Spirit of DJians

Karate-do

Karate 空手, Karate) or karate-dō空手道, karate-dō is a martial art developed from Chinese kenpō (in particular, Sounthern Chinese kung fu) and indigenous fighting methods from the Ryūkyū Islands. It is primarily a striking art, featuring punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques, but grappling, joint manipulations, locks, restraints, throws, and vital point striking are also taught, depending on the style. A karate  practitioner is called a karateka (空手家) 

かた/Kata (Forms)

Kata (型:かた) means “form” or “pattern,” and is a set sequence of techniques. Characteristics of these include deep stances to develop leg strength and large body motions to develop cardio-vascular and upper-body fitness and power. Some kata are lengthy and complex, and thus function as training in memory skills and thoughtfulness in the midst of kinetic activity.There are many types of kata. Depending on the current grade of the karateka, a specific kata must be practiced and ready to perform at a grading for one to grade to the next Kyū or Dan level. 

くみて/Kumite (Sparring)

Kumite (組手:くみて) literally means “meeting of hands,” and has many incarnations. Sparring may be constrained by many rules or it may be free sparring, and today is practiced both as sport and for self-defense training.Sport sparring tends to be one-hit ‘tag’-type competition for points.Depending on style or teacher, takedowns and grappling may be involved alongside the punching and kicking. Levels of physical contact during sparring vary considerably, from strict ‘non-contact’ to full-contact