Karate For Beginners Shomen and Hanmi

Shomen and hanmi are explained to new karate students, but it sometimes takes a little while to understand. There are different explanations of shomen and hanmi. My karate instructor always referred to hanmi and shomen as, Hanmi = side facing and Shomen = Square facing.

Many shotokan karate dojo place tremendous importance on this area, but karate Sensei differ in the way they teach and practice shomen and hanmi, so please, if you are new to karate classes, ask your dojo sensei for an explanation of shomen and hanmi.

A beginner to shotokan karate will be told that hanmi (side facing), is used for the basic blocks in front stance and shomen (square facing), is used for the two basic punches oi zuki (stepping punch) and gyaku zuki (reverse punch).

Shotokan Stances Kokutsu Dachi

Many shotokan karateka find this karate stance the most difficult. Kokutsu dachi should be roughly two shoulder lengths, front foot facing directly forward and back foot facing 90 degrees to the side. The front leg slightly bent and should not be locked straight. The back leg is bent strongly, but naturally, do not force the knee outwards. 70% of the weight should be on the back leg and 30% on the front and the heels should be in a straight line.

Jyu Ippon Kumite Brown belt sparring Exercise

Jyu ippon kumite is a karate exercise that is practiced at brown belt or 3rd kyu. It involves single karate attacks from an attacker, and a defense and counter from a defender. Jyu ippon kumite is an integral part of shotokan karate and is need at karate exams from brown belt to black belt.

Karate For Beginners Do You Use Punchbag?

Punchbag training is a very important part of my karate, some people prefer makiwara, whick I also like, some people like focus pads and kick sheilds. Whatever your preference, your karate training shoulkd include hitting something! Maybe your karate classes use a lot of striking equipment and maybe they do not, if your karate dojo do, then great, if not, then set yourself up at home and start hitting things! The benefits are incredible, learning karate at home should be a priority, so go get em! :)

Brown Belt Shotokan Karate Kata Jion

Jion is a brown belt shotokan karate kata. Some karate classes have this particular karate kata as one that is needed when attempting shodan (black belt 1st dan). Jion is quite a basic kata, but also has several more advanced combinations. This kata is very strong and linear in style.

Jion (translates as: "Temple" or "Temple of love and goodness")

Karate Moves Gyaku zuki 3 Karate Moves in 1

Gyaku tsuki or reverse punch is one of the basic karate moves, but contained within gyaku tsuki are two other powerful strikes, they are 1. ura tsuki (upper cut) and 2 tate tsuki (vertical punch). if you are practicing gyaku tsuki correctly, these two extra karate techniques will come easily.

Karate for beginners – How to Kill Or How to Live?

The founder of shotokan karate, master Gichin Funakoshi, said, ‘The ultimate aim of the art of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the characters of its participants’.

Other Karate sensei preach Ikken Hissatsu (To kill or finish with one blow), which is correct?
I once witnessed a no rules fight between two karateka (someone who practices karate) and there was a referee. One of the karateka wore his karate suit, the other just shorts and you could tell that the fighter wearing shorts had trained in other disciplines.
The guy in the karate uniform had a look that I can only describe as ‘monk like’, he looked very calm and relaxed. The guy in the shorts looked like a wild animal who had not eaten for a week.
This is what I saw.
At the start of the fight the fighter in the shorts (let us refer to him as ‘shorts’), took up a balanced stance, both hands up and open, chin down.
The fighter in the karate uniform (let us refer to him as ‘karate suit’), put all his weight on his back leg, arms out to the side and half closed his eyes, like he was meditating. I knew what was going to happen, but part of me hoped it would not.
Shorts launched himself at karate suit, who remember, had all his weight on his back leg. I remember karate suit trying to do a pathetic kick off his front leg, shorts hit him so hard and fast, they both hit the deck hard, while they were falling, shorts was still throwing these wild punches, all targeted to karate suits head, once they hit the floor, shorts continued a barrage of wild swinging punches, as each punch connected, shorts eyes opened wider, he could smell blood and he was going in for the kill!
There was blood everywhere and karate suit was asleep, if it was not for the referee, karate suit would probably be dead, because shorts had no intention of stopping.
So the ref stepped in and saved karate suit, shorts was still trying to kill karate suit as the ref pulled him off, shorts then proceeded to run around screaming and punching his fists into the air, he reminded me of one of the zombies out of the movie, ’24 days later’ (of course, modern day zombies are not like they were, they now move with the speed of Usain Bolt!)
Five minutes later shorts was still out of control, eyes wide and rolling, body pumped and breathing heavy. At the same time, our friend had started to come around, he was sitting, but unable to stand.
So which fighter would you rather be?
Neither! I hope you shouted. I would like to think I have the animal instinct of shorts and the ‘monk like’ attitude of karate suit, but someone like the great Randy Couture has taken this to a whole new level, that man is in control!
After all, what is the point of having a Ferrari California, if you cannot keep it on the road?

