Masatoshi Nakayama (April 13, 1913 – April 15, 1987) was an internationally-renowned Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He helped establish the Japan Karate Association (JKA) in 1949, and wrote many textbooks on karate, which served to popularize his martial art. For almost 40 years, until his death in 1987, Nakayama worked to spread Shotokan... more »
The Rōhai kata are a family of kata practiced in some styles of karate. The name translates approximately to “vision of a Crane” or “vision of a heron”. The kata originated from the Tomari-te school of Okinawan martial arts. It was called Matsumora Rōhai, after Kosaku Matsumora, who was presumably its inventor. Ankō Itosu... more »
The Rōhai kata are a family of kata practiced in some styles of karate. The name translates approximately to “vision of a Crane” or “vision of a heron”. The kata originated from the Tomari-te school of Okinawan martial arts. It was called Matsumora Rōhai, after Kosaku Matsumora, who was presumably its inventor. Ankō Itosu... more »
Nijushiho, was apparently created by Anikichi Aragaki, and is a very popular kata. The kata name is translated to mean ‘twenty four steps’, and the simplicity and ambiguity of the name has been a topic of much debate. Kata such as Sochin have a translation that perfectly highlights the attitude and feeling of the... more »
Nijushiho, was apparently created by Anikichi Aragaki, and is a very popular kata. The kata name is translated to mean ‘twenty four steps’, and the simplicity and ambiguity of the name has been a topic of much debate. Kata such as Sochin have a translation that perfectly highlights the attitude and feeling of the... more »
Shotokan is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi (1868–1957) and his son Gigo (Yoshitaka) Funakoshi (1906–1945). Gichin was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing karate through a series of public demonstrations, and by promoting the development of university karate clubs. Shotokan is one of the... more »
Shuto uke (knife hand block) is a Karate block where you use the “knife hand” (edge of the hand near the pinky). This includes using both hands in a shuto block known as morote shuto uke. These blocks can be done from the outside (soto) or inside (uchi) relative to the attacker’s... more »
Sōchin (Japanese: “Tranquil Force”) is a kata practiced in several styles of karate. It may have derived from Dragon style, and was taught in the Naha-te school in Okinawa by Seishō Aragaki. It was then passed down to Shitō-ryū. Later, a variation of it was introduced into Shotokan by Gichin Funakoshi’s son, Yoshitaka. The... more »
Sōchin (Japanese: “Tranquil Force”) is a kata practiced in several styles of karate. It may have derived from Dragon style, and was taught in the Naha-te school in Okinawa by Seishō Aragaki. It was then passed down to Shitō-ryū. Later, a variation of it was introduced into Shotokan by Gichin Funakoshi’s son, Yoshitaka. The... more »
Tekki Nidan, literally “horse riding level two”, is the second of a series of three Tekki kata practiced in many styles of karate. The other two kata in the series are tekki Shodan and Tekki Sandan. The series of Tekki kata were derived from the older, original Nifanchin kata. Nifanchin was brought to Okinawa via... more »
Tekki nidan, literally “horse riding level two”, is the second of a series of three Tekki kata practiced in many styles of karate. The other two kata in the series are tekki Shodan and Tekki Sandan. The series of Tekki kata were derived from the older, original Nifanchin kata. Nifanchin was brought to Okinawa via Fuzhou, China, at some point in the... more »
Tekki Sandan, the most advanced in the Tekki Series, is the most complex and difficult to master. However, once the fundamental elements have been perfected in the previous kata such as maintaining correct posture, and the development of a strong and rooted dachi, attention can be paid to the complicated hand and arm movements.... more »
Tekki Sandan, the most advanced in the Tekki Series, is the most complex and difficult to master. However, once the fundamental elements have been perfected in the previous kata such as maintaining correct posture, and the development of a strong and rooted dachi, attention can be paid to the complicated hand and arm movements. This is in... more »
Tekki Shodan, originally a Shuri-te kata, places much emphasis on deep rooting. To maintain a strong kiba-dachi, with accurate posture and to avoid bobbing up-and-down requires much lower body strength, and this kata, as with all of the Tekki Kata are renown for their effective development of the ‘Hara’ (Located three fingertips below the... more »
Tekki shodan, originally a Shuri-te kata, places much emphasis on deep rooting. To maintain a strong kiba-dachi, with accurate posture and to avoid bobbing up-and-down requires much lower body strength, and this kata, as with all of the Tekki Kata are renown for their effective development of the ‘Hara’ (Located three fingertips below the... more »
Tekki sono ichi is Kyokushinkai Karate Kata. It is known also as Naihanchi. This kata is a very old Okinawian kata with unknown origin. It is generally classified as belonging to the Tomari-te traditions. The name Tekki translates to “iron horse” but the meaning of the name Naihanchi is “internal divided conflict”. It was... more »
Tekki sono ni is Kyokushinkai Karate Kata. It is known also as Naihanchi. This kata is a very old Okinawian kata with unknown origin. It is generally classified as belonging to the Tomari-te traditions. The name Tekki translates to “iron horse” but the meaning of the name Naihanchi is “internal divided conflict”. It was... more »