Sanchin was brought back from China by Kanryo Higaonna, and means “three battles”, the three generally accepted as being the body, mind and spirit. The physical principles that provide the strength of Sanchin are: 1) centering of the body’s energy; 2) lowering the body’s center of gravity; 3) controlled breathing into the abdomen, which... more »
Sanseru (36 hands) is unique as Miyagi Sensei studied this Kata under a direct student of RuRuKo during his studies in Fuzhou, China beginning in 1916. Sanseru, from its numerical designation, would seem to have its roots in Buddhism. This is not to infer that there is a religious connection or implication with this... more »
Seienchin kata is a traditional Japanese/Okinawan style kata. The name Seienchin is generally defined as either “the calm before the storm” or the “storm within the calm.” Seienchin was one of the many kata handed down by Kanryo Higaonna, a famous Okinawan karate master. It is a very old kata and its roots may... more »
Originally a Chinese kata. It was brought to Okinawa and karate by Kanryo Higaonna. In other karate styles, this kata is sometimes called Seipaite, or eighteen hands. The number 18 is derived from the Buddhist concept of 6 x 3, where six represents color, voice, taste, smell, touch and justice and three represents good, bad... more »
In about 1935 Konishi Sensei, Ueshiba Sensei (the founder of Aikido), Mabuni Sensei, and Ohtsuka Sensei were training together almost daily. At this time, the Japanese government was largely controlled by top officers of the Imperial Army. Konishi Sensei was asked by the commanding general of the Japanese Army to develop women’s self-defence techniques.... more »
Seisan is a Shito Ryu advanced kata. In Shotokan it is called Hangetsu. Seisan literally means ’13’, however some people refer to the kata as ’13 Hands’, ’13 Fists’, ’13 Techniques’, ’13 Steps’ or even ’13 killing positions’. However, all these names are made up and have no historical basis. Seisan is thought to be... more »
Seiyunchin (control/suppress and pull) is a Goju Ryu Kata (form). The name Seiyunchin implies the use of techniques to off balance, throw and grapple. It is this understanding that imparts the original intentions of the Kata of Naha-te before the sport alignment of modern Karate. Seiyunchin contains close-quartered striking, sweeps, take-downs and throws. Though... more »
The reference to “18” in naming this Kata has a couple of interpretations. Like Sanseru kata, there is suggested a connection to Buddhist philosophy. Another insinuates “18 guards for the King”. The most apparent and most meaningful in the naming of Sepai is again from the martial arts development and the use of attacking... more »
Kenji Tokitsu was born on 1 August 1947 in Yamaguchi, Japan. A practitioner of Shotokan karate since youth, in 1983 Tokitsu started his own school, the Shaolin-mon (“door to Shaolin”, compare the Mumonkan) school in Paris, where he had taught Shotokan karate since 1973. The Shaolin-mon teachings were a hybrid of Tokitsu’s dissatisfaction with... more »
This Kata was originally made by Sensei Anko Itosu and initiated to Sensei Kenwa Mabuni. The origin of the name Kokosun came from a name of military officer of China, Kusanku, who introduced the... more »
Shinshinkan karate is a Shorin-ryu karate Traditional Martial Arts Style. The video shows some effective Jujutsu techniques for street fighting and self... more »
Shito Ryu Karate-do is probably the most popular form in West Japan. It was founded by Kenwa Mabuni who studied under Yasutsune Itosu. Mabuni also later studied under Kanryo Higashionna and later named his style of karate the Shito style, taking the first characters of each of his teacher’s names. ‘Shi’ is the one... more »
Shotokai is the organisation formed originally in 1930 by Gichin Funakoshi to teach and spread the art of karate. The organization still exists and promotes a style of karate that adheres to Funakoshi’s teachings, in particular the notion that competition is contrary to the essence of karate. Nowadays, the name also designates a formal... 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 »