On sport karate and the exclusion from the 2024 Paris Olympics

 It is a shame that karate will not be included in the Paris Olympic games.  This is truly odd, as the IOC has decided to include breakdancing.  Whether you like sport karate or not, the exposure provided by the Olympic games motivates many new people to try karate training for themselves.  This is a good thing, as without new students the art would die. 

"Sport" karate in the Olympics, and competitions generally, consists of kata and kumite.  The katas are often modified versions of old forms, but they retain a strong influence from the old ways.  Kumite Competition, with its point scoring, approved techniques, prohibited targets, and prohibition of grappling or being in the "clinch," takes away much of the intent behind karate's purpose as an effective and dangerous method of self-defense meant to physically harm an untrained criminal assailant.  Mabuni Kenwa believed that competitions of this type tended to bring out the worst in human behavior.  This is evident when you see competitors engaging in theatrics before and after bouts.  Karate was intended to be used for self-defense, not self-aggrandizement.  Echoing Mabuni, Soshin Nagamine wrote:

"I don't mean to suggest that I have a totally negative opinion about karate-do's competitive element, it's just that I feel that it is too shallow.  Regardless of whether it is Okinawa, the Japanese mainland, or the world in general, jiu-kumite (free sparring) ignores the principles to which kata apply.  Simply put, jiu-kumite should reflect the kata, because kata is the origin of karate-do.  If there is no kata, it is not karate-do, just kicking and punching."

This reminds me of one of Hanshi's sayings, "If you run out of karate, there's always kicking and punching!"

San Chin, again...

 This video was removed from YouTube.  I reposted it under my account and I'm sharing it here:

NaihanchI Shodan

Kihon Katas

"Kihon" means basics.  In Chito Ryu Karate Do, we have "basics" kata which are intended to be tested at the "two" level:  Green 2 (go kyu), Brown 2 (ni kyu) and Black 2 (ni dan).  They are not intended as a historic recording of a system or set of moves open to interpretations of application, but a linking together of basic techniques in which the student must demonstrate competence according to rank or grade.

Beyond our student manuals (please ask if you don't have one!), there are some online resources available at Black Belt Wiki with pictures, written descriptions, and videos: 

https://blackbeltwiki.com/chito-ryu-katas

A word of caution:  some of the video demonstrations are better than others.

 

You may also want to look at the Beginner Manual from the International Chito-Ryu Karate-do Federation of Australia.  Please note while this organization has "Chito Ryu" in its name, it is in no way affiliated with USCKF.  Some of the information is a little different than what you will see in our manuals, especially the descriptions of ranks and grades.  That said, the section with Kihon Dosas and Kihon Katas provides photographs which may be easier to understand than the line drawings in our manuals.  The link below is for a PDF (about 3.5 MB)

www.chitoryu.com.au/resources/pdf/ICKFA beginner manual v5.0.pdf

 NOTE - Some important differences are: 

• Belt ranks:  We do not have blue or purple belts, and we only use stripes on green and brown belts.
• Test Katas:  We use kata, not kihon kata or kihon dosa for testing.  While you may be asked to perform one of these during a test, it is not a specific requirement.
• Kihon Dosa Ichi:  We do outside blocks (uchi uke), and our shiko dachi is off-line (hanmei)
• Kihon Dosa Ni:  We do inside blocks (soto uke), and shiko dachi hanmei
• Nijushichi Te Waza:  Similar to our San Ju Ko, with these exceptions:  We have a head-level knife hand strike (jodan shuto uchi), mid-level fingertip strike (chudan nukite), and NO palm-heel strike (teisho zuki).  All techniques are performed in uchi hachi dachi for our style.  It is also important that proper eye vectoring is used, something not shown in this case.
• Kihon Kata Ichi:  Similar to Kihon Dosa Ichi, we do outside blocks rather than inside blocks.

 If you can keep these points in mind it will avoid confusion.

 

 

 

 

Unsu and Jion

These are old katas, and look very Chinese to my eyes.

Gung Fu no Kata

This video is on Facebook.

 

https://m.facebook.com/tkiinternational/videos/dr-chitose-84-years-old-gung-fu-no-kata/412500605983679/

The Oldest Kata in Karate-Do is...

