Chapter 7 (Ranking and its Significane)

Ranking System In KARATE

* Kyu:   for students in the early stages of practice. All coloured belts are categorized under Kyu ranks.

*Dan:   for practitioners with higher experience up to mastery. Black belts are categorized under Dan ranks.

1.    White Belt: White color signifies the birth, or beginning. A white belt student is a beginner looking for knowledge of the Art. The white belt is the beginning of life's cycle, and symbolically represents the new born seed exposed to the new environment.

2.    Yellow Belt: Yellow color represents the first beam of sunlight which shines upon the seed giving it new strength marking beginning of the actual training, with the beginning of new life. A yellow belt student is given his first ray of knowledge, opening his mind, from his instructors.

3.    Orange Belt: Orange color represents the growing power or intensity of the sun as it warms the earth preparing for new growth in the spring. The orange belt is starting to feel the body and mind open and develop.

4.    Green Belt: Green color signifies the growth of the seed , symbolically as it sprouts from the earth reaching toward the sun and begins to grow into a plant. A green belt student learns to strengthen and refine his techniques.

5.    Blue Belt: Blue color signifies the blue sky as the plant continues to grow toward it. A blue belt student moves up higher in rank just as the plant grows taller. The light feeds the plant so it can continue to grow. The student is fed additional knowledge of the Art in order for his body and mind to develop.

6.    Purple Belt: Purple color represents the changing sky of dawn, as once again the student undergoes a new change and prepares for the transition to advanced student. A purple belt begins to understand the meaning of the black belt.

7.    Brown Belt: Brown color represents the ripening of the seed, a maturing and harvesting process. A brown belt is an advanced student whose techniques are beginning to mature, and he is beginning to understand the fruits of his hard work as a beginner.

8 . Black Belt: Black color signifies the darkness beyond the sun. A black belt seeks new, more profound knowledge of the Art. As he begins to teach others, he plants new seeds and helps them grow and mature. His students, many whom will form roots deep into the Art, blossom and grow through the ranks in a never-ending process of self-growth, knowledge, and enlightenment.

* Kyu Belts colours and their order can vary from one Karate style to another.

Chapter 6 (Rei)

Bowing (Rei)

     OSS! ?

While bowing we should say “OSS!” , as a code of respect to Sensei and our seniors. But vice versa may not be true, i.e. this may not be required by us for our juniors.

OSS! can also be used as a slang or substitute for "Understood " or  "Yes" .

Types of Rei :

·      Ritsurei – performed in standing position (Musubi dachi).

1.     Bring the right foot inwards.

2.     Make Musubi dachi.

3.     Bow by bending from the hips with the upper body straight. Eyes sight should go down to the floor in front of you.  (Bend down about 45 degrees for Sensei and seniors and about 30 degree for juniors.)

4.     After returning to the erect position bring the right foot outward to make parallel stance (Heiko Dachi), at the same time cross your arms in front of you with the hands now closed.

5.     Bring the fists in front with a shoulder width apart as you assume parallel stance (Heiko Dachi).

·      Zarei – performed in kneeling sitting position(Seiza)

1.     Start from Musubi Dachi.

2.     Sit down slowly and bring your left knee down.

3.     Place your right foot and bring down your right knee (Keep your hands at side during the process).

4.     Extend your feet and cross slightly before sitting in seiza position.

5.     Place left hand in front of left knee, then place your right hand in front the right knee.

6.     Place your both hands on the floor and incline your upper body in front.

7.     Bow by bending 45 to 60 degree keeping back straight.

8.     After 1 to 3 seconds of bowing retrieve your right hand back first then follow with your left hand and return to seiza position with your back erect and eye sight straight forward.

9.     Bring the toes up and stand up assuming Musubi or Heiko Dachi (Hands forward).

Chapter 5 (KIAI)

KARATE : KIAI

   What is “KIAI !”? 

 

Ki means energy and Ai means to join. In other words, Kiai is the convergence of the energy.

When you say Kiai, you are not only “screaming”, but more importantly compressing and delivering an instant release of your stored energy. It is important to feel the kiai then to scream it.

When should you use Kiai ?

There are no rules for kiai, but here’s when you could use it:

• ·       While channeling your energy.
• ·       To kickstart your fighing spirit.
• ·       While attacking or countering an opponent.
• ·       While doing a kata.
• ·       While demonstrating your power.
• ·       When you want to startle your opponent.

How To "KIAI" ?

·       Put your hands by your sides, standing like a boss.

·       Push hard on both sides of your belly (below your ribs) with the inner ridges of your hands (the space between your thumb and index finger).

·       Now cough.

·       Repeat.

·       Feel that….That’s the Kiai muscle 💪 

     OR REFER

• How to “KIAI !”          

         Reference Video Link : https://youtu.be/c-eTdM9Vhj4 👇

Chapter 4 (Dressing Code)

Karate : Dressing Code

• How to Tie your Belt ?

            OR

            Reference Video Link : https://youtu.be/fnA-Skin4FA 👇

            

             

              *There are numerous way to Tie a Karate Belt. Above mentioned is one easy way to do so.

                You can also follow any other way which is suitable for you !

• How to Fold your Karate Gi correctly ?

