Sport Karate Tricks

540 Kick Tutorial


Butterfly Kick Tutorial


Batido / L Kick Tutorial


HOW TO SWIPE w/ Scotty Nguyen


Steve Terada and Kim Do (This one’s for fun)

Mawashi Geri

Mawashi geri From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mawashi-geri (回し蹴り) means "round kick", although it is also sometimes referred to as a roundhouse kick. It is a kick used in Japanese martial arts.

Technique
Mawashi-geri may be executed from a variety of stances, and there are several methods of proper execution. The portion of its execution that is always consistent is that the kick is executed inward and at an angle that is anywhere from parallel to the floor to 45 degrees upward. In general, it is a lateral kick that strikes with the foot. Ideally, the foot that is on the ground during the kick points directly away from the opponent, but 90 to 45 degrees away from the opponent may also be acceptable.

Variations
If mawashi-geri is being thrown with the lead leg, the lead leg comes straight up from the ground, moving into a position with the knee bent back and pointing at the desired target area on the opponent. Without stopping, the upper leg rotates inward to whatever angle the kick will be thrown at, and finally, the lower leg flicks out to strike the opponent, and then immediately back in.
If the kick is being thrown from the rear leg, another option is available. The rear leg lifts with the knee bent and pointing to the side, and the entire body rotates as the knee swings around to the front (picture swinging one's leg over to mount a bicycle). The rotation of the body and lateral movement of the leg add to the momentum of the lower leg, which moves in and out the same as above.
The final possible variation is in the foot, itself. One may either strike with the instep of the foot (with the ankle and toes extended), or with the ball of the foot (ankle and toes bent back). Alternately, one could forgo the use of the foot entirely, and strike with the shin instead (for example, at extremely close range).

Targets
Common targets for this kick include the head (especially in competition), as well as the knees and floating ribs. Kyokushinkai karate practitioners commonly use low mawashigeri attacks to strike the thigh of opponents whereas this move is less common in other styles.
There are many versions of roundhouse kick.
Martial arts have many different methods of delivering a roundhouse kick. The original method involved bringing up the knee, and then swiftly turning the hip over and snapping the leg outwards from the knee to deliver a strike with the ball of the foot.
As the years have gone by, some martial arts schools also practice kicking roundhouse kick with the shin, which has always been the preferred method of Muay Thai.
Another popular point of contact is with the instep, which, for safety reasons, is usually practiced when sparring in the martial arts school.
There are now more and more martial artists practicing the 'cutting roundhouse kick', this is where the practitioner will lift their attacking leg higher than the intended target, they will then execute the kick in a downward cutting movement. A very effective attack against the thigh.
A popular way of using mawashi geri in the Goju Ryu style of karate involves aiming a snapped round house to the opponent's groin.

Tanaka Masahiko - Mawashi-Geri

Shiko Dachi 四股立ち(Horse Stance) and Zenkutsu Dachi 前屈立ち(Front Stance)

Horse Stance
Shiko-dachi (四股立, square stance, often called horse stance) Feet are wide and weight is central and low. The knees and buttocks should be of equal level. The back should be straight and the knees should be directly over the feet. The toes face out at about 45 degrees.

Front Stance From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Front stance, sometimes also called forward leaning stance or forward stance, is a basic stance used in Japanese and Korean martial arts. Although the specifics of the stance vary by style, overall it is visually similar to a lunge, with the forward leg bent at the knee, and the rear leg straight, while the hips and shoulders remain squarely facing forward. The purpose of the stance is to teach musculo-skeletal alignment that adds as much mass of the earth to a strike as possible. The stance allows a great deal of power generation forward, but very little in any other direction.

In Japanese martial arts, the front stance (前屈立ち ,zenkutsu-dachi?) is primarily practiced in karate and its variants. Some variations included the version practiced by Shotokan, where students generally place their feet much wider, while Isshin-ryū students place their feet shoulder width, but with much shallower length. Other variations are also practiced.

Here is a cool article that I found about Kata training.

Tips for learning a kata

A kata is an integral part of learning any martial art - check out these tips to help you master these forms quicker and easier!
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You're hot, sweaty and tired from trying over and over again to perfect this particular kata. You know all the moves but it's just not coming together for you. But what can you do? Read on for a few tips to help you bring it all together for a perfect performance!

First, let's go back to the basics. A kata is a pattern of specific defensive and attack positions usually found in martial arts, such as judo and karate. Performed either solo or in pairs, it is used to help the artist perfect his/her form and to demonstrate their knowledge of the art. A kata can be done using swords, staffs or nothing at all and is an integral part of learning any martial art. But they're not easy – an average kata can be anywhere from twenty to seventy moves long, each one flowing into the other and depicting a specific attack or counterattack vital to the technique being studied.

