DOJO ETIQUETTE
TRAINING SESSION OPENING CEREMONY
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Shugo: Line up (phonetically ‘shho-go’)
Ki o tsuke: Stand to attention (phonetically ‘kee-ut-skay’)
Seiza: Kneel (phonetically ‘say-zah’)
Mokuso: Meditate (phonetically ‘mok-so’)
Mokuso yame: Finish meditating
Shomen ni: Face the front of the dojo (phonetically ‘sho-men nee’)
Rei: Bow (phonetically ‘ray’)
Sensei ni: Face your teacher
Rei: Bow and say aloud Onegaishimasu meaning please teach me (phonetically ‘on-ee-guy-shim-ass’)
​Shomen ni: Face the front of the dojo
Kiritsu: Stand up (phonetically ‘kee-ree-tsoo’)
TRAINING SESSION CLOSING CEREMONY
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Shugo: Line up
Ki o tsuke: Stand to attention
Seiza: Kneel
Mokuso: Meditate
Mokuso yame: Finish meditating
​Otagai ni: Face your partner, bow and say aloud Arigato Gozaimashita
Rei: Bow
Shomen ni: Face the front of the dojo
Rei: Bow
Sensei ni: Face your teacher, bow and say aloud Arigato Gozaimashita meaning thank you
(phonetically ‘ary-gato goz-aye-mahsh-tah’)
Rei: Bow
Shomen ni: Face the front of the dojo
Kiritsu: Stand up and bow.
Leaving the dojo: At the end of a lesson, it is not necessary to wait and leave the dojo in order of rank. But if you do meet at the exit, it is just a matter of courtesy to allow the senior to go first.
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Japanese Grammar: You will sometimes hear people say ‘arigato gozaimashito’ (with a ‘tah’ at the end) or ‘arigato gozaimasu’ (without the ‘tah’). It is just a case of thanking someone in the future or past tense. ‘Arigato gozaimashita’ is used at the end of the lesson to thank the Sensei for the lesson just given. ‘Arigato gozaimasu’ would be used at the start of the lesson to thank the Sensei for the lesson they are about to give.
DOJO COMMUNICATION
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Arigato Gozaimashita: Thank you for teaching me
Kiai: Focusing shout
Hai: Yes
Hajime: Begin
Onegaishimasu: Please teach me
Osu: Yes / no / general
Shugo: Line up
Wakari masu ka?: Do you understand?
Wakari masu: I understand
Wakari masen: I don't understand
Yame: Stop
Yoi: Ready
Karate Uniform (Gi)
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Obi : Belt
Uwagi :Top half of Gi
Zubon :Bottom half of Gi
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Training Equipment
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Chi ishi: Lever weighted stone
Ishi sashi: Stone padlocks
Kongo ken : Iron ring
Makiwara : Striking board
Nigiri game : Gripping jars
Tan : Barbells
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Numbers
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Ichi: One
Ni: Two
San: Three
Shi: Four
Go: Five
Roku: Six
Shichi: Seven
Hachi: Eight
Ku: Nine
Ju: Ten
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Black Belt Grades
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Shodan: 1st Dan
Nidan: 2nd Dan
Sandan: 3rd Dan
Yondan: 4th Dan
Godan: 5th Dan
Rokudan: 6th Dan
Nanadan: 7th Dan
Hachidan: 8th Dan
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Sparring (Kumite)
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Ippon kumite:
one step sparring (block and counter)
​San dan gi: Basic three step sparring
Randori kumite:
Slow and soft free style sparring with emphasis on technique
Yakusoku kumite: Prearranged sparring
​Iri kumite: Hard, fast but controlled continuous free style sparring
​Go kumite: Full contact sparring
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Parts of the body (Tai)
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Ashinoyubi: Toes (Tsumasaki)
