Thursday 29 March 2012

Karate Dôjô Freiburg: in den nächsten zwei Wochen (02-15.04.2012) findet kein Training wegen Osterferien statt!

Karate Dôjô Freiburg: In den nächsten zwei Wochen (02-15.04.2012) findet kein Training wegen Osterferien statt.

Ab Montag, dem 16.04.2012, geht Training wieder.

Karate Dôjô Freiburg: during next two weeks (02-15.04.2012) there is no training because of the Easter holidays.

From Monday, 16.04.2012, Training starts again.

Karate Dôjô Freiburg: в течение следующих двух недель (02-15.04.2012) тренировок не будет. Пасхальные каникулы, школьный зал закрыт.

С понедельника, 16.04.2012, тренировки продолжаются по обычному расписанию.

Friday 23 March 2012

Some notes on Ten no kata

Tora Jo dôjô: Supplementary materials for kata training - дополнительные материалы для тренировки по ката: Ten no kata

Please remember: none of videos and books can replace a practice in dôjô!

As Ten no kata can be found in few books only, I provide the list of techniques according to Gichin Funakoshi "Karate-Dô Nyûmon. The Master Introductory Text". As I have already mentioned in Tora Jo dôjô: Supplementary materials for kata training - дополнительные материалы для тренировки по ката: Ten no kata, the photos of the original Japanese edition (1943) were replaced by the other ones in the English edition (1988). The photos in the English edition show Shôtôkai way of performing techniques, not Shôtôkan of Funakoshi Gichin!!!

Ten no kata consists of two parts: Ten no kata omote (omote - front) and Ten no kata ura (ura - back). Ten no kata omote consists of 10 movements and is performed without partner. Ten no kata ura consists of 6 movements and is performed with partner.

  Ten no kata omote:

1. shizentai; step forward migi fudô dachi chûdan oi zuki, return to shizentai, step forward hidari fudô dachi chûdan oi zuki, return to shizentai.

2. shizentai; step forward migi fudô dachi jôdan oi zuki, return to shizentai, step forward hidari fudô dachi jôdan oi zuki, return to shizentai.

3. shizentai; step forward hidari fudô dachi chûdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai, step forward migi fudô dachi chûdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai.

4. shizentai; step forward hidari fudô dachi jôdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai, step forward migi fudô dachi jôdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai.

5. shizentai; step back hidari fudô dachi gedan barai kara chûdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai, step back migi fudô dachi gedan barai kara chûdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai.

6. yôi; step back hidari fudô dachi chûdan uchi uke kara chûdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai, step back migi fudô dachi chûdan uchi uke kara chûdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai.

7. shizentai; step back migi kôkutsu dachi chûdan shutô uke kara fudô dachi chûdan nukite, return to shizentai, step back hidari kôkutsu dachi chûdan shutô uke kara fudô dachi chûdan nukite, return to shizentai.

8. shizentai; step back migi kôkutsu dachi jôdan shutô barai kara fudô dachi jôdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai, step back hidari kôkutsu dachi jôdan shutô barai kara fudô dachi jôdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai.

9. shizentai; step back hidari fudô dachi age uke kara chûdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai, step back migi fudô dachi age uke kara chûdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai.

10. shizentai; step back hidari fudô dachi jôdan uchikomi (jôdan soto uke) kara chûdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai, step back migi fudô dachi jôdan uchikomi (jôdan soto uke) kara chûdan gyaku zuki, return to shizentai.

  Ten no kata ura:

1. shizentai, step forward hidari zenkutsu dachi gedan barai - shizentai; gedan oi zuki - step back hidari fudô dachi (ai gamae) gedan barai kara chûdan gyaku zuki; step back shizentai - step forward shizentai; step forward migi zenkutsu dachi gedan barai - shizentai; gedan oi zuki - step back migi fudô dachi (ai gamae) gedan barai kara chûdan gyaku zuki; step back shizentai - step forward shizentai.

2. shizentai, step forward hidari zenkutsu dachi gedan barai - shizentai; chûdan oi zuki - step back hidari fudô dachi (ai gamae) chûdan uchi uke kara chûdan gyaku zuki; step back shizentai - step forward shizentai, step forward migi zenkutsu dachi gedan barai - shizentai; chûdan oi zuki - step back migi fudô dachi (ai gamae) chûdan uchi uke kara chûdan gyaku zuki; step back shizentai - step forward shizentai.

