Beginners - Useful Information

How to tie a Karate Belt

Dojo Terminology
 

Dojo  -   School or place where you learn
Chudan  -  Middle body
Doomo Arigatoo (Gozaimasu)  -  Thank You (very much)
Gedan  -  Lower body
Gi -  Training uniform
Hai -   Yes
Hajime -  Begin
Jodan -  Upper body
Kata  -  Patterns
Kihon  -  Moving basics
Kumite  -  Sparring
Mawatte  - Turn
Mokuso  -  (Breathing) Meditation
Mokuso yame  -  Stop meditating
Onegashimasu  -  Please (teach me)
Otagai ni rei   -  Bow to each other by bowing forward
Rei  -  Bow
Seiza  -  Kneeling posture
Senpai  -  Senior Student
Sensei  -  Teacher or instructor
Sensei ni rei   - The entire class bows to the teacher
Shomen ni rei   -  Bow as a sign of respect and thanks to the founders and the ancestors
Tsuki  -  punch; uke punches nag
Uchi  -  strike; uke strikes nage
Yame  -  Stop
Yoi  -  Ready

Ukemi - breakfalls and rolls

Counting  iN  Japanese

one  -  ichi
two  -  ni
three  -  san
four  -  shi; or yon
five  -  go
six  -  roku
seven  -  shichi; or nana
eight -  hachi
nine -  kyu or ku
ten -  ju

 Basic Stances

Musubi Dachi - Formal Stance - Heels together feet splayed out 45 degrees

Kiba Dachi - Basic training stance - feet should width apart parallel to each other

Shiko Dachi - Horse Riding Stance - feet wide apart, toes out45 degrees, knees bent

Sanchin Dachi - Hour Glass Stance

Zenkutsu Dachi - Lunging Stance

Han Zenkutsu Dachi - Half Lunging Stance

Neko Ashi Dachi - Cat Stance

Fudo Dachi - Defensive Back Stance or Rooted Stance

Heisoku Dachi - Beginning stance - Nifunchi kata

Kosa Dachi - Cross Over Stance -  Nifunchi kata

Basic Blocks

Jodan Uke - Upper Block

Chudan Soto Uke - Middle Outside Block

Chudan Uchi Uke - Middle Inside Block

Mae Gedan Barai (Uke) - Front lower block

Kake Uke - Hooking Wrist Block

Mawashi Uke - Round House Block with Palm Heel Strike

Basic Blocks

Grading recognition

We grade our students based on their competency to perform skills and demonstrate their knowledge in accordance with our syllabus. Each karate school has its own coloured belt system to recognise advancement, but most adhere to the broader karate ranking system which was introduced by the founder of judo, Kano Jigoro to judo in 1883. Kano adopted the ranking system which is believed to have been invented by Honinbo Dosaku a professional go (board game) player in the Edo period.

• 10th kyu = White Belt

• 9th kyu = Blue Belt

• 8th kyu = Blue Belt with a green stripe on each side

• 7th kyu = Blue Belt with two green stripes on each side

• 6th kyu = Green Belt

• 5th kyu = Green Belt with one brown strip on each side

• 4th kyu = Green Belt with two brown stripes on each side

• 3rd kyu = Brown Belt

• 2nd kyu = Brown Belt with one black strip on each side

• 1st kyu = Brown Belt with two black stripes on each side

• Shodan Ho = Black Belt with a white stripe on each side

• Shodan = Black Belt with one Gold Stripe on one side

• Ni Dan = Black Belt with two Gold Stripes on one side

• San Dan = Black Belt with three Gold Stripes on one side