Katas are also used to grade students, with black belts sometimes having to perform every single kata ever learned to illustrate their mastery before being promoted. A single misplaced foot or a loss of balance can make the difference between a good kata and a great kata!

But the kata isn't only to help you perfect the physical motions. It also encourages the artist to look inside beyond the simple moves into an almost meditative state. Indeed, many martial artists perform katas not to improve themselves so much physically as to increase their inner awareness of their own person and how to improve their skill with a purity of mind and body.

With this in mind, let's go back to helping you learn your kata. First, don't look at the entire kata as a huge sandwich you need to eat all in a single bite. Break it down into individual movements. After all, a kata is nothing more than connecting all of these forms into a single group.

Look at each movement and the reason behind it. Is it a defensive reaction? A form of attack? How does it flow into the next one or the one before it? When you see the overall ebb and flow of a kata it's easier to remember the movements as you would a popular dance step or top song lyrics.

Group them into smaller sections of three to five movements and practice them over and over in these sets. Memorizing fifty moves may seem impossible, but doing three or four moves at a time will be much easier. Then mentally when you complete one set you can begin the next three or four after it. Start at the beginning and make sure that first group is as perfect as you can make it before moving on to the next group and the next. You'd be surprised at how much you can remember when you're taking bite-sized portions instead of trying to jam the entire sandwich into your mouth!

Perform in front of a mirror to help you see possible flaws in your movement if no one is available to help you. Check the angles of your feet, arms and back to make sure that you're in the right position to move to the next form. If it feels wrong, it probably is – remember that these katas have been around for decades and have been performed by millions of artists, so if your foot is twisting unnaturally from one side to the other it's likely that you're the one at fault, not the kata. Even the smallest adjustment can make a world of difference and allow a more even flow from section to section.

Maintain a calm, rhythmic breathing at all times. Huffing and puffing won't get you through the forms any faster, and will only hinder you in the long run. Take your time, perfect each movement and take a deep breath when needed. You don't get points for racing through a kata, even if you've seen it done faster. Remember that those black belts dancing their way around the floor with swords or a staff in hand once were just where you are – learning the basics and going at a slow pace to perfect their form and movement. Speed may be flashy, but in the long run you will be judged on how accurately you follow the kata, not how quickly you twirl the swords or how loud your yell is.

Learning a kata can be a rewarding experience, allowing you to grow both mentally and physically. The next time you find yourself faced with a difficult kata take some of these tips and see if they can help you master these moves easier and assist you in moving to the next level in your chosen art!

Written by Sheryl Nantus

http://www.essortment.com/lifestyle/tipslearningka_spxm.htm

Sebastian Coquin Traditional Form at Quebec Open 2009 Kata Unsu

Gyaku-zuki (逆突き), Reverse Punch

Yori ashi gyaku zuki by Kagawa sensei


Reverse Punch Drill by Hakim Walker


Warren Levi Karate - Reverse Punch Drill

Another Awesome Traditional Kata

Jacob Ellis - 2007 Pan Am Grands Traditional Forms

Tong-Il Moo Do Form Competition Participants from NGIS Boy

Do these kata look familiar?

Wow! Watch this kid's stances and his energy level is awesome

Ryan Wells - traditional form

Kiai (気合)

Kiai (気合) (pronounced key-eye) is a Japanese term used in martial arts. There are numerous examples of the battle cry in other cultures: kiai is perhaps primarily a development of this. In the representation of Asian martial arts in cinema and in animated cartoons, Kiai are often written as Hi-yah!, Aiyah!, or Hyah!. In the board game Go the term describes fighting spirit - see go terms for this use.

Use in martial arts
In martial arts, the term commonly refers to a short yell before or during a strike or technique. Korean martial arts may call this sound a Yatz or Kihap (기합). In bujutsu (Japanese arts of war), it is usually linked to an inner gathering of energy released in a single explosive focus of will. Students of martial arts such as aikido, karate, kendo, taekwondo or judo (or related arts such as taiko drumming) use kiai when executing a technique. It also refers to the shout that accompanies some techniques when performing kata. Kiaijutsu is the Japanese art of using kiai when performing martial arts.

