gōki-kai karate-dō - Southern Cross Martial Arts Gold Coast

GŌKI-KAI KARATE-DŌ STUDENT GUIDE

Kaichō Damien Martin

Published by:

Southern Cross Martial Arts Association Inc 2/54 Kingston Drive HELENSVALE QLD 4212 Ph: +61-56656269 Fax: +61-7-56656268 Web: www.southerncrossmartialarts.com Email:[email protected]

© Damien Martin 2008-2016 V6 This book and the logo are copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. All inquiries should be addressed to the publisher.

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 INSTRUCTOR PROFILES .............................................................................................. 3 THE HISTORY OF GŌKI-KAI KARATE-DŌ ................................................................. 10 VISION, MISSION & VALUES ...................................................................................... 21

DOJO KUN .................................................................................................................... 22 REISHIKI – THE ETIQUETTE OF GŌKI-KAI ................................................................ 23 THE PHILOSOPHY OF GŌKI-KAI ................................................................................ 31 GLOSSARY OF COMMON MARTIAL ARTS TERMS .................................................. 41 UNIFORMS ................................................................................................................... 48

AWARDS ...................................................................................................................... 50 KATA ........................................................................................................................... 54 THE EIGHT PRECEPTS OF THE FIST ........................................................................ 61

TRAINING APPARATUS .............................................................................................. 62 UNDERSTANDING BUDŌ ............................................................................................ 71 HABITUAL ACTS OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE .............................................................. 75 EFFECTS OF STRESS IN SELF DEFENCE ................................................................ 81

THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FITNESS TRAINING ..................................................... 94

PRINCIPLES OF STRENGTH TRAINING FOR MARTIAL ARTS ................................. 97 SELF DEFENCE AND THE LAW ................................................................................ 101 THE CURSE OF MODERN MARTIAL ARTS: THE McDOJO ..................................... 106

THE GRADING SYSTEM ............................................................................................ 111 THE POINTS SYSTEM ............................................................................................... 119

USING THIS TEXT...................................................................................................... 121 10th KYU: WHITE BELT .............................................................................................. 125 9th KYU: WHITE/YELLOW BELT ................................................................................ 126

8th KYU: YELLOW BELT ............................................................................................. 128

7th KYU: ORANGE BELT ............................................................................................. 130

6th KYU: PURPLE BELT .............................................................................................. 132 5th KYU: BLUE BELT ................................................................................................... 134

4th KYU: GREEN BELT................................................................................................ 136 3rd KYU: BROWN BELT .............................................................................................. 138 2nd KYU: BROWN BELT.............................................................................................. 140 1st KYU: BROWN BELT .............................................................................................. 142

SHODAN ..................................................................................................................... 144 NIDAN ......................................................................................................................... 147 SANDAN ..................................................................................................................... 148 YONDAN ..................................................................................................................... 149 GODAN ....................................................................................................................... 150

ROKUDAN .................................................................................................................. 151

NANADAN ................................................................................................................... 152

HACHIDAN ................................................................................................................. 153 KUDAN ........................................................................................................................ 154 JUDAN ........................................................................................................................ 155 OTHER GRADING REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................ 156 RECOMMENDED READING ...................................................................................... 157 APPENDIX A: STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT ........................................................ 158

APPENDIX B: TOURNAMENT TERMINOLOGY ........................................................ 161 APPENDIX C: INFECTION CONTROL POLICY ......................................................... 163 APPENDIX D: JUDO GOKYO ..................................................................................... 170

APPENDIX E: THE SPIRIT OF ‘OSU’ ......................................................................... 174 DETAILED TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................ 176

Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō Student Handbook

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INTRODUCTION Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō is a new form of progressive traditional martial arts which was founded by Damien Martin in 2008. With its origins in both modern freestyle karate and traditional Okinawan Karate, as well as a host of other influences, Gōki-Kai strives to set new standards of excellence; provide long term physical, psychological and social benefits to members, and maintain the positive traditions of the martial arts. The Honbu Dojo of Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō is the Southern Cross Martial Arts Centre, on Queensland’s Gold Coast: The Gōki Kai Karate-Dō So Honbu Dojo

(豪気会空手道総本部道場). The Honbu Dojo is a culmination of over 30 years of

development within the martial arts for the founder of Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō, Kaichō Damien Martin. There are affiliate Dojo’s located in Queensland and Victoria.

THE MEANING OF GŌKI-KAI KARATE-DŌ

The kanji for Gōki 豪気 can be read a number of ways (not like in English) and whilst the

literal translation is ‘courageous heart’ it can also be roughly translated as ‘Aussie Spirit’. Kai simply means ‘school’ or ‘organisation’ whilst Karate-Dō means ‘empty handed way’. Therefore Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō translates as either the Courageous Heart School of the Empty Handed Way or the Aussie Spirit School of the Empty Handed Way. We look at this duality in two ways. Firstly the Courageous Heart or indomitable spirit is what we aim to achieve through hard training and ongoing development; thus the Courageous Heart School. The Aussie Spirit component is somewhat more complex as the Aussie Spirit itself is more complex in nature. It is the concept of the ideal, a salute to the icon rather than the reality. It is a longing for what should be rather than what is. The Aussie Spirit is the mythology of the ANZAC, the spirit of mateship, of equality and of ‘having a go’. The Aussie Spirit is when you stand up for what you believe in, stand by your mates, support the underdog and give everyone a ‘fair go’. It was borne from the hardships of the early settlers, the convict basis of our early population, the difficulties of the ‘bush’, the hard work of the miners and the pragmatism of the Bushmen. It was forged in the hardships experienced in Gallipoli, France, Belgium and Palestine. It has become a stereotype that has been seized upon by racists, royalists and republicans alike. In the end, in my opinion, the Aussie Spirit epitomises what we should be and what we should strive for. After all, that is one of the goals of long term martial arts training – to improve one’s self, and one’s society; thus, the Aussie Spirit School of Self Defence. And finally the suffix Dō. Dō, in the Japanese traditions (Tao or Dao in the Chinese) means ‘Way’ and the term was applied to the martial arts during the Meiji Restoration in Japan in the late 19th Century. In this context Dō has come to mean a ‘warrior way to enlightenment’ whereas Jutsu on the other hand means ‘Art’ or ‘technique’. More importantly, in the martial arts context it means a killing art or battle art. In keeping with the more modern traditions a self-defence based art like Gōki-Kai would commonly be called Gōki-Kai Karate-Jutsu. I selected the term Karate-Dō above Karate-Jutsu because I have come to learn that the Dō encompasses the Jutsu and that the Jutsu is only a fraction of the journey. Conversely, in the past three decades, I have found that those who embrace the Jutsu too closely become something that I don’t want to associate with and that the Jutsu can destroy the Dō.


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So here at Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō we strive to develop responsible and effective self-defence skills and to develop a Courageous Heart. We foster an atmosphere promoting the Aussie Spirit in the Dojo and try to live our lives simply and honestly and give everyone a ‘fair go’. We aim to promote a world of mutual respect based on the warriors’ code.

THE GŌKI-KAI LOGO The Gōki-Kai logo incorporates a number of distinctly Australian elements, along with some distinctly martial arts concepts. The colours are red, white and blue, as in the Australian Flag, and represent the Aussie Spirit. This is overlaid with the Southern Cross constellation. The Southern Cross is the constellation of stars which features on the Australian flag, as well as that of New Zealand, Brazil, Samoa and Papua New Guinea. To add to this, Kaichō Damien also had an ancestor at the Eureka Rebellion at Ballarat in 1854 and the Southern Cross features on the Eureka flag. The logo also incorporates the three comma like objects that are reminiscent of the Japanese mittsu tomoe and the spiral triskele design of the ancient Celts of Europe. The spirals tie the heritage of the Dojo head (distinctly Celtic; Cornish / Irish / Scottish) to the Eastern philosophies of his martial arts studies. On a practical level the three spirals represent the aspects of the training developed in this Dojo - we train the mind, the body and the indomitable spirit at the Courageous Heart School.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF GŌKI-KAI KARATE-DŌ One of the underlying principles of this school is:

“Choosing not to follow in the footsteps of the old masters but rather to seek what they sought” Matsu Basho

This Dojo also believes strongly in the principle of:

Karate ni sente nashi There is no first attack in karate

Karate training is for defence only. It is not for fighting. The Dojo is a cooperative place for personal development.

We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other and fight to

defend our rights and liberties” Eureka Oath 1854


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INSTRUCTOR PROFILES

DAMIEN MARTIN, KAICHŌ: NANA-DAN (7TH

DAN)

Early Years Damien is the Kaichō (Head of School) of Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō and the co-owner of the Southern Cross Martial Arts Centre. Damien commenced martial arts training in February 1982 when he commenced training in Judo at the now defunct Camperdown Judo club in South-western Victoria. He eventually reached the lofty heights of 4th kyu (Orange Belt) and won a silver medal in the under 16, under 62kg division of the State Judo titles. After two years of Judo training he began training in Zen Do Kai in March 1984. He trained in both styles for about 6 months before his Judo instructor told him he had to choose either Judo or Karate – he chose Karate.

Damien began teaching Karate in February 1987 and has been a professional martial arts instructor since.

The Zen Do Kai Era Damien is proud to call Kyōshi Bill (Billy) Manné, 8th Dan, his instructor. Bill is a stalwart of Zen Do Kai and has been a student of Bob Jones since the days of the Gōjū Rebels, but is also a highly regarded martial artist in other disciplines including Gōjū-Ryū, Systema (Instructor), BJJ (Black Belt) and Aikido (Shodan). Damien was based in South-western Victoria until 1995 when he moved to Queensland for work. As was the tradition within Zen Do Kai at the time, when he achieved 3rd Dan he named his group of Dojo’s ‘Barbarian Dojos’. Aside from the connotations of Conan the Barbarian (who featured on his Dojo Mon) and his barbarian Celtic roots, this was somewhat of a joke and a play on words. The State Head for Victoria at the time was Macedonian Greek and Damien had major differences of opinion, standards and beliefs to this person. Barbarian is a Greek word for ‘someone who lives on the fringes and doesn’t speak Greek (like the Celts of old). The irony was fitting so they became Barbarian Martin Dojos. In 1995 Damien had Karate Dojo’s in Ballarat, Camperdown, Cobden, Colac, Surfers Paradise, Terang and Warrnambool and Muay Thai Schools in Ballarat, Camperdown, Terang and Warrnambool. This bush based organisation boasted over 500 members and was the envy of many senior instructors within Zen Do Kai. Some of these students still train today. Sadly, the politics of Zen Do Kai at the time saw most of these schools break away and go under the Victorian Chief instructor. Most died a slow death of neglect, with one breaking away to form a new style called Adrenalin Martial Arts. This Warrnambool based club is still going strong. Today only the Cobden and Ballarat schools are still open


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in Victoria with Cobden being a Zen Do Kai Dojo and Ballarat having a Muay Thai and a Kidz Karate school. Over the past three decades Damien has trained many, many students to black belt level and these all have their place on the Nafudakake at the front of the Honbu Dojo. Add this to the number of students and black belts his students have produced and Damien is rightfully proud of his contribution to the development of martial arts in this country. In addition to his karate students, Damien trained over fifty students to black singlet rank in BJC Muay Thai with ten more reaching Grade 5/teacher rank and four reaching Grade 6/trainer rank. His schools produced a number of State and National Title holders in the kickboxing arena in the 1990’s. Whilst Damien rarely actively teaches Muay Thai these days he still maintains close links with a number of Muay Thai stables and associations and holds a 5th Khan rank in Black Dragon Kai Muay Thai. Damien’s first Honbu (HQ) Dojo was located in Ballarat, Victoria and was called the Academy of Martial Arts. Between 1993 and 1995 he taught classes at the (up to 5 per day) and trained full contact fighters as well as taught BJC Shootwrestling in a seminar environment nationally and choreographing BJC Shootwrestling sequences for the Channel 10's Fighting Fit self defence segment. This segment featured Sensei Hannah Thornton and Bob Jones and aired to 3 million viewers weekly.

Awards & Recognition During his martial arts career teacher Damien has achieved several awards and gained some recognition starting with a nomination for Brown Belt of the Year in 1987 due to the fact that he was already successfully running two Dojos, Terang and Timboon, before attaining black belt. He received the Instructor of the Year and Bushido (‘way of the warrior’) awards from the (then) Victorian State Head, Kyōshi Billy Manné (then 6th Dan) in 1990 and in 1992 he was awarded Black Belt of the Year (shown above with Kyōshi Manné). In his Shodan-ho, Sandan and Yondan gradings Damien received the award for highest scores of the day.

In June 2005 Damien was inducted into the Australasian Martial Arts Hall of Fame (AMAHOF) for Outstanding Contributions to the Martial Arts.

Competition Competition wise Damien competed in numerous local and State karate tournaments under the WKA banner in the 1980’s an early 1990’s, as well as having two ring fights under Shootwrestling rules with a fight record of 1 win and 1 draw. He won the first Shootwrestling ring submission in Australia when he forced his opponent to submit in the second round of his second fight.

More recently he won the ISKA over 35 Black Belt full contact Karate Australasian title in June 2004. He trained dozens of full contact Muay Thai, Shootwrestling and ShootKarate athletes in the early to mid 1990’s, all of who fought under WKA rules in events in Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. Several attained State and National Title’s and a number have gone on to run their own Muay Thai gyms.


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Courses & Consulting Damien has been actively involved in self-defence program development for decades. He has taught classes at a number of State and private secondary schools, TAFE’s and other educational facilities and taught unarmed combat to the personnel of 8/7 RVR (GRES) Warrnambool for Lt. Nigel Bailey in 1991. Damien is a licensed firearms instructor and instructor trainer as well as being a PPCT (Pressure Point Control Tactics) instructor trainer. PPCT is the largest law enforcement training system in the world and is actively involved in the training of Police, Corrections, Security, Military and Special Forces personnel around the world. The main strength of the PPCT methodology is that all of the techniques are tactically, medically and legally sound. That is to say they work under pressure, they don’t cause undue harm and they can be defended in court. These principles are also central to the curriculum of Gōki-Kai.

In 2001 Damien founded the International College of Martial Arts. This college taught instructor courses to students from all around the world and is approved for student’s visas, traineeships and Austudy. Damien is very proud in his role of setting up this ground breaking organisation, which he left in 2008 to set up the Southern Cross Martial Arts Centre. He still has close ties with many of the instructor graduates from the College, many of whom now head multi-school organisations and are professionals in their own right.

Aside from being a martial arts instructor, Damien worked in the security industry for 18 years, doing everything from running nightclub doors to owning and operating a security company providing armed guard services. He ‘retired’ from the industry in 2004 to concentrate on the International College of Martial Arts. He holds a variety of professional qualifications in the area of coaching including NCAS accreditations in strength & conditioning, weightlifting and shooting, as well as Diplomas of Sport (Coaching), Sport & Recreation, Occupational Health & Safety, Training & Assessment Systems, and Security (Access Management), an Advanced Diploma of Security (Risk Management) and Certificate IV’s in Fitness, Coaching, Assessment & Workplace Training and Training & Assessment. Professionally Damien was instrumental in the development of the Aggressive Behaviour Management program for the Queensland Health Department. He worked to develop and accredit the basic course and the instructor course, as well as provide other expert services relating to self-defence and restraint to the organisation. To date this program has been delivered to over 65,000 Queensland Health employees; and will eventually be delivered to all 86,000. The program covers a full range of skills; from preventing aggression to verbal de-escalation, self-defence techniques, restraints and finally team restraints using specially developed equipment and tactics. Damien was a pioneer in the field of occupational violence prevention, working as a consultant to numerous businesses and Government Departments; a role which saw him travel around the world training and advising organisations in the prevention and control of interpersonal violence, as well as providing expert testimony in relevant court cases.

Personal Development and Training Damien has developed and maintained an active interest in close quarters combat


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techniques of all types and has sought out many of the finest instructors in Australia and the World to further his skills. Whilst he is reasonably skilled in kobudō (Okinawan martial arts weapons) he prefers to train with the more modern techniques of the knife, stick and handgun. He has travelled to the US for training numerous times and completed training programs at a number of internationally recognised schools. He has also attended instructor training, and taught control & restraint courses, in the UK. Damien says he has been lucky enough to have a number of high ranking martial artists and instructors from around Australia as his friends and consider himself to be especially blessed as a result. He continues to avidly study martial arts and is always studying, researching and training (maybe not as much hard training as he used to). Damien also firmly believes that the Australian martial arts community is as good (and in many ways better) as anywhere in the world. In 2010 he fulfilled a lifelong ambition and travelled to Okinawa, the birthplace of Karate, to train. He travelled with Shihan Hannah to train at the famous Jundokan to further his training in the traditional aspects of Karate, and complete the transition from ‘freestyle’ back to Karate. They have since returned several times for research and training. In 2011 he achieved and his 5th Khan in Muay Thai under the auspices of Ajarn Geordie Lavers-McBain from Black Dragon Kai, and his 5th Dan in Gōjū-Ryū Karate under the watchful eyes of Kyōshi Greg Merigan. In 2012 Damien became a Jun-Shibu (associate) instructor for Masaji Taira Sensei’s Okinawa Gōjū-Ryū Kenkyukai, and was awarded his 5th Dan in Okinawan Gōjū-Ryū Karate by Taira Sensei. In 2013 Damien was made a full Shibuchō (Branch Chief) of the Okinawa Gōjū-Ryū Kenkyukai, became the Vice President of Kudo Queensland and an official Doko Kai (training location) of Daido Juku/Kudo, won his 4th Kyu in Kudo/Daido Juku as well as achieving his 7th dan in Gōki-Kai Karate.

In 2014 Damien and Hannah took a group of students and colleagues to Okinawa to train with Taira Sensei and in Okinawan weaponry. As a result of this trip the pair were accepted as students of Masakazu Kinjo Sensei of the Ryūkyu Kobudō Hozonkai, thus forming the nucleus of the burgeoning Australian study group. Ryūkyu Kobudō Hozonkai means the “Okinawan Association for the Preservation of Old Martial Ways” and the kobudō practiced by the organisation is of the Shinken Taira lineage passed down through Katsuhiko Minowa to Masakazu Kinjo and his sons Satoshi and Kenta.

Damien is also actively pursuing Japanese sword training through the auspices of the

Nakamura-ryū Happōgiri Battōdō (中村流八方切り抜刀道) is a battō style created by the

late Nakamura Taizaburo. Battōdō (抜刀道) is literally "the way of drawing out the sword."


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HANNAH THORNTON, SHIHAN: GODAN (5TH

DAN) Hannah commenced training in January 1992 at the Warrnambool club run by (then) Dai Sempai Damien Martin. On Hannah’s first class Damien (her then boyfriend) ran a ‘suicide’ class so discourage her from training, it had the opposite effect. Hannah immediately took up both Zen Do Kai and BJC Muay Thai, training in both classes five nights a week. Hannah reached her Grade 4 (Instructor) rank in BJC Muay Thai in December of 1992 and her Shodan-Ho in Zen Do Kai in July 1993, at the inaugural ‘Barbarian’ Senjo. Hannah was a ‘Jet Black’ and zoomed through the ranks earlier in her training attaining her Grade 6 (trainer) rank in BJC Muay Thai in October 1994 and her Nidan in December 1994.

Despite the overall lack of success of the ‘Jet Black’ concept, Hannah is rightly proud of her achievements and attributes this to the fact that she trained hard and often whilst coming up through the ranks. As the assistant instructor at the Academy of Martial Arts in Ballarat (Victoria) she trained fighters for full-contact ring karate and Muay Thai Kickboxing. She attained her black belt in BJC Shootwrestling in this period. Hannah instructed the Zen Do Kai, Muay Thai, Shootwrestling and Kidz Karate (children’s classes) classes. This involved teaching up to five classes a day, five days a week for three years. Hannah has extensive security industry experience (over 17 years of ‘hands on’ experience) and has proven her technique numerous times where it really counts. Hannah is renown as an exemplary technician, an excellent teacher and as being a strong martial artist in her own right. Hannah also teaches defensive tactics and aggressive behaviour management. She has a Certificate IV in Security & Risk Management and a Certificate IV in Operational Safety Training. In 1993 Hannah spent six months as the co-instructor of the women’s self defence segment on Channel Ten’s ‘Good Morning Australia program. The other instructor was none other than Soké Bob Jones. Hannah, looking glamorous in a variety of sponsored leotards spent three minutes a week beating the Chief up in front of three million viewers (well, he did let her).

In 2009 Hannah left her full time job in security and went to work as a violence prevention consultant with Queensland Health for nine months, before becoming a full time violence prevention consultant and martial arts instructor as a co-owner of the Southern Cross Martial Arts Centre. Since that time Hannah has had the pleasure of training in the UK and at the Jundokan in Okinawa. Hannah was awarded her 4th Dan in Gōjū-Ryū Karate by Kyōshi Greg Merigan in 2011, and she was also recognised and promoted to the title of Shihan, which means “teacher of teachers”.

Hannah achieved her 5th Dan in Gōki-Kai in 2012 and her 4th kyu in Kudo in 2013. She is


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still actively training herself and has travelled to Okinawa several times for training with a variety of Sensei, although primarily to train with Masaji Taira Sensei. She trains regularly at the gym, as well as in her home training area utilising traditional equipment such as the makiwara. Hannah was made a full Shibuchō (Branch Chief) of the Okinawa Gōjū-Ryū Kenkyukai by Taira Sensei for her ongoing work at promoting his work through seminars, workshops and classes. Hannah is the first female Shibuchō in the organisation.

JOHN TREBILCO, SHIHAN: GODAN (5TH

DAN) John began his martial arts training in 1994 while he was in high school in New Zealand. He moved to the Gold Coast in 2001 after obtaining his Shodan. He immediately began training with Kaichō Damien at the Zen Do Kai Dojo at the Monaco Street PCYC in Broadbeach. John always had a keen interest in freestyle martial arts which has lead him to explore different martial arts concepts and styles outside his ‘core’ training in Karate. He has cross trained in various other styles such as Arnis, BJJ, Judo, Muay Thai Kick Boxing and many others. During his time on the Gold Coast John has trained for competitive purposes in some of these styles to test his skills and training. His tournament results include runner up in both the I.A.M.A Queensland and Australasian Open Weight Bare-Knuckle Karate Championships. John has also competed in a number of MMA and BJJ tournaments.

He began teaching over 10 years ago and has had students ranging from 4 to 50 years. In 2005 he opened his own Kidz Karate School at Carrara, followed soon afterwards by another one in Robina. He was employed at the International College of Martial Arts as the lead Karate instructor where he taught Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō. As part of his job John also ran courses in fitness, surfing and security industry restraint & control. John has extensive experience in the crowd control sector with most of his experience in pubs and clubs on the Gold Coast. He has utilised his knowledge and is often seen lecturing on security training courses. John has a broad range of qualifications and has spent a number of years formally studying martial arts and sport coaching. He is an accredited Olympic Weightlifting coach and regularly assists Kaichō Damien in teaching strength & conditioning to the martial arts students, as well as acting as a coach for the Gold Coast Weightlifting Club. John has a Certificate IV in Assessment & Workplace Training, a Certificate II in Sport & Recreation, a Certificate IV in Fitness, and a Diploma in Sport (Coaching) majoring in martial arts. He is currently working toward his purple belt in BJJ as well as his blue belt in Judo. John is an open minded and dedicated instructor, as well as a highly skilled and motivated martial arts athlete.


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He says “I look forward to meeting and training with anybody who is willing to dedicate time and energy however much they may have, into improving themselves and their lifestyles through training in the martial arts.” John achieved his 5th Dan in Gōki-Kai in 2012.

JAMES MARTIN, SENSEI: NIDAN (2ND

DAN) James was born and raised into an extended martial arts family. He has a father, mother, stepmother, uncle and a number of cousins who all hold black belt grades in one or more arts. He has been training formally since he was 10 years old and won both State and National Full Contact Karate titles at 16. He also won his division in Australia’s first ever Kudo tournament. James was involved in the pioneering of school based traineeships for martial arts instructors in Australia when he was in High school, having completed both a Certificate II in Sport (Coaching) and a Certificate III Community Recreation (Instructor) majoring in martial arts. Aside from being a Gōki-Kai instructor James is also the Southern Cross Martial Arts Centre children’s program coordinator and Kidz Thai Boxing trainer and an accredited Black Dragon Kai Muay Thai trainer (Kru).

In addition to his sport coaching qualifications James is first aid qualified, a SAFE Defence instructor, an iKi Magic instructor, a PPCT Defensive Tactics instructor, has a Certificate II in Sport (Coaching), a Certificate III in Community Recreation (Instructor), a Certificate IV in Education Support, and a NCAS Level 1 Club Power Coach accreditation with the Queensland Weightlifting Association, a Level 1 Strength & Conditioning Coaching accreditation with the Australian Strength & Conditioning Association and is currently studying his Certificate IV in Training & Assessment.


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THE HISTORY OF GŌKI-KAI KARATE-DŌ The lineage of Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō is somewhat convoluted. Essentially the kata are Okinawan Gōjū-Ryū and the core techniques are Okinawan Karate based. There are also elements of Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Tae Kwon Do, MMA and military unarmed combat. The term progressive traditional means that whilst Gōki-Kai has the trappings of a traditional Karate Dojo (i.e. belts, gi’s, ranks etc) and promotes traditional values, the combative principles themselves must work. The basic principle of the organisation is the same as its predecessor, Zen Do Kai, in that “if it works, use it”.

FAMILY TREE The Karate family tree for Gōki-Kai looks something like the diagram below. The common ancestor of Zen Do Kai, the Jundokan and IOGKF Gōjū-Ryū is Chōjun Miyagi Sensei. Miyagi Sensei’s death in 1953 threw the Gōjū world into some turmoil as his nominated successors had both died during World War 2.

This is the main reason that the Gōki-Kai kata are those of Okinawan Gōjū-Ryū. Another reason is that they provide an objective international standard. This means our students can go to pretty much any Gōjū school anywhere and be able to keep up with the class. It must be noted that Clinton Laurence Sensei is a practicing psychologist, a Yondan in IOGKF Gōjū-Ryū, a Yondan in Judo and a Nidan in Zen Do Kai. He also holds Yudansha


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grades in Aikido and Jōdo and a good friend to Gōki-Kai. Soké Bob Jones (Kyudan) from Zen Do Kai is also ranked in Tae Kwon Do and Muay Thai. Hanshi Billy Manné (Hachidan) is also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, a Shodan in Aikido and an expert in Krav Maga and Muay Thai. All of these masters have had an influence on the development of Gōki-Kai. A great deal of influence has been exerted by the writings, DVD’s and personal correspondence of Hanshi Patrick McCarthy, the Director of the International Ryūkyu Karate Research Society and founder of KoRyū Uchinadi Kenpo Jutsu. McCarthy Sensei has been profoundly influential. Many additional arts have influenced the development of Gōki-Kai as a fighting style. Kaichō Damien has spent many hours cross training, talking, attending seminars, reviewing DVD’s and video’s, practising, doing courses and experimenting to get to where Gōki-Kai is today. And this is, by no means, the end of the journey. Influences are shown on the following diagram:

Gōki-Kai

Karate-Dō

Zen Do Kai Freestyle

Karate Muay Thai

Judo

BJJ

PPCT

Firearms Training

Gōjū Ryū

(IOGKF) KoRyū

Uchinadi Kempo Jutsu

Security Work

Phillipino Martial Arts

Kyokushin

CQB

RBSD

Gōjū Ryū

(Jundokan)

Richard Dimitri

(Senshido)


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Richard Norton and Bob Jones – Early days of

Zen Do Kai

THE HISTORY OF ZEN DO KAI The following is transcription of an article published in Blitz Australasian Martial Arts Magazine. The purpose of this is to give a bit of background about the roots of Gōki-Kai. Soké Bob Jones left the Dojo of Ceberano Sensei in 1965 and the situation led to the birth of the first ever "Freestyle" and uniquely Australian martial art. Due to its origins within Gōju Kai, the school was originally called "Gōjū Rebels" but was renamed on June 1st 1970 and became what it is today, Zen Do Kai. Zen Do Kai was founded by Bob Jones, Soké, through an amalgamation of the most practical techniques of other martial arts styles and the Freestyle concept was born. With its original open mindedness and multi-dimensional acceptance of all true techniques, this ultra-modernistic approach to martial arts saw Zen Do Kai grow into an organisation of some 1000 schools and 20,000 students internationally in the early 1990’s. The

organisation in now much smaller than this but maintains a strong presence in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and the Darling Downs region of Queensland. From the early days with his fellow ‘bouncers’ training together in Karate to today’s modern martial arts organisation, Bob Jones always showed himself to be an innovator rather than an emulator, often attracting outbursts of jealous outrage from the opposition. Some examples would have to include: creating Zen Do Kai, the first ‘Freestyle’; pioneering kickboxing in this country, becoming the first kickboxing entrepreneur in Australia; introducing coloured uniforms for teaching ranks and eventually all ranks; introducing Muay Thai to the Australian public; teaching women’s self-defence on television; running one of Australia’s largest security organisations and the list goes on. To quote Soké Jones:

“Zen Do Kai is the ‘mother’ and like a huge oak tree she encompasses all our knowledge. She is, and will always be, the biggest martial art in the BJC”.

As you can see Zen Do Kai is a system that developed over more than 40 years. The style has evolved from adding the principles of many martial arts disciplines with the strong fighting tradition it has always had. Put together, it forms a modern, effective and comprehensive self-defence system.

Over the past forty years Zen Do Kai has continued to evolve and define itself. When Bob Jones first started the style in 1970 at a club in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne it was mainly to give his security staff a place to train. At this point in time Bob Jones had a strong background in the security, crowd control and personal protection. The style was traditional Japanese in nature as the foundations were originally the Japanese Gōjū style. Later, Zen Do Kai was influenced by the dynamic American stylists such as Chuck Norris, Mike Stone and Pat Johnstone, amongst


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others, when Bob Jones travelled and competed to the USA in the early 1970's. Towards the end of the '70's he introduced kickboxing to Australia. He is affectionately known as "The Godfather" of Australian kickboxing. Through Zen Do Kai he was able to produce many international standard competitors. During this time there was also an explosion of interest in the martial arts in Australia, due to the influence of factors such as the "Bruce Lee phenomenon" and the high media exposure that followed Bob Jones and Zen Do Kai across Australia. Zen Do Kai grew at a rapid rate across the width and breadth of the country and spread to New Zealand as well and can currently be found in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore and Israel. Through his keen interest in the competitive aspect of the martial arts, and to examine fighting skills and training practises that could enhance the practical abilities of the Zen Do Kai students Bob Jones ventured to Thailand. There he saw firsthand, together with other senior Zen Do Kai instructors, the devastating ability of the Muay Thai fighters developed over centuries of tradition. As a result of this, many of the powerful techniques of the Thai fighters have been included into the Zen Do Kai system. Since the 1960's in Australia and later in New Zealand the name Bob Jones has become synonymous with the Security Industry and the Martial Arts. During these four decades Bob Jones has taught thousands of Australians to protect themselves and many of these students went on to become Black Belts in the Martial Arts. Bob Jones then taught the elite of these Black Belts how to "protect others" and they were then employed within the security industry. In the sixties he met the security needs of many organisations, events and celebrities. In the seventies he secured almost all of Australia's major rock concerts that ran over several days and drew crowds in excess of 50,000. At each concert, hundreds of his Black Belts were employed to secure all aspects of public wellbeing. In the eighties Bob Jones personally toured as Bodyguard to many major rock and roll celebrities including the Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, Fleetwood Mac, Europe's ABBA, David Bowie, Boy George and Linda Ronstadt to name just a few.

OKINAWAN ROOTS The exact process of the progression of Gōjū from Okinawa, to Japan, to Hawaii to Australia led to some interpretive issues that have taken decades to unravel. The purpose of this section is to give a broad overview of the process. Gōki-Kai was developed as an evolution of Zen Do Kai and Zen Do Kai was developed from the Japanese Gōjū Kai Karate-Dō of Tino Ceberano. Ceberano Sensei was a student of the late Gōgen Yamaguchi (founder of Japanese Gōjū Kai) who was in turn the student of the founder of the Gōjū tradition, Chōjun Miyagi. All of the advanced kata that were found in Zen Do Kai (except the children’s Taikyoku kata, the Naihunchi kata and, obviously, the freeforms developed by the individual students) had their roots in the Gōjū-Ryū Karate of Miyagi Sensei, even though they had been heavily modified over the years. These modifications, and the focus on form rather than function, led Kaichō Damien to search for the truth of the kata, which in turn led him to Okinawan Gōjū-Ryū. Kaichō Damien has spent many years researching the Gōjū-Ryū kata which form the core of the Gōki-Kai system.


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GŌJŪ-RYŪ

Gōjū-Ryū (剛柔流) literally means "hard-soft style" and it is one of the main traditional

Okinawan styles of karate. This system of training was founded by legendary karate master Chōjun Miyagi. Miyagi Sensei named his system this after the 3rd precept of Chinese Kempo as found in the Bubishi: “The way of inhaling and exhaling is hardness and softness”1. Miyagi Sensei felt that this epitomised his karate (see the chapter Eight Precepts of the Fist for the original poems). The naming of Gōjū-Ryū came about quite by accident. In 1930 Jin'an Shinzato, senior student of Miyagi Sensei, gave a demonstration of Kata at the All Nippon Budō Championship which was held to celebrate the commemoration of Emperor Hirohito. After the tournament a martial artist from Japan asked Shinzato Sensei which Ryū or style of karate he represented. Baffled, Shinzato Sensei was unable to give the Japanese martial artist an answer. At that time the Ryūkyu Di (Okinawa hand) arts didn't have a name for each style they were only known by their geographical reference. Upon returning to Okinawa, Shinzato related the incident to Miyagi Sensei. Miyagi Sensei thought about this dilemma for a while before he decided to give his style a name in order to promote and compete with other schools of Japanese martial arts. Miyagi Sensei named his art "Gōjū-Ryū" meaning "Hard and Soft" after a poem of the eight principles of Chinese Kempo which came from the ancient White Crane text the "Bubishi" (Wu Bei Zhi in Chinese). Chōjun Miyagi named his method of Te from the third line of this poem. Chōjun Miyagi was the first among his peers not to name a system by the area in which it was practiced, such as Shuri-te, Tomari-te and Naha-te. In 1933 Chōjun Miyagi formally registered his art "Gōjū-Ryū” at the Dai Nippon Butokukai, the prestigious Japanese martial arts Association, thus becoming the first official ‘style’ of Karate. Late in the 20th century Gōjū-Ryū was recognised by the Dai Nippon Butokukai as a Kōryū Budō or ‘old martial art’. Both principles, hard and soft, come from the famous martial arts book Bubishi (Chinese: Wu Bei Ji), used by Okinawan masters during the 19th and 20th centuries. Go, which means hard, refers to closed hand techniques or straight linear attacks; Ju, which means soft, refers to open hand techniques and circular movements. Gōjū-Ryū incorporates both circular and linear movements into its curriculum, combining hard striking attacks such as kicks and close hand punches with softer open hand circular techniques for attacking, blocking, and controlling the opponent, including locks, grappling, takedowns and throws. Gōjū-Ryū practices methods that include body strengthening and conditioning, its basic approach to fighting (distance, stickiness, power generation, etc.), and partner drills. Miyagi Sensei was a student of the great karate master, Kanryo Higashionna, who trained in China’s Fukien Province for a number of years under the renowned master Ryū Ryūko. When Higashionna Sensei returned from China he founded Naha-Te, which was later evolved by his student Miyagi Sensei into Gōjū-Ryū. Miyagi Sensei blended the flowing softness of White Crane Kempo with the hard rigid styles of Okinawan Naha-Te to come to the Gōjū way. His style was epitomised by hard

1 Higaonna, M (1985) Traditional Karatedo Volume 1: Okinawa Gōjū Ryū, Sugawara Martial Arts Institute:

Okinawa, p.29


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Sanchin training and utilisation of the Hojo Undo training equipment to develop power. Miyagi Sensei did not believe in belts or rank in Karate and was even loathe give his ‘style’ a name. The evolution of Gōjū-Ryū is fascinating and to gain full understanding one must study for many years.

CHŌJUN MIYAGI Chōjun Miyagi was born in Naha, Okinawa on April 27 1888 and was the adopted son of a wealthy businessman. Miyagi began his study in Karate-Dō at the age of nine, first training under Ryūko Aragaki, who then introduced him to Naha-te Master Kanryo Higashionna when Miyagi was fourteen.

Under the tutelage of this Master, Miyagi underwent a very long and arduous period of training. His training with Higashionna was interrupted for a two-year period while Miyagi completed his mandatory military service, 1910-1912, in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Ken. In 1915, after the death of Master Kanryo Higashionna, Miyagi travelled to Fujian Province in China as his teacher had done before him and bade him to do. In China he studied the Shaolin and Pa Kua (Bagua) forms of Chinese boxing. From the blending of these systems, the hard linear/external form of Shaolin, the soft circular/internal form of Pa Kua, and his native Naha-Te, a new system emerged. However, it was not until 1929 that Chōjun Miyagi began using the name Gōjū-Ryū, after Jinan Shinzato’s visit to the mainland.

In 1918 Miyagi Sensei began instructing at the schools beginning with the Naha Jinjou Higher Elementary School and expanded his Karate teaching role to include the Teacher's College, Naha Commercial High School, and the Police Training Academy. In 1927, he held a Karate Seminar at the University of Kyoto and followed this up with seminars to spread Karate at Kansai University, Ritsumeikan University, and Hawaii. After some years in China, Chōjun Miyagi returned to Naha where he opened a dojo. He taught for many years, gaining an enormous reputation as a karate-ka. Even Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, came to Okinawa to learn specific karate take-downs. Despite his reputation, his greatest achievements lie in popularization and the organization of karate teaching methods. He introduced karate into Okinawa police work, high schools and other fields of society. He revised and further developed Kata Sanchin - the hard aspect of Gōju, and created Kata Tensho - the soft aspect. These kata are considered to contain the essence of the Gōjū-Ryū style. The highest kata, Suparinpei is said to contain the full syllabus of Gōjū-Ryū kata. Shisochin was Miyagi's favourite kata at the end of his years. Tensho was influenced by the White Crane kata Rokkishu, which he learned from his long-time friend Gokenki. With a goal of unification of various karate styles which was in fashion at that time, he also created more Shurite-like katas Gekisai Dai Ichi and Gekisai Dai Ni in 1940, taking techniques from higher forms (notably Suparinpei, and upper blocks uncommon for Gōjū-Ryū at that time) and incorporating them into a shorter form. It is said he created these kata to bridge the gap between Sanchin kata and Saifa kata, which contains much more complex moves compared to Sanchin kata. However, Gekisai katas are learned before Sanchin kata now.

Chōjun Miyagi Sensei


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Some of his more notable students were: Higa Seko (his oldest student and also a student of Kanryo Higaonna), Ei'ichi Miyazato (founder of the Jundokan dojo), Meitoku Yagi (founder of the Meibukan dojo, who eventually accepted late master Miyagi's gi and obi from Miyagi's family), Seikichi Toguchi (founder of Shorei-kan Gōjū-Ryū ), and on the Japanese mainland Gōgen Yamaguchi who was the founder of the International Karate do Gōjū Kai Association and who after training with Miyagi, became the representative of Gōjū-Ryū in Japan. At a later date Gōgen Yamaguchi invested much time studying Kata under Meitoku Yagi.

Miyagi’s Black Belts Contrary to many claims since his death, Miyagi Sensei never awarded anyone a black belt and, in fact, never wore the one made for him by his students. This belt was left to Ei’ichi Miyazato after Miyagi Sensei’s death. There is a famous story that a number of Japanese karateka offered Miyagi Sensei a huge bribe to be awarded dan rankings at a meeting in Japan in 1936. Miyagi Sensei refused and never returned to mainland Japan. There are a small number of photographs of Miyagi Sensei working with Ei’ichi Miyazato where he is seen wearing a white gi and a black belt tied in a bow. In these instances these were staged photographs where both men, who were also advanced Judoka, were wearing their Judo gi and black belt.

