Change of Direction

Just a quick note to let all of our regular visitors know about some website changes to Shotokan Sensei.

Until recently there were three different sites associated with Shotokan Sensei - this blog, the YouTube site and then our main shotokansensei.com site was hosted on a Word Press platform. Due to some technical difficulties with the Word Press platform, we are now in the process of designing a new homepage and site for shotokansensei.com.

Also this blog is now hosted under the blog.shotokansensei.com URL. The YouTube site is unchanged.

In the coming months we will be releasing the new Shotokan Sensei website that will try to organize all of the content that we offer in an easy-to understand and easily accessible format.

In the meantime, please enjoy the many articles and video posts on this blog and also our YouTube channel.

Thank you all for your continued support.

Karate Concepts: Enter Form, Exit Form

Karate Concepts: Small Details

New Updated Website at ShotokanSensei.com

Check out the new and updated website at http://www.shotokansensei.com/.  This website brings together the best aspects of this blog and the Shotokan Sensei YouTube channel.  Currently there are 75 uploaded videos on the YouTube channel and this blog has numerous articles.  By bringing these two sites together at http://www.shotokansensei.com/ I can put both the written and the video content together in one place in a more coherent and systemized manner.

Initially, there is a free basic membership on the new site that includes many of the videos and articles that have already been posted on both sites.  It is easily searchable through the convenient categories and the site will have many updates as it grows.

This blog will still be updated with new articles and posts as a complement to the main Shotokan Sensei website.  Please check out the new site at http://www.shotokansensei.com/.

Karate Spirit

I once asked Master Kanazawa, "What is the most important aspect of karate?"  He answered, "Seishin".  "Seishin" means 'spirit', not in the religious sense, but in the sense of personal identity and of what we represent in life.  This video tries to explain the concept of spirit and how it relates to karate.

Gankaku-sho

Gankaku-sho is an advanced kata that has been introduced into the SKIF extended syllabus content by Master Kanazawa.  Two of the interesting aspects of this kata are the multiple stance changes, and the diagonal embusen (performance line) of the kata.
I have included a couple of presentations of the kata in this post - the first video demonstrates the kata as a whole, and the second video breaks down the movements with a commentary of what is happening.  I hope you enjoy the content.

The Three Ks of Karate

The education system often talks about the ‘Three Rs’ of Reading Writing and Arithmetic.  To a casual observer, one might say that the education system was flawed from the very beginning by the fact that it can’t spell!  In Karate, however, we can spell and the three Ks really are three Ks – Kihon, Kata and Kumite.  Let’s look at each one and explain what it is.

Kihon means Basics.  Basics are the fundamentals of our art or style.  In Karate, basics are our punches, our kicks, our blocks, our strikes and our stances.  In order to build a strong foundation for our karate we must drill and practice basics constantly.  The honing of our basic technique is the very essence of our training and must be taken seriously in order to progress to a high level of skill.  If we compare karate to learning a language, our karate basics are our vocabulary.

Kata means Form.  Forms are sequences of movements that are put together in an overall pattern that we must memorize.  Kata training includes the elements of direction, technique, speed, power and rhythm.  On a deeper level the analysis of kata can lead to many useful discoveries for practical self-defense, as hidden within the different forms are many useful sequences of movements that can be directly applied to different scenarios.  Going back to our language analogy, kata can be likened to the grammar of our karate.

Kumite means Partner Work or Sparring.  Basic partner work introduces pre-arranged training drills that help us get used to using different punches, kicks, blocks and strikes.  Through these set training drills we are able to directly apply our defensive movements and counters against actual attacks.  As we progress in our skill level the drills become harder with a bigger element of surprise that is gradually introduced until we are able to deal with random attacks from multiple opponents.  For our language analogy our kumite training is therefore how we express ourselves by using our vocabulary and our grammar appropriately based on any given situation.

By breaking down our karate training into the ‘Three Ks’, we are able to focus on each core training element individually and consequently improve our overall ability with a very systematic approach.  Our ultimate goal is to combine these three elements seamlessly so that the ‘Three Ks’ become one K.  And that K of course is Karate.

When this seamlessness takes place, you begin operating from a level of what is sometimes referred to as unconscious competence.  You don't have to think of the individual pieces and parts.  Everything fits together and works in harmony, almost totally without any direction from the conscious mind.  This is the level from which the masters operate and that is why observing them is like watching poetry in motion.

