Although there are plenty of martial arts in the world, each tries their best to give the person’s knowledge about the body and mind to help them get better at the sport.
Shotokan Karate is a type of karate that comes from the Japanese martial arts. The true origin of this martial art dates back to 1800. Shotokan Karate was founded by Japanese martial arts master Gichin Funakoshi, who was born in the year 1868 in Okinawa.
The father of Shotokan Karate had this to say martial art –
“The ultimate aim of the art of karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participant.”
”One whose spirit and mental strength have been strengthened by sparring with a never-say-die attitude should find no challenge too great to handle. One who has undergone long years of physical pain and mental agony to learn one punch, one kick, should be able to face any task, no matter how difficult, and carry it through to the end. A person like this can truly be said to have learned karate.”
Shotokan Karate has its side on self-defense along with the road of philosophical concepts. Since the date of its creation, it has garnered the attention of plenty of people to learn the deeper moves of Shotokan Karate and use them effectively for self-defense.
Now Shotokan Karate has become a more popular variation of martial arts, compared to others it is one the most powerful martial arts that relies on the Japanese system.
Shotokanshotokan Karate is considered to own one of the most comprehensive techniques.
To know the real details of Shotokan Karate, we will have to look at the origin of the art.
History of Shotokan Karate
The origin of the Shotokan Karate takes us to the country of Japan. Martial arts of various types existed in China and Japan long before Shotokan Karate.
Compared to the martial arts of today, Shotokan Karate is one of the old but there were certain types of martial arts that date back to older years than the origin year of Shotokan Karate.
In that era, there was plenty of trouble brewing in japan. In 1800, the rise of Buddhism made people look at different ways to deal with problems than using weapons.
At that time, weapons were prohibited by the leadership of Japan.
Here people had to resort to different types of techniques for self-defense instead of using any weapons. This is where martial arts forms such as Karate grew at a faster rate. In the era of the weapon-free world, people took an interest in karate to learn about weaponless methods for self self-defense; weaponless martial arts were prohibited for a limited time.
People who wanted to learn martial arts had to do it alone without catching the eye of a stranger. This is the environment Gichin Funakoshi had to deal with when he created Shotokan Karate.
People who are interested in Shotokan Karate had to learn about them in a hard way since this era wasn’t too kind on the martial arts. Here, Gichin Funakoshi began its starting year in martial arts.
The ban on weapons got lifted back in 1902. After the banning, new steps were taken to ensure small children in school knew about martial arts instead of hiding themes from the public.
Suddenly after lifting the ban, Japan saw the implementation of Shotokan Shotokan Karate in their physical education program. Here Gichin Funakoshi created a dojo, which in Japanese translates to place of the way, To name his variation of martial arts Ginchin chose the title Shoto from his pen name, which in the Japanese translation of Pine waves, then the word Kan added to the Shoto.
Which means House. This made the Shotokan more popular in that time period. Students who showed interest in martial arts, all took Shotokan for their preferred way of self-defense.
Quickly Shotokan spread all around the world, Funakoshi created Shotokan in the year 1948.
Now more dojos are spread all through the world, and more to open in different countries. Master Funakoshi’s teachings are now embedded in the Shotokan karate.
The characteristics of Shotokan Karate
Before we take a deep analysis of Shotokan, we have to look at the major Karate exercise of Shotokan.
Learning about these will help you understand the deeper meaning behind this karate technique.
In a typical Shotokan class, you will go through three major types of exercise. The different characteristics serve as the basic foundation of the Shotokan for the students to learn and make their position solid in the karate world.
All of them are different from each other, and they enable powerful movements, long stances, leg strengthening, and more to enhance the overall Shotokan training.
The three techniques that serve as bed and butter for karate are Kihon, Kata, and Kumite.
- Kihon refers to the basics of Shotokan,
- Kata is made of a pattern of moves,
- Kumite is the sparring section.
Each one will help push the student to get better at karate.
The techniques become more important if you take a look at the philosophical aspect of the Shotokan. The value or the principle of these techniques is meant to serve as pillars for the student to learn more about life through the ways of karate.
Here is the in-depth information on the techniques that will help the student to become a master at Shotokan.
● Kihon
Here the students will learn about the basic principles of Karate. That includes stance, posture, coordinated body movement, and concentration without any distraction.
Kihon is considered as the foundation block for shotokan karate, if the basic is strong, then the student will be able to grasp the complicated advanced moves of Shotokan karate.
When it comes to the stages of Shotokan karate, Kihon is considered the first step of the line. Every student is interested in learning the deep methods of Shotokan and its philosophical aspect of karate.
