Mas Oyama's Karate as Practiced in Japan

115 Pages·148.4 MB·english

by  Lowe Bobby.

Mos Oyomq's
KARATE
os procriced in Jopon
Bobby'Lowe
sTH DAN.
AN
G. ARCO PUBLISHING, INC.
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DEDICATION
This volume is respectfully dedicated to all law en-
forcement agencies and to all Karate instructors and
students throughout the world.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The author wishes to extend his sincere thanks and
appreciation to Instructors Kenji Kurosaki of Japan,
Toshio lkehara, Manuel Dela Cruz and Arthur Sham
of Hawaii, students Linzy Berman, Gregory Suenaka,
Godfrey Chun and Harvey Hisatake, who kindly con-
sented to demonstrate the vhrious Karate techniques
cornpilcd lbr this volumc. Additional credit and "aloha"
are also duc to Buck l.'ong Chun, Bob Wagstaff, and
Thomas Makiyama, for valuable personal assistance
and.suggestions, and to "Gus" trshida and Jack Matsu-
Published by Arco Publishing, Inc.
219 Park Avenue South, New York, N.Y. 10003 moto who so ably handled all the photographic assigr-
ments connected with this volume.
Copyright @ Arco Publishing, Inc., 1964
All Rights Reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, in any form,
without permission in writing from the publishers. Neither the author nor the publishers accept or
assume any responsibility or liability for any possible
Tenth Printing, 1983 injuries sustained by anynne as the result of the use
ISBN 0-668-01140-8 or practice of any of the instructions contained in
this volume.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Numbe r 64-10376
Printed in the United States of America
PREFACE
A careful check of all available books and hand-
books published in the United States has disctrosed to
the auihor that there is a very definite need for an
authoritative volume on Karate, simplified for the aver-
age reader who is interested in the subject.
Mas Oyama's Karate as Practiced in laphn is a
complete guide to a proper training procedure in the
art of Karate. It is as useful a book for the beginner as
for the more advanced student. It covers the funda-
mentals thoroughlv, describes proper training exer-
ciscs, cxllluins various movements and shows different
l'olrrrs ol' tlcl'crttsc and countcrattack.
T'he purposc ol this book is to convey to all Karate
enthusiasts, as well as to would-be enthusiasts, the
proper procedure for Karate training which hhs been
perfected by Karate Master Masutatsu Oyama.
This book was written with the cooperation and
collaboration of Master Oyama, who himself is the
author of lYhat is Karate, and who is currently writing
another sequel, entitled This is Karate.
The following few characteristics and definitions of
Karate will help those who wish to understand and
practice the art:
1. Karate is an excellent, healthful means of physi-
cal conditioning because in its practice, both arms,
hands, legs, as well as other parts of the body are
exercised.
CONTENTS
2. Karate requires deep concentration and it helps
I lntroduction
in developing mental, moral and spiritual discipline. 1
34.. KKaarraattee diesv ealo ppsr ocvoennfid eefnfecect iaven dm peotisheo.d of self- II Karate Training Hall Procedures 6
defense without the use of weapons. III Karate Warm-Up Exercises 9
5. Karate can be practiced within the physical lim-
itations of each individual. IV Karate Stances 30
wit6h.o Kuat rtahtee hcaenlp b oef satu dpiaedrt naenrd o itrs thmee tuhsoed so pf raac ltaicreged V Nerve Centers 38
training area. fn fact, one's bedroom or garage are VI Karate Punching and Striking Techniques 40
more than suf{icient for practice.
7. .A high degree of achievement and irnprovement VII Karate Defensive Blocking Techniques 52
can be attained within a relatively short period of time. VIII Karate Kicking Techniques 60
Many have asked for the definition of "Kyokushin- lX Karatc llrcathing Techniques (Kiai) 67
kai," which is the name of our organization. R.oughly,
Kyoku rneans the Far East or Asia; Shin means X Klrr;rlo ('o-rlrtlination I:lxcrcises (Oi Tsuki) l5
the "truth from within" or reality;' Kai is a club or XI
Karate Forms (Katas) 83
organization.
B. L. XII Karate Training-TogetherTechniques 97
XIII
Karate One-Blow Prearranged
Sparring (Ippon Kumite) 105
XtV
Karate Defenses Against Grabbing Attacks 142
XV
Karate Knife and Club Defense Techniques 170
XVI
Jiyu Kumite 186
XVII
Tameshiwari 193
XVITI Karate Defenses Against Multiple Attacks 20t
XIX
Karate Makiwara Training 2t2
Korote Moster Mosulstsu Oyomo, 8th don. (Founder
ond Choirmon of the Jopon Korote-do Kyokushinkoi).
INTRODUCTION
The origin of Karate is very uncertain. However, as