Keep training hard on the three Ks and they will gradually begin to merge into one over time.

Behavioral Congruency

The idea of Behavioral Congruency is not a new one but it is one that is based on sound logical principles.

In mathematics the word congruent means something that is exactly the same size and shape.  Therefore in terms of behavior, congruency means acting in exactly the way necessary to achieve a desired outcome.  So, in other words if you can align your behavior with those who have already achieved your desired result or outcome (and are still achieving it) then you too can obtain the same result.

Let me give you an example with your karate practice that will illustrate this concept more clearly.  Probably over 90% of people who start karate would answer “Yes” to the question,

“Do you want to become a Black Belt?”

However we all know that nowhere near 90% of students actually make it to the black belt.  The number is actually quite low.  So how can we increase the number of students who make it to the black belt?  Well we can start by looking at behavior.

So what did black belts do before they were black belts and what are they still doing now that defines their success in karate?

Well the good news is that black belts don’t really do anything that is extremely difficult or radically different to the average student.  I think I can boil down their behavior to three simple things:

1. They come to class regularly and consistently.  I personally recommend twice a week.

2. They always give their best effort during class.

3. They stay focused on their goal until they achieve it.

Obviously there are other things you can do too to make sure you become a black belt such as practicing at home and reading and studying about karate from books, magazines, DVDs and the Internet.  However the three crucial behaviors are to come to class regularly, to train hard and to stay focused on your goal.

If you are someone who “wants to be a Black Belt,” I suggest that you ask yourself honestly if your current behavior, in terms of your karate practice, is congruent with the behavior that I just described.

If it is, then you are well on your way to becoming a black belt, if not then it’s not too late to change!

The same simple question can also be asked about other important aspects of your life...

Basic Stances

This video shows the three most common basic stances of Shotokan karate.

For more videos, check out my YouTube site at www.youtube.com/user/seishin73.

The Trip of a Lifetime

I was born and raised in England for 22 years, lived in Germany for 1 year, Japan for 3 years and now the United States for over 10 years.  I have traveled throughout Europe and also South-East Asia.  As you can see I have been very fortunate so far to have had the opportunity to visit so many places and experience so many cultures.  Many of these trips and experiences were both life-changing and inspirational but I can say with complete honesty that the ‘trip of a lifetime’ for me is still continuing to this day, and that is my study of karate.

This trip, or maybe journey would be a better word, started on a cold January morning in 1982 in an even colder dojo in North-East England.  I was 8 years old at the time and could never have known what a huge impact karate would have on my life, and to be honest, it probably took about 10 years of training before I really began to understand the impact and some of the benefits that karate had already given me.  However on that cold evening I didn’t know what to make of the lesson or of the experience, and I almost quit after the first lesson.  To this day I still can’t figure out what made me go back, but I’m certainly glad that I did because what I’ve gained in the years since is immeasurable.

The goal of this article is not to give you a blow by blow account of my own experience in karate, but rather a perspective on what lies ahead.

What lies ahead is a very difficult journey, full of success and failure, a journey of self-discovery and ultimately a journey of honest introspection.

Let me start by telling you that I have failed a grading 4 times, I failed my Green Belt as well as each of the three Brown Belts once.  It took me 6 years to get my Black Belt, when it should have only taken me about 4 years on average.  Despite being top of the class at school, I was NEVER top of the class in karate.  Why am I still doing karate?  Why am I still wasting my time?

...because I understand the value of karate.

Karate is not about being able to beat somebody up, karate is not about being able to kick high, karate is not about back flips, karate is not about aggression or anger, karate is not about weapons, karate is not even about keeping fit and healthy (despite that being a side benefit).

Karate is ultimately about fulfilling your potential, it is about developing the discipline needed to deal with daily life in a consistent manner, it is about friendship, it is about harmony with others, it is about never giving up, it is about being true to yourself and others, it is about testing your limits and constantly challenging yourself.

There are three main aspects of karate - Kihon (Basics), Kata (Forms) and Kumite (Sparring/Partner Work).  These aspects can be applied to everyday life.  The true value of karate is found in how the different components of karate are relevant to everything that we do.  It might sound strange to think that our everyday life is made up of Kihon, Kata and Kumite, but it really is.  Kihon represents those things that we do day in day out such as going to work or school, making dinner, brushing our teeth, organizing our day, Kata represents the set routines that we follow everyday, such as the order in which we do things in the morning when getting ready, the route that we follow to school or work, the school schedule or the work routine and Kumite represents how we apply our basic movements and our set routines to have an effective, successful and productive day.  As you can see it is necessary to repeat the basic techniques of our life again and again, we will constantly follow set routines and will always add new routines but our success ultimately depends on how well we apply the things we have learned on a consistent basis.  I believe that karate can help provide the disciplined structure to ultimately improve our lives.