If you are looking to learn karate online, then supplement your karate training with these free online videos, karate lessons for beginners. http://karateclassesonline.com

Karate For Beginners A Basic Combination Using Empi Uchi or Elbow Strike

The video below is taken from karateClassesOnline karate dojo, check out their Special $1 Trial offer.

At most shotokan karate dojo, these basic elbow strikes are practiced early on in a karateka's training.

Here is a very basic karate kihon four elbow strike combination, starting from Zenkutsu dachi – gedan bari (front stance – downward block), then moving into Kiba dachi (horse riding stance) and back into zenkutsu dachi (front stance).

The elbow strikes are ~
1. Mawashi empi Uchi (round elbow strike)
2. Age empi uchi (upper elbow strike)
3. Yoko empi uchi (side elbow strike)
4. Ushiro empi uchi (back elbow strike)

Beginners Karate Classes Online - A Distance Exercise

Although this is not reall a beginners karate exercise, it is still very basic, so I have included it here.

When someone firsts starts karate for beginners classes, getting the right distance can be a struggle. When looking at how to do karate for beginners, this area needs a lot of effort.

Here's a distancing karate exercise video, with the one person using, kizami zuki (jabbing punch), gyaku zuki (reverse punch) and oi zuki (stepping punch) to attack. The other karateka counters with kizami mawashi geri (front leg round house kick), kizami yoko geri kekomi (front leg side thrust kick) and ushiro geri (back kick).

The Difference Between A Man of Do (The Way) and a Little Man

Many years ago, my sensei told me a story,

A student once asked his sensei, "What is the difference between a man of Do (the way) and a little man?"

The sensei replies, "It is simple. When the little man receives his first dan black belt, he can hardly wait to run home and shout at the top of his voice to tell everyone that he has obtained his first dan. Upon receiving his second dan, he will climb to the rooftops and shout to the people. Upon receiving his third dan black belt, he will jump in his car and parade through town blowing the horn, telling one and all about his third dan".
The sensei continues, "When the man of Do (the way) receives his first dan, he will bow his head in gratitude. Upon receiving his second dan, he will bow his head and his shoulders. Upon receiving his third dan, he will bow at the waist and quietly walk alongside the wall so that people will not see him or notice him".
In this materialistic world, karate-ka who follow the way, are few, but to me, the above story epitomises a good martial artisit. The older I get, the more I realise, character is everything!

Ossu

Linden Huckle

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Seiunchin Karate Kata Video Performed by Michael Stevenson

Seiunchin Karate kata video, performed by Michael Stevenson, who just returned from the Hayashi-Ha all Japan karate championships, where he not only competed, but managed to train with some great karate masters, including Shihan Akio Minakami. Michael and James Towle, made the journey to Japan and had some fantastic karate classes before the karate championships.
The great Soke Teruo Hayashi (1924-2004), was the founder, headmaster and president of "Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu Kai School of Karate-do" and "Japan Kobudo Kenshin-Ryu-Kai", it has its headquarters in Osaka, Japan.

karate Moves Kizami Zuki Partner Exercise

Kizami zuki or jabbing punch, is an extremely important karate move, one which many karate classes neglect. Kizami zuki is the closest weapon to an opponent and the fastest. Karate classes should really focus on this punch. Boxers MUST have a good jab, it really is an important karate technique.

Karate For Beginners Front Leg Roundhouse Kick

A karate training exercise for kizami mawashi geri or front leg round house kick, covering close, medium and long range. This karate exercise can be practiced with a partner, by yourself or on a punchbag. When practicing karate for beginners, kicking with the front leg builds a strong supporting leg, which is very important, in all kicks. For some free karate moves on video visit karate classes online

Karate Kumite With Masters Keinosuke Enoeda and Hirokazu Kanazawa

A rare chance to see karate masters, Keinosuke Enoeda and Hirokazu Kanazawa in action, amazing skill from these karate legends. These two people have played an extremely strong part in the development of shotokan karate. Both these masters have skills unique to them, but no one can deny their martial arts prowess!