Introduction for Beginners

Before Class

Please let us know if you have any medical issues so that we can accommodate you.

Drink water and eat properly before class so you don’t feel tired or light-headed.

Make sure you go to the bathroom before class and take care of anything that would prevent you from
practicing the time.

Remove shoes and socks before entering the dojo.

Enter the dojo via the door closest to the outside doors.

Before entering the dojo, bow to the Shomen side (the front, where Sensei normally stands).

Take off all jewelry, watches, or any other article other than clothing.

Use the time you have before class begins wisely. Stretch, warm-up, practice whatever you are
struggling with, etc. Stretching and warming up prevents injury.

Often, the most junior students will be asked to help set up, clean the dojo, hang up flags, etc. The
senior students will teach you how to do these things properly.

Bow to Sensei when he enter the room.

If you come into class late or a class is already going on when you arrive, wait outside the door until
Sensei motions you in.

Beginning Class

When asked to line up, order yourselves from most senior to most junior (from left to right). Stand
shoulder-to-shoulder (your shoulders should be touching your neighbor’s).

The most senior student will give you commands in this order:

“Seiza” – kneel.

“Mokusō” – close your eyes and meditate. Clear your mind of stress, homework, and other
distractions.

“Mokusō Yame” – open your eyes (“yame” means “stop”) and cease meditating.

“Shomen ni Rei” – bow to the front of the dojo.

“Sensei ni Rei” – bow to Sensei

Sensei will ask you to stand up and spread out.

Sensei may ask you to line up “senior vs. junior”. The senior students will stand on the Shomen side of
the dojo and face the junior students. The senior students will line up from least senior to most senior
(from left to right). The junior students will line up from least senior to most senior (from left to right).
The newest or most junior student should be facing the most senior student. Line up quickly.
Things to Remember

Karate is a contact sport but you should not hurt anyone. Exercise control.

There are only 4 ways to fail:

1. Ignorance
2. Incompetence
3. Disobedience
4. Laziness

Answer “os” or no. “Os” means “I will do my best”.

“Kiai” on “ju”, every tenth count.

Speak loud and clear when permitted.

Remember to have “fighting spirit”.

Do not imitate Sensei’s instructions until he commands you to do so. Often he will say “hajime”, which
means start.

Always look at your opponent (the student across from you), unless Sensei is giving instructions and has
asked you to look at him. Pay attention and do not let your mind wander.

Stand in natural stance when listening unless otherwise instructed. Do not fidget when listening. Keep
your hands open and at your side and unless otherwise instructed.

Sensei may ask you to switch partners. The junior student on the far left side of the dojo (who is facing
the most senior student) should take two large steps back and run to the right side of the dojo (to face
the most junior senior student). The rest of the junior students should shift one space to the left.

Ending Class

Sensei will ask you to line up again. Remember to order yourselves from most senior to most junior
(from left to right). Stand shoulder-to-shoulder (your shoulders should be touching your neighbor’s).

The most senior student will give you commands in this order:

“Seiza” – kneel.

“Mokusō” – close your eyes and meditate. Reflect on what you learned in class, where you
succeeded, what you need to improve on, etc.

“Mokusō Yame” – open your eyes and cease meditating.

“Dojo Kun” – the most senior student will say each line of the Dojo Kun in English and everyone
else will repeat after them. Then they will say each line of the Dojo Kun in Japanese and
everyone will repeat after them. You will be expected to have both the English and Japanese
memorized.

“Shomen ni Rei” – bow to the front of the dojo.

 “Sensei ni Rei” – bow to Sensei.

Remain kneeling while Sensei gives the class feedback.

Sensei will leave the Shomen side and ask the class to stand up. The most senior student will bow first
and stand, the next most senior student will then bow and stand, and so on. The last person to stand up
should be the most junior student on the far-right side of the dojo.

After Class

Remember to bow to Sensei when he leaves the dojo.

The senior students will ask you to circle up. They will give feedback and advice, tell you about upcoming
events, etc. Listen and be respectful as they do this.

The senior students will ask you if you have any questions. This is a good time to ask about technique,
etiquette, upcoming events, etc. or to bring up any other karate-related concerns.

After class is also a good time to ask a senior student to help you with a technique you are struggling
with. If any of them are available, they will work with you one-on-one after class.

You can also ask a senior student to meet with you before class or at another specified time to work
one-on-one with you.

If you think you were injured during class or if you have had a previous injury that is preventing you from
performing your best, talk to a senior student and they will help you get in touch with one of the athletic
trainers on campus.

Often, the most junior students will be asked to clean up the dojo and put the flags away. The senior
students will teach you how to do these things properly. Remember to bow to the flags after folding
them.

Before exiting the dojo, turn and bow to the Shomen side. Only after leaving the dojo may you put your
socks and shoes on.

