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The Shotokan style of Karate was developed by Master Gichin Funakoshi.
Born in Shuri, Okinawa Prefecture, in 1868, he studied
Karate-do from childhood and organized the first public demonstrations.
As president of the Okinawa Association for the Spirit of Martial Arts,
he was chosen to demonstrate karate at the First National Athletic Exhibition in
Tokyo in 1922. This led to the introduction of the ancient martial art to
the rest of Japan and subsequently to the rest of the world.
1. Seek Perfection of Character
2. Be Faithful
3. Endeavor
4. Respect Others
5. Refrain from Violent Behavior.
At the urging of friends and officials, he remained in
Tokyo: the development of the way of Karate owes much to his teaching,
writings, and introduction of new forms. In his later years, he was president of
the Shotokai, of which he was founder. He emphasized always the spiritual aspects
of Karate-do, and it is significant that through his influence the Chinese characters
for Karate were changed from "Chinese" hand to "empty" hand.
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Karate training requires no previous martial arts experience. Beginning students will receive individual, semi-private instruction from Sensei (the head instructor) and Shidoin (student instructors). As begginers become more adept at the basic movements, they will be slowly merged into the class. When practicing with partners, beginners will be paired with advanced students who will help them learn the techniques correctly. All students were beginners at one time. Advanced students can appreciate a beginner's need to move slowly and carefully, and are taught to share their knowledge with all new students.
Belt colors designate the level of proficiency a student has achieved. Our dojo belt ranks are White, White 1 Stripe, Yellow, Blue, Purple 1 Stripe, Purple 2 Stripes, Brown 1 Stripe, Brown 2 Stripes, Brown 3 Stripes and Black. A minimum time schedule must be met before a student is eligible for promotion. All students progress at their own personal pace. Sensei will decide when a student is ready to test for promotion based on several criteria, including correct movement, understanding of the meaning of each technique or form, and class attendance.
Kata (form) is an important part of karate training. Each kata consists of a series of blocks and counter attacks designed to ward off an imaginary opponent. In order to become proficient at performimg kata, students must focus their concentration, pay attention to the details of the movement, and call upon their imagination to bring the movement to life. Beginner katas are made up of basic movements while advanced katas include more elaborate techniques. The ability to perform and understand the meaning of the katas assigned to each rank is an essential part of the requirements for promotion.
Kumite involves the utilization of blocks, kicks and punches in a sparring situation. Control and safety are of the utmost importance during kumite training. Students are taught to apply their techniques carefully and efficiently. Hard contact is not allowed during kumite training. Light contact is allowed to the upper torso. Face contact is never allowed. All students wear padded gloves when sparring for protection in case of accidental contact. Beginning students will not take part in sparring exercises until they have been training for approximately 1 month. Sparring will always be supervised by Sesnei or a student Black Belt.
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