Akron Kids Martial Arts Blog - Zahand's Martial Arts

8 Oct 2024
WHAT IS SANCHIN

Sanchin is a KATA that builds muscular strength, improves blood circulation, and helps develop proper breathing methods. Sanchin has existed since ancient times in Fujien Province in southern China but was altered and further developed by the Okinawan karate master Kanryo Higaonna (1852-1915). Schools of karate that practice sanchin include Shito-Ryu and Goju-Ryu. A somewhat different version of sanchin , independent of Higaonna’s alterations, is also practiced by students of Uechi-Ryu. The san in sanchin means three, while the second ideogram, chin , is written as “battle” or “conflict” (Although the second ideogram is pronounced sen in ....
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1 Oct 2024
WHAT IS PINAN (HEIAN)

Pinan in karate refers to a series of five KATA that are among the most widely practiced by beginners. Pinan is the original, Okinawan pronunciation, hei in standard Japanese, some schools of karate call the kata heian . Whichever way it is pronounced, the first ideogram means “peace,” while the second, an , means “tranquility.” Together, the name symbolizes the ultimate goal of karate: to achieve tranquil peace both socially and spiritually. The five pinan kata were developed by an Okinawan karate master, Yasutsune Itosu (1830-1915), who is recognized as one of the most influential figures in the history of karate. Because their movements exclude the ....
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24 Sep 2024
WHAT IS ZANSHIN

When you complete a KATA, it is customary to spend a few seconds looking at the direction of your last attack. Even as you return to a natural, standing position, you should maintain your focus in that same direction a few seconds linger. This makes sense when you consider kata to be a sequence of techniques against imaginary opponents. You have to make sure upon the completion of the kata that your last opponent has been completely dealt with and will not be attacking you again. This is called zanshin . The word is made up of two ideograms: zan , which means “to leave,” and shin , which means “mind” or “consciousness.” Therefore, zanshin is ....
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17 Sep 2024
WHAT IS KATA

Kata means, “form.” In karate the word refers to the method of practice by which students go through a series of techniques that have been arranged in a particular order. All Japanese martial arts, such as kendo and judo, have kata practice, but karate is the only one in which kata can be done by just one person. You have probably seen a karate kata even if you did not know what the word meant until now. It is an exercise that can look like an intricate dance. Students throw punches, kicks and other techniques in the air, imagining opponents coming at them from all directions. Sometimes, it is very clear from their movements what they are doing. Other movements are more ....
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10 Sep 2024
WHAT IS YOI

Often when you watch a karate tournament you will notice in the sparring segments that the competitors with the superior techniques are not always the ones who win the matches. A competitor who receives a minor injury during a match, for example, will suddenly become hesitant to attack, and, despite possessing superior skills, may lose even if the physical effects of the injury were negligible. Similarly, an exceptionally aggressive competitor can win more than his or her fair share of matches just relying on this trait alone. This illustrates how matches can often be won or lost even before the competitors enter the ring. We are all aware of the importance of training hard and ....
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3 Sep 2024
WHAT IS TANDEN

Tanden refers to the human body’s center of gravity, which is the lower abdominal are below the navel. According to traditional Asian beliefs, this is also the area from which the body relays a form of energy that is called ki in Japanese, the energy that moves and changes all things in the universe (see KIAI). Ki and tanden are essential elements in all forms of traditional East Asian medicine, from acupuncture and shiatsu to herbal medicine. Tan refers to the essence of Asian medicine, and den means “rice field.” The tanden is not a single point but a field spread out across the lower abdomen which, like a rice paddy, can be divided into sections. The ....
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27 Aug 2024
WHAT IS KUMITE

Tanden refers to the human body’s center of gravity, which is the lower abdominal are below the navel. According to traditional Asian beliefs, this is also the area from which the body relays a form of energy that is called ki in Japanese, the energy that moves and changes all things in the universe (see KIAI). Ki and tanden are essential elements in all forms of traditional East Asian medicine, from acupuncture and shiatsu to herbal medicine. Tan refers to the essence of Asian medicine, and den means “rice field.” The tanden is not a single point but a field spread out across the lower abdomen which, like a rice paddy, can be divided into sections. The ....
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20 Aug 2024
WHAT IS KERI (GERI)

Without doubt, the most flamboyant karate techniques are its kicks. Amazing acrobatic kicks are mainstays of martial arts movies. The Japanese word for “kick” is keri , and its ideogram is made up of the radicals “foot” and “fast.” The word’s pronunciation can change to geri when combined with other words to form compounds. “Front kick,” for example, is mae-geri . When children start karate, they are often more eager to learn kicks, Unfortunately, the kicking techniques are among the more difficult to master, and the beautiful high kicks demonstrate over and over again in the movies ate usually not very practical in real ....
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13 Aug 2024
WHAT IS KIAI

Anyone who has ever seen a karate demonstration knows that karate master’s always shout when they punch or kick. And they shout very loudly. You might even say they scream. This is called kiai. Many Asians believe that there is a force that flows through all things, making them move and change. This is called ki in Japanese ( chi or qi in Chinese). The weather, for example, which is always changing, is called tenki, or “heavenly ki .” People have ki as well, although most times we are not even aware of it. You may, however, have had the experience of being tired one minute and full of energy the next, just because something – a sudden invitation to a ....
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6 Aug 2024
WHAT IS TSUKI (ZUKI)

Tsuki means “thrust,” “jab,” or especially in karate, “punch.” When combined with another word, tsuki is often pronounced zuki , as in gyaku-zuki , or “reverse punch.” A drawing of a closed fist is used as a logo by many karate schools. The simple punch is the most fundamental mode of attack in karate. It is the staple of karate practice. There is a saying in karate, “One strike, certain kill.” In fact, a large part of training is conditioning your hands so that they are able to deliver blows powerful enough to render an opponent unconscious, and also to withstand the shock of such a strike’s impact on your hands. ....
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WHAT IS SANCHIN

WHAT IS PINAN (HEIAN)

WHAT IS ZANSHIN

WHAT IS KATA

WHAT IS YOI

WHAT IS TANDEN

WHAT IS KUMITE

WHAT IS KERI (GERI)

WHAT IS KIAI

WHAT IS TSUKI (ZUKI)

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