Hirokazu Kanazawa

The purpose of this book is to convey to the reader in the simmplest possible way the correct manner of performing shotokan karate techniques. By breaking down each technique from start to finish and then showing practical applications it is hoped that both beginners and advanced students will obtain a clear pitcure of the technique.

The phenomenal power, speed and agilitiy of advanced karateka is directly attributable to constant practise of the basic techniques. All karate techniques should be regarded as basic movements, in the sense that they all involve an efficient all-round use of the human body in a scientifically based system.

Contents

Acknowledgements
Autors introduction
Publishers introduction
1 Introduction
What is karate do?
Karate as an art
Not just a way to train fighters
Underlying principles
Evolution
Physiological aspects
Psychological aspects
Stances
Principles of physics
2 Kime and mokso
Kime
Focus in karate 'Kime'
Aspects of technique
Breathing exercises
Mokso
3 Behaviour
Instructors behaviour
Teaching of karate
Guidance for instructors
4 Photographs
A glimpse of Kanazawa Sensei
5 Exercise and movement
Limbering up exercises
Strengthening exercises
Stances
Stance movement
Use of hips
Balance
Use of muscles
Relation in technique
6 Techniques
Punching (zuki)
Striking (uchi)
Blocking (uke)
Striking points
Muscle chart
Kicking (geri)
Terminology… (més)

Hirokazu Kanazawa is the most renowned karate master in the world today, and a close disciple of Gichin Funakoshi, the father of modern karate and founder of the Shotokan school. Having earned his impressive reputation in Hawaii, the mainland United States, and Europe as an official trainer for the Japan Karate Associaton, Kanazawa founded Shotokan Karate-do International Federation in 1979. This association now has branches in more than 90 countries throughout the world.

This book is Kanazawa's first comlete guide to kumite, or sparring. The karate training porcess comprises four areas: basics, kata (forms; prearranged movements and techniques), kumite, and competition. Kumite-'the art of grappling with opponents,' as it might be called-is the application of kata, and is the key to success in karate tournaments.

Karate Fighting Techniques teaches all the various kumite techniques, and presents a systematic approach to applied kumite that is designed to provide essential information for match-style kumite and tournament kumite. The author also writes with great affection of his experiences with Master Gichin Funakoshi, and offers some insight into the true spirit and teachings of Shotokan karate.

With 700 photos of the author, his students, and some rare photos of he late Gichin Funakoshi and his famous disciple Masatoshi Nakayama (author of he popular Best Karate series), Karate Fighting Techniques is the first book of its kind to provide such a comprehensive guide to kumite and its role in Shotokan karate. It will be an indispensable resource for all karate practitioners.

Hirokazu Kanazawa, president of Shotokan Karate-do International Federation, carries on the spirit and techniques of his teacher, Gichin Funakoshi. Born in 1931 in Iwate prefecture, Japan, Mr. Kanazawa began practicing karate as a student at Takusou University and, after graduation, became an insturctor for the Japan Karate Association. He has earned many titles in competition, winning first place in kumite at the first Japan Karate Championship in 1957, and taking top honors in both kumite andkata the following year at the second Japan Karate Champoinship. His long career as a chief instructor dates back to 1960, when he was invited to teach in Hawaii. He has also taught elsewhere in the United States and thughout Europe. In 1979, he founded Shotokan Karate-do International Federation, which now has branches in over 90 countries. Mr. Kanazawa is the author of Karate-My Life and several books in Japanese on karate.

Richard Berger was born in Rochester, New York, in 1963 and began training in Shotokan karate in 1982 while attending university in Southern California. He moved to Tokyo in 1990 and has been training at SKIF headquarters since 1993.