Danchin: Sternum
Ganchu: Below the nipples
Gansei: Eyeballs
Hiza: Knee
Jinchu: Region below the nose
Kinteki: Testicles
Kindama: Groin
Kote: Wrist
Miken: Bridge of nose
Mimi: Ears
Mikazuki: Jaw
Nodo: Throat
Onaka: Stomach
Seiken: Fist
Shuko: Back of hand
Suige tsu: Solar-plexus
Ude: Forearm
Yubi: Fingers
Punches (tsuki or zuki)
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Jodan tsuki: Punch to the face
Chudan tsuki: Punch to the chest
Gedan tsuki: Punch to the groin
Age tsuki: Rising punch
Choku tsuki: Straight punch
Furi tsuki: Circular punch
Gyaku tsuki: Reverse punch
Kizame tsuki: Jab Punch
Oi tsuki: Lunge punch
Seiken tsuki: Forefist punch
Ura tsuki: Close range punch
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Blocks(Uke)
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Jodan uke: Upper level block
Age uke: Rising block
Chudan uke: Middle level block
Gedan harai-uke: Lower level sweep
Jodan uke: Upper level block
Hiji uke: Elbow block
Hiki uke: Pulling/grasping block
Hiza uke: Knee block
Ko uke: Wrist block
Shotei barai: Palm heel sweep
Shotei uke: Palm heel block
Soto uke: Forearm block (block from outside moving inward to the centre line of the body)
​Sukui uke: Scooping block
Tora guchi uke: Tiger mouth block (sometimes called Mawashi Uke meaning ‘round block'
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Strikes (Uchi)
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Uraken uchi: Back fist strike
Empi uchi: Elbow strike (hiji)
Haito uchi: Ridge hand strike
Hiraken uchi: Fore knuckle fist strike
Ko uchi: Wrist strike
Nukite uchi: Spear hand strike
Shuto uchi: Knife-edge hand strike
Sokuto uchi: Knife-edge foot strike
Teisho uchi:
Palm heel strike
(sometimes called shotei uchi)
​Tetsui uchi: Bottom fist strike
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Kicking (Geri)
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Mae geri: Front kick
Mawashi geri: Roundhouse kick
Yoko geri: Side kick
Ushiro geri: Back kick
Hiza geri: Knee kick
Kensetsu geri: Stamping kick, joint kick
Mae ashi geri: Front leg kick
Tobi geri: Jumping kick
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Stances (Dachi)
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Benzoku dachi:
One foot crossed over diagonally
in front of the other, prior to turning
​Hachiji dachi:
Natural stance
Han zenkutsu dachi: forward stance
Heiko dachi: Parallel stance
Heisoku dachi:
Formal attention stance, feet together
Kokutsu dachi: Back stance
Musubi dachi:
Formal attention stance, feet turned out
Neko ashi dachi: Cat stance
Reinoji dachi: tick stance
Sagiashi dachi: Crane leg stance
Sanchin dachi:
Hour glass stance
Sesan dachi:
Side facing straddle stance
Shiko dachi: Box stance
Zenkutsu dachi:
Forward leg stance
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General Terms
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Ashi barai: Foot sweep
Budo: Martial Way; Martial arts
Bunkai: Study of kata applications and techniques
Chudan: Middle level
Dan: Level
Do: Way; Path
Dojo: Training place
Dojo kun: Dojo rules
Gasshuku: Karate training camp
Gedan: Lower level
Geri: KIck
Gi: Dojo uniform (Do-gi)
Go: Hard, unyielding
Go kumite: Hard sparring
Goju-Ryu Karate Do: Hard/Soft style, empty handed way
Hai: Yes
Hajime: Begin
Hara: Stomach
Heishugata: ‘Closed Fist’ kata (Sanchin and Tensho)
Hidari: Left
Hiji: Elbow
Hiza: Knee
Hojo undo: Supplementary exercises
Honbu dojo: Head dojo of an organisation
Ippon kumite: One step (prearranged) sparring
Jodan: Upper level
Ju: Soft, flexible
Junbi undo: Warm up exercises
Kaishugata: ‘Open fist’ kata (Gekisai, Saifa, etc.)