...Seisan. I thought it would have been Potasi. H/T Tim

If you have not seen Jesse Enkamp's Karate Nerd in China, I would recommend that you check it out below:

Kata Demonstrations in Naha City

Some of these are pretty good, especially the boat oar kata.  For your enjoyment and edification:

Tenshin

This is the San Dan (Black 3) test kata.  In the first video, the performers show far too much of the English homophone to the Japanese name of the kata - tension!  Maybe because this kata is done here by-the-count?  Anyway, the correct moves and sequences are all present:








Once again, her is Dr. Chitose's son Yasuhiro performing many Chito Ryu kata. The whole video is worth watching, but Tenshin starts at the 8:48 mark.

Shihohai

...is the second test kata for Green 2.  The video below is a group performing the kata 100 times as part of a fundraising challenge.  There are many experience levels here, and the camera moves around giving multiple angles of view.

Kusanku

This is another very old kata which exists in many versions and in many styles.  Named after a Chinese Tang warrior, the idea behind this kata is attack and defense in the dark, or at night.  Handed down from Master Sakugawa, this kata was taught to Dr. Chitose by Kyan Chotoku.


Here is a link to the Mukashi School of Karate, part of the International Chito Ryu Karate Federation website where a good version of this kata is presented in two different angles.  Sorry, but this video is not available to be embedded:

http://mukashikarate.com/kihon-katas/kusanku/

Here is Kusanku performed by Dr Chitose's son, Yasuhiro:



Sanshiryu

Sanshiryu is a very old kata.  According to the USCK Black Belt Manual, "[m]any people have attempted to master this kata, but only a few have been successful."  I believe that applies to most katas, especially the very old ones.


Chito-ryu kata Sanshiryu at a tournament in Tochigi, Japan:




...Sanshiryu performed by Stéphane Joyal:



Terry Valentino, chief instructor at the Koshin-ha Yoseikan Karate Dojo in Marshall Twp PA demonstrates several applications from a signature movement in the Chito-ryu version of Sanshiryu kata:



Disclaimer: I do not know this kata nor the performers, but these videos appear legitimate.

When Coronavirus closes the dojo...

While we who study Karate-do appreciate Chinese influence on our martial arts, we do not take so kindly to a Chinese virus that closes our dojos and forces us to train elsewhere!  For many of us, a closed dojo means we will have to suspend training altogether.  Of course, Jesse Enkamp has produced a short video to help keep your body, mind, and spirit going in the direction of the Karate way:

Kihon Kata San

Kihon katas are katas of basic techniques, of which there are three.  These are supposed to be taught at the "two" level, that is, Green II, Brown II, and Black II.


The link below goes to a page with video of kihon kata san, produced by the Mukashi School of Karate, which is apparently part of the International Chito Ryu Karate Federation.  I do not know anything about this particular dojo, but the USCK split from the ICKF back in the 1990s.  Unfortunately, I cannot embed the video here, but it is definitely a Chito Ryu kata.  The nice thing about this link is that the kata can be viewed from two different angles.

http://mukashikarate.com/kihon-katas/kihon-kata-san/

A big hint was dropped at the March clinic that kihon katas will be included in the testing before the national board in October.  Anyone testing for Ik Kyu should be familiar with the first two kihon katas, and I will try to find video to post for these.  The first two are certainly less complicated than the third.  

Ryusan, again

☺...for certain individuals who may or may not be demonstrating this kata as part of a formal group!

More Knife Hand

This is not the Chito Ryu version, but certain elements are the same.  Again, from Iain Abernethy:

Knife Hand - Three Videos from Iain Abernethy

Seisan Bunkai, and call for Bunkai Submissions

The video below is a bunkai from the Isshin Ryu version of Seisan. While the Chito Ryu version employs a double block rather than a single at the beginning of the sequence, the idea of blocking, grabbing, and pulling is the same. This is important to note: Not all moves in a kata are strikes or blocks, or strikes and blocks alone. One should examine grappling, locks, and using the body as a fulcrum to manipulate an opponent when considering bunkai.

I would like everyone who reads this to think about bunkai. Spend some time doing a little research on youtube, and see if you can find a video which demonstrates a particular bunkai for a kata which we do in our style, or for a series of moves in a kata from another style which is similar to something we do in our style. To be clear, this does not have to be a Chito Ryu person doing a Chito Ryu kata - as we see blow, Seisan is a kata in our style, but it is also a kata done in Isshin Ryu, and the moves here are very similar to ours. Please leave a link in the comments section if you are so inclined. If you don't have a link to share, please at least be thinking of bunkai for your next test kata. When test time comes, you will most likely be asked to demonstrate for the test board!



Thanks Tim

Ryusan

Once again, Yashuhiro Chitose on old 8mm.  No sound, of course.

San Chin kata from Jesse Enkamp, vol. 3