Kwoon Karate Academy of Self-Defense 

	Discipline ۞ Honor ۞ Respect 規律 名誉 尊敬

Find us on Facebook Home About the Dojo Directions Programs / Tuition Upcoming Events Meet Our Instructors Students "Need to know" Combinations Photo Gallery Student Handbook Apparel & Accessories Contact Us Ko-Koro Kempo Students "Need to Know" ♦ ♦ ♦ What to bring to every class How to tie your belt The Four A's The Five Animals The Five Rules Belts The Patch United We Stand (U.W.S.) Counting in Japanese Karate Terms Beginning of Class Terms (Spoken by the highest ranking students) Other Terms Basic Exercises Tournament Protocol The 5 Tips For Rank Testing Culture in the Martial Arts   What to bring to every class • Full Gi • Belt • Sparring Gear  -  (we have some used gear at the dojo if you don't have your own yet) • Water • Mouth guard • Athletic cup for guys Top of Page The Four A's   • Attitude The way you think and feel about someone or something. A feeling or way of thinking that affects a person's behavior. • Adrenaline Is a source of energy that we tap into each time we develop the three A's. • Awareness This is the key to our inner selves, the Arts help us be more aware of who we are and can become. • Ability Training in the Martial Arts gives us the ability to master our own destiny. Top of Page The Five Animals •  Dragon •  Fighting Spirit, Whipping motion, and wisdom. • Tiger • Forward driving attack, Aggression, Endurance, Tenacity. • Leopard • Power, Speed, Agility, Ability to move quickly and easily. • Crane • Balance, grace, longevity, circular motion, fluid and evasive movement. • Snake • Ability to move in and out of your opponent, patience, flexibility, and deceptive movement. • Monkey •      (the infamous, most-annoying, sixth animal) Top of Page The Five Rules • Effort Putting forth your best, trying as hard as you can at all times. • Etiquette Manners, be polite at all times to one another. • Character Personality, the sum of the qualities making up an individual. • Self-Control Having control of one's own body and emotions. • Sincerity Honesty, being trustworthy, truthfullness. Top of Page Belts In order for students to advance to the next belt rank, they must take a belt test.  The belt tests are twice a year and are done as a group, at our school, organized by the instructors.  Belt testing teaches students to set and reach goals, a valuable skill in everyday life.  Belt testing also teaches that with intense effort, training and practicing, students are rewarded with being able to demonstrate their techniques and skills with their best efforts, which enable them to progress forward with their goals.  New belts are earned and confidence is built. White   New student.   Yellow Yellow is the symbol of the first rays of the sun.  Yellow is a symbol of energy.  A student earns a yellow rank by allowing his mind to be open to the knowledge of his instructors, and putting forth effort in his/her learnings.    Orange MI-SO-NO-KORO Orange is a symbol of the beginning of the increasing knowledge will endure as they grow in technique and start to enter the path to the martial arts mountain.  The Orange-belt student begins to develop both physically and mentally in his/her discipline. Purple Purple is a symbol of mountains and steep path they present.  As the student moves on to higher levels of achievement, he has difficult tasks that he/she may face.  Purple can also represent the sky at dawn, a symbol of the change that a student undergoes as he transitions to the next levels in their training.   Blue The blue belt is a symbol of the sky or water.  The blue belt student must focus on smoothing out his material so it is like the water flowing.  One of the most powerful forces on earth is water and with its smoothness comes a true power of smoothness.   Green The green belt signifies growth.  Now the student must combine the smoothness of water and mix it with the hardness of the jade rock.  A firm foundation of the martial arts knowledge on which to build as they practice and refine their skills to be pangonoon.   Red A red-belt student must learn to practice caution and control in the use of his abilities.  The red belt is a symbol of learning to control power.  The red rank is used when a student has accomplished all the physical aspects needed to move to the next rank, but the student still needs to hone the mental skills it takes to earn the next rank, which is the brown belt.   Brown | | | | The brown-belt student is gaining the maturity necessary to advance to the highest levels.  He will be reaping the benefits of his/her hard work. There are four degrees in the brown rank.  These degrees allow the student to to prepare for the task that comes with upholding the rank of brown and get prepared for the next belt level which is the black belt. The brown belt is a symbol of hard work in the arts.  The student working for his/her brown rank is going to have to work harder than they ever have worked before in the arts.  