Kakie: Push hands
Kamae: Combative posture
Kamae te: Assume stance
Kanji: Chinese characters
Karate: Empty hand
Karate-do: The way of karate
Kata: Forms
Keage: Snap action
Ken: Fist
Ki o tsuke: Attention (phonetically ‘kee-ut-ski’)
Kiai: Focusing shout
Kihon: Basic techniques
Kokomi: Thrust action
Koshi: Ball of the foot (or Josokutei)
Kumite: Sparring
Mae: Front
Mawatte: Turn around
Migi: Right
Mokuso:
Silent contemplation, meditation
Muchimi: Heavy, sticky action
Obi: Training uniform belt
Oyo bunkai: Study of techniques in kata (similar to Bunkai but including follow-up techniques not shown in kata)
Otagai: Training partner
Randori: Free sparring, relaxed sparring (sometimes called jiyu kumite)
​Rei: Bow
Sandan gi: Three level sparring
Seiken: Fore fist
Seiza: Formal sitting position (kneeling on your haunches, feet crossed)
​Semete: Attacking partner
Shime: Sanchin testing
Shomen: The front
Shugo: LIne up
Soto: Outwards
Suri ashi: Sliding step
Tai: Body
Tai sabaki: Moving the body to avoid contact
Tanden: The body´s power centre
Te: Hand
Tsuki: Punch
Uchi: Strike
Ude: Forearm
Ude tanren: Forearm conditioning
Uke: Block
Uke harai: Blocking exercises
Uraken: Back fist
Ushiro: Back, rear
Wakari masu ka?: Do you understand?
Wakari masu: I understand
Wakari masen: I don't understand
Waza: Techniques
Yakusoku kumite: Pre-arranged sparring
Yame: Stop
Yoi: Ready
Yoko: Side
Zanshin: Awareness
GKI Syllabus - Yakusoku Kumite (prearranged sparring)
Semete - Attack
Ukete- Defence
9th Kyu (YELLOW)
Semete Migi jodan oi-zuki
Ukete Migi jodan hiki-uke, shuto-uchi, ashi barai
Semete Migi chudan oi-zuki
Ukete Migi chudan yoko-uke, gedan-zuki, shuto-uchi and ashi barai together, take down and kakato
fumi komi-geri (stamping heel kick)
Semete Migi chudan oi-zuki
Ukete Morote hiki-uke catching shoulder, ashi barai and pull down, kakato fumi komi-geri
Semete Migi jodan oi-zuki
Ukete Hidari jodan age-uke (zen kutsu-dachi), jodan gyaku-zuki, step forward 45 degrees (zenpo
naname) in shiko-dachi, left blocking arm pull down, right hari-uke to sweep leg. After take
down, knee push hip and punch.
Semete Migi chudan oi-zuki
Ukete Migi shuto-uke, hidari shuto-uchi and ashi barai together, take down and kakato fumi komi-geri
7th Kyu (GREEN)
Semete Migi jodan oi-zuki
Ukete Jodan age-uke, step forward into shiko dachi, kinteki-uchi (catch attacker’s front leg with
forward foot) and throw, fumi komi-geri
Semete Jodan oi-zuki
Ukete Jodan age-uke, kinteki-uchi, pick up onto shoulder, pull down and lift up simultaneously
Semete Migi jodan oi-zuki
Ukete Hidari jodan age-uke, step forward into shiko-dachi, gedan nukite-zuki, blocking arm attack
throat, front leg catch behind attacker’s knee and throw (scissors action)
Semete Morote throat grab ​
Ukete Step back before grip, morote age-uke, step in, attack with head butt to gedan, simultaneously
pull up and back, catching behind attacker’s knees, fumi komi-geri
8th Kyu (ORANGE)
Semete Migi jodan oi-zuki
Ukete Drop down and forward to catch leg at heel and knee, take down and fumi komo-geri.
Semete Head butt to solar plexus
Ukete Left arm under semete’s right arm and right arm press against neck. Throw using attacker’s
forward motion with taisabaki into shiko dachi. Finish with punch or kick.
Semete Chudan oi-zuki, chudan gyaku-zuki renzoku
Ukete Morote shotei-uke, morote shotei-uchi against collar bone (vital area) pushing away with
shotei-zuki to shoulders
Semete Migi chudan oi-zuki
Ukete Hidari shotei yoko-uke, migi haito-uchi (ridge hand), migi gedan sokuto-geri to knee. Finish
with fumi komi-geri, grip tight at shoulder and pull down firmly as you strike with sokuto geri.