Enter Form, Exit Form

There is a saying in Japanese martial arts that translates as “Enter form, exit form”.  When you first see these words they don’t really make much sense as there is no context in which to place them.  However the meaning should become clear during this short article.

The phrase refers to the process of learning that we go through during our journey along the path of martial arts.

First of all we walk into the dojo on the first day armed with a sense of excitement at trying something new as well as a little bit of caution because we don’t know what to expect.  At this initial stage of our training most of us know very little about fighting but despite this lack of refined fighting skill, we possess something very useful.  We possess natural reactions because of our survival instinct as humans, we have the element of surprise because the people in the dojo have never seen us before and therefore know nothing about our ability, and we are also unpredictable for the same reason.

So we come to the Karate dojo possessing “no form” and then we are put into a rigorous program of teaching us technique after technique, form after form and sparring drill after sparring drill.  At this point we are “entering form”.  After a couple of years of this training we no longer look like, react like or move like the person who entered that very same dojo two years earlier.  In fact we have become quite proficient at executing all of the different techniques, we know several different “forms” and our sparring skills seem to have improved dramatically.  What’s more, that white belt we were given to wear has now changed color to purple or maybe even brown.  By anybody’s standards we’ve come a long way.

The problem at this stage of our training is that we are so immersed in “form” that when faced with a spontaneous attack that isn’t pre-arranged (like the sparring drills we practice) oftentimes our mind is so confused by choice as to which technique to use against the attack that our defense actually is ineffective despite our good technique.  This is a common occurrence at this level of training because of the vast amount of new material that our minds have had to take in over the past two years and unfortunately for us this process will probably continue for several more years as we continue to accumulate knowledge about the martial art and try to integrate it and assimilate it into something meaningful and natural.  This requires many hours of practice.

Finally we accomplish a higher degree of understanding and we now start to break away from “form” and we begin to slowly “exit form”.  This process of “exiting form” also lasts for quite some time and is full of inspirational moments when we gradually start seeing things on a deeper level and from a different perspective.  Simple things that we thought we already understood suddenly open up and show us something we had never thought about before, thereby giving us additional skill and knowledge.

Finally we fully “exit form” and essentially return to the beginning, to that same person who walked into the dojo on the first day possessing natural reactions and the elements of surprise and unpredictability.  The only difference being (and a big difference it is) is that we now have a very refined skill base and an extremely deep level of understanding that just reacts to whatever situation it is faced with in an appropriate manner without thinking.  Essentially all of the skills that have been practiced for years and years have now become second nature and we have finally reached the highest levels of the martial arts.  This is what I believe is meant by the phrase “Enter form, exit form.”

Truth or Belief?

I started karate at the age of eight on an extremely cold dojo floor in the North-east of England on a January evening in 1982.

My truth that night was that my feet were freezing cold like blocks of ice; my belief was that karate was extremely hard and unforgiving.  I cried after the class and wanted to quit before the next lesson.  Despite my initial experience, I stuck with karate.

At the age of 10, I passed my brown belt after failing two previous gradings.  My truth that night was that I was a tough young boy; my belief was that I was actually good at karate.  I answered my parents doubts that night and was brimming with confidence.  Thanks to my newfound confidence, I stuck with karate.

At the age of 14, I passed my first degree black belt after spending four long years as a brown belt, after failing two more gradings, after trying to convince my parents that their money was well spent on my karate training, and after almost giving up on karate altogether.  My truth that day was that I was a very stubborn individual who had reached a goal; my belief that day was that karate was in actual fact very difficult and that maybe I should quit now while I was ahead.  Instead of quitting, I stuck with karate.

At the age of 22, I graduated from university, left England and went to Japan and enrolled in Master Kanazawa’s Headquarters Dojo in Tokyo.  At the time, I was a third degree black belt in my previous style, well-versed in my new style of Shotokan and had experience in Ju-jitsu and Aikido.  My truth that month was that I finally had some bona-fide experience on which to build.  My belief was that I could actually be successful in karate.  Thanks to my fearless decision to move to Japan, I stuck with karate.

