Third Kyū – Purple Belt with One Black Stripe

jutsu

術

the means

Karate Jutsu

Karate jutsu is karate as an assemblage of fighting techniques. More accurately, karate jutsu is the means to end a fight by disabling the opponent so that he or she is unwilling or unable to continue the fight.

In the early days karate was a necessary means of self-protection in a dangerous world. The techniques were intended to do extreme violence to the opponent, possibly resulting in death.  From our Kōburyū history, we know that Uechi Kanbun travelled to China and studied a form of chuan’fa called Pangainoon. After years of intense training, he was granted a license to teach Pangainoon in China, Unfortunately, one of his students accidentally killed a man using Pangainoon techniques taught to him by Uechi Kanbun. Disgraced as a teacher, Uechi Kanbun left China vowing never to teach Pangainoon again.

After many years of honoring his vow he was induced to teach again. Working in Wakayama, Japan, his fellow Okinawans were being harassed by Japanese thugs. Uechi Kanbun began to teach a select few self-defense. Eventually this led to Uechi Kanbun opening a dōjō called the Pangainoon Ryū Karate Jutsu Kenkyūsho. Early karate training was very harsh to prepare physically for potentially life and death fighting situations.

While karate has been made safer, always keep in mind that the fighting techniques that you learn in karate class have the potential to do harm.

dō

道

the way

Karate Dō

The dō added to karate emphasizes that karate is a means of both physical and mental development. While karatedō retains the aspect of practical self-defense, it is also a means to polish yourself through self-discipline, rigorous training and your own creative efforts.

In another effort to win acceptance for karate by the Japanese government Funakoshi Gichin promoted karate as a form of physical fitness to be taught in the schools of Japan. To further this goal, Funakoshi Gichin introduced curriculum, testing, uniforms and belts. By 1926, through Funakoshi Gichin’s efforts, karate was being taught in the schools of Japan. However, far from uniting Okinawan karate, Funakoshi Gichin managed to create yet another style: Shōtōkan. Even today, karate is divided into purely Okinawan styles (like Uechi Ryū and Shorin Ryū), and styles that are accepted as Japanese (like Shōtōkan and Wadō Ryu). Gōjū Ryū has both Okinawan and Japanese varieties.

Nagamine Shōshin, Sōke Kaichō Kinjō’s first karate teacher, said: “Karate may be considered as the conflict within oneself or as a life-long marathon which can be won only through self-discipline, hard training and one’s own creative efforts.” Sōke Kaichō Kinjō himself says the ultimate goal of karatedō is to polish yourself, toattain harmony in spirit, body and technique.  Karate is more than a means of physical improvement and self-defense. Karatedō Shōshin Nagamine said: “Karate may be considered as the conflict within oneself or as a life-long marathon which can be won only through self-discipline, hard training and one’s own creative efforts.”^[14]

from karate-dō, karate as a way of life. 

These days we study karate for many reasons, not just to hone our self-defense skills. 

fumikomu	踏み込む	to step in to crowd into
funbaru	踏ん張る	brace one’s legs
taisabaki	体捌き	defensive body movement

Sōke Kaichō Kinjō’s stated strategy to win a fight is to attack until the opponent is down and then deliver a finishing blow to a vital point. You must know where the vital points are and you must be able to hit the vital point with enough force to do damage. Both accuracy and precision are essential when it comes to the targeting the vital points of the human body. It comes down to whether you can hit a particular tiny target every time.

Accuracy

Accuracy is how close a given set of points are to their true value. How close is close enough to be called accurate? It depends on the situation. Within a couple of inches is great for target practice with a bow and arrow but not so great if you are relying on a surgeon to target your tumor with a laser.

Precision

Precision is how close a given set of points are to each other. Without accuracy, you can be very precisely wrong over and over again!

Funakoshi’s Second Principle forbids a karate-ka to start a fight or to fight when a fight can be avoided. While there is no first attack in karate, the first attack can be a verbal assault if the attacker makes it clear that he or she will settle for nothing less than a fight. The trick is to know when a fight is inevitable.

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There is no first attack in karate.

Funakoshi’s Twenty precepts
#2

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Seizing the Initiative

go	後	after
sen	先	before first move
go no sen	後の先	late initiative
sen no sen	先の先	early initiative
sen sen no sen	先先の先	early, early initiative

In classic martial arts texts there is said to be exactly three methods to forestall the enemy’s attack and take the initiative. In more modern terms, our goal is to ward off the attack and take the upper hand in a fight. These are classic martial arts terms, but they are just as applicable to the playground.

1. Go no sen
2. Sen no sen
3. Sen sen no sen

Stated in the language of the playground:

The Goal

The goal is the desired result of a person’s effort. To achieve a goal we first must be able to clearly express the goal. Then we can work out a plan to achieve our goal.

1. Doctrine
   A set of generalized beliefs or assumptions from which strategies can be devised.
2. Strategy
   The overall planning and conduct of an operation. The operation can be a political reelection campaign, the opening of a new restaurant, staging a coup d’état, or for winning a combat.
3. Tactics
   The specific techniques or maneuvers necessary to carry out the strategy.

Examples

In both karate and kobudō the goal is to avoid a fight if at all possible but if a fight is inevitable, not to lose the fight. That does not mean you necessarily have to win the fight. A draw, where both combatants walk away, can be thought of as a win win situation. Neither combatant has lost, where to lose means to be damaged beyond the ability to continue.

A Karate Example

Doctrine: In a fight, the opponent with a weapon or with the longest weapon has the advantage.

Strategy: The opponent’s weapons are his fists, elbows, knees and feet. You must make it impossible for the opponent to use his weapons against you while delivering the strongest possible response. Once you have taken control, attack until the opponent is down and then deliver a finishing blow to a vital point.

Possible Tactics:

• Step outside the line of the attack to make it difficult for the opponent to effectively use his hands or feet you can . This is the safest place to be.
  • Grab the opponent’s arm or clothing for control.
    • The opponent can no longer launch an effective punch or kick
    • The opponent can not move away from you.
    • You have time for a full hikite for the strongest possible counterattack.
    • By making the opponent stationary, all of the power of your counterattack will be delivered.
• In you choose to stay inside the line of the attack
  • Defuse the attack as soon as it is launched by moving in to block.
  • Know that an attack from the opposite side will be coming and and use that knowledge to seize the initiative.
  • Simultaneously block and attack.
• Use the strength of the legs to add power to your techniques.
  • Fumikomi to add leg strength to your arm techniques.
  • Funbaru to root yourself when delivering a powerful attack.
  • Bane, spring-like movements to

A Kobudō Example

Doctrine: In a fight, the opponent with a weapon or with the longest weapon has the advantage.

Strategy: Since the opponent with a weapon has the advantage, you must render the opponent’s weapon or weapons unusable. Know the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent’s weapon and use that knowledge to your advantage.

Possible Tactics:

harau	払う	to clear away

• Defuse the attack as soon as it is launched by moving in to block.
• If you are the weaker opponent, use tenshin to add leg strength to your arm techniques.
• Control the opponent by forcibly thrusting aside the opponent’s weapon.
• If possible, break the opponent’s weapon or damage his weapon-wielding hand.
• Block in such a way that you know where the opponent’s next attack must come and use that knowledge to seize the initiative.