Teaching Methods for Okinawan Karate Basics

[Makalakumu]

For those of you who practice Okinawan Karate, could you describe for us how you learned basic techniques?

 

[twendkata71]

For me personally, I learned everything from the ground up. Meaning, that we started with the stances. and then the dynamics of the blocks,punches,strikes and kicks. How they were performed, what they were for, the muscles that come into play. Later after black belt, I learned what many of the movements,blocks,strikes,etc. were really for and what they were aimed at. Then there was the endless practice of kihon and kata. each movement over and over. Correction after correction.

 

[shoshinkan]

Unfortunatly I didnt start out in Okinawan Karate so I found the system with some expieirence.

However I have researched and spoken to several friends who have been to Okinawa and the first thing I would need to understand is which Okinawan karate are you interested in?

a general way to awnser that is shorin or shorei, modern or old style, then I might be able to help out a little.

Personally I teach old style shorin ryu and that begins with the kata Pinan Sho and Ni, along with simple methods of body mechancis and tegumi practise, lots of principle led drills, some simple bunkai is included in the kata practise, a small ammount of conditioning is gained and an understanding of the dojo and the arts philosophy - that gets you to green belt after about 1 years training.

 

[Makalakumu]

I am particularly interested in shuri-te styles of Okinawan Karate, however, if you practice a naha-te or tomari-te style, speak up. I'm particularly interested in the kind of techniques you focus on when you are practicing basics and I am interested in how you practice them.

 

[tshadowchaser]

Stances done correctly abd constantly being corrected over and over again.
Blocks, again being done correctly over and over, and being tested for their strength.
beating arms to toughen and strengthen the body and mind
Repatition of basic concepts and learning to do things correctly before being given any new material

 

[shoshinkan]

in relation to kihon,

its the first 2 kata, alot of repetition and also partner work via simple bunkai drilling against likely street attacks.

Very little line work.

 

[Haze]

Goju Ryu,, started with mechanics of blocks and punches. Then on to stances. Then we combined this into movement. Back with blocks and forward movement with punches, over and over and over. What we called a stepping and striking drill. On to kicks and finaly Sanchin kata, over and over and over.

 

[Ken]

In Sanchin-ryu, a Shorei-ryu based system, we first learn stance, moving in and out of diferent stances. Then co-ordinating that body movement with the circular blocking techniques. Then add the basic strikes, all in co-ordination. When the body stops, so does the technique. Block and counter attack performed together.
www.sanchinryukarate.co.uk

 

[chinto]

For those of you who practice Okinawan Karate, could you describe for us how you learned basic techniques?

Personaly it was with the kata Seisan and fallowing the senior students and sensei in doing it and then having it broken down . so we started and then the first movements and stance was explained. then there were stance and practicing moving froward and back with the circuler step and the punch techniques explained. then the seisan block and how it was done as i learned it. then constent correction of the kata and each of my movements, stance and techniques. ( now we do teach the fyukyu kata first so the new students get the basic stance and punch and saisan block from that with out having to learn as much at once.)

 

[seasoned]

Knowing something and owning something are two different things. Knowing it through first leaning it is basic to all styles. Stances first for foundation. Then blocks, punches and kicks stationary for concentration on technique. Ten-no kata, a one step drill to start moving everything so as to combine feet and hands while moving. First few katas to introduce the karate ka to patterns of movement. Next Sanchin kata for the practice of breath, structure and movement and how it relates to balance and power when combined together. At this point we can begin to own the above. The value of two person drills is introduced after we have a good handle on solo techniques so as not to confuse the training process. While training with a partner stances, movement and distancing are more important then techniques at first. All the above is relative to all styles of karate and not just Okinawan I would think. As twendkata71 mentioned it is a building process from the ground up. The only problem I would see is if sparring and advanced bunkai were introduced to early on.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

Stances up is how I learned

 

[chinto01]

I started off with the stances and basics. Blocks, punches, and kicks. There was months of endless repitition and correction of these. After that you began the study of kata.

In the spirit of bushido!

Rob

 

[seasoned]

I started off with the stances and basics. Blocks, punches, and kicks. There was months of endless repitition and correction of these. After that you began the study of kata.

In the spirit of bushido!

Rob

Right on, we would line up with a class of 25 to 30 people and with a block, punch, or kick go through each person in class with a 10 count.

 

[chinto]

I started off with the stances and basics. Blocks, punches, and kicks. There was months of endless repitition and correction of these. After that you began the study of kata.

In the spirit of bushido!

Rob

all of thoes things are in kata, and if you have the people available to correct and help them they will learn each and every one of them learning the kata. that is not to say that you dont have days in class where you work mainly on some drills on blocks and stance and things. but class often after warm up would go through drills of punches and blocks and kicks, in short the very basics.

 

[chinto01]

I love the basics. In the "old days" Seisan kata was the first kata taught at our dojo because of the emphasis on basics and it was believed that the student would pick it up a little easier than other kata. Rumor also has it that it was also meant to weed out the people who were not serious about their training. Not sure how true that is but I can see where there would be a certain level of frustration learning that form right away. Now naihanchi are taught as the first forms. So what was the first kata you learned after basics?

In the spirit of bushido!

Rob

 

[Seeking Zen]

You must pratice the basics...repeat

 

[jtbdad]

Repitition.

1st Kata Fukyugata Ichi

 

[seasoned]

Goju Ryu,, started with mechanics of blocks and punches. Then on to stances. Then we combined this into movement. Back with blocks and forward movement with punches, over and over and over. What we called a stepping and striking drill. On to kicks and finaly Sanchin kata, over and over and over.

How long ago did you live in Syr NY

 

[chinto]

I love the basics. In the "old days" Seisan kata was the first kata taught at our dojo because of the emphasis on basics and it was believed that the student would pick it up a little easier than other kata. Rumor also has it that it was also meant to weed out the people who were not serious about their training. Not sure how true that is but I can see where there would be a certain level of frustration learning that form right away. Now naihanchi are taught as the first forms. So what was the first kata you learned after basics?

In the spirit of bushido!

Rob

actualy it has all the basics in it, but is not an easy kata to learn or do.
As to the weeding thing... YES i have had that confermed to me by my sensei and others...