At the age of 26, I left Japan as a third-degree black belt in Shotokan, awarded directly by Master Kanazawa.  I had spent three hard years in Japan learning the art of karate and experiencing the melting pot of culture shock, intense training sessions, and strange yet rewarding experiences that I will never forget.  My truth in that moment was that I didn’t really know who I was, or what I wanted in life; my belief was that it didn’t matter because I could do anything that I put my mind to!  Thanks to the inspiration of Master Kanazawa, I stuck with karate.

Over ten years later and many many hours of hard work and a lot of help from family and friends, I am responsible for teaching well over 100 people this art of karate on a weekly basis.  As a fifth degree black belt I represent Master Kanazawa’s worldwide organization and do my best to promote his message of harmony and strong spirit through my teaching.

In some people’s eyes I have made it as an instructor.  The truth of the matter is that I have a very long way to go before I can even begin to claim some measure of success.  My own personal truth at this stage of my karate journey is that I have come a very long way since first stepping out on that freezing cold floor in England, and that my study of karate has revealed many personal weaknesses that I have had to face along the way.  The process of trying to correct these weaknesses, both physical and emotional, is never easy but it is necessary if we are to continue growing as a person.  My belief at this point in time is that I truly can achieve anything I set my mind to, regardless of how difficult it may seem at first.  Thanks to all of my experiences, I still do karate!

My instructor, Master Kanazawa, once said that one of the reasons to practice karate is to learn how to “make the impossible possible”.  This simple phrase sums up the difference between truth and belief very well.  The truth of our current situation or of a goal that we want to achieve may very well seem impossible, but our belief that we will ultimately be successful is what propels us forward and drives us through the invisible barrier in front of us.

Time and time again in my own life I have come up against very difficult challenges that seemed insurmountable at first.  Yet with determination, perseverance and self-belief, the challenge gradually changed from being impossible to being very difficult to finally becoming imminently achievable.  I suspect that all of you reading this have had similar experiences throughout your own lives.

So what have all of these different experiences and my karate training taught me.  Well, I think that after searching for truth in everything I do, I have finally come to the conclusion that it is not the so-called truth of our situation or challenge that really matters; all that actually matters is our belief and how we handle it!

The Benefits of Failure

To use the words “benefit” and “failure” in the same sentence probably qualifies as an oxymoron.  Like any good lesson in life, however, the things that we are afraid of the most often give us the best insights.

I have come to realize that we all avoid failure as much as possible.  It’s almost a kind of taboo subject that gets swept under the carpet.  In our culture nobody wants to admit that they made a mistake or that they were wrong.  Why is this?  Is failure really that bad?

It seems like it is bad.  After all, who can deny the feelings of disappointment and disillusion when something doesn’t go our way, or even the harsh feeling of despair and regret when we really crash and burn.  Why does life treat us so badly?  Don’t we deserve better?

No we don’t!  We deserve absolute honesty in everything we do.  If that means failure instead of false praise, then so be it.  If that means that we have to admit that we lost, or that we were sub-standard, then so be it.  If that means that on that day we just missed out, then so be it.  Don’t gripe, don’t moan, don’t throw a fit!  Be happy that you have just received a lesson that you need to learn!!

I received this lesson for the first time when I was 9 years old.  I had been very successful at school, passing every test, getting top grades, being on the sports teams, getting praise from the teachers…

I thought karate was going to be the same...until I took my green belt test.  I stepped forwards when my sensei called my name, expecting to receive my belt.  Instead, I was shut down and demoralized with that one word, “FAIL!”

Absolute shock!  I was still an orange belt, I had to wait three more months to test again, I was not good enough!

This was the first time that I had failed at anything, and as it turned out I failed in karate three more times on my way to the black belt, before I finally made it on December 5th, 1987 (a day I will never forget based on the hardship that led up to that occasion.)

How could I fail? I thought I was better than that.  Well, as it has turned out, karate has shown me over the years that I’m not really that good at anything.  I just get ahead of myself at times and think that I know something, which basically means that I am a little stubborn, and that on occasion I can be a little too self-confident.

I needed to learn humility!  Karate continues to teach me this quality.  My failures along my karate journey were exactly what I needed, and they have definitely taught me some very valuable life lessons!  Thanks to these hard lessons, I have come to realize that failure can actually be a good thing, despite the fact that it doesn't feel very good at the time.  As long as you learn the lesson that failure brings, the experience is valuable, but if you stubbornly refuse to face up to yourself, then the lesson will have to be repeated again and again until you notice.