Successor Miyagi Sensei had nominated his successors prior to the commencement of hostilities in World War 2. They were Jinan Shinzato and his 3rd son Jun Miyagi. Unfortunately both were among the 150,000 Okinawan casualties of the war. Miyagi Sensei never formally nominated a successor but he left his black belt and Hojo Undo equipment to Miyazato Ei’ichi, which gave credence to his claim as the successor. It is certain that his successor was not Gōgen Yamaguchi, who declared himself a 10th dan on Miyagi’s death even though he only had about three weeks of training under the Sensei.

"Let me first say that I was not named the successor of Gōjū-Ryū by Miyagi, but nor was anyone else. There are some Gōjū-Ryū teachers who claim to have been privately appointed successor by Miyagi. These claims are ludicrous and disrespectful of his memory. He never publicly named anyone as successor. Common sense would dictate that if he were to appoint someone, it would have been a longtime student and it would have to be of public record to have any value. Miyagi was not a man to do things in a haphazard manner - everything was very deliberate and precise. It would also be logical to assume that since Miyagi would not grant dan ranking, how then would he be inclined to name a successor? I feel Miyagi would be rolling in his grave with the plethora of ridiculous claims about this matter."

Seikichi Toguchi2

2 Toguchi, Seikichi (2001). Okinawan Gōjū-Ryū II, Advanced Techniques of Shorei-Kan Karate. p. 26

Miyagi Sensei and Ei'ichi Miyazato training together wearing Judo gi in 1951.


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EI’ICHI MIYAZATO & THE JUNDOKAN Ei’ichi Miyazato Sensei began his training with Miyagi Sensei at the age of 13. Miyazato Sensei’s father had himself studied with Kanryo Higaonna and therefore Miyagi accepted the young Miyazato as a student. Except for a brief time during WWII, Miyazato Sensei studied continuously with Miyagi Sensei. He was but only of a handful of the original students that continued their training with Master Miyagi after the war. Miyazato Sensei joined the Ryūkyū Police Department on Miyagi's recommendation in 1946 where he served as physical education instructor at the police academy assisting Miyagi Sensei (then an instructor at the academy) to teach karate and judo. He continued to teach at the academy after his Sensei’s death and finally retired from the police in 1972. With the sudden passing of Miyagi Sensei in 1953, Miyazato Sensei inherited his Masters training equipment, gi and obi (belt) and kept teaching at his teachers Garden Dojo in Tsuboya. Later that year a group of Miyagi’s senior students, including Nakaima, Madanbashi, Meitoki Yagi, Koshin Iha and Ei’ichi Miyazato came together to elect a successor for Gōjū-Ryū. The consensus of the group was that Miyazato was the most qualified to succeed Miyagi Sensei due to his qualifications and because he had spent the most continuous training time with Miyagi, both in the dojo and in the police department. Kei Miyagi, the second oldest son of Master Miyagi was called to testify. He testified that Master Miyagi always said that Miyazato was the only one he could depend on for everything in the dojo. Miyazato Sensei accepted the responsibility and dedicated his life to preserving and spreading Okinawan Gōjū-Ryū throughout the world, as taught by his teacher.

Miyazato Sensei opened the Jundokan in Asato, Naha, in 1957 and much of the Hojo Undo equipment from Miyagi Sensei’s famed garden Dojo was moved there. The Jundokan was the first free standing building exclusively designed to teach Okinawan Gōjū-Ryū. Jundokan means, “Center for the study in the father’s footsteps”, a name which reflects Miyazato Sensei’s devotion for his teacher. The Jundokan has students the world over and is responsible for training some of the world’s greatest Gōjū-Ryū practitioners. The current building was erected of concrete and steel in 1970 on the site

adjacent to the original timber building. After Miyazato Sensei passed away in 1999, his son Yoshihiro became the Kanchō

Ei’ichi Miyazato (1922-1999) was recognized as the highest authority on Okinawan Gōjū-Ryū Karate-Dō in the world after the death of his teacher. He served as the senior most

Miyazato Ei'ichi Sensei

The Jundokan

http://www.jundokanfrance.fr/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Eiichi_Miyazato_Sensei_21.jpg


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technical advisor for the Japan Karate Federation Gōjū-Kai, the governing body for all Okinawan and Japanese Gōjū-Ryū Karate where he held a position on the technical examination committee. Additionally, he was the chairman and technical director for the World Jundokan Association, All Okinawa Karate-Dō Federation. Additionally, he held a 7th Dan in Judo through the Kodokan and was the president of the Okinawa Judo Federation until his passing. Upon his death the Kodokan posthumously awarded him with his 8th Dan. It is said that Miyazato Sensei was never thrown during bout.

MASAJI TAIRA SENSEI

Masaji Taira (正次平良) is a leading teacher of Okinawa Gōjū-

Ryū, in the manner of the Jundokan dojo in Okinawa and of his teacher Ei'ichi Miyazato. He is best known as a researcher and practitioner of the bunkai of the Gōjū-Ryū kata and for being unusually open in his teachings; feeling that the techniques and learning must be shared, for their preservation and to test their effectiveness. Taira Sensei was raised on Kume Island. His family were farmers, growing sugarcane and rice. In his third year of high school the family moved to Naha, where Taira Sensei finished his schooling.

When he was young on Kume Island the kids all used to do Okinawan Sumo. They would go to the sand pit when they were in school and do that during break times. There were always Okinawan Sumo competitions and tournaments between the different villages. When he was 16 Taira Sensei started training in Gōjū-Ryū Karate at the Jundokan dojo of Ei'ichi Miyazato Sensei. There was a break in his Karate training when he joined the Japanese police force. He has trained continuously at Gōjū-Ryū Karate since he was 21. He joined the Japanese Police Force when he graduated from High School. As part of his riot police training he was required to learn Judo. He achieved his Judo black belt in 3 months. He attributes this to his childhood Okinawan Sumo training. He is currently 4th dan in Judo. His day as a member of the riot squad ended at 5pm whereby he would make the journey from Gushikawa City where he was stationed to the Jundokan in Naha where from 6pm to 10pm every night he would pursue his karate training with an equal dedication under the guidance of the late Ei’ichi Miyazato Sensei. While in his early years at the Jundokan he met a senior in the Dojo called Shinko Gima Sensei. Gima Sensei is a very wiry, extremely strong man whose kata exudes power. Although a slight man, he is formidable in his speed and execution of technique. Realising they were on a similar path the two men teamed up and spent their time in the dojo training together. As both hated to lose there were many battle scars received on both sides. After the dojo on many occasions, taken by the spirit of perfecting their technique, they would make their way to the hills of Madanbashi approximately an hour’s walk from the Jundokan. There they would spend their time training until sunrise on some occasions. Being the hills and given Okinawa's tropical climate, the mosquitoes were always in abundant supply giving them all the more reason to keep moving.


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Most of Taira Sensei's Karate career has revolved around his focus on the Bunkai of the kata and he has painstakingly dissected the kata and trained his body to the point where he has mastered the inner workings of Gōjū-Ryū Kata. Taira Sensei's bunkai is unusual in his insistence on working the kata in sequence, rather than picking techniques from the kata in isolation. He is also adamant that the kata should not be changed to perform bunkai. Taira Sensei's first overseas seminar was held in Seattle, Washington in 1997 and hosted by Jundokan Seattle. Since then he has been travelling the world giving seminars on his interpretations of the bunkai of the Gōjū-Ryū kata. He has presented seminars in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Europe. The main focus of Taira Sensei's training is the application of Gōjū-Ryū Kata techniques to self defence, as bunkai. Unlike many other teachers he does not cherry pick techniques from the kata. He believes that the Kata were designed as complete fighting systems, with logical transitions from one technique to another as a complete and complex defensive flow. It is important not to mistake his complete kata bunkai to mean that the entire kata needs to be performed. Any single technique can be used to finish a fight. The kata works as a template to prepare the student with entry and exit points for defensive and counter moves. With a complete knowledge of the system a practitioner should be able to response to almost any attack and have a start and end point from that attack. Taira Sensei is an accomplished Kobudō-ka and student of Masakazu Kinjo Sensei.

THE GŌKI-KAI EVOLUTION In April 2010 Shihan Hannah and Kaichō Damien had the privilege to train in Okinawa at the Jundokan under the guidance of Taira Sensei. The pair travelled to Okinawa with Kaichō Damien’s old Zen Do Kai instructor, Kyōshi Billy Manné (8th Dan), where they worked extensively on kata and bunkai from the Gōjū-Ryū curriculum. This had been a goal of the trio for a number of years after having seen Taira Sensei demonstrating his unique approach to kata in a television documentary. After two weeks of intensive training, the trio returned to Australia and their respective Dojo’s to work on the skills and drills learnt from Taira Sensei. In 2011 Taira Sensei left the Jundokan and founded his own organisation, the Okinawa Gōjū-Ryū Kenkyukai – which essentially translates to Research Society for Okinawan Gōjū-Ryū. Hannah and Damien both immediately joined the organisation and are both now branch chiefs of the organisation. They travel to Okinawa annually and bring Taira Sensei to the Gold Coast annually in order to keep up their own studies.


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Training at the Jundokan in 2010 (from left) Kinjo Sensei, Damien Martin, Gima Sensei, Taira Sensei, unknown, Hannah Thornton

More Information Further information on Gōjū-Ryū can be found in the modern writings of Morio Higaonna Sensei (10th Dan), of Okinawa.


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VISION, MISSION & VALUES

OUR VISION We will develop evidence based methodologies that ensure that our training is

ethical, practical, cost effective, tactically sound, legally defensible and have minimum risk of injury to all parties involved whilst at the same time providing the best possible self defence training.

We will continue to spread the message that no one should be a victim of violence.

We will provide the absolute best training possible.

We will never rest on our laurels and will always strive to learn more, be better and overcome challenges so that we may better serve the community in which we live.

To use the traditional training martial arts paradigm with modern methods to create a learning environment that is unsurpassed.

OUR MISSION To provide research validated self defence training that meets the needs of our

students and provides them with the ability to deal with the effects of fear, defeat a determined attacker and deal effectively with the legal system.

To provide a safe haven of positive energy and support for our student’s mental and physical growth.

To provide inspiration of personal excellence through our example as Black Belts both in and out of the Dojo.

To ensure the long term growth of Gōki-Kai Karate Do and its instructors by providing exemplary student service.

OUR VALUES We operate ethically

We treat our students and ourselves with trust and respect

We communicate openly

We are accountable for our decisions, actions and behaviour

We value our expertise and share our knowledge

We value personal safety

We value community responsibility


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DOJO KUN The Dojo Kun is the creed behind the training of the Gōki-Kai practitioner. It is as follows:

I am

proud to study Gōki-Kai; following the path of Warrior;

I will show courtesy, respect and honesty towards myself and others; I will develop confidence, critical thinking and strength through disciplined training;

I will never use violence for personal gain or raise my hand against the innocent or powerless; I will seek excellence of character through physical training, and strive to be a positive example for all.

We are training for strength together!


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REISHIKI – THE ETIQUETTE OF GŌKI-KAI Reishiki is a central element of life within the dojo. Reishiki comes from two Japanese words. The first is “REI” which is defined as: bow, salutation, salute, courtesy, propriety, ceremony, thanks and appreciation. The second part of the term is “SHIKI” which is defined as: ceremony, rite or function. Combined the term “Reishiki” can translate as: Ceremonial manners - Etiquette. Some might consider this type of consideration to another human being as being conservatively old fashioned however we could say that the end goal of Rei is rooted into all forms of budō because any martial art without Reishiki is just fighting.

Lining up for Training A highly structured class in any budō, which includes a Gōki-Kai class, begins on time with the senior student (sempai) calling the beginning of class by ordering everyone to line up. There is a formality to lining up. Kamiza (the senior or most acknowledged person) and Shimoza (the most junior person) in attendance must line up or sit in their appropriate locations. This means the most junior person is seated farthest away from the door and the most senior person is seated closest to the door (or primary entrance / exit). If the door is to the centre of the room or if there is a Shinza (a shrine like focal point of Shomen) at Shomen then the right side of Shinza is Kamiza and the left side of Shinza is Shimoza with the junior attendees still farthest from the entrance/exit. Shomen simply means ‘front’ and signifies the ‘spiritual’ focus of the Dojo. The purpose of this sequence is ancient and involves the concept of Musha Shugyo – the warrior’s journey or Dojo challenge. The basic premise was/is that the role of the senior students was to protect the school from any attackers that make it through the door! Up until recently (the last 20 or so years) Dojo challenges were reasonably common and any school could expect an attack from another school at almost any time. Some Dojo’s even went as far as to have a bell out the front of the Dojo for challengers to ring to make the challenge, and ran drills (like fire drills at school) to train in the appropriate response.

The Shomen In the Gōki-Kai Honbu Dojo we have a formal Shomen at the front of the Dojo. The Dojo Shinza (shrine) is located on the Kamidana on the front wall of the Dojo. The purpose of the Shinza and Kamidana is to pay respect to the traditions of the martial arts Dojo and to allow a physical focus of the student’s attention during the ceremonial (traditional) portions of the class. One either side of these are the Dojo scrolls. The right side scroll (when facing the Shomen) is “Gōki-Kai Karate Dō So-Honbu Dojo” or “Aussie Spirit School of Karate Headquarters” whilst the left side says “Okinawa Gōjū Ryū Karate Dō Kenkyukai” or Okinawa Gōjū Ryū Karate Dō Research Society. This is where the photo’s, if any, of the Dojo’s antecedent Sensei’s or masters are. On this note it is important to understand that in Okinawan culture you don’t put a picture of a living Master at the Shomen, only deceased. Japanese culture allows both. Our Dojo utilises the Okinawan tradition in respect to this.

The NafudaKake The Nafuda Kake is the hooks at the front of the Dojo with the plaques containing the


24 © Damien Martin

names of the Kuro Obi Kai (Black Belt Society) members of the Dojo. These plaques, or Nafuda, have the names in both English and Japanese of every Black Belt that has been trained and graduated by our organisation. Many no longer train but their efforts are still noteworthy. Nafuda Kake are found in most traditional Dojo’s and often list all of the current members of a Dojo. In our Dojo that would be an expensive, time consuming and somewhat impractical gesture as there are so many members; so we chose to list our Kuro Obi Kai who have been entered into the history of our school. The Nafuda are the name plates, and the Kake is the hooks or board that they hang on. Once a student achieves a Black Belt rank in any of our Karate systems, they receive their own Nafuda, which goes up on the board. Historically (and we still do this) they also get

entered into the ‘Dojo Scrolls” (okuiri 奥入書) becoming a ‘named’ student (mokoroku 目録)

of the Dojo.

Our NafudaKake list all of our Black Belts, including Junior Black Belts, and recognises their skill and dedication, as well as their contribution to our growth and development overall. After each Senjo, or Black Belt grading, successful students either hang their own plaque up for the first time, or move their plaque across to the next rank. Thanks to Hanae Sugi from the Robina/Carrara Dojo, and to Junko Sensei, our Japanese language teacher, for their invaluable assistance in doing the translations.

Terminology The terminology associated with Reishiki is detailed below. Be aware that often we will start classes relatively informally with the standing bow rather than going through the ‘full’ protocol. That tends to be saved for special visitors and special occasions:

'Seiretsu' (line up)

'Kiotsuke' (attention)

'Seiza' (kneeling position) or Chakuza (sit down)

'Mokuso' (begin meditation)

'Mokuso' Yame' (end meditation) or 'Naorei' (as you were)

'Shomen ni rei' (bow to front)

'Shihan ni rei' - (bow towards Shihan') - bow whilst saying 'Onegai Shimasu' (Command and bow only if Shihan is present).

'Sensei ni rei' - (bow towards Sensei) - bow whilst saying 'Onegai Shimasu'


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(Command and bow only if Sensei is present).

'Sempai ni rei' - (bow towards Sempai) - bow whilst saying 'Onegai Shimasu' (Command and bow only if Sempai is present).

'Otagai ni rei' (bow to each other-beginning of class) – bow whilst saying 'Onegai Shimasu'

'Otagai ni rei' (bow to each other-end of class) – bow whilst saying 'Arigato Gozaimashita'.

'Sotachi' (all rise) or 'Kiritsu' (stand up)

'Ritsu Rei' (standing bow). Yes, it is a lot of bowing however this should just about sum it up for any traditional Dojo. Note that this ceremony is not to be considered religious in nature, but is an important part of the "Reishiki" which is focused etiquette and is essential to budō. The acts of bowing and respect also enable us to work on developing our sense of humility. Reishiki is the order of bowing (bowing ceremonies) that open and close class. This is where deshi (students) line up according to their particular rank and pay their respect and thanks for what they are about to learn or have learned. Dojo Reishiki (ceremony) is important to the creation of a formal and traditional atmosphere in the Dojo. In traditional Karate, one of the first concepts that we are taught is that of Reishiki (or at least it should be). I don't think any students lasts long who greets their instructor with the term "Yo Sensei" or "Yo, my main man Sensei." As we begin our training, the concepts of Reishiki are taught to us as much of the art is, through observing those who have come before us. Watching our seniors in training and in their general actions and interactions in the Dojo is an outstanding way to learn, provided that the seniors have been observant over the years. There are many occasions in the day to day operations of a Dojo that require some form of ceremony. On a more pragmatic note, the ceremonies relating to Reishiki also serve a number of other purposes. There is a great deal of empirical research that shows that training in a ‘traditional’ martial arts school, with ‘traditional’ values measurably increases students self discipline and reduces their aggression. This is believed to be due to the fact that the students can call upon the ritual of the Reishiki to bring themselves to a focal point psychologically. Ritual is, and has always been, an important part of the psyche of humanity.

Addressing the Instructor During training, or indeed any time you are wearing a Gi and your belt, you should address your teacher(s) as Sensei or Sempai, or any other title that may apply. If unsure, go with Sensei as it has the broadest application and someone not holding this rank will correct you if necessary. Outside of the Dojo the use of titles and such is not mandatory. In our Dojo during training all instructors of 3rd dan or above, or those awarded the title beforehand, are referred to as Sensei during training. Special titles like Renshi or Shihan are reserved for more formal occasions. Likewise, anyone further along the path, that is someone who has been training longer than you, is your sempai (senior) and you are their


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kohai (junior). This would actually never change, regardless of rank. With visiting Okinawan instructors you should also consider the following points of etiquette:

1) Try not to walk ahead of Sensei thus making him follow you. Walk off to the side and slightly behind. This can get tricky with stairs or with holding doors open but always make sure you try!

2) Stairs are a bit of an exception. Try to walk down a set of stairs ahead of Sensei, to avoid having your feet be at the same level as Sensei's head.

3) Never eat or drink before being invited to eat or drink by Sensei. Regardless of whether or not your food/drink has been served to you.

4) Do not hold side conversations when at the table and definitely do not whisper. 5) Try to finish your food/drink before Sensei is finished. Never keep him waiting for

you to finish your food. 6) When offered something to eat, (unless you are allergic to it) you should eat it.

The Sempai/Kohai Relationship The sempai/kohai (seniors and juniors in Japanese, big and little brothers in the Chinese arts) relationship is carried over from the Asian origins of the martial arts. Basically, the concept is that whoever joins a dojo, regardless of rank, owes an obligation to all who follow to pass on the collective knowledge and assist them in their learning. Reciprocally, newcomers, regardless of rank or experience, owe a measure of respect to their seniors at the club for passing on the knowledge. Instructors and senior students are addressed by title, e.g. Sensei, sempai, etc. While junior belts are not usually addressed by title, respect and courtesy is expected to flow both ways. Sempai/Kohai Etiquette in the Dojo

1) As sempai, you start the class by calling 'Seiretsu' (line up) at the appropriate time. If need be you can commence a warmup within the limitations of your personal rank and knowledge. An example of this being necessary is if the Sensei is dealing with a problem off the mat at the commencement of class time.

2) As sempai, never put your Sensei in the position of having to teach or enforce proper etiquette. Etiquette enforcement is the responsibility of the senior student on the floor.

3) As kohai, if your sempai corrects you for etiquette reasons, don't argue, just say thank or bow and continue with your training.

4) If you are kohai, always work at the pace set by your sempai. Remember, sempai have been on the path longer than you and may have a reason for going slower (or faster) or softer (or harder) that is unknown to you.

5) If you are sempai, recognize the limits of what your kohai can do and use speed and force accordingly.

6) If your sempai asks you to stop doing something when you are training together, don't argue, just stop doing it.

7) If you are kohai, understand that your sempai may be holding back when you train together for your own benefit. Don't take this for granted!

8) Do what your sempai asks you to do. If Sensei corrects you for doing something that your sempai has shown you don't say, "Well, sempai said I should do it that way". Just say thank you and change it.

9) If your sempai shows you something different from what Sensei has shown you, don't assume it is wrong or right, just make note of it and ask Sensei later if you are curious.


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Religious Connotations Simply put, there are none. In Asian cultures, from whence Karate sprang, people bow to each other rather than shaking hands. The keeping of these practices keeps our links with our martial arts ‘ancestors’ and the Sensei’s of today, who continue to train in, and spread the arts of, their ancestors. The Shinza and Kamidana are symbolic of that link, as is our Dojo Mon (logo) and the Nafuda plaques on the Shomen.

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT The Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō is a progressive traditional self defence school that combines modern training methods and a scientific approach, yet still follows and promotes traditional values. Our training sessions are conducted in the spirit of mutual co-operation and friendly competition to enable everyone to develop their personal skills.

Traditional values at our school means acting with the:

Spirit of Contribution

Spirit of Respect

Spirit of Harmony and Unity

Spirit of Determination

Spirit of Humanity We endeavour to promote the positive aspects of martial culture and this is achieved through the use of traditional methods such as belt ranking systems, a school hierarchy and traditional rituals of respect and courtesy which honour the founders and predecessors of the arts we study. As such:

Always bow when entering and leaving the training area. We also bow at the commencement and completion of each class, as well as to our training partners before and after training drills.

Always refer to instructors by their teaching rank or title. If unsure, the title sensei will suffice.

Appreciate that martial arts, regardless of ‘style', is defensive in nature and violence, either in or out of the school, will not be tolerated.

Show respect for each other, and cultivating the virtues of modesty and humility.

Recognise that a martial arts school is not a democracy. Know that your instructors are professionals and have your best interests at heart.

1. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every human being

Within the context of the activity, treat everyone equally regardless of sex, ethnic origin or religion

Respect your parents and elders at all times

Show respect and humility to all you should meet especially your instructors and senior members

2. Be responsible to ensure that your time spent in training is a positive experience

You are studying a martial art in a school which promotes traditional values.

Pay attention to the direction and teaching of your instructor

Be diligent in your training, concentrate, and remain focused

Do not disrupt the class in so doing endangering the safety of others, being disrespectful to your instructor and embarrassing yourself

Practice in your own time and develop your own mental and physical ability 3. Treat each person as an individual

Respect the talent, desire to learn, and goals of each individual in the class


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Help each person reach their full potential

Unnecessary roughness, crude language, or a display of ill temper or disrespect is strictly forbidden.

4. Be fair, considerate and honest with fellow students

Safety comes first

Control your personal ego

Remember humility in training

Out of respect for instructors and class mates, maintain good personal hygiene - this means a clean uniform, clean body, controlled body odour, long hair tied back and fingernails and toenails kept short

5. Be professional in and accept responsibility for your actions

Language, manner, punctuality, attitude and integrity should display high standards

Display control, respect, dignity and professionalism to all involved with the martial art/sport. This includes opponents, coaches, officials, administrators, the media, parents and spectators

Rank is earned, not given or bought 6. Make a commitment to yourself

Maintain or improve your current skills, ability and develop your personal attitude

Seek continual improvement through performance appraisal and ongoing training

You will make a healthy body through unyielding training and perseverance 7. Any physical contact with fellow students should be:

Appropriate to the situation

Necessary for training skills development 8. Refrain from any form of personal abuse towards fellow students

This includes verbal, physical and emotional abuse

Be alert to any forms of abuse directed towards other members of Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō

9. Refrain from any form of harassment towards fellow students 10. Maintain a safe environment for training and competition

Ensure that you comply to equipment and facility safety standards

Always follow our infection control guidelines

Always demonstrate poise under pressure, adherence to the competition rules and display control, respect, dignity and professionalism

11. Show concern and caution towards sick and injured members

Support members training using a modified training program as a result of an injury or disability where appropriate

12. Be a positive role model for your martial art

Treat people with respect and openness

Train diligently while being considerate of others

Remember that your actions can affect the reputation of the school and your classmates

EXPECTED BEHAVIOUR Dojo means ‘place of the Way’. The Dojo is a place of learning self defence, a place of discipline and, most importantly, a place of the Way of the Warrior. The instructors are friendly and easygoing but please keep in mind we do have certain safety regulations and rules to protect the property of other students and the Dojo.


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1. Leave your ego and problems at the door. Adopt the Way with a clean and fresh outlook.

2. When entering the Dojo or floor, stop at the door, face in to the Dojo, bow and say “Onegai Shimasu”. When exiting the Dojo or floor always bow and say 'Arigato Gozaimashita'.

3. Always be on time for training. If you are late, warm yourself up off to the side of the mat. When you are ready to commence training, stand at the side of the mat in ‘heiko-dachi’. When the instructor notices you they will turn and bow you onto the mat with a loud “Osu!” You should respond in the same manner and then assume your position in the class.

4. The students in the class line up at the commencement of a class in order of seniority and rank. The highest ranked students are in the front line, lowest ranked in the back line and so on.

5. The class commences and finishes with a formal bow. We bow on the command of “Rei” and come upright on the command of “Matte”. There will occasionally be a short period of meditation (“Mokuso”) before each formal bow in/out. See the section on Reishiki in the Japanese Terminology section.

6. Do not remove any part of your gi during training without being asked to do so. Only adjust your gi during breaks. You should turn away to do so.

7. Always adhere to the proper etiquette regarding belts. 8. The student should do all the bars and embroidery on their belt personally. This

allows contemplation and reflection on the meaning of their new rank. 9. Always follow instructions quickly. Do not stroll or procrastinate. When you return to

the mat after a break you should assume the ‘heiko-dachi’ position and await instruction.

10. Do not walk in front of other students or between a pair (partners) as this is most discourteous.

11. Never practice kumite without an instructor present. Always wear the mandatory protective equipment and follow the safety guidelines when sparring.

12. It is discourteous to ask a higher rank to practice kumite; however it is also discourteous to refuse if the higher rank asks you. Never step forward into your fighting stance upon commencement of kumite. This is seen as an insult.

13. When practicing kumite with a higher rank do your best but keep in mind that they will have your lower rank and abilities in mind.

14. Address your instructor and senior students by their correct title. If unsure address them as Sensei. They will correct you if this is incorrect.

15. Listen carefully to the instructor and always show respect. Acknowledge all instructions with a strong “Osu!” Never question the instructors’ directions or speak out of turn.

16. Treat training seriously. Do your best and train hard. Always remember the spirit of Osu!

17. Remember too that possession of a senior grade is not an excuse to slacken your pace or lounge around. All black belts must be able to maintain their minimum grading requirements. All black gi’s must put in 100% all of the time. If you are sick or injured, wear a standard gi.

18. Ensure your fingernails and toenails are clean and short to prevent cutting yourself other students. Always ensure your hands, nails and feet are clean prior to commencing training. Nobody likes to train with somebody who is dirty and smelly.

19. Do not wear dangly ear-rings, facial piercings or any bracelets, watches or rings. 20. Treat others as you would have them treat you. Always be polite and say "please"

and "Thankyou". 21. Don't talk out of turn during a class. By all means ask questions but wait your turn.


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22. Always inform instructors of any injuries or illnesses and please do not train when you are ill (contagious). This is inconsiderate as you pass the illness on.

23. Respect other people’s property and leave it alone. 24. Violent behaviour in and out of class will not be tolerated. 25. Do not eat, chew gum, smoke or drink in the Dojo. You may take water during

breaks. No sugary drinks allowed on the mat. 26. Go to the toilet prior to training. An accidental blow to a full bladder can be extremely

dangerous. Do not train on a full stomach either, so please avoid eating less than an hour before class.

27. Always bow and say “Osu” prior to, and immediately after training with a partner. 28. Always complete a kata you have commenced. Never stop halfway.

REMEMBER TOO: Everyone works

Nothing is free All start at the bottom


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THE PHILOSOPHY OF GŌKI-KAI First and foremost, the philosophy of Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō is inherently pacifistic. One of the key principles of Karate is “Karate ni sente nashi”. Typically translated this means “there is

no first attack in karate”. All of the great masters taught this principle.

For many years it has been misinterpreted to mean that you must wait for the attacker to strike before you defend yourself - this is incorrect! The attacker initiates an attack with their intention; you are legally and morally entitled to defend yourself once you are aware that you have no other option; the situation is going to get physical regardless of your efforts to leave or to de-escalate. Karate ni sente nashi means simply that the trained

martial artist should not, and must not, look for trouble. The Master Kenwa Mabuni (1889-1952), the founder of Shitō-ryū wrote of this in his book Kobo kenpo Karate-Dō nyumon 3(1938), in a section of Chapter 10 entitled “Correct and Incorrect Understanding of the Meaning of ‘Karate ni Sente Nashi,’” we find the following extremely relevant comments:

There is a precept “karate ni sente nashi.” Properly understood, this indicates a mental attitude of not being eager or inclined to fight. It is the teaching that just because one has trained in karate does not mean that one can rashly strike or kick others. It seems that there are two types of mistaken interpretations regarding this precept, and [I’d] like to correct them.

The first is a mistaken understanding held by some people who are not karate practitioners. Such people say, “In all fights the opportunity for victory is seized by getting the jump on your enemy; a passive attitude such as sente nashi is inconsistent with Japanese budō.” Such a view forgets the essential purpose of budō: Bu (6) takes as its ideal the stopping of the spear (7), and its aim is the maintenance of peace. Those who make such statements do not understand that the true spirit of Japanese budō means not being bellicose.

When faced with someone who disrupts the peace or who will do one harm, one is as a warrior gone to battle, and so it only stands to reason that one should get the jump on the enemy and pre-empt his use of violence. Such action in no way goes against the precept of sente nashi.

Second is a mistaken understanding found among some karate practitioners. It is a view that does not see sente nashi as an attitude, but rather as a literal, behavioural rule to be rigidly followed. As noted above, when absolutely necessary, when one is already facing a battle, it is an accepted truth of strategy that one should try to take sensen no sen (8) and forestall the enemy’s actions.

3 (Mabuni, Kenwa, and Genwa Nakasone. Kobo Kenpo Karate-Dō Nyumon. 1938. Ginowan, Japan.:

Yojusha translation 1996. pp. 82-83) as provided by Mark Tankosich

The memorial stone for Gichin Funakoshi near the Okinawan Prefectural Budōkan. It bears the inscription "Karate ni sente nashi".


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In conclusion, the expression karate ni sente nashi should be properly understood to mean that a person who practices karate must never take a bellicose attitude, looking to cause an incident; he or she should always have the virtues of calmness, prudence and humility in dealing with others.

It seems self evident then that karate ni sente nashi does not preclude a pre-emptive strike

and indeed in some instances it advocates it. Karate training encompasses a number of basic principles relating to initiative that facilitate the action. Go no sen is reactive or

responsive initiative, sen no sen is simultaneous initiative, and sensen no sen is preemptive initiative. The response chosen is based on the threat encountered.

THE WARRIORS CODE Bushidō means “Way of the Warrior”. The Bushidō that we know today is largely a myth created by an early 20th century Japanese scholar, Inazo Nitobe. This is not to say that it is without value. The virtues espoused as ideals by Nitobe form the heart of the philosophy of Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō. According to Nitobe there are seven primary principles of Bushidō. In no order of precedence, these are:

honour,

loyalty,

truth and sincerity,

benevolence,

self-control,

courage, and

justice. An excellent book on the subject is: Morgan, Forrest (1992). Living the Martial Way: A Manual for the Way a Modern Warrior Should Think. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade Books, 1992.

In Gōki-Kai we understand that the core concept of Bushidō is sound and that there are many historical precedents from all over the world. The challenge is to ensure that the modern version of the ‘code’ is workable and liveable in the 21st Century. In reality it is exceedingly difficult to live your life this way today, particularly in terms of Courage and Justice. Many things that are unjust morally are quite legal, thus creating a mental disconnect. Over time we have developed our own warriors ‘code’, which expands on Nitobe’s work and is in keeping with our core values and the goals of Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō. Our Warriors Code can be summed up simply:

We are the sum of our actions

Bushidō in Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō In the Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō code of Bushidō there are a number of virtues under the all encompassing umbrella of honour. Without honour we are nothing. Honour is difficult to capture in mere words. It is something you have intrinsically. One could define honour as internal integrity or dignity. Many people wrongfully think that their honour simply has to do with their reputation, but it is not that simple. It is the warrior who


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determines his or her honour by word and by deed; reputation therefore is determined by other people’s thoughts, for the most part. You determine your own honour, or lack of honour, by staying true to your own beliefs and living according to your own code of honour. Your personal honour is determined internally by your own commitment to live up to your predetermined ethics. It is your intentions and your actions which determine your honour, not what someone else thinks. The true warrior, who lives by a code of honour, will have very few regrets in life because he will know that he has done the best that he can to live a life of honour with truth and purity of intention. This is best summed up by the quote attributed to Miyamoto Musashi in Eiji Yoshikawa’s book, Mushashi:

“I will do nothing that I will regret” As we said, honour is the overarching virtue, which encompasses all the rest. The other

virtues are: Fidelity: Fidelity is the quality of being faithful or loyal. It means doing your duty. This faithfulness or loyalty

can be to a person, to a group of people, or to an idea. For example, if your friend is being teased by others in a way that makes him or her feel bad, fidelity is standing by your friend, defending your friend, and refusing to join in the teasing, no matter what. In Gōki-Kai we value fidelity greatly and believe that there is a hierarchy to its application in the training context. Put simply, family first, job second, training third. In a broader application it’s this sense of fidelity from whence our sense of community springs.

Humility: Humility is having a clear perspective, and therefore respect, for one's place in context. False humility is placing others above yourself in order to appear to be good or better than others.

Benevolence: Benevolence means good will or disposition to do ‘good’. Benevolence encompasses compassion and altruism and is at the root of the warriors code. Without benevolence there would be no sheepdogs, only wolves preying on the sheep.

Respect: Respect is a positive feeling of esteem or deference for a person or other entity (such as a nation or a religion), and also specific actions and conduct representative of that esteem. Respect can be a specific feeling of regard for the actual qualities or attributes of the one respected (e.g., "I have great respect for her judgment"). It can also be conduct in accord with a specific ethic of respect. Rude conduct is usually considered to indicate a lack of respect, disrespect, where as actions that honour somebody or something indicates respect. Respect can be both given and/or received. Depending on an individual's cultural reference frame, respect can be something that is earned. Respect is often thought of as earned or built over time. Often, continued caring interactions are required to maintain or increase feelings of respect among individuals. Chivalry, by some definitions, contains the outward display of respect. Respect should not be confused with tolerance, since tolerance doesn't necessarily imply subordination to one's qualities but means treating as equal. It can be summed up by consideration of rectitude and prudence and treating someone how you


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would like to be treated in their position. In our context we are talking of respect of others and respect for your self.

Prudence: Prudence is the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason. Although prudence would be applied to any such judgment, the more difficult tasks, which distinguish a person as prudent, are those in which various goods have to be weighed against each other, as when a person is determining what would be best to give charitable donations, or how to discipline a child so as to prevent repeating an offence. "Integral parts" of virtues are the elements that must be present for any complete or perfect act of the virtue. The following are the integral parts of prudence:

Memoria: Accurate memory; that is, memory that is true to reality

Intelligentia: Understanding of first principles

Docilitas: The kind of open-mindedness that recognizes the true variety of things and situations to be experienced, and does not cage itself in any presumption of deceptive knowledge; the ability to make use of the experience and authority of others to make prudent decisions

Solertia: Shrewdness or quick-wittedness in sizing up a situation on one's own quickly

Ratio: Discursive reasoning to research and compare alternative possibilities

Providentia: Foresight and the capacity to estimate whether a particular action will lead to the realization of a goal

Circumspection: the ability to take all relevant circumstances into account

Caution: the ability to mitigate risk

Fortitude: Encompasses the many facets of Courage: the ability and willingness to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Physical courage is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, death, or threat of death, while moral courage is the ability to act with rectitude in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement. Other subcategories include:

Bravery: Bravery is the subcategory most people generally associate with courage. It is defined as "the ability to stand up for what is right in difficult situations".

Perseverance: Perseverance falls under the larger category of courage because it often involves continuing along a path in the midst of and after having faced opposition and perhaps failure. Perseverance involves the ability to seek a goal in spite of obstacles and has been shown in human and animal studies to be a lasting trait with individual differences. A person high in perseverance is able to overcome low self-esteem and estimations that one cannot do the task as well as discouragement from peers and the desire to present oneself well.

Honesty: Honesty and authenticity as a subset of courage means more than simply telling the truth. It involves integrity in all areas of one's life and the ability to be true to oneself and one's role in the world across circumstances.

Zest: Zest or vitality is defined as, "feeling alive, being full of zest, and displaying enthusiasm for any and all activities". This is a category that is influenced not only by subjective psychological factors, but also objective factors affecting one's physical well-being such as chronic pain. Zest most often comes forth as a character strength in the midst of trying circumstances.

Rectitude: Rightness of principle or conduct; moral virtue; righteousness.

Integrity: Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. Integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions. Integrity can stand in opposition to hypocrisy, in that judging with the standards of integrity involves regarding internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests that parties holding within themselves apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter their beliefs.


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Diligence: Diligence is steadfast application, assiduousness and industry; the virtue of hard work. Diligence encompasses both self-control and self discipline. Self-control is not doing something you want to do because you know you should not do it, whereas self discipline is doing something you don’t want to do because you know you should do it.

Excellence: Excellence is a talent or quality which is unusually good and so surpasses ordinary standards. The virtue of excellence is demonstrated by the application of the individual’s best efforts into their every endeavour. The Ancient Greeks had a concept of arete which meant an outstanding fitness for purpose. This occurs in the works of Aristotle and Homer. Aristotle once said. "We are what we repeatedly do . . . excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." Another related concept was eudaimonia which was the happiness which resulted from a life well-lived, being prosperous and fulfilled. The goal is virtuosity, performing the common uncommonly well.

Underpinning all of this is the concept of Mind, Body and Spirit, as embodied by the three elements of our Mon or logo. We want to embody:

Fighting Mind: Critical thinking

Fighting Body: Healthy, fit and capable

Fighting Spirit: Indomitable will Overall a philosophy is nothing but words on a page if people are not willing to embrace it and make it an inherent part of their lifestyle.

BUDŌ AND EGO

Budō is a compound of the root bu (武:ぶ), meaning war or martial; and dō (道:どう),

meaning path or way. Specifically, dō is derived from the Buddhist Sanskrit mārga (meaning "path"). The term refers to the idea of formulating propositions, subjecting them to philosophical critique and then following a 'path' to realize them. Dō signifies a "way of life". Dō in the Japanese context, is an experiential term, experiential in the sense that practice (the way of life) is the norm to verify the validity of the discipline cultivated through a given art form. The modern budō has no external enemy, only the internal enemy, one's ego that must be fought.

