Karate, Taekwondo, Hapkido, Aikido and Iaido are all available to students, faculty and staff, and serve to teach self-defense, discipline and control and also helps to alleviate stress and is a fun way to exercise. Bob Nance, a graduate of Ole Miss, founded the Ole Miss Karate Club in 1975. Karate, Japanese for empty hand, is the martial art of unarmed self-defense in which directed or focused blows of the hands and feet, with special breathing and shouts, are dealt from poised positions. Karate emphasizes self discipline, positive attitude and high moral purpose. Karate stresses techniques for striking, with lethal kicks and punches in which speed, strength and technique are vital.
Constant exercises are important for limbering up and for strengthening the muscles of the body.
Such breathing and cries help the rhythm of the karate attack, focus more force in each blow or block, and psychologically invigorate a person while disconcerting the opponent. A cloth belt of a particular color represents degrees of achievement. The colors are in ascending order, white, green, purple, brown and black. The black belt signifies the highest proficiency and is qualified by degrees of honor or skill, the highest being the ninth or 10th degree. Training is to improve health and increase awareness of self-defense.