When I first met my most influential sensei, Master Hirokazu Kanazawa, he wrote a piece of calligraphy for me that has inspired me in my life on so many occasions I have lost count.  What he wrote in Japanese translates as,

"Never be afraid of failure, if you try your best."

I am very thankful for my sensei's wisdom and I hope that his words will inspire you too.

What's the Difference between a Martial Art and a Sport?

This article focuses on an issue that is often written about in martial arts circles and will no doubt continue to be debated for years to come.  It is the basic question about whether karate is a martial art or a sport and, if you can definitively categorize it as one or the other, then what in fact is the difference between a martial art and a sport?

The article is going to start by defining what a martial art and a sport actually is and then it will discuss the difference between the two.

So first of all, what is a martial art?  A martial art in the original sense of the words is an art that involves military strategy, sometimes weaponry and the idea of some kind of life-or-death situation that must be faced either on a battlefield, in warfare or in a personal dangerous encounter.

The ultimate risk in a traditional martial art is the loss of one’s life at the hands of your opponent and therefore much emphasis is placed on spiritual growth, strength of character and moral fortitude during the course of one’s training.  Training in a martial art is often very rigorous and demanding and is certainly not for the weak of heart.  The structure of the training is often very regimented and repetitive and requires a high degree of self-discipline and effort.

Consequently the goal of a traditional martial arts practitioner is not necessarily to win each battle but rather to not lose any battle.  Although ‘to win’ and ‘to not lose’ are essentially the same thing, the focus is different.

Moving on to the question of “what is a sport?”  A sport is an activity usually involving two or more individuals, sides, or teams, each one trying to win a game or competition as quickly and by as greater margin as possible.  Despite the strong element of competition and the emphasis on winning we should include the concept of fun as being a central factor in the overall goal of sport.  We often see high levels of intensity and passion displayed by the players, especially at the top levels of competition, but usually everybody goes home at the end of the day friends and with a feeling of refreshment looking forward to next week’s game against a different team.

These are basic definitions of a martial art and a sport and it used to be fairly easy to separate the two but over the years of development of both kinds of disciplines the differences are not so great and there is a lot of overlap between the two.  So let’s now try to address some of the differences.

First of all a sport in general is fun with a serious side to it called competition.  The competition aspect is usually hotly contested by both sides with one of the sides coming out a winner and receiving some kind of prize.  There is often a little over-exuberance, sometimes injuries, but most of the time the game or match is an enjoyable spectacle with, as stated before, everybody going home friends at the end of the day.

A martial art on the other hand is very different to this.  Although there is now the competition aspect of martial arts, this of course also includes team events, a martial art is predominantly an individual pursuit.  The goal of the practitioner is to hone one's skills by constant never-ending practice, week-in week-out, through a very regimented schedule and a very structured syllabus.  The martial artist follows a path of growth, which begins the first moment he or she steps into the dojo, and in many cases continues for the rest of that person’s life, or certainly way beyond the competitive career of most sportsmen and women.

Along this journey of self-discovery and growth the martial artist not only tries to improve his or her technical ability and prowess, but also focuses on becoming a better person in every other aspect of his or her life.  By a better person, it is meant that the path of a martial artist is one of constant polishing and refining of one’s technique, which through repeated practice develops the good habits needed to improve one’s abilities in coping with everyday life’s challenges and tasks.

The ultimate goal of the martial artist is to have mind and body unify as one, and then function harmoniously with the outside environment and surroundings, always trying to create positive values for others through leading by example and utilizing the principles of respect, hard work and effort, self-control and self-discipline.

Although a sport has many of these benefits and qualities, I think a sport is by nature too specific and focused on one dimension to adequately provide the rounded, balanced dimensions that a martial art offers.

I believe a martial art is intrinsically more rewarding than a sport and ultimately becomes a way of life for those who practice its teachings seriously.

In closing I think that nowadays karate is both a martial art and a sport but the sport aspect is just a small part of the overall martial art rather than the martial art being a small part of the sport.  For both to coexist effectively we need to recognize the importance of each with respect to the other.

How to Motivate Your Students in Three Easy Steps

If you’ve been a karate instructor for any length of time you will no doubt know that your success in retaining your students comes down to one key factor – keeping your students highly motivated to continue training.  How do you do this while still maintaining your focus on delivering a high quality program?