Remember to practice on your own time.

Dojo Kun

Link to the Dojo Kun:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkrdGIl456o

http://www.iskf.com/dojo%20kun.html

Seek perfection of character Hitotsu jinkaku kansei ni tsutomuru koto

Be faithful Hitotsu makoto no michi o omamoru koto

Endeavor Hitotsu doryoku no seishin o yashinau koto

Respect others Hitotsu reigi o omonzuru koto

Refrain from violent behavior Hitotsu keki no yu o imashimuru koto

Kata

Link to Heian Shodan (the first kata which white belts will be responsible for)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D2yOzDsW8k

Gis

Link to Amazon page where you can buy a reasonably priced gi.

https://www.amazon.com/ProForce-Ultra-Lightweight-Student-Uniform/dp/B00AXDAZMC/
ref=pd_lpo_200_lp_t_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=DH0P3XCV57JFYVNXCNCT
 Vocabulary

Japanese Term Pronunciation Japanese Character English Translation

Numbers
Rei ray 零 Zero
Ichi eech 一 One
Ni nee 二 Two
San sahn 三 Three
Shi (Yon) shee 四 Four
Go go 五 Five
Roku roke 六 Six
Sichi (Nana) seech 七 Seven
Hachi hach 八 Eight
Ku koo 九 Nine
Ju joo 十 Ten

Commands and General Terms

Os/ ohss Yes, I will do my best
Osu oh-soo
Hajime hah-jee-meh 始め Begin
Matte mah-teh 待って Wait
Seiza say-zah 正座 Sit/kneel quietly
Mokusō moh-koo-soh Close eyes/Meditate
Mokusō Yame moh-koo-soh yah-meh Open eyes
Rei ray 礼 Bow with respect
Sensei ni Rey sen-sey nee ray 先生に礼 Bow to the teacher
Shomen ni Rey shoh-men nee ray 正面に礼 Bow to the front
Yame yah-meh 止め Stop
Yoi yoy 用意 Ready/Attention
Kumite koo-mee-teh 組手 Sparring
Kata kah-tah
Bunkai boon-kai 分解 Application of kata
(lit. Picking Apart)
Dojo doh-joh 道場 Place to learn the way
Gi ghee 着 Karate uniform
Karateka kah-rah-teh-kah 空手家 Karate student
Kiai kee-eye 気合 Spirit Yell
Kihon kee-hone 基本 Basics
Jodan joh-dahn Upper-body
(specifically, between
he nose and upper lip)
Chudan choo-dahn Middle-body
(specifically, at the
solar plexus,
underneath where the
 ribs meet)
Gedan geh-dahn Lower-body

Stances
Shizentai shee-zen-tie Natural Stance
Zenkutsu-dachi zen-koo-tsoo dah-chee 前屈立 Font-Leg-Bent Stance
Kokutus-dachi koh-koo-tsoo dah-chee 後屈立 Back-Leg-Bent Stance
(lit. Back-Ducking
Stance)
Kiba-dachi kee-bah dah-chee 騎馬立 Horse Riding Stance

Blocks
Gedan-barai geh-dahn bah-rye 下段払い Lower Sweeping Block
Morote gedan-barai moe-roh-tay geh-dahn Lower Sweeping Block
bah-rye on both sides
Age-uke ah-geh oo-kay 上げ受 Rising Block
Soto-ude-uke soh-toh oo-day oo-kay ソトのウケ Outside-Inside Block
Shuto-uke shoo-toe oo-kay 手刀受 Knife-Hand Block

Punches and Strikes

Oi-zuki oy-zoo-kee 追突 Lunge Punch/Chasing
Punch
Chudan-zuki choo-dahn zoo-kee 中段突 Middle Level Punch
Jodan-zuki joh-dahn zoo-kee 上段突 Upper Level Punch
Uraken-uchi oo-ra-ken oo-chee 裏拳打 Back-Fist Strike
Empi-uchi em-pee oo-chee 猿臂打 Elbow Strikes

Kicks
Mae-geri my-geh-ree 前蹴 Front Kick
Keri-age/ keh-ree ah-geh 蹴上 Snapping Kick/Rising
Keage keh-ah-geh Kick
Keri-komi/ keh-ree koh-mee 蹴込 Thrusting Kick
Kekomi keh-koh-mee
Mawashi-geri mah-wah-shee geh-ree 廻蹴 Roundhouse Kick with
top of foot

Sparring
Kumite koo-mee-teh Sparring
Ippon Kumite eep-pone koo-mee-teh One-Attack Sparring
Sanbon Kumite sahn-bone koo-mee- Three-Attack Sparring
teh
Gohon Kumite soh-hone koo-mee-teh Five-Attack Sparring