TRAINING
Shotokan Karate is made up of three elements, Kihon, Kata, and Kumite
KIHON (Basics)This is the alphabet of Shotokan Karate and the foundation for good technique. Basics are made up of blocks, strikes, kicks and stances which are used in simple combinations for lower belts and more complex ones for higher belts. Speed, sharpness and strength are tuned in kihon and you will learn to use your whole body to deliver a punch or block an attack.
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KATA (Forms)A kata is a choreographed sequence of movements (or “forms”) that is the equivalent of sentence and paragraph building in Karate. There are 26 different kata in the Shotokan style, the mastery of each marking the movement of the Karate student through belt ranks. Kata are an important part of training and normally practiced at every session.
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KUMITE (Sparring)Kumite refers to all forms of sparring. To continue the analogy, if kihon is the alphabet and kata is the design of sentences and paragraphs, then kumite is the equivalent of improvisation or composition. Beginners will first experience 3-step sparring, while more experienced practitioners will practice Jiyu Ippon Kumite (semi-free) and Jiyu Kumite (free). Through this type of training, the karate-ka learns to read an opponent’s intentions and react quickly while exercising self-control and judgement.
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