The majority of karate clubs have a wide range of students usually starting at around age 4 and going all the way up to 74 or older in some cases.  Often within this student base there are the highly-motivated and gung-ho hardcore students who would practice running up a wall backwards if you told them it would help give them the edge over their fellow club members.  Then there are hobbyists who approach their training from a slightly more balanced perspective.  Generally this group of students practice pretty hard and come to class regularly but karate is not the number one item on their daily to-do list.  The final group of students is made up of those who say they want to get their black belt but are strangers to the concept of blood, sweat and tears.

So how do you motivate this diverse set of individuals?  Here are three simple tips to get you started:

1.       Set your students up for success

As human beings we all need to feel like we are being successful.  We like our efforts to be recognized and we seek approval from those who we respect.  Your karate students are no different.  Positive praise produces positive progress.  There is nothing more powerful than a genuine comment from you that praises something about your student’s effort in class or your student’s recent improvement.  We’ve all heard the phrase “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”  Show your students that you genuinely care about them and that you truly want the best for them in their training.

2.       Disguise repetition

Repetition is the mother of skill but at the same time one definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again with the expectation of different results.  As a karate instructor your job is to make sure that your students’ skill level is constantly improving through repetition while making it seem to them as if they are constantly learning something new each lesson.  This is achieved by developing multiple drills and teaching techniques that focus on the same core competencies that are needed to grow as a martial artist.  By doing this your students will always look forward to coming to class because they will be excited to see what they will be studying today.  Doing the same lesson in the same way over and over is a sure recipe for low student retention.

3.       Implement an effective ranking system

The path to black belt is a long and arduous journey and a large majority of students won’t make it.  Therefore it is necessary to recognize the importance of an effective ranking system so that your students have regular “success stepping stones”.  These “success stepping stones” are your different colored belts.  Make sure that you have a clear belt system that students can strive for with regular testing - usually every three months.  However be careful not to overwhelm your students with multiple stripes and sub-ranks that only serve to confuse them even more.  Keep it simple and clear so that students know exactly what is expected of them.

With these three simple tips you can go a long way to effectively motivate your students.  There are obviously many ways to motivate students, so why not let me know some of the effective methods that you are using with your own students.

Some Common Karate Terminology

I remember back to my very first karate lesson back in January 1982 in Darlington, England.  I had such a hard time following the different movements.  The idea that I had to remember the names of the techniques in a foreign language too was almost too much to bear.

I often get questions on this “mysterious terminology”.  What does “oss” mean?  What is “seiza”?  Did I just do an “oizuki” or was it a “maegeri”?  What language is this?

Let me try to put you at ease a little with this “crash course” in karate terminology.

Common Terms

Karate—empty hand (literal meaning)

Seiza—traditional kneeling position

Kiritsu—stand up

Mokuso—meditation and breathing

Rei—bow

Dojo—training hall

Sensei—instructor

“Oss” or “osu” - formal greeting used to convey the meanings of hello, thank you, and, I understand (quick tip—when in doubt just say “oss”.  It’s a catch-all word.)

Basic Punches

Oizuki– front punch

Gyakuzuki—reverse punch

Kizami-zuki—front snap punch

Basic Blocks

Age-uke—rising block

Soto-uke—outer block

Uchi-uke—inner block

Gedan-barai—downward block

Shuto-uke—knife hand block

Basic Kicks

Maegeri—front kick

Mawashigeri—roundhouse kick

Yokogeri-keage—side snap kick

Yokogeri-kekomi—side thrust kick

Basic Stances

Shizentai—natural stance

Musubi-dachi—stance for bowing (heels together, toes apart)

Zenkutsu-dachi—front stance

Kokutsu-dachi—back stance

Kiba-dachi—horse-riding stance

Kata Names

Heian Shodan—White belt kata

Heian Nidan—Yellow belt kata

Heian Sandan—Orange belt kata

Heian Yondan—Green belt kata

Heian Godan—Blue belt kata

Tekki Shodan—Purple belt kata

Kumite Terms

Gohon kumite—five-step sparring

Sanbon kumite—three-step sparring

Kihon ippon-kumite—basic one-step sparring

Jiyu ippon-kumite—free one-step sparring

Jiyu kumite—free sparring

Etiquette (said at the beginning and end of each class)

Shomen ni rei—bow to the place of honor (to the front wall representing the past masters of karate and the style that we practice)

Sensei ni rei—bow to the instructor (to whoever is teaching that day)

Otagai ni rei—bow to each other (to all students who are present for the class that day)

Here is a free bonus link to a more detailed terminology list on the upcoming Shotokan Sensei member website where you will be able to view full technique lists, kata and kumite terminology, directions, body parts, etc.