Contents

Foreword
Lessons from the master
Kumite
Rei
'OSS'-Saho (etiquette) for gohon (five step) kumite and kihon (basic one-step) kumite
Rei and saho-Rei and setsu; Saho (etiquette) for kneeling (part one); Saho for kneeling (part two)
1 Tsuki
Sonoba-zuki (punching while standing in place)
Zenkutsu-dachi gyaku-zuki (front stance, reverse punch)
Jodan-age-uke (upper-level rising block)
Chudan soto ude-uke (middle-level outside-to-inside block)
Chudan uchi ude-uke (middle-level inside-to-outside block)
Gedan-barai (downward block)
Chudan shuto-uke (middle-level knife-hand block)
Tsuki (front view)-Jodan jun-zuki (upper-level front punch); chudan gyaku-zuki (middle-level reverse punch)
Tsuki (side view)-Chudan oi-zuki (middle-level lunge punch); Chudan ido gyaku-zuki (middle-level stepping reverse punch); Gyaku gedan-barai (reverse downward block)
2 Gohon Kumite (five step kumite)
Jodan (upper-level)
Chudan (middle-level)
3 Sanbon kumite (three-step kumite)
Sanbon kumite no. 1-jodan, chudan, mae-geri (upper-level, middle-level, front snap kick)
Sanbon kumite no. 2-Jodan, chudan, mae-geri
Sanbon kumite no. 2-supplement
Uchi ude-uke
Sanbon kumite no. 3-Jodan, chudan, mae-geri
Sanbon kumite no. 3-supplement
Sanbon kumite no. 4-Jodan, chudan, mae-geri
4 Kiso kumite (fundamental kumite)
Kiso kumite No. 1, 2, 3
5 Kihon ippon-kumite (basic one-step kumite)
Jodan Oi-zuki (upper-level lunge punch) no. 2
Jodan Oi-zuki No. 2, No. 3, No. 3-supplement, No. 4, No. 4-supplement: returning to the starting positon, No. 5, No. 6
Chudan Oi-zuki (middle-level lunge punch) No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6
Mae-geri (front snap kick) No. 1, No. 2, No. 2-supplement gyaku gedan-barai, No. 3, No. 3-supplement, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6
Yoko-kekomi (side thrust kick) No. 1, No. 2, No. 3
Mawashi-geri (roundhouse kick) No. 1, No. 2, No. 3
4 Kaeshi ippon-kunmite (attack & counter one-step kumite)
Kaeshi ippon-Kumite A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
5 Jiyu ippon-kumite (free-style one-step kumite)
Jodan oi-zuki (upper-level lunge punch) No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5
Chudan oi-zuki (middle-level lunge punch) No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6
Mae-geri (front snap kick) No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6
Yoko-kekomi (side thrust kick) No. 1, No. 2, No. 3
Mawashi-geri (roundhouse kick) No. 1 No. 2, No. 3
Ushiro-geri (back kick) No. 1, No. 2, No. 3
Jodan kizami-zuki (upper-level jab) No. 1, No. 2, No. 3
Chudan gyaku-zuki (middle-level reverse punch) No. 1, No. 2, No. 3
6 Okuri jiyu ippon-kumite (follow-through free-style one-step kumite)
Okuri jiyu ippon-kumite No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6
7 Jiyu kumite (free sparring kumite)
Match-style kumite vs. tournament kumite-match-style kumite; Tournament kumite
Jiyu kumite No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, No. 7, No. 8, No. 9, No. 10, No. 11, No. 12, No. 13, No. 14, No. 15, No. 16, No. 17, No. 18, No. 19, No. 20, No. 21, No. 22
8 Happo kumite (eight-direction kumite)
9 Target training
Target training-basic movement
Target training No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6
10 Folding a do-gi-Variation using the belt for carrying
Glossary of Japanese karate terms
General
Stances
Hand/arm techniques
Leg techniques
SKIF contact list… (més)

Karate is one of Japan's most revered martial traditions, and is one of the many facets of Japanese culture that hold universal appeal and have been embraced worldwide. Part of karate's appeal lies in its accessible nature as a martial art; indeed, it can be practiced by anyone regardless of age or gender,and can be undertaken at any time during a person's life. A vital element to karate practice is to engage repeatedly in the art of kata; patterns of movement that are carefully choreographed and arranged in sequences, representing a wide range of attack and defense postures. Through mastery of the various kata forms, the karate practiioner can develop not onely physically but also mentally and spiritually.

In this comprehensive new book renowned karate master Hirokazu Kanazawa, founder of the Shotokan Karate-do International Federation and disciple of the legendary Gichin Funakoshi, the father of modern karate, traces the history of karate's twenty-seven most important kata. Combining detailed, step by step explanations with important historical contexts, Kanazawa meticulously maps out the distinct approaches to kata and the various branches of karate as it evolved from generation to generation. The author explains in depth some of the more difficult aspects of karate for learners to master, including steps, breathing, and pressure points. Kata need to be practiced with disciplined, regular training on an individual basis, and this book is written with such training in mind.

Some 3,000 dynamic illustrations accompany the author's explanations, making this the most extensive compendium of karate's various kata in English. This book will be a welcome addition to the libraries of both beginner and advanced devotees of karate alike. It is the author's wish that this book provide an invaluable reference and learning tool for the study of kata, and that through the rigorous practice of kata, the practitioner will be able to express more than mere physical forms of attack and defense. As the author himself asserts: '(Kata) contain elements that offer opportunities for deep learning about physical education, art, history and, particularly, philosophy.'

Hirokazu Kanazawa, president of Shotokan Karate-do International Federation, carries on the spirit and techniques of his teacher, Gichin Funakoshi. Born in 1931 in Iwate prefecture, Japan, Mr. Kanazawa began practicing karate as a student at Takushoku University and, after graduation, became an instructor for the Japan Karate Association. He has earned many titles in competiton, winning first place in kumite at the first Japan Karate Championship in 1957,and taking top honors in both kumite and kata the following year at the second Japan Karate Championship. His long career as a chief instructor dates back to 1960, when he was invited to teach in Hawaii. He has also taught elsewhere in the United States and throughout Europe. In 1979, he founded Shotokan Karate-do International Federation, which now has branches in over 100 countries. Mr. Kanazawa is he author of Karate Fighting Technique, Black Belt Karate, Karate-My Life and several books in Japanese on karate.

Richard Berger was born in Rochester, New York, in 1963 and began training in Shotokan karate in 1982 while attending university in Southern California. He moved to Tokyo in 1990 and has been training at SKIF headquarters since 1993.

Contents

Foreword
Heian (Pinan)-Heian shodan Heian no. 1 through no. 5
Tekki shodan
Tekki nidan, Tekki sandan-Tekki nidan; Tekki sandan
Bassaai dai
Basai sho
Kanku dai
Kanku sho
Jion
Jiin
Empi
Hangetsu (Seishan)
Gankaku (Chinto)
Chinte
Sochin
Meikyo (Rohai)
Nijushiho
Unsu
Wankan
Gojushiho dai
Gojushiho sho
Koryu gankaku (Gankaku sho)
Glossary of Japanese karate terms… (més)