Types of martial arts

 Karate. This covers many styles of self-defense involving kicks, punches, and

open-handed chops. It’s believed that the word “karate” was first used in Okinawa, Japan,
when a martial artist created a form of martial art that had Chinese influences. "Kara”
originally referred to China and “karate” to Chinese hand—but the Japanese translation
of karate is “empty hand.” As with all martial arts, karate has different levels of ranking,
reflecting expertise. In karate (as well as many other martial arts) they’re denoted by belts
in different colors, with the well-known black belt representing the highest level of
expertise.
 Jujitsu. Developed in China and Japan, this martial art is a forerunner of both
aikido and judo. All three martial arts rely on grappling, a technique that involves
fighting in close proximity to your opponent with lots of body contact; it can involve
anything from throws to strangle-type holds to taking your opponent to the ground or
floor and fighting there. Jujitsu uses the attacker’s momentum to do joint locks (in which
you force your opponent’s joint, such as an elbow or knee, beyond its normal range of
motion, resulting in pain or injury) to restrain the opponent. One variant, Brazilian jujitsu,
relies on choking the opponent and continuing the fighting on the ground.
 Aikido. Like jujitsu, this Japanese martial art—meaning “the way for harmony" or
"unification of your spiritual energy" or ki—makes use of the momentum and strength of
the opponent to achieve your objective (sometimes called “nonresistance”). Aikido
doesn’t use kicking and makes less use of hand strikes than jujitsu. Instead, the
practitioner uses a lot of turning motions and pushing movements accompanied by joint
locks.
 Judo. This martial art also originated in Japan. Like jujitsu and aikido, it’s based
largely on grappling, but in this case with an emphasis on throws and pinning the
opponent to the ground.
 Hapkido. This Korean martial art incorporates a variety of weapons, including
belts, ropes, and canes. They’re used in moves including kicks, joint locks, throws, and
hand strikes to the body’s pressure points.
 Kung fu. This Chinese martial art uses numerous fighting styles, some of them
involving acrobatic elements such as flips, jumps, and high kicks. Kung fu can be loosely
divided into two schools: those that focus on arm work, such as rapid, close-range
punching; and those that focus on acrobatics, with kicks and leg work. Some kung fu
forms encourage the practitioner to be aggressively forceful, while others encourage the
yielding model, in which you use the attacker’s force against him or her. Some schools
emphasize a focus on relaxation and visualization techniques.
 Capoeira. This Brazilian martial art was originally developed by Angolan slaves
who disguised their self-defense moves as dance. It’s very acrobatic, with flips, punches,
and kicks. See a video of a capoeira class.
 Krav maga. Developed by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), krav maga (meaning
“battle combat” in Hebrew) focuses on hand-to-hand combat with grappling, wrestling,
and hand strikes. It also teaches the practitioner to use virtually any ordinary object in the
 environment—a tree branch, a garbage can lid—to help fend off an attacker, even one
who is much larger and heavier. Classes are often taught by Israelis who served in the
IDF.
 Tae kwon do. This Korean martial art may be one of the world’s oldest. It
emphasizes kicking in particular, though the practice also incorporates hand strikes, joint
locks, throws, and punches.
 Tai chi. Also known as tai chi chuan, this Chinese martial art involves
choreographed, slow-motion postures. Some forms use a sword or other weapons. It’s
said that tai chi originated when a Chinese monk saw the fluid movements of a crane
fending off a snake and combined the graceful movements with Taoist breathing
techniques. In the West today, tai chi is usually practiced as a form of exercise, rather
than as a martial art.

KARATE
an Asian system of unarmed combat using the hands and feet to deliver and
block blows, widely practiced as a sport. It was formalized in Okinawa in the 17th
century and popularized via Japan after about 1920. Karate is performed barefoot in
loose padded clothing, with a colored belt indicating the level of skill, and involves
mental as well as physical training.