Similarly to budō, bujutsu is a compound of the roots bu (武), and jutsu (術:じゅつ),

meaning technique. Thus, budō is translated as "martial way", or "the way of war" while bujutsu is translated as "science of war" or "martial craft." However, both budō and bujutsu are used interchangeably in English with the term "martial arts". Budō and bujutsu have quite a delicate difference; whereas bujutsu only gives attention to the physical part of fighting (how to best defeat an enemy), budō also gives attention to the mind and how one should develop oneself. The dichotomy of Gōki-Kai is that it is both a form of budō and of bujutsu. We travel through the technical art to a point where the battle is entirely against ourselves and our flaws: a fight against the negative aspects of ego. So what is ego? "Ego" is a Latin and Greek (ἑγώ) word meaning "I", often used in English to mean the "self", "identity" or other related concepts. Every cognitive human being has


36 © Damien Martin

one. Basically the ego is an identity of our own construction; an identity which is probably false. If we take all the beliefs of what we are, beliefs about our personality, talents, and abilities, we have the structure of our ego. These talents, abilities and aspects of our personality may well be attributes of our skills, but the mental construct of our “self” is artificial. And while this description might make the ego seem like a static thing, it is not. Rather, it is an active and dynamic part of our personalities, playing an immense role in creating emotional drama in our lives. When we have thoughts about our self that we agree with we construct a self-image. The kinds of thoughts that contribute to the ego structure are:

“I’m not good at maths” “I suck at sports” “I am smart” “My freckles make me ugly” “Nobody likes me” “I am better than you” “That was stupid of me”

The ego hides behind the “I” and “me” in those declarative thoughts and statements about our identity. When we have such thoughts and agree with even the slightest conviction that these ideas define us, then we are building, or reinforcing, an ego. We first have these thoughts when we are kids, perhaps when we were teased on the playground, or when reprimanded or praised by a teacher or parent. In all cultures, developing a self-image is a normal part of socialization. Problems arise, however, when that self-image is negative, inaccurate, or even overly positive. Considering that we develop our concept of “self” as children, it is inevitable that our self-image doesn’t map to reality as adults. Why is the ego so hard to explain or describe? The ego is difficult to define because the ego isn’t one specific thing. It is actually made up of many different beliefs that a person acquires over their life. Those beliefs can be diverse and even contradictory. To further complicate it, each person’s ego is different. If someone were to clearly identify and describe all the parts of their ego and what it drives them to do, you might not get a good description of what yours looked like. The challenge of becoming aware of what your personal ego looks like becomes more difficult because our culture doesn’t reward us for directing our attention inward and noticing such things. The ego is difficult to see, because it hides behind opinions that appear true – our attachment to descriptions of our identity – and because we haven’t practiced looking. You can get a glimpse by noticing certain thoughts, similar to those listed above. The easier way to spot the ego is by the trail of emotional reactions it leaves behind: Anger at a loved one, a need to be right, a feeling of insecurity in certain situations, feelings of jealousy that are unexplained, the need to impress someone, and so on. These emotions can be attributed to the false beliefs that comprise the ego. In the beginning it is easier to see the symptoms of resulting emotions and drama, rather than the ego that caused it. One of the most deceptive aspects of the ego is that it generates powerful emotional reactions, and then blames us for how it made us feel. The anger we react with comes from ego based beliefs of being right and “knowing better’ than someone else. Perhaps


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there is also a victim interpretation of betrayal or injustice underneath. After we overreact with anger we might feel badly for what we expressed. The ego shifts to a “righteous self” that “knows better” and berates us for overreacting with anger. At the same time, it assumes the identity of being the “stupid idiot” that didn’t know any better and takes the blame for overreacting. All these attitudes, thoughts, and beliefs take place in the mind, and even though they are completely different, we assume all of them come from us. If they really were expressions coming from our genuine self, they wouldn’t contradict, and we would be able to stop them. “Having an ego” is usually associated with arrogance and is a term used to describe someone who thinks they are better than others. Yet this is only one part of the ego. In fact, it is possible to have some positive self-esteem and some negative self-esteem – we are aware of these different beliefs at different times. The negative beliefs about our self make up our negative self-esteem, while our positive thoughts comprise our positive self-esteem. Together, the negative and positive esteem forms our ego. So where does budō come into this? Budō is a warrior path to enlightenment, and this instance enlightenment means freedom from the negative aspects of ego. Budō cannot be learned for you. You have to make great efforts and learn it for yourself. In order to do this the right attitude is required. This entails your instructor providing you with problems to work on. The student must listen well and take leave their ego out of it. The path of budō is filled with problems, challenges and failures. Each offers its own lesson. Because the ego has multiple aspects, it is not practical or effective to dissolve all of it at once, nor is it likely that you could do so. Much like a tree or large bush that is overgrown in the yard, you don’t just lift it out and throw it away, you cut off manageable pieces instead. The myriad of problems, challenges and failures offered by budō, plus the necessity for perseverance and resilience assist us in letting go of the false beliefs that make up the ego. You begin by detaching from individual thoughts that reinforce the ego, then let go of beliefs, separating yourself from the false identity of your ego. We have spent years building our ego self-images, living inside of them, and reinforcing them. Extracting our genuine self out of this matrix of false beliefs will take more than a few days. Yes, it will take a while… so what. It also took a while to learn to read, do maths, walk, and develop proficiency at any valuable skill. Things worth doing take time and practice. What better thing do you have to do than let go of what is causing you unhappiness? A true teacher is always a student and his attitude must be “always a student, sometimes a teacher “, and it needs to remain so. That is budō. It is about the path and the journey more than the destination. And finally, remember that your ego can kill you much like the principle that even a dead man can still kill you.

Negative Aspects of Ego Sadly the martial arts are full of misguided and deluded ‘masters’, all with their gaggle of followers. One of the more noticeable outward manifestations of this is a fascination with rank and titles. There are starts and stripes and all sorts of eye catching but meaningless


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insignia on the uniforms, as well as ever increasing grandiose titles. The walls are plastered with certificates from dozens of different ‘certifying’ bodies and more. Whilst some of these ‘masters’ may be downright fraudulent (McDojo’s is a whole other topic), many simply suffer from a combination of the Dunning-Kruger effect and shockingly poor judgement. The Dunning-Kruger effect is a phenomenon where people with little knowledge or skill think they know more or have more skill than they do. This occurs while simultaneously overlooking and/or underestimating the knowledge and skills of those involved in the task at hand.

The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which unskilled individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly rating their ability much higher than is accurate. This bias is attributed to a metacognitive inability of the unskilled to recognize their ineptitude. Actual competence may weaken self-confidence, as competent individuals may falsely assume that others have an equivalent understanding. David Dunning and Justin Kruger of the Cornell University, after whom the Dunning-Kruger effect is named, conclude that "the miscalibration of the incompetent stems from an error about the self, whereas the miscalibration of the highly competent stems from an error about others". The phenomenon is not new. Many commentators in the past have commented on it. Notably:

"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." Confucius

“I know one thing: that I know nothing” Socrates

“Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge” Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man

“The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt” Bertrand Russell

“The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.” William Shakespeare, As You Like It


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Training in a legitimate budō dojo gives you plenty of opportunity to realise how much you don’t know. Another negative manifestation of ego is the need or desire to dominate others physically and emotionally. Without the proper controls and guidance in place, martial arts can provide a haven for the psychopathic and sociopathic personalities to hone their skills. Sadly many of the aforementioned ‘masters’ fall into this category. In a world of constant ‘positive’ feedback there is little wonder that people are lost and confused regarding ego. The political correctness of the education system whereby children’s ‘self esteem’ is paramount see’s such destructive practices as:

not keeping score in sports thus stifling the drive to excel and to try (excellence & diligence).

not using red ink to mark homework giving a biased opinion of ability (excess ego).

overuse and inappropriate use of praise words like “awesome” leading to a false sense of superiority (excess ego).

overly protective schooling and parenting thus stifling the need for exploration of boundaries and consequences (prudence).

banning ‘rough’ games like tag, soccer or ‘tug of war’ for safety reasons thus stifling the need for exploration of boundaries and consequences (prudence).

punishing both the victim and the perpetrator of ‘bullying’ at school, thus teaching learned helplessness (fortitude).

medicating and otherwise ‘managing’ children who don’t fit inside the ‘box’ of normality thus stifling their development (zest).

promoting a cult of celebrity where the ‘role models’ who routinely lie, cheat and defraud (rectitude, fidelity & respect)

promoting ego and instant gratification through media, marketing and modelling (humility)

promoting intense addiction to popular culture, mass media and social media to the point of complete loss of self identity and care for others (fidelity & benevolence)

to promote as entertainment games and media which promotes violence and hate crimes on others for personal gain, then punishing the behaviour when it manifests in life in a way that is biased and manifestly unfair (rectitude)

Training in a legitimate budō dojo gives you plenty of opportunity to work iout for yourself how false and misleading these practices are. Other negative manifestations of ego can include:

worry about trivialities

feel anxious and fearful

feel despairing, helpless and hopeless

feel resentful and guilty for no apparent reason

want approval and admiration and do anything for it

take things personally when they are not

criticise and judge others

feel empty and dissatisfied

swing from one mood to another

feel hurried and driven

be concerned with outward appearances and worldly success

focus exclusively on goals and results

cling to the past

be afraid of change


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worry about failure, humiliation and rejection

compete rather than co-operate

be manipulative

harm and abuse others

be rigid and inflexible

be unable to live in the present moment

become addicted to drugs and alcohol

desperately seek love and security

want to be "special" to someone at any cost

feel that life is futile and meaningless

take ourselves very seriously

wait for the world to be ok in order to feel ok

feeling "better than" or "less than" others.

playing victim or martyr

denying responsibility

being busy for the sake of being busy.

flirting with disaster

Positive Aspects of Ego So what’s the ego’s supposed function, anyway? The Freudian definition of “ego” is simply, according to Wiktionary, “the most central part of the mind, which mediates with one’s surroundings.” That’s all! The ego is meant to be our window to the world around us; a neutral and extremely useful source of information about what’s happening. When you strip away the fear, the stories, and the judgements away from what’s happening in this moment, and simply notice it, you become free to choose your response. Training in a legitimate budō dojo gives you the opportunity to find who you really are (not defined by ‘rank’, ‘title’ or other label) and what you can really do. It gives the opportunities to develop, practice and hone your skills in terms of being a human being. Explore boundaries, learn consequences, develop a balanced world view that is pragmatically objective. Simple…………..


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GLOSSARY OF COMMON MARTIAL ARTS TERMS Why use a foreign language? We get asked this question often. The answer is simply this, the universally understood language of golf is English; the universal language of Ballet is Russian (or French); the universal language of Karate is Japanese, just like the universal language of Muay Thai is Thai! We study Karate, therefore we include the language and terminology. Our black belts can go and train anywhere in the world, the USA, France, Brazil, Slovakia or even Japan, and they know what is happening. Instantly! The Japanese language also has the ability to convey concepts in single words. In martial arts, this is useful. Many words in use in the Dojo are not part of ‘every day’ Japanese and they often stem from the native language of Okinawa, Uchinaaguchi.

COMMON TERMS RELATING TO THE GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES OF KARATE TRAINING Chikara nu nijisashi: alternating tension and relaxation. Chinkuchi: “Muscles/tendons and bones”,or, quite literally musculoskeletal Embusen: an "embu" (sometimes written "enbu") is a "demonstration". "Sen" means "line(s)". "Embusen", therefore, refers to the line(s) that is followed during a demonstration of movements, such as in kata. Fudoshin: the immovable mind. Gamaku: proper engagement of the waist area Go no sen: the ‘late’ form of attack initiative, usually characterized as a defensive move or counteraction. Gyame: sequential extension of each joint in the body. Haragei: intuition, super alertness. Jutsu: the killing art approach rather than the Do. Kakie: a traditional form of push-hands used in Okinawan martial arts. Kiai vs Aiki: external vs internal applications of the martial way. Kime: ‘spiritual focus’ Kokoro: indomitable spirit. Developed through shugyo. Kokyu Chikara: literally ‘breath power’. Proper breathing. Involves kiai to a point. Kuchikaki: skeletal application (especially shoulders, pelvis, scapula, and chest) Ma-ai: the distance between you and your opponent. Ma-ai is an integration of distance, timing, rhythm and reach. The optimum distance for the Ma-ai is obviously different for each fighter; however, there must be space enough for unrestricted defense or offense. Ma-ai is also used in a more limited sense to indicate the distance at which it is easiest to counter your opponent's moves and launch attacks. Ma-ai is not just the distance of physical space between you and your opponent. It's also timing: to see who can close that distance first and strike before the other can block successfully. Reach, either because of one's limbs and height, or through possession of a long weapon, changes ma-ai. Distancing and timing are undivided factors. Distancing is relatively easier to accomplish than timing by simply moving closer or further from your opponent. If the distance is correct for an attack but the start of the attack is late, this means the timing is off. Meotode: a concept, theory and principle but also a technique, literally meaning “husband and wife hands” in uchinaaguchi. Meotode is a way of maximizing ones strategical advantage in a physical altercation by utilizing both arms equally in continuously attacking and blocking; while keeping your vital bodyparts safely out of the firing line, using the optimal footwork/body movements of tenshin, taisabaki and irimi. Muchi: spongy/springy like cooked rice. Muchimi: heavy, sticky. Mushin: empty mind. Sen no sen: the attack initiative that is also defensive but launched simultaneously with the aggressor's attack;


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Sen-sen no sen: a supraliminal attack initiative, also defensive but appearing to be offensive, through which the aggressor's attack is anticipated and "beaten to the punch" by an appropriate action. Shoshin: the beginners mind. Shugyo: severe training. Training for the tempering the spirit, i.e. the more you sweat in training the less you bleed in battle. Umuti (Omote): surface Ura: under-surface/hidden. Usui: press. Zanshin: lingering mind.

ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF BASIC KARATE TERMS Age Tsuke Rising punch Age Uke Rising block Ago Chin Ashi Foot Ashi Waza Foot techniques Atama Head Bunkai Application of techniques in kata Choku Tsuke Straight punch Chudan Middle or chest area Chudan Mae Geri Front kick to the middle area Chudan Uchi Uke Block from inside out with top of wrist Dachi Stance De Ashi Harai Advancing foot sweep Empi Uchi Elbow strike Empi Elbow Eri Seio Nage Drop shoulder throw Fudo Dachi Rooted stance Gedan Barai Uke Downward sweeping block Gedan Tsuki Punch to groin Gedan Uke Downward block Gedan Lower body area Geri Kick Gi Uniform Goshi (Or Koshi) Hip Goshin Waza Self defense techniques Gyaku Ashi Reverse foot Gyaku Juji Gatame Palms up strangle Gyaku Mawashi Geri Reverse round kick Gyaku Tsuki Reverse punch Hadaka Jime Naked strangle Haito Ridgehand Hajime Begin Hangetsu Dachi Half-moon stance Hara Stomach Harai Sweeping Heiko Dachi Parallel stance Heisoku Dachi Closed feet stance (attention) Hidari Left Hiji Ate Elbow strike Hiraken Tsuki Fore knuckle-fist straight punch Hiki Uke Grasping block


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Hiraken Fore knuckle fist Hiza Knee Hiza Geri Knee kick Ippon Ken One knuckle fist Ippon Seoi Nage One arm shoulder throw Irimi Entering Irimi Nage Entering throw Jodan Head level Jodan Age Uke Upper block against head attack Jodan Mae Geri Front Kick to head Jodan Uke High block Jun Tsuki Jab Junbi Undo Warming up Exercises Kage Tsuki Hook punch Kaisho Open hand Kaiten Nage Open and turn throw Kakato Geri Heel kick Kake Geri Hooking kick Kake Shuto Uke Hooking knifehand block Kake Tsuki Hooking punch Kake Uke Hooking block Kakiwaki Uke Reverse wedge block Kakuto Uke Bent wrist block Kamae Posture Kami Shiho Gatame Upper four quarters hold Kansetsu Waza Joint manipulation techniques Karate Empty hand Kata Formal exercise Kata Shoulder Kata Gatame Shoulder hold Kata Juji Jime Lapel choke Keage Snap (kick) Kebanashi Kick off (snap kick) Kekomi Thrust (kick) Kentsui Fist hanmer Keri (Or Geri) Waza Kicking techniques Kesa Gatame Scarf hold Ki Inner spirit or strength Kiai Yell or shout Kiba Dachi Horse (straddle leg) stance Kihon Waza Fundamental techniques Kihon Basics or fundamentals Kime Focus Kin Geri Groin kick Kisami Tsuki Jab Punch Ko Soto Gari Minor outside reaping throw Ko Uchi Gari Minor inside reaping throw Koken Uke Wrist block Kokutsu Dachi Back stance Kosa Dachi Crossed leg stance Kote Gaeshi Outward turning wristbend Kote Hineri Inward turning wristbend


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Kubi Nage Neck throw Kubi Neck Kumade Bear hand Kumite Free exercise Ma Ai Distancing Mae Ashi Geri Front leg kick Mae Empi Uchi Forward elbow strike Mae Geri Keage Front "snap" kick Mae Geri Kekomi Front thrusting kick Mae Geri Front kick Mae Hiji Ate Forward elbow smash Mae Tobi Geri Jumping front kick Makiwara Striking board Masubi Dachi Attention stance Matte Stop Mawashi Geri Round kick Mawashi Tsuki Round punch Migi Right Mikazuki Geri Cresent kick Morote Seionage Two handed shoulder throw Morote Sukui Uke Two-handed twist block Morote Tsukami Uke Two-handed grasping block Morote Tsuki Double fist punch Morote Uke Augmented forearm block Mudansha Ranks below Black Belt Mune Gatame Chest hold Musubi Dachi Open feet stance, heel together Nage Waza Throwing techniques Nakadaka Ippon Ken Middle finger one knuckle fist Nami Juji Gatame Half cross strangle Negashi Uke Sweeping block Nekoashi Dachi Cat stance Nihon Nukite Two finger spearhand Nukite Spearhand Obi Belt O Goshi Minor hip throw O Soto Gari Major outside reaping throw O Uchi Gari Major inside reaping throw Oi Tsuki Stepping or lunge punch Okuri Ashi Harai Sliding (or gathering) foot sweep Okuri Eri Jime Sliding collar throw Osae Uke Pressing block Otoshi Empi Uchi Downward elbow block Otoshi Hiji Ate Downward elbow strike Otoshi Uke Dropping block Rei Bow Ritsu Rei Standing bow San Gyaku Gatame Traingle arm bar (Figure 4 arm bar) Sanchin Dachi Pigeon-toed (or hour-glass) Stance Sankaijo Third control Sanren Tsuki Three consecutive punches Seiken Choku Tsuki Forefist straight punch


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Seiken Tsuki Forefist strike Seiken Forefist Shiho Nage Four-corner Directional Throw Shiho Wari Breaking boards on Four Side to test power Shiko Dachi Square stance Shime Waza Strangulation techniques Shintai Body movement Shittsui Knee-hammer Shizen Dachi Natural stance Shomen Geri Front kick Shotei Uchi Palmheel strike Shotei Uke Palmheel block Shu Wan Palm arm Shumatsu Undo Cool down Exercises Shuto Uchi Knifehand Shuto Uke Knifehand block Sokuto Foot edge Soto Uke Block from outside inward with bottom of wrist Sukui Nage Scooping throw Sune Uke Shin Block Sutemi Waza Sacrifice technique Tai Subaki No Kihon Basics of Body Movement Tai Subaki Body movement; pivoting Tameshiwari Power demonstration, breaking Tanden Area below the navel and the center of ki Tatami Mat Tate Empi Uchi Vertical elbow strike Tate Hiji Ate Upward elbow strike Tate Shuto Uke Vertical knifehand strike Teisho Palm heel Tobi Geri Jumping kick Tobi Hiza Geri Jumping knee kick Tobi Yoko Geri Jumping side kick Tori Defender/person performing a technique Tsuki Waza Punching techniques Tsuki Punch Tsuro Ashi Dachi Crane stance Uchi Komi Throw repetition practice without throwing the Uke Uchi Mawashi Geri Inside cresent kick Uchi Uke Inside block Uchi Waza Striking techniques Uchi Striking (also inner) Ude Garami Coiling armbar/figure four shoulder lock Ude Uke Forearm block Ude Arm Ude Gatame Wrist hold Ukae Attacker/person receiving a technique Uke Block Ukemi Breakfalls Ura Tsuki Close punch Uraken Uchi Back fist strike Uraken Backfist


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Ushiro Ashi Geri Rear leg kick Ushiro Empi Geri Back elbow strike Ushiro Geri Back kick Ushiro Hiji Ate Back elbow strike Ushiro Back, rear Uwagi Uniform jacket Uwate Hiji Empi Overhand elbow strike Uwate Tsuki Overhand punch Wake Gatami Elbow lock Waza Technique Yoko Empi Uchi Side elbow strike Yoko Geri Keage Side "snap" kick Yoko Geri Kekomi Side thrust kick Yoko Geri Side kick Yoko Hiji Ate Side elbow strike Yoko Mawashi Empi Uchi Side round elbow block Yoko Mawashi Hiji Ate Side round elbow strike Yoko Tobi Geri Jumping side kick Yoko Side Yudansha Black belt level Za-Rei Kneeing Salutation (bow) Zenkutsu Dachi Dachi forward stance

BLACK BELT RANKS PRE-BLACK BELT RANKS 1st Dan Shodan 10th Kyu JuKyu 2nd Dan Nidan 9th Kyu KuKyu 3rd Dan Sandan 8th Kyu HachiKyu 4th Dan Yondan 7th Kyu ShichiKyu 5th Dan Godan 6th Kyu RokKyu 6th Dan Rokudan 5th Kyu GoKyu 7th Dan Shichidan 4th Kyu YonKyu 8th Dan Hachidan 3rd Kyu SanKyu 9th Dan Kudan 2nd Kyu NiKyu 10th Dan Judan 1st Kyu IkKyu USEFUL EXPRESSIONS Ohayo Gozaimasu "Good Morning" Ohayo "Good Morning" Konnichiwa "Good afternoon", "hello" Konbanwa "Good Evening" Oyasuminasai "Good night" Soyonara "Goodbye" Arigato "Thank you" Arigato Gozaimasta "Thank you very much" Domo "Thank you very much" Do Itashimashite "You are welcome" Gomennasai "I am sorry", "Pardon me" Sumimasen "Excuse me" Wakarimasen "I don’t understand Mo Ichido Onegaishimasu "Once more please" Yukkuri Onegaishimasu "Slowly please"


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JAPANESE COUNTING NUMBERS 1 Ichi 2 Ni 3 San 4 Shi 5 Go 6 Roku 7 Shichi 8 Hachi 9 Ku 10 Ju


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UNIFORMS The martial arts uniform is called a DōGi. This is usually shortened to gi. The standard Gōki-Kai gi is traditional white (with 3/4 length sleeves) and the Gōki-Kai Mon is embroidered on the left side of the chest. The standard version of the gi is of 8oz cotton and is included with the initial membership. Replacement gi’s are available in 8oz 12oz and 16oz varieties. In the sub-tropical climate on the Gold Coast it is a good idea to for each student to have at least two complete gi’s available. This shows consideration for classmates and self-respect. Nobody wants to train with someone who reeks of body odour. The standard black gi also bears the red, white and blue Mon. The black gi denotes that the student has been awarded the black gi for their strength in training (See the chapter on Awards). Black gi’s are awards. A student must earn the right to wear a black gi through hard dedicated training and strength of technique and sparring. The student’s instructors and higher ranking fellow students can nominate the person for the black gi at any time. It is considered to be very bad manners for a student to ask for a black gi themselves. After nomination the student’s attitude and dedication are assessed over a period of time until the head instructor feels the student is ready. Only instructors of Sensei rank or higher can award this gi. The black gi can be earned at any rank but usually at around 3rd kyu once all pre-requisites are met. In some schools of Karate (Zen Do Kai freestyle for example) teaching ranks have gi’s too. This is not done in Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō. Everyone wears a ‘standard’ gi, including the head instructor. This symbolises “we’re all in this together” and prevents people taking advantage of their rank. In Gōki-Kai you will not see someone wearing a flashy multi-coloured gi standing up the front of a class with their arms folded muttering about how things were better in the ‘old’ days! The belt demonstrates the progress of the student in the Way, or ‘obi’ worn tied around the waist. There is much more information on this topic in the chapter: Grading System.

PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT: In Gōki-Kai sparring, or Jiyu Kumite, is normally semi-contact. This means that the blows struck (and received) make contact but are controlled. To further increase safety protective equipment is worn during kumite – much of it is compulsory. Compulsory protective equipment which the student will need to purchase prior to any sparring includes:

mouthguard (fitted by a dentist is the preferred method)

groin protector (compulsory for males, highly recommended for females)

shin/instep pads

hand mitts/gloves Female students may also choose to wear a breast protector. To compete in the Kudo tournaments the student will need to comply with the Kudo rules, which require an official Kudo uniform, Kudo mitts, Kudo wraps and Kudo Headgear.


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FOLDING THE GI:


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AWARDS There are a number of awards in Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō. These are outside the normal ‘Black Belt of the Year’ and ‘Student of the Year’ trophy type awards as they are permanent and ongoing symbols of the students’ dedication and prowess. These awards have their roots in the freestyle heritage of Gōki-Kai.

THE BLACK GI The first is the coveted black gi. Soké Bob Jones originally developed the black gi concept even before creating Zen Do Kai. Soké Jones’ early history is quite colourful. He grew up in a tough neighbourhood in a tough time in Melbourne and was fighting seriously in street gangs at an early age. He eventually fought his way through the ‘ranks’ and ‘graduated’ to what he calls the “biggest, baddest, toughest gang” he’d ever seen. They were called the ‘Phantom Twins’ and they all wore black from head to foot. Soké Jones recognised then the psychological impact of the all black clothing. Later in the late fifties and early sixties Soké Jones was running ‘bouncers’ at the new night clubs opening all over Melbourne. As a uniform they all wore black, playing on the psychological effect the colour had on the adversaries of ‘The Phantom Twins’. No one played up in their venues. Around ten years later he found himself teaching Karate at the infamous 48 Elizabeth Street Melbourne Dojo. He found that many of his students were the ‘bouncers’ that had been with him for ten years or more, likewise many were not. The ‘bouncers’ sparred harder than the ‘students’ and often sparred a little too hard. Soké Jones decided to separate the two and issued the ‘bouncers’ with a Jet Black Gi. At this stage wearing a black gi meant you were one of the strongest fighters in the toughest Dojo in town. Some more years rolled by and Zen Do Kai began taking junior students. Some of these kids trained as hard or even harder than the ‘tough guys’ in the black gi’s. Soké Jones decided to award the two strongest kids with black gi’s, not because they were tough (how tough can you be at ten years of age) but because they trained so hard! Time went by and the principle of the black gi broadened and it was now accepted that children and women could achieve the black gi without having to beat each other half to death on a daily basis. The black gi is awarded for personal dedication to training and the fortitude to overcome any barrier. The wearer of the black gi is deemed by their Sensei’s to be firmly on the path of Budō – The Warriors Way. It is acknowledged that there are many paths to “toughness”.

The Black Gi in Gōki-Kai Karate Today in Gōki-Kai the black gi still symbolises toughness. In order to be awarded the black gi the aspiring student must demonstrate extraordinary physical and mental toughness and demonstrate that they are will to train harder than the rest of the class – all the time. The black gi assessment takes place over a period of months (or years) and is an objective process in that it is based on the achievement and accumulation of a minimum of 50 competition points. See the sections titled ‘the point system’ for further details. Remember, the only path to the black gi is to compete in the full contact kumite arena with Kudo, Kyokushin or modified (i.e. with grappling) Kyokushin rules. Some students prefer the Muay Thai or Mixed Martial Arts arena to demonstrate that they are ‘extra-ordinary’.


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Students awarded the right to wear the black gi wear a plain black gi with the Gōki-Kai Mon on the left breast. The black gi designates a fighter, someone who pushes the boundaries and trains harder. These gi’s can only be awarded by a Sensei who is Sandan or above. The requirements for the black gi are somewhat fluid as they are scaled to the individual. That being said, as a general rule a student could not achieve the black gi if they were less than 16 years of age. It is technically possible, but highly unlikely. Essentially the student aspiring to the black gi must notify their instructor of their intention and then train for, and compete in, a full contact arena and accumulate the 50 points (as detailed in the chapter on points). Generally speaking it would take five or six fights to demonstrate the heart and consistent courage required to wear the black gi. Kudo is the preferred format as it encompasses the whole Gōki-Kai spectrum of training and all the fighting ranges we work within. It is not necessary to win the bouts, it is more important to fight well and honourably. Flinching would not fit the definition of fighting well, neither would running away. Likewise, being disqualified via fouls would not be honourable, nor would a demonstrated lack of manners or humility. It is important to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat. Whatever the arena, the students must prove their dedication and commitment repeatedly and do themselves proud in the ring, and/or in training for the ring in order to achieve this award. The primary consideration for the instructors assessing students is that the student demonstrates the ‘spirit of Osu!’

CROSSES This Gōki-Kai award is simply called a cross, after the Southern Cross that features in the design. The concept comes from the Zen Do Kai Bushido Cross concept which was revamped after the development of Gōki-Kai.

The History The original cross was the Bushido Cross. Originally these were made of iron but this was later changed to silver as the iron crosses rusted and would wear out as they oxidised. The Bushido Cross was originally only awarded to members of the Zen Do Kai fraternity who worked together as ‘bouncers’ and ‘watched each others back’. Eventually the Ishoa Cross was developed. Ishoa means ‘enlightenment’

or ‘oneness’. The Ishoa Cross was originally developed for the “Karate Widows” to recognise the sacrifices of the wives of the black belts who trained in Zen Do Kai and worked as bouncers on the off nights. In the times before women (and children) trained in Zen Do Kai the Ishoa Crosses were awarded to the Bushido Cross holders wives. As the doors opened up to female students who eventually showed they were every bit as loyal and tough as the men, the Ishoa Cross evolved to the point where it became the female version of the Bushido Cross, with the same emphasis on the virtues of bushido


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but recognises the differences in the feminine physique and psyche.

The Evolution The Gōki-Kai Cross evolved to limit the negative effects of the crosses that crept in to the Zen Do Kai organisation in recent years. In Zen Do Kai the cross is now automatic at shodan-ho and this has had a negative effect on the bond of trust that used to exist. It is impossible to tell if a person received their cross under the old Bushido based system or the new automatic system. This led to a number of instances where people had been trusted on face value because they wore a cross, leading to negative situations that could have been avoided. There was also a sense of disquiet regarding the Ishoa Cross with many women believing it was an inferior award or recognition given its historical roots as an award to the “Karate Widows” of Zen Do Kai. When you add the fact that the Zen Do Kai organisation has issues tens of thousands of crosses over the last four decades, quality control on those that wear them had become a major issue. This was a major contributing factor to leaving the Zen Do Kai organisation and forming Gōki-Kai.

Gōki-Kai Crosses The Gōki-Kai Cross keeps with the tradition and principles started by Bob Jones all those years ago. Gōki-Kai has one cross for all, in keeping with the concept of equality. There is no ‘second prize’. The new design features the Mon of Gōki-Kai and is approximately 19mm in diameter. The sterling silver pendant is awarded to the student personally by Kaichō Damien. Each of the Gōki-Kai Crosses is accompanied by a certificate. Gōki-Kai Crosses are awarded to students as recognition of particular attributes attained or consistently displayed. The achievement of the Southern Cross pendant, also known as the ‘Cross’ is a significant milestone in the students martial arts path within our organisation. The ‘Cross’ is highly subjective and assessment is ongoing over an extended period of time. Assessment and recommendations can be made by someone who is a Sensei and a 3rd dan, but require the final approval of the Kaichō. The acceptance of the ‘Cross’ involves adopting the martial arts lifestyle and an oath to the fellow ‘Cross’ holders. This is all taken very seriously. The oath is simply:

“We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other and fight to defend our rights and liberties”

Eureka Oath 1854 As detailed elsewhere in this text, there are considerations by both the instructor and the student: Considerations by the instructor:

that the instructor feels comfortable that the student understands the ‘path’ laid out before them;

the ‘path’ relates to eventual self enlightenment which relates to being a ‘better’ person through the martial arts;

an understanding of a family helping one another; an appreciation and opportunity to accept one another as brothers and sisters by


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choice rather than perhaps, chance; a developing understanding about what the journey of the martial arts is about; and an understanding that they should always promote the organization in a positive

manner and be cognizant of how they carry themselves. The individual must be aware of the following points:

that the wearing of the ‘Cross’ is considered as much a responsibility as an honour;

the ‘Cross’ is about the relationship between the person presenting and the person receiving the cross;

the ‘Cross’ only has relevance as strong as the relationship between the two people involved (the one giving and the one receiving);

the relevance is the power of the meaning between the two people involved; the ‘Cross’ is about the sharing, the understanding and the meaning in

relationship; that they have a social and organisational responsibility to ensure that they do

not fall in disrepute and therefore discredit that organisation or the ‘Cross’; that this is considered a life time relationship; and it is a symbol that is not automatically provided, yet it is a symbol that represents

the striving to achieve, develop and attaining of certain qualities and attributes.


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KATA

INTRODUCTION Kata, sometimes called 'forms', are sequences of basic martial arts movements, stances, strikes and counter strikes, designed to pass on the knowledge and skills of masters to students. To view, they conjure the appearance of the practitioner fighting several opponents at the same time. Kata are akin to a concentrated catalogue of techniques and strategies and to learn them to perfection (and great emphasis is placed on this) takes years of conscientious study and training. During the development of martial arts, kata were used as a convenient way for the practitioner to remember effective combinations of strikes, blocks, evasions, kicks, locks, throws and feints. Practitioners generally commence kata study with the simplest form and gradually work their way through the more complex forms over time. Experts agree that well executed kata resemble meditation in motion. Kata as we know them today come from the old style Okinawan Tou-di (predecessor of karate). Tou-di was totally based on self-defence applications. There were no tournaments and no sparring. The instructor had small groups of committed students to whom they taught small series of brutal, effective and holistic methods of fighting. This was primarily done through the practice of standardised two-person training drills called tegumi. Kata evolved as a way for the advanced student to practice the tegumi alone and at full speed and power. The kata in and of themselves did not teach the application, only preserved the details. Much of the meaning of the old toudi kata and tegumi was lost when karate went from Okinawa to Japan in the early 20th Century. Karate was simplified and standardised to provide a framework for rigorous physical training, mental discipline, nationalistic zeal and sporting competition. New forms were developed for school children, which were simpler and safer. Add to this the effect of the Second World War. The Japanese commenced teaching karate to westerners after their defeat in this war. This had an effect on the why and what of kata.

ROLE OF KATA IN TRAINING The detractors of Kata often justify their position by saying things like “you can’t use a kata in a real fight” or “kata is boring”. This is the language of ignorance. On the surface, to the uninitiated this could seem to be true. It is only after developing a deeper understanding of the methodology of kata that this form of training reveals its true value. Kata contain the techniques of a martial arts system, much like a handbook. There are no symbolic movements in kata and every move has a specific technique attached to it. Some instructors lack depth of knowledge of the kata and misinterpret their meaning and application. The true meaning of the kata is found in the bunkai – the practical applications of the kata techniques. The training and practice of kata enables the practitioner to develop good posture and balance. It develops fluidity, timing, grace and power. At the higher levels of understanding kata is zanshin – moving meditation. With the correct approach to kata, that is to put in 100% effort and to visualise every technique and its application, the student will be training


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their mind and body to respond without conscious thought – the state of mushin (‘no mind’). Kata begin with the following primary assumptions4:

1. That the kata commenced with a forced confrontation. The kata almost always commence as a response to being grabbed or some other form of unavoidable encounter. Remember the concept of ‘karate ni sente nashi’.

2. That attacks usually following a pattern referred to as the habitual acts of physical violence5. These include lapel grabs, front chokes, rear chokes, front bear hugs, rear bear hugs and so on. The assumption is that the attacker is unskilled in the martial arts and is simply angry or stupid enough to attack someone.

3. Kata responses attack common anatomical vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities include pressure points, effector nerve motor points, joints, blood vessels and so on. Kata technique relies on exploiting these vulnerabilities in its brutal, effective and simple applications.

4. Kata relies on predetermined responses by attacking the common anatomical vulnerabilities in response to the habitual acts of physical violence, in situations of forced confrontation. In modern parlance these predetermined responses are referred to as stimulus response training. Again the emphasis is on attaining mushin.

The primary application of kata techniques was usually completed with the end in mind – usually an exit technique such as a throw or similar.

GŌKI-KAI KATA The kata in Gōki-Kai come from the Okinawan system of Gōjū-Ryū . Some have undergone some minor modifications, primarily in stance. These modifications reflect the raising of the stances for the western manner of living (i.e., we don’t sit on the floor). Each kata has a name and generally spans for around a minute. Kata movements are typically performed in lines rather than circles, and movements are forward, backward, sideways or diagonal from the beginning position. Strategies and techniques performed in one direction are often also conducted in the opposite axis providing a sense of symmetry. Kata demands, from the practitioner, perfection in balance, timing, focus and economy and also harmony of the breath, body and spirit. Kata are designed to be undertaken alone so that it is the 'self' who confronts the practitioner. It is common though (and quite effective) to view kata performed at the same time by many practitioners. Richard Kim, an expert and author on the subject of Kata, explains that kata create the possibility of attaining a spiritual goal through constant practice and that this goal is the overcoming of 'the self'. After many years of study, if the practitioner finds that he or she can perform a kata without thinking about it at all, a goal has been achieved. He explains that the kata then performs itself, without interference from the performer's 'self'. Ultimately, bodily control is achieved without feeling or thought, and this enhances the practitioner's control of any situation, martial or otherwise.

4 Adapted from Driscoll, D (2000) KATA – A new look at an old tradition, The Harmoniser, pp. V-VII, Vol. 4,

issue 5 A term coined by Hanshi Patrick McCarthy of KoRyū Uchinadi Kempo Jutsu and the International Ryūkyu

Karate Research Society.


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GEKISAI DAI ICHI The term "Gekisai" means to attack and destroy. There are two Gekisai Kata; "Gekisai Dai Ichi" was created by Chōjun Miyagi and Nagamine Shoshin in 1940 for induction into the middle schools of Okinawa as an introduction Kata and to help standardize Karate-Dō.

This kata was developed around 1940 and aimed to help spread Gōjū to the public. The literal meaning is to "attack and smash." Gekisai literally translates to

Attack and smash, number one (or two)

Attack, crush, number one (or two)

Attack and subdue with closed palms

Smash and destroy, number one

GEKISAI DAI NI "Gekisai Dai Ni" was a sole creation of Chōjun Miyagi based Gekisai Dai Ichi to introduce advanced and Gōjū-Ryū specific techniques. This kata was developed around 1940 and aimed to help spread Gōjū to the public. The literal meaning is to "attack and smash."

Gekisai literally translates to

Attack and smash, number one (or two)

Attack, crush, number one (or two)

Attack and subdue with closed palms

Smash and destroy, number one

SANCHIN Sanchin means ‘three battles’. The first kanji is san and means three. The second kanji is chin and today it means "battle."

Higaonna Morio Sensei once explained that the original meaning of chin in reference to Gōjū-Ryū kata meant "spear hand or spear head." As we know, the three battles-sanchin-are of the mind, the body and the spirit. Combined in sanchin kata, we find peace of mind, body and spirit only if worked properly and under proper instruction. To amplify the kata Sanchin, it should be noted that there are, in fact, two forms used in Okinawan Gōjū. The oldest is that taught by Higaonna Kanryo Sensei which includes a turning method as well as a slightly different breathing pattern. The second version was developed by Chōjun Miyagi Sensei and it is performed while facing forward only. The breathing, both inhalation and exhalation, are slower as are the individual movements within the kata. Kata Sanchin was brought back from China by Kanryo Higaonna in the late 1800's. Sanchin means "three battles". The three generally accepted as being the body, mind and spirit. It is the fundamental Kata of Gōjū-Ryū . Sanchin is the absolute base and signature Kata of Gōjū-Ryū Karatedo, the foundation


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Kata of the eight original Naha-te forms are based (Sanchin, Sanseiru, Shisochin, Seisan, Superinpe, etc). It contains the key elements of 'ki', 'soku' and 'tai', which are necessary for any and all martial arts as well as the absolute basic techniques of Naha-te. Not being a Kata of Self Defense rather a Kata for Tanren adapted from Chinese Chi Kung. The key features of this Kata are the combination of hard dynamic tension with deep breathing, concentrating strength in the Tanden which is very characteristic of the Gōjū-Ryū Karatedo. The hard audible (Ibuki) breathing conditions and exercises internal organs while the isometric tension and contraction conditions the muscles and develops proper form. Just as it is correct that everything in Budō begins and ends in bowing, Gōjū-Ryū Karate-Dō can begin and end in Sanchin There are two variations of Sanchin Kata in use. One is the original version known as Higaonna Sanchin, and the other is a modified version, Miyagi Sanchin with some changes made by Miyagi Chōjun.

