9781422286678

WINNING WAYS

SERIES CONSULTANT: Adam James 10th Level Instructor FOUNDER : Rainbow Warrior Martial Arts DIRECTOR: Natl. College of Exercise Professionals

Karate

Mastering the Martial Arts Series

Judo: Winning Ways Jujutsu: Winning Ways Karate: Winning Ways Kickboxing: Winning Ways Kung Fu: Winning Ways Martial Arts for Athletic Conditioning: Winning Ways

Martial Arts for Children: Winning Ways Martial Arts for Women: Winning Ways Ninjutsu: Winning Ways Taekwondo: Winning Ways

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Karate

NATHAN JOHNSON

Series Consultant Adam James 10th Level Instructor Founder: Rainbow Warrior Martial Arts Director: Natl. College of Exercise Professionals

MASON CREST www.masoncrest.com

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Mason Crest Publishers Inc. 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, PA 19008 www.masoncrest.com Copyright © 2015 Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval sys- tem, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file at the Library of Congress and with the publisher

Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-3235-4 Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4222-3238-5 E-Book ISBN: 978-1-4222-8667-8 First Edition: September 2005

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Produced in association with Shoreline Publishing Group LLC Printed and bound in the United States.

IMPORTANT NOTICE The techniques and information described in this publication are for use in dire circumstances only where the safety of the individual is at risk. Accordingly, the publisher copyright owner cannot accept any responsibility for any prosecution or proceedings brought or instituted against any person or body as a result of the use or misuse of the techniques and information within.

Picture Credits: Dreamstimes.com: Demonike 25; Artofphoto 58; Eagleflying: 74 Paul Clifton: 12, 15, 17, 37, 47, 48, 63, 79, 82, 85. Nathan Johnson: 8, 18, 32, 35, 43, 45, 46, 50, 51, 60, 65, 66, 73, 77, 87 Sporting Pictures: 6 Stace Sanchez/Kickpics: 48 Front Cover: Stace Sanchez/Kickpics

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Contents

Introduction

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What Is Karate?

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There Is No First Attack in Karate

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Karate Kicking Techniques

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Karate Joint-Locking Techniques

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Sports and Modern Karate

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Glossary

90

Clothing and Equipment

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Further Reading

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Useful Web Sites/About the Author

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Index

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Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text, while building vocabulary skills.

Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives.

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When delivering a blow in karate, the maximum effect of the blow can be reached if the whole of your being is put into the blow. In karate, this is achieved by the use of a “spirit-shout,” or kia.

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Introduction T he journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and the journey of a martial artist begins with a single thought— the decision to learn and train. The Martial Arts involve mental and emotional development, not just physical training, and therefore you can start your journey by reading and studying books. At the very beginning, you must decide which Martial Art is right for you, and reading these books will give you a full perspective and open this world up to you. If you are already a martial artist, books can elevate your training to new levels by revealing techniques and aspects of history and pioneers that you might not have known about. The Mastering the Martial Arts series will provide you with insights into the world of the most well-known martial arts along with several unique training categories. It will introduce you to the key pioneers of the martial arts and the leaders of the next generation. Martial Arts have been around for thousands of years in all of the cultures of the world. However, until recently, the techniques, philosophies, and training methods were considered valuable secretes and seldom revealed. With the globalization of the world, we now openly share the information and we are achieving new levels of knowledge and wisdom. I highly recommend these books to begin your journey or to discover new aspects of your own training.

Be well. Adam James

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WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

bunkai The practical application of karate karate-ka A person who practices karate kata choreographed sequence of martial arts movements rei A curtsy or bow sensei Father or teacher tameshiwara Test, or breaking techniques

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What is Karate?

Karate is the Japanese word for a martial art that uses blocking, punch- ing, striking, kicking, seizing, grappling, and throwing techniques. Karate is written using two Japanese characters: “kara,” which means empty, and “te,” which means hand or hands. Karate, therefore, is “the art of empty hands,” or the art of fighting without weapons. There are two basic approaches to karate. The first is traditional karate, which is studied as a martial art. The second is sport, or competitive, karate. Many karate associations practice and teach both types of approaches. There are many reasons why karate-ka (people who practice karate) choose to do so. Some are interested in learning self-defense, while others practice it as a sport. There are also many people who do it just for fun. A stimulating and absorbing martial art, karate can be practiced in a group, with a friend, or even alone. Karate is suitable for all ages and levels of fitness, and training can be customized to suit all individuals, including people with disabilities. Most karate schools have The ultimate goal in karate is to defeat the enemy without fighting. But if it becomes necessary to fight, a good defense is essential. The woman in this photograph demonstrates a classic blocking technique.