PRINCIPLES

1. Do not forget that karate-do begins and ends with rei.

2. There is no first strike in karate.
3. Karate stands on the side of justice.
4. First know yourself, then others.
5. Mentality over technique.
6. The mind must be set free.
7. Calamity springs from carelessness.
8. Karate goes beyond the dojo.
9. Karate is a lifelong pursuit.
10. Apply the way of karate to all things. Therein lies its beauty.
11. Karate is like boiling water: without heat, it returns to its tepid state.
12. Do not think of winning. Think rather of not losing.
13. Make adjustments according to your opponent.
14. The outcome of a battle depends on how one handles emptiness and fullness
(weakness and strength).
15. Think of the opponent’s hands and feet as swords.
16. When you step beyond your own gate, you face a million enemies.
17. Kamae (ready stance) is for beginners; later one stands in shizentai (natural
stance).
18. Perform kata exactly; actual combat is another matter.
19. Do not forget the employment or withdrawal of power, the extension or
contraction of the body, the swift or leisurely application of technique.
20. Be constantly mindful, diligent, and resourceful in your pursuit of the Way.

Basic Skills and technique

There are seven essential skills that martial arts can teach children to
help them when dealing with difficult issues.

Focus
Many children have issues with keeping focused on the task at hand.
Martial arts will teach children this focus whether it be by using a
breaking board, punching pad, or control of physical movements. This
learned focus goes farther than the karate mat, and can be applied to
other areas such as homework and reading.

Discipline
In order to be successful at karate, a child must learn discipline. The
atmosphere in the dojo is serious and strict. Instructors will not
tolerate fooling around or excessive talking. These disciplinary
actions often carry over into the classroom. This disciplined behavior
often translates into better grades and controlled attitudes.

Memorization
Karate requires the memorization of things such as self defense
moves, techniques, and specific movements. Learning these
memorization skills may also help students during testing at school.

Effort
Karate encourages the student to push themselves farther than they
believe they can go. By encouraging them to continue to improve and
it’s progress in their karate studies, students are guided to the
realization that they can be more than average. Students are
encouraged to give 100% in all that they do to realize their full
potential.

Goals
The goals that are achieved in karate classes are normally
recognized by the issuance of different colored belts for different
 levels of achievement. The lowest ranking belt is white and the
highest is black. These belt colors encourage children to reach for
the next level. Setting these types of goals will also encourage
students to create goals such as graduating school or earning a
degree.

Respect
The basis of relationships and martial arts for children revolves
around basic respect for instructors, teachers, other students, and
themselves. Many instructors use the class time to discuss the
importance of respect and how it affects each person’s life. Teaching
this respect to students will carry over into their daily lives and their
schooling.

Confidence
Karate students gain confidence through the realization that they are
able to handle situations and stay in control. As they become
physically stronger their confidence rises and they become less afraid
of confrontation. This will allow the student to stand up for
themselves against bullies and potential attackers. This instilled
confidence will follow students through their lifetime.

RESPECT
RESPECT:  The first thing you learn in Karate is the "Bow."  In Martial Arts, the bow is a sign of
respect.  Respect means saying "please and thank you," honoring a friend, helping out at home
without your parents asking you to do so, looking your parents and teachers in the eyes, telling
your parents that you love them and following the rules.
Terminologies

 Ankle – Ashi-Kubi
 Attention – Kiotsuke (sounds like Key-oh-zoo-kay)
 Back – Ushiro (sounds like Oo-she-row)
 Basic Techniques – Kihon (sounds like Key-hon)
 Begin/Start – Hajime (sounds like Ha-gee-may)
 Belt – Obi (sounds like Oh-bee)
 Block – Uke (sounds like Oo-kay)
 Body Movement – Tai Sabaki
 Bow – Rei (sounds like Ray)
 Breathing Exercises – Kokyu Ho
 Cat – Neko (i.e. Neko Ashi Dachi = Cat Foot Stance or Cat Stance)
 Elbow – Empi or Enpi (sounds like En-pee or Em-pee)
 Elbow Strike – Empi-Uchi (sounds like Em-pee Oo-chee)
 Focus – Kime
 Foot – Ashi (sounds like Ah-she)
 Form or Pattern – Kata (sounds like Ka-ta)
 Form (Kata) Technique Application – Bunkai (sounds like Boon-kay)
 Front – Mae
 Goodbye – Sayonara (sounds like Sa-yoh-na-rah)
 Hand – Te (sound like Tay)
 Head – Atama (sounds like Ah-ta-ma)
 Heel – Kakato (sounds like Ka-ka-toe)
 I (Me) – Watashi (sounds like Wa-ta-she)
 Kata Starting Point – Embusen or Enbusen
 Kick – Geri or Keri (sounds like Geh-ree or Keh-ree)
 Knee – Hiza (sounds like He-zah)
 Kneel – Seiza
 Kneeling Techniques – Seiza Waza
 Knife Hand – Shuto (sounds like Shoe-toe)
 Left – Hidari (sounds like Hee-da-ree)
 Low (Level) – Gedan (sounds like Geh-dan)
 Mat (Practice/Training Mat) – Tatami (sounds like Ta-ta-me)
 Meditate – Mokuso
 Middle (Level) – Chudan (sounds like Choo-dan)
 One More Time – Mo Ichi Do (sounds like Moe E-chee Doe)
 No – Iie (sounds like E-ay)
 No Mind (State of “No Mind”) – Mushin
 Please – Dozo (sounds like Doe-zoh)
 Practitioner of Karate – Karateka
 Pulling Hand (brining hand back to ready position) – Hikite
 Punch – Tsuki or Zuki (sounds like Zoo-key)