Semete Chudan mae-geri
Ukete Gedan barai, haito-uchi
6th Kyu (BLUE)
Semete Jodan oi-zuki
Ukete Morote hiki-uke, ude osea (shisochin kata elbow lock and throw technique - inside or outside)
Semete Chudan mae-geri
Ukete Gedan barai, scoop leg, chudan shotei-oshi (push backwards), lock supporting leg with foot
Semete Chudan mae-geri
Ukete Hasami-uke (left hand outside, right hand inside trap, as Sanseru), kick to point behind groin,
insert foot between legs, lift knee onto attacker’s leg and force downwards to throw
Semete Mawashi-geri
Ukete Jodan juji-uke, right hand pushing against attacker’s right arm, hook right leg behind
supporting leg and throw, fumi komi-geri
5th Kyu (PURPLE)
Semete Kizami-zuki
Ukete Hidari yoko shotei (palm or wrist), migi shotei-zuki, move forward quickly, press body to
attacker’s body, catch behind left knee and pull up and back, push down simultaneously
(using body weight) with right hand to throw
Semete Migi jodan furi-zuki
Ukete Hidari jodan yoko-uke, migi palm strike to ear, left hand catch wrist, supporting attacker’s
weight over hips and throw
Semete Jodan oi-zuki
Ukete Jodan age-uke, kinteki-uchi, koshi nage (hip throw)
Semete Jodan oi-zuki, or two-handed choke attack
Ukete Tomoe nage, jodan morote-uke, catch attacker, fall backwards and throw with foot in stomach.
For punch: age-uke, catch and throw
4th Kyu (PURPLE & 1 STRIPE)
Semete Chudan mae-geri
Ukete Gedan sukui-uke, ashi barai, throw and nukite-zuki
Semete Jodan mawashi-geri
Ukete Soto yoko juji-uke, grip behind neck, hiza geri, throw in spiral motion, boshi ken (thumb gouge)
to eyes
Semete Chudan yoko-geri
Ukete Yoko juji-uke, step behind, catch chin and hair, kick back of knee and pull down
3rd Kyu (BROWN)
Semete Chudan oi-zuki
Ukete Tai-sabaki, pivot to side, block with wrist and catch in scissors motion, step across, twist body
and wrist and throw
Semete Pushing or gripping lapels
Ukete Grip fingers, pull back against joint, hiza geri or hiji ate
SemeteJodan oi-zuki
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Ukete Jodan morote hiki-uke, jodan shotei-zuki, throw
Semete Jodan oi-zuki
UketeJodan morote hiki-uke, hiza-geri, otoshi hiji-ate
2nd Kyu (BROWN + 1 STRIPE)
Semete Jodan oi-zuki
Ukete Jodan morote hiki-uke, catch wrist and elbow, lock arm, throw backwards
Semete Jodan oi-zuki
Ukete Jodan morote hiki-uke, catch chin and back of head, twist and throw backwards
Semete Chudan oi-zuki
Ukete Hiki-uke, shuto-uchi and throw, ne-waza (ground techniques) and elbow lock
Semete Chudan oi-zuki, jodan gyaku-zuki
Ukete Chudan hiki-uke catch, jodan hiki-uke, turn hands and simultaneously turn body to lock arms
against joint
1st Kyu (BROWN + 2 STRIPES)
SemeteJ odan oi-zuki
Ukete Morote jodan hiki-uke, combination elbow lock then wrist throw
Semete Chudan oi-zuki
Ukete Morote hiki-uke, attacker pulls elbow in to body, reverse lock, elbow to face and throw
Semete Grip lapel with one hand
Ukete Palms strike ears, grip fingers (or wrist) and bend back, simultaneously turn and move
backwards to throw opponent
Semete Grip lapel with two hands
Ukete Morote age-uke, grip fingers of one hand and throw forwards. If attacker has secured grip,
nukite first to eyes, then age-uke.