          Reference Video Link : https://youtu.be/8yhoV5C3bT8 👇

Chapter 3 (Karate DOJO)

Jutsu vs Do 

Two common terms in Japanese martial arts like Karate are" Jutsu" and "Do". 

Jutsu means "art" or "technique".  It is a system that focus on attacking techniques and self defence. While Do means "way". It refers to schools that teach these Japanese martial arts, along with way to lead a life with it as a culture.

In other words, Jutsu arts teach a way of fighting and Do arts teach a way of life. Many jutsu schools exist still today, where arts like jujutsu, aiki-jutsu, karate-jutsu, and even ninjutsu are taught. Jutsu acts like traditional schools in today's date.

However, Do schools seem to be more popular. They offer arts such as judo, aikido, and karate-do. For students who practice a "way," they train in a dojo, or "way place." It is a place where you go to practice the way of perfecting yourself. 
                                    

          (Dojo-Kun) Rules and Regulations

1.  One should obey all the dojo rules. 

2.  One should be punctual to their training timings. One should be armed up and ready to start.

3.  Wear karate gi properly, it should always be neat and clean. NEVER wash your belt.

4.  Toenails and fingernails should never be too big.

5.  Do not wear jewellery of any kind.

6.  Do not  have food while on the dojo floor.

7.  Bowing is to be done upon entering and leaving the dojo . It should be done at the beginning and end of class to the sensei.

8.  Kyu ranks will form one line on the left of dojo with senior kyu on the right. Black belts will always have a line of their own as well as Sadan and every rank above.

9.  Always refer to senior ranks by their title: Sensei, etc.

10. Always take traditional kneeling position (Zarei) while sitting.

11. Always be honest and serious, especially in kumite (sparring). Follow the spirit of fair play.

12. Try to keep the Do jo clean.

Chapter 2 (WKF & Karate Styles)

Modern Karate

Today, Karate is taught all around the world. Though it is often modified and always changing, still there are many primitive & popular Karate styles being practiced :

1. the Shotokan style

2. the Gōjū-ryū style

3. the Wadō-ryū style

4. the Shitō-ryū style

5. the Kyokushin style

6. the Shorin-ryu style

Karate has evolved into a popular sport. The World Karate Federation (WKF) has developed a system of common rules and regulations, issuing various guidelines regarding Kata and Kumite. 

It is also the largest International governing body for Karate (191 member countries). It was formed in 1990. Recognized by International Olympic Commitee, the WKF organizes the Junior and Senior Karate World Championships, which are held every other year. The Current President of the WKF is Antonio Espinos.  

The WKF headquarters are located in Madrid, Spain. The major styles recognised by the WKF are Gōjū-ryū, Shitō-ryū, Shotokan and Wadō-ryū. 

Karate will make its debut appearance at the Summer Olympics in 2020 in Tokya, Japan. There, Olympic Karate will feature two types of events, Kumite and Kata. About sixty competitors from around the world will compete in the Kumite competition and twenty will compete in the Kata competition. Both divisions of the competition will be splitted 50/50 between men and women.

   ➥ Karate Popular Styles and their Specialities -

    ➤Shotokan style – 

    🔺70% Hard and 30% Soft techniques

    🔺26 Katas

   🔺 by Gichin Funakoshi    

    ➤ Gōjū-ryū style – 

     🔺Balance of Hard and Soft techniques

     🔺12 Katas

    🔺 by Chojun Miyagi

     

 ➤  Wadō-ryū style -  

        🔺Primarily Soft techniques

        🔺15 Katas

        🔺by Hironori Otsuka

   ➤Shito-ryu style – 

   🔺Both Hard and Soft balanced 

   🔺94 Katas

   🔺by Kenwa Mabuni

        ➤Shorin-ryu style –

        🔺Both balanced, primarily Fast and Hard

       🔺 21 Katas

      🔺  by Choshin Chibana

 

 

                             ➤ Kyokushin style - 

                             🔺 Primarily Hard,

                             🔺 23 Katas

                             🔺by Masutatsu Oyama 

                               

 🔝 Hard = Deep, Power and Balance.

 🔝Soft = Fast, Casual and Natural.

Chapter 1 (History)

Karate (空手)

History

Karate (空手)  is a form of martial art.  It was developed by the hands of Ryukyu Kingdom in the Okinawa Islands. 

In contemporary world, Karate is now being practiced as a striking art using punching, kicking, knee strikes, elbow strikes and open-hand techniques such as knife-hands, spear-hands and palm-heel strikes.  

It also involves use of various traditional Japanese Weapons like Nunchucks, Tonfa, Bo, etc.  

A karate practitioner in Japanese is called a karateka (空手家), and its plural is "karateka" or "karatekas".

 Etymology 

The word karate comes from two kanji (Kanji are the Chinese characters used in the Japanese writing system) characters, Kara空and te手.  Kara means "empty" and te means "hand." Hence, Karate is can be translated as "empty hands" referring to the fact that a karateka, learns to defend oneself without the use of weapons or empty handed. 

However, at the same time, the character for kara was also written as "China", giving karate the original meaning of "China hand". Thus, reflecting China's early influence on the Japanese martial arts.