 Push On Through Difficulties – Oss or Osu. Nevertheless, this term used in many
different ways and is often used by non-Japanese Karate students for “Thank you”, “I
understand”, etc. Oss (Osu) is a kind of respectful catch-all phrase.
 Right – Migi (sounds like Mee-gee)
 School (Martial Arts) – Dojo (sounds like Doe-Joe)
 Senior Student – Senpai or Sempai (sounds like Sen-pie)
 Shout or Yell – Kiai (sounds like Key-eye)
 Side – Yoko (sounds like Yoh-koh)
 Snap – Keage
 Sparring – Kumite (sounds like Coo-meh-tay)
 Stance – Dachi (sounds like Dah-chee)
 Stop – Yame (sounds like Yah-may)
 Strike – Uchi (sounds like Oo-chee)
 Sweep – Barai (sounds like Baa-rye)
 Teacher/Instructor – Sensei (sounds like Sen-say)
 Technique – Waza (sounds like Waa-Zaa)
 Thank You (Formal) – Domo Arigato (sounds like Doe-moe Ah-ree-gah-toe)
 Thank You (Informal) – Domo (sounds like Doe-moe)
 Throat – Nodo (sounds like No-doe)
 Throw – Nage
 Thrust – Kekomi
 Turn Around – Mawatte (sounds like Ma-wa-tay)
 Unarmed Combat – Taijutsu
 Uniform – Gi (sounds like Ghee)
 Upper (Level) – Jodan (sounds like Joe-dan)
 Void or State of No Mind – Mushin
 Yes – Hai (sounds like Hi)
 You – Anata (sounds like Ah-na-ta)

50 Japanese Words

Karate Terms & Commands – Japanese to English

 Anata – You
 Anza – Sitting position, cross legged
 Ashi – Foot
 Ashi-Kubi – Ankle
 Atama – Head
 Barai – Sweep
 Bunkai – Kata Technique Application
 Chudan – Middle (Level)
 Dachi – Stance
 Dojo – School (Karate)
 Domo – Thank You (Informal)
 Domo Arigato – Thank You (Formal)
 Dozo – Please
 Embusen or Enbusen – This is the term used to refer to the spot where a kata
begins. In addition, nearly all kata start and end on exactly the same Embusen point.
 Empi or Enpi – Elbow
 Empi-Uchi or Enpi-Uchi – Elbow Strike
 Gedan – Low (Level)
 Geri or Keri – Kick
 Gi – Uniform
 Hai – Yes
 Hajime – Begin/Start
 Harau – Sweeping Techniques
 Hidari – Left
 Hikite – Pulling Hand (bringing hand back to ready position)
 Hiza – Knee
 Iie – No
 Jodan – Upper (Level)
 Kakato – Heel
 Karateka – Practitioner of Karate
 Kata – Form or Pattern
 Keage – Snap
 Kekomi – Thrust
 Keri or Geri – Kick
 Ki – Type of intrinsic energy. Known as Qi or Chi in Chinese martial arts.
 Kiai – Shout
 Kihon – Basic Techniques
 Kime – Focus

