Grand Master Chibana:  "In the old days we trained at karate as a martial art, but now they train at karate as a gymnastic sport.  I think we must avoid treating karate as a sport or as a mere physical exercise -- it must be a martial art at all times!  During practice, one should forget everything and gather one's spiritual energy together so that the head, eyes, hands and feet become united.  Your fingers and the tips of your toes must be like arrows; your arms must be like iron.  The fingers and toes should become like spears so that a single kick or a single punch can kill.  This is the spirit you need in order to progress in your training.  To achieve this goal takes long, constant and careful practice; overdoing things will only result in harm.  With age the body gets stronger, but on reaching the 50s and 60s, one must slow down; then a different kind of strength develops."

Even at the age of 80, Choshin Chibana still believed he had "a long way to go." 

Grand Master Chibana's most important principles:

1. Understand the kata and measure the improvement in physique so that several times one's normal strength will develop.
2. In the martial arts, speed is essential.
3. With karate kata practice, one's perception will become acute and one's strikes powerful.