DOJO ETIQUETTE
TRAINING SESSION OPENING CEREMONY
​
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
​
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.
​​
​​
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
​
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)
​
Obi : Belt
Uwagi :Top half of Gi
Zubon :Bottom half of Gi
​
Training Equipment
​
Chi ishi: Lever weighted stone
Ishi sashi: Stone padlocks
Kongo ken : Iron ring
Makiwara : Striking board
Nigiri game : Gripping jars
Tan : Barbells
​
Numbers
​
Ichi: One
Ni: Two
San: Three
Shi: Four
Go: Five
Roku: Six
Shichi: Seven
Hachi: Eight
Ku: Nine
Ju: Ten
​
Black Belt Grades
​
Shodan: 1st Dan
Nidan: 2nd Dan
Sandan: 3rd Dan
Yondan: 4th Dan
Godan: 5th Dan
Rokudan: 6th Dan
Nanadan: 7th Dan
Hachidan: 8th Dan
​
Sparring (Kumite)
​
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
​
Parts of the body (Tai)
​
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)
​
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
​
Blocks(Uke)
​
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'
​
Strikes (Uchi)
​
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
​
Kicking (Geri)
​
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
​
​
Stances (Dachi)
​
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
​
General Terms
​
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
KAISHUGATA (OPEN FIST KATAS)
SANSERU KATA
"36 Hands"
SANSERU BUNKAI
BUNKAI #1 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi, chudan oi tsuki.
UKETE: Slide to the outside chudan yoko uki . Immediately, with the same hand deliver jodan zuki (without withdrawing the hand)
SEMETE: Jodan zuki with other arm
UKETE: Block the SEMETE attack with the feeling of pulling the arm back towards the body in a small but powerful motion. Have the feeling of sticking to SEMETE punching arm. Push SEMETE away
NOTE: Alternative bunkai demonstrated above.
BUNKAI #3 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi, attack mae geri
UKETE: Block the kick in a thrusting motion with the same hand as SEMETE kick (inside of SEMETE) Make contact to the inside of the knee and twist the knee cap (CAUTION REQUIRED).At the same time , block with the other hand to the outside of SEMETE leg and catch at the angle.
Step with the rear leg then slide in with the front leg to mae geri gedan to the groin. After the kick, quickly insert the kicking foot deep in between SEMETE legs. With the inside of the kicking leg, forcefully push down onto SEMETE knee and twist the knee in to throw SEMETE. Immediately deliver stamping kick to opponents groin.
BUNKAI #5 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi, attack gedan mae geri
UKETE: Before SEMETE leg is fully extended, block down with ryo ken gedan kosa uke (two fist downward cross block) in Shico dachi . As the block is delivered, drop the hips down to add power to the block. Push SEMETE away
BUNKAI #7 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi, jodan oi tsuki.
UKETE: Block with ko uke (wrist block) in haeko sanchin
SEMETE: Attack Chudan gyaju zuki with the other arm
UKETE: Block with the other arm ko uke (block the punch to the outside). After performing both blocks, immediately strike with both open hands (in a scissor action) to vital areas on SEMETE sides. Hook SEMETE front leg and shotei osae . Finish in shico dachi
BUNKAI #2 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi, grab UKETE wrist
UKETE: Pull forearm towards the body twisting it inwards. Keep the elbow in and bring the arm up. Continuing the movement, twist the forearm outwards (open hand) to loosen SEMETE grip. Tighten the fingers into a fist and in a powerful sweeping motion use the other hand to open palm break free sliding down the inside of the arm. Turn the body if required. Finish with with Jodan zuki
BUNKAI #4 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi, chudan oi tsuki.
UKETE: Step back in haeko sanchin dachi and block chudan uke. With rear leg attack gedan mae geri
SEMETE: Slide back and block kick with gedan kaisho uke. Immediately attack chudan oi zuki
UKETE: Slide forward into zen kutsu dachi blocking SEMETE punching arm with hiji ate (rising elbow strike). Ensure the movement is directed towards SEMETE body and in line with UKETE front leg , not across SEMETE body. This movement will deflect SEMETE attack. Simultaneously attack chudan Gyaku zuki to the solar plexus keeping the hip back. Slide to the outside of SEMETE and attack gedan sokuto geri (downward stamp kick) from the side ; attack to SEMETE knee
BUNKAI #6 (CLICK FOR GLOSSARY)
SEMETE: Step forward from zenkutsu dachi, jodan oi tsuki.
UKETE: Block same arm as SEMETE attack with kaisho age uke (open hand rising block) turning the body slightly.
SEMETE: Chudan Mae geri (opposite side to zuki)
UKETE: Block the kick with shotei gedan harai uke (downward palm heel sweeping block). Immediately scoop the leg upwards and continue by pulling down the first blocking arm. Step in close . With the front leg, trap SMETE supporting leg (hooking behind the heel ) then quickly lift upwards with the arm holding SEMETE leg and simultaneously pull downwards with the arm holding SEMETE arm (hands move in a circular motion) into shico dachi. Finish by delivering a double punch to throw the opponent and drive the rear leg forward.
BUNKAI #1 - #7
​
All 7 Bunkai from kata Sanseru
​