DOJO ETIQUETTE
TRAINING SESSION OPENING CEREMONY
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Shugo: Line up (phonetically ‘shho-go’)
Ki o tsuke: Stand to attention (phonetically ‘kee-ut-skay’)
Seiza: Kneel (phonetically ‘say-zah’)
Mokuso: Meditate (phonetically ‘mok-so’)
Mokuso yame: Finish meditating
Shomen ni: Face the front of the dojo (phonetically ‘sho-men nee’)
Rei: Bow (phonetically ‘ray’)
Sensei ni: Face your teacher
Rei: Bow and say aloud Onegaishimasu meaning please teach me (phonetically ‘on-ee-guy-shim-ass’)
​Shomen ni: Face the front of the dojo
Kiritsu: Stand up (phonetically ‘kee-ree-tsoo’)
TRAINING SESSION CLOSING CEREMONY
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Shugo: Line up
Ki o tsuke: Stand to attention
Seiza: Kneel
Mokuso: Meditate
Mokuso yame: Finish meditating
​Otagai ni: Face your partner, bow and say aloud Arigato Gozaimashita
Rei: Bow
Shomen ni: Face the front of the dojo
Rei: Bow
Sensei ni: Face your teacher, bow and say aloud Arigato Gozaimashita meaning thank you
(phonetically ‘ary-gato goz-aye-mahsh-tah’)
Rei: Bow
Shomen ni: Face the front of the dojo
Kiritsu: Stand up and bow.
Leaving the dojo: At the end of a lesson, it is not necessary to wait and leave the dojo in order of rank. But if you do meet at the exit, it is just a matter of courtesy to allow the senior to go first.
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Japanese Grammar: You will sometimes hear people say ‘arigato gozaimashito’ (with a ‘tah’ at the end) or ‘arigato gozaimasu’ (without the ‘tah’). It is just a case of thanking someone in the future or past tense. ‘Arigato gozaimashita’ is used at the end of the lesson to thank the Sensei for the lesson just given. ‘Arigato gozaimasu’ would be used at the start of the lesson to thank the Sensei for the lesson they are about to give.
DOJO COMMUNICATION
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Arigato Gozaimashita: Thank you for teaching me
Kiai: Focusing shout
Hai: Yes
Hajime: Begin
Onegaishimasu: Please teach me
Osu: Yes / no / general
Shugo: Line up
Wakari masu ka?: Do you understand?
Wakari masu: I understand
Wakari masen: I don't understand
Yame: Stop
Yoi: Ready
Karate Uniform (Gi)
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Obi : Belt
Uwagi :Top half of Gi
Zubon :Bottom half of Gi
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Training Equipment
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Chi ishi: Lever weighted stone
Ishi sashi: Stone padlocks
Kongo ken : Iron ring
Makiwara : Striking board
Nigiri game : Gripping jars
Tan : Barbells
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Numbers
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Ichi: One
Ni: Two
San: Three
Shi: Four
Go: Five
Roku: Six
Shichi: Seven
Hachi: Eight
Ku: Nine
Ju: Ten
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Black Belt Grades
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Shodan: 1st Dan
Nidan: 2nd Dan
Sandan: 3rd Dan
Yondan: 4th Dan
Godan: 5th Dan
Rokudan: 6th Dan
Nanadan: 7th Dan
Hachidan: 8th Dan
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Sparring (Kumite)
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Ippon kumite:
one step sparring (block and counter)
​San dan gi: Basic three step sparring
Randori kumite:
Slow and soft free style sparring with emphasis on technique
Yakusoku kumite: Prearranged sparring
​Iri kumite: Hard, fast but controlled continuous free style sparring
​Go kumite: Full contact sparring
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Parts of the body (Tai)
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Ashinoyubi: Toes (Tsumasaki)
Danchin: Sternum
Ganchu: Below the nipples
Gansei: Eyeballs
Hiza: Knee
Jinchu: Region below the nose
Kinteki: Testicles
Kindama: Groin
Kote: Wrist
Miken: Bridge of nose
Mimi: Ears
Mikazuki: Jaw
Nodo: Throat
Onaka: Stomach
Seiken: Fist
Shuko: Back of hand
Suige tsu: Solar-plexus
Ude: Forearm
Yubi: Fingers
Punches (tsuki or zuki)
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Jodan tsuki: Punch to the face
Chudan tsuki: Punch to the chest
Gedan tsuki: Punch to the groin
Age tsuki: Rising punch
Choku tsuki: Straight punch
Furi tsuki: Circular punch
Gyaku tsuki: Reverse punch
Kizame tsuki: Jab Punch