TENSHO Tensho is a relatively new kata and was created by Chōjun Miyagi Sensei after his research in Fuzhou, China, between 1917 and 1921.

The name "tensho" literally means "rotating palms" and is also known as "rokkisho" (six-machine-palm). It is a high level breath control and hand technique kata. Tensho was created by Chōjun Miyagi to compliment Sanchin. It is a combination of hard dynamic tension with deep breathing and soft flowing hand movements, concentrating strength in the Tanden, and is very characteristic of the Gōjū-Ryū style. Chōjun Miyagi Sensei was inspired by the style; Rokkishu a Chinese boxing system, in the development of Tensho. Contrary to Sanchin, Tensho is deceptive in its soft and fluid motions, contains and aims to study "Ki, Soku and Tai" as same as Sanchin and several Uke techniques and attacking techniques. To the student being introduced to Tensho, it should be relative and thought of as a hard kata with less rigid movements and equal tension.

SAIFA This kata uses the same kanji found in Gekisai kata and is essentially and advanced version of the Gekisai kata utilising more tai sabaki movements.

The second portion of the name is traditionally pronounced "ha." but due to the Okinawan influence, it is pronounced "fa," giving us saifa. It means to "smash or beat” or "destroy and tear". The most common translation of Saifa is ‘to destroy by pulverising’. There are several bottom-fist and back-fist strikes in saifa, which is a more aggressive kata. The word "Saifa" means Saifa is of Chinese origin, brought back to Okinawa in the late 1800's by Kanryo Higaonna. Saifa is the first of the eight "Kaishu" or open handed Kata in the curriculum of Gōjū-Ryū Karatedo.


58 © Damien Martin

SEIYUNCHIN Seiyunchin kata once again uses the "chin" of Sanchin kata. In this case it is combined with sei and yun (also pronounced "in") to form the name seiyunchin. It means "to pull off balance and fight."

Seiyunchin is a very old Chinese kata and its origins are probably in the Hsing-i internal system. Mostly consisting of transitions in and out of low stances and escaping techniques with no kicks, a very unusual feature. As the name also translates 'walk far and conquer', Seiyunchin covers a large amount of distance in its performance.

SHISOCHIN Shisochin also uses the same kanji for "chin" as in Sanchin. In this case it is combined with the kanji shi (four) and so (redirection) to form shisochin or "four-face battle" or "battle in four directions".

It is of Chinese origin, taught to Kanryo Higaonna by RyūRyūko. It is said to be one of Miyagi Chōjun's favourite kata in his later years, and that it was well suited to his body. An advanced level Kata, Shisochin as its translations indicates, concentrates on only four directions of embusen however adjusting from these four directions quickly.

SANSEIRU Sanseiru represents the number thirty-six (6x6=36), or more specifically, “36 hands” or “36 movements”. The first six represents the eyes, ears, nose,

tongue, body and spirit; the second six represents colour, voice, taste, smell, touch, and justice. Sanseiru develops low kicks and double hand techniques. As in Shisochin, Sanseiru focuses on fighting in all four directions and develops rooted stances. Depending on who is counting and what they are counting, many teachers note that there are thirty six sets of movements in this Kata and some researchers believe this is rooted in the Shaolin temples 36 Habitual Acts of Personal Violence.

SEPAI Sepai represents the number eighteen (3x6=18). The literal translation is “18 hands” or “18 movements”.

The six in this case is the same as the second six in Sanseiru (colour, voice, taste, smell, touch, and justice), while the three represents good, bad and peace. Sepai is made up of a variety of unusual hand, foot and body techniques.

KURURUNFA Kururunfa was handed down to us from Ryū Ryū Ko Sensei to Higaonna Kanryo Sensei, but the original creator of this kata is unknown.

Kururunfa contains a wide variety of open-hand techniques and especially hand/hip coordination techniques. Kururunfa is an advanced kata brought back from China. It


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features Tai Sabaki (evasive manoeuvres) and very quick movement. Kata Kururunfa is one of the original kata from Ryūruko Sensei taught to him while in Fuzchou in the Fukien Province of China and was handed down to Higaonna Kanryo Sensei and on to Miyagi Chōjun. The original creator of this Kata is unknown. When translated it can mean:

Holding your ground.

Ku (long) ru (hold) run (sudden) fa (break)

Forever stops

Peaceful and tearing (tearing & shatter share the same Kanji) The most common translation is “holding on long and striking suddenly”. The many movements in Kururunfa include tai sabaki or evasive manoeuvres and are very quick followed by heavy movements (hard followed by soft) similar to Sesan and a wide variety of other motions (many open hand) both attacking and defending or trapping. Kururunfa also utilizes a combination coordinated with hip movements. Kururunfa teaches exceptional balance and transitions from one stance to another. Its close in hooking blocks and grappling manoeuvres are reminiscent of Sepai. This is the second to the highest of all Gōjū-Ryū Kata.

SESAN Sesan represents the number thirteen. Thirteen is a prime number, and in China is a number representing good luck and prosperity. Sesan is an aesthetic kata epitomizing the ideals of Gōjū-Ryū by utilizing a number of hard and soft

techniques. Sesan translates as “13 hands” or “13 movements” and was known as another one of Chōjun Miyagi Sensei’s favourite Kata. Sesan contains many unusual techniques and demonstrates the difference between Go (Hard) and Ju (Soft). A different version is practised in Shotokan (Hangetsu) and in Wado Ryū (Seishan). Sesan was also the favourite kata of the famous Shinzato Jin'an Sensei. Sesan focuses on many heavier techniques which involve close range uke and kakae, short strikes, low kicks, grabbing and controlling an attacker while striking a vulnerable part of the body. The thirteen primary techniques (eight defensive and five offensive) change direction multiple times to make Seisan balanced in principle, application, technique and embusen.

SUPARINPEI Suparinpei represents the number 108 (3x36=108) and means “108 hands” or “108 movements”. The number 108 has special significance in the metaphors of Buddhism.

It is believed that man has 108 evil passions and so in Buddhist temples on December 31, at the stroke of midnight, a bell is rung 108 times to drive away those spirits. The number 108 is calculated from 36 x 3. The symbolism of the number 36 is the same as in Sanseiru (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and spirit; colour, voice, taste, smell, touch, and justice). It is also believed that Suparinpei could be in reference of the 108 men who robbed from


60 © Damien Martin

the rich and gave to the poor in the 1600’s along the county side of China. Suparinpei by reference could also hold a meaning of 108 men each with a different evil passion or all of these together. The 108 men who joined forces to fight their 108 passions, they ended up being called ‘vigilantes’ and also studied a martial art which had 108 movements (3x3x3 again!) Suparinpei (another direct contact to the 108 men who travelled throughout the country side in China in the 1600’s). It is also believed that Kata Suparinpei used to consist of three different Kata; being Jo, Chu and Ge. Suparinpei is Gōjū-Ryū 's longest kata. It utilizes a large number of techniques, including breath control, and it contains the greatest number of applications and depth of meaning. The number 108 has a significant calculation of 6 X 36, the number 36 is significant from Kata Sanseiru and the number 3 exemplifies past, present, and the future. The number 3 is also significant in ALL aspects of Gōjū-Ryū clearly evident in Kata Sanchin (three battles!). The highest kata in the Gōjū-Ryū Karate-Dō curriculum, kata Suparinpei (also sometimes pronounced Suparenpei) is one of the original Kata from Ryū Ryū Ko Sensei taught to him while in Fuchow in the Fukien Province of China and was handed down to Higaonna Kanryo Sensei and on to Miyagi Chōjun. It is one of only four kata still pronounced in its Chinese form. Visually it is similar to the Chinese White Crane Kata and the Kempo Kata of the Dragon! Its Okinawa counterpart is Pecchurin found in Mubini Kenwa Sensei’s Shito Ryū and has the exact same pattern and almost the exact same movements. Suparinpei is the longest (standard) kata of Gōjū-Ryū (and therefore Gōki-Kai) containing more applications and techniques than any other kata and uses classic Gōjū-Ryū breathing however silent (Ibuki). Sticky Palms (Kakie), Tenshin, Hayakunai, Sabaki techniques, breaks, offensive countermeasures, and even has two additional kicks which are not found in any other Gōjū-Ryū Kata.


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THE EIGHT PRECEPTS OF THE FIST The Kempo Hakku was a favourite poem of Chōjun Miyagi Sensei. It was the 13th article from the ancient Chinese text, the Bubishi. Around 1930, Miyagi Sensei named his method of Té, Gōjū-ryū , from the third line of this poem.

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62 © Damien Martin

TRAINING APPARATUS Gōki-Kai instructors pride ourselves in giving our students the best facilities, training and opportunities to develop themselves to their physical and mental peak. All of our class instructors are highly qualified in the principles of athletic development and sport psychology and hold at least the minimum level of Certificate III with many holding higher level qualifications. We utilise the best of the old and the new to enable our students to achieve their potential.

HOJO UNDO 'Hojo undo' means literally "supplementary training". These should be practiced as often as possible in order to achieve effective techniques and to prepare the body (and mind) for combat situations. 'Hojo undo' is one of the things that separates traditional karate from sport karate, so that techniques can be delivered with devastating effectiveness without causing any harm to the karateka yet rendering the assailant incapable of continuing his attack. The aim is to achieve the one blow - one win situation.

Miyagi Sensei overseeing hojo undo training ant the Kenkyukai Dojo in 1928.

Various hojo undo equipment at the Okinawan Krate Kenkyukai Dojo in 1928.


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Various traditional training aids are used for 'hojo undo'. They must be used regularly in order to achieve the desired effect. An excellent text on the topic is Hojo Undo by Mike Clarke. It is relatively easy to make your own Hojo Undo equipment and training area at home as demonstrate by the photo to the left. This is the home training area of Damien Sensei and Hannah Sensei. It is a relatively small flat area with a Taketabe, a Makiwara, a Chi’Ishi and an assortment of Kettlebells. Such a small and comfortable training environment facilitates more regular practice for better gains in strength, fitness and flexibility; not to mention striking power. All that whilst enjoying the fresh air of the outdoors.

Makiwara - Punching Board The Makiwara is by far most commonly used by the most serious karate-ka. A traditional makiwara is made from a tapered piece of wood with a rice straw cover for striking although today we mostly use a leather cover. If you do not have access to a fixed makiwara then modern focus pads may be used, although not an ideal substitute they will improve timing and distance whilst moving. Often, the visible signs of makiwara training are callused knuckles and

hands but the main idea is to strengthen the wrist, elbow and shoulder joints to improve focus and power in striking techniques. Proper makiwara training also improves bone density of the striking surface as the body is forced to adapt to the training. Makiwara training should be built up over a period of months before full power is used. Incorrect makiwara training can cause great physiological damage to your hands and health in general. It is a common misconception that the aims of makiwara training are to produce large callused knuckles which are impervious to impact. These physical trophies are supposed to be indicators of strength and power. This is an incorrect perception! Whilst makiwara training can produce callused knuckles that could sustain tremendous impact and cause great damage, it is merely a by-product of the training itself and not the object. There is much more to this method of training than the mere physical condition of one’s hands. The makiwara is as old as karate itself, and is primarily an Okinawan training tool that was imported to mainland Japan by Okinawan masters who were responsible for introducing their art of Okinawa Te (Okinawan hand). Gichin Funakoshi, the father of Shotokan Karate, in his biography, clearly states that "I think I am in no way exaggerating when I say that practice with the makiwara is the keystone in the creation of strong weapons."


64 © Damien Martin

Choku Motobu Sensei, a famous Okinawan karate-ka who was renowned for his fighting ability, had this to say about the makiwara, "Makiwara is a vital piece of equipment for a karate student to exercise his skill." It is not un-common, on Okinawa, to find makiwara in people’s backyards, and to hear the pounding of a makiwara. To a karate-ka wishing to develop into a complete martial artist, makiwara training is vital and absolutely necessary. The practice of fresh air punching only, never gives one the true feeling of actually striking or punching and opponent. This type of training also encourages bad striking and punching habits as there is no measure between your technique and end-result. Most modern schools use kickboxing type gloves and kickboxing techniques which are derived from sporting applications and require hand wrapping and protective gloves to prevent injury. In a real self defence situation you cannot stop to wrap your hands and it is unlikely you will alter your punching technique in the heat of battle – remember, how you train is how you fight! Human heads are made up of bones and cartilage and is mostly hard and solid, similar to a standing makiwara (tachi makiwara). Therefore it is imperative that one’s hands are conditioned to resist the impact otherwise the first strike to your opponents head could damage the bones in your hands or wrist. The makiwara not only aids in strengthening the hands and arms, but it also helps strengthen ones stance and coordinating ones breathing. Punching fresh air, or even punching a heavy bag, does not cover all these aspects. There are two types of makiwara, the tachi-makiwara and the age-makiwara. The most common version of the makiwara is the standing makiwara (tachi-makiwara). However, there are also two types of standing makiwara:

(a) a flat wooden post extending up from the ground with a pad (or straw wrap-around) on the top. This makiwara is struck from the front only.

(b) the other type of standing makiwara is constructed of a round pole which is set into the ground as well. Straw padding is wound around the pole, and it can be hit from all sides.

Chi'ishi - strength stone The chi’ishi origins are thought to have come from China, though it is widely used in Okinawa. The chi’ishi consists of a stone weight with a long wooden handle. The chi’ishi enables the karateka to practice very specific movements from the kata and develop their power, strength and stamina accordingly. The length of the handle is determined by either of the following:

in an upright position the top of the handle should come up to the knee joint, or

if the user holds the chi’ishi at both ends of the handle the hands should be able to go to the side of the body as in basic punching.

There are many exercises with chi’ishi for strengthening the grip, shoulders and arms. It can also be used to condition the forearms by performing kakie like exercises.


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Ishi Sashi - stone padlock The ishi-sashi is based on a stone padlock formally used in China and Okinawa and its uses are very similar to modern dumb bells. Being more stable in design the ishi-sashi can be used also with the foot to develop the muscles and tendons we use in kicking techniques. Most of the blocking and striking techniques with the arms can be performed with the ishi-sashi. This helps to develop strong shoulder and back muscles and increase ones kime (focus). A modern version of the ishi-sashi can be made from metal hence the name Tetsu-Sashi.

Kongoken - iron ring The kongoken is unique to Okinawan Gōjū-Ryū and was based on a steel ring used by Hawaiian wrestlers. After seeing this in Hawaii Chōjun Miyagi Sensei on his return to Okinawa decided to develop a similar piece of equipment changing the shape to oval.

The oval shaped kongoken better represented the shape of the human body and a greater number of exercises may be employed. The kongoken can weigh from 30kg upwards depending on the user; care must be taken if the kongoken is too heavy. Exercises may be performed with a partner or alone. The kongoken helps us to achieve power in the hips and legs and also helps us with the strength and co-ordination required to perform throwing techniques.

Nigiri game - gripping jars The nigiri game translates as gripping jars. These are specifically designed to develop the strong grip needed to execute many of the advanced blocking and holding techniques. They also help to improve the posture and endurance in certain stances. The jars are generally cylindrical in design with the width of the upper rim being the width of the users grip from the tips of the fingers to the inside of the thumb joint.

Additional practice calls for the students to combine moving from one stance to another gripping the additional weights in the fashion described, suspended at arm’s length, to assist in developing the legs, upper body, and in aligning the shoulders and hips for improved kata. The nigiri game is occasionally used for blocking practice, calling for exceptional strength in the hands and arms, to hold the weights in the correct position. When students become proficient at this exercise, the nigiri game may be filled with beans, rice or pebbles to increase the weights. Getting custom made nigiri game can be expensive but rewarding if one can find a potter to undertake the work. The dimensions are as follows:

Rim 11cm with a 1.5cm curved lip, this would make the neck around 9cm

Width at its widest 22cm

Height 30cm


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As mentioned previously, the jars may be filled with beans, rice or pebbles to increase the weights.

Other Hojo Undo Tools

Taketaba Bamboo bundle – This tool has its roots in China. Lengths of bamboo are bundled together in an upright manner and are then struck using nukite to strengthen the tips of the fingers and the hand form. Various exercises also develop the accuracy and grip of the student. The taketaba is also used for forearm and body conditioning whereby small flexible bundles of bamboo are used to repeatedly strike the practitioners muscular areas. Iron wire (tetsutaba) can also be used in this practice. There are two versions of the taketaba shown in the picture from the left (from the Shinsokai Dojo in Spain).

Tetsu Geta Based on the footwear of the old time pearl diver this unique footwear is similar to ‘thongs’ or ‘flip flops’, although made of iron. Many exercises can be completed wearing the tetsu geta to increase leg strength.

Ishi-bako Pebble container - Instructions for using this piece of equipment can be found in the famous Bubishi. The ishi bako conditions the fingertips in a different manner to that of the taketaba, providing a Ju to the Go. Both methods have their merits. “While there is no escaping the brutal makiwara, there are numerous other ways Karate-jutsu uses to condition the body. For example, training the fingers so that one is capable of piercing or pressing them into the weak parts of the body requires filling a container with sand so that repeated thrusting into it helps develop and harden the tips of your fingers.”

Gichin Funakoshi

Sashi Ishi Literally, heavy stone. The use is much like a heavy barbell. The Sashi Ishi shown to the left is from Shinsokai Dojo in Spain.


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Tetsuwa Iron rings – for grip and forearm strength. The Tetsuwa come in a variety of sizes and are used in a variety of ways ranging from simple resistance training (i.e. adding more and more smaller wrings to the arms whilst training) to isometric tension style training.

Tou Wooden Dummy - Traditional tou consist of a post attached to the floor in an upright manner which is then used for forearm conditioning (ude kitae). Variations include the addition of strike targets, flexible or rigid arms, and makeshift legs, to provide a training partner for solo practice. The ‘arms’ can be spring loaded to provide further resistance and practice opportunities for conditioning, and practice of muchimi like movements without a partner. These are usually referred to as kakete biki or kakiya.

Makiage Kigu Literally, wrist roller. A weight on a string that is rolled up and down on a handle. This device can be seen in some gyms still today and is used to develop grip and forearm strength.

Testuarei Dumbells

JUNBI UNDO Junbi Undo (preliminary exercises) is the warm up exercises of developed by Gōjū-Ryū founder Chōjun Miyagi Sensei in conjunction with leading doctors of his time. The junbi undo exercises are very sport specific and as legitimate today as they were 100 years ago. Junbi undo consists of a systematic full body series of exercises designed to warm up, strengthen, stretch, condition, co-ordinate and prepare the karate practitioner’s body and mind for the challenges of karate training and the rigours of self defence. The junbi undo exercises were compiled and developed by Chōjun Miyagi after years of research and consultation with physicians and other Sensei. Contained within these exercises are a variety of karate kihon (basics) that include stances, strikes, punches, blocks, and kicks. Junbi undo exercises also develop Qigong, pronounced “Chi Kung” (practice of internal and external universal energy) and Kokyu-Ho (inhale/exhale breathing method). Most of the exercises involve the use of one’s own bodyweight, as well as (sometimes) that of a partner.


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Modern Methods Gōki-Kai utilises the best of the old, and the new. Our training programs include elements of weightlifting (not bodybuilding – there is a difference), yoga, pilates, ginastica natural (from Brazil) and much, much more. The following pages will give you an idea of what we do. Many of the tools below are 20th century innovations that were not available to our martial arts forefathers simply because the technology that spawned them (i.e. synthetic materials) had not yet been invented. See you instructor for program development and consultation if you wish.

Exercise Tool Description

Kyokushin Shield: The large curved Kyokushin Shield is designed to be worn by its holder to act as a mobile heavy bag. This mode of bag work requires the striker to work a variety of distances whilst maintaining a high work rate.

TKD Paddle: The paddle is taken from the sport of Tae Kwon Do and enables the striker to work precision on high kicks in a manner that is safer for the pad holder.

Focus Mitt: Focus mitts are found in boxing and kickboxing schools worldwide and enable the striker to work a variety of hand techniques to develop precision in their timing, distancing and power. When used properly by a skilled pad holder they also allow the fighter to develop a good defence as each round becomes similar to a full contact ‘fight’ with the mitts.

Thai Forearm Pad: The forearm pads are designed primarily as a kicking tool however they have extraordinary adaptability and can be used much like focus mitts to train combined punches, elbows, knees and kicks. When used properly by a skilled pad holder they also allow the fighter to develop a good defence as each round becomes similar to a full contact ‘fight’ with the pads.

Kick Shield: The kick shield is used primarily to develop power in kicks and knee strikes although it can also be used to develop distancing skills and cardiovascular fitness.


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Heavy Bag:

Skipping rope: for cardiovascular fitness, stamina, light footwork and low level plyometric training.

Weightlifting: compound lifts using fast movements, low reps and high weights. To develop explosive speed and power. Primary lifts are:

Squat,

Power clean,

Deadlift,

Clean & Jerk,

Snatch, and

Bench press

Power bag: explosive power development using sand filled cordura bags. Run, lift, jump, kick and so on.

Ginastica natural: natural gymnastics from Brazil. Developed to develop and maintain the fitness and suppleness of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighters. Movements are a combination of yoga, wrestling drills and gymnastics and are named after various animals. This is quite a workout.

Reaction ball: this unusual device never bounces the same way twice. Works hand/eye coordination as well as developing fast foot speed and reactive speed for attack and defence in martial arts.

The agility ladder: developing fast foot speed and reactive speed for attack and defence in martial arts.


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Kettlebells: a Russian implement based on a cannonball with a handle. Extremely effective and increasingly popular in the 21st century. This single piece of equipment can get you extremely strong and extremely fit by any measure.

Interval Training: short duration intervals to develop the underpinning fitness elements of short brutal street situations, as well as longer sprints to develop stamina and speed in the ring. Very effective, never popular. We utilise the ever effective Tabata protocol plus a number of variations. This training method can be used with any exercise modality but is most commonly found with bodyweight exercises, sprints, kettlebells and the ‘sled’.

Plyometrics: tuck jumps, box drops, clap pushups and more.


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UNDERSTANDING BUDŌ Understanding Budō: Definition and fundamental ideas by Master Hidetaka Nishiyama Over the centuries Budō has sought to develop martial arts systems that do not depend on physical strength, but rather, on psychological and physical techniques which maximize one’s energy and power. Budō practice enhances a person’s mental strength, scale and class in a manner that potentially enables practitioners to control an opponent without physical confrontation. Budō is the foundation of physical disciplines that pursue victory without fighting.

History of Budō development In Japan, civil wars frequently broke out following the Tengyo Revolt in the 940’s A.D. During periods of internal conflict several fighting techniques, including horseback riding, archery, naginata, swordsmanship, spires and battlefield combat were developed. The introduction of firearms in 1543 boosted the evolution of combat systems. The traditional lacquered wood and leather armor was rendered obsolete and, without such heavy outfits, warriors were able to use quick and sophisticated techniques when engaged in hand-to-hand combat. In the early 17th century, Ieyasu Tokugawa founded a unified government in Japan, thereafter avoiding serious warfare for some 250 years. While Japanese fighting techniques originally were developed for group fighting, during the Tokugawa shogunate they were studied as a form of individual combat. Prominent experts of the various fighting systems established highly developed techniques that employed not only muscle strength but mental and physical strategies and techniques within systematically organized training regimens. As a result, these bodies of knowledge evolved into different schools of martial arts. These fighting techniques then were applied to fundamental education mainly for samurai families, while the benefits of martial arts training were studied in various academic fields. During the Kanyei era (1624 – 1643), religious scholars focused on martial arts’ spiritual benefits, which they regarded as philosophy. Confucians considered martial arts a way of preparing people who would contribute to building a strong nation. Medical researchers discovered the value of martial arts training as a form of physical education. Academic approaches became a part of martial arts study. Through this process, martial arts became more than the sum of their techniques. They were refined as the way (DO) to complete human character through the study of fighting techniques (BU). At this point, martial arts developed as a cultural phenomenon.

Budō as Art Techniques of Budō are executed when “kyo” – one’s mental and physical unguarded fluctuation – occurs in relation to an opponent between moves. This opens up an opportunity for interception, which can be realized only by one trained to sense such moments. In order to “catch” this small window of opportunity and apply a technique, one must eliminate all unnecessary movement. Power for an effective technique must be generated by a motion as small as possible. Perfect and sophisticated moves that meet these conditions are the product of the effective application of a body of knowledge and skills that are recognized as art when viewed by the public.


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* Aristotle (BC 384-322), a philosopher and biologist who established kinesiology, stated that the act of creating great power with small motion was indeed beauty in concept and form.

Budō and Competitions While several schools of Budō do not include competition, judo, kendo and karate conduct national and international competitions. Among the Budō systems, judo has been an Olympic event since the Games were celebrated in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Consequently, major competitions of judo, including in the Olympic Games, have been televised and attracted considerable public attention. On the other hand, some people believe judo has lost its Budō foundations. Judo first attracted the attention of people around the world for its enigmatic Budō characteristics such as the ability of a small person to throw a much larger person. However, when judo competition adapted to the requirements of a sports environment, such mysterious elements were lost. The declining number of judo practitioners may be attributed to this loss. There are many differences between Budō and sports competition, including the following: 1. Competitive sports generally are understood to release physical energy through

exercise under prescribed rules. In contrast, Budō competition has its roots in “shiai,” a training method practiced since the early stages of Budō development, which does not involve “play” as in sports. In practice combat, practitioners fight each other under certain guidelines (occasionally in a serious fighting match until one opponent dies). The point of this practice is to test one’s skills while being given an opportunity to learn mental and physical techniques from the other. A shiai places individuals in an extreme position that would allow virtually only two choices: survive or die. This setting makes the learning experience significantly more effective. Through sports competition, athletes develop positive mental effects such as feelings of achievement, friendship and so on, while Budō practitioners enjoy a sense of gratification in a shiai that affords them a valuable learning opportunity.

2. Many competition sports have different categories such as weight class systems. Often

a winner is announced according to a total of itemized points. These features are reasonable for participants to enjoy the play component that is the nature of sports. On the other hand, in a Budō match, every unnecessary condition and technique should be eliminated because all Budō systems were originally developed to beat an opponent as quickly as possible so that a warrior could fight against multiple attacks on a battle field. The final goal is to destroy an opponent’s power with one ultimate move. This Budō principle contrasts considerably with sports competitions that include variations added to make the event enjoyable.

3. Sports for competition helps athletes release pent-up energy. This beneficial aspect

aids in the control of stress and is well appreciated. On the other hand, in a Budō performance, the energy built up in a human body is applied in an instant, at which point the body must be recharged immediately to meet the next opponent or confront a surprise attack in any aspect of one’s daily life. (This recharging action is called “zanshin” and is considered a very important element of Budō.)

4. As already described, in a shiai the opponent is not an enemy but acts as a teacher

providing the opportunity to test one’s abilities and skills. For this reason, proper


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etiquette is an essential requirement that cannot be omitted in any shiai. In contrast, good manners in sports competitions demonstrate respect and friendship to the competitors who play the sport while following the rules of the game. Such manners are not prescribed or enforced elements as taught in Budō.

5. In competitive sports, the rules function as a definition of the sport itself. In the case of

Budō, rules must encompass the spiritual component and sophistication of techniques. Compiling proper rules and regulations for a Budō system is a challenge that can be accomplished only by its foremost practitioners, who not only have understood but also mastered both the spirit and techniques of that system.

It was Dr. Jigoro Kano, the founder of modern judo and the first Japanese member of the International Olympic Committee, who saw the threat of turning Budō into sports competition. After returning from Stockholm where he had served as director of the first Japan team in 1912, he observed that, “Judo will be destroyed if it becomes an Olympic Game event.” With this recognition, Dr. Kano revealed his deep under-standing of the differences between sports competition and shiai in Budō systems.

Budō’s World Attraction After World War II, Budō quickly captured public attention on an international scale, primarily because of features not found in general sports, but also because it encouraged people living under post-war hardships. The values of Budō were then understood as the following: 1. The impression that Budō provides mysterious powers that allow smaller individuals to

overcome larger and stronger opponents. 2. Budō was regarded as cultivating the spirit because it allows people to study methods

with which to control an opponent without resorting to physical confrontation. 3. While athletes of general sports practice to surpass their competitors, the objective of

Budō study is the development of the self, regardless of physical strength, age and gender.

While some Budō systems conduct numerous competitions, it is estimated that not more than 5% of practitioners are interested in tournaments. It therefore can be assumed that these practitioners engage in training not to be winners in competition, but to seek the authentic Budō spirit and would be uninterested in training if the Budō system followed general sports at the expense of losing its original qualities.

Bushido and Budō Bushi (the samurai tradition) involves the concept of the hereditary soldier within Japanese feudal society. During times of peace, a bushi served as a general officer either for the Shogunate or for a local state government. While these professional soldiers studied Budō, most completed only elementary levels, mastering no more than a few high-level techniques. Meanwhile, not only bushis, but also regular citizens studied Budō, with some reaching truly high levels of skill. Because Budō is a physical art suitable for anyone who pursues the fulfillment of one’s human potential by consistent training in martial arts, it is not directly related to Bushido.

Master Hidetaka Nishiyama Profile Born in Tokyo, Japan in 1928, Nishiyama began his karate training in 1943 under Mr. Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of modern karate. In 1951, he became co-founder of the Japan Karate Association (JKA) and was elected to the JKA Board of Directors. In 1961,


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Nishiyama organized the All American Karate Federation (today the American Amateur Karate Federation, or AAKF) as a nationally based amateur Karate organization, and in 1974 founded the International Amateur Karate Federation (IAKF). In 1985, the IAKF changed its name to the International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF). In 2000, he was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette by the Emperor of Japan for his promotion of Japanese culture through his lifelong teaching of traditional karate. In 2001, the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland was bestowed upon him.


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HABITUAL ACTS OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE "Sometimes you don't know how to fit in until you break out."

By Patrick McCarthy © 2005 Since Okinawa reclaimed its rightful heritage as the birthplace of karate---a moot point mainland Japan has laid claim to---grounds for looking into its cultural landscape and social mindset have kicked opened the door for questioning existing beliefs not previously challenged! Never before has there been such emphasis placed upon questioning the origins and application practices of kata, than now. From before such a movement ever became popular the IRKRS has been providing a growing number of progressive learners a valuable source with which to network and find more pragmatic explanations to an otherwise highly convoluted tradition. What started as one person’s quest to resolve the ambiguity in understanding the defensive application of kata has since grown into a worldwide movement of like-minded people in pursuit of common goals. In 1985, after nearly twenty years of training, I became discouraged by incongruous practices. I hadn’t come to disrespect traditional karate but I could no longer accept its modern interpretation of kata! With this in mind I began to search for a teacher, a style, or even an organization that could mentor me in a more rational, coherent and systematized manner. Specifically, I was looking for someone who could; #1.Use realistic acts of physical violence as a contextual premise from which to learn, rather than the impractical 3K rule-bound reverse punch scenario that permeate the tradition, #2. Employ practical two-person drills to recreate those realistic acts of physical violence found in today’s empty-handed fighting scenarios and provide prescribed defensive templates ultimately leading to functional proficiency, #3. Show how the prescribed templates [i.e. the composites which make up kata] not only culminated the lessons already imparted but, when linked together, clearly offered something greater than the sum total of their individual parts [i.e. Kata], and finally, #4. To possess the ability to clearly demonstrate where these prescribed templates [mnemonic mechanisms] exist in the classical/ancestral-based kata and how they were linked back to both generic and specific acts of physical violence. While there were certainly no shortage of excellent yudansha everywhere I traveled during my decade in Japan, I found absolutely no trace of such teachings anywhere there, Okinawa or beyond! Hence, I was compelled to make my own deductions, which gradually resulted in the establishment of the Habitual Acts of Physical Violence-theory [HAPV-theory] and two-person drill concepts which ultimately lead to the development of KoRyū Uchinadi Kenpo-jutsu.” More than a decade ago I formally introduced my research surrounding the HAPV-theory and corresponding two-person drill practice. Between 1993 and 2005, I popularised the practice under the name “Tegumi renzoku-geiko” [hand-grappling flow drills] during the delivery of some 600 seminars in more than twenty countries around the world. The informal explanation presented herein provides a glimpse into the study preceding its introduction.

BFO During the years I studied swordsmanship [Tenshi Shoden Katori Shinto Ryū], at the Sugino honbu dojo in Kawasaki [Japan], I gained a huge respect for how the style accomplished its combative outcomes through using highly functional two-person training drills. While delving into its origins I became deeply impressed with the way classical attack scenarios had been first identified and studied before being ultimately catalogued into individual and collective leaning modules each with prescribed responses and variations on common themes. Never having been terribly satisfied with the incongruous


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ippon-kumite practices of karate and unable to understand the defensive “effectiveness” of kata [as traditionally taught against modern reverse punch scenarios] or how its abstract mnemonic mechanisms were methodically linked back to actual real-life fight circumstances, I always felt that something was missing in traditional karate and from this blinding flash of the obvious [BFO] I finally realized what it was. Challenged by such an experience I began looking into those classical acts of physical violence habitually used by men-against-men in empty-handed one-on-one fight scenarios commonly encountered during the 19th and early 20th centuries---the era in which karate was developed. I borrowed liberally from my ju-jutsu experienceA, Chinese and SE Asian martial art practicesB, used abstract themes from the BubishiC, and the contextual premise used in Katori Shinto RyūD and finally contrasted them with classic Shaolin empty-handed scenariosE. Broadening my analysis, I also explored the defensive practices found in turn-of-the-century ju-jutsu stylesF, and medieval manuals on empty-handed fightingG. Two other important mentors during this study were my karate teacher, Kinjo Hiroshi Hanshi, and submission-kakutogi pioneer [UWFI] Takada Nobuhiko. Kinjo Sensei is simply a walking encyclopedia of knowledge, a genuine living treasure, and the link between the old and the new worlds of karate. Amidst the many valuable things I learned from Takada Nobuhiko were his functional grappling practices and the unique way they could be linked together through solo re-enactments drills exemplifying the concept of ancestralbased kata. During my study I gradually modified the classical empty-handed attack scenariosH to best exemplify those acts of physical violence commonly found in today’s western society, and fortified the experience by developing many variations on these common themes. I further divided the attack scenarios into three individual categories for easy study reference:

#1. Seizing,

#2. Impacting,

#3. A combination of #1 & #2 used together.

The Human Body Throughout this entire undertaking the one subject, which always remained constant, was the human body...another BFO. So simple and yet seemingly so unknown, or perhaps I should say so unstudied! As the human body is the principal subject in empty-handed physical violence, and size, strength and how it is used, are always such determining factors, it made perfect sense to better understand its fundamental anatomical structures if I was to ever fully grasp how it is used best and how those defensive concepts best worked against it. Up until this point in my training I had always relied solely upon my own physical prowess, as a competitive athlete, to get the job done. Concluding my study I determined that it is always the human body, its unique structures and common anatomical weaknesses that ultimately determined how kinetic energy [seize/impact] best impeded motor function; the dispassionate aim of self-defence. Armed with this understanding I turned my attention towards reverse engineering the classical defensive themes found in the mnemonic templates of kata.

Common Mechanics Contrasting them with more traditional response methods found elsewhere, I drew heavily upon those immutable principles supporting common mechanics, and used the five Ancient MachinesI along side a simple 5-part ruleJ to exploit anatomically vulnerable structures made available through opportunity or design while negotiating the HAPV. The response categories included; percussive impact, the seizing and pressing into cavities unprotected by the skeletal structure, attacking bony protrusions [the periosteum], neurological structures and connective tissue, the hyper-flexion/extension and the over-


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rotation of joints, the constriction of blood and air passage ways, the displacement of balance, and those tactics commonly found in grappling.

Reverse Engineering The realistic attack scenarios provided a workable opportunity to recreate and study each conceivable scenario of physical violence in a safe learning environment. Analyzing [bunkai-jutsu] each HAPV provided the basis of understanding their mechanics, and dynamics, their strengths and weaknesses. The more I delved into this experience the more I wondered how, without such intelligence, could early pioneers [or anyone for that matter] ever develop functionally tactical strategies to be used against them. In the same classical format used in Katori Shinto Ryū, I brought these application practices [oyo-waza] to life in two-person drills. Each HAPV was recreated by the uke [attacker/receiver] while the tori [defender/taker] re-enacted the prescribed defensive responses. As learners gained familiarity and proficiency with each drill I encouraged them to increase power, strength and resistance [gradually or exponentially depending entirely upon physical prowess, and aptitude] to exemplify the tenacity of an uncooperative attacker so that two outcomes could be achieved:

#1. Making the attack scenario as life-like as possible, and… #2. For each learner to develop highly functional skills.

By separating the two-person drills into equal parts [#1. the HAPV portion and #2. its prescribed defensive response] I was able to subsequently ritualise each part of the practice [the attack and and its prescribed response] into mnemonicK templates. Herein lies the value of reverse engineering---ritualising each solo re-enactment produced mnemonic templates, which, considering 19th century oriental mentality, looked virtually identical to the individual composites of kata. Historically speaking, I believe that kata were originally devised by using such individual model responses and expressed by using the

following ideogram 型 [model]---pronounced Xing in Chinese or kata in Japanese. By

arranging HAPV-related prescribed responses into unique geometrical configurations,

expressed by using the following ideogram 形 [shape]---also pronounced Xing in Chinese

and kata in Japanese---I took for granted that early quanfa pioneers succeeded in developing something greater than the sum total of its individual parts…Kata. Not only could learners come into contact with the HAPV, and learn highly functional prescribed defensive responses to them, they could also improve their physical skills, mental focus, and holistic condition, hence strengthening the overall learning process. In an effort to establish and standardize core curricula in these early quanfa schools, I believe that

pioneers formalized prescribed model 型 responses into creative geometrical shapes 形 to

create kata/xing.

Arriving back at the Beginning In lieu of no other pragmatic explanation surrounding the evolution of kata and its functional application premise, I believe that this rationalization not only provides a sound crucible, it is even plausible to reason that kata were never originally developed to impart the actual lesson, but rather to culminate that which had already been taught; and not just as a creative exposition of physical prowess. This, I believe changed, and quite radically so, when the attention of kata shifted from the classical one-on-one, or small group-style instruction, to drilling huge groups of students in the schoolyards of turn-of-the-century Okinawa. There, kata were simplified and became the principal vehicle used in fostering physical fitness and social conformity in Okinawa’s school system in support of the war machine during Japan’s radical period of military escalation. The way kata is learned in modern/traditional karate traces its lineage back to this crucible, a time when the practice evolved from an art of self-defence into a form of callisthenics. Through the senpai~kohai


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system and a lack of critical thinking, imitative behaviour and the trickle down effect, has perpetuated kata as the enigma of karatedo. Challenging myth and tradition, I used eclecticism and critical thinking, as immutable devices in deciphering the time-honoured enigma called kata. In doing so I was able to move my understanding of kata forward where established classical sources could not. I am honoured to be at the forefront of such a movement and grateful to all those who have supported this effort.

About the author: Originally from Canada I migrated to Japan during the mid 1980’s, married and spent many years there before relocating to Oz in 1995. I’ve studied the fighting arts since childhood and decided early on, “to live my dream?” I was able to successfully transform a passion into a profession and have never regretted taking that chance; now, I’m dedicated to helping other like-minded enthusiasts achieve their dream. “The pathway bridging desire to success is discipline.” I’m competitive by nature, a trait reflected in pretty much everything I do. I love my work, am a positive person and believe that success is not a destination but rather a state of mind. I’m married to a remarkable woman [Yuriko], and we have two great kids; Bianca [a Scientist] and Taylor [a Lawyer].