3. shizentai, step forward hidari zenkutsu dachi gedan barai - shizentai; chûdan oi zuki - step back migi kôkutsu dachi (ai gamae) chûdan shutô uke kara fudô dachi chûdan nukite; step back shizentai - step forward shizentai, step forward migi zenkutsu dachi gedan barai - shizentai; chûdan oi zuki - step back hidari kôkutsu dachi (ai gamae) chûdan shutô uke kara fudô dachi chûdan nukite; step back shizentai - step forward shizentai.

4. shizentai, step forward hidari zenkutsu dachi gedan barai - shizentai; jôdan oi zuki - step back migi kôkutsu dachi (ai gamae) jôdan shutô barai kara fudô dachi jôdan gyaku zuki; step back shizentai - step forward shizentai, step forward migi zenkutsu dachi gedan barai - shizentai; jôdan oi zuki - step back hidari kôkutsu dachi (ai gamae) jôdan shutô barai kara fudô dachi jôdan gyaku zuki; step back shizentai - step forward shizentai.

5. shizentai, step forward hidari zenkutsu dachi gedan barai - shizentai; jôdan oi zuki - step back hidari fudô dachi (ai gamae) age uke kara chûdan gyaku zuki; step back shizentai - step forward shizentai, step forward migi zenkutsu dachi gedan barai - shizentai; jôdan oi zuki - step back migi fudô dachi (ai gamae) age uke kara chûdan gyaku zuki; step back shizentai - step forward shizentai.

6. shizentai, step forward hidari zenkutsu dachi gedan barai - shizentai; jôdan oi zuki - step back hidari kôkutsu dachi (ai gamae) jôdan uchikomi (jôdan soto uke) kara chûdan gyaku zuki; step back shizentai - step forward shizentai, step forward migi zenkutsu dachi gedan barai - shizentai; jôdan oi zuki - step back migi kôkutsu dachi (ai gamae) jôdan uchikomi (jôdan soto uke) kara chûdan gyaku zuki; step back shizentai - step forward shizentai.

IMPORTANT!!! Please don't forget that opposite to, for example, zenkutsu dachi, migi kôkutsu dachi denotes a stance, where left leg is forward leg and right leg is back leg. Hidari kôkutsu dachi - right leg is forward leg and left leg is back leg. For reference see, for example, "Karate-Dô Kata" volumes 1 and 2 published by Japan Karate Association, Nakayama Masatoshi "Best Karate" series.

Wednesday 21 March 2012

Supplementary materials for kata training - дополнительные материалы для тренировки по ката: Ten no kata

Please remember: none of videos and books can replace a practice in dôjô!

Ten no kata (天の形) - "Kata of Heaven" ("Небесная форма").

Ten no kata was most probably created by Funakoshi Yoshitaka. Possibly Funakoshi Gichin and some other karateka (??? Egami Shigeru, Hironishi Genshin, Kugimiya Y. (I am still trying to find the first name!) ???) have worked on this form. Ten no kata was created in the late 1930s and definitely before 1941, as in 1941 the foldout "Dai Nihon Karate Do Ten no Kata" ("Great Japan Karate Do, Ten no Kata") was published as a supplement to that year's edition "Karate-Dô Kyohan" by Funakoshi Gichin.

Ten no kata was one kata from the series of these three kata: Ten no kata ("Kata of Heaven"), Chi no kata ("Kata of Earth") and Jin no kata ("Kata of Man"). Unfortunately, last two ones are most probably lost and can't be restored.

Ten no kata consists of two parts: Ten no kata omote (omote - front) and Ten no kata ura (ura - back). Ten no kata omote consists of 10 movements and is performed without partner. Ten no kata ura consists of 6 movements and is performed with partner.

  Books:

  "Dai Nihon Karate Do Ten no Kata" ("Great Japan Karate Do, Ten no Kata") reprint by Yoju Shorin Co. The cover can be seen, for example, here.
  Gichin Funakoshi "Karate-Dô Nyûmon. The Master Introductory Text". IMPORTANT!!! The photos of the original Japanese edition (1943) were replaced by the other ones in the English edition (1988). The photos in the English edition show Shôtôkai way of performing techniques, not Shôtôkan of Funakoshi Gichin!!!

  Magazines:

  Slater Williams "Ten no kata" in Shotokan Karate Magazine Issue 88 July 2006

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Kata Training am Freitag - Kata training on Friday - Тренировка по ката в пятницу: 23.03.2012, 20 Uhr, Karate Dôjô Freiburg (Merianschule‏)

Thema des Kata Training am Freitag, 23.03.2012, um 20 Uhr (Merianschule): Ten no kata. Osu!

