Month: June 2011

What exactly IS Wado-Kai?

/ moosemountainkarate

Have you ever wondered just exactly what it is you are studying in our dojo?

Here’s an answer from the Shintani Wado-Kai Karate Federation web site:

Wado Kai Karate

Wado Kai Karate is a Japanese Karate style founded in 1939 by Hironori Otsuka. It is an amalgamation of Funakoshi’s Shotokan Karate, jujutsu and kempo. Wado Kai, means the ‘Way of Peace & Harmony”. It is one of the four major styles of Karate in Japan and remains one of the purest form of Karate-do.

Similar to most other Karate styles, Wado Kai includes

  1. Basic techniques (waza), which include punching, kicking, blocking, open and closed hand strikes, and study of grappling and joint-twisting maneuvers.
  2. Kata (sequences of techniques done against imagined attackers).
  3. Kumite (prearranged and free-style sparring) are equally emphasized training foundations. Equally fundamental to Wado is taisabaki, bodyshifting to avoid the full brunt of an attack, this techinique was derived from Japanese swordsmanship.

There are many other facets to Wado Kai Karate that make it a unique and valuable interpretation of Karate-do.

In Wado Kai Karate, as skill and knowledge are acquired through training and concentrated effort, the student is expected to develop inner strength and calmness of character, in addition to the virtues of self-control, respect for others, and humility.

Keep Working!

/ moosemountainkarate

Well, we just had our first Tuesday without a regular karate class. What a strange feeling not to be grabbing the gi bag and heading out to the dojo.

But don’t feel like you HAVE to stop working out just because the regular classes are over. Keep your Tuesdays open and use the time to go through some basics like dachi, uke, tsuki, and geri. Then finish up by going through all the kata that you know. Can’t remember what all that Japanese means? Just go check out the “Dictionary” page of our main web site http://www.moosemountainkarate.com

Run your own workout like the classes at the dojo. You’ll feel better by staying in shape and be that much more ready when next season starts!

Want a really nice feeling? Do all of this in your back yard, barefoot in the grass! So long as your backyard isn’t flooded with water, that is!! Although that would add some good resistance training!