Shotokan Karate Soto Uke Outside Block

Soto ude uke, or outside forearm block is one of the basic shotokan karate moves. A difficult move to begin with because it contains both linear and circular arm movements, this karate move should be first practiced in shizentai (natural stance), with feet approximately shoulder width apart and toes facing forward as in the video below
 

Shotokan Karate Exercise Front Kick Belt Training

Mae Geri (front kick)

The karate front kick, or mae geri is the first karate kick that is practiced. One of the common mistakes with front kick (mae geri), is to let the kick travel in an upwards arc. The kick wants to be traveling in a straight line on impact, just like a bullet. The path of front kick is a straight line as can be seen in the video below, where we are using our obi (belt) for a really good kicking exercise, that makes sure the path of the front kick is correct. Try to get the kicking foot to lightly touch the belt as it travels to the target and back. Mae geri is one of the first karate moves taught in karate classes, so if you are trying to learn karate at home, take your time with this karate technique because if you master this and understand the basic kicking principles, the other kicks will come very easily.

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 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.

Learning Karate At Home - Kizami Tsuki or Jab Punch

Kizami zuki or jabbing punch is a a karate technique using the front arm. In karate classes, the karateka practice a few different versions of this move -
1. From zenkutsu dachi (front stance), punch with the front arm, leave the punch out, as you punch, be sure to pull the hikite arm back strongly, with the body finishing in the hanmi or side facing position.
2. From zenkutsu dachi (front stance), punch with the front arm, snap the punch back, making sure you have a strong hikite, which also snaps back strongly to jyu kamae.  
3. From jyu kamae or fighting stance, keep your guard up and punch with the lead arm, similar to a boxers jab, with no hikite.

Karate For Beginners - Learn Karate The Old Way?

Karate teaching currently is made up of kihon (basics), kata (forms) and kumite (sparring) and although the common karate moves were very much the same, the way karate was studied in the early 19th century, bears minor similarity to the karate that is taught these days. They simply practiced kata and kata applications. The karateka on Okinawa would attack with very strong techniques that would test their partner to the limits and test their kata defences.

Saying that, there are karate dojo, that still practice the 'old way', taking karate moves from the kata and putting them into a self defence application, with the karateka attacking and defending, as if their lives depend on the outcome.

Many people struggle when learning a new karate kata, but if it is taken slowly and one technique at a time, it really can be a painless experience. Try not to over analyze early on, get the order of each move in the kata. so at this stage try and understand where each step, jump, spin, angle and karate technique is and in what order.

So first, try and get the pattern of the kata and everything in the right place. By the way, this is where people who do not understand kata, say 'OK, I know that kata, show me another!'

Once you understand the order of the karate techniques within the kata, start putting groups of techniques together. If you have a kick, kick, grab, punch, it is probably a kata sequence. Take these four karate moves and practice them slowly, start trying to get the moves to flow, then start to speed things up, it is at this time you should start to learn the kata applications of each technique.

Every kata has it's own timing and rhythm, so check to make sure you have the combination of karate techniques right.

So now you should have the sequences down and understand the applications of each karate move, so speed up and really go for it!

When putting all the kata sequences together, try and get them to flow, start slowly then gradually speed up, remembering the timing of each sequence.

Make your karate kata strong, but try not to move in a robotic way and on the opposite side of things, try not to make your kata a floppy soft dance! Many karateka fall into one or the other to strong or to weak.

Attitude is everything in the martial arts, be sure to have a strong fighting spirit when practicing your kata.

I feel kata is the number one reason anyone should practice karate, if it isn't, then another martial art should be the order of the day.

Linden has been training and teaching karate for over 30 years and loves to share his knowledge and experiences from the karate dojo. Supplement your karate training with these free online videos, karate lessons for beginners.

Learning Karate The karate Front Kick

Video clip taken from the Karate For Beginners video series. Access some free karate videos today!

Mae geri or front snap kick is one of the first karate moves a new karateka will practice when they first attend a karate class.

Jion Karate Kata

The Jion kata below is the shotokan karate version of the kata. Jion is a very physical kata and is the second longest brown belt kata after Kanku Dai. Although the karate moves are mainly basic, there are some advanced techniques within the kata. If you are learning karate at home, jion is a good training kata.

Shotokan karate kata - Kanku Dai

Shotokan karate kata, Kanku Dai. This kata is an intermediate karate kata in the Shotokan karate system. The kata contains many of the karate moves and combinatiions, that are found in the heian kata series. The original name for Kanku Dai is Kusanku and the name derives from a Chinese martial artist, who taught the karate kata to the Oknawan karateka. Free Karate For Beginners Videos.

Karate For Beginners - Soto Ude Uke or Outside Forearm Block

Soto Ude Uke, outside forearm block .

One of the first basic karate moves practiced in karate classes.

http://karateclassesonline.com has a series of free karate tutorials, covering the basic karate moves of the shotokan karate system. Learn karate at home with these videos, but they should be used in conjunction with dojo practice. Download this free kihon kata PDF
http://www.scribd.com/doc/25253662/Sh...

Basic Karate Strikes on the Focus Pads

Really basic karate moves, without the snap back on many of them. Striking pads, bags and shields is an important part of karate practice.