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Welcome to the Skyline
College Shotokan Karate
class.
The following information will give you a brief
introduction to the art of Shotokan Karate and the guidelines for your
participation.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The origin of karate is still very uncertain, but may date
back more than a thousand years. According to one of the most widely accepted
versions, the monk, Dharma (also known as Bodhidharma or Daruma), traveled
over the Himalayas from India
to the Shao Lin monastery in China.
He began to teach the monks physical training methods in order to build
strength and endurance for the sustained meditation and hardships of monastery
life. This physical training was further developed and adapted over the
centuries into a highly effective fighting art, and some 600 years ago was
introduced to the island kingdom of Ryuku, now called Okinawa.
The Chinese methods were gradually blended with the indigenous fighting arts
of the islands. During this period the Ryukus fell under the control of Japan. The
feudal lord of Kagoshima, on the southernmost
tip of Kyushu in Japan,
banned the Okinawans from the use of all weapons. This spurred the
development of secretly practiced "empty-hand" fighting and
self-defense techniques. The martial art that evolved was referred to as te,
meaning "hand," or as kara-te, meaning "Chinese hand."
Gradually, several styles of kara-te were systematized by the Okinawans,
primarily Shorin-ryu (Shorin being the Japanese pronunciation of Shao Lin,
ryu meaning "school" or "style") and Shorei-ryu (also
called Naha-te because it was developed in the Naha region of Okinawa).
Shorei-ryu divided into two styles - Goju-ryu and Uechi-ryu. Shorin-ryu
divided into three styles - Shuri-te, Matsubayashi-ryu and the original.
In 1922, Funakoshi Gichin, an Okinawan master of karate, formally
introduced the art to Japan
at an exhibition of traditional martial arts. His demonstration so impressed
the audience that he eventually remained in Japan to teach for the rest of
his life. In 1936 his students established for him a large training hall in Tokyo known as the
Shotokan. It is from this landmark and this master that the style of Shotokan
Karate evolved. In the course of development, Funakoshi changed the Japanese
characters for kara-te from the original "Chinese hand" to those
which mean "empty hand." Funakoshi also chose the new character for
its meaning in Zen philosophy: "rendering oneself empty." To the
master, karate was a martial art, but it was also a means of building
character. He wrote: "As a mirror's polished surface reflects whatever
stands before it and a quiet valley carries even small sounds, so must the
student of karate render his mind empty of selfishness and wickedness in an
effort to react appropriately toward anything he might encounter. This is the
meaning of kara, or 'empty' of karate."
ABOUT MODERN KARATE
The Japanese differentiate between bu-jutsu (martial
skills) and bu-do (martial way or path). The term do implies a much broader
scope which encompasses mental and spiritual, as well as physical, training.
Shotokan is a style of karate-do. It is much more than a method of street
fighting and goes even beyond a system of self-defense. The following is
extracted from the writing of Nakayama Masatoshi, a student of Master
Funakoshi and author of the Best Karate series:
"If karate is practiced solely as a fighting technique, this is cause
for regret. The fundamental techniques have been developed and perfected
through long years of study and practice, but to make any effective use of
these techniques, the spiritual aspect of this art of self-defense must be
recognized and must play the predominant role.
To be capable of inflicting devastating damage on an opponent with one
blow of the fist or a single kick has indeed been the objective of this
ancient Okinawan martial art. But even the practitioners of old placed
stronger emphasis on the spiritual side of the art than on the techniques.
Training means training of body and spirit, and, above all else, one should
treat his opponent courteously and with the proper etiquette. It is not
enough to fight with all one's power: the real objective in karate-do is to
do so for the sake of justice.
Gichin Funakoshi, the great master of karate-do, pointed out repeatedly
that the first purpose in pursuing this art is the nurturing of a sublime
spirit, a spirit of humility. Simultaneously, power sufficient to destroy a
ferocious wild animal with a single blow should be developed. Becoming a true
follower of karate-do is possible only when one attains perfection in these
two aspects, the one spiritual, the other physical.
Deciding who is the winner and who is the loser is not the ultimate
objective. Karate-do is a martial art for the development of character
through training, so that the karateka can surmount any obstacle, tangible or
intangible."
