See also Japanese.

This is a very old section of my site and I am gradually folding it into other sections such as Blows.

Line Up Procedure

Every school has a different line up procedure at the start and end of classes. Here is what we did.

  1. The instructor comes to front and center, and kneels. Senior student announces "Line up!" at instructor's signal. Stand shoulder to shoulder. Heels together, toes apart. Back straight. Fingers together, hands hang straight down the sides. Line up with those in uniform towards the front entrance, then by rank, then by height. If the line does not fill up the length of the room, then center the line.
  2. Lead student announces "Seiza!" (say-zah). Everyone kneels. Keep the back straight and keep balance. The left knee goes down first then the right. Do not touch the floor with your hands. If you cannot or will not kneel or bow, then stand behind the line.
  3. Lead student announces "Mokuso!" (muck-soo). Close your eyes and breath deeply.
  4. After ten seconds or five breaths, the lead student announces "Mokuso yame!" (muck-soo yah-may). Open your eyes.
  5. If this is the starting line up skip this step. Everyone will immediately repeat the next several statements made by the lead student. "Dojo kun!" (doe-joe koon), i.e. the practitioners oath. "Seek perfection of character!", "Be faithful!", "Endeavor to excel!", "Respect others!", and "Refrain from violent behavior!"
  6. The lead student announces "Shomen ni rei!" (show-men nee [pause] ray). Everyone bows to the front. Bow by placing your hands on the floor, lowering your head approximately 45 degrees, pausing for a brief moment, and returning to seiza.
  7. The instructor turns around. The lead student announces "Sensei ni rei!" (sen-say nee [pause] ray). Everyone bows.
  8. The instructor bows and stands up. Once the instructor leaves or gives a signal to stand up, the lead student will then bow and stand up. Stand up by raisng the right knee while switching the left foot to the ball of the foot, and then straightening up, all without touching the floor. Once the lead student has started to bow, each student in turn will bow and stand up, in a very quick domino fashion.
  9. The lead student will step forward, face the other students, and make any announcements. Once this is done the lead student and students will bow to each other and fall out of line.

Counting

ichi
(itch) one.
ni
(nee) two.
san
(sahn) three.
shi
(shee) four.
go
(go) five.
rokku
(rookuh) six
shichi
(shich) seven.
hachi
(hutch) eight.
ku
(koo) nine.
ju
(joo) ten.

Body Parts

te
hand
hiki te
withdrawing hand 
ken
closed fist
seiken
fore fist
uraken
back fist
kentsui
hammer fist (aka shutsui: hammer hand) (aka tettsui: iron hammer)
shuto
sword hand, knife hand
hara
mid-section; stomach; the large area extending from the bottom of the pelvis to just beneath the rib cage
seika-tanden
physical, spiritual, and emotional center
ashi
leg and foot
sokuto
sword foot, outer edge
jodan
neck and above 
chudan
neck to navel  
gedan
navel to knees 
hiza shita
knees and below

Techniques

kihon
basics, fundamental practice
waza
techniques (aka jutsu)
oi
non-reverse form
gyaku
1. reverse form (aka saka). EG: gyaku zuki
2. torture, cruelty. EG: ashi gyaku (leg screw)
mawashi
circling or roundhouse
kizami
leading side technique
kime
decisive, focus
mawate
turn around
tai sabaki
strategic body movement
soku waza
foot work

Stances

dachi
stances, position of the lower body (aka tachikata)
shizen tai
natural position stances group, no knee tension
heisoku dachi
semi-formal attention stance, heels and toes together
musubi dachi
semi-formal attention stance, heels together and toes apart
hachinoji dachi
feet shoulder width, toes out (aka hachiji dachi) (aka shizen tai)
kihon dachi
basic stances
kiba burui
outer knee tension stances group
kiba dachi
horse stance
zenkutsu dachi
front stance
kokutsu dachi
back stance
fudo dachi
rooted stance (aka sochin dachi: sochin stance)
shiko dachi
square stance
kosa dachi
crossed feet stance
hangetsu burui
inner knee tension stances group
hangetsu dachi
half moon stance
sanchin dachi
hourglass stance
neko ashi dachi
cat leg stance
sagi ashi dachi
heron leg stance (aka ippon ashi dachi: one-legged stance)
ashi orishiku dachi
down on one knee stance, rifleman stance (aka iaigoshi dachi: kneeling stance)
kumite dachi
sparring stances (higher and freer variations of each of the above) (aka ju dachi)
kamae
posture; position; refers to entire body (aka shisei)
shomen
front facing (aka mae) (aka zempo)
hanmi
half sideways facing
mae hanmi
front facing
gyaku hanmi
reverse half sideways facing
ushiro
rear (aka koho) O

Blocks

age uke
rising block
soto ude uke
outward forearm block (aka soto uke = outside block). Usually done with the radius (forearm bone on the thumb side).
uchi ude uke
inward forearm block (aka uchi uke = inside block). Usually done with the ulna (forearm bone on the pinky side).
shuto uke
sword hand block, knife hand block
gedan barai
downward forearm block