The proper use of kiaijutsu involves concentrating on the use of one's ki more than it does shouting. A sound is just an audible indication of good kiai (aligned body structure, focused intent, and good breathing). Kiai can be a silent;[1] coordination of breath with activity. A relaxed and powerful exhalation can add power to movement. This may be more accurately referred to as kokyu power. Kokyu and kiai are sometimes used interchangeably. The term kokyu, most often translated as breath power in English, is essentially the same as Chinese nei jin. It is the ability to coordinate breathing with the execution of a jin movement which is important.

The noise from a kiai is said to arise from the hara or dantien: it involves the abdominal muscles and diaphragm and should not be sounded merely from the throat.[2]

As well as the above, the kiai can be used to:

prime oneself for combat, by "amping up."
protect the upper body from a strike by providing an escape route for exhaled air.
protect the lower body by rapidly contracting the transverse abdominals and other core muscles, shielding the internal organs.
provide solid abdominal support for striking techniques.
startle and demoralize actual or potential adversaries -- especially at close quarters, or if previously unobserved.

Etymology
Kiai appears to be a compound of ki (気) meaning mind, breath or spirit and ai(合, 合い), a stem of the verb awasu (合わす), "to unite"; therefore literally "concentrated or united spirit". However, Frederick John Lovret notes, "One should note that ai, the conjunctive stem of the verb au, does not mean "to join" in this case: when used in the second position of a compound word, ai becomes an emphatic marker. Kiai, therefore, should be translated as "spirit!", not "spirit-joined".[3].


Kiai and aiki

A classical aikido throw being practiced. Tori maintains balance and structure to throw uke, while uke safely takes a forward roll (mae ukemi).The two terms Kiai and aiki use the same kanji (transposed) and can be thought of as the inner and the outer aspect of the same principle.[4] Some martial arts schools use the term interchangeably. Otherwise Kiai relates to the manifestation, emission or projection of ones own energy (internal strength), while Aiki relates to the coordination of one's energy with the energy of an external source. Thus kiai is the expression or projection of our own, internal energy while aiki is coordination with an attacker's energy.

This usage of kiai as internal strength, or using one's ki[5] is often found in aiki arts such as aikijujutsu and aikido.[6] In some schools such as the Ki Society, 'keeping one point' (awareness or centredness in the dantian) is described as kiai.[7]


This girl has awesome spirit

Sensei Craig performing Jion

This was many years ago.

Point Sparring Drills and Techniques

PointFighter.com-Blitzing Drills-Alex Reyes


Sparring Drills at NKS


Step-in Backfist Drill by Ross Levine


Superman Blitz Drill by Mike Simmons


How To Sport Karate -- "Cross Step, Turn and Blitz"

Bo Basics and Tricks

Rock Solid Bo Techniques - Level 1: Bo Basics Clip


Martial Art Bo Staff Techniques : Figure Eight Bo Staff Techniques


Lauren Kearney - Double Double Bo - Weapon


Intense Bo Training with Jennifer Espina


Extreme Bo Tricking with Nate Andrade

Young Black Belt

Thought this was a really cool video of a young child doing a version of Pinan Godan.

Anyone know this person?

Karate Kata

Karate Kata:
Kata (型 or 形) (literally: "form") is a Japanese word describing detailed patterns of movements practiced either solo or in pairs. Karate Kata are executed as a specified series of approximately 4 to 40 moves, with stepping and turning, while attempting to maintain perfect form. The practitioner is counseled to visualize the enemy attacks and their responses. Karateka "read" a kata in order to explain the imagined events. There are perhaps 100 kata across the various forms of karate, each with many minor variations.

Teaching Kata:
Traditionally, kata are taught in stages. Previously learned kata are repeated to show better technique or power as a student acquires knowledge and experience. It is common for students testing to repeat every kata they have learned but at an improved level of quality. The student will perform one new kata and one or two previous ones, to demonstrate how much they have progressed.
The various styles of karate study different kata, or variations of a common core. Some kata may therefore be known by two names, one in Japanese, the other in Okinawan/Chinese. This is because Master Funakoshi renamed many kata to help Karate spread throughout Japan.

The Ten Points of Kata:
All Karateka should study the Ten Points of the Kata and consider these when practicing each Kata

YOI NO KISIN: The spirit of getting ready. Be prepared for your opponent in the Kata.

INYO: The active and the passive. Consider both the offensive and the defensive aspects of the Kata.

CHIKARA NO KYOJAKU: Use of strength. Balance your power in relation to the movements in the Kata.

WAZA NO KANKYU: Speed of movement. The speed of each movement in the Kata.

TAI NO SHINSHUKU: Expansion and contraction. The form of the body in the Kata.

KOKYU: Breathing. Understand breath and posture control in relation to the movements in the Kata.

