Ninth Kyū – Orange Belt

 Kihon Zuki Dachi

When you are given the command to begin Kihon Zuki you should step out with your left foot into a stance about twice shoulder width.

Sanchin Dachi

Stances Beginning and Ending Kata

When you are called to attention you should stand with your heels together and your toes angled out.

When you are given the command to prepare (Yōi!) you should step to about shoulder width with your left foot. Both feet should be parallel with each other when you complete the step. This is also the stance to return to when you finish the exercise or kata. Be sure to step back with your left foot, too.

Now is the time to begin putting moves together into combinations of block and counterattack.  Visualize your opponent as you perform the combinations of your new kata, Kanshiwa.

To help you visualize the attacks of the imaginary opponent of Kanshiwa and how to respond to the attacks the instructor will demonstrate with a partner. This is called bunkai. For some students it is better to try it themselves. To prevent injuries, wait for the instructor to supervise.

Self-defense is using physical force to defend yourself against an attacker. Many students begin practicing karate to learn self-defense, but how is self-defense different from karate? Sōke Kaichō Kinjō has said that there is no such thing as self-defense. There is only karate. However, at this point in your karate training you probably do not know karate techniques well enough to defend yourself against a determined attacker.

There are self-defense techniques that have been designed to be simple enough that they can be used effectively by an inexperience defender, even those who have no karate training at all. You might be tempted to take a self-defense class, but be wary: many self-defense classes teach techniques that do not work at all or take more training than the class time allows. Ask you karate instructor to give you some pointers.

The Three A’s of Assault Prevention

Even before you take your first karate lesson you can begin to practice the three As of assault prevention.

Fierro, Marilyn: V ictor or Victim, BuGeiSha – Traditional Martial Artist, Issue 5, 1998, p. 11-12

In Sōke Kaichō Kinjō’s experience, the immensely talented student often does not last long in the martial arts. With the ability to easily handle whatever is thrown at him or her, such a student can become complacent with their innate skill level and not make the effort to improve.

The average person, though clumsy at first, who devotes themselves with determination will grow – maybe slowly but definitely surely. 

The Tortoise and the Hare

There once was a speedy hare who bragged about how fast he could run. Tired of hearing him boast, Slow and Steady, the tortoise, challenged him to a race. All the animals in the forest gathered to watch. Hare ran down the road for a while and then and paused to rest. He looked back at Slow and Steady and cried out, “How do you expect to win this race when you are walking along at your slow, slow pace?” Hare stretched himself out alongside the road and fell asleep, thinking, “There is plenty of time to relax.” Slow and Steady walked and walked. He never, ever stopped until he came to the finish line. The animals who were watching cheered so loudly for Tortoise, they woke up Hare. Hare stretched and yawned and began to run again, but it was too late. Tortoise was over the line. After that, Hare always reminded himself, “Don’t brag about your lightning pace, for Slow and Steady won the race!”

An Aesop Fable

Working With a Partner

When performing a formal exercise with a partner you should first bow to the front of the dōjō and then bow to each other. The steps are summarized below. In a less formal exercise you can skip bowing to the front of the dōjō at the beginning and end of the exercise.

Don’t worry. You will hear these commands often and will quickly learn how to respond. In the meantime, just follow along.

Saying Thank You

More Useful Japanese Phrases

There are many Japanese phrases used in karate class.  Already you may know and understand more than these few, but these are required for 9^th kyū.  Most are commands that you hear over and over again in class.

Names of Body Parts in Japanese

If you are in the kid’’s class (and even if you’re not), you may learn a song to help you remember the Japanese names for parts of the body.  The first stanza of the song includes the following body parts: