Shotokan
The Principles of Shotokan
Shotokan is a one kind of martial arts that was founded in 1939 by father and son Gichin Funakoshi and Gigo “Yoshitaka” Funakoshi. It is one of the most famous arts of karate and came from the ancient Chinese martial arts and Okinawan martial arts. The head of the house, Gichin Funakoshi, was a comrade of Kenwa Mabuni (Shito Ryu) and Choki Motobu (one of the original Karatekas). The three of them brought martial arts, specifically karate, to mainland Japan. Gichin Funakoshi just became more popular or was recognized and credited first because he was the only one of the three that was willing to publicly demonstrate the different movements and techniques of karate at the streets of mainland Japan. He also founded a university club for karate that was immediately swamped with students.
The name Shotokan is really the name of the first Dojo, a place or a room where martial art practitioners practice judo, which Gichin Funakoshi built. The English translation of “Shoto” is pine-waves. “Shoto” is also the pseudonym of Gichin Funakoshi when he was writing the philosophical aspects of the Shotokan. On the other hand, “Kan” is means a house or a hall. In reality, Gichin Funakoshi did not refer his martial art styles and movements a name other that karate. However his students placed a “Shotokan” signage at their Dojo and the name was eventually used by his students and others to promote the type of karate that he established.
Shotokan has varied choices of techniques that a practitioner can choose from. Any Shotokan practitioner can maximize the use of their body mainly because the whole body of a person is a considered as a weapon in fighting. The techniques in Shotokan are divided into categories namely the stances, the blocks, the strikes, the kicks and the kata.
- The Shotokan stances are the Hachi-Dachi, Kiba-Dachi, Zenkutsu-Dachi and Kokutshu-Dachi.
- The Shotokan blokes are the Overhead, Inside, Outside and Downward.
- The Shotokan strikes are the Forward Punch, Reverse Punch, Vertical Punch, Backfist, Bottomfist, Spearhand, Hammerfist, Elbow and Knife Edge.
- The Shotokan kicks are the Forward, Side, Back, Roundhouse and Hook.
- The Shotokan kata are the Basics, Heian 1-5, Tekki 1-3, Bassai, Jitte, Empi, Kwanku, Hangetsu and Unsu.
Shotokan also have its philosophical side like the many martial arts from Asia. Just like with the Shotokan techniques, the philosophical aspects of this karate based martial art are divided into group:
1. Dojo Kun- this is Gichin Funakoshi’s training precepts or principles. All of the five principles are number 1 because according to the great Sensei, all the principle has the same weight of importance and no one should come second or third.
2. Niju Kun- this is Gichin Funakoshi’s twenty precepts.
3. Mizo No Kokuro- commonly known as the “Mind Like a Water” attitude when practicing, performing or fighting not just Shotokan but with other karate arts as well.
4. Tsuki No Kokuro- known as the Gichin Funakoshi’s “Mind Like the Moon”. This principle points out to opponent’s totality, not just in physical form but also emotionally and intellectually.
5. Unity of Will and Mind- No task is complete; no technique is truly powerful if the practitioner’s mind and will are not aligned.
6. The Best Defense- The best defense is a good offense. Since Shotokan is a fighting art and can seriously harm someone, using your skills in fights can be totally avoided if you don’t attract a fight.
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Filed under: Martial Arts Styles
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