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I am a Japan-accredited instructor [Hanshi 9th Dan/範士9段], writer and founding director

of the International Ryūkyu Karate Research Society/琉球唐手術国際研究会…est 1989 in

Japan. My publications include, ‘The Bubishi,” “Classical Kata of Okinawan Karate,” “Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts, Volumes 1 & 2,” “Tales of Okinawa’s Great Masters,” “Tanpenshu” [Funakoshi Gichin's Finest Work], “Karate, My Art” [Motobu Choki's Finest Work], numerous articles/papers, etc., and a collection of educational DVDs, which focus upon the nature and application of my historical and technical studies of, “The Old-Ways.“ I am passionate about the traditional fighting arts but prefer functionality over empty ritual.

I think Matsuo Basho/松尾芭蕉 [1644-1694] summed up tradition nicely when he wrote,

“Seek not to [blindly] follow in the footsteps of the men of old but rather continue to seek out what they sought.” This timeless concept says so much about keeping tradition alive, rather than blindly adhering to “exactly how the master did it 75 years ago!” Paraphrasing the 1920 wisdom of Jean Janses, “Tradition doesn’t mean preserving someone’s ashes in a box but rather keeping its flame alight.”

A Citing Professor Wally Jay as my principal instructor, but not overlooking the value of my training with Richard Kim [Daito Ryū Aiki-jujutsu], Ron Forrester [father of the Canadian Ju-jutsu movement], Sugino Yoshio [Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryū Heiho-jutsu] and a handful of other wonderful ju-jutsu teachers I’ve enjoyed the pleasure of training with over the years.

B Two-person hand drills from Silat, Arnis, Wing Chun and Taiji.

C The section addressing the 48 two-person postures and the section on escapes & grappling.

D Katori Shinto Ryū lays great emphasis on mastering the use of its curriculum through two-person drills where the tori recreates the classical attack scenario and the uke re-enacts the classical response theme.

E In a personal 1992 interview with Liang Yiquan [DOB 1931, Dengfeng county] of the Historical Research Society at the Shaolin Temple, I learned of the 36 empty-handed classical acts of physical violence, and variations on these themes.

F “Jiu-Jitsu Tricks,” by K. Saito, publisher Richard K. Fox NYC 1905, Irving Hancock's 1905 publication, entitled “The Complete Kano Jiu-Jitsu,” “The Text Book of Ju Jutsu” (as practiced in Japan) by S.K. Uyenishi, “Jiu Jitsu Combat Tricks” by H. Irving Hancock, “The Complete Kano Jiu-Jitsu” 1905 by H. Irving Hancock & Katsukuma Higashi, “Ju-Jitsu” (Exposure of all Methods of Self-Defence) by Higami Kasatu, Briton Publications, Sydney Australia, “The Secrets of Jujitsu “(7 Vols) 1918-19 Captain Allan Corstorphin, Stahara Pub Co., “Combat Jiu-Jitsu” by S.R. Linck, publisher Stevens-Ness Law Publishing Co. Portland, OR 1943, and Joseph Charlemont’s “Savate” 1920, etc.,

G Sources included, Talhoffer’s 1443 “Flehtbuch,” Hans Wurm's “Ringbuch” c. 1507, Vollstandi ges Ring-Buch 1659, “Clear Instructions to the Art of Wrestling” by Nicolaes Petter 1674, Edmund Price “The Science of Self Defence” (A Treatise on Sparring and Wrestling) 1867, Prof. Mike Donovan's 1893 “Science of Boxing,” The “New Art of Self-Defence,” by E.W. Barton-Wright (Copy of the 1901 Pearson Magazine Article).

H 1. Straight kicks 2. Angular-type kicks 3. Straight punches 4. Circular punches 5. Downward strikes 6. Upward strikes 7. Knee & Elbow strikes 8. Head-butt/Biting & spitting 9. Testicle squeeze 10. Augmented foot/leg trips 11. Single/double-hand hair pull from the front/rear 12. Single/double-hand choke from the front/rear 13. Front neck choke from rear 14. Classical head-lock 15. Front, bent-over, augmented choke (neck-hold) 16. Half/full-nelson 17. Rear over-arm bear hug (& side variation) 18. Rear under-arm bear hug (& side variation) 19. Front over-arm bear hug (& side variation) 20. Front under-arm bear hug (& side variation)


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21. Front/rear tackle 22. One-handed wrist grab (same & opposite sides-normal/reversed) 23. Two-handed wrist grabs (normal/reversed) 24. Both wrists seized from the front/rear 25. Both arms seized from the front/rear 26. Single/double shoulder grab from front/rear 27. Arm-lock (behind the back) 28. Front arm-bar (triceps tendon fulcrum up supported by wrist) 29. Side arm-bar (triceps tendon fulcrum down supported by wrist) 30. Single/double lapel grab 31. Single/double-hand shove 32. Garment pulled over the head 33. Seized & impact 34. Single/double leg/ankle grab from the front (side/rear) 35. Ground straddle 36. Attacked (kicked/struck) while down

I Application techniques dealing with strangulation, hyper-extension/hyper-flexion and the over-rotation of joints, balance displacement, and grappling can be explained through the 5-ancient machines; Lever [3-categories], the wedge, pulley, screw, and fixed axel & heel. http://www.tpub.com/content/engine/14037/ Techniques of percussive impact best explained by addressing timing, distance and the transfer of kinetic energy.

J

1. Location (The precise anatomical structure to be attacked) 2. Tool (Which part of the body [fist, foot, elbow, knee, fingertips, etc.] used to attack with) 3. Angle (The angle of energy transfer) 4. Direction (The direction of energy transfer; i.e. back to front, perpendicular to location, etc.) 5. Intensity (The amount of energy transfer necessary to achieve the desired outcome)

K A mechanism used as an aid to assist the memory.

http://www.tpub.com/content/engine/14037/


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EFFECTS OF STRESS IN SELF DEFENCE The following chapter is a summary of a number of articles and manuals I have written in a variety of training sectors over the past two decades. It provides a snapshot of the likely effects of the ‘adrenal dump’ on someone in laymans terms. It draws from a variety of disciplines including law enforcement training, firearms training and the martial arts. The psychological aspects of violent encounters are attracting a great deal of attention in the martial arts media lately and it seems that everyone has an opnion – well informed (or not as the case may be). Much of the information is regurgitated from earlier material without recourse to relevant studies of facts. The accumulating body of research material has evolved into what is collectively referred to as survival learning theory. The research has led us to some interesting conclusions and has indicated that the way some people train does more harm than good!

SURVIVAL STRESS RESEARCH Much of the early research into the effects of stress on people in times of life threatening violence comes from Pressure Point Control Tactics Management Systems (PPCT) in the United States. Bruce Siddle, the founder of PPCT has developed a number of excellent law enforcement based defensive tactics programs based on the results of the research. Since Siddle’s pioneering days in the 1980’s, other trainers and researchers have come forward with similar theories and systems. The martial arts programs taught in the context of Gōki-Kai are one such example of this research being put to practical use. Research indicates that in response to a perceived life-threatening situation, your body undergoes a number of instinctive survival based changes. Due to their ‘chemical’ (hormonal) trigger, these are closely related to heart rate. As a general rule the responses are considered ‘survival stress’. Survival stress is best defined as “the process that involves the perception of substantial imbalance between (environmental) demand and response capability, under conditions where the demand has important consequences”. Factors that increase survival stress includes your perception of a deadly force threat, that threat is in close proximity to you, the time available for you to control the threat is minimal; you are not confident in their abilities and have never experienced this type of threat. Your hormonal induced physiological changes commence with your perception of the threat. Your brain will signal for the adrenal glands to ‘dump’ adrenaline into the blood stream. This in turn activates your Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS). The SNS causes the pulse to increase in order to transport the adrenaline to the relevant muscles and organs. Respiration also increases to supply oxygen to the aroused muscles. Blood is diverted from the extremities to the larger muscle groups. This vasoconstriction of the extremities usually results in a reduction of fine motor skills (those requiring digital dexterity, visio-spatial tracking skills and hand/eye coordination). At this stage you will be experiencing the dreaded Fight/Flight/Freeze/Submit response dependent on your mental state, personality, proximity to the threat and level of training at the time of the incident.


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A fight response prepares your body, literally, to fight. A flight response prepares your body to flee, whilst the freeze response is usually due to an inability to process the threat information, too many options in response or the threat is far enough away that if you don’t move it might not see you! Submission is a social response based on intra-species violence, whereas the fight, flight and freeze responses are generic.

Fitts’ Law Fitts’ Law6 is a model of human psychomotor behaviour. The model is based on time and distance. It enables the prediction of human movement and human motion based on rapid, aimed movement. Essentially Fitts’ Law states that where time is critical, accuracy is sacrificed to increase speed. This is particularly pertinent to technique selection in a survival stress situation.

Inverted U Hypothesis The Inverted U Hypothesis7 is a development of the theory put forward by Yerkes-Dobson8 in 1908 which defined the psychological relationship between arousal and performance. There has been a large body of research generated over the past century into the effects of arousal on motor skill performance. PPCT amalgamated the research into the Inverted U Hypothesis. The hypothesis states as arousal increases performance increases until a point is reached where increased arousal leads to decreased performance.

6 Fitts, P. M. (1954). The Information Capacity of the Human Motor System in Controlling the Amplitude of Movement. Journal of Experimental Psychology. 47, 381-381 7 Siddle, B (1995) Sharpening the Warriors Edge, pp. 45-50. PPCT

8 Yerkes, R. M. and Dodson, J. D. (1908). The Relation of Strength of Stimulus to Rapidity of Habit-Formation”. Journal

of Comparative Neurology and Psychology, 148, 133-146


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The Inverted U Hypothesis postulates that increases in stress/arousal can improve performance up to a certain point. After that point performance generally deteriorates. Originally PPCT linked this to finite heart rate numbers in terms of beats per minute. For example:

a. Fine motor skills (hand eye coordination) deteriorate once heart rate is over 115bpm.

b. Complex motor skills (more than one muscle group, complex motor actions) deteriorate once heart rate is over 145bpm

c. Gross motor skills (pushing, pulling, running - large muscle groups) enhanced as working heart rate exceeds 150bpm.

Subsequent studies by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centre9 and Siddle10 have demonstrated that whilst the Yerkes-Dobson inverted U does have a profound effect, the actual numbers vary greatly between individuals, and within individuals based on variables like fatigue, nutrition, startle proximity and so on. An important consideration with survival stress and the ‘Inverted U Hypothesis’ and heart rate is simply this, without the activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System and the associated hormonal changes (i.e. adrenaline) then increased heart rate alone will not affect performance. For example, if you run around the block and get your heart rate up to 190bpm this will not affect your fine or complex motor skills or cause a SNS activation. Conversely, a 140kg emotionally disturbed person with a knife in your immediate vicinity will probably cause a SNS and cause your heart rate to escalate to >190bpm with the associated effects on your physical abilities.

Hicks Law Hicks Law11 states that increasing the number of response options increases reaction time disproportionately for each additional option. That is to say for every additional technique in your defensive repertoire, it will take them longer to decide on what to use – with potentially disastrous results. This is the mainstay of many self defence and defensive tactics programs and it has taken on almost mystical status. The problem is that in most contexts, it is plain wrong! In fighting and in sports, we all know Action beats reaction. If you are reacting to an attack, as the good guys generally are, you are already behind the action curve. Just how behind, scientists have laboured intensely to discover over the last 60 years, and like splitting the atom, they have split the single second into one thousand parts to do it.

9 Survival Scores Research Project: FLETC Research Paper (2004). Homeland Security: USA

10 Siddle, B. K. & Siddle, K. (2005) Combat Human Factors: Triggering the Survivial Circuit. PPCT

Conference Proceedings June 2005. St. Louis, MO. 11 Hick, W. E. (1952). On the Rate of Gain of Information. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 4, 11-26.


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The problem with Hick’s Law is that it is static and lacks context. What we do know is that practice of the right skills and drills in the right context can overcome most of the effects of Hicks Law. It does have application in the self defence world in course design when you are training the unwilling to perform the necessary with minimal effort – short term courses for police recruits and security guards for example. Aside from the fact that Hicks Law exists in a world of 1,000 milliseconds within one single second, here are some proven methods that improve overall reaction time12:

Sequential Learning: the stringing of tasks working together like connected notes in music, really reduces reaction and selection time.

Conceptual Learning: is another speed track. In relation to survival training, this means a person first makes an either/or conceptual decision, like “Shoot/Don't shoot,” or, “Move-In/Move Back.” Rather than selecting from a series of hand strikes, in Conceptual Learning, the boxer does not waste milliseconds selecting specific punches, but rather makes one overall decision, “punch many times!” The trained body then takes over, following paths learned from prior repetition training.

Implicit and Procedural Memory: Misinformed proponents of Hicks Law would have you believe that people are forever stumbling buffoons when given three or more options to choose from. Yet, In Dr. Lee Dye's 2009 article for ABC News, "How the Brain Makes Quick Decisions,” he reports: "(People) …have been helped by a kind of human memory that scientists have been struggling to understand” Dye reports that people use "implicit" memory, a short-term memory that people are not consciously aware they are using. Doctors Ken Paller at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., Joel L. Voss, from the Beckman Institute and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have conducted long-term research on this subject and while they did not specifically involve athletics, the conclusions are consistent with other researchers who are also studying how top athletes can make split-second decisions and take actions. How does a batter hit a fastball when he has to start swinging the bat before the ball even leaves the pitcher's hand? “He relies on visual cues, even if he doesn't know it.” Athletes and people learn to predict and act, and react spontaneously based on very little information. One way is implicit memory.

Implicit memory (IM) is a type of memory in which previous experiences aid in the performance of a task without conscious awareness of these previous experiences. People rely on implicit memory in a form called procedural memory - the type of memory that allows people to remember how to tie their shoes or ride a bicycle without consciously thinking about these activities. Implicit memory taps into procedural memory. One more definition in this chain of memory and performance. Procedural memory. Connecting small, multi-tasks and problem solving. Examples of procedural learning are learning to ride a bike, learning to touch-type, learning to play a musical instrument or learning to swim as well as performing athletic tasks like sports. For our readers here this includes martial moves, fighting, self defence and combatives. Experts report that procedural memory can be very durable, however perishable like any task. And, the physical fitness to perform these tasks may not be so durable. Given the ravages of aging, a pro tennis player away from the game for many years, is still likely to pick up a tennis racket and beat most common tennis players, but not Wimbleton.

12

Hockheim, W. Hock. (2013) Hicks Law? Reaction Time in Combat: Modern research challenges the misuse. Downloaded 3

rd December 2013 from http://www.hockscqc.com/articles/hickslaw.htm

http://www.hockscqc.com/articles/hickslaw.htm


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The Role of the Amygdala Many researchers now claim that the most important area of the brain that we must consider in relation to human response to fear and the threat of violence is the amygdala. In appearance the amygdala is a bilateral, almond-shaped area of the brain located roughly in the middle of the brain. In early neurophysiological studies, the amygdala was considered to be part of the “limbic system” of the brain: a region that was described as the old, instinctual portion of the brain that was primarily given over to threat response. Generally speaking however, many modern researchers now believe that most of the processing of fear and its subsequent effects on the body are primarily controlled by the amygdala alone. Research has demonstrated that the amygdala is home to the many behavioral aspects of fear. In experiments, animals that have been examined after surgery to remove the amygdala usually display absolutely no organic fear. What is fascinating about this process is that buried in the reflexes of the amygdala are intuitive and instinctual reactions to potential threats. For example, a normal laboratory-born and raised mouse will have all of the normal fear reactions occur upon exposure to a cat for the first time: without having ever seen, smelled or encountered one. However, after amygdala removal, the mouse will cuddle up to the same cat without a hint of fear behavior. By the same token, human subjects, when shown photos of different “unfriendly” facial expressions, show an increased amygdalic response. Hence, we know that the amygdala contains, instinctive and intuitive fears, but also that it can learn.

What makes the amygdala so important to self defence training is that the amygdala receives INPUT from every sensory system of the body – sight, sound, smell, touch and taste (and balance?). Thus the amygdala can initiate responses to danger signals represented in the visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile or gustatory systems. In other words, the amygdala can instantly respond to any sensory input into the body that perceives

13

http://salzmanlab.neuroscience.columbia.edu/ 03/12/13

Left This drawing of a brain cut in half demonstrates some of the brain's internal structures. The amygdala and hippocampus are actually located deep within the brain, but are shown as an overlay in the approximate areas that they are located13.

http://salzmanlab.neuroscience.columbia.edu/


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danger, regardless of the sensory source. Examples can include:

a. walking down the street and suddenly flinching at the sound of a car backfiring; b. coughing upon opening a door and smelling a noxious chemical; c. flinching and protectively raising your hands when catching a glimpse of a bird flying

in your peripheral vision; d. explosively spitting a drink out which has an unusual taste; or e. rapidly withdrawing your hand after touching something hot.

All of these activities begin with the amygdala. Even more vital to understand than the sensory INPUT into the amygdala is its OUTPUT. The amygdala’s responses are very fast because they do not include conscious thought at all. They are reflexive in the truest sense of the word.

AMYGDALA

Sensory

Cortex

(objects)

Hippocampus

(memories and contexts)

Rhinal (transition)

Cortex

(memories)

Sensory

Thalamus

(stimulus features)

(responses and experiences)

Sight Taste

Touch

Hearing Smell


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Or, as Joseph LeDoux14, the pre-eminent researcher of fear and the amygdala so eloquently states:

“As the hiker walks through the woods, he abruptly encounters a snake coiled up behind a log on the path. The visual stimulus is first processed in the brain

by the thalamus. Part of the thalamus passes crude, almost archetypal, information directly to the amygdala. This quick and dirty transmission allows the brain to start to respond to the possible danger signified by a thin, curved

object, which could be a snake, or could be a stick or some other benign object. Meanwhile, the thalamus also sends visual information to the visual cortex (this part of the thalamus has greater ability to encode the details of the

stimulus than does the part that sends inputs to the amygdala). The visual cortex then goes about the business of creating a detailed and accurate representation of the stimulus. The outcome of the cortical processing is then

fed to the amygdala as well. Although the cortical pathway provides the amygdala with a more accurate representation than the direct pathway to the amygdala from the thalamus, it takes longer for the information to reach the

amygdala by way of the cortex. In situations of danger, it is very useful to be able to respond quickly. The time saved by the amygdala in acting on the thalamic information, rather than waiting for the cortical input, may be the difference between life and death. It is better to have treated a stick as a snake than not to have responded to a possible snake”.

Reaction Time Reaction time is basically a four part process. First of all you must:

1. perceive the threat, 2. then you must analyse/evaluate the threat and its relevance to you, 3. then you must formulate a response, and 4. initiate that response.

This process is known as reaction time. Add reaction time to the time it takes to complete the movement or technique (i.e. Block a punch, adopt a stance, counter-punch) and you have the response time. Thus, the time from the start of “perceive threat” to the actual firing of the weapon is the Response Time. See the Response Time Continuum below.

Response Options If you add the repercussions of Sympathetic Nervous System activation to the possible consequences of Hicks Law and the implications of being reactive, the results can be

14 From LeDoux, J. E. (1994) Emotion, Memory and the Brain. Scientific American Inc, vol 270, p. 38

PERCEIVE

THREAT

ANALYSE/EVALUATE

THREAT

FORMULATE

RESPONSE

MOVE

Movement Time

1. Block Punch 2. Adopt stance 3. Counter-punch

Response

Time + =

Reaction Time

1. Perceive Threat 2. Analyse/Evaluate 3. Formulate Response 4. Initiate Movement


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disastrous. In review of the previous material you must remember that: a. the perception of an imminent threat will cause an SNS activation (often termed

arousal) b. that SNS activation will lead to elevated heart rate and certain physiological

changes including: i. increased adrenal activity

ii. immediate increase in heart rate iii. immediate increase in respiration iii. vascular flow redirects away from extremities adversely affecting dexterity iv. deterioration of fine and complex motor skills v. audio exclusion (can’t process what you hear) vi. tachypsychia (things seem to be in slow motion) viii. pupil dilation disrupts peripheral vision and night vision x. contour of the eye lens changes causing a reduction in near vision xi. dominance of binocular vision xii. tunnel vision xiii. increased cognitive processing times of up to 400%

Remember, responses to survival stress normally include:

a. Hand/Eye Co-ordination decreases as pulse increases (fine motor skills). b. Cognitive deterioration. Reaction time increases by up to 400%. Critical

decision making is affected as cognitive processes go too fast - panicky, indecisive.

c. Tachypsychia results in unreliable mental track. This includes Time Space distortion/ Memory loss - slow motion – what did I do?

d. Visual Performance Changes – Binocular dominant, loss of peripheral vision, loss of depth perception, loss of near vision, reduction of night vision.

e. General muscle tightening. f. Auditory Exclusion – reduction in hearing capability as eyesight becomes the

dominant sense. g. Squaring the body to the threat to improve vision. g. Unrealistic Expectations - role models, superheroes, basic instinct to run

All of this compounds the difficulty in dealing with a potentially lethal situation and increases the need for reality based training. For maximum effectiveness training should be simple, rely predominantly on gross motor skills and stimulus response style training. The training should be as realistic as is safely possible with an emphasis on simulation style training utilising role players, padded suits (like the Redman Suit by Macho), normal clothing and even paintballs. Decision making skills and operation under stress should be emphasised. A more suitable training method for defensive skills would be stimulus response. Stimulus response training gives a preset response to a given assault, thus providing neural programming (i.e. muscle memory) and the ability to implement the response in a survival situation. In stimulus response training there are a number of ‘pre-programmed’ responses to a specific threat. Before exploring stimulus response in depth we need to examine how the brain works in relation to perception based on memory frameworks. When we see an action by the


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subject our brain must analyse that information15 based on the information stored in the brain. This memory function is made up of three components, the Short Term Sensory Store (STSS), the Short Term Memory (STM) and the Long Term Memory (LTM). See below. The relevant data is brought into the brain via the sensory nervous system (i.e. sight, sound etc.). This information goes into the Short Term Sensory Store which holds a picture for 5 to 15 seconds (depending on the intensity of the stimulus). The information is then processed by the Short Term Memory. The STM analyses the stimulus (information) and evaluates it to the relevance to the moment. Based on the results of this evaluation the STM will develop a motor response best suited (based on its experience) to the moment. In the event that the STM does not have any readily available data to cross reference to, it will begin to search the Long Term Memory for a similar situation to develop a suitable response. This all takes time. A suitable analogy would be that the STM is similar to the RAM memory in a computer and the LTM to the hard drive. Once the stimulus is received the computer (brain) immediately searches the RAM for a suitable response. If nothing is found in the ‘active’ RAM then the hard drive needs to be searched. This effects reaction time. Back to stimulus response training. This pre-programming is like writing a defensive tactics software package for your brain. This is the neurological basis of memory and motor programs. Once the initial program is developed, the wiring needs to be worked out. So following this software analogy: 1. we introduce the threat stimulus (i.e. a ‘haymaker’ punch) 2. the brain learns to recognise the threat cue and stores this

information 3. we teach a relevant response to the threat. This leads to

new neural pathways being developed in the brain (‘hardwiring’ so to speak)

4. practice leads to increased use of these new neural pathways which attracts proteins to them in a process called myelinisation

5. we now have a defensive technique that reduces overall response time by reducing the time it takes to:

i. perceive the threat, ii. analyse the threat, and

15

Adapted from Siddle, B. (1995). Sharpening the Warriors Edge. pp 71-74. PPCT


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iii. formulate a response as these are already pre-programmed.

SYMPTOMS OF SURVIVAL STRESS It is important to remember that we are all individuals and that experiencing all, some or none of the following is normal. It is possible to experience different things in different situations based on all the known (and unknown) variables such as time available to process the threat, skill, confidence, fatigue, fear of reprisals and so on. The signs and symptoms usually include:

pale face

unconsciously flexing or shaking hands

staring

dry mouth

sweaty palms

need to urinate

muscle tremors

CONTROLLING THE EFFECTS OF SURVIVAL STRESS The effects of survival stress can be reduced and/or controlled utilising the following methods:

a. Breath control: reduce your heart rate by controlling your respiration. A good breathing drill is breathe in for a 2 count, hold for a 2 count and breathe out for a 2 count.

b. Technique confidence: confidence lowers your working heart rate, activating a positive mindset which in turn enhances performance.

c. Motor Skill Selection: understanding that fine and complex motor skills deteriorate whilst gross motor skills are enhanced under stress (inverted U hypothesis). Select and train in the most effective techniques.

d. Utilise Neural Programming in training: Use a variety of training principles; including static, fluid and dynamic training. Visualise and have experience in winning!

e. Commitment to using force, including potentially deadly force: understanding the difference between killing vs murder and have a working knowledge of the legal system.

f. Faith and personal values: regrets and reflections during a survival stress encounter (perceived moment of death) increases heart rate, increases reaction time and further inhibits visual and motor performance.

POST EVENT CONSIDERATIONS The psychological effect of combat is an area which is only recently attracting any attention from researchers. This concept encompasses a wide variety of processes and their impacts, all of which must be taken into consideration in any assessment of the immediate and long term costs to the individual of the use of lethal force. This encompasses a wide spectrum of the potential psychological effects of using force (particularly if the other guy is killed, maimed or seriously injured), the combat, physiology of close combat, the (psychological) price of killing and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Other factors to consider after a violent confrontation are (in no particular order):

You may need to render first aid. To yourself, to your family or friends, a bystander or even your assailant.


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You might need to run; run far and run fast to escape. Are you up to that? Do you know where you are? Should you go home?

Risk of life changing injury. How would you cope with months or years of rehabilitation if you had severe injuries? Knife wounds, gunshot wounds and even fractures can take a long time to come back from. You might ‘win’ the ‘fight’ but lose your health

Risk of reprisals and repercussions against yourself or your family. Have you considered that the perpetrator or their family/friends/gang might take your involvement personally and retaliate? Can you beat them all? Can you be with your family 24/7?

Risk of going to jail. Even if you were ‘right’ there will probably be police involvement. Can you afford a lawyer? Do you know what to do? What to say after the event?

A ‘near death’ encounter will affect different people in different ways depending on a variety of factors. This holds true even if it was only perceived to be a near death experience (i.e. The attackers ‘weapon’ later turned out to be a toy). The cultural background, family background, faith system, mindset, personality, level of training and the circumstances of the event all have relevance to the level of psychological trauma experienced. The following is a discussion on the range of experiences that are usually considered to be ‘normal’ responses to a life threatening (or one that was perceived to be) situation. The immediate effects of a violent encounter are the psychological aspects of shock and reaction. In the "shock stage", a normal reaction can include a sense of detachment or isolation. This is likened to where the whole situation is like watching the confrontation on TV or in slow motion. The other aspect of this stage is disorientation where you may feel stunned, dazed or apathetic. To overcome the adverse effects of shock, resulting in a reaction delay or "freezing", training and mental awareness will help. With adequate training, you will become more confident with the techniques and the use of the techniques in a pressure situation. Mental preparation can include discussion of the situation and what possible reaction you would have in given circumstances. In the reaction stage there are physical and emotional reactions to consider. Emotional reactions can include the following:

a. Disbelief that it has happened to you. b. Fear - Have I reacted correctly? - Is it a justifiable action? c. Anger - (directed at the victim) Why did you make me do it? d. Guilt - from our upbringing of learning that it is "wrong" to harm people.

Physical reactions can include: vomiting, crying, involuntary urination or defecation, dizziness, perspiration, the shakes, and blurry vision. Post traumatic effects can be extremely serious, and will usually require professional help,


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although we all may think prior to any incident that we would not need this help. It is most important that we do not fall into the trap of the denial syndrome. The usual situation here is for us to say "It doesn't really bother me at all". This is an unhealthy defence mechanism, and recognising that we may have problems as a result of the incident is the first major step in overcoming the problems. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder resulting from a traumatic event. PTSD manifests itself in persistent re-experiencing of the traumatic event, numbing of emotional responsiveness, and persistent symptoms of increased arousal, resulting in significant distress or impairment in social and occupational functioning. There is often a long time delay between the traumatic event and the manifestation of PTSD. PTSD has been strongly linked with greatly increased divorce rates, increased suicide rates, and increased incidence of alcohol and drug abuse. Much of the information relating to use of force and PTSD comes from police related research. It is important to note that not everyone suffers from PTSD. Some people actually report that they felt more stress and more trauma due to the media’s account of events and the investigation than from the assailant trying to kill them. I am sure this is the case for people accused of crimes they did not commit too! Among people involved in critical incidents, the psychological and physical effects most frequently reported included: difficulty sleeping; bad dreams; tenseness; irritability; intrusive thoughts; and less frequently included nervous stomach, differences in eating habits, headaches, and muscle spasms/shaking -- all symptoms identified by the American Psychiatric Association as possible indicators of the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Post-Assault effects and trauma will not be the same for any two cases, even when a person is involved in more than one major incident.

Inoculation Training One of the key benefits of training is it provides experience on which to draw upon. This help to reduce the effects (at the time) of the SNS activation and reduce the post incident trauma as well. Good training enables you to develop a survival consciousness utilising the principles of reason and logic. This further enables you to carefully evaluate the incidents you encounter in the real world. Good training means you can be objective when making judgments, have learned from your own mistakes, as well as those made by others. This does not make you infallible, because human beings are subject to errors in judgment. Training will, however, provide an objective method to assess and correct their mistakes in a more forgiving environment than ‘on the street’. Switched on operators continually strive to increase the sum total of their knowledge and are willing to commit to becoming proficient in all areas that relate to their survival. Constant, realistic training helps to inoculate you against the effects of Sympathetic


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Nervous System activation, which in turn enables them to function better under stress.

Summary "It will never happen to me" is the wrong way to prepare yourself for this quite possible consequence of modern living. Be prepared emotionally. Being aware of the possible reactions and how to cope with them commences your preparation. Be receptive to any offers of help after a shooting incident. Accept any offers of support from family and friends or people who have had a similar experience. Seek out professional help if necessary. Be prepared to evaluate your training and readjust to stimulus response training principles to increase your chances of surviving relatively unscathed.


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THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FITNESS TRAINING According to common wisdom there are 5 Basic Principles of Physical Fitness. They include:

1. The Overload Principle 2. The FITT Principle 3. The Specificity Principle 4. The Rest and Recovery Principle 5. The Use or Lose Principle

By common wisdom I mean that some of these things are open to new discoveries in research, as well as individual metabolism and genetics. This however is a basic introductory chapter so I’ll keep it simple.

The Overload Principle The Overload Principle is probably the most important principle of exercise and training. Simply stated, the Overload Principle means that the body will adapt to the workload placed upon it. The more you do, the more you will be capable of doing. This is how all the fitness improvements occur when exercising and training. The human body is amazing. When you stress the body through lifting a weight that the body is unaccustomed to lifting, the body will react by causing physiological changes in order to be able to handle that stress the next time it occurs. This concept is similar in cardiovascular training. If you ask the heart, lungs and endurance muscles to do work not previously done, it will make changes to the body to be able to handle that task better the next time. This is how people get stronger, bigger, faster and increase their physical fitness level. When you are working out, you want to strive to somehow increase the workload you are doing above what you did on your previous workout so you have overloaded your body to create a training adaptation. This increase in workout stress can be a very small increase, as many small increases over time will eventually be a large increase or adaptation. To determine how to increase the workload of a given workout you need to understanding the F.I.T.T Principle.

The F.I.T.T. Principle An easy way to get started on developing a personal fitness program is utilizing the F.I.T.T. principle. This acronym stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type. These are the areas in which someone could increase or overload in order to improve physical fitness.

Frequency: This refers to how often you will exercise. After any form of exercise is performed your body completes a process of rebuilding and repairing. So, determining the frequency of exercise is important in order to find a balance that provides just enough stress for the body to adapt and also allows enough rest time for healing.

Intensity: Defined as the amount of effort or work that must be completed in a specific exercise. This too requires a good balance to ensure that the intensity is hard enough to overload the body but not so difficult that it results in over training, injury or burnout.

Time: Time is simply how long each individual session should last. This will vary based on the intensity and type.

Type: What type of exercise will you be doing? Will an exercise session be primarily cardiovascular, resistance training or a combination of both? And, what specific exercises will you perform.


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Combining the Overload Principle and the F.I.T.T. Principle Resistance Training Cardiovascular Training

Frequency Increase the number of workout days Increase the number of workout days

Intensity Increase the resistance / weight Increase pace or % of Max. Heart Rate

Time Increase time involved in exercise or Increased repetitions.

Increase time involved in exercise

Type Changing the exercise but still working the same area of the body

Changing the workout to a different cardio exercise. Ex. jogging to jump rope

The Specificity Principle This principle is just how it sounds...how you exercise should be specific to your goals. If you're trying to improve your reaction times, you should focus on speed workouts. If your main goal is simply health, fitness and weight management, you should focus on total body strength, cardio and a healthy diet. Make sure your training matches your goals. Different martial arts events have different requirements in terms of specificity. Training for a self defence situation which lasts 10 seconds is completely different to training for a two minute Kudo bout, which is in turn different to the type of stamina required for the 30 round Nidan grading. One of the key aspects of specificity is quite simply this; there is no better practice for the event than the event itself!

The Rest and Recovery Principle While we often focus on getting in as much exercise as possible, rest and recovery is also essential for reaching your weight loss and fitness goals. While you can often do cardio every day (though you may want to rest after very intense workouts) you should have at least a day of rest between strength training workouts. Make sure you don't work the same muscles two days in a row to give your body the time it needs to rest and recover. Training is important, but without proper nutrition and rest, it’s wasted.

The Use or Lose Principle The Principle of Use or Lose implies that when it comes to fitness, you "use it or lose it." This simply means that your muscles build strength (hypertrophy) with use and lose strength (atrophy) with lack of use. This also explains why we or lose fitness when we stop exercising.

10 COMPONENTS OF FITNESS There are ten recognized general physical skills, and they are all practiced regularly within Gōki-Kai Karate. You are as fit as your competency in each of these ten skills.

1. Cardiovascular / respiratory endurance – The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.

2. Stamina – The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy. 3. Strength – The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply

force. 4. Flexibility – The ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint. 5. Power – The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply

maximum force in minimum time. 6. Speed – The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement. 7. Coordination – The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a

singular distinct movement.


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8. Agility – The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.

9. Balance – The ability to control the placement of the body’s centre of gravity in relation to its support base.

10. Accuracy – The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.

Improvements in endurance, stamina, strength, and flexibility come about through training. Training refers to activity that improves performance through a measurable organic change in the body. (1 – 4) By contrast improvements in coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy come about through practice. Practice refers to activity that improves performance through changes in the nervous system. (7 – 10) Power and speed are adaptations of both training AND practice. (5 & 6)


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PRINCIPLES OF STRENGTH TRAINING FOR MARTIAL ARTS Weight training does not necessarily mean bodybuilding. Weight training or resistance training makes us stronger, faster and more powerful. These are critical points for any athlete or anybody who wants to achieve peak performance. Weight/resistance training belongs into any athlete’s workout routine, including (traditional) karate. Do not let anybody who is not educated tell you that weight training would make you slow. These are the words of somebody who has missed the chance to educate themselves but also has not followed science or sports medicine or any progress in sports for the last 50 years. Excessive bodybuilding and bulk muscle mass can slow you down at a certain point but that is not the same as sports specific weight training. In addition, without a change in your diet and eating habits you will NEVER be able to gain as much weight as a professional bodybuilder, no matter how heavy and how much you lift. Use weight training to improve your sports specific movements and movement patterns. The key is to make your muscle stronger, faster, smarter and efficient. That is the way and key to perform better in your sport. Include sports specific weight training into your workout and you will immediately see benefits in your karate. Weight and resistance training can also be a great way to keep your muscles in good shape. The high numbers of repetition it takes for an elite Karateka to challenge their muscles might not always be the best way to train since this not only can be very time consuming but can also put a lot of stress on joints and ligaments. While at a younger age it might be crucial to max out the repetitions to build up strength, endurance, stamina and will power, it might get counterproductive for an older athlete. Training smarter and including a weight training program can be much more beneficial with less risk for injuries Different principles apply to different sports, however there are common elements that one should be aware of when planning a strength training program. Read below to learn some of the elements to be aware of when strength training for your sport. Athletes participating in various sports often engage in strength training in order to make themselves stronger and better players. Different principles apply to different sports, however there are common elements that one should be aware of when planning a strength training program.

1. Ground Based Activities

Most sports skills are performed by applying a force from your feet and using this to help propel you into the air or forward. The more force you apply through your feet, the more force will be directed back at you, therefore allowing you to move faster and thus be more effective. This principle applies very much in all martial arts. Therefore, if your sport includes actions where you need to generate maximum power upward, it is a good idea to include these types of movements in your training. Common exercises that utilize this principle are squats and hang cleans.


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2. Multiple Joint Actions Exercises that utilize many joints that make up the body will usually be more beneficial in your training than the more isolated exercises (unless of course your goal is to strengthen one specific muscle). These types of exercises will utilize more total muscle fibres, thus strengthening the body more and allowing you to generate more total force. You will also be working more of your neuromuscular system; therefore training your body to be ready at all times and thus increasing your chances of making a successful play. Exercises to include, that would take this principle into account, would be clean and jerks, squats, lunges, and deadlifts.

3. Train Explosively To generate explosive force, the body recruits motor units. Motor units consist of the motor nerve and all the muscle fibres that it controls. The more muscle fibres that are controlled by a motor unit, the more explosive force you will be able to generate. When we train explosively, we train the nervous system to recruit more motor units, which will help make you a better player. Motor units also come in fast-twitch and slow-twitch types, and explosive training will help you to recruit faster twitch motor units which generate up to 4 times more force than slow twitch. 4. Progressive Overload This is a common principle often heard in any training program as it applies to everyone. In order to see results from your program, you must be providing the muscles with an overloading stimulus. This will create small micro tears in the muscle tissue which your body will then repair and rebuild stronger so that if it encounters the same stimulus again it will be better able to handle it. You can either apply an overload by increases to the weight you are lifting or increases to the number of repetitions you are lifting the weight for. By increasing the weight you will train your body to grow stronger and more powerful, while by increasing the number of repetitions you will train for muscular endurance and size (assuming you are keeping the repetitions in the 8-15 range).

5. Periodization This is one of the most important principles to consider. Athletes often alternate between in and off seasons where they spend a great deal of time going to competitions (the in season) and then spend time resting and getting stronger (the off season). A coach or trainer needs to recognize that the athlete cannot train with their maximal effort all 12 months of the year and needs time to rest and recover from the heavy demands that occur with constant competing. When planning a training program, the trainer needs to look at when the competitions occur and plan the whole year out around them. Right after the competitions end is a good time to take a rest period where the athlete will reduce their workload significantly and maybe even consider doing another unrelated activity altogether to really give both their body and mind a break from the rigors of everyday training.


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You will want the athlete to stay active during this period so they don't get completely out of shape, however the intensity level should be low and it should be something fun to give their mind a much need break. After a month or two of active rest the athlete should start building their base. This consists of doing a good deal of strength training to gain size/strength and possibly some endurance training to get a good aerobic base (depending on the sport). This is where you will build the core of your athlete. If you have a strong base to begin with, the later training stages will be much easier. Within 1 or 2 months of the start of the 'on season' you want to start training more sport specifically and perform any plyometric training, sprint drills and explosive power training that the athlete may need in order to play/compete effectively. With proper planning and timing, the athlete should peak right before the onset of the major competitions and should be ready to give their full effort. It is important as well to plan both macrocycles (year-long cycles) and microcycles (cycles lasting 1 week-1 month) where the athlete will have harder training days and easier training days to ensure proper recovery and reduce the risk of overtraining.