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K A R A T E

a progressive curriculum, starting with the most basic techniques and working up to those that require considerable skill. Practicing karate increases confidence, im- proves posture, and cultivates power, grace, and skill. Karate also fosters patience, tolerance, and understanding. In fact, the virtues developed through proper karate training often outweigh its combative value; after all, the one thing a well-trained karate-ka wants to avoid is a fight. In this sense, karate really is not about fighting—it is actually about not fighting! This illustration depicts the Japanese characters (kanji) for “empty hands,” meaning karate.

BREAKING TECHNIQUES Karate was first introduced to the West in the 1960s (Western karate teachers were still learning the art in the 1950s) and was seen as some- thing new and exotic. Often, the highlight of a karate demonstration was the showing of the “breaking techniques,” called tameshiwara . Some schools still teach these techniques today, where they are part of the grad- ing requirement for a black belt. However, most modern karate schools no longer practice breaking techniques because they can lead to injury. Originally devised in ancient times as both a test of strength and a means of demonstration, there are, of course, natural limits to what a human can smash or break with bare hands. The typical materials chosen to be broken are softwood squares measuring 12 x 12 in (30 x 30 cm) and

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W H A T I S K A R A T E ?

0.5 in (1.25 cm) thick, and small terra-cotta roof tiles. The wood is broken across the grain. Provided it is held securely and hit reasonably hard, several pieces can easily be broken at once. The requirements for smashing an impressive stack of roofing tiles are patience, the knowledge of how to stack them with proper gaps in between, and the confidence to strike them cleanly. In fact, even people with little or no karate training could break these materials using karate techniques if they were shown how to do so. Wood and tiles are not the only materials used in breaking demonstrations; the types of materials used are limited only by the imaginations of those concerned. Some karate demonstrators have broken stones, chopped the tops off standing beer bottles (not recommended), and dramatically smashed huge blocks of ice. There are even contests in which people compete to see who can break the most items in a given time. As exciting as it may sound, the ability to break an object using karate techniques contributes nothing to being able to hit a moving target, a much more useful benefit of karate. For the purposes of this book, it is suggested that you do not attempt these techniques, as the only thing you may end up breaking is your arm, hand, or fist. A BIT OF HISTORY Most martial arts trace their history to Daruma, a fifth-century BC Buddhist monk, who espoused a series of exercise to strengthen body and mind. Different styles of exercise were developed, and karate itself appears to have originated in China. Self-defense methods were popular there, particularly during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Gradually, the

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Karate has deep spiritual roots that can be traced back to ancient temples—like the one shown here—places where people still go to train themselves rigorously in martial arts.

techniques developed by the Chinese masters—and mistresses, too— spread throughout Asia, eventually finding a home on the Ryukyu Island of Okinawa, one of a small chain of islands roughly midway between China and Japan. By the mid-17th century, a small and elite group of karate-ka secretly molded the Chinese techniques into several versions of their own, which they referred to only as “te,” meaning “hand.” The three leading schools of the day were located in three major Okinawan cities: Shuri, Naha, and Tomari. Each school had its own distinctive characteristics, which were recorded in choreographed sequences of martial arts movements known as “ kata . ” The original meaning of kara-te on Okinawa was

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W H A T I S K A R A T E ?

China Hand. When modified later to Japanese Kanji characters, it came to mean “empty hand.” In 1917, and again in 1922, a group of prominent Okinawan karate masters toured the Japanese mainland to promote karate. Karate quickly became popular, eventually spreading to the U.S., Europe, Australia, and then to most parts of the world. Today, karate is a household word.

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K A R A T E

KARATE STYLES There are many different styles, or schools, of karate worldwide, making for a rich tapestry of associations with differing aims, objectives, protocols, and training methods. There are, however, certain core values that most karate teachers and practitioners hold dear. Perhaps one of the most important is that karate should be an art of defense, not offense. This means that karate should not be used to indiscriminately attack others; rather, it should be used for self-improvement and self-defense—and even then only under extreme provocation. The following are 10 of the most popular and well-known karate styles, practiced throughout the world. SHOTOKAN Founders: students of Master Funakoshi (Shoto was Master Funakoshi’s pen name). Description: an eclectic and comprehensive karate style that tends to set the norms and standards that many other styles follow. GOJU KAI Founder: Master Gogen Yamaguchi (1909–1989). A student of Chojun Miyagi. Master Yamaguchi was also known as “The Cat” and was a famous karate figure. The Emperor of Japan decorated him for his services to karate. Description: goju kai is a Japanese version of Okinawan goju-ryu.

GOIU-RYU Founder: Master Chojun Miyagi.

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