Topic of Kata training on Friday, 23.03.2012, at 20:00 (Merianschule): Ten no kata. Osu!

Тема тренировки по ката в пятницу, 23.03.2012, в 20:00 (Merianschule): Ten no kata. Осу!

Supplementary materials will be provided soon.

Monday 12 March 2012

Kata Training am Freitag - Kata training on Friday - Тренировка по ката в пятницу: 16.03.2012, 20 Uhr, Karate Dôjô Freiburg (Merianschule‏)

Thema des Kata Training am Freitag, 16.03.2012, um 20 Uhr (Merianschule): Taikyoku kata (Taikyoku Shodan - Taikyoku Rokudan). Osu!

Topic of Kata training on Friday, 16.03.2012, at 20:00 (Merianschule): Taikyoku kata (Taikyoku Shodan - Taikyoku Rokudan). Osu!

Тема тренировки по ката в пятницу, 16.03.2012, в 20:00 (Merianschule): Taikyoku kata (Taikyoku Shodan - Taikyoku Rokudan). Осу!

Tora Jo dôjô: Supplementary materials for kata training - дополнительные материалы для тренировки по ката: Taikyoku kata

Tuesday 6 March 2012

Supplementary materials for kata training - дополнительные материалы для тренировки по ката: Taikyoku kata

Please remember: none of videos and books can replace a practice in dôjô!

Taikyoku (太極):
  tai (太) - big, great
  kyoku (太極) - 1) end (substantive), pole (substantive); 2) extreme (adjective); 3) "go to the end" (verb), "study thoroughly" (verb), "carry to extremes" (verb).

There exist six Taikyoku katas: Taikyoku Shodan, Taikyoku Nidan, Taikyoku Sandan, Taikyoku Yondan, Taikyoku Godan, Taikyoku Rokudan.

Taikyoku Shodan, Taikyoku Nidan and Taikyoku Sandan were most probably the result of the work of the following karateka: Funakoshi Gichin, Funakoshi Yoshitaka, Egami Shigeru, Hironishi Genshin, Kugimiya Y. (I am still trying to find the first name!). These kata (together with Ten no kata) were created in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

Taikyoku Yondan, Taikyoku Godan and Taikyoku Rokudan were created by the pioneer of European karate Henry Plée. The book by H. D. Plée "Karate: beginner to black belt", published in 1967, is the only book, currently known to me, where these kata are shown. (A note to my students: I got a copy of this book in my library, so ask me if you are interested to read it.)

  Books:

Taikyoku Shodan, Taikyoku Nidan and Taikyoku Sandan are shown in:
  Gichin Funakoshi "Karate-Dô Kyohan. The Master Text", 2nd edition, 1958. (Note: a number of the edition is critical, as the first edition, published in 1935, does not contain Taikyoku kata.)

Besides, Taikyoku Shodan can be found in some other books, for example in:
  Fiore Tartaglia "Shôtôkan-Kata bis zum Schwarzgurt"
  H. D. Plée "Karate: Beginner to Black Belt" (WARNING!!! Taikyoku Nidan in this book is shown with chûdan oi zuki instead of jôdan oi zuki as techniques 2, 4, 10, 12)

Taikyoku Yondan, Taikyoku Godan and Taikyoku Rokudan are found in:
  H. D. Plée "Karate: Beginner to Black Belt" (currently I don't know any other source for these three kata)

  Videos:

Taikyoku Shodan
Taikyoku Nidan
Taikyoku Sandan IMPORTANT!!! For some reason, after gedan barai, the performer is doing chûdan oi zuki instead of jôdan oi zuki!!!

The following three videos show the kata precisely according to the book by Henry Plée:
Taikyoku Yondan
Taikyoku Godan
Taikyoku Rokudan

Friday 2 March 2012

Kata Training am Freitag - Kata training on Friday - Тренировка по ката в пятницу: 09.03.2012, 20 Uhr, Karate Dôjô Freiburg (Merianschule‏)

Thema des Kata Training am Freitag, 09.03.2012, um 20 Uhr (Merianschule): Taikyoku kata (Taikyoku Shodan - Taikyoku Rokudan). Osu!

Topic of Kata training on Friday, 09.03.2012, at 20:00 (Merianschule): Taikyoku kata (Taikyoku Shodan - Taikyoku Rokudan). Osu!

Тема тренировки по ката в пятницу, 09.03.2012, в 20:00 (Merianschule): Taikyoku kata (Taikyoku Shodan - Taikyoku Rokudan). Осу!

Tora Jo dôjô: Supplementary materials for kata training - дополнительные материалы для тренировки по ката: Taikyoku kata