Kata of the Month
Dojo Kun - English
Seek perfection of character,Be faithful,
Endeavour,
Respect others,
Refrain from violent behavior.
Dojo Kun - Japanese Pronunciation
Hitotsu! Jinkaku kansei ni tsutomuru koto!
Hitotsu! Makoto no michi o mamoru koto!
Hitotsu! Doryoku no seichin o yashinau koto!
Hitotsu! Reigi o omonzuru koto!
Hitotsu! Kekki no yu o imashimuru koto!
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Ranks, Belts Colors, Requirements
Belt Color | Rank | Kata Required |
|---|---|---|
| White | 9th Kyu | - |
Yellow | 8th Kyu | Heian Shodan |
Orange | 7th Kyu | Heian Nidan |
Green | 6th Kyu | Heian Sandan |
Purple 1 | 5th Kyu | Heian Yondan |
Purple 2 | 4th Kyu | Heian Godan |
Brown 1 | 3rd Kyu | Tekki Shodan |
Brown 2 | 2nd Kyu | Bassai Dai |
Brown 3 | 1st Kyu | Bassai Dai |
Degree | Katas Required | |
|---|---|---|
Shodan (1st) | Bassai Dai, Heian Nidan through Tekki Shodan | |
Nidan (2nd) | One Shorin type, One Shorei type |
Terms
Dojo | Halls (places) where the way of the martial arts (BUDO) is practiced. |
Sensei | Teacher. Broadly speaking, it may apply to anyone holding a position to guide or instruct another. |
Seiza | Kneel. Actually a formal Japanese way of sitting on the floor with one's knees bent. Literally it means to sit correctly and requires that a person sit with his back straight and with an alert feeling. |
Rei | A command to bow either when standing or sitting. |
Shomen-ni rei | Bow to front. |
Karateka | One who practices karate. |
Otogai-ni rei | Bow to each other. |
Kata | Form, a set series of memorized moves. |
Kihon | Basic exercises. |
Kumite | Sparring |
Kime | Split second focus of strength. |
Kiai | A yell at the kime point to help focus maximum power. |
Uke | A block |
Zuki | A punch. |
Uchi | A strike |
Jodan | The face area. |
Chudan | The stomach area |
Gedan | Below belt |
Karate Books
Best Karate Series (Books 1-11) by Masatoshi Nakayama
The Textbook of Modern Karate
by Teruyuki Okazaki
Dynamic Karate
by Masatoshi Nakayama
Karate-Do Kyohan: The Master Text
Gichin Funakoshi

Teruyuki Okazaki
Karate - The art of "empty hand" fighting
Nishiyama and Brown
Practical Karate (Books 1-6)
Masatoshi Nakayama
Modern Karate: Scientific Approach to Conditioning & Training
Milorad V. Stricevic
Karate Fighting Techniques: The Complete Kumite
Hirokaza Kanazawa
Karate-Do: My Way of Life
Gichin Funakoshi
Moving Zen: One Man's Journey to the Heart of Karate
C. W. Nicol