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. The rhythm of the kata is dynamic, it is characterized by slow, deliberate movements interspersed... more »
Sokon Matsumura (1809 – 1899) was one of the well-known original karateka of Okinawa. He studied Chuan Fa (Kempo in Japanese) in China as well as other martial arts and brought what he learned back to Okinawa, where he taught a select few students and became a well-known master. He was appointed instructor and... more »
The first sokugi (kicking) kata in the Taikyoku series of Kyokushinkai Karate. On every turn, kansetsu geri is executed, while on the following step or the three steps over the middle, mae keage is executed. In some schools, a kake wake uke is performed between the kansetsu geri and the mae... more »
Sokugi taikyoku sono ni is the second sokugi (kicking) kata in the Taikyoku series of Kyokushinkai Karate. Instead of kansetsu geri being executed on every turn, yoko geri is executed, which is the same technique but going to chudan or jodan instead of gedan. On each step and the three steps over the middle,... more »
Sokugi taikyoku sono san is the third sokugi (kicking) kata in the Taikyoku series of Kyokushinkai Karate. On each turn, a yoko geri is executed. The following steps on the short sides are uchi mawashi geri, while the three kicks executed over the long side are soto mawashi geri. In some schools, an uchi... more »
Soto ude uke (outside forearm block) is a Karate blocking technique. Like age uke, soto ude uke has a prepare, although different in position. This preparation is a vital part of the block, and the more advanced you become the clearer its purpose becomes. Soto ude uke starts outside of the body, travelling inward.... more »
Lyoto Machida landed a spectacular front kick (crane kick) to Randy Couture’s jaw that dislodged a molar and sent Couture into retirement. Just as Anderson Silva did when he knocked out Vitor Belfor with a similar kick, Machida credited Steven Seagal for helping him perfect the technique: “I train this kick a lot. I’ve... more »
Suparinpei is a very long and complex Kata. You can find this form in Shito Ryu and Goju Ryu syllabus. The kanji traditionally used for Suparinpei mean “108 hands”. This kata utilizes many techniques and contains a great number of applications. Suparinpei not only contains many of the techniques from earlier kata but also... more »
Sushiho is a Kyokushinkai Karate Kata (form). It is a greatly modified version of the old Okinawian kata that in Shotokan is known as Gojushiho, and in some other styles as Useishi. The name means “54 steps”, referring to a symbolic number in... more »
Taekwondo is a form of a Korean martial art and a combat sport, Karate is a form of unarmed Japanese martial art developed from fighting methods from the Ryukyu Islands, what is now Okinawa, Japan. Taekwondo uses mainly kicking techniques that are both strong yet graceful. Punching and blocking are taught as well. Kicking... more »
Taido is a Japanese martial art created in 1965 by Seiken Shukumine (1925 – 2001). The word taidō means “way of the body.” Taido has its roots in traditional Okinawan Karate. Feeling that the martial arts, particularly karate, were not adapting to meet the needs of a changing world, Shukumine first developed a style... more »
Taikyoku sono ni is the second kata in the taikyoku series in Kyokushinkai Karate. It is performed the same way as taikyoku sono ichi, except that all punches are jodan instead of chudan. It is in effect identical to the Taikyoku nidan as done in... more »
Taikyoku sono san is the third kata of the Taikyoku series in Kyokushinkai Karate. The blocks when turning to the long side are gedan barai done in Zenkutsu Dachi stance, while the others are chudan uchi uke done in kokutsu dachi stance. The punches are all seiken oi tsuki done in zenkutsu dachi stance.... more »
Tang Soo Do is a Korean martial art. Its roots lie in the ancient Korean art of Soo Bahk Do, which can be traced back many centuries. Tang Soo Do is a style composed from three major areas and styles, which are Soo Bahk Do, Northern China Kung Fu and Southern China Kung Fu.... more »
Shimabuku Tatsuo (1906–1975) was born September 19, 1906 in Chan (Jp. Kyan) village, Okinawa. Shimabuku began training under Shinko Ganeku, his maternal uncle. Ganeku later sent Shimabuku to study karate from Chotoku Kyan. He was around age 23 or 24 at the time (c. 1932). Chotoku Kyan would be his most influential instructor (and... more »