Oi tsuki: Lunge punch
Seiken tsuki: Forefist punch
Ura tsuki: Close range punch
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Blocks(Uke)
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Jodan uke: Upper level block
Age uke: Rising block
Chudan uke: Middle level block
Gedan harai-uke: Lower level sweep
Jodan uke: Upper level block
Hiji uke: Elbow block
Hiki uke: Pulling/grasping block
Hiza uke: Knee block
Ko uke: Wrist block
Shotei barai: Palm heel sweep
Shotei uke: Palm heel block
Soto uke: Forearm block (block from outside moving inward to the centre line of the body)
​Sukui uke: Scooping block
Tora guchi uke: Tiger mouth block (sometimes called Mawashi Uke meaning ‘round block'
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Strikes (Uchi)
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Uraken uchi: Back fist strike
Empi uchi: Elbow strike (hiji)
Haito uchi: Ridge hand strike
Hiraken uchi: Fore knuckle fist strike
Ko uchi: Wrist strike
Nukite uchi: Spear hand strike
Shuto uchi: Knife-edge hand strike
Sokuto uchi: Knife-edge foot strike
Teisho uchi:
Palm heel strike
(sometimes called shotei uchi)
​Tetsui uchi: Bottom fist strike
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Kicking (Geri)
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Mae geri: Front kick
Mawashi geri: Roundhouse kick
Yoko geri: Side kick
Ushiro geri: Back kick
Hiza geri: Knee kick
Kensetsu geri: Stamping kick, joint kick
Mae ashi geri: Front leg kick
Tobi geri: Jumping kick
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Stances (Dachi)
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Benzoku dachi:
One foot crossed over diagonally
in front of the other, prior to turning
​Hachiji dachi:
Natural stance
Han zenkutsu dachi: forward stance
Heiko dachi: Parallel stance
Heisoku dachi:
Formal attention stance, feet together
Kokutsu dachi: Back stance
Musubi dachi:
Formal attention stance, feet turned out
Neko ashi dachi: Cat stance
Reinoji dachi: tick stance
Sagiashi dachi: Crane leg stance
Sanchin dachi:
Hour glass stance
Sesan dachi:
Side facing straddle stance
Shiko dachi: Box stance
Zenkutsu dachi:
Forward leg stance
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General Terms
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Ashi barai: Foot sweep
Budo: Martial Way; Martial arts
Bunkai: Study of kata applications and techniques
Chudan: Middle level
Dan: Level
Do: Way; Path
Dojo: Training place
Dojo kun: Dojo rules
Gasshuku: Karate training camp
Gedan: Lower level
Geri: KIck
Gi: Dojo uniform (Do-gi)
Go: Hard, unyielding
Go kumite: Hard sparring
Goju-Ryu Karate Do: Hard/Soft style, empty handed way
Hai: Yes
Hajime: Begin
Hara: Stomach
Heishugata: ‘Closed Fist’ kata (Sanchin and Tensho)
Hidari: Left
Hiji: Elbow
Hiza: Knee
Hojo undo: Supplementary exercises
Honbu dojo: Head dojo of an organisation
Ippon kumite: One step (prearranged) sparring
Jodan: Upper level
Ju: Soft, flexible
Junbi undo: Warm up exercises
Kaishugata: ‘Open fist’ kata (Gekisai, Saifa, etc.)
Kakie: Push hands
Kamae: Combative posture
Kamae te: Assume stance
Kanji: Chinese characters
Karate: Empty hand
Karate-do: The way of karate
Kata: Forms
Keage: Snap action
Ken: Fist
Ki o tsuke: Attention (phonetically ‘kee-ut-ski’)
Kiai: Focusing shout
Kihon: Basic techniques
Kokomi: Thrust action
Koshi: Ball of the foot (or Josokutei)
Kumite: Sparring
Mae: Front
Mawatte: Turn around
Migi: Right
Mokuso:
Silent contemplation, meditation
Muchimi: Heavy, sticky action
Obi: Training uniform belt
Oyo bunkai: Study of techniques in kata (similar to Bunkai but including follow-up techniques not shown in kata)
Otagai: Training partner
Randori: Free sparring, relaxed sparring (sometimes called jiyu kumite)
​Rei: Bow
Sandan gi: Three level sparring
Seiken: Fore fist
Seiza: Formal sitting position (kneeling on your haunches, feet crossed)
​Semete: Attacking partner
Shime: Sanchin testing
Shomen: The front
Shugo: LIne up
Soto: Outwards
Suri ashi: Sliding step
Tai: Body
Tai sabaki: Moving the body to avoid contact
Tanden: The body´s power centre
Te: Hand
Tsuki: Punch
Uchi: Strike
Ude: Forearm
Ude tanren: Forearm conditioning
Uke: Block
Uke harai: Blocking exercises
Uraken: Back fist
Ushiro: Back, rear
Wakari masu ka?: Do you understand?
