Karate The Art of "Empty-Hand" Fighting. Hidetaka Nishiyama

to outline the essentials of this system.

      overall organization of karate techniques

      As shown in the following chart karate techniques can be broken down into the two major categories of blocking opponent's attack and counterattacking. In addition, throwing and joint-twisting techniques are used in certain circumstances.

      The major categories of blocking, counterattacking, throwing, and joint-twisting techniques are in turn based on the use of hand techniques, foot techniques, stance, posture, and body shifting. Since karate is an art based on the maximum use of all parts of the body, various special techniques are occasionally resorted to, such as using parts of the head or striking with the body.

      organization of hand techniques

      Broadly speaking, hand techniques can be separated into punching (tsuki-waza), striking (uchi-waza), and hooking waza). As shown on the right-hand side of the following chart, in actual practice, by using particular parts of the hand in various ways, these techniques are broken down into more specific hand techniques.

      For example, by punching directly ahead with the front of the fist, the straight punch (choku-zuki) is performed. By punching in a semi-circular motion, it becomes the roundhouse punch (mawashi-zuki). The same part of the hand used in punching may also be used to perform various kinds of punching blocks (tsuki-uke). Similarly, striking with the hand as with a knife is called the knife-hand strike (shutō-uchi). Using the same part of the hand for blocking produces the knife-hand block (shutō-uke).

      organization of foot techniques

      Foot techniques may be broadly divided into kicking (keri-waza), stamping (fumi-waza), and miscellaneous. By using specific parts of the foot in various ways, specific foot techniques may be performed.

      For example, by kicking with the ball of the foot, the front snap kick (mae-geri-keage), the front thrust kick (mae-geri-kekomi), the roundhouse kick (mawashi-geri), and flying front kick (mae-tobi-geri) may be performed. Again, striking with the knee becomes the knee kick (hittsui-geri), and so on.

      organization of stance

      Stances may be broken into natural stances, in which the muscles are relaxed, stances where the legs are put under tension by forcing the knees outward, and those where the legs are put under tension by forcing the knees inward. As these are adapted to specific purposes, they become specific kinds of stances.

      The natural stances are preparatory to moving into a specific technique, while those in which the legs are kept under tension help in maintaining balance and add strength to both blocking and counterattacking techniques.

      organization of posture

      There are postures in which the upper part of the body is vertical to the ground and those where it is not vertical. Each of these is broken down into postures in which one directly faces the opponent, faces him at an oblique angle, or faces him at right angles.