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PROPER ETIQUETTE
As a student new to the martial arts, you may hear the
word "etiquette" repeatedly. The masters say that the first thing
to be learned as a student of karate-do is etiquette. What exactly is meant
by etiquette? Etiquette means the proper code of behavior for a martial artist.
So - what is proper behavior in a martial artist? The answer is
deceptively simple: Any behavior that is motivated by respect. If you truly
learn this martial art it is inevitable and natural that you will develop
respect for the art. In appreciating the truth and beauty of the art -
automatically you will also develop respect for the teachers who impart their
knowledge to you. Likewise, you will have respect for your classmates who
share your learning experience. And, finally, there will be respect for
yourself, the learner.
The remainder of this paper consists of various guidelines for proper
behavior in class. In reading through and learning them, don't forget that
RESPECT is the rationale for their existence.
BOWING
Bowing is often associated with studying the martial arts.
In the Asian cultures from which karate developed, bowing is a way to greet
others and show respect. To give students practical “cultural experience”
in studying Japanese karate, we will perform the following bows:
·
"Bow in" before practice and
"Bow out" after practice. These bows are done from a kneeling
position. If you must arrive late or leave early, wait to be acknowledged by
the instructor, then bow from the side of the practice area before entering
or leaving.
·
Bows to fellow students before and after
practicing together.
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Bows when formally performing kata.
The kneeling bow is executed by resting the hips
on the heels, knees together, toes pointed to the rear, feet resting on the
upper insteps. Sit upright with palms resting downward at the juncture of
thighs and waist, fingers together, elbows angled back. Begin by leaning
forward at the waist and placing the left palm on the floor one hand’s
distance in front of the left knee. Next place the right hand similarly in
front of the right knee. Open the thumbs and touch tips of thumbs together,
similarly, touch tips of forefingers together to form a triangle. Bend
forward, keeping back straight, until your elbows touch the ground. Eyes
should be open and you should maintain zanshin throughout. Pause and recover
by removing first the right and then the left hands to the starting position,
The standing bow is executed by placing the heels
together, toes pointed outward at 45 degrees. Hands are held at the sides,
palms to upper thighs, fingers together, elbows slightly bent to the rear.
Bend forward from the waist - about 15 - 20 degrees. Don't let you hips stick
out too far in back. Your eyes should be lowered along with the movement of
your head. Even though your eyes are lowered you should maintain zanshin or
awareness of your total surroundings.
TITLES
Instructors are shown respect by addressing them with the
title of "Mr." or "Ms". In many karate schools the head
instructor is often addressed as "Sensei" which means
"teacher" in Japanese.
PREPARING FOR CLASS
Come to class clean and well-groomed. Wash your workout
clothing after every session.
Jewelry, rings, watches and hats should be removed prior to any training.
Fingernails and toenails must be kept trimmed and hair should be kept back.
Shoes and socks must be removed.
Wearing a karate uniform is optional. The Japanese term for the karate uniform
is gi. Men wearing a gi do not usually wear anything underneath the gi top.
Women wearing a gi should wear a plain white T-shirt under the gi top. If you
elect not to wear a gi, you should wear loose fitting workout clothes
(sweats) that allow you to kick and punch without restriction. Because we
practice self-defense techniques, I recommend that you wear long sleeves.
Be on time for class. If you arrive late, stretch out quietly to the side
of the room. When ready, wait to join class until invited by the instructor.
If you must leave class early, please notify the instructor before class
begins.
DURING PRACTICE
Concentrate on your training.
Develop a spirit of family with your fellow students. Every one has
something to teach you. Everything you encounter in the dojo is a lesson for
you to learn and grow from.
Never do anything to obstruct your own or another's learning. There should
be no unnecessary talking or horseplay during practice.
Practice to your full potential. The speed of your progress, the quality
of your techniques and the intensity of your workout are solely dependent
upon the effort you put into your training.
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FORMAL PROCEDURES
Japanese terms it is helpful to know:
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Hajime
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Begin or Start
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Kiai
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Focused Shout or Yell
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Mawate
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Turn Around
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Mokuso
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Close Eyes (Meditation)
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Naore
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Return to Ready Position
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Otate
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Stand Up
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Rei
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Bow
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Seiza
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Kneeling Position
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Yame
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Stop
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Yasume
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Relax
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Yoi
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Ready Position
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Counting in Japanese:
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Ichi
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One
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Ni
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Two
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San
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Three
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Shi
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Four
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Go
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Five
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Roku
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Six
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Shichi
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Seven
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Hachi
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Eight
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Ku
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Nine
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Ju
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Ten
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OPENING CLASS:
Instructor or senior student says: "Line Up."
