Helpful Japanese Shotokan Hints

HOW TO TIE YOUR BELT









COUNTING

Ichi = one
Ni = two
San = three
Shi = four
Go = five
Ruko = six
Shichi = seven
Hachi = eight
Ku = nine
Ju = ten


STANCES

Shizentai = natural stance
Zenkutsu dachi = front stance
Gyaku zenkutsu dachi = reversed front stance
Kiba dachi = horse stance
Kokutsu dachi = back stance
Neko ashi dachi = cat stance
Jiyu kamae = freestyle stance
Shiko dachi = square stance
Fudo dachi = rooted stance


BLOCKS

Gedan barai = downward block
Age uke = rising block
Soto uke = outside to inside cross block
Uchi uke = inside to outside cross block
Shuto uke = knife hand block
Osae uke = pressing block
Otoshi uke = downward forearm block
Sukui uke = scooping block
Chudan barai = middle level downward block
Nagashi uke = flowing block
Haiwan nagashi uke = flowing block with outside of arm


PUNCHES

Choku zuki = basic punch
Oi zuki = stepping punch
Gyaku zuki = reverse punch
Kizami zuki = snap punch
San bon zuki = three times punch
Ura zuki = upper cut punch
Kagi zuki = hook punch


PUNCHES

Mae geri = front snap kick
Yoko geri keage = side snap kick
Yoko geri kekomi = side thrust kick
Mawashi geri = roundhouse kick
Ushiro geri = back thrust kick
Hiza geri = knee kick
Uru mawashi geri = reverse roundhouse kick
Ushiro mawashi geri = back roundhouse kick
Fumikomi = stamping kick
Ren geri = two kicks in a row


STRIKES

Shuto uchi = knife hand strike
Empi uchi = elbow strike
Mawashi empi uchi = roundhouse elbow strike
Uraken uchi = back fist strike
Nukite = spear hand thrust
Haito uchi = ridge hand strike
Otoshi = striking downward



COMMANDS

Seiza = formal kneeling position
Mokuso = meditation
Mokuso Yame = finish meditation
Rei = bow
Shomen ni rei = bow to shomen
Sensei ni rei = bow to sensei
Sempai ni rei = bow to sempai
Dojo kun = rules of the dojo
Yoi = ready
Hajime = start
Kamaete = move into stance
Mawate = turn
Yame = finish
Naore = relax

MISC

Sensei = instructor
Sempai = senior
Kiai = yell originating from diaphram
Kata = set movement pattern
Jodan = head target area
Chudan = chest target area
Gedan = lowest target area
Kihon = basic techniques
Kumite = attacking/defending technique
Kyo = pause between consecutive techniques
Zanchin = awareness
Sen no sen = seizing the initiative earlier
Go no sen = seizing the initiative later
Tate = upright
Hikite = pulling hand

Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun Li

Coming out the end of this month (Feb 27th) There is a new remake of the Street Fighter movie originally taken from the classic video game series. The cast is actually pretty interesting, with KRISTIN KREUK (from Smallville), MICHAEL CLARKE-DUNCAN (from The Green Mile), CHRIS KLEIN and NEAL MCDONOUGH.

Below is a youtube video trailer of the movie and the imbd.com movie info page:

imbd.com (Street Fighter: Legend of Chun LI)

NEW Pictures!

Stop By and take a look at some of the new Photographs we've added to the Official Site earlier this week. They are under the Shotokan, Ninjutsu, Art Of Combat, Aerobic Kickboxing, and Tiny Tiger Karate sections within the site. Also give me feedback on the new photo slideshow layout change as well please.

Additional Photos located within the Triple Cities Martial Arts Academy website

www.3citiesmartialarts.com

Photos were taken by brother in law & Professional Photographer, Addison Geary Of Philadelphia PA. Addison Geary Photography

Getting The Most Of Out Your Training

The following is another interesting article i came across that i would like to share

7 HABITS OF A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL MARTIAL ARTISTS

Regardless of how old you are or what rank you have earned, most martial arts students share a common goal … to be the best they can be. What matters is that you are striving toward your personal potential. Follow the Seven Habits of Highly Successful Martial Artists to help you get there.

• Be There: Getting to class is important not only to continue your learning but to provide your body with the routine of physically and mentally utilizing your knowledge.
  
  
• Practice: Reviewing at home is critical if you want to master your skills. Furthermore, home practice makes your class experience more beneficial. Practice anything new you learn in class for five to ten minutes as soon as you get home that day.
  
  
• Eat Right: Eat healthy and your body will pay dividends when challenged. Good nutrition is a necessity for peak performance.
  


• Stretch Daily: Muscles that are stretched regularly are less prone to injuries. Flexible muscles can help your body perform techniques with an amazing degree of speed, accuracy and power.
  
  
• Meditate: Just take five to ten minutes a day by yourself; close your eyes, relax, and breath deeply. See yourself performing challenging techniques perfectly. Doing this can help you fine- tune your techniques.
  


• Teach: The teaching process actually “hard- codes” information into your brain and helps you learn faster. Stand in front of a mirror and verbally teach yourself how to perform a technique. Make necessary corrections and positively reinforce yourself.
  


• Set Goals: Have you officially set black belt as your goal yet? Have you set a specific time-line to achieve that goal? A goal set is a goal already half completed.
  Follow these seven habits of highly successful martial artists and you’ll achieve your true martial arts potential… and you may surprise yourself at how incredible your potential actually is.
  

Keep smiling, keep training and I’ll see you at the TOP!

7 Habits of a successful Martial Artists

Stress Management

The following is an interesting article on stress management i came across today from another site and thought it was interesting and wanted to share it with you.

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it."

"If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."

"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, set them down for a moment if you can." "Relax; pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it!

And then he shared some ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

• Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.


• Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.


• Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.


• Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.


• If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.


• If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.


• It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.


• Never buy a car you can't push.


• Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.


• Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.


• The second mouse gets the cheese.


• When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.


• Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.


• You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.


• Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.


• A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Stress Management Article

NEW Expanded Aerobic Kickboxing Classes At TCMAA!!!

Come check out the new Aerobic Kickboxing classes at Triple Cities Martial Arts Academy! We have expanded our class size and number of classes offered throughout the week!

Mondays: 6-7pm

Tuesdays:6-7pm

Thursdays:6-7pm

so come check it out and maybe make a friend or two, exercise, get in shape and learn self defense all at the same time.....its like killing 3 birds with 1 stone (we dont promote any animal cruelty by any means, this is us just trying to be funny..LOL)

New classes being instructed by Jen Bishop

Fight the rain (litterally) with this Samurai Sword Umbrella

Check out this Samurai sword (handle) Umbrella from ThinkGeek.com. Apprently it uses Space-age plastic material and is priced at about $30 bucks.

This is for the true warrior-within!