MASTER TITLES AND INSTRUCTOR LEVELS OF SHITOKAI

The sho-go ( master title ) awarded by All Japan Karate Do Federation ( Shitokai ) & World Shito ryu karate do Federation ( WSKF) consist of three ranks ( titles) namely Renshi, Kyoshi & Hanshi . Apart from these 3 titles there are 3 instructor levels in Shitokai like Jokyo, Jun-Shihan & Shihan,  but these are not titles.

Shitokai Titles

Renshi ( Polished instructor ) – Awarded at 6^th Dan, Age - 35 years  and above ,holding Shihan Degree, need to submit a thesis on techniques, tactic or philosophy of Shito ryu karate. 

Kyoshi (expert teacher – asst professor ) – Awarded at 7^th  Dan and above , Age- 48 years & above, and 6 years after 7^th Dan & Renshi title, need to submit a thesis on techniques, tactic or philosophy of Shito ryu karate. 

Hanshi (Exemplary teacher -  professor )– Awarded at 8^th  Dan and above ,   Age- 58 years and above , 10 years after 8^th Dan and 10 years after Kyoshi, need to submit a thesis on techniques, tactic or philosophy of Shito ryu karate. 

Instructor levels 

In order to become a full licensed instructor ( Shihan ) one need to pass three levels – Jokyo, Jun- Shihan and Shihan.

·      Jokyo ( Assistant instructor ) – This is the first assistant instructor certificate issued in Shitokai. Minimum 3^rd Dan ( Sandan ) is required for this level.

·      Jun- Shihan (Associate instructor )– This is the second level instructor certificate issued in Shitokai. Minimum 4^th Dan ( Yondan ) is required for this level.

·    Shihan ( Master Instructor )- This is the third and final level to become a licensed instructor in Shitokai. One who pass all three levels become a certified Shihan. Minimum requirement is 5^th Dan (Yondan)

Shihan also means head of Sensei’s. For eg If you are a Sensei and your students ( also Sensei) are teaching in different places and dojo,  then you will be a Shihan to all of them.( minimum requirement for Sensei is 3^rd Dan,’Sandan’ ) 

Bassai Dai Kata ‘ To breach a fortress’

Bassai also know as Passai is an important kata of Shito ryu karate. It’s lineage is believed to be from Shuri te system and there are several variations of this kata in karate like, Tomari Bassai, Matsumura Bassai etc. It is practiced with a notion of ‘one capturing an enemy castle’. It is a dynamic kata with a varying range of techniques like kakete, ( sokuto geri ) kicking to the opponents knee and morote kentsui uchi to the ribs followed by tsuki to the solar plexus etc. It is also a mandatory kata from 1st kyu of Shito ryu syllabus. 

Fig. Segments of Bassai kata by Master Kenwa Mabuni 

Pinan Katas ( Heian )

Pinan literally means ‘peaceful mind’ is a series of five different basic forms, which can be found in many karate styles. It was created by Master Anko Itosu in 1902, by adopting some of the movements and techniques from kosukun, to make it easier for a beginner karateka to understand. Master Kenwa Mabuni (founder of Shito ryu ) was a disciple of  Master Anko Itosu, so he incorporated  five pinan katas into Shito ryu curriculum as well. Master Kenwa Mabuni also developed a set of prearranged sequences of offensive and defensive movements  by integrating five principles of defence ( uke no go gensoku) , known as ‘Yakusoku kumite of pinan kata or Hokei kumite’ to build up reaction skills needed in sparring. Out of five pinan katas, Pinan Nidan is first taught in Shito ryu styles because it is the easiest of all. 

   Fig. Shuto barai in Pinan Nidan by Master Kenwa Mabuni 

Shito ryu karate

Shito ryu is a style of karate founded by Kenwa Mabuni in 1934. It is a combination of four main karate systems namely, Shuri te, Naha te, Tomari te and Hakkaku Ken, which attempts to unite the diverse roots of karate. On the one hand, Shito ryu has the physical strength and long powerful stances of Shuri te styles, like Shorin ryu. On the other hand, Shito ryu has circular and eight directional movements, hard and soft characteristics of Naha te and Tomari te styles, such as Goju ryu and Uechi ryu karate. It also incorporates techniques of crane fist ( Hakkaku Ken ), which can be seen in its official katas like Nipaipo, Papuren, Haffa etc. Shito ryu is extremely fast, but still can be artistic and powerful. Apart from this, Shito ryu integrates the five rules of defence ( uke no go gensoku ), developed by Kenwa Mabuni  in its training curriculum. Although the style has a so many katas ( 40 to 60 katas ), it also place a strong emphasis on kumite ( sparring).These characteristics makes Shito ryu unique and could be considered as an essence of various styles of karate.

