine.
Black Belt covers all kinds of arts, especially mixed martial arts.
But, Black Belt has a dedicated section for traditional martial arts like karate.
The karate section of Black Belt covers noteworthy competitions, like the Olympics, and places where karate is featured in popular culture, like Netflix’s Cobra Kai.
They also pay homage to karate pioneers by celebrating notable anniversaries or memorializing those who have recently passed away.
Black Belt recently introduced a subscription app, Black Belt+, that features exclusive content in addition to the regular magazine.
Besides Black Belt, a number of other martial arts publications and figures publish content regularly through podcasts, blogs, and social media.
3. Karate Accounts On Social Media
Facebook and Instagram are two social media platforms that feature a wealth of karate information.
Each channel can help you find local seminars and tournaments near you.
SportMartialArts.com on Facebook has more than 460,000 followers as of this writing.
They cover prominent sport karate competitions through incredible photos, live streams, and more.
Century Martial Arts also live streams their sponsored competitions and athletes.
Finally, BujinTV is a streaming platform that also posts inspirational content and special deals.
BujinTV also hosts events like World Karate Day and World Kobudo Day.
Spend enough time on social media, and you’ll be sure to stumble across some great karate accounts, including schools that may even be in your local area!
4. Karate Influencers On Social Media and YouTube
Some accounts you may find belong to karate influencers—or at least, prominent figures with large followings.
Many of these prominent figures in karate post across multiple social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
They may even have paid products, like books, app subscriptions, or courses to help you supplement your skills.
In addition to those I’ve mentioned already—such as BujinTV, Century, SportMartialArts, and Black Belt Magazine—here are some that I’ve found to be some combination of practical, insightful, and entertaining:
- Iain Abernethy – I’ve followed Iain for more than a decade and have had the fortune to attend two of his seminars in the U.S. He focuses on practical karate, so he emphasizes kata practice and analysis for use in real life.
- Karate By Jesse – I feel like Jesse Enkamp’s name pops up near the top when searching for karate online. His experiences and insights on karate are unique, and he posts content training with a who’s who of contemporary martial arts legends in their own right.
- Chris Denwood – Another influential figure who analyzes traditional karate kata for practical applications.
Notable mentions in this category included Alex Wong and Samery Moras.
Both ladies’ focus is on taekwondo, but that shouldn’t stop karate students from learning from them.
Keep an eye out on all of these channels (and more) for learning more karate drills, history home workouts, seminar excerpts, and unique training ideas.
What cool karate accounts have you come across online?
Send me a message to let me know, and I’ll include them in a future article!
Photo by Rob Hampson on Unsplash
