| In general, there are many components to modern | | | | Sport sparring tends to be one hit "tag" type for |
| karate training. One common division is between the | | | | points. Depending on style or teacher, judo-type |
| areas of kihon (basics or fundamentals), kata (forms), | | | | takedowns and grappling may be involved alongside |
| and kumite (sparring). Another popular division is | | | | the punching and kicking. |
| between art, sport, and self defense training. | | | | Types of Kumite |
| Weapons (kobudo) comprise another important | | | | Ippon kumite - one step sparring, typically used for |
| training area, as well as the psychological elements | | | | self defense drills |
| incorporated into a proper kokoro (attitude) such as | | | | Sanbon kumite - three step sparring, typically used to |
| perseverance, fearlessness, virtue, and leadership | | | | develop speed, strength, and technique |
| skills. Often in the execution of a technique, karateka | | | | Jiyu kumite - free sparring |
| are encouraged to issue a loud kiai or 'spirit shout'. | | | | Basic Footwork |
| Kata (Forms) | | | | Nusumi ashi - back foot steps in first, front foot |
| Kata means "form" or "pattern," and despite how | | | | steps second to close distance |
| they might appear to the outsider, are not simply | | | | Okuri ashi - front foot steps in first to close distance, |
| aerobic routines. They are patterns of movements | | | | back foot follows hahahahhahahhahahahhahah |
| and techniques that demonstrate physical combat | | | | Tsugi ashi - stutter step, typically the front foot |
| principles. Kata may be thought of as a sequence of | | | | makes a small closing step followed by a much larger |
| specific Karate movements that address various | | | | one to close distance with the back foot following as |
| types of attack and defense under ideal | | | | needed |
| circumstances. It is important to remember that they | | | | Ayumi ashi - the back foot steps through to the |
| were developed before literacy was commonplace in | | | | front to close distance |
| Okinawa or China, so physical routines were the | | | | Kokoro (Attitude) |
| logical method for preserving a body of this type of | | | | Kokoro is a concept that crosses through many |
| information. It is also important to remember that the | | | | martial arts, but has no single discrete meaning. In |
| moves themselves may have multiple interpretations | | | | context, it means something like "heart," "character," |
| as self-defense techniques - there is no 'standard | | | | or "attitude." Character is a central concept in karate, |
| right or wrong' way to interpret them, but | | | | and in keeping with the do nature of modern karate, |
| interpretations may have more or less utility for | | | | there is a great emphasis on improving oneself. It is |
| actual fighting. In karate, there are many types of | | | | often said that the art of karate is for self-defense; |
| Kata available. Depending on the current grade of the | | | | not injuring one's opponent is the highest expression |
| pupil, a specific Kata must be practised and ready to | | | | of the art. Some popularly repeated quotes |
| perform at a grading for one to grade to the next | | | | implicating this concept include: |
| Kyu or Dan level. | | | | "The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or |
| Kata by the same name are often performed with | | | | defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its |
| variations between styles, within schools of the same | | | | participants." -Gichin Funakoshi[citation needed] |
| style, or even under the same instructor over time. | | | | "The Way is not meant as a way of fighting. It is a |
| None of these variations are more "correct" than the | | | | path on which you travel to find your own inner |
| other, though during testing only one version is | | | | peace and harmony. It is yours to seek and find." |
| typically accepted. | | | | -Hironori Ohtsuka |
| Kumite (Sparring) | | | | Respect is another very important part of karate; it |
| Kumite literally means "meeting of hands," and has | | | | is about cleansing oneself and strengthening |
| many incarnations. Sparring may be constrained by | | | | character. The spirit of "osu" is to push onself to the |
| many rules or it may be free sparring, and today is | | | | limit of one's ability, to persevere under pressure, to |
| practiced both as sport and for self-defense training. | | | | endure. |