 Kiotsuke – Attention
 Kokyu Ho – Breathing exercises
 Kumite – Sparring
 Mae – Front
 Mawatte – Turn Around
 Migi – Right
 Mo Ichi Do – One More Time
 Mokuso – Meditate
 Mushin – Void or State of No Mind
 Nage – Throw
 Neko – Cat (i.e. Neko Ashi Dachi = Cat Foot Stance or Cat Stance)
 Nodo – Throat
 Obi – Belt
 Oss or Osu – Push On Through Difficulties. Nevertheless, this term used in many
different ways and is often used by non-Japanese Karate students for “Thank you”, “I
understand”, etc. Oss (Osu) is a kind of respectful catch-all phrase.
 Rei – Bow
 Sayonara – Goodbye
 Senpai or Sempai – Senior Student
 Sensei – Teacher/Instructor
 Seiza – Kneel
 Seiza Waza – Kneeling Techniques
 Shuto – Knife Hand
 Tatami – Practice/Training Mat
 Te – Hand
 Tsuki or Zuki – Punch
 Uke – Block
 Ushiro – Back
 Watashi – I (Me)
 Waza – Technique
 Yame – Stop
 Yoko – Side
 Zuki or Tsuki – Punch

HEIAN SANDAN
   The shortest kata in the Heian series, Heian Sandan has 20 counts, with almost half of the
movements performed in kiba-dachi (horse stance). Tai sabaki, or "body shifting," is of utmost
importance in H3. The student must learn how to rotate the entire body to gain momentum, as
well as how to slide the feet, yori-ashi. Empi (elbow) techniques are also first learned in this
kata. Timing skills become prominent as H3 is the first kata that contains a slow movement
(#11).

# Technique Translation Stance Target Notes

1 uchi-uke inside block kokutsu-dachi chudan

2 uchi-uke / inside block / heisoku-dachi chudan

gedan-uke down block gedan
3 uchi-uke / inside block / heisoku-dachi chudan
gedan-uke down block gedan
4 uchi-uke inside block kokutsu-dachi chudan

5 uchi-uke / inside block / heisoku-dachi chudan

gedan-uke down block gedan
6 uchi-uke / inside block / heisoku-dachi chudan
gedan-uke down block gedan
7 morote-uke double-hand block kokutsu-dachi chudan

8 shihon-tate-nukite / 4-finger vertical spear- zenkutsu-dachi chudan

osae-uke hand / chudan
pressing block
9 kentsui-uchi-mawashi-uchi inside hammer-fist strike kiba-dachi chudan
(kentsui -yoko-mawashi-uchi) (sideways hammer-fist
strike)
10* oi-zuki lunge punch zenkutsu-dachi chudan
 11 ryoken-ryokoshi-kamae both fists both hips posture heisoku-dachi -- slow speed

12 fumikomi / stomp kick (thrusting step) / kiba-dachi gedan

furi-empi swinging elbow chudan
13 uraken-tate-mawashi-uchi vertical back-fist strike kiba-dachi jodan

14 fumikomi / stomp kick (thrusting step) / kiba-dachi gedan

furi-empi swinging elbow chudan
15 uraken-tate-mawashi-uchi vertical back-fist strike kiba-dachi jodan

16 fumikomi / stomp kick (thrusting step) / kiba-dachi gedan

furi-empi swinging elbow chudan
17 uraken-tate-mawashi-uchi vertical back-fist strike kiba-dachi jodan

18 tsukami-uke (koko-uke) & grasping block (tiger-mouth) zenkutsu-dachi chudan tate-shuto-uke

oi-zuki & lunge punch chudan variation
19 koho-tsukiage / rising punch to rear / kiba-dachi jodan
ushiro-empi-uchi backwards elbow strike chudan
20* koho-tsukiage / rising punch to rear / kiba-dachi jodan yori-ashi
ushiro-empi-uchi backwards elbow strike chudan

Heian Nidan
Heian nidan is a shorin kata containing 26 movements (waza) with 2 kiai points. It is the second
kata you learn when joining Shotokan karate when you are a yellow belt.  In Japanese, heian (平
安) means “peaceful mind” and nidan means “second level“.