Category Archives: Kumite

Motobu Sensei with Naihanchi

Best Choki Motobu Quotes

Kata, Kumite, Special Reports

Motobu Chōki (1870 – 1944) was an Okinawan karate master and founder of Motobu-Ryu. He was born into a branch of the Ryukyuan royal family, and at the age of 12, he and his older brother Motobu Chōyū invited Ankō Itosu to learn karate. Chōyū was also a noted martial artist.

Motobu also studied karate under Sakuma, Matsumura Sōkon, and Kōsaku Matsumora. He excelled especially in kumite and was already known throughout Okinawa in his twenties. As he grew up, he came to be regarded as the best in Okinawa in terms of practical karate techniques. He is reported to have been very agile, which gained him the nickname Motobu no Saru (“Motobu the Monkey”). He distanced himself from the modernization trend in karate, focusing only on kata Naihanchi and concentrating on kumite practice.

Find more information about the basic kata Naihanchi-Tekki of Motobu-Ryu.

Kamae is in the heart, not a physical manifestation.

Everything is natural, and changing.

One does not have to take care to block every single attack by an oppenent with weak stricking power.

One must develop the ability to deflect an attack even from behind.

In a real confrontation, more than anything else one should strike to the face first, as this is the most effective.

Karate is Sente (Here, sente means the initiative, or the first move; Karate ni Sente Nashi – there is no first move in karate).

The position of the legs and hips in Naifuanchin no Kata (Naihanchi/Tekki) is the basics of karate.

Twisting to the left or right from the Naifuanchin stance will give you the stance used in a real confrontation. Twisting ones way of thinking about Naifuanchin left and right, the various meanings in each movement of the kata will also becom clear.

One must always try and block the attack at its soure (i.e. block not the attacking hand, but deeper on the arm).

The blocking hand must be able to become the attacking hand in an instant. Blocking with one hand then countering with the other is not true bujutsu. Real bujutsu presses forward and blocks and counters in the same motion.

One cannot use continuous attacks against true karate. That is because the blocks of true karate make it impossible for the oppenent to launch a second attack.

I still do not yet know the best way to punch the makiwara (note: this statement was made when Choki was over 60!).

It’s interestin, but when I just think about performing a kata, when I’m seated, I break a sweat.

When punching to the face, one must thrust as if punching through to the back of the head.

When fighting a boxer, it is better to go with his flow, and take up a rhythm with both of your hands.

It is necessary to drink alcohol and pursue other fun human activities. The art (i.e. karate) of someone who is too serious has no “flavor”.

It is OK to take two steps forward or back in the same kamae, but over three steps, one must change the position (facing) of their guard.

When I fought the foreign boxer in Kyoto, he was taller then me so I jumped up and punched him in the face. This is effective against people wo are taller than you.

I started having real fights at TsuJi when I was young, and fought over 100 of them, but I was never hit in the face.

Seiken or iron fist

Competition Kumite Training

Kumite

“Winning Kumite” is a karate training video showcasing practical and innovative techniques from South African team coach Keith Geyer.

This video was created to help prepare for the 2000 8th World Shoto Cup in Japan. It follows team member Johan La Grange, who made it to the kumite final. Keith Geyer has represented South Africa internationally for 14 years and has won the South African kumite championship six times. The training techniques in this video are useful for karate practitioners of all styles who want to improve their kumite skills (Source: JKA SKA Australasia www.jka-skc-australasia.com.au).

Sesam with Karate-Ka and black belts

Karate Fight Strategies

Kumite

Karate with Lionel Froidure – practical applications. In karate, or any other martial art, you can intervene in several different phases. In karate, these are called: go no sen, tai no sen and sen no sen.

Karate with Lionel Froidure online https://www.lionelfroidure.com/

Go No Sen

He attacks Oi Zuki, I block and strike after his attack. I absorb his movement, strike and come back out. We could also do a Go No Sen by pivoting, striking and coming out. It’s still a go no sen. I intervene after the strike. He throws, I block and strike. So it’s in 2 steps.

Tai No Sen

Tai No Sen, it’s the body that moves, the 2 bodies move at the same time. When he attacks, I also attack at the same time, but I step out of his line of attack. I’m in a form where the 2 bodies move, I pivot but attack at the same time. There’s no longer any blocking, just an exit.

Sen No Sen

I must return during the attack. I attack his attack. I have to have a perfect reading to be able to leave at the slightest fault he makes. As soon as he starts to move, I intervene. Even with just peripheral vision, you can do it. As soon as you see something moving, you attack. You have to be under power to move instantly. If you’re behind, you can’t get away. You must attack his attack: Sen No Sen.

Sensen No Sen

In the last sensation, we’re more in a self situation, for example. He’ll think about attacking me. He pushes me and the situation escalates. The attack is imminent. Instead of letting him attack me, I attack first. I attack his intention. I attack before he launches his attack. It’s Sensen No Sen. I attack not an attack, but his intention to attack. I intervene even earlier in time.

So before he attacks, it’s Sensen No Sen. When I attack his attack, it’s Sen No Sen. Tai No Sen, I take out the body. Go No Sen, I absorb, block and strike.

Kumite in 1989

Kumite

In this scene we see Tomio Imamura vs. Masao Kagawa. As we can see they are wearing no hand- , mouth- or shin-protection in their kumite. Because it is a non contact kumite.

This circumstance demands absolute body control from both competitors. If only one blow would hit and blood would flow, the attacker would be immediately disqualified. This fight is completely different as we see it today in modern karate with all the different body protectors. Conclusion – the rules determine the fighting style. Think about and remember in self-defense there are no rules, only the moment of truth.

gogen-yamaguchi-fight
Follow this link to see the katas of Goju-Ryu

Kumite by Frank Brennan

Kumite

Watch here the impressive competition kumite fights of sensei Frank Brennan. He is a complete fighter with hands and legs in any situation and a renowend karate fighter of the United Kingdom. As you can see those bouts were really hard for both sides.

San Ten Riki Ho

Kumite

Sensei Malcom Dorfman, 9th Dan, explains the three point of Power (San Ten Riki Ho) in a fight. Escpecially the difference between sport karate and street fighting differences. Also the points to survive a fight, where no refree or sport rules will help you at all.

 

Iri Kumi Training

Kumite

Iri kumi by Shihan Morio Higaonna, he shows here the final steps of perfections to reach the stage of free kumite. After learning kihon, kata and kumite – the pupile is on his final steps to reach his goal after serveral years of hard training to enter real free fighting pactices.