TYAKUGAN: Targeting. Know the purpose of each movement in the Kata.

KIAI: Shouting. Demonstrate good martial spirit in the Kata.

KEITAI NO HOJI: Positioning. Movement and stance in the Kata.

ZANSHIN: Alertness. Retaining your guard (alertness) for the whole of the Kata, and beyond.

Bunkai:
Bunkai (分解), literally meaning "analysis" or "disassembly", is a term used in Japanese martial arts referring to the application of fighting techniques extracted from the moves of a "form" (kata).
Bunkai is usually performed with a partner or a group of partners which execute predefined attacks, and the student performing the kata responds with defenses, counterattacks, or other actions, based on a part of the kata. This allows the student in the middle to understand what the movements in kata are meant to accomplish. It may also illustrate how to improve technique by adjusting distances, time moves properly, and adapt a technique depending on the size of an opponent. Some kata have another layer of application that is taught using an Oyo Bunkai. Different practitioners will learn or discover alternative applications, but the bunkai, like the kata, varies based on the style and the teacher.
A single kata may be broken into anywhere from a few to a few dozen applications, and the same sequence of kata moves may sometimes be interpreted in different ways resulting in several bunkai. Some martial arts require students to perform bunkai for promotion.
Bunkai can be obvious or elusive depending on the technique in question, the moves preceding and following it, and the individual practitioner. There are usually many stages of depth of comprehension of bunkai only reached through the passage of time. The terms toridai and himitsu are used to refer to techniques not readily seen to the casual observer and hidden techniques within kata. For example, in Gōjū-ryū karate, two-man kata training is used to reinforce bunkai and correct technique. If techniques in the kata are not performed correctly they will not be effective in two man training.

Traditional Kata

Watch These awesome Traditional Kata



Watch the third kid in the last video

Karate Sweep and Oi Zuki

Here is a great video about leg sweeps in karate.

Here is a kid using Oi Zuki in a Tournament.

Ocean State Grand Nationals 2009

Some videos of Ocean State Grand Nationals 2009

Bunkai for Tournaments

I was thinking about adding something like this to the 2009 Elm City Karate Challenge.

Shudokan Karate 修道館

Shudokan (修道館), literally the hall for the study of the [karate] way, is a school of karate developed by Kanken Toyama (1888 – 1966). Feature characteristics of Shudokan karate include large circular motions with an emphasis on covering and its own unique kata.

Toyama's karate training began at the age of nine in 1897 with Itarashiki, although he studied with Yasutsune Itosu for 18 years, until the latter's death in 1915. In 1907 Toyama was appointed shihandai (assistant master) to Itosu at the Okinawa Teacher's College, and he and Gichin Funakoshi, who later developed Shotokan karate, were the only two students to be granted the title of shihanshi (protégé). Even today, many do not know that Kanken Toyama out ranked Gichin Funakoshi with the rank of "Assistant Master" or "shihandai".

In 1924 Toyama moved his family to Taiwan where he taught in an elementary school and studied Chinese Ch'uan Fa, which included Taku, Makaitan, Rutaobai, and Ubo. In early 1930 he returned to Japan and on March 20, 1930, he opened his first dojo in Tokyo. He named his dojo Shu Do Kan meaning the hall for the study of the karate way. Toyama taught what he had learnt from Itosu and the Ch'uan Fa and did not claim to have originated a new style of karate.

In 1946, Toyama founded the All Japan Karate-Do Federation (AJKF) with the intention of unifying the various forms of karate of Japan and Okinawa under one governing organization.
As Toyama did not view the Shu Do Kan as a distinct style of karate, but merely a place for training, he did not appoint a successor. Thus, the organization he founded fragmented after his death in 1966, although his student Toshi Hanaue maintained the original Shu Do Kan. A few other schools based on Toyama's teachings still exist such as Doshinkan. Today, a minimal overseeing of the Toyama lineage Karate is done by Kanken Toyama's son, Ha Toyama.

Shudokan karate today is essentially a compound system, including Kobudo (i.e. ancient art, referring to the specialized weapons practice of traditional Okinawan karate) and Shorin-Ryu (also known as Shurite or Itosu-ha). Many other principles from other styles have found their way into Shudokan as it was Toyama's wish that Shudokan not stagnate, that it should grow in efficiency and flourish.

Shudokan teaches a series of unique kata that represent light, quick motions and a variety of power sources. These kata are secret to shudokan practitioners and are not taught to outsiders. One must obtain the rank of Sankyu (brown-belt, three belts away black-belt) in most schools before they are permitted to learn these kata.