Arm Attacks

tsuki waza
punching techniques
tsuki
one handed punches (aka zuki)
choku zuki
punch from shizen tai (aka jun zuki)
oi zuki
punch from kihon dachi with the same leg forward
gyaku zuki
punch from kihon dachi with the opposite leg forward
tate zuki
vertical fist punch
kizami zuki
punch with lead hand, jab (aka mae ken zuki)
age zuki
rising punch
mawashi zuki
roundhouse punch
kagi zuki
hook punch
ura zuki
close punch (aka shita zuki)
otoshi uraken uchi
downward back fist strike
soto uraken uchi
outward back fist strike
soto kentsui uchi
outward hammer fist strike
uchi kentsui uchi
inward hammer fist strike
otoshi kentsui uchi
downward hammer fist strike
kentsui hasami uchi
double hammer fist strike
soto shuto uchi
outward sword hand strike
hiji uchi
elbow strikes (aka empi uchi)

Leg Attacks

keri waza
kicking techniques
mae geri keage
front snap kick (aka maegeri)
mae geri kekomi
front thrust kick
mae oroshi kakato geri (aka kakato geri)
axe kick or downward kick
fumikomi geri
stomping kick to the ground
kansetsu geri
stomping kick to the knee
uchi mikazuki geri
inward crescent kick with the sole of the foot
soto mikazuki geri
outside crescent kick with the edge of the foot
kagi geri
hook kick. Hits with heel or sole of foot.
mawashi geri
roundhouse kick
ura mawashi geri
hook kick
yoko geri keage (aka yoko keage)
side snap kick
yoko geri kekomi (aka yoko kekomi)
side thrust kick
ushiro mawashi geri
reverse/spinning roundhouse kick
ushiro mikazuki geri
reverse/spinning crescent kick
ushiro yoko geri
reverse/spinning side thrust kick
ushiro geri kekomi (aka ushiro geri)
back thrust kick
hiza geri
knee kick. Many variations.
 

Formal Exercises (Kata)

kata
formal exercises
kihon kata
basic kata
shitei kata
standardized kata
tokui kata
choice kata
tanren kata
advanced kata (aka kaite kata)
shorin
lighter and longer
shorei
heavier and shorter
yoi
readiness
hajime
begin
Heian:
"Peaceful," shorin types
Heian Shodan
introductory: basic blocks (upper, middle, and lower), basic attacks (straight punch and downward hammer fist), basic shifting (straight, 45°, 90°, 180°, and 270°), 21 moves.
Heian Nidan
combinations, 26 moves.
bunkai
application of kata
naore
return to yoi
yame
finished

Sparring

kumite
sparring
shiai
contest
shobu
competition
sun dome
arresting technique just before contact
tori
attacker
uke
defender
aka
red (aka haka)
shiro
white
yoi
readiness (aka junbi)
hajime
begin
kihon kumite
basic sparring (aka yakusoku kumite)
ippon kumite
one-step sparring
sambon kumite
three-step sparring
gohon kumite
five-step sparring
jiyu ippon kumite
semi-free sparring
jiyu kumite
free sparring
jissen
actual fighting

Miscellany

karate
"empty hand," formerly "Chinese hand"; weaponless martial art of Okinawan-Japanese origin.
karateka
practitioner of karate
shoshinsha
initiate, the junior students
yudansha
the senior students
kyu
color belt, non-black belt
dan
black belt
kyohai
those of lesser rank (aka kinteki)
kompai
those of roughly equivalent rank
sempai
those of greater rank
sensei
"born before" "one who has gone before" the instructor (an honorific)
dojo
place where an art is taught, a school
tatami
floor mats
makiwari
striking post
rei
salute
seiza
kneeling-sitting with back straight, heels to buttocks. Go down left knee first. Stand up right leg first.
dojo kun
"school oath," standards of the school
hitotsu! jinkaku kansei ni tsutomuru koto
"One! Seek perfection of character," or "One! Character," or "One! We shall endeavor to build our character"
hitotsu! makoto no michi o mamoru koto
"One! Be faithful," or "One! Sincerity," or "One! We shall be faithful in our study"
hitotsu! doryoku no seishin o yashinau koto
"One! Endeavor to excel," or "One! Effort," or "One! We shall cultivate courage and tenacity"
hitotsu! reigi o omonzuru koto
"One! Respect others," or "One! Etiquette," or "We shall attach great importance to etiquette"
hitotsu! kekki no yu o imahimuru koto
"One! Refrain from violent behaviour," or "One! Self-Control," or "One! We shall be wary of foolishness"
kamaitte
action, usu. at the start of repetitions
mokuso
meditation, contemplation
ki
intrinsic energy, vitality
kiai
shout that focuses ki and physical power
kime
focused finish, decisiveness
maai
distance

Page Modified: (Hand noted: 2007-10-16 21:00:00Z) (Auto noted: 2007-11-17 06:28:57Z)