Kyokushin Karate

Karate is a martial art that has a long and rich heritage. The word Karate is derived from
two Japanese words: Kara which means empty and Te meaning hand. Karate, then, is
used to describe a style of unarmed combat. At West Island Karate, we teach a
traditional martial art called Kyokushin Karate which was founded in 1953 by the late Mas
Oyama. As such, he is also known as Sosai which means founder.

Mas Oyama studied the martial arts for most of his life, from Korean to Chinese and
Japanese styles. He developed Kyokushin Karate (from what he believed to be the best
elements of each) into a practical, no-nonsense and effective defence art. Kyokushin is
comprised of two Japanese words: Kyoku meaning ultimate and Shin meaning truth.
The Kyokushin style is practiced throughout the world by millions of Karate-ka and is
recognized as the Strongest Karate. The style is characterized by strong, powerful,
circular techniques - kicks, strikes, blocks and throws. This combination of hand and
foot makes Kyokushin the ultimate in self-defence. Training and conditioning is rigorous
and strenuous. Sparring is with both full and semi contact.
Branch Chiefs
JAPAN
Yoshikazu matsushima (International kyokushin Karate Organization)
Hiroshi Masuda
Shigeru Nozawa
Maresuke Takahashi
ASIA
PAKISTAN
Muhammad Azam
Arif Jani
Muhammand Anis Khan
Muhammad Majid Khan
Shahid Hussain
Atta Hussain Butt
Kaleemullah Khan
Abodul Zahoor Hashmi
Babar Sohail (Dojo Operator)

INDIA
R.M.Gnanapandithan
Vasant Kumar Singh
Hemanta Kumar Saikia

EUROPE
U.K.
Roman Kucfir
Miroslaw Pawlicki (Dojo Operator)
BELGIUM
Marc Van Walleghem
ITALY
Antonio Puce (Dojo Operator)
Luciano Centonze (Dojo Operator)
NORTH AFRICA

ALGERIA
Bachir Benachour

CENTRAL AFRICA
LIBYA
Abdoulsalam Ebaid (Dojo Operator)
Mehdi Ellafi (Dojo Operator)
Ibrahim Almajbri (Dojo Operator)

SOUTH AFRICA
SOUTH AFRICA
Noah Bembe
Khanyisani Laurence Mazibuko
SWAZILAND
Mfanafuthi Vilakazi
Lucky Thomo
 Grades in Kyokushin

10th Kyu Orange belt

9th Kyu Orange belt (senior)

8th Kyu Blue belt

7th Kyu Blue belt (senior)

6th Kyu Yellow belt

5th Kyu Yellow belt (senior)

4th Kyu Green belt

3rd Kyu Green belt (senior)

2nd Kyu Brown belt

1st Kyu Brown belt (senior)

Shodan First degree black belt

Nidan Second degree black belt

Sandan Third degree black belt

Yondan Fourth degree black belt

Godan Fifth degree black belt

Rokudan Sixth degree black belt

Nanadan Seventh degree black belt

Hachidan Eighth degree black belt

Kudan Ninth degree black belt

Uke (Blocking) Techniques

Chudan uchi uke Inside middle level block

Chudan soto uke Outside middle level block

Gedan barai Lower level block

Gedan hiza uke Knee block

Hiji uke Elbow block

Jodan uke Upper level block

Morote chudan uchi uke Double inside middle level block

Seiken juji uke Fore fist cross block

Shuto mawashi uke Roundhouse knife hand block

Shuto juji uke Knife hand cross block

Shuto kake uke Knife hand hooking block

 Tachikata (Stances)

Fudo (or Yoi) dachi Stable stance

Heiko dachi Feet parallel stance (open)

Heisoku dachi Feet together (parallel) stance

Kake dachi Hook stance

Kiba dachi Straddle stance

Kokutsu dachi Back leaning stance

Moro ashi dachi One foot forward stance

Musubi dachi Meditation stance

Neko ashi dachi Cat stance

Sanchin dachi Three way battle stance

Tsuru ashi dachi Crane stance

Uchi hachi ji dachi Figure eight stance

Zenkutsu dachi Forward leaning stance

Geri (Kicks)

