The Principles of Kenyu Ryu

-The Four Elements of Martial Arts

There are four essential elements of martial arts including Karate.

They are “the vision (eyes), footwork (legs), mind (spirits) and strength (muscles)”.

The vision means your eyes being observant and looking at your opponent tight.

It means that you have to look at the movements of your opponent first. When you look at your opponent at somewhere outdoors, you have to instantly understand the situation, such as the terrain, land features and weather conditions. It is important to place yourself in an advantageous position. What do you have to look at when you face your opponent? First thing you have to do is to catch the movement of the mind of your opponent by looking at the eyes of
your opponent. But when you concentrate only on the eyes of your opponent, you may miss other movements of your opponent.

Start looking at the eyes of your opponent. But it is important for you to try to see the whole situation so that you can see all the movements of your opponent. When you do the Kihon (basics and fundamentals) and Kata, look straight ahead at your eyes level. Except a few special cases, do not look down. Never look down because you will lose your sight and the balance of your body.

“Footwork” means how you move your legs. You have to move them fast and smoothly for both offense and defense. At the same time, you have to take good balance of your body. The center of your body should be stabilized. Excessive high jumps and dragging of your legs make you unable to move right. You need to maintain the movements of your legs fast by not staying on the ground too long and by not detaching yourself from it too long.

“Mind” means the power of your mind. It is your spirits that can make you deal with any situation without any surprise but with calm.

“Strength” means the power you have. It contains the power of your muscles, endurance, and instantaneous actions. All of them are very important elements for you and you have to build them in you through your daily practice. Beginners tend to waste power by using it in vain. At some occasions, such tends to go against Waza. Beginners should learn how to use the power in the first place.

-The Goal of Training of Kenyu Ryu Karate DO

(1) Karatedo as physical education
Karatedo is an ideal way of keeping good health (anyone, regardless of age and gender, canlearn it)
It is an ideal way of keeping good health from the medical point of view.

(2) Karatedo as education of martial art Karatedo is the origin of all martial arts.

(3) Karatedo as education of spirit and mind
Karatedo is an ideal way of educating the spirit and the mind.

-Three Main Elements of Kenyu Ryu Karate DO

(1) “Sappou” (finisher)
Kime Waza
Nage Waza (techniques for throwing) Gyaku Waza (also called as Kansetsu Waza)
Hobakujutsu (technique for binding)

(2) “Kappou” (practical use of techniques)
“Sakkapo”(techniques of battle for life and death) and techniques for first aid
“Kenkoho” (techniques for maintaining good health)
Natural Healing Power

(3) Techniques for Mentality Techniques for Breathing Training of “Ki” (Mentality)
Techniques for Meditation Mental Concentration (Hypnosis)

-Techniques of Karate DO

(1) The techniques of Karatedo are composed of empty-handed techniques of martial art.

(2) The parts of the body used here are mainly the upper limbs (arms) and lower limbs (legs). However, the entire body is used as a weapon.

(3) The techniques include Tsuki Waza (techniques for thrusting), Uchi Waza, Ate Waza (techniques for striking), Keri Waza (techniques for kicking), Nage Waza (techniques for throwing), Kansetsu Waza (techniques for locking) and Hobaku (techniques for binding).

(4) The techniques are classified and separated as Uke Waza (techniques for defense ) and Seme Waza (techniques for offense). The techniques for defense are concurrently these for offense and vice versa. These techniques are not to be separated. The classified separation is for the training of beginners.

During practice, these techniques for defense and offense are usually taught and instructed separately. But after beginners get to learn more about the basics and fundamentals, they begin to learn them as one series of Waza.

So we have five rules for defense and five rules for offense. (Refer to the chart on the coming page)

2.Basic Techniques

-Five Rules for Defense (Five Principles for Defense)

(1) Rakka (falling of petals)
The land receives the falling petals wherever they fall, without dodging or avoiding them from falling down. This technique is the same. It is for receiving the offense from your opponent. This technique was named as “Rakka” (falling of petals) because the way of receiving is the same as the land.

This is the way of receiving offensive movements of your opponent as they come by staying at the place where you are.

(Example) You receive Chudan Tsuki at your set position with Yoko Uke or Yoko Uchi.

(2) Ryusui (running water)
This is the way receiving the strikes of your opponent with no resistance. It is the way of receiving the power of your opponent and deflecting the way it is focused and directed.

(Example) You receive Chudan Tsuki with Yoko Uke or Yoko Uchi by twisting your upper part of body, either right or left. In this way, you can avoid the offence of your opponent. This way for defense, such as Sukui Uke, is part of the techniques of “Ryusui” (running water).

