Japanese Karate terms and numbers (Updated)

Do you get quizzed on Japanese Karate terms at your exams. In my club, at the 1st and 2nd Kyu level, each student is asked to perform a technique that is asked in Japanese. This list is not all inclusive since these are only the terms that the examiners in my club use. Uke – Blocks: Gedan Barai – Downward block Age Uke – Rising block Soto Uke – Inward block Uchi Uke – Outward block Shoto Uke – Knife hand block Manji Uke – Simultaneous downward and upper outward blocks Morote Uke – Two arm, augmented or helping block Geri – Kicks: Mae Geri – Front Snap Kick Mawashi Geri – Roundhouse kick Yoko Kekomi Geri – Side thrust kick Yoko Keage Geri – Side snap kick Ushiro Geri – Back kick Uda Mawashi Geri – Hook kick Mikazuki Geri – Crescent kick Tobi Geri – Jumping Kick (normally …

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Learn the technique first, then make it better.

Just yesterday, I had a really great Karate class. This was a class where I learned to do something the correct way after trying to do it for over five years. The solution to this was so incredibly simple but it took me a very long time and some really simple words from my Sensei to bring it out. For the longest time, I have struggled to move from my hips. I have been told many times to tuck my tailbone or push the knot of my belt forward but for some reason, I was not able to do it. No matter how hard I tried or how large of an arch I had in my lower back, moving from my hips seemed to always evade me. Here is where the light bulb turned on above my head. My Sensei had all of us get into a short front stance. …

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Kick for Cures 2009

On October 25th my club, the ISKC, is sponsoring an event to help sick and needy families called Kick for Cures. The way it works, is we go to one of four locations and do 1000 kicks and punches. People sponsor us, either with a per kick donation or a flat amount. I know that money is tight for everyone and my being out of work for over two years hasn’t left a lot of extra money for me to donate but I am giving as much as I can afford. If you sponsor a single $1.00 that would help these people in need and I am sure it would be greatly appreciated by them. If you would like to sponsor me you can do so online at: Kick for Cures at events.org. Below is more information about where your donation goes. Where does the money go? The money is …

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