Hiza geri Knee kick

Kansetsu geri Joint kick

Kin geri Groin kick

Mawashi geri Roundhouse kick

Mae geri Front kick

Mae keage Front raising kick

Oroshi geri Descending kick

Soto mawashi geri Outside roundhouse kick

Tobi mae geri Jumping front kick

Tobi mawashi geri Jumping roundhouse kick

Tobi ushiro geri Jumping back kick

Tobi ushiro mawashi geri Jumping roundhouse back kick

Ushiro kakato kin geri Back heel kick to groin

Uchi mawashi geri Inside roundhouse kick

Ushiro geri Back kick

Ushiro mawashi geri Spinning back kick

Yoko geri Side kick

Yoko keage Side raising kick

 Punches

Age tsuki Rising strike

Ago uchi Strike to the jaw

Chudan tsuki Middle level strike

Gedan tsuki Lower level strike

Oi tsuki Lunge strike

Gyaku tsuki Reverse strike

Jun tsuki Side lunge strike

Jodan tsuki Upper level strike

Morote tsuki Double strike (parallel)

Shita tsuki Lower strike

Tate tsuki Vertical strike

Yama tsuki Double strike (vertical)

Counting

Ichi 1

Ni 2

San 3

Chi / Yon 4

Go 5

Roku 6

Shichi / Nana 7

Hachi 8

Ku 9

Ju 10

Niju 20

Sanju 30

Jonju 40

Goju 50

Hyaku 100

Ikkai Once

Nikai Twice

Sankai Three times

Yonkai Four times

Gokai Five times

Rokukai Six times

 Nanakai Seven times

Hakkai Eight times

Kyukai Nine times

Jukai Ten times

Hyakuju One hundred times

Kyakuman 1 million

Direction

Gedan Down (lower level)

Chudan Middle (middle level)

Jodan Up (upper level)

Hidari Left

Migi Right

Mae Front

Ushiro Back / Rear

Yoko Side

Naname Diagonal

Shomen The front

Kyokushin Karate Fight Focus Point

Kyokushin Karate is a martial art that focuses on power (also partly the reason why Sosai Oyama
fought bulls was to market his style as an art that focuses on power).

In Kyokushin there are typically many different styles at work, generally speaking there are:

1. Technical
2. Power
3. Stamina
4. Pressure
5. Outside
6. Counter
7. Inside
Kyokushin Kata
The word Kata means “shape” or “form”. The kanji for Kata 型 is composed of the following
characters:

形 Katachi meaning “Shape”

刈 Kai meaning “Cut”

土 Tsuchi meaning “Earth” or “Soil”

Literally translated, kata means “shape which cuts the ground”.

the kata of Kyokushin are classified into Northern and Southern Okinawa Kata.

Northern

The northern kata stems from the Shuri-te tradition of karate, and are drawn
from Shotokan karate which Oyama learned while training under Gichin Funakoshi. Some areas
now phase out the prefix “sono” in the kata names.

 Taikyoku Sono ichi

 Taikyoku Sono Ni
 Taikyoku Sono San

The Taikyoku kata were originally created by Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan karate.

 Pinan Sono Ichi

 Pinan Sono Ni
 Pinan Sono San
 Pinan Sono Yon
 Pinan Sono Go

The 5 Pinan katas, known in some other styles as Heian, were originally created in 1904
by Ankō Itosu, a master of Shuri-te and Shorin ryu (a combination of the shuri-te and tomari-
te traditions of karate). He was a teacher to Gichin Funakoshi. Pinan (pronounced /pin-ann/)
literally translates as “Safe From Harm”. For a full history of these kata click here.

 Kanku Dai

Some organizations have removed the “Dai” from the name, calling it only “Kanku”, as there is
no “Sho” or other alternate Kanku variation practiced in kyokushin. The Kanku kata was
originally known as Kusanku or Kushanku, and is believed to have either been taught by, or
inspired by, a Chinese martialartist who was sent to Okinawa as an ambassador in the Ryukyu
Kingdom during the 16th century. Kanku translates to “sky watching”.

 Sushiho
The Kata Sushiho is a greatly modified version of the old Okinawian kata that in Shotokan is
known as Gojushiho, and in some other styles as Useishi. The name means “54 steps”, referring
to a symbolic number in Buddhism.