(3) Kusshin (bending and stretching)
This is the way of deflecting the offense from your opponent by using your power of bending and stretching.

(Example) You receive Chudan Tsuki by pulling back your body with the lower stance of Nekoashidachi. Then you do Zenkutsudachi Gedan Barai Uke of the Kata of Heian Nidan. And by pulling back your forefoot, you do both Motodachi and Jodan Uchi Otoshi at the same time by using the power of bending and stretching.

(4) Ten-i (transposition)
This is the way of defending yourself from offense by changing the position that is focused and targeted. This is the technique of transposition.

(Example) You can avoid Jodan Tsuki by simply bending your face to the left or to the right. You can also do it by stooping down or lowering your waist.

Making the stance of receiving by changing the targeted position is called “Teni” (transposition).

(5) Hangeki (counterattack)
This is the way of waging a counterattack as offense against the attack of your opponent. This is not the way of pulling your body back.

(Example) Tsuki, Uke (Jodan and Chudan)
Jodan Tsuki, Uke, Chudan Tsuki, Uke, Chudan Wa Uke, Bassaidai, Heian Yondan, and Sanchin

-Tenshinhappou (way of receiving by moving to eight directions)

This is the way of receiving the attack of your opponent by moving your body to the front or the rear, to the right or the left, or 4 diagonal directions. When you
learn the techniques of “ Tenpogosoku” that follow this, you can complete efficient ways of dealing with receiving any attack.

-Tenpogosoku (5 ways of shifting the position of your body)

(1) Deashi
It is to step forward or to the side.

(2) Hikiashi
It is to step back

(3) Yoriashi
It is to move your body to the right or to the left, forward or backward by not changing the position of your foot (left and right).

(4) Mawariashi
It is to change the position of your body either greatly or slightly.

(5) Tobiashi
It is to change the position of your body by jumping.

-Hiji Ate Roppo (6 ways of using your elbow)

Take your position at the stance of Soto Hachijidachi, and pull back your right foot to the direction of 6 o’clock and take your stance of Zenkutsudachi with your
left foot in front.

(1) Mawashi Hiji Ate
Take the stance of Zenkutsudachi with your left foot in front and step forward with your right foot to the direction of 12 o’clock. Then take the stance of Shikodachi and strike with your right elbow. The back of your hand faces up.

(2) Ushiro Hiji Ate
Pull your right foot back in the direction of 6 o’clock and take the stance of Zenkutsudachi with your left foot by deflecting the strike of your opponent with your left elbow. And then strike back with your right elbow in the rear. The back of your hand faces down.

(3) Chudan Tate Hiji Ate
Step with your right foot forwardin in the direction of 12 o’clock and take the stance of Zenkutsudachi. And then strike with your right elbow at Chudan (in the middle). The back of your hand faces outward to the side.

(4) Yoko Uchi
Move your right foot in the direction of 9 o’clock and take the stance of Hachijidachi and strike Jodan Yoko Uchi with your right hand. The back of your hand faces outward.

(5) Otoshi Hiji Ate
Face in the direction of 9 o’clock with your waist down (Shikodachi), and strike downward with your right elbow. The back of your hand faces outward.

(6) Yoko Hiji Ate
Move your right foot in the direction of 3 o’clock and face straight forward to take the stance of Soto Hachijidachi. Do Yoriashi in the direction of 3 o’clock and strike with your right elbow in the direction of 3 o’clock. The back of the hand faces up.

Face straight forward and take the stance of Soto Hachijidachi.

*When you take the stance of Zenkutsudachi with the right foot forward, strike with your left elbow. Practice all these six ways of using your elbow.

-Shichidan Geri

Take the stance of Soto Hachijidachi and do the following Keri (kickings) with your right foot.

(1) Do Hiza Geri (kicking by your knee) forward (Ate).
(2) Kick downward with the heel of your foot and trample the upper surface of the foot of your opponent.
(3) Bend your leg backward and kick up the groin of your opponent in the rear with your back heel.
(4) Kick the groin of your opponent in front of you with the upper surface of your foot.
(5) Do Chudan Geri with the ball of your right foot.
(6) Do Sokuto Geri with your right foot diagonally to the right in the lower part.
(7) Do Sokuto Geri with your right foot diagonally to the left in the lower part.

*These 7 ways of kicking movement should be done without putting your foot down on the floor and it should be done one after another in serial form.

After practicing with your right foot, start your practice with your left foot.

Class Schedule