6. Split Routines

This principle is also utilised among various athletes as well as those who are just working out to stay healthy and improve their physique. What this means is that rather than working your entire body in one weight training session, you will separate your body into various sections and perform exercises for one section per workout. There are numerous ways to divide your body and all offer different benefits. Common examples include dividing it into 2 parts include upper and lower body and push and pull exercises. The athlete can then perform each strength training workout 1-3 times per week depending on their time dedication to the gym and individual recovery abilities. You can also use a 3, 4 or 5 way split. The possibilities are really endless. You may choose to work one body part a day, once per week. This is common among people training strictly for strength. They will hit the body part hard one day and then give it a full week to recover and grow stronger. You may also have a particular weakness in one of your body parts and will decide to train that one more frequently than any of the others. It's a good idea to change your split periodically to ensure you keep challenging your body, keeping it guessing as to what comes next, as well as to keep you mentally fresh and motivated to work out. Split routines are also beneficial for athletes as they help the athlete to put in shorter gym sessions at a time, which could prove to be helpful when they have other training to do as well (for example, hockey players would also encounter a great deal of on-ice training).


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7. Training the Correct Energy System

The human body is made up of 3 energy systems. These are the aerobic system, the anaerobic lactic system, and the anaerobic alactic system. Aerobic System The aerobic system is the one that you use if you are to run longer distances or maintain a moderate steady pace for an extended period of time. This system relies primarily on oxygen and can be trained by performing longer duration cardiovascular training. Anaerobic Lactic System The next system, the anaerobic lactic system, is a system that generates more force and is used for exercises that generally last from 30-90 seconds. This system is typical in sports where you play shifts, such as hockey, where you will play hard for a short period of time and then come off for a break period. This system is best trained by combining some longer endurance training with some interval training using intervals that are similar in duration to what your sport calls for. Anaerobic Alactic System The last system, the anaerobic alactic system, is the system that generates the most power and is used for events that use all out force. This occurs when the main purpose of the athlete is to generate as much force as possible in the shortest period of time. A classic example of this would be Olympic weightlifting. This system is best trained by performed short duration sprints at a 100% effort level, followed by complete rest to allow the athlete to fully recover. Keep It Sport Specific While it is extremely important to train in the same energy system that your sport requires, you may wish to cross over to the other systems during the off season, or to just enhance your health (there's nothing wrong with having a sprinter go for a 15-minute jog to enhance his heart health). The majority of your training however, should be sport specific.

Conclusion When training any athlete to become stronger and more proficient in their chosen sport it is important to take into consideration many factors. What is most important is that your training closely resembles the actions you will be later performing. With a proper strength training and periodization plan, we can take our athletes to new highs, set new records and ensure everyone stays healthy doing it.


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SELF DEFENCE AND THE LAW The problem with teaching self defence techniques is that in today’s society the legal and financial ramifications of injuring another person, in self defence or otherwise, can be as debilitating as losing the actual physical fight itself. Canadian based instructor Tony Blauer, of Blauer Tactical Systems, teaches his students and instructors that self-defence is composed of three separate fights, the fight against yourself to manage your fear, the fight against the opponent, and the fight against the legal system. Using his methodology, this article will focus on the third fight.

Firstly, it is important to be aware of the relevant laws in your State so that you do not unwittingly commit an offence and end up in jail or being fined and then gaining a conviction which may deny you from getting various jobs or licences (like security, crowd control or firearms) or travelling overseas (i.e. denial of entry visa’s based on criminal record). This article is a broad overview of the concepts involved and it is not the purpose or intention of this article to replace legal advice from a registered legal practitioner (see disclaimer at the end of the article). It is important to note at this point in time that police, prosecutors, juries and judges all watch television and movies and probably have an unrealistic expectation as to what a martial artist can do. This means that, rightly or wrongly, martial artist are often held to a higher standard and prosecuted more vigorously for the mere fact that they are martial artists. Remember that everything relating to the situation is based on perceptions. Yours, your assailants (or victim depending on your viewpoint), the witnesses, the police, the prosecutors and so on.

APPLICATION OF FORCE For anyone, but particularly the martial artist, an understanding of the difference between assault and self-defence is critical and can make the difference as to whether they get charged or sued or, preferably, have no legal action to face at all. Self-defence is really just a lawful application of force. It is not an assault if you are lawfully:

a. defending yourself or another person,

Fight 1

You vs.

Your FEAR

Fight 2

You vs.

Assailant

Fight 3

The

Consequences



b. arresting a person, or c. applying lawful force, or d. ejecting a trespasser from property,

provided that the force used is reasonable and proportionate to the immediate need and is not more force than a particular law states can actually be used.

SELF DEFENCE Most of the law on self-defence revolves around the word "reasonable". In the case of an unlawful assault on yourself, it is legal to use reasonable force to defend yourself (or another person). There are two key components to be successful in defending a charge of assault if you find yourself being charged. 1. The first element is whether the accused believed on reasonable grounds that it was

necessary to use the amount of force that they did whilst defending themselves or another person.

2. The second element is whether the accused's belief was reasonable. Both of these elements have to be shown to have a successful defence. You must remember that once self-defence is raised the prosecution has to show that these two elements were not present. In the some states like Queensland, NSW and Western Australia, the law on self-defence is covered in specific sections of the Criminal Law and is very similar to the other states, where it is covered by case law. In order to work out what is a "reasonable" amount of force, you must look at all the circumstances at the time. This is called the totality of the circumstances and relates to everything involved in the fight. These circumstances will include such factors as:

martial arts skills (if they are known by the Court),

size,

gender,

age,

number of people involved,

prior knowledge of the attacker (i.e. you have had fights with them before or you know they are a black belt etc),

the level of aggression shown,

injuries and disabilities,

weapons available,

how many attackers, and

any other relevant factors. Other things that may be considered are things like reputation, why you were at the place where the situation took place and so on. Manner of dress, demeanour and visible tattoo’s all have a role too. I know we aren’t supposed to be judgemental, but pretty much everyone is and if you create a negative impression on the police, the prosecution or the jury, it can end badly for you. Remember, this is based on your perceptions at the time but can be affected by the



perceptions and evidence of the witnesses. It takes in the ‘big picture’ and looks at things from both sides. This is sometimes referred to as parity/disparity. So, for example, when looking at your size, it is taken in context with the size of the offender, your strength is taken in comparison to that of the offender and so on. Another important factor that the police and the courts consider is how much damage you did. They will consider the level of harm and the number and type of injuries that you caused. They will look at this in the context of the attackers size etc. If you were a female martial artist defending yourself against a male, it will be a lot easier to prove that you believed that you had to use the amount of force you did, and also that the amount of force was reasonable. Whatever we think about being non-sexist, most of society, and that includes Magistrates, will believe that the odds are stacked against a female if she is attacked by a male. Therefore it would be considered reasonable to use more force in order to successfully defend yourself. The most obvious problem will arise where the person defending themselves is a big strong male or becomes known as a martial arts expert. If the attacker is smaller than you, it will automatically look as though unreasonable or disproportionate force has been used. Finally, a person does not have to wait to be hit first before being allowed to defend themselves. Many lawyers say things like “it would be better for you if he hit you first”. What they mean is it looks better for the court and the witnesses if it is obvious that you were defending yourself after the attacker had already physically assaulted you. This is a dangerous ploy in reality as if the blow lands, that might be the end of the fight, for you! Remember, the defence of self-defence is made out if the defendant can show that they:

a. used such force as they believed reasonable in the circumstances, and b. that such a belief was reasonable.

STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTING BEING CHARGED A funny thing about Courts is that they sometimes believe that a martial artist can “decide” whether to use martial arts. We have heard people in Court say that they didn’t want to hurt their attacker so they didn’t use any martial arts. The Court believed them and the martial artist was found “not guilty” of assault whilst defending themselves.

Pre-fight Avoidance is definitely the best policy but if you decide you have to fight then you must fight to win! The right to self-defence is a fundamental human right. There is a common myth that needs to be dispelled at this point. Firstly, it is absolute rubbish to believe that a martial artist has to tell the attacker that they train in martial arts. Don’t tell them – just do it whilst defending yourself. It does not always pay to advertise your school or style though your clothing etc. Why let the assailant (or police) know you are a martial artist? Conversely, look for this sign in your attackers clothes too! Don’t ‘shape up’ or adopt an aggressive fighting stance. Practice your self defence moves from a variety of positions but learn to adopt a neutral stance. A recommended position is with your feet about shoulder width, with one foot back about the same distance. Keep your posture erect and put your hands up in front of you, palms forward in a non-aggressive negotiation style posture. Step back if possible.



If at all possible you might consider calling for help or yelling something like “back off”. While this can sound a little lame it is a sound strategy for calling witnesses attention to who is doing what to whom. Wait for their attack if necessary so it is obvious you are countering but don’t take excessive risks with this. If you must, use a pre-emptive attack once you firmly believe that you have no choice and that an assault on you is imminent.

During the fight Only do what you must and stop immediately once you have the situation under control. Some martial arts teach a form of ‘overkill’ whereby you keep striking a downed, disabled or disarmed attacker (i.e. Master Ken of Enter the Dojo fame with his trademark “re-stomp the groin”). Remember that you can only use reasonable force that is proportionate to the level of the threat. You can not punish the attacker! In most cases, never use any kicking technique unless you are outnumbered or are losing. Always use the minimum amount of force you need to defend yourself. In simple terms, don’t eye gouge if you don’t have to. Don’t break bones, dislocate joints or cause permanent injury unless you have to. Likewise, your safety, and the safety of those you are fighting to protect are paramount so if you reasonably believe that the only way to control the situation and make a successful defence is to maim or kill the attacker (or attackers) then so be it. Remember that ultimately the attacker is the one that chooses by their actions how much force you will use to defend yourself.

Post fight Provide first aid if you have to and it’s safe to do so. It shows your humanity and compassion. If you can’t or don’t make sure you can articulate why. Expect to be charged with assault. Have a contingency plan to cover this eventuality. Do not expect the police to be sympathetic. They hear lots of stories and in almost all of them someone is claiming to be an ‘innocent victim’. They get a little cynical, besides it is the job of the police to prosecute anyone who has apparently broken the law. The Courts will decide on guilt. You have the right to remain silent. We strongly urge you to use it. Many people get themselves into serious trouble by prematurely talking to the police after a self-defence situation. The emotional turmoil and the effects of a hormonal response can affect your perceptions and your memory so stay quiet until you have spoken to your legal representative. Be co-operative with police but stick to who you are and the barest details i.e. you and the other person were involved. Don’t mention any martial arts skill you have. In some situations however, it can be useful to do so later (on the advice of your lawyer) in order to show how restrained you were, and what damage you could have caused if you were not defending yourself using the minimum force possible. If you do mention it, remember you are a martial arts student and never an expert. It sounds better to a Court, so that they do not have unreasonable expectations e.g. if you were such an expert why didn’t you just disarm the knife from the attacker and restrain them without hurting them. Gather the names of any independent witnesses (people who don’t know you) at the scene. Do not rely on the police to do this as in many cases, the witnesses have either left or don’t want to get involved by the time police arrive.



If you have any injuries get medical attention. The doctor and hospital will document this. Get the doctor to record your fight related injuries. Injuries to your face and body are evidence to support your assertion that you were defending yourself. Photos are good too. Only participate in a formal record of interview with police after consulting your lawyer and with your lawyer present. Make extensive private notes for your own use later. These should be made as soon after the event as possible. Remember, you may not be in court until years later. Full recollection usually takes a few days. Try not to be emotional, just record the facts. Particularly the facts related to the totality of circumstances.

Summary If you ever have to use force in self-defence or in defending another, make sure you only use reasonable force to simply defend yourself or the other person. You are a “student” not a martial arts “expert”. Do not go any further and teach the person a lesson. Protect yourself physically but don’t forget to protect yourself legally as well.

DISCLAIMER The information contained in this article is provided as a matter of general information only and does not constitute legal advice. The information provided does not take the place of legal advice, nor does it purport to be legal advice. We try to provide quality information, but we make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained in this article.



THE CURSE OF MODERN MARTIAL ARTS: THE McDOJO I regularly use video clips from an internet based TV show called Enter the Dojo when I’m teaching courses. Funny stuff! The actors in this show are able to mimic the antics of the dubious ‘masters’ floating around out there in the martial arts industry and obviously have a lot of actual experience in dealing with McDojo’s and McMasters. My laughter is always tinged with a bit of sadness at their antics as in almost every episode I see someone I know, or something I’ve experienced in my 30 years in the arts; except the people I know and the things I’ve seen were real, not comedians in a TV show.

The main actor (as well as writer and director) is a guy by the name of Matt Page. A bit of web based research on Matt shows that he is a serious actor, having been in over a dozen TV shows, and an accomplished martial artist. He started training at age 16 and has a black belt in Okinawan Kenpo and American Kenpo, as well as experience in JiuJitsu, Kickboxing and Stick Fighting. He’s been around the proverbial block and is obviously dismayed at some of the things he’s seen as the show is aimed at raising public awareness about the harm McDojo’s can do to the arts in general, but particularly to the students who get sucked in by them! So what is a McDojo? A McDojo is a school that teaches a watered-down and impractical form of martial arts in the name of making money. They place the importance of profit well ahead of teaching anything realistic or credible in terms of self-defence, and are dangerous in that they send unprepared and often over confident students out into the world thinking they can defend themselves when in actuality they have no real martial arts skills. Often McDojos teach a lot of bullshido, which is a term based on a parody of the philosophy of bushido (the ‘way of the warrior’ and is used to define deception, fraud, and lies in terms of martial arts. McDojos take a real martial art like Karate and water it down so that anyone and everyone can get a black belt quickly, and without ever having to train hard or learn actual skills. When I say fake or fraudulent, I'm referring to the people who don't have any martial arts or fighting experience yet claim to have such, or teach false and fraudulent techniques (see Master Ken’s ‘Hurticane’ in episode 9); usually the art is learned from some mystical master under questionable circumstances such as in a graveyard at night, or in some other unverifiable place. They make grandiose claims about techniques that can ‘never fail’ or their ‘accelerated learning techniques’ enabling faster promotion and black belt status. Advertising for McDojo’s

http://www.indiegogo.com/Enter-The-Dojo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW4POr1ZNLc&feature=plcp





often includes things like ‘beat any man’ or ‘become invincible’ and so on. The name McDojo is a play on the McDonalds restaurant chain which is probably not fair to McDonalds. After all, they don’t claim to be anything other than a fast food restaurant……. McDojo was coined as a derogatory term which compares the similarities between the two organisations – they’re both fast, everywhere, unoriginal, all the same, and cheap. Well, maybe not $$ cheap but tacky, like eating your low cost, substitute meat product burger off fine china…..that sort of cheap. McDojo’s are often referred to as ‘belt factories’. This is a term that refers to the practice of promoting people based on attendance, rather than skill acquisition. These ‘belt factories’ turn out unskilled black belts who have no depth to their art or actual self defence skills. They can ‘kiai’ well though and often excel in things like musical forms and showmanship demonstrations, although many don’t because even this requires practice, skills and (…shudder…) sweat! The term McDojo is often thrown around by ‘traditional’ martial arts practitioners (what does that mean anyway?) and is aimed as an insult to anyone who charges fees or tuition. They base this on the fact that Master X said “you should never charge for lessons”; which was a nice sentiment in the 19th century where you only ever taught one or two students in your back yard, and they were probably relatives anyway. They also forget that the students of Master X fed him, arranged his transport, did his gardening and more. There’s more to being a McDojo than being a business despite the wishful thinking of the traditionalists.

Another McDojo practice that I’ve written about in the past is the use of long contracts. I know of Gold Coast schools that use 3 year contracts on the ‘black belt club’ and 5 years contracts for their ‘masters club’ and who regularly put the debt collectors on people who quit. Then there’s gradings based on the ability to pay. One organisation that I briefly trained with charged US$1800 per dan grade, preferably paid in small unmarked US currency. That worked out at US$1800 for 1st dan, US$3600 for 2nd dan, US$5400 for 3rd dan etc. And this was a ‘traditional’ Okinawan system! Many McDojo’s also have cult like training practices whereby the instructor is elevated to being more than a mere mortal and often goes by such titles as Grandmaster or even Supreme Grandmaster (no, really!). Again I’ve discussed this element before. Martial arts are supposed to teach humility and respect but unfortunately in some organisations this is only expected from the students.



Sadly any martial arts school or organisation can quickly become a McDojo if they are not careful. There is a fine line between sound business practices and ripping people off. As a business a school needs to make sufficient income to pay its overheads like rent, advertising, wages and so on. These were not traditionally considerations for martial arts schools, and indeed, still aren’t for community based clubs like PCYC’s etc. As a martial arts school, the trip down the slippery slope builds up momentum when it becomes about money, about quick bucks and ego gratification; it’s definitely not as simple and clear cut as many internet pundits would have it either. Simply branding someone as a McDojo because they teach children, or have multiple ‘styles’, or different belts is far from accurate too. To put it simply, the days of the ‘one pony show’ or single ‘style’ martial arts school are largely gone. Today’s martial arts student, or potential student, has more choice and is far better educated than their predecessors (thank you Sensei Google…) and has more choices open to them. It’s a proven fact (read or re-read the report available on our kidzkarate.com website if you need clarification) that martial arts training is good for kids in so many ways, so to say any school that teaches them is dodgy is, well, dodgy. Southern Cross Martial Arts Centre is unashamedly a business. We simply could not offer the levels of service or professionalism we do, nor have the highly trained staff we do, if we also had to hold down full time jobs to live. As a business we have to strive to make sure the bills are paid so we can continue to teach and keep our doors open for our students. In the modern era there are reduced Government resources for sport and recreation facilities which means there are less community centre places available; then there’s more competition, higher wages (and indeed, wages!! Unheard off when I started teaching). There’s also increased costs for advertising and banking and power and, well, everything. We work very hard to maintain the balance. So, how do you work out if a school is a McDojo? Here’s a few warning signs:

The school You attend a Chinese Kung Fu school that uses the Japanese belt ranking system,

or vice versa.

You attend a Tae Kwon Do school and the instructor is called Sensei, or Renshi, or Shihan etc (these are Japanese titles after all).

You attend a ‘Judo’ school, but all the grappling elements have been curiously eliminated from the training.

Your instructor names his style after himself (i.e. Joe Son Do, Dux Ryū, Rex Kwon Do).

Your instructor claims to have secret techniques that he can only reveal to you once you've received your black belt.

Your instructor claims to offer MMA training, but has never had a single ring/cage/mat fight.

The students seem to be more interested in putting on a fashion show than learning martial arts.

Your instructor claims to be some kind of champion (check out Jim Carey in this hilarious parody) There are lots of trophies around the dojo for unverifiable tournaments.

The uniforms have lots of unnecessary patches.

Poor or no discipline and lots of kids running around like they’re in a school playground and they’ve had too much red cordial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_vvI26NnwE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_vvI26NnwE



There is no structure to the classes.

The history of the school and/or the style is long and complicated and is unverifiable because it is ‘secret’.

The Instructors Your instructor claims to be an MMA champion (or kickboxing or any other combat

sport) but only ever ‘fights’ his own students (if anyone that is).

Your instructor claims to be a very high ranking black belt yet they are quite young.

Your instructor tries to flirt with your girlfriend when she attempts to visit you at the dojo.

Your instructor is having an affair with one of his students.

Your instructor gives a speech during class about how their art is superior to all other martial arts.

Your instructor is overweight (oops, that could be me, “let’s change that to your instructor is overweight, but is not awaiting back surgery ;-)…..”)

Your instructor insists that you refer to him/her as master/grandmaster or some other ego boosting term both in and out of the dojo.

The instructor walks around like a king but doesn't actually (physically) show any techniques.

Your instructor insists that their style/form/technique is invincible and that everything else is wrong.

Your instructor speaks with a fake Asian accent, wears a Kimono or Chinese clothing out of the Dojo and insists on being called by their ‘Shaolin monk’ name.

Your instructor insists that sparring and tournaments are too dangerous for their superior techniques and participation by his students could actually kill or maim people unnecessarily.

The Classes While sparring your instructor complains that you're not being

aggressive enough; then, when you become more aggressive your instructor complains that you’re being too aggressive.

No one sweats.

There is no obvious curriculum.

There is no physical workout (no one is tired after training).

There is no sparring.

There is no real self defence training.

There is no discussion or talk or training regarding the law surrounding self defence or what is reasonable (see Master Ken in action).

Your instructor talks in absolutes (i.e. this technique is ‘guaranteed’ to knock someone out etc).

There is so much etiquette and bowing and secret handshakes that this takes up a large amount of class time that could or should be dedicated to actually training.

Every technique is accompanied by a kiai.

The only numbers associated with techniques are not repetitions, but the number of degrees you have to spin (i.e. 360, 720 and so on).

The Black Belts The advertising says you’ll receive your Black Belt in a specific amount of time (i.e.

12 months, 18 months etc.).

Students can receive a black belt in a short amount of time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CGMWlXosp4&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CGMWlXosp4&feature=plcp



There is no noticeable difference between the performance of a Black Belt and that of any other rank.

Most of the Black Belts haven’t reached puberty yet.

Tournaments Your instructor won't allow you to compete in a tournament because his techniques

are too deadly and you'd actually kill or seriously injure anyone you competed against.

While at a tournament, your opponent finds out who your teacher is and high-fives his teacher.

Gradings Every student grades every time.

You can get a Black Belt in a fixed period of time (i.e. less than 2 years).

You ‘earn’ your new belt based solely on attendance.

When paying for your belt examinations, the instructor asks: "Do you want fries with that?"

There are no objective testing criteria other than attendance.

No one ever fails a belt test.

Everyone does the same curriculum –there is no progression of skills, fitness or anything other than attendance.

Children complete black belt using the same criteria as adults. In all seriousness, McDojo’s are insidious and cult like and seize upon people’s fears and even feed them. They do not allow the attendance of non-sanctioned seminars/classes/events, and have strict rules about what you can do, what you can wear, and who you can associate with. The goal is essentially to make sure that you only socialise with people from your McDojo so that it becomes the centre of your universe and therefore you fear not being able to train there. You have no friends outside of the McDojo, all of your free time is spent at the McDojo, and any questions or queries are met with offers to ‘upgrade’ your program for the ‘secret’ knowledge, or with fortune cookie wisdom, or a beating – remember not all McDojo owners or instructors are bad martial artists (well, physically anyway). Over time people become ‘conditioned’. Then there’s the feeding of the ego – you’re an invincible black belt; you can defeat 10 men; you are a ‘master’; and so on. Our advice? Do your homework, keep an open mind and think critically and keep your training in perspective. Remember, family first, work second and training a distant 3rd.



THE GRADING SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION The myth goes, “in the early days of karate there were no belts as such, a student wore whatever clothing was comfortable and in the manner of the times a belt was used to keep the jacket closed. The cheapest cloth was undyed, an off-white colour. This made a cheap and easy ‘obi’ for training. Over time, with hard training and the sweat of effort and perseverance, the obi got stained darker until one day, after many years of training, it was black. This darkening of the belt led to the development of the coloured belt system we know today”. In reality, Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo, developed the coloured belt system in the late 19th Century. Prior to this, the belt was simply to hold the training uniform closed. He developed a simple system which initially consisted of a white student’s belt, and a black instructor’s belt. This soon evolved into a more complex system of ranks, colours and titles. Kano was emphatic that Shodan was in fact a new beginning in the practitioners study of the martial arts. Gichin Funakoshi, the so called ‘father’ of modern karate, adopted Kano’s grading system when he introduced Okinawan karate to Japan. Funakoshi adapted the Kano system and introduced the first pragmatic grading examination system that we would recognise today. This system, or a variation thereof, has now been adopted almost universally in the martial arts community. Each grading examination that is passed should give a sense of accomplishment and enables the student to set an attainable goal for the next step in their journey of the Way.

“The coloured belts are awarded in recognition of the training efforts and encourage the student to continue such endeavours in the future. They are not designed to feed the ego. Coloured belts also offer incentive to others who may see the belts as attainable goals towards which their own efforts in training may be directed. Keep in mind that the belts are nothing more than symbols. Their true significance for the students should not lie in simply gaining the belts themselves but understanding and adopting what each belt represents16”

The grading system in Gōki-Kai is structured in such a way as to allow the novice student to set achievable goals and for all practitioners to chart their physical, intellectual and esoteric progress.

“One thing which the student should always remember: have faith in the guidance of your instructor with regard to the timing of gradings. The instructor usually knows better than you do when you are ready for the next level. Sometimes it may seem that the requirements of the next step are too much. But if you seize the opportunity of a challenge, you may surprise yourself by reaching another goal that not long ago seemed far too difficult to obtain. Remember, you will never know what you can do unless you attempt what you can’t. As you improve, your ability to acquire the skills of Karate-Dō becomes more rapid.

16

Quinn, C. (1987), The Budō Karate of Mas Oyama, p. 84, Coconut Productions: Brisbane



Any weakness you thought you had will be resolved without too much trouble through a process of elimination in regular training, provided your training is supported by a logical basis.17”

It is important to note that there is no centralised governing body that regulates what a belt is, what it requires or indeed the level of skill required to achieve it. In short, belts really only mean something within the organisation that awarded them. It should be noted that Miyagi Sensei, the founder of Gōjū-Ryū, is reputed to have never awarded any black belts during his lifetime. He is however featured in several photographs with students where he is wearing a black belt. In all likelihood these photos depict him in his Judo gi and obi.

The Etiquette of Belts There are some ‘interesting’ practices out in the broader martial arts community concerning belts. Here’s a bit of an overview of some of the more common ones and our perspective on them:

Practice Probable Origin Our Perspective

You must never wash your belt.

This probably goes back to the myth of the white belt getting dirty over time and turning black. Washing the belt would delay your progress to black belt. No one really knows. Okinawan culture prizes hygiene and I know some dojo’s where you leave your belt behind after class and a designated student washes your belt and dries it before the next class. Some Dojo’s only ever give you one belt, the white one, and you bleach it after every grading and then dye it the new colour.

Wash your belt. They accumulate a lot of sweat, dirt and (occasionally) even blood. Not washing them is disgusting. Wash in cold water only and hang out to dry. Belts should be washed almost as regularly as your uniform, especially in hot and humid climates where sweat is abundant.

You must never touch a higher ranks belt.

This is seen by some as disrespectful but it probably actually stems from systems of intimidation and control used by some disreputable Dojo’s to keep students in line.

Everything is based on context. Respect people’s personal space and always use your manners. Don’t just walk up and grab anyone’s belt. Always ask first before touching anyone’s gear. In the context of training this is almost impossible not to do. Grappling, sparring, partner drills etc.

Your belt should never touch the floor.

This is seen by some as disrespectful. Again it’s a matter of context. It is theorised that this practice probably arose from some junior member getting yelled at by his mother for dragging his belt across the floor (or carpark). Words to the effect of “you don’t look after your stuff. I’m sick of it. Have more respect for your belt” etc. In time said junior grew up and got their black belt, and always had a thing about belts touching the floor.

Again, everything depends on context. Dragging your belt or just generally being a slob will get you into trouble – for being a lazy slob. In terms of training and grappling and so on, its impossible to do situps without your belt touching the ground, or grapple for that matter.

17

Op. Cit p.85



You must always kneel to put on your belt.

Not to do so is considered disrespectful. Not sure on this one as it is generally only practiced within a minority of organisations.

We general do this as an act of humility and self abasement. A bit like bowing into the Dojo. It is encouraged, but not critical. Attitude is everything!

You must turn away from the Sensei to adjust or fix your belt.

Not to do so is considered disrespectful. Doing so means that everyone, including your training partner, knows that you are temporarily out of action and thus you reduce the risk of being punched in the nose or similar.

It is encouraged, but not critical. This one is a common sense thing. A lot like not scratching your nose with a focus mitt during an active drill.

You must never step over a belt.

This seems to be linked to the ‘belts should never touch the floor’.

If someone is lazy enough to leave it on the floor, then you either have to walk around it or step over it. It’s no big deal. However, repeat offenders will be spoken to about creating trip hazards.

These practices vary from Dojo to Dojo so when visiting somewhere else its common sense to ask first, then abide by the old saying “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”. This reduces the likelihood of you getting into difficulty over a triviality.

BELT TESTS Belt tests, or gradings as we tend to call them, are normally held quarterly. It is up to the student to ensure that they have been attending training long enough and hard enough to achieve their grading requirements prior to testing for the belt. Gradings are by no means automatic. Prior to attempting each rank a student must have met all pre-requisites, have achieved all 8 skill stripes, have completed an ‘intent to promote form’ and be authorised to grade by the senior instructor. All fees must be up to date, the official gi and belt clean and in good order and all mandatory protective equipment available. Black belt gradings are held at formal grading ceremonies and will usually be followed by a ‘back to black’.

BELT LEVELS IN GŌKI-KAI KARATE In Gōki-Kai Karate we use a mix of traditional and modern systems to track belt rank, as well as teaching rank.

Coloured Belts Traditionally, the belts below black belt are known as “kyu”, meaning “boy” and were numbered in descending order starting at 10th kyu, white belt, and ending in 1st kyu, brown belt with black stripe. In Gōki-Kai we no longer follow this system as our belt structure is somewhat larger than ‘traditional’ Dojo’s due to the inclusion of a number of more modern components, such a throwing, falling, ground fighting and the like.

Kyu grade students are often referred to as mudansha (無段者) or ‘ones without dan/level,

or sometimes in systems where they do not have Kyu grades they are referred to as

dangai (段外), meaning outside the dan structure. .



We also have two other coloured belts that are technically outside the grade system as they are not tested for nor have requirements as such. The first is the ‘sand’ (beige) coloured belt and the other is the ‘grey’ belt. These are for students transferring from other schools; sand for coloured belts and grey for black belts. These belts recognise the past training and rank of the student and acknowledge this whilst still showing that they have come from somewhere else and don’t know the entire core curriculum yet. For example, kata vary from school to school, style to style and many karate schools don’t teach throws, grappling or groundwork like we do. This could put a transferring student in the embarrassing, and somewhat risky, position of being expected to know things they don’t – like how to breakfall! With our new system, these students don't have to start from white again; instead they'll wear a special belt until they are ready to complete a grading and be tested on our curriculum to wear our belts. The objective is to recognise and demonstrate that they have skills (something which a white belt doesn't have yet), but that they don't know our curriculum yet (to save embarrassment). When the time comes, they’ll grade into whatever rank fits their skill level, rather than going from white to yellow to orange etc.

Skill Stripes Between grades there are a series of 8 small tests relating to specific areas of the curriculum. These skill tests result in a coloured stripe or ‘tag’ which is worn on the belt. Each skill has a different coloured tag. This skill stripe process gives the individual student concrete goals to aim for and measure their progress, whilst it also helps the instructor by giving visual feedback as to who is where in the curriculum to enable better matching of partners for drills and so on. Once all 8 skill stripes have been achieved, the student is eligible to grade for the next belt. These skills are:

Fitness – Black

Striking – Green

Standing Grappling – Brown

Self Defence – Red

Kata – Blue

Coordination – Orange

Sparring – Purple

Ground Grappling – Yellow

Black Belts A black belt recognises that a student has learnt the basics. They are now recognised as a serious student of the art. At black the belts levels, or degrees, are called “dan”, literally “level”. These are numbered in ascending order from 1st to 10th dan. Once a student has achieved their black belt (in Japanese kuro obi) they are inducted into the Dojo records and get a plaque (nafuda) on the Nafudakake on the shomen (front) of the Dojo. This traces its roots back to the feudal era Dojo’s where one was ‘entered into the scrolls’ of the school only after mastering the basics. This was referred to as okuiri



(奥入書); entering into the art.

A black belt is often referred to a yudansha (有段者), meaning ‘one with dan/level’. A high

ranking yudansha is sometimes called a kodansha, meaning ‘one with high dan/level’. In Gōki-Kai Karate this means a 5th dan or higher. There are no skill stripes for black belts. Typically a Gōki-Kai black belt is a plain black belt with red embroidery on each end. One end says the owners name in Japanese calligraphy (katakana), whilst the other end says Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō in Japanese. The plain black belt is worn in training. Shogo, or teaching rank, is denoted by stripes on the belt. This is based on the Okinawan system of recognition of Masters, but it has been expanded somewhat. In this instance a red or a gold stripe denotes title. There is more on this in the section on Shogo rank.

Ceremonial Belts

For special occasions there is also a practice whereby kodansha (高段; senior Yudansha)

wear ceremonial belt. This practice comes from the art of Judo whereby 6th dans and above wear the Kohaku Obi, or red & white belt, on special occasions. In Gōki-Kai Karate kodansha, that is 5th dan and above, have a special ceremonial rank belt which signifies the Kodansha’s dan grade. Like the Kohaku Obi of Judo it is only ever worn at special occasions. It must never be worn for training, competing or when the student is being graded (i.e. moving from 6th Dan to 7th Dan). Sequentially they look something like the picture below (not to scale).

Simply stated:

1st to 4th Dan: Plain black belt with red writing.

5th Dan: Black belt with a red & white block pattern border with red writing.

6th Dan: Traditional red and white block pattern belt with white ends and red writing.



7th Dan: Traditional red and white block pattern belt with red ends and black writing.

8th Dan: Black and red block pattern with black ends and red writing.

9th Dan: Black and red block pattern with red ends and black writing.

10th Dan: Black belt with solid red front and black writing.

Founders Belt (Mudan (無段): literally ‘beyond rank’): Black belt with solid white

front and red writing.

SHOGO: OTHER RANKS Teaching ranks are separate from belt rank. These denote the level of study achieved by the instructing black belts. A teaching rank is akin to a tertiary certificate, Diploma, Bachelor of Arts, Masters, Doctorate etc. Gōki-Kai does not use all the belt ranks or the Shogo ranks that some other styles do. In Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō we utilise Sempai, Shidoin, Sensei, Shihan,Kyōshi and Hanshi as teachers ranks or titles, and Renshi as a honourific for a non- teaching Master i.e. a 5th or 6th dan that does not run their own Dojo. Other titles that may be used denote position in the organisation and would include:

Dōjōchō: someone who runs their own classes at a hired location

Shibuchō: someone who runs an area for Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō (i.e. Victoria)

Kanchō: someone who runs a full time location with naming rights to their location such as Godokan etc

Kaichō: the person who is the head of Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō The details for each title are: Kanji Japanese

Term Translation

先輩 Sempai

‘Senior’ or ‘mentor’.

There is a 2mm red stripe embroidered 2cm up from the end, on both ends of the belt.

指導員

Shidoin Instructor.

Generally a 1st or 2nd Dan.

There is an 8mm red stripe embroidered 2cm up from the end, on both ends of the belt.

先生

Sensei Teacher: literally ‘one who has been before’.

Generally a 3rd Dan.

There is a 2mm gold stripe embroidered 2cm up from the end, on both ends of the belt.

師範

Shihan A Master teacher: literally “a teacher of teachers”.

Generally a minimum of 5th Dan, who has produced Sensei’s in their own right.

There is an 8mm and a 2mm gold stripe embroidered 2cm up from the end, on both ends of the belt. The stripes are 5mm apart.

教士

Kyōshi Literally “Knowledgeable person” but generally taken to be a teacher or creator of teachers.

Generally a minimum of 7th Dan, who has produced Renshi’s or Shihan’s in their own right.

There are two 8mm gold stripes embroidered 2cm up from the end, on both ends of the belt. The stripes are 5mm apart.

範士

Hanshi Literally “Grand Master”.

Usually reserved for 9th dans and above.



There are three 8mm gold stripes embroidered 2cm up from the end, on both ends of the belt. The stripes are 5mm apart.

練士

Renshi ‘Polished Master’. Literally “a person who has mastered themselves”.

This is reserved for non-teaching senior Yudansha, usually 5th Dan or above.

A single 8mm gold stripe is embroidered 2cm up from the end, on both ends of the belt.

宗家 Soké Generally the founder of a school, particularly family based schools of the Feudal era.

Whilst we don’t use this title per se, the Kaichō (会長) would fulfil this

function and have four 8mm gold stripes embroidered 2cm up from the end, on both ends of the belt. The stripes are 5mm apart.

In Japan and Okinawa the Shogo rank is not used when addressing the person directly, however this is not the normal practice in the West. If unsure, refer to everyone as Sensei and they will correct you if you are mistaken. An important note is that everyone who teaches a school is (at least) a Sensei, and will forever remain as such. Likewise there can be multiple Sensei training in a class (i.e. they run their own schools) but only one Sensei teaching the class. The belts look like this:

Embroidery Standards The black belts currently authorised for use are supplied by Shureido in Okinawa. The standards for the embroidery are relatively simple and as a rule the first belt is provided after passing the black belt grading. The belts are customised to the student in that they bear the students name in katakana Japanese characters. The Shogo rank embroidery is added by the student once they are promoted according to the following standards:

Sempai and Shidoin stripes are red;

Sensei, Renshi, Shihan, Kyōshi, Hanshi and Kaichō stripes are metallic gold;



all stripes start 2cm from the end of the belt;

in the event of multiple stripes, the stripes are spaced 5mm apart;

thin stripes, as in Sempai, Sensei and Shihan ranks, are 2mm thick;

all thick stripes are 8mm thick; and

no stripes are to be embroidered onto the Kohaku Obi; and

no stripes are to be embroidered on the training belt until the rank Diploma has been received bestowing the rank.

Refer to the pictorial example of a Shihan belt below:



THE POINTS SYSTEM

HOW TO EARN POINTS IN GŌKI-KAI KARATE

Kyu Grades The following is a breakdown of how points are awarded as pre-requisites in order to progress in the mudansha level gradings. To progress between each level you will be required to accumulate a certain number of experience points. This points total will determine whether or not you will be eligible to grade. Please note however that you must complete the relevant skill and knowledge component as well as the points requirement before being allowed to attempt a grading. You will also not be allowed to skip gradings; however you will be able to sit the next grading at the next available time, if you have completed all prerequisites.

Rank Points to Rank Cumulative Points

9th kyu 30 30

8th kyu 45 75

7th kyu 60 135

6th kyu 90 225

5th kyu 120 345

4th kyu 125 470

3rd kyu 220 690

2nd kyu 150 840

1st kyu 160 1000

Dan Grades The following is a breakdown of how points are awarded as pre-requisites in order to progress in the yudansha level gradings. To progress between each level you will be required to accumulate a certain number of experience points. This points total will determine whether or not you will be eligible to grade. Please note however that you must complete the relevant skill and knowledge component as well as the points requirement before being allowed to attempt a grading. You will also not be allowed to skip gradings; however you will be able to sit the next grading at the next available time, if you have completed all prerequisites.

Rank Points to Rank Cumulative Points

2nd Dan 300 300

3rd Dan 450 750

4th Dan 600 1350

5th Dan 750 2100

6th Dan 900 3000

7th Dan 1050 4050

8th Dan 1200 5250

9th Dan 1750 7000

10th Dan 3000 10000

Points can be earned in the following manner: Points Activity Points Activity

Everyone Instructors

1 Per lesson with instructor 1 Per bout judged

1 Blog post contributing to GKK 2 Per lesson taught

2 Grading lower ranks 2 Per bout refereed

2 Seminar attendance (per hour) 5 External seminar taught



2 Tournament /Fight Show attended 10 Each student who makes 1st Dan

5 Per rank achieved in another style 20 Each student who makes 2nd Dan

5 Articles published externally 30 Each student who makes 3rd Dan

40 Each student who makes 4th Dan







Black Gi To achieve the Black Gi award, the student needs to accumulate 50 points. Points are accumulated in the following manner: Points Activity

3 Loss or draw in a full contact bout

10 Win in a full contact bout

Bonuses for win by stoppage (i.e. KO, TKO or Submission)

5 Added to the total points of the bout



USING THIS TEXT The following chapters are broken up firstly by colour, and then separately into the phases for that colour. Each belt rank is further divided into underpinning requirements for development and physical development sections. The first section looks at things such as the grade quote, instructions from the masters and any theory or written requirements for the rank. The physical development section looks at the fitness requirements, the technique requirements, the self defence applications and the sparring requirements for the rank being attempted. Note that mental and physical development requirements are both necessary to progress. The following chapters contain the requirements for attempting each belt. View each set as a holistic progression within the martial arts. Remember too that the information contained herein is a minimum requirement and dedicated practice, both in and out of the Dojo, is required. Many of the techniques are taught long before they need to be perfected for grading. For example, a student will learn to fall at white belt but not tested for it until much later, once they have had time to perfect the technique. They will learn pressure points from white belt but not tested on that knowledge until blue belt, and so on. Also, at many levels, the techniques listed are to be found in the application of the kata for that grade. Normally you will not demonstrate all of the techniques listed at grading but you may be requested to demonstrate any or all of them so be prepared. The material for each belt is required for the next belt and so on. It’s detrimental to your progress if you neglect practicing your earlier requirements (i.e. like kata) for your current requirements. Thus, if you neglect Gekisai to improve Saifa, you are likely to fail at a grading if Gekisai is required to be performed – which it is likely to be! Each new grade is built on the cumulative skill and knowledge of the previous grades. You are not only expected to know more, but you are expected to do it better than at your last test! The path to earning a black belt in our system of martial arts is long and strenuous, but well worth the journey. Our black belts are as good as any black belt anywhere and can hold their heads up as examples of excellence in martial arts. We also strive to ensure that they are excellent people.