Wakari masu: I understand
Wakari masen: I don't understand
Waza: Techniques
Yakusoku kumite: Pre-arranged sparring
Yame: Stop
Yoi: Ready
Yoko: Side
Zanshin: Awareness
KAISHUGATA (OPEN FIST KATAS)
SEPAI KATA
"18 Hands"
SEPAI BUNKAI
BUNKAI #1 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi,
grip lapel
UKETE: Immediately grip SEMETE wrist with the hand mirroring the attack and twist to the outside to lock the arm. Drop the hips into shico dachi and strike nukite zuki (finger thrust) then with the same hand deliver a powerful shote zuki (palm heel thrust) to push SEMETE away
BUNKAI #3 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi,
chudan mae geri
UKETE: Step back into kokutsu dachi and block harai uke
SEMETE: Attack gyaku zuki with the same side as the kick
UKETE: Block down with ura the-kubi (back of the wrist) with the same blocking hand and deliver a powerful shuto uchi (knife hand strike) to SEMETE temple. Maintain contact with SEMETE arm when striking . Kick mae geri with the rear leg
BUNKAI #5 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi,
attack migi Mae geri gedan
UKETE: Block with migi gedan harai uke (before SEMETE extends the kick fully)
SEMETE: Attack oi zuki with the same side as the kick
UKETE: Block migi chudan yoko uke (middle side block) immediately grip SEMETE’s wrist. As SEMETE pulls back , use SEMETE strength to twist the wrist to the outside. Grip tight and turn in close to SEMETE from their right side. The left hand then winds around SEMETE forearm to lock the arm. As SEMETE tries to escape by clasping their hands together and pulling back and upwards , the use back of the left hand / wrist to press back , then turn the body following SEMETE’s movement and strike to the groin with the right open hand (swing the arm like a whip as you strike)
BUNKAI #7 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi,
attack with chudan oi zuki
UKETE: Block on the outside with a powerful chudan yoko uke aiming for the elbow. Simultaneously deliver Jodan furi-zuki (right circular swing punch) to the temple (the right arm swings like a whip to strike) Take nico ashi dachi while executing the defence.
BUNKAI #9 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi,
attack chudan gyaku zuki
UKETE: Block with osae uke (press block). Simultaneously step forward towards SEMETE delivering a powerful yoko ura zuki (short punch to the side) to the lower abdomen in shico dachi
BUNKAI #2 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi,
grip right wrist with both hands
UKETE: Bring left hand up from below and clasp hands together; quickly pull back with the right hand while turning it over. As SEMETE reacts by pulling back in the opposite direction, use SEMETE strength and deliver a powerful awase nigri zuki (clasped hand punch turning the hands over) to the solar plexus. Follow with a powerful age hiji ate and push
BUNKAI #4 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi, attack UKETE from behind
UKETE: Before SEMETE can clasp their hands together, quickly drop the hips and simultaneously raise up both elbows. Immediately twist the hips and deliver a powerful ushiro hiiji-ate (elbow strike to the rear) to the solar plexus. Continue by turning the hips in the other direction and deliver uraken- uchi (back fist strike) with the other arm to the face.
NOTE: Alternative bunkai displayed above
BUNKAI #6 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi,
attack mae geri hidari
UKETE: Block with hidari open hand in a scooping lifting motion.
SEMETE: Attack with hidari Jodan zuki
UKETE: Block with the right open hand at SEMETE’s elbow. Immediately move in close to SEMETE ; the left hand then lifts upwards and the right hand pulls down (gripping at the elbow). Follow with a powerful foot sweep to SEMETE’s supporting leg and throw the opponent down. Finish with naka daka ippon ken (middle knuckle punch) to vital areas on SEMETE.
BUNKAI #8 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi,
attack with chudan oi zuki
UKETE: Block on the inside with chudan hiki uke . Transition to strike Kumade uchi (bear claw strike) to SEMETE groin. Immediately continue to strike Jodan uraken uchi with the same arm
SEMETE: Attacks chudan gyaku zuki with the other arm
UKETE: Block chudan uke followed by chudan mae geri
BUNKAI #10 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi,
attacks hidari chudan oi zuki
UKETE: Block with hidari chudan hiki uke (left middle grasping block) and grip the wrist tight.
SEMETE: Attack migi Jodan zuki
UKETE: Block migi Jodan hiki uke and grip the wrist tight. Pull down the right hand to chudan level and simultaneously (from underneath) lift up the left hand so that the arms are crossed. Twist the right wrist out so that the right elbow is locked, simultaneously turn the body to throw the opponent. Finish with boshi-Ken (thumb fist) to the eyes.
BUNKAI #1 - #10 from kata Sepai