The basic foundation is how a student will know the ABC of the Shotokan. The posture, stance, body movement, the basic skills that are required to learn everything about Shotokan.
● Kata
Kata refers to a pre-arranged sequence of techniques and movements that creates an imaginary environment filled with multiple opponents.
Simulating multiple opponents will help train the brain on rational thinking. This is where your body will adopt defense techniques and attack patterns.
Kata is performed solo or in teams, this is the best way to practice various combinations of attacks, techniques, breathing control, the rhythm of your style.
Kata remains in each level of karate, the sole purpose of kata is to train the student mentally and physically.
Mental and physical power is required for the students to handle the next stage of karate.
Advanced levels will demand high mental and physical power to adapt the body to new movements.
Kata provides a great platform for the students to create certain scenarios to practice their lessons without any limitation on their preferred style.
●Kumite
Each level of karate has its prescribed method of sparring. This is where the student learns about body control under extreme conditions.
Kumite is part of each level of training in karate, from the three-step sparring of basics to formal five.
In free sparring, all the participants will react to the movies, and they will react with attacks, blocks with strategy and planning.
All the abilities will be tasted, sparring has different techniques compared to a real-life fight.
In a sparring match, body contact is not allowed, this requires the person to have proper body control and discipline to know what they are doing.
These are the basic types of exercise of Shotokan karate.
All of them will be involved in the training, each level of Shotokan training will require the person to know the basic principles to adapt more to the advanced level.
A higher level requires the person to know more about the basic foundation, as the advanced level course will have different techniques and moves that elevate the basic foundation.
The philosophical way of Shotokan Karate
Shotokan martial arts covers the art of self-defense and the philosophical value of a life that is hard to grasp without guidance.
Master Okazaki of the International Shotokan Karate Federation of ISKF had this to say about the philosophical value of Shotokan –
”The very essence of karate, the main purpose of training – is all about improving ourselves. We must always work hard at this. When we take responsibility to become persons of good character and integrity, we will be doing our part to make the world a better place, which in turn can help bring peace to the world.”
Now let’s get into the philosophical side of Shotokan karate.
As the previous master has laid out plenty of ways for the students to learn more about themselves than karate.
There is plenty of information related to Shotokan, and all of them have very helpful full detailed information about life and how to live it properly.
The way of Balance
One of the basic techniques of Shotokan is Kihon.
Different individuals will have their own form of kata, the basic technique will not be the same on every single human being.
The constant reputation of the new techniques will allow your body to move effortlessly and naturally without trying hard.
The balance of Kata, Kihon, and Kumite will give the student a proper balance in life.
As they will be working together to bring proper experience to the student.
When the kata is different for each person, working on a Kumite will make the individual kata better for people.
Setting up the right mind
Karate is seen as more than just a game of points or weight class or fancy moves.
They are more to do with the way of life to many. It teaches people to take a nonviolent approach to problems rather than heading straight with a blurry mind.
The real value of karate teaches people to avoid conflict and master the art of a single blow to take down an opponent.
To pull off a one-blow shot requires the person to have strength, speed, and focus. All of this will be handled by control. True karate teaches us to combine the body with mind and spirit.
The practice of Karate serves as a vehicle that pushes your future into the world of new.
The training is meant for the person to develop the mind and have proper control over the actions.
The most important aspect of it is the controls. At first, any actions will have not a single thought behind them. The body needs to know when to be still and have the proper mind
The basic principle here comes very helpfully, Kihon, Kumite, and kata to learn various teachings about the Shotokan.
People use Kihon, Kumite, and kata to gain control over the body and actions too.
It is rather essential for the body to remember when to move and when to stand still without moving a finger.
This requires the unity of mind and body.
This combination can be extremely powerful, the power of wholeness will raise the strength and skill of the body.
That is why many masters see true karate as a natural part of life.
Everything included in karate is a natural way of life without any addition. Every action of karate should happen effortlessly.
True peace can only happen if the body and mind are at the same place. This is the core of Karate, it is not about showing off fancy techniques, the control of the mind is more important than anything else. The basic principle helps the person to achieve it faster.
The way of samurai
Bushido is one of the most popular samurai codes of conduct in Japan.
It has been around for centuries, based on the teaching of zen, it was meant to help samurai masters to learn about the universe and mind through experience.
It was meant to develop strength, wisdom, and self-control over the actions committed by the body.
The proper control of mind and body is important in every form of activity.
The principles of Bushido helped samurai to learn the real value of life.
It is based on seven different principles –
7 Principles of Bushido
- Seigi: The right decision and rectitude
- Yuki: Bravery and heroism
- Jin: Compassion and benevolence to all
- Reigi: Courtesy and right action
- Makoto: Truthfulness and utter sincerity
- Meiyo: Honor and glory
- Chugi: Devotion and loyalty
20 Precepts of Karate Funakoshi Gichin
The master Funakoshi Gichin wrote twenty precepts of karate. These precepts work as a good foundation of the art of Shotokan.