early as the Meiji era, Karate was widely known among
the Japanese people. Originally Karate meant "Chi-
nese Art," because the Chinese character "Tong" is
read Kara in Japanese. This probably gave cause to the
speculation that Karatq had its beginning in China. But
1 in 1937 Karate was changed to read "empty hand"
,fl in Japanese.
*l Legend states that som'e 1500 years ago a Buddhist
t priest, "Daruma Taishi," of southern India traveled to
China to teach the secrets of Zen. There he secluded
himself in the temple "shorinji" at Chung Shan, Honan
Provincc. Daruma's secret of Zen was very difficult to
lc;rrrr ;utrl lhe: irrlcrrsc ltrirclicc of austerity during the
tritirtirrg pcritxl wclkcnc<l his clisciples mentally and
physically. Many who dcsired to study his teachings
fell by the wayside. To correct the situation, Daruma
taught them a form of slelsise-1he doctrine of insep-
arability of spirit and body called ,.Eki Kinkyo,,' the
foundation of Chinese Kenpo. As time passed, the Chi-
nese self-defense became synonymous with Shorinji.
The Shorinji art (Chinese fisr) was supreme in China
and flourished for hundreds of years. Gradually, the
Shorinji art of self-defense found its way to Okinawa.
Although Okinawa had its own Kenpo (called ..Kumiai
jutsu" or "Bushi-de" or "te"), Shorinji Kenpo
influenced the development of Okinawa Karate
tremendously.
In Okinawa, Karate was practiced in secret for
hundreds of years until 1901. Then it was brought to
Bobby Lowe, 5th don. lChief lnstructor ond Executive light as a part of regular curriculum in the First Mid-
odministrotor of the Howoii Bronch Kyokushinkoi!.
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fdirles tS icnhsotroul cotof rO. kItin awwaas . frMoams tethr isA nshcohouo Ilt othsau t wMaas sttheer 3. To meet with fortitude, any and all obstacle3s
G19ic1h6i,n h eF uinntraokdouscheid a Kcqaurairteed t oh Jisa ptraani.n Minags, tearn Fdu lnaatekor,s hini wh4ic. hT mo abye a crioseu rtteoo huasm ipne ro tuhre daettpaoinrtmmeennt t,o af nodu rt ogo arels-.
wreasst tohfe h pisio lnifeee rp oopf uKlaarriaztien gi ni tJ athpearne .a Lnad tehre, sfoplelonwt itnhge me5m. bTero a blwea yrse sthpee cvtifrutul et oowf amrdodse osttyh.ers, superiors or
in his footsteps, other Karate masters from Okinawa inf'eriors, friend or foe.
came to Japan. Rapidly, Karate became widespread 6. To avoid all unnecessary incidents, and to use
and many Karate organizations were formed. Rules this art only when all other means of self-preservation
for tournaments were subsequently formulated to have failed.
make Karate a competitive sport. Therefore it could 7. Through the teachings of the six foregoing prin-
be safely said that Karate had its beginning in China, ciples, we further swear to strive to become good citi_
was developed in Okinawa,.and systematized in Japan. zens, worthy community members and true gentlemdn.
Mas Oyama's Karate originated from this
same
source. He was a pupil at Master Funakoshi's School
of Karate (Shoto Kan) and later studied and mas_
tered the "Goju ryu" nrethod of Karate. He won the
Al[ Japan Championship in lg47 and roured the
United States in 1952, where he introduced Karate
for the first time to a foreign country.
IVIas Oyama's Karate is not merely a form of self_
defense; its concept lies deeper than simple physical
cultivation. Mas Oyama believes that Karate should
not be violent: it should deny violence instead. In es_
sence, Mas Oyama's ultimate endeavors in Karate are
spiritual enlightenment, mental cultivation and human
quality, best defined by the oath which is recited by
each Kyokushinkai Karate student after each train-
ing session:
We, the members of the Japan Karate-do Kyoku-
shinkai, do hereby swear
I. To devote ourselves towards the development of
one another, spiritually, intellectually and physically.
2. To be constantly alert to the teachings of our
superiors, endeavoring always to master the secrets of
this martial art.
lnstructor Bobby Lowe demonstrotes force of open hond
chop. Flome is dxfinguished by the vqcuum coused by his
possing hond.
Kenii Kurosoki, 4th don. instructor from Jopon, demon_
strotes the power of the heod butf ogoinst two 2_inch
thick bricks.
-
il
KARATE
TRAINING
HALL
PROCEDURES
2. The "solutolion" is o bow of obout 3O degrees with
both fists touching the floor.
I . Howqii Kyokushinkoi students in o pose of meditotion
to help cleor ond reody their minds for lhe froining ses-
soino nth wighhisc ho nfodl loeywess. cSlotusdede.nfs sit upright with fists resting r3e.c Tehivise iisn stlhruec tfioonrms- which oll members ossume when fhey
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