Not only will they work on physical powers, but twice as hard on the mental aspects of the martial arts.  The student working for the brown rank must be able to endure the responsibility it takes for such rank awarded.  Not only do they now have to worry about themselves, but take on the task of guiding others waiting for their day.   Black | | | | | | | | | | The ultimate achievement. The black belt, the ultimate achievement of martial arts skills, symbolizes the "darkness beyond the sun".  Even as he teaches others, the black belt holder continues to broaden his own understanding, continually seeking knowledge and enlightenment.  The student that is being put up for this rank may now realize that the martial arts are more than just kicking and punching.  This student may realize that the road to becoming a black belt is long and hard, and that progress is more than just the color strapped around his/her waist.   Top of Page Counting in Japanese (We count our exercises in Japanese, so you will hear these words often) English 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Japanese ichi ni san shi/yon go roku shichi/nana hachi ku/kyu ju Pronunciation ee-chee nee sahn shee/yohn goh doh-koo shee-chee/nah-nah ha-chee koo/kyoo joo Top of Page Karate Terms (We count our exercises in Japanese, so you will hear these words often) • Karate Empty hand or the art of fighting empty handed. • Karate-do The traditional way of karate. • Dojo Place or school where karate is taught. • Hanshi A karate instructor holding a rank of 9th or 10th degree black belt. • Shihan A karate instructor holding a rank of 7th degree black belt or above. • Sensei A karate instructor usually holding a rank of fourth degree black belt or above. • Sempai An assistant karate instructor, usually between the rank of first and third degree black belt.. • Kobudo The use or practice of traditional Okinawan weapons (farm tools). • Gi Uniform worn by a karate student while training. • Obi A belt worn to signify one's rank in karate. • Kyu A rank below black belt. • Dan Degree or rank of black belt. • Karateka A student that practices the art of karate. • Kata A series of moves performed at various angles against numerous imaginary opponents. • Kumite Fighting another student either with weapons or empty handed. • Shorin-ryu Matsumura Seito The style of karate which you are studying. • Kenshin Kan (Heart Fist Place) A place to train in karate-do for the good of humanity. • Okinawa Shorin-ryu Matsumura Karate and Kobudo Federation (OSMKKF) The federation that links this dojo to the main dojo in Okinawa, Japan. This federation is headed by Grandmaster Fusei Kise. Top of Page   Beginning of Class Terms   Japanese Pronunciation English • Seiretsu say-de-tsu line up • Ushiro O Muite Gi Toh Obi O Naosu u-she-doe o moo-ee-tay gee to obi o nay-o-sue turn and fix your obi and gi • Shomen show-men turn to the front • Seiza say-za kneel down • Shihan Ni Rei she-han knee ray bow to Shihan Top of Page Other Terms   Japanese   English • Kioski   attention • Rei   bow • Kamai   set • Yoi   ready or prepare • Onegai Shimasu (Said at the beginning of class) please teach me • Domo Aragato Gozaimashita (said at the end of class) thank you very much • Ohayo Gozaimashita   good morning • Konnichi Wa   good afternoon" or "good day • Konban Wa   good evening • Mata Ashita   see you tomorrow • Sayonara   goodbye Top of Page Basic Exercises These exercises are part of almost every class. You will be responsible for these at all testings. Those marked with an asterisk (*) include a counter on the moves going forward. • Double punch, solar plexus, left stance   • Double punch, solar plexus, right stance   • Double punch, solar plexus, ready stance   • Double punch, head, ready stance   • Sweep, punch, double bone block   • Cross-chest block  * • Single-bone block  * • Hand block  * • Step, double punch, solar plexus (kiai on each second punch)   • Down block * • Double bone block * • Head block * • Punch, snap kick   • Step, single punch (kiai on each punch) * • Snap kick, left and right stances   • Leg block, snap kick (side), ready stance   • Side shin kick, heels together   • Side kick, heels together   • Front side kick, ready stance   • Back kick, heels together   • Roundhouse kick, fighting stance   • Side kick, snap kick, left and right stances   • Snap kick, side kick, left and right stances   • Down block, back fast, up slow   • Step, reverse punch (kiai on each punch)   • Double bone block, swing, jab   • Toe toughening   • Hand toughening   • Hand, feet toughening   • Push–ups   • Back Stretch   • Stomach Crunches   • Oblique Stomach Crunches   • Running in place   • Jumping Jacks   • Burpees   • Deep breathing         Kiai on all counts of five and ten. A kiai is a forceful expulsion of air from the lungs accompanied by a shout. However, it is not simply a shout. The kiai helps focus energy on your strike or block. A good strong kiai is the sign of a focused student. Top of Page