The founder, Masayoshi Kori Hisataka,
Kensei 10th dan, systematically organized Shorinjiryu Kenkokan
Karatedofs practice to include certain key aspects, primarily
Kihon-waza, Kata, Kumite, Bunkai-kumite, and Buki-ho.
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Warming up exercises
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Similar to any other strenuous physical
activity or sport, Karate practitioners need to warm-up
and cool-down before and after practice. |
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Practice starts from gKihon-wazah (basic techniques),
including basic punching, kicking, and striking techniques,
standing forms such as cat stance (neko ashi dachi),
front stance (zen kutsu dachi), Back stance (kokutsu
dachi) etc. |
¡Form
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Following practice of the basic techniques, students
proceed to practice the special karate forms called gKatah.
Like shadowboxing, Kata are practiced by oneself without
a partner.Kata involve punching, kicking, striking, and
using other techniques (including blocking, evading and
grappling) against imagined opponents.Kata are the cultural
inheritance of karatedo, developed by our predecessors
as a means of practicing the complete curriculum of Karate
techniques which they developed through actual combat.Kata
enabled these people to structure their own battlefield
techniques into forms which could be practiced as well
as taught to pupils secretly since ancient times. |
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Combat drills
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The
next critical element of Karate practice is gKumiteh.Kumite,
separated into pre-arranged combat drills involving more
than one person (gYakusoku randori kumiteh) and free
sparring (gJiyu kumiteh), allows participants to practice
actual attacks and counterattacks with one or more partners,
enabling them to study the "suitable distance" (gMaaih)
and "timing" required for Karatedo, as well
as "the law of offense and defense". |
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In practicing Jiyu kumite, Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karatedo
dojos use gSuper Safeh protective equipment (head and
body protectors) to enable participants to execute techniques
with full power while maintaining safety.Since a purpose
of Karate training is to build health and vitality even
into old age, it is important to train safely and with
minimal risk of injury.Therefore, all people, young and
old of both sexes, can safely train Shorinjiryu Kenkokan
Karatedo and master useful techniques with proper distance
and power because of the use of gSuper Safeh equipment. |
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Pre-arrange combat drills
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In Yakusoku randori kumite, a concept originally
developed by Kaiso Hisataka, attacks and counterattacks
are defined beforehand, and the participants work together
to continuously perfect their techniques.This training
system, unique to Shorinjiryu Kenkokan karatedo, allows
two, three or more persons to work together at the
same time and develop their techniques in safety. |
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¡ Application of Kata
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Another important element of Shorinjiryu Kenkokan
Karatedo is gbunkai-kumiteh.Bunkai-kumite deconstructs
and explains each movement of classic Kata by organizing
them into sequences of techniques (resembling Yakusoku
randori kumite) to be practiced with opponents. The
practice of Bunkai-kumite is very important to grasp
the real techniques of the Kata, which are themselves
the galphabeth making up the language of Karatedo. |
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Weapons
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There is a metaphor that the fist and
foot of Karatedo should be sharp and keen like weapons
that will gcut anything they touch". To truly
master the principles of offense and defense, studying
only the structure of punching, kicking and striking
is not enough.To really understand the original meaning
of Karatedo, it is essential to also practice gBuki-hoh
(the way of weapons). Senior students (Yudansha) of
Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karatedo must practice Buki-ho
such as Bo-jitsu (the art of the staff) to understand
long distance fighting and Ken-jitsu (the art of the
sword) to understand middle distance fighting. And
also Sai-jitsu (the art of short trident) to understand
short distance fighting. |
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The original purpose of true Okinawan Karatedo
was to protect the lives of oneself and onefs family.For
this reason, Shorinjuryu Kenkokan Karatedo includes
a study of how to fight against Katana (sword) using
only onefs bare hands and feet, as well as with a
Bo (staff) or Sai (short trident).To learn Buki-ho
is one of the most important basics of true Karatedo. |
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