Karate was born in the Okinawa Islands as a form of self-defense, at a time when weapons were banned by the invading Japanese forces. It began as the art of Te, meaning hand, a fighting style used by the people of the Ryukyu Islands, influenced by the Chinese art of Kenpō, which was brought with them by Chinese families when they settled in Okinawa, and the establishment of trade relations between those islands and China. Karate is a Japanese martial art of unarmed self-defense that relies on the use of kicks, strikes, and defensive blocks with the hands and feet. The physical aspects seek to develop defensive and counter-offensive body movements. The traditional features of karate training revolve around fighting and self-defense, although its psychological and moral aspects stimulate the overall improvement of the person, facilitated by the discipline and continuous effort required in training.