Karate Terminology

Please don’t let the terminology of karate stress you out, it is just part of the overall experience of learning something new.  In the early stages of your training you are not expected to remember it or learn it.  As you progress through the ranks, the Japanese terms will probably become something that you want to learn as part of your training.
Good luck with your study of the art of Karate-do.

Seishin Shotokan Karate - 10th Anniversary

This month, my karate club celebrates 10 years in existence!  The past ten years have been absolutely great and I look forward to many more good years to come.  Thank you to all of you who have made the past ten years possible - my family, my instructors, and of course my members.  Life has been better because of all of you.
Here is a link to a slideshow that celebrates our karate club.  Enjoy!

5 Common Mistakes That New Karate Instructors Make

Becoming an instructor in a martial arts school is often a really exciting time because in many ways you feel like you have made it.  In order to teach others you must have already mastered the basic content and now is your chance to “give back” your knowledge and continue the progression of your style.  This is a great honor but it is not without its pitfalls.  As any experienced instructor knows, teaching martial arts and practicing martial arts are in many ways two completely different things.

So if you’re a new instructor listen up and pay attention because, although you are probably a competent black belt student, you are a beginner in terms of teaching.  Here are some of the most common mistakes that new instructors make.  And by the way, if you are an experienced instructor reading this please don’t forget to tell some of your own horror stories to your assistant instructors so that they can learn from your mistakes too.

Mistake #1: Showing up to class without a lesson plan and “winging it”.  This is a BAD idea for any new instructor.  Planning is critical in all aspects of life and in any job.  Being a martial arts instructor is no different.  Just because you are good at your chosen art doesn’t mean that you can instantly snap all of the puzzle pieces together and teach an awesome class without a lesson plan from day 1.  Even many experienced instructors refer to some type of lesson plan or overall structure before teaching each class.  A lesson plan will guarantee that you are organized, that you don’t “freeze” on the spot, and that you aren’t constantly thinking “OK, what shall I do next?”  If you’re thinking this, it means that you’re not focusing on your students!

Mistake #2: Trying to teach everything you know in one class.  It is very tempting as a new instructor to feel the need to stamp your authority on a class and to prove yourself to your group as being very knowledgeable.  Consequently in your first class you drill your students in every possible basic technique, all of the different forms whether they know them or not, and numerous partner work drills to the point of overload.  This causes major stress to your students as they feel completely overwhelmed and, not only that, when you go to teach your next class you won’t have anything left to give them that’s new.  There are very good reasons for a structured curriculum and a solid lesson plan.

Mistake #3: Teaching class so that you get a good workout.  There is a difference between leading by example and training with your peers.  In every class that you teach your primary focus should be on the needs of your students and not on your own personal needs.  It will be inevitable that you will get a pretty good workout just by demonstrating the different techniques, forms and partner work drills to your students and it is also important to model these things well, but you must also allow yourself to watch your students so that you know which students need help.  In this way you position yourself to give valuable feedback rather than just working up a good sweat.

Mistake #4: Being too hard or too easy.  There are very often two types of new instructors.  Type 1 is the drill instructor who wants to put the students through hell so they know who is boss, and type 2 is the friend who wants everyone to like him and is overly nervous about how well he taught each class.  Try to find some middle ground here and work your students hard by holding them to high standards but also develop strong and respectful relationships with them and show them that you care.

Mistake #5: Allowing your students to decide on the content for the class.  This is a BIG mistake because so many things can go wrong.  First of all you can’t please everybody and by asking what your students want to study you will get requests for everything possible within any group – forms training, sparring, pad work and target training, and self-defense.  You can’t possibly fit everything into one class and nor should you (see mistake #2).  Also you are setting yourself up for failure.  What would you do if they asked you to teach something you don’t know very well yet, like an advanced form or some knife defense that you may not have studied yet?  You are the leader of the class and your students expect you to know what they need to study.  Don’t abdicate your responsibility to your students and allow them to dictate the class.

These are some of the most common mistakes that new instructors make and there are of course many more.  Keep reading my blog for future articles on teaching and how to become a better instructor, coming soon!