Entire class lines up standing in a straight line, senior belts to the
right, lower belts to the left in descending order. If students are of equal
rank, the student with the most seniority is to the right. If students are of
equal seniority, the student oldest in age is shown the respect of lining up
to the right. Practice ego-less-ness. If any doubt arises, defer your
position.
Instructor says "Seiza."
Instructor kneels. Entire class kneels, together. Begin by placing the
left knee next to the toes of the right foot. Place the right knee next to
the left knee. Descend gracefully, do not crash down. Sit up straight in
ready position.
Instructor says "Mokuso." ("Meditation")
Begin "zazen" or meditation. With eyes closed or half closed,
focus on the flow of the breath. Do not try to control inhalation or exhalation;
merely watch the breath happen as a detached observer. Calm the mind and
prepare yourself for training. Instructor says, "Mokyuso yame" to
end meditation.
Senior student says: "Sensei ni - Rei!" ("Bow to the teacher")
Instructor and entire class bow to each other. Wait until instructor rises
before rising yourself - you must "sense" this, as you will be
looking down.
Instructor says: "Naore" or "Otate" ("Return to
Ready Position" or "Stand up")
Class waits for instructor to stand before rising. Begin rising by placing
toes of right foot next to left knee and reversing the kneeling sequence.
Return to yoi position. Maintain zanshin throughout this process.
ENDING CLASS:
Everything is the same except instructor says: "End
today's class. Line up!"
There is no meditation (zazen) at the end of class.
PRACTICING BASIC TECHNIQUES:
Students line up as directed by instructor.
Instructor says: "Ready Position (Yoi)."
Students assume ready position.
Instructor announces and may demonstrate technique. Most techniques begin
from a position of left downward block, left front stance. Instructor says:
"Begin (Hajime)."
Students execute left downward block into a left front stance, with kiai.
Instructor counts off techniques in order. At the end of the last
technique, students pause.
Instructor says: "Stop (Yame)".
Students return to ready position (yoi).
COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER:
- "Taking this
class has been very rewarding and I have learned many things. In signing
up for this class I had the idea that I would learn to defend myself.
Being a small person, I knew that I could easily be pushed over and
therefore taken advantage of. I definitely got what I wanted out of the
class, but I've learned so much more than just self-defense. I've
learned confidence, how to use perfectionism in a positive way, balance,
focus and happiness. I very much enjoy the people in the class. It's
sort of like a family to me."
- "Besides
benefiting physically from this class, I also learned a lot from it
mentally. After taking this course I realize that the most important
thing about karate is not always about strength. The most important
thing is the ability to control your strength and use it wisely."
- "I have played
every sport there is to play and have not learned more about myself than
I have in this karate class."
- "In karate class
I have learned to discipline myself. I have been training hard every day
in class. When I walk into the dojo I feel like I am a different person,
only concentrating on practicing as hard as I can."
- "I have enjoyed
the class and the people in it. We have a very good group. It is good to
see improvement in myself and everybody else in the class. I think that
most people come to karate to learn how to kick butt, and then stay
because they get a great deal more out of it than they ever thought they
would."
- "I'm not quite
sure whose idea it was for me to enroll in this Shotokan karate class,
but it was a great idea! I am no longer a spectator of life, but an
active player who has just received my yellow belt!"
- "I learned that
karate is so much more than a self-defense and fighting technique. There
is a much larger picture involved. Karate is a way of thinking, a
philosophy, a form of self-expression. I found a deep respect for the
beauty of kata. I was impressed by the theme of respect that seemed to
encompass the dojo."
- "For the longest
time I wanted to take a karate class, but I hadn't considered the amount
of effort I would have to put forth. After thinking it over for a while,
I decided to stick it out. I know now that I made the right decision.
Had I quit, I would have missed out on a great learning
experience."
- "All I can say is
that karate is one of the best things I have done in my life."
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