Tenshin Happo ( 8 directions of movement) in Shito Ryu

 Tenshin Happo is a basic Shito ryu karate training method of shifting the body (tai Sabaki) to apply offensive and defensive techniques in eight different directions. The eight directions are, forward ( mae ), backward ( ato), sideways to left and right (  yoko ‘hidari’ & yoko ‘migi’), forward diagonal to left and right ( hidari mae naname & migi mae naname ) and backward diagonal to left and right ( hidari ushiro naname & migi ushiro naname ) . Different types of footworks can be practiced in these 8 directions. You can refer to my previous blog on footworks to see it’s various types.

Footwork ( Ashi Sabaki ) in karate

 Topic - Ashi Sabaki ( footwork )

Footwork is a significant training part of any martial arts. Following are the type of footworks in Shito ryu karate. Footworks are usually practiced in 8 different directions ( tenshin happo). 

Types of  footwork in Karate 

a. Ayumi Ashi – Walking foot – step through 

b. Mawari Ashi – Turning 

c. Yori Ashi - Front foot moves forward first and back leg follows 

d. Tsugi Ashi – Back leg moves forward first then front leg moves forward 

e. Okuri Ashi – Similar to Yori ashi but leaping instead of sliding 

f. Surikomi Ashi – Similar to Tsugi ashi but back leg crosses front leg while moving forward 

g. Chidori Ashi – moving sideways by crossing leg eg. Naifanchi kata sideways movement 

h. Fumikae Ashi – Switching leg without moving 

i. Hiraki Ashi – change body directions by pivoting on one foot 

 

Footworks are practiced in 8 different directions ( tenshin happo ) eg. Shiho Ashi Sabaki( 4 directions) in moto dachi – using yori ashi footwork moving forward (mae), backward (ato) , to the left ( hidari) and to the right ( migi) . Other 4 directions are diagonal (45 degrees )– (mae naname left & right – ushiro naname left & right )

              

Five principles of defence in Shito Ryu karate

 Topic - Five Principles of defence In Shito Ryu ( uke no go gensoku)

 

1. Rakka

2. Ryusui

3. Teni

4. Kusshin

5. Hangeki

 

·      Rakka (Like a falling flower )

* Blocking an attack with tremendous power to literally stop the opponents attack and destroy his confidence . Eg . Gedan barai, Soto uke .

·      Ryusui ( Like Flowing water )

* Concept of soft blocking by redirecting or deflecting an attack by parrying. Eg Nagashi uke 

·      Teni ( Body shifting)

* Avoiding attack using body shifting ( moving in 8 directions using the principles of tenshin happo )

·      Kusshin ( darting out and in )

* Controlling an attack using the body movements originating from knees.eg From moto dachi chudan gamae, switch to kokutsu dachi and execute gedan barai, switch back to moto dachi gyaku tsuki.

·      Hangeki ( Interception )

* Blocking and counter attack at same time. Eg Tsuki uke  

3 Components of Karate

 Technical Notes 

 

Topic - The three elements of Karate 

Karate practice is generally divided into 3 components 

 

Kihon ( basics )

Kata ( forms )

Kumite ( sparring )

 

     Kihon 

Components of kihon 

a.Tachi kata ( stances ) eg. Zenkutsu dachi 

b.Tsuki waza ( punches ) eg. Jodan tsuki – upper punch 

c. Keri waza ( kicks ) eg. Mae geri – front kick 

d.Uke waza ( blocks ) eg. Shuto uke – knife hand block 

e. Uchi waza ( strikes ) eg. Uraken uchi – back fist  

Classifications of kihon 

a.Kotei kihon ( stationary techniques ) eg. Hachiji dachi , chudan tsuki 

b. Ido kihon ( moving techniques) eg. Zenkutsu dachi, oi tsuki (Forward stance land forward punch )

c. Renzoku kihon ( stationary combination techniques) eg . Zenkutsu dachi gedan barai , ushiro ashi mae geri ( back leg front kick ) and land back in zenkutsu dachi,  gyaku tsuki ( reverse punch). 

d. Renzoku Ido kihon – (moving combination techniques) 

 

  Kata

a. Kata kihon ( basic movement specific to a kata ) eg. Neko ashi dachi, Uchi otoshi uke in Pinan nidan

b. Kata bunkai ( analysis of techniques in a kata )

 

Kumite 

a. Ippon kumite ( basic prearranged sparring – one step )

b. Ippon jyu kumite ( semi free style sparring ) 

c. Jyu kumite ( free style sparring)

 

d. Shiai kumite ( point sparring – sports karate )