Nelson's Shotokan Karate Page

Purpose

This page is mostly for me to keep track of what I need to practice each night as part of my exercise program. The workout includes basic movements and positions, as well as the kata (forms) and kumite (sparring, both as offense and as defense). I also practice the Japanese language words for the positions and kata, as well as the numbers.

Conventions

Since the default browser character set does not include letters with macrons (straight lines - like long vowels in English), I have used the circumflex in this document instead.

Pronounciation

Vowels are a as in father, i as in feet, o as in fort, u as in mood, and e as in met. Short (without a macron) vowels are pronounced in a relatively short, clipped manner. Long vowels have the same sound and emphasis, but about twice the duration. Long vowels are â, ô, and û. Long e is spelled ei, and long i is spelled ii. "ei" may be pronounced either as a long (duration) e or as a sequence of short e and i. Vowel combinations are ai as in eye, au as in cow, oi as in boy, and ui as in wet. The u in the syllable su is pronounced faintly or not at all, e.g., sukoshi is pronounced s'koshi. "ch" is pronounced as in chair, and "g" as in get. "ts" is a consenant that always starts a new syllable, and is pronounced as in footsore. "n" is either a syllable-beginning consenant, or nasalized as a separate syllable, e.g., nan has both types of "n", and is pronounced as two syllables. Syllables all have the same strength - there is no emphasis on any.

Counting in Japanese

0 = zero	1 = ichi	2 = ni	3 = san	4 = yon
5 = go	6 = roku	7 = nana	8 = hachi	9 = kyû
10 = jû	11 = jû ichi	12 = jû ni	13 = jû san	(etc)
20 = ni jû	21 = ni jû ichi	22 = ni jû ni	23 = ni jû san	(etc)
(etc)	100 = hyaku

Other words of interest

dojo	training hall
gi	karate suit or uniform
kata	"form" - sequence of movements
kiai	sound given to direct power at execution of movement
kihon	basic technique, movement, or form
kumite	sparring
makiwara	striking board
naore	"ready" position following a kata
sensei	teacher
Shoto	Master Funakoshi's nickname
Shotokan	Master Funakoshi's house or training hall
yame	"ready" position following a kata
yoi	"ready" position preceding a kata

Reference books

Karate-dô Kyôhan: The Master Text	Gichin Funakoshi
Karate-dô Nyûmon: The Master Introductory Text	Gichin Funakoshi
Karate-dô My Way of Life	Gichin Funakoshi
Shotokan Karate - 10th kyu to 6th kyu	Keinosuke Enoeda
Shotokan Karate - 5th kyu to Black Belt	Keinosuke Enoeda
Best Karate V1 - Comprehensive	Masatoshi Nakayama
Best Karate V2 - Fundamentals	Masatoshi Nakayama
Best Karate V3 - Kumite 1	Masatoshi Nakayama
Best Karate V4 - Kumite 2	Masatoshi Nakayama
Best Karate V5 - Heian, Tekki	Masatoshi Nakayama

Movements and stances (for my level)

Stances	Fudô dachi	immovable stance
	Gyaku hanmi	reverse half-front facing position
	Kiba dachi	straddle stance
	Ko kutsu dachi	back stance
	Zen kutsu dachi	front stance
Kicks	Mae geri	front kick (Maekeage or Maekekomi)
	Mae keage	front snap kick
	Yoko geri	side kick (Yokokeage or Yokokekomi)
	Yoko keage	side snap kick
	Yoko kekomi	side thrust kick
Punches	Gyaku zuki	reverse punch
	Jun zuki	stepping punch
	Oi zuki	lunge punch
	Soku men zuki	middle level punch
Strikes	Ken tsui uchi	hammer fist strike
	Nukite	spear hand strike
	Ura ken uchi (sideways)	back fist strike
	Ura ken uchi (upward)	back fist strike
	Empi	elbow strike
Blocks	Age uki	rising block
	Gedan barai	downward block
	Hai wan uke	double hand block
	Moro te uke	augmented forearm block
	Naga shi uke	sweeping block
	Osae uke	downward pressing block
	Shutô uke	knife hand block
	Soto uke	outside block
	Uchi uke	inside block
Sparring	Jiyu ippon	Semi-free 1-step sparring
	Jiyu kumite	Free sparring
	Kihon ippon	Basic 1-step sparring
	Sambon kumite	3-step sparring

Kyu levels according to Master Enoeda

Level	Belt	Kata	Kumite	Kihon
10th kyu	White	(beginner)
9 th kyu	Orange	Taikyoku shodan	Sambon kumite	Zenkutsudachi Junzuki Gyakuzuki Gedanbarai Ageuki Sotouke Uchiuke Maekeage
8 th kyu	Red	Heian shodan	Sambon kumite	Kokutsudachi Kibadachi Shutôuke Yokokeage Yokokekomi Kentsuiuchi
7 th kyu	Yellow	Heian nidan	Sambon kumite	Fudôdachi Gyakuhanmi Urakenuchi(upward) Urakenuchi(sideways) Nukite Sokumenzuki Haiwanuke Nagashiuke Osaeuke Moroteuke
6 th kyu	Green	Heian sandan	Kihon ippon	Empi
5 th kyu	Purple	Heian yondan	Kihon ippon	(future)
4 th kyu	Purple	Heian godan	Kihon ippon	(future)
3 rd kyu	Brown	Tekki shodan	Kihon ippon	(future)
2 nd kyu	Brown	Bassai dai	Jiyu ippon	(future)
1 st kyu	Brown	Bassai dai	Jiyu ippon	(future)
1 st Dan	Black	Bassai dai	Jiyu kumite	(future)

My progress:

Each kata (current and all previous) is performed ten times each night. Each kumite is performed four times each night. Each kihon is performed across the floor and back each night. Also, the Japanese names for each are practiced each night.

1 April 1997 Learned the first half of Taikyoku Shodan kata for 9th kyu.
1 May 1997 Learned the second half of Taikyoku Shodan kata for 9th kyu. Learned all 9th kyu kihon, and to count 0-99.
1 June 1997 Learned Sambon kumite. Kata practice includes normal, fast, very slow, and mirror image.
1 July 1997 Learned Kokutsudachi and Shutôuke for 8th kyu.
20 July 1997 Learned Kibadachi and Yokokeage for 8th kyu.
22 July 1997 Learned the rest of the kihon for 8th kyu, and Heian Shodan kata.
1 August 1997 Learned Fudôdachi for 7th kyu.
28 August 1997 Learned Nukite and Urakenuchi for 7th kyu.
28 August 1997 Learned Haiwanuke, Sokumenzuki, and Nagashiuke (and 1/4 kata) for 7th kyu.
7 September 1997 Learned Osaeuke and the first half of the Heian Nidan kata for 7th kyu.
11 September 1997 Learned Gyahuhanmi and Moroteuke and the complete Heian Nidan kata for 7th kyu.
15 January 1998 Learned Empi and 1/4 kata Heian Sandan for 6th kyu.