FITNESS REQUIREMENTS Fitness requirements break up into a number of broad areas depending on the rank being tested for. These are:

chest strength/endurance

leg strength/endurance

core strength/endurance

back strength/endurance

mobility

‘hojo undo’ equipment



There are a variety of progressions outlined at each level and the curriculum is designed to help students achieve and progress their next belt requirements up to the penultimate Shodan test where the student is required to be fit, straight and flexible with good posture and correct form. This emphasis on form is to build sustainability and achievability into the program.

Benchmarks Certain points throughout the grade curriculum require students to meet certain benchmarks relating to fitness. As far as is possible these are fair and achievable by a ‘normal’ person training for the event two to three times a week. The standard benchmark is a set number of cycles of three exercises to be completed within the 10 minute timeframe. These exercises are:

5 x pushups

10 x crunches

15 x hindu squats

GRAPPLING TECHNIQUES The following lists of techniques form the basis of the brown (standing grappling) and yellow (ground grappling) skill stripes.

Nage Waza (投げ技) / Throwing Techniques

Te Waza (手技) hand throwing techniques

Ippon Seionage – One Armed Shoulder Throw

Mrote Seionage – Two Handed Shoulder Throw

Kata Garuma - Shoulder Wheel

Kote Garuma - Wrist Wheel

Koshi Waza (腰技): hip throwing techniques

Uke Goshi – Minor Hip Throw

Goshi – Major Hip Throw

Koshi Garuma – Hip Wheel

Harai Goshi – Sweeping Hip

Ashi Waza (足技) foot throwing techniques

Soto Gari – Outer Reaping Throw

De Ashi Barai – Front Foot Sweep

Ko Uchi Gari - Inner Foot Sweep

Uchi Gari – Inner Reaping Throw

Uchi Mata - Inner Thigh Throw

Hiza Garuma - Knee Prop

Tai Otoshi – Body Drop

Sutemi Waza (捨身技) sacrifice techniques

Tomoe Nage - Stomach Throw

Kani Basami - Scissor Throw

Yoko Otoshi – Side Drop



Wrestling Takedowns

Single Leg Shoot

Sprawl defence for leg shoots

Leg Hook Takedown – Standing (L6)

Double Leg Takedown – Standing (L17)

Straight Armbar Takedown

PPCT Rear Takedown

Harness Takedown

Newaza / Ground Techniques Remember this is a Karate school and Karate is a striking art. Basic grappling is important from a self defence perspective and that is the approach taken – this is not sport grappling. Underpinning principles: Mount

elbow escape

bridging escape

knee ride

knee ride hip escape Guard

½ guard

Guard pass

Attacks from guard The following Gracie Combatives lessons provide more concrete guidance:

Elevator Sweep – Guard (L11)

Elbow Escape – Mount (L12)

Positional Control – Side Mount (L13)

Headlock Counters – Mount (L16)

Headlock Escape 1 – Side Mount (L18)

Headlock Escape 2 – Side Mount (L22)

Straight Armlock – Guard (L19)

Double Ankle Sweep – Guard (L20)

Shrimp Escape – Side Mount (L24)

Punch Block Series (Stage 5) – Guard (L27)

Hook Sweep – Guard (L28)

Elbow Escape – Side Mount (L33)

Double Underhook Guard Pass – Guard (L36) Positions OsaeKomi Waza Pins and holds

Knee ride

Mount

Guard

Kami-shiho-gatame (上四方固): Upper four quarter hold down

Kata-gatame (肩固): Shoulder hold

Kesa-gatame (袈裟固): Scarf hold

Kuzure-kami-shiho-gatame (崩上四方固): Broken upper four quarter hold

Kuzure-kesa-gatame (崩袈裟固): Broken scarf hold

Yoko-shiho-gatame (横四方固): Side four quarter hold



Submissions Shime Waza Choking & Strangling Techniques

Gyaku Jūji-jime (逆十字絞): Reverse cross strangle

Hadaka-jime (裸絞): Naked strangle

Okuri-eri-jime (送襟絞): Sliding lapel strangle

Ryo-te-jime (両手絞): Two-hand strangle

Sankaku-jime (三角絞): Triangular strangle, triangle choke

Kansetsu Waza Joint Locking Techniques

Ashi-garami (足緘): Leg entanglement/lock

Ude-garami (腕緘): Arm entanglement or "figure-four" key lock

Ude-hishigi-ashi-gatame (腕挫足固): Side-lying arm bar

Ude-hishigi-juji-gatame (腕挫十字固): Back-lying perpendicular arm bar.

Ude-hishigi-sankaku-gatame (腕挫三角固): Triangular strangle, using the legs.



10th

KYU: WHITE BELT

Grade Quote Potential is dormant within; effort will bring it out. Your potential is like a diamond coated in mud.

Primary Purpose of Training The making of habits: the establishment of a regular training habit and realizing the importance of a solid technical foundation.



9th

KYU: WHITE/YELLOW BELT

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

Points 30

Grade Quote “The first step in a journey of a thousand miles, seemingly the hardest step” Anonymous

Primary Purpose of Training The making of habits: the establishment of a regular training habit and realizing the importance of a solid technical foundation.

Technical Priority for Grading Foundation skills

Knowledge Requirements Follows basic etiquette

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Fitness

Pushups 5

Situps 5

Squats 10

Mobility Monkey #1

Benchmarks -

Striking

Punches Kizami Tsuki - Jab

Gyaku Tsuki - Reverse punch

Kicks Mae Geri - Front kick

Elbows -

Knees -

Defences Jodan Age Uke – High rising block

Stances

Kumite Dachi – Fighting stance Masubi Dachi – Attention stance Heisoku Dachi – Normal stance Heiko Dachi – Parallel stance

Stamp Blitz

Switch

Footwork -

Kata

Kata Punch Drill

Kihon Drills -

Drills -

Standing Grappling

Solo Drills (Warmup) Technical Standup

Yoko Ukemi - Side Breakfall

Throws (Tori) Kumikata (Judo grip) & Happo no kuzushi (8

Directions)

Falling (Uke) -

Self Defence Self Defence A defence for a front kick A defence for a lapel grab A defence for a wrist grab

Coordination Air (footwork, angles & Combinations of techniques from technical striking



technique) curriculum without partner

Pads (Focus & Power) Same combination as above, on pads.

With partner (Targeting)

Same combination as above, with compliant partner

Sparring

Defence Shadow sparring

Offence Shadow sparring

Spirit Shadow sparring

Number of rounds 1

Ground Grappling

Partner Drills Technical standup



8th

KYU: YELLOW BELT


Points 45

Grade Quote “Practice a thousand hours and you learn self discipline. Practice ten thousand hours and you learn about yourself” Miyamoto Musashi

Primary Purpose of Training Consolidation of training as a part of daily life.

Technical Priority for Grading Improve technical ability and fluidity of movement.

Knowledge Requirements Ties belt correctly.


Fitness

Pushups 10

Situps 10

Squats 15

Mobility Shrimp & Crocodile

Benchmarks -

Striking

Punches Seiken Tsuki - Two knuckle punch

Oi Tsuki - Lunge Punch

Kicks Mawashi Geri - Round kick

Elbows Hiji Age Uchi – Uppercut Elbow

Knees Hiza Geri - Rising/Free

Defences

Chudan Uke – Middle Block Hiki Uke – Hooking Block

Gedan Barai – Lower Parry Sune Uke waza:

a. Roll Check b. Wedge Check

Stances Shiko Dachi – Square Stance

Footwork Clock face pattern (Octagon).

Kata

Kata Kick Drill

Combination Drill

Kihon Drills Kakie

Drills Inside/Outside Open/Close

Standing Grappling

Solo Drills (Warmup) Ushiro Ukemi - Back Breakfall

Throws (Tori) Muay Thai style “pummelling’ (a.k.a. European drill)

(a.k.a. Kubi Zumo) One throw from list and counter

Falling (Uke) Works with partner with correct amount of

resistance

Self Defence Self Defence Basic boxing type defensive skills with integrated

leg checking.



Coordination

Air (footwork, angles & technique)

Combinations of techniques from technical striking curriculum without partner




Sparring

Defence Tries to attack

Offence Tries to defend

Spirit Throws 2-3 technique combinations

Number of rounds 3

Ground Grappling

Partner Drills Technical standup and ground defence drill

2 control positions from list



7th

KYU: ORANGE BELT


Points 60

Grade Quote “What I do today is very important to me as I sacrifice a day in my life for it” Roman Neubacher (Zen Do Kai Rokudan)

Primary Purpose of Training The four major weapons (left and right hands, left and right legs), work as a single unit. Every action has an opposite and equal reaction — left and right, forward and back, upper and lower. The body counterbalances diagonally.

Technical Priority for Grading Basic self defence skills

Knowledge Requirements Counting to 10 in Japanese.


Fitness

Pushups 20

Situps 20

Squats 20

Mobility Seal, Money # 2 & Elephant

Benchmarks 6 cycles

Striking

Punches Kagi Tsuki - Hook Punch Jodan Uraken – Uppercut

Uraken Tsuki/Ura Uchi – Backfist

Kicks Yoko Geri - Side Kick

Ushiro Geri - Back Kick Kake Geri - Hook Kick

Elbows Mawashi Hiji – Round Elbow

Uwate Hiji Empi – Overhand Elbow

Knees Mae Hiza Geri – Front Knee Kick

Mawashi Hiza Geri – Round Knee Kick Tobi Hiza Geri – Jump Knee

Defences

Soto Uke – Centre Block Sune Uke waza:

a. Roll Check b. Wedge Check

Stances Zen Kutsu Dachi – Deep Lunging Stance

Footwork Development of Tai-Sabaki style body shifting to

avoid attacks.

Kata

Kata Ido Kihon Tsuki Ido Kihon Uke San Dan Uke

Kihon Drills 4 Basic punch drill (jab, reverse, hook & uppercut)

4 basic knee drill (free, front, round & jump) 3 basic elbow drill (uppercut, hook, overhand)

Drills Ude Tanren/Kote Kite



Taira 1

Standing Grappling

Solo Drills (Warmup) Zenpo Kaiten Ukemi - Front Rolling Breakfall

Ushiro Kaiten Ukemi - Back Roll

Throws (Tori) Throw whilst moving

Defend throw whilst moving Two throws from list and counters

Falling (Uke) Cooperates with partner, doesn't hang on & falls

properly

Self Defence Self Defence

Morote Uke – Augmented block (a.k.a. SPEAR concept) against a haymaker and a tackle

Shredder concept and the use of effective offense as a defence.

Stop 6

Coordination






Sparring

Defence Defends against own rank, attempts against senior

ranks

Offence Defeats lower ranks, wins 50% against own rank

Spirit Throws 3-4 technique combinations

Number of rounds 3

Ground Grappling

Partner Drills

From list: 2 control positions

2 transitions 1 submission



6th

KYU: PURPLE BELT


Points 90

Grade Quote “They are skilled in both planning and adapting and need not fear the result of a thousand battles; for they win in advance, defeating those that have already lost” Sun Tzu

Primary Purpose of Training Firmly establish the habit of regular training and set daily objectives to aim for.

Technical Priority for Grading Basic grappling skills demonstrated by consolidation of balance and increased awareness of the control of the centre of gravity.

Knowledge Requirements Responds to instructions in Japanese.


Fitness

Pushups 25

Situps 25

Squats 25

Mobility Reverse Shrimp & Monkey #3

Benchmarks 8 cycles

Striking

Punches

Uwate Tsuki - Overhand Punch Uraken Shita Uchi - Uppercut Rip

Chudan Mawashi Tsuki - Hook Rip Shuto – Knife hand

Kicks Mikazuki Geri - Crescent Kick Kakato Otoshi Geri - Axe Kick

Kani Basami - Scissor Kick (throw)

Elbows Ushiro Hijiate - Back Elbow Hiji Oroshi Uchi - Drop Elbow

Knees Thai Style neck control for knees

Posting off rear hand. Underhook

Defences

Sprawl defence for leg shoots High Cover Low Cover

Duck & Weave Sune Uke waza:

a. High Roll Check b. High Wedge Check

Stances Hanzenkutsu Dachi – Half Lunging Stance

Footwork

Kata

Kata Gekisai Ichi

Kihon Drills 8 Basic Punch Drill (jab, reverse, hook, uppercut,

overhand, cross, rip up, rip round) 8 basic kick drill (front, round, side, hook, back,



crescent, axe & scissor) 5 basic elbows drill – (uppercut, hook, overhand,

back, drop)

Drills Taira 2

Standing Grappling

Solo Drills (Warmup) Mae Ukemi - Front Breakfall

Sprawl


Defend throw whilst moving Four throws from list and counters


properly


Revision plus basic ground defence where you are down and the opponent is standing (under

pressure). Escapes from mount (i.e. bridge & roll, skippy hips

etc) whilst under pressure. Application of the Shredder concept in a simulation

environment

Coordination






Sparring


ranks

Offence Defeats lower ranks, wins 50% against own rank

Spirit Spirited participation despite obstacles

Number of rounds 3 x 2 minute rounds of jiyu kumite

3 x 2 minute rounds of submission grappling

Ground Grappling

Partner Drills


3 transitions 3 escapes

3 submissions



5th

KYU: BLUE BELT


Points 120

Grade Quote "We confide in our strength, without boasting of it; we respect that of others, without fearing it." Thomas Jefferson

Primary Purpose of Training Learn the value of confronting fears. Look them in the face and they will cease to bother you.

Technical Priority for Grading Fitness foundation skills.

Knowledge Requirements Japanese Dojo Terminology test.


Fitness

Pushups 30

Situps 30

Squats 30

Mobility Monkey #4 & Scorpion

Benchmarks 10 cycles

Striking

Punches

Tettsui – Hammer Fist Forearm strikes:

Ura Kote – Reverse or Rear Forearm. Hira Kote – Top/Back Forearm

Omote Kote – Front Forearm or Inner Forearm. Toho – Tiger Claw or Sword Peak Hand

Kicks Tobi Mae Geri – Jumping Front Kick

Tobi Mawashi Geri – Jumping Round Kick Tobi Yoko Geri – Jumping Side Kick

Elbows Ushiro Ko Empi - Spinning Back Elbow

Knees Knees to alternate targets

Defences

Head kick defence/parry Sune Uke waza: a. Front Check

b. Cross Check.

Stances Nekoashi Dachi – Cat Stance

Footwork Grasp and demonstration of concepts surrounding

initiative during offence/defence (go no sen etc)

Kata

Kata Gekisai Ni

Kihon Drills 6 basic elbows drill – (uppercut, hook, overhand,

back, drop, spinning)

Drills Taira 3

Standing Grappling

Solo Drills (Warmup) Consolidation


Defend throw whilst moving Six throws from list and counters




properly


Counters for each of the basic throws to this grade. Defences for each of the basic submissions to this

grade. Haymaker Punch Defence – Standing (L30)

Guillotine Defence – Standing (L32)

Coordination






Sparring


ranks, defeats lower ranks

Offence Defeats lower ranks, wins 50% against own rank,

wins some against senior ranks

Spirit Simultaneous attack and defence combinations

Number of rounds 3 x 2 minute rounds of jiyu kumite

3 x 3 minute rounds of submission grappling

Ground Grappling

Partner Drills



4 submissions



4th

KYU: GREEN BELT


Points 135

Grade Quote "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” Confucius

Primary Purpose of Training Develop increased confidence and courage in training through regular attendance and the desire to take part in kumite and develop mastery of ma-ai (distance), tai-sabaki (offensive and defensive body movement) and kime (focus).

Technical Priority for Grading Consolidation of coordination by developing an awareness of the centre of gravity in motion. From this point on in training, strive never to lose your balance.

Knowledge Requirements Pressure point location test.


Fitness

Pushups 35

Situps 35

Squats 35

Mobility Turtle


Striking

Punches Haito – Ridge Hand Shotei – Palm Heel Hiraken – Chisel Fist

Kicks Ushiro Ko Geri - Spinning Back Kick

Tobi Ushiro Geri - Jumping Back Kick Tobi Ushiro Ko Keri - Jumping Spinning Back Kick

Elbows Ability to utilise elbows from compromised positions

Knees Consolidation

Defences Consolidation

Stances Consolidation

Footwork Control of distance

Kata

Kata Saifa

Kihon Drills Integration of drills into Kakie

Drills Taira 4 Taira 5

Standing Grappling



Defend throw whilst moving Eight throws from list and counters


properly

Self Defence Self Defence Two attacker scenario's

Coordination Air (footwork, angles &

technique) Combinations of techniques from technical striking

curriculum without partner






Sparring





Spirit Effective simultaneous attack and defence

combinations

Number of rounds 5 x 2 minute rounds of Jiyu Kumite

Ground Grappling

Partner Drills



5 submissions



3rd

KYU: BROWN BELT


Points 220

Grade Quote “When you see a worthy person, try to emulate them. When you see an unworthy person, look inside yourself” Peter Urban

Primary Purpose of Training Establish yourself as a senior member of the Dojo through participation in all activities available. The Dojo is your second home.

Command a thorough understanding of the Japanese terminology so that techniques can be names in Japanese by compounding different words, e.g. Chudan + mae + hiji ate.

Tested for flexibility - must show distinct improvement and be very supple in back and hips.

Ability to take class for basics and have a good understanding of the junbi undo.

Knowledge of major nerve centres on body.

Good general knowledge of health, diet and fitness principles.

Knowledge of principle of impact and how to apply it in the techniques

Brown belt symbolises VOID. This is the Practical, Creativity level. The brown belt is practical in every way and possesses a cultured outlook.

A relaxed mental state is not sleep, it is a calm state of mental preparedness, sensitivity and receptivity. Remain calm and do your best. Learning to relax under pressure is a mental skill developed through demanding physical experiences.

This is the first senior level so students should demonstrate confidence and excellence in technique, whilst beginning to develop the correct attitude of a true karate-ka.

Students should be developing an interest in the progress of junior grades and a willingness to be of assistance when asked. This is the spirit of benevolence.

Technical Priority for Grading Kata application.

Knowledge Requirements Play by the Rules (Coaches) course online.


Fitness

Pushups 50

Situps 50

Squats 50

Mobility Cricket


Striking Punches

Kakate - Heel Strike Koken - Wrist Strike Nukite – Spear Hand

Kicks Kansetsu Geri - Knee Joint Kick



Ushiro Mawashi Geri - Reverse Round Kick

Elbows Consolidation

Knees Consolidation



Footwork Consolidation

Kata

Kata Sanchin Tensho

Kihon Drills Freeplay/flow Kakie

Drills Taira Conjunctives

Standing Grappling



Defend throw whilst moving Ten throws from list and counters


properly

Self Defence Self Defence 3rd party protection scenarios

Coordination






Sparring






combinations

Number of rounds 5 x 2 minute rounds of Kudo rules

Ground Grappling

Partner Drills



6 submissions



2nd

KYU: BROWN BELT


Points 150

Grade Quote “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance” Confucius

Primary Purpose of Training Training has become a serious and important part of your life. Aim to remain calm under pressure and develop a mature and fearless attitude in kumite. Look to control the kumite, assess each round and work out how you can improve with each session. Seek experience in every respect.

Technical Priority for Grading Consolidation of understanding of form in motion, with an improved level of

relaxation.

Students should work on the co-ordination of speed and strength to develop explosive POWER.

Develop the confidence to attempt new and perhaps difficult techniques.

Expand training horizons and seek broader knowledge of the martial arts.

Knowledge Requirements NCAS General Coaching Principles course.


Fitness

Pushups 50

Situps 50

Squats 100

Mobility 5


Striking

Punches Small surface joint strikes

Kicks Toe Kicks

Variations of front kick: i.e. jamming, lead leg, rear leg, thrusting, snapping etc


Knees Consolidation

Defences Defences and positioning to defeat headbutts and

short range weapons



Kata

Kata Seiyunchin

Kihon Drills Consolidation

Drills Muchimi Di Futari Geiko

Standing Grappling


Throws (Tori) Four throws walking forward (attacking)


properly

Self Defence Self Defence Weapon disarms



Coordination






Sparring






combinations


Ground Grappling

Partner Drills Scenario based anti-grappling drills



1st

KYU: BROWN BELT


Points 160

Grade Quote “All the resources we need are in the mind” Theodore Roosevelt

Primary Purpose of Training To bring all the techniques learned to a mature level of ability. Seek out any

weaknesses and remove them so as not to carry any bad habits over to the black belt.

Develop a well-balanced approach to life in general, and to karate and training. Guard against complacency.

To develop an even more balanced outlook to life, co-ordinating body, mind and spirit as one.

Introspect daily upon every aspect of your life and training. Before retiring, review your day’s words, thoughts, actions and efforts.

Technical Priority for Grading Virtuosity.

Knowledge Requirements First Aid certificate.


Fitness

Pushups 50

Situps 50

Squats 100

Mobility 10


Striking

Punches Consolidation

Kicks Variations of round kick: i.e. snapping, shin, lead

leg, rear leg etc


Knees Consolidation




Kata

Kata Shisochin

Kihon Drills Consolidation

Drills Elbow Defence Drill

Standing Grappling


Throws (Tori) Four throws moving backwards (defending)


properly

Self Defence Self Defence Consolidation and demonstration of high level skills

Coordination Air (footwork, angles &

technique) Combinations of techniques from technical striking

curriculum without partner






Sparring






combinations


Ground Grappling

Partner Drills Scenario based anti-grappling drills



SHODAN

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: Superb physical fitness and mental discipline

Minimum of 100 contact hours since achieving advanced brown belt.

Be able to lead a full class successfully.

A minimum age of 16 years.

Grade Quote: "A true Black Belt following the path of Bushido unwittingly changes his way of life....for he can never be the same person again" Peter Urban

Technical Priority For Grading Virtuosity.

Written Requirements Exam – a 100 question multiple choice examination based on the information in this

student handbook. A mark of 90% is required to pass.

Journal – completion of the tasks within the Black Belt journal

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Fitness: Successful completion of the 5km run and the time trial the week

before the grading. This includes: o 100 Star Jumps o 100 Push Ups o 100 Sit Ups o 100 Back Exercises o 100 Squats o 50 Pull Ups

Demonstrate improved flexibility since last grading

Footwork: Superior skills in controlling the engagement initiative and range.

Superior tai sabaki (body shifting) skills both offensively and defensively

Superior ashi waza (footwork) relevant to all fighting ranges.

Hands: Superior bare knuckle boxing hand strikes

Superior use of mid range offensive hand skills and alternate strikes.

Superior ability to apply appropriate strikes to appropriate targets under pressure (i.e. soft to hard and hard to soft)

Kicks: Superior kicking skills for self defence applications

Superior kicking skills for sporting applications

Demonstration of excellent timing (i.e. kicks not caught)

Elbows: Superior ability to use elbow techniques offensively from long range, the clinch and the ground.

Knees Superior ability to control the clinch and apply knees effectively.

Superior ability to defend against knee strikes by controlling the clinch effectively.

Ability to use knee strikes from a standing and grappling position.



Defences: Superior body shifting and attack avoidance skills (i.e. duck, weave & slip).

Superior jamming skills commensurate with bare knuckle fighting.

Superior ability to control the range of the fight.

Appropriate use of defensive tools (i.e. leg checks vs blocks)

Superior ability to break down and apply kata in the context of self defence.

Throws: Cooperates with partner during drills, doesn't hang on & falls properly.

Is able to control and immediately apply a submission after the throw.

Can demonstrate a variety of offensive and defensive gi grips to control the opponent’s movement.

Can actively defend against throws by using counter throws, escapes or strikes.

Fully integrates striking, clinching and grappling.

Demonstrated ability to adapt and improvise throws and takedowns.

Kata / Forms: Thorough grasp of the kata and applications: a) San Dan Uke to an advanced level b) Gekisai Dai Ichi + bunkai c) Gekisai Dai Ni + bunkai d) Sanchin + bunkai e) Tensho + bunkai f) Saifa + bunkai g) Seiyunchin + bunkai h) Shisochin + bunkai i) Freeform + bunkai

Grappling: High level grappling skills integrated with striking from all ranges of grappling including:

Standing clinch

Standing grapple

Throwing (and reversals)

Ground attack

Ground control

Ground defence

Self Defence: Demonstration of a full range of self defence skills in a scenario environment including, but not limited to:

Protection of self

Multiple assailants

Escape & evasion

3rd party protection

Restraint

Sparring: 10 X 2 minute rounds of Kudo rules kumite

5 x 2 minute round of full Kudo rules o Defeats lower ranks, wins 50% against own rank o Effective simultaneous attack and defence combinations

Moderate contact based on age and physical makeup

Coordination Combinations of techniques from technical striking curriculum without partner (i.e. in the air)



Same combination on pads

Same combination with compliant partner (i.e. one working offence, the other working defence)



NIDAN

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: Superb physical fitness and mental discipline

The student should bring a spare uniform, bucket, towel and drink bottle. At least one competent assistant will be required. Taking of fluids is compulsory between rounds to prevent heatstroke/dehydration.

A minimum of 300 points since graduating to Shodan

A minimum age of 18 years

Grade Quote: "A way to free the ego from the limitations of its physical equality" Peter Urban

Primary Purpose Of Training To transcend physical limitations.

Written Requirements Essay – 250-500 word essay on the applications of Musashi’s “Go Rin No Sho” to

the martial arts in the 21st Century to be submitted one month prior to attempting grading.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Kata: Sanseiru plus kihon bunkai.

Sparring: 30 x 2 minute rounds with students of the same, or lower, rank. Nidan is the fighting grade. All modes and ranges of fighting are allowed including punching, kicking, knees, throws and grappling. Modified Kudo rules:

moderate (not full) contact,

1 ground period of 30 seconds per round

no headbutts or elbows to the head. Candidate must win 80% of bouts. Superior timing, superior footwork, superior stamina, unyielding courage, painlessness, will-power.



SANDAN

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: A minimum of 450 points from consistent training since Nidan.

500-1000 word essay on the applications of Bushido in the 21st Century to be submitted one month prior to attempting grading.

An assistant is required. The student will present wearing a plain white gi. It is recommended that the assistant wears black for presentation.

Grade Quote: "Mirror reflection of self through students" Peter Urban

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Fitness Requirements:

In depth knowledge of the use and application of the traditional strength and conditioning exercises of the Hojo Undo including: a. Chi’ishi – Stone lever weight b. Nigiri Game – Gripping jar

c. Kongoken – Iron oval weight d. Ishisashi – Iron padlock e. Makiwara – Striking post f. Tetsu Geta – Iron clogs

Kata: In depth knowledge of all kata to this level including:

Gekisai Dai Ichi + bunkai

Gekisai Dai Ni + bunkai

Sanchin + bunkai

Tensho + bunkai

Saifa + bunkai

Seiyunchin + bunkai

Shisochin + bunkai

Sanseiru + bunkai

Seipai + bunkai Demonstration of:

Grade kata: Sepai + kihon bunkai

One other kata of participants choice + kihon bunkai

Freeform + kihon bunkai

Free Form: Personal kata which starts and finishes in the same place each time, lasts for approximately 60 seconds and has an accompanying set of applications, demonstrated on a grading partner.

Lecture: Personal synopsis of the martial arts to this point in the students training. The lecture should last for approximately 3 minutes.



YONDAN

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: A minimum of 600 points from consistent training since Sandan.

Before attempting Yondan it is required that the student holds a teaching level rank in another style or form of martial arts (suitability of such at the discretion of the Chief Instructor) i.e. black belt in Kudo or Okinawan Gōjū-ryū Karate or Japanese Jiu Jitsu; or a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or Gracie Combatives.

An assistant is required. The student will present wearing a plain white gi. It is recommended that their assistant wear black for presentation.

Grade Quote: "Man cannot discover new oceans until he has the courage to lose sight of the shore" Anonymous

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Demonstration of mastery of each kata and advanced bunkai for each kata. Namely:

Gekisai Dai Ichi + Bunkai

Gekisai Dai Ni + Bunkai

Sanchin + Bunkai

Tensho + Bunkai

Saifa + Bunkai

Seiyunchin + Bunkai

Shisochin + Bunkai

Sanseiru + Bunkai

Seipai + Bunkai

Kururunfa + Bunkai

Freeform + Bunkai Demonstration of the relevance and integration of the selected associated art in which the student holds a teaching grade.



GODAN

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: A minimum of 750 points from consistent training since Yondan.

Before attempting Godan the student should be fully conversant with the principles of Kyusho jutsu and Tuite (including applications and revivals).

An assistant is required. The student will present wearing a plain white gi. It is recommended that their assistant wear black for presentation.

A non-teaching black belt of this level would be eligible to test for the rank of Renshi.

Grade Quote: "It is then philosophy of calmness and confidence which is the antithesis of aggression and inhumanity" Anonymous

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Demonstration of mastery of each kata and associated bunkai to this level. Namely:

o Gekisai Dai Ichi + Bunkai o Gekisai Dai Ni + Bunkai o Sanchin + Bunkai o Tensho + Bunkai o Saifa + Bunkai o Seiyunchin + Bunkai o Shisochin + Bunkai o Sanseiru + Bunkai o Seipai + Bunkai o Kururunfa + Bunkai o Sesan + Bunkai o Freeform + Bunkai

Demonstration of high level applications of the grade kata Sesan, plus their freeform, plus one other kata selected on the day by the grading panel.



ROKUDAN

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: Minimum of 900 points from consistent training since Godan.

Minimum age of 40 years.

Additional Martial Arts Skills: Black belt instructor rank in another well regarded system of Martial Arts. For example: Modern Arnis, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Bojustsu, and Iaijutsu; or

Instructor rank in a related field; i.e. Yoga, Meditation, and Pressure Points.

A contribution to Gōki-Kai that your peers recognize and wish to acknowledge by way of this elevation in rank.

Grade Quote: “Mans ability to put his ideas into practice” Peter Urban

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Demonstration of mastery of the grade kata and associated bunkai.

Suparinpei + Bunkai

Demonstration of the relevance and integration of the selected associated art in which the student holds a teaching grade.



NANADAN

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: Minimum of 1050 points from consistent training since Rokudan.

Additional Martial Arts Skills: Instructor rank in another well regarded system of Martial Arts. For example: Modern Arnis, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Bojustsu, and Iaijutsu; or

Instructor rank in a related field, i.e. Yoga, Meditation, and Pressure Points.

A contribution to Gōki-Kai that your Sempai and peers recognize and wish to acknowledge by way of this elevation in rank.

Grade Quote: “Mans ability to consolidate and unite the material world” Peter Urban

Demonstration of the relevance and integration of the selected associated art in which the student holds a teaching grade.



HACHIDAN

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: Minimum of 1200 points from consistent training since Nanadan.


Grade Quote: “Mans ability to analyse, to divide up the world into its constituent parts” Peter Urban



KUDAN

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: Minimum of 1750 points from consistent training since Hachidan.

Minimum of age of 60 years.


Grade Quote: “Mans ability to penetrate and unite all things of matter and spirit” Peter Urban



JUDAN

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: Minimum of 3000 points from consistent training since Kudan.


Grade Quote: “One living daily in the Way carries his head low and his eyes high; reserved in speech and possessing a kind heart, he steadfastly continues in his training efforts”

Mas Oyama



OTHER GRADING REQUIREMENTS

SHOGO Japanese

Term Translation Requirements

Sempai

‘Senior’ or ‘mentor’ Completed a minimum of NCAS General Coaching Principles, Play by the Rules and First Aid course plus have a minimum of 50 hours supervised practice as an assistant instructor. Completed SWAT.

Shidoin Instructor. Generally a 1st or 2nd dan.

Minimum rank requirement is black belt. Completed Sempai requirements plus a minimum of Certificate III in Sport (Coaching) or equivalent plus have a demonstrated ability to block teach students of all courted belt levels. Conducts and runs own Karate classes without supervision.

Sensei Teacher: literally ‘one who has been before’.

Minimum rank requirement is black belt. Completed Shidoin requirements plus a minimum of three years experience in training and grading coloured belt students. Runs own Karate Dojo without supervision.

Shihan A Master teacher: literally “a teacher of teachers”.

Minimum rank requirement 5th dan. A master of examplary behaviour both in and out of the Dojo who runs their own Dojo and has produced at least two Sensei’s in their own right. Generally over 35 years old.

Kyōshi Literally “Knowledgeable person” but generally taken to be a teacher or creator of teachers.

Generally a minimum of 7th dan, who has produced Renshi’s or Shihan’s in their own right. Must also hold a Certificate IV in Sport (Coaching) or equivalent. Generally over 45 years of age.

Hanshi Literally “Grand Master”. Usually reserved for 9th dans and above.

Has produced Kyōshi level students themselves and has held Kyōshi rank for at least 7 years. Generally over 60 years of age.

Renshi ‘Polished Master’. Literally “A person who has mastered themselves”.

Minimum rank requirement 5th dan. A master of examplary behaviour both in and out of the Dojo with high technical expertise who does not run a Dojo.



RECOMMENDED READING Go Rin No Sho (The Book of Five Rings) by Miyamoto Musashi (edited by Thomas Cleary) (1994), Shambhala Publications; ISBN: 0877739986 The Unfettered Mind by Takuan Soho The Art of War by Sun Tzu Bubishi translated by Patrick McCarthy, Tuttle Publishing; ISBN: 0804820155 The Budō Karate of Mas Oyama by Cameron Quinn (1987), Coconut Productions; ISBN 0731611195 Bushido by Inazo Nitobe (edited by Charles Lucas) (1979) Ohara Publication; ISBN: 0897500318 Living the Martial Way by Forrest E. Morgan (1992) Barricade Books inc; ISBN0942637763



APPENDIX A: STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT The Southern Cross Martial Arts Centre is a progressive traditional self defence school that combines modern training methods and a scientific approach, yet still follows and promotes traditional values. Our training sessions are conducted in the spirit of mutual co-operation and friendly competition to enable everyone to develop their personal skills. Traditional values at our school means acting with the:

• Spirit of Contribution • Spirit of Respect • Spirit of Harmony and Unity • Spirit of Determination • Spirit of Humanity

We endeavour to promote the positive aspects of martial culture and this is achieved through the use of traditional methods such as belt ranking systems, a school hierarchy and traditional rituals of respect and courtesy which honour the founders and predecessors of the arts we study. As such:

• always bow when entering and leaving the training area. We also bow at the commencement and completion of each class, as well as to our training partners before and after training drills.

• always refer to instructors by their teaching rank or title. If unsure, the title Sensei will suffice.

• appreciate that martial arts, regardless of ‘style’, is defensive in nature and violence, either in or out of the school, will not be tolerated.

• show respect for each other, and cultivating the virtues of modesty and humility. • recognise that a martial arts school is not a democracy. Know that your instructors

are professionals and have your best interests at heart.

1. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every human being • Within the context of the activity, treat everyone equally regardless of sex, ethnic

origin or religion • Respect your parents and elders at all times • Show respect and humility to all you should meet especially your instructors and

senior members

2. Be responsible to ensure that your time spent in training is a positive experience • You are studying a martial art in a school which promotes traditional values. • Pay attention to the direction and teaching of your instructor • Be diligent in your training, concentrate, and remain focused • Do not disrupt the class in so doing endangering the safety of others, being

disrespectful to your instructor and embarrassing yourself • Practice in your own time and develop your own mental and physical ability

3. Treat each person as an individual • Respect the talent, desire to learn, and goals of each individual in the class • Help each person reach their full potential • Unnecessary roughness, crude language, or a display of ill temper or disrespect is

strictly forbidden.

4. Be fair, considerate and honest with fellow students • Safety comes first • Control your personal ego



• Remember humility in training • Out of respect for instructors and class mates, maintain good personal hygiene –

this means a clean uniform, clean body, controlled body odour, long hair tied back and fingernails and toenails kept short

5. Be professional in and accept responsibility for your actions • Language, manner, punctuality, attitude and integrity should display high standards • Display control, respect, dignity and professionalism to all involved with the martial

art/sport. This includes opponents, coaches, officials, administrators, the media, parents and spectators

• Rank is earned, not given

6. Make a commitment to yourself • Maintain or improve your current skills, ability and develop your personal attitude • Seek continual improvement through performance appraisal and ongoing training • You will make a healthy body through unyielding training and perseverance

7. Any physical contact with fellow students should be: • Appropriate to the situation • Necessary for training skills development

8. Refrain from any form of personal abuse towards fellow students • This includes verbal, physical and emotional abuse • Be alert to any forms of abuse directed towards other members of the Southern

Cross Martial Arts Centre

9. Refrain from any form of harassment towards fellow students

10. Maintain a safe environment for training and competition • Ensure that you comply to equipment and facility safety standards • Always follow our infection control guidelines • Always demonstrate poise under pressure, adherence to the competition rules and

display control, respect, dignity and professionalism

11. Show concern and caution towards sick and injured members • Support members training using a modified training program as a result of an injury

or disability where appropriate

12. Be a positive role model for your martial art • Treat people with respect and openness • Train diligently while being considerate of others • Remember that your actions can affect the reputation of the school and your

classmates.

Breaches of the Code of Conduct Any student’s breach of the Student Code of Conduct will have some consequence. The severity of the consequences will be determined by the severity of the breach. It is also important to remember that in many sections the Code of Conduct is directly in keeping with the laws of Australia (specifically Queensland). These laws make it an offence to harass, intimidate or discriminate against others; and it is also unlawful to assault another person without lawful authority, justification or excuse. In short, violations of the Student Code of Conduct could result in legal problems: either being charged with a Crime, or sued for a Tort (i.e. negligence or battery)



Behaviour Policy: The 3-Strikes Rule is designed to help measure the effort and attitude of our students. These rules are meant to maintain certain standards that we believe contribute to the overall atmosphere of our school. If a student does not meet these standards, then the rules will be enforced. This will help us eliminate unnecessary distractions that prevent other students from learning and training. Unacceptable and distracting behaviour, inconsistent attendance, and negative unreported comments are considered behaviours that can weaken our school’s positive atmosphere. To maintain our Quality Guarantee, we will enforce the 3-Strikes Rule when necessary. In addition to the Student Code of Conduct, the following standards are included in the 3-Strikes Rule along with the necessary procedures of enforcement:

Unacceptable and distracting behaviour: If a student displays a poor attitude or distracting behaviour, it affects the entire class.

Inconsistent attendance: If a student becomes inconsistent in attendance, it slows down the entire class and takes the attention away from the hard-working and consistent student’s.

Negative unreported comments: If a student, or a family member, talks negatively about another student (or family member), staff, instructor, or any other person or situation related to the school and does not report it to our management first, it is considered unfair and inappropriate; and decreases the school’s (and its members) overall morale.

If the breach is not a Criminal offence, and no one has been physically or psychologically injured, then the procedures of enforcement for the 3-Strikes Rule are:

First time someone violates the 3-Strikes Rule, a verbal warning is given and a permanent mark is made on his or her record.

The second time someone violates the 3-Strikes Rule a student (parent if student is under 18) conference is scheduled and a second permanent mark is made on the student’s record.