- Never forget: karate begins with rei and ends with rei (Rei refers to courtesy or respect)
- There is no first attack in karate. (As it teaches people to take a nonviolent approach to every situation before throwing the fist)
- Karate supports righteousness (A true combination of body and mind will help the person to see the right path before getting themselves involved)
- First, understand yourself, then understand others. (The real value must be learned about yourself first before anyone else.)
- The art of developing the mind is more important than the art of applying the technique. (Emphasis paid to mind will help you control more of your body and how every action should be committed in the workplace.)
- The mind needs to be freed. (Restrictive mind will bring down any man in the world, a controlled mind will help the person to think better and ahead of everybody else)
- Trouble is born of negligence. (It can be cured through proper discipline in life)
- Do not think karate belongs only in the dojo (It can be everywhere, as long as your mind is as open as your fist)
- Karate training requires a lifetime (Lesson is never finished, people spend their entire lives learning deeper into the message of karate)
- Transform everything into karate; therein lies its exquisiteness (Applying the same principle on everywhere is how you will work karate in every part of your life)
- Genuine karate is like hot water; it cools down if you do not keep on heating it. (More time spend in learning the deeper meaning of karate, the more you will stay enthusiastic about the virtues of real karate)
- Do not think of winning; you must think of not losing (Having the right mind is necessary, so you will make the correct decision when the time comes)
- Transform yourself according to the opponent (Adaptability is the key to survive in life. Relying on familiarity will always sink the ship)
- The outcome of the fight depends on one’s control (The more control one have over his or her body the better the judgment they will have in a fight)
- Imagine one’s arms and legs as swords (Each limb are a weapon to use)
- Once you leave the shelter of home, there are a million enemies. (Always be aware of everybody else, making habit and instinct is how one service in the world)
- Postures are for the beginner; later they are natural positions (The basic principle is the key to make every new move adapt to the body)
- Do the kata correctly; the real fight is a different matter (Simulated combat patterns will differ from real life)
- Do not forget control of the dynamics of power, the elasticity of the body, and the speed of the technique (Control over the body is the key to achieve success in any martial art field, karate has the same requirement)
- Always be good at the application of everything that you have learned. (Staying humble is always a great belief system to follow)
These are the basic precepts written by the master.
The newcomers will have to use every one of these presents to make the journeys in the world karate better and safer.
True control over the body will help any human being to achieve the impossible.
Karate Teaching shows us that this is the case in every situation.
The combination of mind and body is what will help the person to reach a higher level in karate.
Ranking System of Shotokan Karate
Just like every martial art in the world, Karate has its own unique approach to ranking. Originally, Shotokan had three ranks
- Beginner (White belt)
- Intermediate (Brown)
- Advanced (Black Belt)
Now ranking the system has changed drastically from the original: According to ISKF, these are the ranking system Shotokan follows:
- 10th kyu – (White) – Beginner
- 9th kyu – (Yellow) – Kata: Taikyoku Shodan, Nidan, Sandan for the next level
- 8th kyu – (Orange) – Kata: Heian Shodan
- 7th kyu – (Blue) – Kata: Heian Nidan
- 6th kyu – (Green) – Kata: Heian Sandan
- 5th kyu – (Purple) – Kata: Heian Yondan
- 4th kyu – (Purple) – Kata: Heian Godan
- 3rd kyu – (Brown) – Kata: Tekki Shodan
- 2nd kyu – (Brown) – Kata: Tekki Nidan, Bassai Dai
- 1st kyu – (Brown) – Kata: Tekki Sandan, Kanku Dai
Different organizations will have belt levels with different color systems.
It will vary from one organization to another.
Dojos all around the world allow making changes to the belt system.
Each dojo will have its belt in different colors. The list above is from the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF).
The colors are different, but in general, it is the techniques and principles of philosophical ideas that push Shotokan as a better art to learn in the world.
It teaches the value in both the physical world and in the mental world of a person.
It never neglects the mind over action or vice versa. Both mind and body play a major role in the life of a Shotokan student.
Learning them is more valuable than anything in their life. Because it is the information or the balance between mind and body.
Conclusion
Shotokan is one of the oldest sports in the world. But its teaching and principle that is written by its founder are still echoes in the world of today.
All the principles of Shotokan are extremely useful in the lives that we live today.
It’s these values that are making Shotokan one of the most popular forms of martial art in the world.
Related : Is Karate Better than Wing Chun?
