Most people think of high kicks as a core part of traditional karate—but they weren’t always there. Early Okinawan karate was a close-range, low-kicking system focused on practicality and rooted in Chinese martial arts. High, snapping kicks like the ones seen in modern karate only emerged in the early 20th century, and one surprising influence was French savate. French sailors and soldiers practicing savate, a refined striking art known for elegant high kicks and fencing-style footwork, came int