The third time someone violates the 3-Strikes Rule a final student (parent if the student is under 18) conference is scheduled and the students membership may be cancelled or the student may be required take a leave of absence with a term length from 4-weeks to one year depending on the severity of the violation.

In the event that the breach is a Criminal offence, and someone one has been physically or psychologically injured, then the procedures of enforcement for the 3-Strikes Rule are:

Immediate cancellation of the membership.

Possible referral to the authorities for prosecution depending on the offence.



APPENDIX B: TOURNAMENT TERMINOLOGY Sourced from the 2005 World Karate Federation rules, 23rd November 2005.

TERM DEFINITION

SHOBU HAJIME Start the Match or Bout After the announcement, the Referee takes a step back.

ATOSHI BARAKU

A little more time left An audible signal will be given by the timekeeper 30 seconds before the actual end of the bout and the Referee will announce “Atoshi Baraku”.

YAME Stop Interruption, or end of the bout. As he makes the announcement, the Referee makes a downward chopping motion with his hand.

MOTO NO ICHI Original position Contestants and Referee return to their starting positions.

TSUZUKETE Fight on Resumption of fighting ordered when an unauthorised interruption occurs

TSUZUKETE HAJIME

Resume fighting - Begin The Referee stands in a forward stance. As he says “Tsuzukete” he extends his arms, palms outwards towards the contestants. As he says “Hajime” he turns the palms and brings them rapidly towards one another, at the same time stepping back.

SHUGO Judges called The Referee calls the Judges at the end of the match or bout, or to recommend Shikkaku.

HANTEI

Decision Referee calls for a decision at the end of an inconclusive Echo-Sen. After a short blast of the whistle, the Judges render their vote by flag signal and the Referee indicates his own vote at the same time by raising his arm.

HIKIWAKE Draw In case of a tied bout, the Referee crosses his arms, then extends them with the palms showing to the front.

TORIMASEN Unacceptable as a scoring technique The Referee crosses his arms then makes a cutting motion, palms downward.

ENCHO-SEN Extension of the bout The Referee re-opens the match with the command, “Shobu Hajime”.

AIUCHI

Simultaneous scoring techniques No point is awarded to either contestant. Referee brings his fists together in front of his chest.

AKA (AO) NO KACHI Red (Blue) wins The Referee obliquely raises his arm on the side of the winner.

AKA (AO) SANBON Red (Blue) scores three points The Referee raises his arm up at 45 degrees on the side of the scorer.

AKA (AO) NIHON

Red (Blue) scores two points The Referee extends his arm at shoulder level on the side of the scorer.



AKA (AO) IPPON

Red (Blue) scores one point The Referee extends his arm downward at 45 degrees on the side of the scorer.

CHUKOKU

First Category 1 or Category 2 warning without penalty For Category 1 offences, the Referee turns toward the offender and crosses his arms at chest level. For Category 2 offences, the Referee points his index finger (arm bent), at the face of the offender.

KEIKOKU

Warning with Ippon penalty The Referee indicates a Category 1 or 2 offence then points with his index finger downwards at 45 degrees in the direction of the offender, and awards Ippon (one point) to the opponent.

HANSOKU-CHUI

Warning with Nihon penalty The Referee indicates a Category 1 or 2 offence then points with his index finger horizontally in the direction of the offender and awards Nihon (two points) to the opponent

HANSOKU

Disqualification The Referee indicates a Category 1 or 2 offence then points with his index finger upwards at 45 degrees in the direction of the offender, and announces a win for the opponent.

JOGAI

Exit from the match area The Referee points his index finger on the side of the offender to indicate to the Judges that the contestant has moved out of the area.

SHIKKAKU

Disqualification “Leave the Area” The Referee points first upwards at 45 degrees in the direction of the offender then motions out and behind with the announcement “Aka (AO) Shikkaku!” He then announces a win for the opponent.

KIKEN Renunciation The Referee points downwards at 45 degrees in the direction of the contestant’s starting line.

MUBOBI

Self Endangerment The Referee touches his face then turning his hand edge forward, moves it back and forth to indicate to the Judges that the contestant endangered himself.

SHOMEN-NI-REI

Bow to the front The Referee extends his arms palms to the front.

OTAGAI-NI-REI

Bow to each other The Referee motions to the contestants to bow to each other.



APPENDIX C: INFECTION CONTROL POLICY18

ABOUT THIS POLICY Infectious diseases may be extremely debilitating and potentially disastrous for Gōki-Kai and/or individual(s) concerned. These diseases may be spread by direct contact between broken skin or mucous membranes and infected blood and other body fluids and substances. Note: There is no current evidence that sweat, urine or tears will transmit these infective viruses. The following information and recommendations may reduce the risk of transmitting infectious diseases.

TYPES OF INFECTIONS19

Blood-Borne Viruses Viruses, like other microscopic organisms, live in, on and around us all the time. When they (a) exist in sufficient quantities, (b) are able to spread from someone or something (like food or animals) and (c) enter your body, they can cause disease. When our bodies are under stress, for example during periods of intensive training for competition, we are more susceptible to illness caused by these tiny germs. Blood-borne viruses are those which are transmitted from one person’s blood to another person’s blood stream.

Hepatitis Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. The liver is responsible for filtering the blood and breaking down food and poisons in the body. Viral hepatitis (often simply called hepatitis) refers to a number of different viruses which affect the liver and can potentially cause fever, vomiting, jaundice (where the eyes and skin go yellow) or sometimes permanent liver damage, even cancer. Sometimes people with hepatitis have no obvious symptoms but may still be able to infect others. The most significant types of hepatitis are A, B & C and these are described below. Several new types of hepatitis have been discovered in recent years (hepatitis D, E, & G), and it is possible that more strains will be identified in the future. Other forms of hepatitis (non-viral) can be caused by alcohol or drug abuse (including steroids).

18

Adapted from the Sports Medicine Australia (2005) Infectious Diseases Policy 19

Adapted from The Blood Book (2000), Sports Medicine Australia, Austraian Institute for Primary Care: Bundoora



Hepatitis A Hepatitis A is passed on through contaminated food or water, or through oral contact indirectly with infected faeces (poo). This is why it’s important to always wash your hands after going to the toilet and immediately prior to handling food. In older children and adults the symptoms include fever, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, and yellow skin and eyes (called jaundice). Many people with hepatitis A show few or no symptoms, particularly children less than three years old. Hepatitis A is not a chronic (prolonged) infection and people who’ve had hepatitis A cannot be reinfected. An effective vaccine is available.

Recommended fact sheets http://www.health.gov.au/hfs/pubhth/strateg/hiv_hepc/hepc/index.htm http://www.hepatitisaustralia.com Hepatitis B Hepatitis B is highly infectious - about 100 times more infectious than HIV. In Australia, most hepatitis B infections occur in adolescents and young adults. It is transmitted via body fluids (blood, semen, vaginal fluid, saliva or breast milk) from one person into another. Hepatitis B can be passed on during vaginal or anal sex, through sharing injecting equipment or body piercing and tattooing with improperly cleaned and sterilised equipment. Even sharing toothbrushes, razors, nail files, nail scissors or other personal equipment where small traces of blood may be present can be risky. Symptoms of hepatitis B include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, pain in the abdomen and/or joints, fever and jaundice. Normally these symptoms disappear in a few weeks. Some people who are infected with hepatitis B do not get ill and some show no symptoms at all. A small number, about 10% who look and feel well, will still be able to transmit the virus to others. Babies and children with hepatitis B are more likely than adults to be able to do this. An effective vaccine is available. There have been a number of reported cases of hepatitis B being spread through sporting activities. These were mainly due to poor infection control measures in the past when the risks of infection through blood contact were not widely known. An increasing number of sports are encouraging players, coaches, officials, trainers, and first-aiders to be vaccinated against hepatitis B. Hepatitis C Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus and is the most commonly reported notifiable infectious disease in Australia, with an estimated one in a hundred people infected. (Notifiable diseases are those that doctors must report to State or Territory Health Departments). In Australia, hepatitis C is most commonly transmitted through the sharing of contaminated needles, syringes and other injecting equipment by people who inject drugs. Hepatitis C can also be spread by using body piercing and tattooing equipment which has not been properly cleaned and sterilised, as well as by sharing toothbrushes, razors, nail files, nail scissors or other personal equipment where small traces of blood may be present. Sexual transmission of hepatitis C is unlikely. People with hepatitis C may initially show only mild, flu-like symptoms, or no symptoms at

http://www.health.gov.au/hfs/pubhth/strateg/hiv_hepc/hepc/index.htm

http://www.hepatitisaustralia.com/



all. Symptoms that do appear include dark urine, signs of jaundice, nausea and tiredness. Once infected with hepatitis C, over 70% of people will not clear the virus from their bodies, and as a result may be capable of transmitting the virus to others. No vaccine is available.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the blood-borne virus that can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). HIV can be passed on through anal or vaginal sex without a condom, through sharing equipment used for injecting drugs, from an infected mother to her baby during pregnancy, birth or breast feeding, and much less commonly, through oral sex where a person has cuts or sores in their mouth. Some years after an HIV infection, a person’s immune system can become so weak that it can no longer fight off infections, and this is when the person is said to have developed AIDS. A person with HIV gradually loses immune function along with certain immune cells, called CD4 T-lymphocytes. HIV infection is detected by a blood test to see whether there are HIV antibodies present in the bloodstream (the body develops antibodies to fight HIV). In most people, if antibodies are present they can be detected within three months of infection. Some of the common symptoms and physical signs of AIDS are also common to a number of other illnesses, and can include:

recurrent fevers, chills and night sweats;

extreme and constant tiredness;

a persistent or dry cough; diarrhoea;

decreased appetite;

rapid weight loss;

swollen lymph glands;

white spots or unusual marks in the mouth, and

purplish raised or flat marks or bumps on the skin. About 50% of people with HIV will develop AIDS within 10 years, and close to 70% within 15 years. No vaccine is available for HIV and there is no cure for AIDS. There are a number of drug therapies that can delay the progression of HIV infection to AIDS.

Recommended fact sheets http://www.health.gov.au/hfs/pubhth/strateg/hiv_hepc/hepc/index.htm http://www.hepatitisaustralia.com

Other Infections There are a number of other infectious diseases, caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi and tiny parasites that can have an effect on the health and performance of people participating in sport. Some may be transmitted during play, some through social activities after training. The way in which they are passed on from person to person varies and some are more serious than others, particularly if left untreated.

Influenza Influenza, or ‘the flu’, is more than a bad cold. It is caused by a highly contagious virus which is spread by coughs and sneezes, and can easily ‘wipe out’ whole classes at a time. There are three types of flu virus - A, B and C. Influenza A is more likely to be responsible for epidemics (infection in large numbers of people in a population). The flu typically

http://www.health.gov.au/hfs/pubhth/strateg/hiv_hepc/hepc/index.htm

http://www.hepatitisaustralia.com/



involves high fever, chills and sweating, muscle and joint pain, weakness, headache and dry cough, and can last a week to 10 days. Some people are ‘at risk’ of complications from the flu. Immunisation for influenza is available and needs to be renewed every year.

Scrumpox Scrumpox is a broad term referring to a range of contagious skin infections which can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact sports such as rugby, wrestling, boxing and judo. These include impetigo, a bacterial infection, and herpes which is described below. Symptoms may include blisters, weeping or crusty sores on the skin. These can be very contagious and you should not participate in contact sport until they have cleared up. Medical attention should be sought so a correct diagnosis can be made prior to treatment.

Gentital Herpes (HSV-1 and HSV-2) Genital herpes is a common condition that is easily spread through sexual contact. It is caused by infection with one of two kinds of the herpes simplex virus, types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2). These viruses also cause cold sores on the mouth. Infection comes via direct contact with blisters or ulcers, not necessarily during penetrative sex, so HSV can be spread by any kind of sex or, in some circumstances non-sexual touching of affected areas. Very rarely, herpes can be spread to the eyes or to cuts or abrasions in the skin. Potential risk factors include sparring (i.e. being punched in the lesion and then in the eye) and grappling. There is no cure for HSV infection, however in recent years an anti-viral drug has become available to relieve the symptoms.

Meningococcal Disease Meningococcal disease is a rare but very serious illness caused by a number of different groups of meningococcus bacteria causing meningitis (inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord) or septicaemia (blood poisoning). The infection is difficult to spread but may be passed on from person to person by sharing saliva, for example by mouth kissing or sharing drink bottles. Children aged under five and young people aged 15 to 24 years are most at risk. A person with meningococcal disease will become very ill and will probably feel sicker than they have ever felt before. The signs and symptoms of meningitis include: fever, vomiting, neck stiffness, headache, joint pains, dislike of bright lights. In septicaemia, a rash of red-purple pinprick spots or larger bruises anywhere on the body will be present. Young children may not complain of symptoms, so fever, pallor (pale skin), vomiting lethargy and rash are important signs. The infection can develop very quickly, and can be fatal in about 10% of cases, however if it is diagnosed early enough and the right antibiotics given quickly, most people make a complete recovery.

Tinea Tinea is a fungal infection of the skin which, like all fungi, thrives in warm, moist conditions. ‘Athletes Foot’ and ‘Jock Itch’ refer to fungal infections on the feet and groin areas respectively. Fungal infections are spread through skin-to-skin contact, or indirectly through towels, clothes or even floors. The fungi firstly eat dead skin cells and then, when these are gone, live skin cells. The infection causes itching and stinging, a red scaly rash, and cracking, splitting and peeling of the skin. The best way to prevent getting tinea is to always use your own towel and dry your skin thoroughly after showering, particularly between the toes and skinfolds, wear cotton underwear and socks if possible, and wearing thongs in communal locker rooms and showers. Anti-fungal treatments are available from chemists and should go hand in hand with personal hygiene measures.



Lice Lice are small, flat, light brown insects that cling to, and lay their eggs (called nits) on, hair. Lice suck blood for nourishment which can cause small red areas or sores, and itching. Lice can be passed on through close skin-to-skin contact including sexual activity, and via shared bedding, towels or clothes. Lice may or may not be visible, but people with lice complain of itching. Scratching may cause open sores that can become infected. People with pubic lice may be at risk of other sexually transmitted infections and should consider seeing their doctor or sexual health specialist. Treatment involves the use of special lotions and shampoos which are available from a chemist without a prescription, and washing all contaminated clothing etc in hot water.

Scabies The scabies mite is a tiny spider-like creature which makes a shallow burrow in the skin to lay its eggs. Scabies can be passed on during sex and through non-sexual contact in family groups or institutions. New mites hatch from the eggs and can be spread to other parts of the body by scratching. Red, itching bumps or blisters on the skin are an allergic reaction to the mite. Infestations usually occur around the genital or waist area on the body, and on the wrists, hands and in between

HOW INFECTIONS CAN SPREAD THROUGH SPORT People can be exposed to infection through participation in sport in a variety of ways:

Through blood to blood contact via broken skin and open wounds. Of most concern are the serious blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis C.

Through contact between a person’s broken skin, mouth, eyes and other mucous membranes with another person’s infected body fluid (blood, saliva, semen and vaginal fluids). A number of serious infections are possible, including those which are sexually transmitted.

Through exposure of the skin to another person’s infected skin or body fluids. This may be via direct body to body contact or indirectly through the use of shared equipment (eg wrestling mats), clothing (eg jumpers, socks) and other surfaces that remain moist for a period of time (shower floors, rub down benches). These usually involve fungal skin infections such as tinea, viral infections such as warts, or parasites such as scabies.

Through ingestion of contaminated food and drinks. If people handling food don’t wash their hands properly, hepatitis A or a number of other infectious diseases, such as those which cause gastroenteritis, can be passed on.

By breathing in airborne droplets of saliva or sputum when an infectious person coughs, sneezes or spits. The common cold and the flu are easily passed on from person to person in this way.

RISK OF INFECTION THROUGH MARTIAL ARTS The risk of being infected by one of the serious blood-borne viruses through participation in martial arts is very low.

“The chances [of being infected by HIV through sport] have been estimated to be 1 in 125 million. Your chances of getting killed driving to the football stadium are infinitely greater…..”

Professor John Dwyer Immunologist [ABC News]

Blood Rules, OK Video

By adopting an Infection Policy and implementing Blood Rules and other preventive



strategies consistently in our organisation we are making these risks even lower. Most contact with other people doesn’t lead to us catching an infection. In order for an infection to be transmitted from one person to another all of the following must occur:

the organism (virus, bacteria, fungi or parasite) must be in or on a person’s body and still be able to be transmitted;

the organism must leave the body of the person who has the virus;

the organism must be able to survive in the environment;

the organism must find its way onto or into another person; and

the organism must be in sufficient quantity to infect that person. Our body’s immune system can fight many infections and it usually wins the battle. However, when it is weakened in some way or the infectious organism is strong enough or in sufficient quantity, our immune system may not be able to fight off these infections. Adequate nutrition, water intake and rest are important to help maintain a healthy immune system. Where it is available, immunisation can help our body’s immune system to overcome an infection. Infectious organisms don’t always last long outside the body. Hepatitis B can survive for up to 3 weeks in dry blood and remain transmissible. While under some circumstances HIV can survive outside of the body for days, generally it will only survive for a matter of minutes. This is why nearly all people who become infected by a blood-borne virus do so through behaviours or means which pass the virus directly from one person’s body to another’s: sharing infected drug injecting equipment; unprotected sex; or transmission from mother to child in utero, during or soon after birth. In the past, the people most at risk of becoming infected with a blood-borne virus were those receiving transfusions of blood or blood products for treatment of an existing medical condition - such as haemophilia, kidney disease - or for trauma patients. With improvements in the screening of donated blood in Australia, the group at highest risk of infection with bloodborne viruses is with people who inject drugs.

SUMMARY OF INFECTION CONTROL POLICY 1. Participants and staff should not train when they know they have any form of

infectious disease. 2. All open cuts and abrasions must be reported and treated immediately. 3. It is every participant’s responsibility to maintain strict personal hygiene at all times,

in all activities on and off the mat. 4. It is strongly recommended that all adult participants be vaccinated against

Hepatitis B. 5. All participants with prior evidence of the listed diseases and infections are strongly

advised to obtain confidential advice and clearance from a doctor prior to participation.

6. Fingernails and toenails must be kept short and neatly trimmed to prevent causing cuts and injuries to other participants.

7. Toilets and all common area’s (including dressing rooms) are to be kept clean and tidy. They are disinfected at least weekly.

8. Shoes or thongs must be worn in the toilets. 9. No shoes or footwear at all are permitted on the mats in the main Dojo. 10. The mats are to be disinfected at least weekly. 11. Shower facilities are not available on site. 12. Spitting is NOT permitted. 13. When cleaning up blood and body substances:



gloves must be worn;

if the blood spill is large, confine and contain the spill;

remove the bulk of the blood and body substances with absorbent material, eg paper towels;

place the paper towels in a sealed plastic bag and dispose with normal garbage.

clean the spill site with a detergent solution;

wipe the site with disposable towels soaked in a 1:10 solution of bleach. 14. Sharing of towels, shaving razors, face washers, mouthguards, personal sparring

equipment and drink containers must NOT occur. 15. Each student will purchase their own sparring equipment for personal use. Do not

loan or borrow personal sparring equipment. 16. Common sparring equipment (i.e. Headgear) and training pads must be disinfected

between uses.



APPENDIX D: JUDO GOKYO The Gokyo no Waza is the standard syllabus of Judo throws originated in 1895. From 1920 to 1982 the Kodokan Gokyo no Waza was made up of 40 throws in 5 groups and these were all of the throwing techniques in the Kodokan syllabus. Around the 100th anniversary of the Kodokan (1982) a group of 8 traditional Judo throws were recognized that had been taken out in 1920, and 17 newer techniques were recognized as official Kodokan Judo throws (called the Shinmeisho no Waza). In 1997 the Kodokan added the last two additional Judo throws to the Shinmeisho no Waza. The following are the only throwing techniques (nage waza) currently recognized by the Kodokan. In Gōki-Kai Karate we don’t use all of the Judo Gokyo, but that is not to say that our opponents will not; either intentionally or accidently. In Kudo competition in particular, we need to guard carefully against the more uncommon throws. An excellent web based resource can be found here:

http://judo-caja.com/techniques.html

http://judoinfo.com/new/techniques/throwing-techniques/95-traditional-40-throws-gokyo-no-waza

http://judo-caja.com/techniques.html





NAGE WAZA: THROWS

Dai Ikkyo (Group 1)

De Ashi Harai Hiza Guruma

Sasae

Tsurikomi Ashi Uki Goshi

Osoto Gari

O Goshi

O Uchi Gari

Seio Nage

Forward Foot Sweep

Knee Wheel Lifting Pulling Ankle Block

Floating Hip Large Outer

Reaping Large Hip

Large Inner Reapin

Shoulder Throw

Dai Nikyo (Group 2)

Ko Soto Gari

Ko Uchi Gari Koshi Guruma

Tsukuri Komi Goshi

Okuri Ashi Harai

Tai Otoshi

Harai Goshi

Uchi Mata

Small Outside Reap

Small Inner Reap Hip Wheel Lifting Pulling Hip Following Foot

Sweep Body Drop Sweeping Hip Inner Thigh

Dai Sankyo (Group 3)

Ko Soto Gake

Tsuri Goshi

Yoko Otoshi

Ashi Guruma

Hane Goshi

Harai Ttsurikomi

Ashi

Tomoe Nage

Kata Guruma

Small Outside Hook

Lifting Hip Side Drop Leg Wheel Spring Hip Lifting Pulling Foot Sweep

Circle Throw Shoulder Wheel

Dai Yonkyo (Group 4)

Sumi Gaeshi

Tani Otoshi Hane Makikomi

Sukui Nage

Utsuri Goshi

O Guruma

Soto Makikomi

Uki Otoshi

Corner Reversal Valley Drop Spring Winding

Throw Scooping Throw

Changing Hip Throw

Large Wheel Outer Winding

Throw Floating Drop

Dai Gokyo (Group 5)

Osoto Guruma

Uki Waza

Yoko Wakare

Yoko Guruma

Ushiro Goshi

Ura Nage

Sumi Otoshi

Yoko Gake

Large Outer Wheel

Floating Technique

Side Seperation Side Wheel Rear Hip Rear Throw Corner Drop Side Hook



NE-WAZA: GROUNDWORK

Osaekomi Waza (pins or mat holds) 1. Kuzure Kesa Gatame Broken/Modified Lapel/Collar Hold

2. Kata Gatame Knee drive shoulder hold

3. Kami Shiho Gatame North South

4. Kuzure Kami Shiho Gatame Modified North South

5. Yoko Shiho Gatame Side Control Hold

6. Tate Shiho Gatame Mounted Position

7. Kesa Gatame Lapel/Collar Hold

Shime Waza (chokes or strangles) 1. Nami Juji Jime Normal Cross Choke

2. Gyaku Juji Jime Reverse Cross Choke

3. Kata Juji Jime Half Cross Choke

4. Hadaka Jime Naked Choke

5. Okuri Eri Jime Sliding Lapel Choke

6. Kata Ha Jime Single Wing Choke

7. Do Jime Truk Lock

8. Sode Guruma Jime Winding Sleeve Choke

9. Kata Te Jime Single Hand Choke

10. Ryo Te Jime Double Hand Lapel Strangle

11. Tsukkomi Jime Thrust Choke

12. Sankaku Jime Hell Traingle Strangle

Kansetsu Waza (joint locks) 1. Ude Garami Bent Armlock

2. Ude Hishigi Juji Gatame Arm Bar

3. Ude Hishigi Ude Gatame Straight Arm Armlock

4. Ude Hishigi Hiza Gatame Arm Crush Kneelock

5. Ude Hishigi Waki Gatame Arm Pit Armploc

6. Ude Hishigi Hara Gatame Stomach Armlock

7. Ashi Garami Entangled Leglock

8. Ude Hishigi Ashi Gatame Leg Armlock

9. Ude Hishigi Te Gatame Hand Armlock

10. Ude Hishigi Sankaku Gatame Three Corner Armlock





APPENDIX E: THE SPIRIT OF ‘OSU’ “The term Osu refers to strength of character as developed in hard training and is from the term osu no seishin. The word osu comes from oshi shinobu, which means ‘to persevere whilst being pushed’. It implies a willingness to push oneself to the limits of endurance, to persevere under any kind of pressure. At its most profound, the word becomes ambiguous – a very personal plea to the soul to stand and fight, and so overcome the frailties of the human condition which are common to everyone”.

Adapted from Cameron Quinn, The Budō Karate of Mas Oyama p.60 A loud “Osu” is heard often in the Dojo in modern times. The term was popularised by the late Mas Oyama, the legendary founder of Kyokushin Karate. The term has become generic and serves a variety of purposes. Osu is used as: a salutation; a greeting; a response (positive) to a question and so on.

In our Dojo the term is only used when training in the Kudo/Daido Juku and completes a number of functions however it is usually used when facing a partner(s) for a partner drill, sparring or to begin or end a class. Upon the command “Rei” all students perform the required bow and give a loud “Osu” – reminding each other of the spirit of perseverance.

“Osu” is not part of the Okinawan tradition. The following is an excerpt from Cameron Quinn’s book ‘The Budō Karate of Mas Oyama’ published in 1987. This book is now out of print and the following is reproduced with the kind permission of Shihan Quinn.

THE SPIRIT OF OSU The single word “Osu” captures most accurately the ultimate in what the art of karate, particularly Kyokushin, has to offer. One who is truly able to manifest the spirit of Osu in every word, thought and action may be regarded as wise and brave. Training should first and foremost be approached in the spirit of Osu. One’s daily life and the responsibilities it holds would be more completely lived if addressed in the spirit of Osu. There would be no doubts in the heart; no fears and no worries. The Japanese spirit is one of perseverance. Whereas it is easy for the Westerner to stop when things get tough, traditionally the Japanese knows only that they must persevere. When one experiences pain in training, it should not be a signal to stop, but an opportunity to mature through perseverance.

Even for the beginner who is conscious of his lack of ability and does not necessarily want to face the demands of training, it is enough merely being aware that through perseverance and the will to continue, there come great physical, mental, spiritual and

The kanji for Oshi Shinobu - ‘to persevere whilst being pushed’



emotional gains. All that is needed is that special determination. No one tolerates for long a person who gives up too easily. The instructor knows who tries and who doesn’t. Even if you have limitless natural talent, without effort, it is difficult to rise above mediocrity. On the other hand, even if one lacks talent but is determined, progress will come through steady application in training. With determination and the will to fight on, ones heart becomes receptive and the instructor will go out of his way to help you as best he can. There is no room for egotism or selfishness in the spirit of perseverance. When one doubles with pain, more often it is the ego that cringes, not the body. The resilience of the body is truly amazing. Stories of superhuman endurance in times of selfless necessity are numerous but if one allows the ego to be hurt, then the body will weaken rapidly and stop. First overcome the weakness in your own heart and the opponent you face outwardly will seem insignificant.

“One living daily in the Way carries his head low and his eyes high; reserved in speech and possessing a kind heart, he steadfastly continues in his training efforts”

Mas Oyama



DETAILED TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1

THE MEANING OF GŌKI-KAI KARATE-DŌ ........................................................ 1 THE GŌKI-KAI LOGO ........................................................................................... 2 GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF GŌKI-KAI KARATE-DŌ ............................................ 2

INSTRUCTOR PROFILES ............................................................................................... 3 DAMIEN MARTIN, KAICHŌ: NANA-DAN (7TH DAN) ............................................ 3

Early Years ................................................................................................. 3 The Zen Do Kai Era .................................................................................... 3 Awards & Recognition ................................................................................ 4

Competition ................................................................................................ 4 Courses & Consulting ................................................................................. 5 Personal Development and Training .......................................................... 5

HANNAH THORNTON, SHIHAN: GODAN (5TH DAN) .......................................... 7 JOHN TREBILCO, SHIHAN: GODAN (5TH DAN) .................................................. 8

JAMES MARTIN, SENSEI: NIDAN (2ND DAN) ...................................................... 9

THE HISTORY OF GŌKI-KAI KARATE-DŌ .................................................................. 10

FAMILY TREE..................................................................................................... 10 THE HISTORY OF ZEN DO KAI ......................................................................... 12 OKINAWAN ROOTS ........................................................................................... 13 GŌJŪ-RYŪ ......................................................................................................... 14

CHŌJUN MIYAGI ................................................................................................ 15 Miyagi’s Black Belts .................................................................................. 16

Successor ................................................................................................. 16 EI’ICHI MIYAZATO & THE JUNDOKAN ............................................................. 17 MASAJI TAIRA SENSEI ..................................................................................... 18

THE GŌKI-KAI EVOLUTION .............................................................................. 19 More Information ...................................................................................... 20

VISION, MISSION & VALUES ....................................................................................... 21

OUR VISION ....................................................................................................... 21

OUR MISSION .................................................................................................... 21 OUR VALUES ..................................................................................................... 21

DOJO KUN .................................................................................................................... 22 REISHIKI – THE ETIQUETTE OF GŌKI-KAI ................................................................ 23

Lining up for Training ................................................................................ 23 The Shomen ............................................................................................. 23 The NafudaKake ...................................................................................... 23 Terminology .............................................................................................. 24 Addressing the Instructor.......................................................................... 25

The Sempai/Kohai Relationship ............................................................... 26 Religious Connotations............................................................................. 27

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT ....................................................................... 27 EXPECTED BEHAVIOUR ................................................................................... 28

THE PHILOSOPHY OF GŌKI-KAI ................................................................................ 31 THE WARRIORS CODE ..................................................................................... 32

Bushidō in Gōki-Kai Karate-Dō ................................................................. 32

BUDŌ AND EGO ..................................................................................... 35 Negative Aspects of Ego .......................................................................... 37 Positive Aspects of Ego ............................................................................ 40

GLOSSARY OF COMMON MARTIAL ARTS TERMS ................................................... 41 COMMON TERMS RELATING TO THE GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND

PRINCIPLES OF KARATE TRAINING ..................................................... 41



ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF BASIC KARATE TERMS .................................... 42 UNIFORMS .................................................................................................................... 48

PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT: .............................................................................. 48 FOLDING THE GI: .............................................................................................. 49

AWARDS ....................................................................................................................... 50

THE BLACK GI ................................................................................................... 50 The Black Gi in Gōki-Kai Karate ............................................................... 50

CROSSES .......................................................................................................... 51 The History ............................................................................................... 51 The Evolution ........................................................................................... 52

Gōki-Kai Crosses ..................................................................................... 52 KATA 54

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 54 ROLE OF KATA IN TRAINING ........................................................................... 54 GŌKI-KAI KATA .................................................................................................. 55

GEKISAI DAI ICHI ............................................................................................... 56

GEKISAI DAI NI .................................................................................................. 56 SANCHIN ............................................................................................................ 56

TENSHO ............................................................................................................. 57 SAIFA 57 SEIYUNCHIN ...................................................................................................... 58 SHISOCHIN ........................................................................................................ 58

SANSEIRU .......................................................................................................... 58 SEPAI 58

KURURUNFA...................................................................................................... 58 SESAN ................................................................................................................ 59 SUPARINPEI ...................................................................................................... 59

THE EIGHT PRECEPTS OF THE FIST ......................................................................... 61 TRAINING APPARATUS ............................................................................................... 62

HOJO UNDO....................................................................................................... 62

Makiwara - Punching Board ..................................................................... 63

Chi'ishi - strength stone ............................................................................ 64 Ishi Sashi - stone padlock......................................................................... 65

Kongoken - iron ring ................................................................................. 65 Nigiri game - gripping jars ......................................................................... 65

Other Hojo Undo Tools ............................................................................. 66 JUNBI UNDO ...................................................................................................... 67

Modern Methods ...................................................................................... 68 UNDERSTANDING BUDŌ ............................................................................................ 71

History of Budō development ................................................................... 71

Budō as Art ............................................................................................... 71 Budō and Competitions ............................................................................ 72 Budō’s World Attraction ............................................................................ 73

Bushido and Budō .................................................................................... 73 Master Hidetaka Nishiyama Profile .......................................................... 73

HABITUAL ACTS OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE ............................................................... 75 BFO ....................................................................................................... 75

The Human Body ..................................................................................... 76 Common Mechanics ................................................................................. 76 Reverse Engineering ................................................................................ 77

Arriving back at the Beginning .................................................................. 77 About the author: ........................................................................... 78



EFFECTS OF STRESS IN SELF DEFENCE ................................................................. 81 SURVIVAL STRESS RESEARCH ...................................................................... 81

Fitts’ Law ....................................................................................... 82 Inverted U Hypothesis ................................................................... 82 Hicks Law ...................................................................................... 83

The Role of the Amygdala ............................................................. 85 Reaction Time .......................................................................................... 87 Response Options .................................................................................... 87

SYMPTOMS OF SURVIVAL STRESS ................................................................ 90 CONTROLLING THE EFFECTS OF SURVIVAL STRESS ................................. 90

POST EVENT CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................... 90 Inoculation Training .................................................................................. 92 Summary .................................................................................................. 93

THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FITNESS TRAINING ..................................................... 94 The Overload Principle ............................................................................. 94

The F.I.T.T. Principle ................................................................................ 94

Combining the Overload Principle and the F.I.T.T. Principle .................... 95 The Specificity Principle ........................................................................... 95

The Rest and Recovery Principle ............................................................. 95 The Use or Lose Principle ........................................................................ 95

10 COMPONENTS OF FITNESS ....................................................................... 95 PRINCIPLES OF STRENGTH TRAINING FOR MARTIAL ARTS ................................. 97

1. Ground Based Activities ....................................................................... 97 2. Multiple Joint Actions ............................................................................ 98

3. Train Explosively .................................................................................. 98 4. Progressive Overload ........................................................................... 98 5. Periodization ......................................................................................... 98

6. Split Routines ....................................................................................... 99 7. Training the Correct Energy System .................................................. 100

Conclusion .............................................................................................. 100

SELF DEFENCE AND THE LAW ................................................................................ 101

APPLICATION OF FORCE ............................................................................... 101 SELF DEFENCE ............................................................................................... 102

STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTING BEING CHARGED .................................... 103 Pre-fight .................................................................................................. 103

During the fight ....................................................................................... 104 Post fight ................................................................................................ 104 Summary ................................................................................................ 105

DISCLAIMER .................................................................................................... 105 THE CURSE OF MODERN MARTIAL ARTS: THE McDOJO ..................................... 106

The school ................................................................................... 108 The Instructors ............................................................................. 109 The Classes ................................................................................. 109

The Black Belts ............................................................................ 109 Tournaments ............................................................................... 110 Gradings ...................................................................................... 110

THE GRADING SYSTEM ............................................................................................ 111

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 111 The Etiquette of Belts ............................................................................. 112

BELT TESTS..................................................................................................... 113

BELT LEVELS IN GŌKI-KAI KARATE .............................................................. 113 Coloured Belts ........................................................................................ 113



Skill Stripes ............................................................................................. 114 Black Belts .............................................................................................. 114

Ceremonial Belts .................................................................................... 115 SHOGO: OTHER RANKS ................................................................................. 116

Embroidery Standards ............................................................................ 117

THE POINTS SYSTEM ................................................................................................ 119 HOW TO EARN POINTS IN GŌKI-KAI KARATE ............................................. 119

Dan Grades ............................................................................................ 119 Black Gi .................................................................................................. 120

USING THIS TEXT ...................................................................................................... 121

FITNESS REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................. 121 Benchmarks ........................................................................................... 122

WHITE BELT ............................................................................................................... 125 Grade Quote ................................................................................ 125 Primary Purpose of Training ........................................................ 125

ADVANCED WHITE BELT .......................................................................................... 126

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: .......................................................................... 128 Grade Quote ................................................................................ 128

Primary Purpose of Training ........................................................ 128 Technical Priority for Grading: ..................................................... 128 Knowledge Requirements ............................................................ 128

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:.......................................................................... 128

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PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:.............................. Error! Bookmark not defined. SHODAN ..................................................................................................................... 126

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: .......................................................................... 144 Grade Quote: ............................................................................... 144 Technical Priority For Grading ..................................................... 144

Written Requirements .................................................................. 144 PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:.......................................................................... 144

NIDAN .......................................................................................................................... 147

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: .......................................................................... 147 Grade Quote: ............................................................................... 147



Primary Purpose Of Training ....................................................... 147 Written Requirements .................................................................. 147

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:.......................................................................... 147 SANDAN ...................................................................................................................... 148

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: .......................................................................... 148

Grade Quote: ............................................................................... 148 PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:.......................................................................... 148

Free Form: ................................................................................... 148 Lecture: ........................................................................................ 148

YONDAN ..................................................................................................................... 149


PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:.......................................................................... 149 GODAN ........................................................................................................................ 150

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: .......................................................................... 150

Grade Quote: ............................................................................... 150

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:.......................................................................... 150 ROKUDAN ................................................................................................................... 151


PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:.......................................................................... 151 NANADAN ................................................................................................................... 152


HACHIDAN .................................................................................................................. 153 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: .......................................................................... 153

Grade Quote: ............................................................................... 153

KUDAN ........................................................................................................................ 154 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: .......................................................................... 154

Grade Quote: ............................................................................... 154

JUDAN ......................................................................................................................... 155


OTHER GRADING REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................... 156 SHOGO ............................................................................................................. 156

RECOMMENDED READING ....................................................................................... 157 APPENDIX A: STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT ........................................................ 158

1. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every human being .............. 158 2. Be responsible to ensure that your time spent in training is a

positive experience ...................................................................... 158

3. Treat each person as an individual ..................................................... 158 4. Be fair, considerate and honest with fellow students .......................... 158 5. Be professional in and accept responsibility for your actions ............. 159

6. Make a commitment to yourself .......................................................... 159 7. Any physical contact with fellow students should be: ......................... 159 8. Refrain from any form of personal abuse towards fellow students ..... 159 9. Refrain from any form of harassment towards fellow students ........... 159

10. Maintain a safe environment for training and competition ................ 159 11. Show concern and caution towards sick and injured members ........ 159 12. Be a positive role model for your martial art ..................................... 159

Breaches of the Code of Conduct ..................................................................... 159 APPENDIX B: TOURNAMENT TERMINOLOGY ......................................................... 161



APPENDIX C: INFECTION CONTROL POLICY ......................................................... 163 ABOUT THIS POLICY ...................................................................................... 163

TYPES OF INFECTIONS .................................................................................. 163 Blood-Borne Viruses .............................................................................. 163 Hepatitis ................................................................................................. 163

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) ................................................... 165 Other Infections ...................................................................................... 165 Influenza ................................................................................................. 165 Scrumpox ............................................................................................... 166 Gentital Herpes (HSV-1 and HSV-2) ...................................................... 166

Meningococcal Disease ......................................................................... 166 Tinea ..................................................................................................... 166 Lice ..................................................................................................... 167 Scabies................................................................................................... 167

HOW INFECTIONS CAN SPREAD THROUGH SPORT .................................. 167

RISK OF INFECTION THROUGH MARTIAL ARTS ......................................... 167

SUMMARY OF INFECTION CONTROL POLICY ............................................. 168 APPENDIX D: JUDO GOKYO ..................................................................................... 170

Nage Waza: Throws ............................................................................... 171 Dai Ikkyo (Group 1) ...................................................................... 171 Dai Nikyo (Group 2) ..................................................................... 171 Dai Sankyo (Group 3) .................................................................. 171

Dai Yonkyo (Group 4) .................................................................. 171 Dai Gokyo (Group 5) .................................................................... 171

Ne-Waza: Groundwork ........................................................................... 172 Osaekomi Waza (pins or mat holds) ............................................ 172 Shime Waza (chokes or strangles) .............................................. 172

Kansetsu Waza (joint locks) ........................................................ 172 APPENDIX E: THE SPIRIT OF ‘OSU’ ......................................................................... 174

THE SPIRIT OF OSU ........................................................................................ 174

DETAILED TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................ 176

gōki-kai karate-dō - Southern Cross Martial Arts Gold Coast

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