 Bassai-dai

A very old Okinawan kata of unknown origin, the name Bassai or Passai translates to “to storm a
castle”. It was originally removed from the kyokushin syllabus in the late 1950s, but was
reintroduced into some kyokushin factions after Oyama’s death and the resulting fractioning of
the organization.

 Naihanchi

This kata is a very old Okinawan kata, also known as Tekki in Shotokan. It is generally classified
as belonging to the Tomari-te traditions. The name Tekki translates to “iron horse” but the
meaning of the name Naihanchi is “internal divided conflict”. It was originally removed from the
kyokushin syllabus in the late 1950s, but was reintroduced into some kyokushin factions after
Oyama’s death and the resulting fractioning of the organization.

Unique

 Sokugi Taikyoku sono ichi

 Sokugi Taikyoku sono ni
 Sokugi Taikyoku sono san

These three kata were created by Mas Oyama to further develop kicking skills and follow the
same embu-sen (performance line) as the original Taikyoku kata. Sokugi literally means Kicking,
while Taikyoku translates as Grand Ultimate View. They were not formally introduced into the
Kyokushin syllabus until after the death of Oyama.

Southern

The southern kata stems from the Naha-te tradition of karate, and are drawn from Goju-
ryu karate, which Oyama learned while training under So Nei Chu and Gogen Yamaguchi. One
exception may be the kata “Yantsu” which possibly originates with Motobu-ha Shito-ryu, where
it is called “Hansan” or “Ansan” – there is much debate about the origin of Yantsu.

 Gekisai Dai
 Gekisai Sho

Gekisai was created by Chojun Miyagi, founder of Goju-ryu karate. The name means “attack and
smash”

 Tensho

Tensho is one of the older, more fundamental katas. Its origins are based on the point and circle
principles of Kempo. It was heavily influenced by the late by Chojun Miyagi and was regarded
as an internal yet advanced Kata by Oyama. The name means “rotating palms” and is regarded as
the connection between the old and modern Karate.

 Sanchin

Sanchin is a very old kata with roots in China. The name translates to “three points” or “three
battles”. The version done in kyokushin is most closely related to the version Kanryo
Higashionna (or Higaonna), teacher of Chojun Miyagi, taught (and not to the modified version
taught by Chojun Miyagi himself). For a full history of this important kata, click here.
  Saifa (Saiha)

Originally a Chinese kata. It was brought to Okinawa by Kanryo Higashionna. Its name
translates to “smash and tear down”.

 Seienchin

Originally a Chinese kata, regarded as very old. It was also brought to Okinawa by Kanryo
Higashionna. The name translates roughly to “grip and pull into battle”.

 Seipai

Originally a Chinese kata. It was also brought to Okinawa by Kanryo Higashionna. The name
translates to the number 18, which is significant in Buddhism.

 Yantsu

Yantsu originates with Motobu-ha Shito-ryu, the name translates to “keep pure”

 Tsuki no kata

This kata was created by Seigo Tada, founder of the Seigokan branch of Goju-ryu. In Seigokan
goju-ryu the kata is known as Kihon Tsuki no kata and is one of two Katas created by the
founder. How the kata was introduced into Kyokushin is largely unknown, but since Tadashi
Nakamura are often claimed in error as the creator of the kata in Kyokushin, speculations are that
he introduced it into Kyokushin after learning it from his Goju-ryu background.

Unique

 Garyu

The kata Garyu, is not taken from traditional Okinawan karate but was created by Oyama and
named after his pen name (Garyu =reclining dragon), which is the Japanese pronunciation of the
characters 臥龍, the name of the village (Il Loong) in Korea where he was born.

Ura Kata

Several kata are also done in “ura“, which essentially means all turns are done spinning around.
The URA, or ‘reverse’ kata were developed by Oyama as an aid to developing balance and skill
in circular techniques against multiple opponents.

 Taikyoku sono ichi ura

 Taikyoku sono ni ura
 Taikyoku sono san ura
 Pinan sono ichi ura
 Pinan sono ni ura
 Pinan sono san ura
 Pinan sono yon ura
 Pinan sono go ura