Book Review: Karate - The Complete Kata by Hirokazu Kanazawa

If you only ever buy one book on the technical aspect of Shotokan karate then this book must be it!

Karate: The Complete Kata is written by one of the world’s leading karate masters, and arguably the most famous Shotokan master still alive today—Hirokazu Kanazawa, 10th degree black belt.

Back in the early 1980s, Master Kanazawa released a two-volume book set covering the 26 standard Shotokan kata.  Now in January 2010, Master Kanazawa has released a brand new version of the original two-volume book set that covers all of the 26 standard Shotokan kata plus an additional kata called Gankaku-sho aimed at more advanced practitioners who want to further their study.

Each kata has a whole new set of original photos that cover each move of every kata in the same fine detail that we have come to expect from everything that Master Kanazawa does.  In the book he is assisted by his three sons and other high-ranking instructors from his Headquarter’s Dojo in Tokyo.

The big difference between this book and the original set is that each move of every kata is also accompanied by a written explanation on how to perform the move, rather than just the name of the technique.  This is a huge benefit to anybody who is trying to polish the details of the kata and the transitions between moves from this book.

The translator, Richard Berger, has truly done an excellent job in bringing these finer points of each kata to print for the first time according to Master Kanazawa’s exemplary technique and deep understanding of the art of Shotokan karate.

In summary, Karate: The Complete Kata is already destined to become the definitive work on Shotokan kata and should not disappoint the reader in any way.  It has over 3000 high quality photos that accompany detailed step-by-step explanations to the individual moves as well as an introduction to each kata that touches on some of the historical context of the kata.  There are also several suggested applications to some of the more important moves and sequences found within the different kata.  Additional diagrams are used to explain the appropriate head movement, stepping movement and breathing for the kata.

All in all, this book will serve all practitioners of Shotokan very well for the whole of their Shotokan karate study.  It is quite simply an essential book!

The Number One Reason You Should Stick WithYour Karate Training

There are many reasons that people first get started in the martial arts.  Usually the reasons are for self-defense, health and fitness, discipline, confidence, self-control and spiritual growth among others.  Most of us have heard about these benefits of the martial arts, yet despite knowing the potential rewards of karate, it is not always clear why we should stay on the path for the long term.

I would like to let you know what I believe the number one reason is for you to continue with your karate practice.  Before I do that let me give you a very quick rundown of my own personal karate experience.  I have been practicing karate for more than 25 years.  Initially my reason for enrolling in my first karate class was to learn self-defense.  After about 6 or 7 years of training my reason for practicing karate was physical strength and fitness.  Then after about 10 years of training (around the time that I was entering the adult world) I began to appreciate the more philosophical and deeper insights of the martial arts.  Later on in my training during my three years in Japan, karate was about perfecting my technique and improving my overall knowledge, and now as an instructor karate is about giving the gift of what I have learned to others.

As you can see my primary reasons for studying karate have changed with time and with my own personal development as a martial artist.  However if I were to condense all of my knowledge into one key point or reason for training then it would be this:

The number one reason you should stick with your karate training is “Self Discovery”.

Everything that I have learned about punching, kicking and blocking, everything I have learned about kata or kumite, pale in comparison to what I have learned about myself in the past 25 years plus of karate training.  During my training I have experienced the full emotional roller coaster of passed and failed gradings, successful and unsuccessful tournaments, great health and fitness as well as some cuts, bruises, pulled muscles, the odd broken bone and several doses of hurt pride.  I’ve come to realize that just because I know the moves to a kata that I don’t necessarily know the kata.  The movements are just the tip of the iceberg, there is so much more to be discovered beneath the surface.  Just because I can throw out my hand in front of me doesn’t mean I have a good punch and just because I have a black belt around my waist doesn’t make me a better person than anybody else.  Karate constantly teaches me humility and constantly challenges me to be better.  Karate teaches me self discovery.  It helps me to learn about who I am, how I react under pressure and what it is that gets my fire burning.

Over 2000 years ago a Chinese General called Sun Tzu compiled a military strategy that is still read and studied to this day.  His strategy is called The Art of War, and in it he writes:

“So it is said that if you know others and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know others but know yourself, you win one and you lose one; if you do not know others and you do not know yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.”

-          Sun Tzu, The Art of War, Translated by Thomas Cleary, p.82

It would seem that the importance of self discovery is timeless and the martial arts are one such path for discovering your own strengths and weaknesses on your journey to self improvement.