By Kira O'DellBy Kira O'Dell

Karate historyKarate itself began on a small island called

Okinawa. It started off in India and was changed a little by the

Chinese when it became shaolin kung fu. That was when it travelled onto Okinawa and there

it was mixed with their own “tode” fighting and began to take the shape of the karate we have today. At the time it was called “Okinawan-te” (te meaning hand). This was taught in Okinawan schools.

One student travelled to Japan and called it Kara-te (Kara-empty te-hand).

In Japan it was later called Shotokan Karate.

(Okinawa)

Karate tournament rules and equipment

There are 2 different types of karate tournaments:1. Called point fighting in which no contact is made. The winner is the one

who makes a blow that would knock down their opponent in full contact.2. Called full-contact karate in which full contact is made. The winner is the

one that can knock down their opponent.

One of the karate tournaments is called the Kansuiryu World Championships. There are different competitions for adults and children. This is a type of full-contact karate and there is no body padding allowed.

In all types of tournaments there are also two different types of rule systems: WKF - 3 full points win and WUKO- 1 full point. The arena that the tournament is played in must be between 24x24 feet and 20x20 feet. The red competitor is always on the right hand side of the referee and the white on the left.

In karate there is a variety of equipment. There is the keikogi, which is your uniform, complete with loose cotton jackets, coloured belts and trousers with elastic waist bands. Uniforms must be clean. Body protection includes: male- groin protector, headgear, mouthpiece. Female- breast protector, groin protector, headgear, mouthpiece.

keikogi

Karate champions and records

Paul Starling has achieved a number of achievements including

• a former NSW State Coach for the New South Wales Karate Federation.• A state of New South Wales “A” Level Referee for the Australian Karate

Federation.• A former “A” Level National Australian Referee for the Australian Karate

Federation• A former National Secretary for the AKF (FAKO)• Represented Australia as a Referee/Judge at the WKF (WUKO) World Karate

Championships in Taiwan in 1982, where his wife and student became the very first Australian AKF representative to win a medal when she won 3rd place bronze in the Female Kata event.

• Was a lecturer on the very 1st Level One Coaching Course run by AKF for the National Coaching Accreditation Scheme and was on the committee that designed the original Level Two Coaching Scheme for the AKF

• National Australian University Sports Coordinator for Karate do• Organizing Committee WKF World Karate do Championships 1986 Sydney

Kung Fu History

There are many different forms of kung fu. Really, kung fu is a term for all Chinese martial arts. Kung fu was thought to have been introduced by a man called Bodhidarma. He had devised some exercises, which he taught to his disciples. He believed that you could stay awake during meditation if you had a strong body. His exercises were developed in the Himalayas and they were supposed to help with your health and strength. Some of the kung fu moves are named after animals and their behaviour, for example, the crane, dragon, monkey, praying mantis and tiger.

Kung Fu tournament rules and equipment

Because there are actually many different forms of kung fu, there are different forms of tournaments. Some of the forms are: wing chun, mok-gar and kick boxing. Butterfly knife

Dress for wing chun will be something like a clean uniform consisting of comfortable top and trousers. Normally soft shoes such as slippers are worn on the feet, as well as necessary protection. A sash is normally worn but does not show any particular grade. Equipment may include the butterfly knife or the 6½ point pole. Most of the time, a wooden dummy called mook yan jong is used for training.

Grading in mok-gar is simple but important. A yellow sash is 1st grade, an orange sash is 2nd, green is 3rd, blue is 4th and brown is 5th grade. Once you pass 5th grade, you get your 1st degree, which is a black belt. For every degree you pass, you earn a red band on the black sash. Once all 10 degrees are passed, you are given a red sash.

Some protective clothing from kick-boxing include protective head-guard, which must fit securely, and gloves for full contact sparring. Protective foot wear is used for both the receiver of the kick and the presenter of the kick.

Kung Fu champions and records

In the IKF World Kung Fu Championship the winners are divided up into age and weight groups. Here are some winners from 2010.

• Kung fu Light 18-35 years 60kg- Ibrahim Davulchu from Turkey

• Kung fu light 18-35 years 65kg- Adem Karakash from Turkey

• Kung fu light 18-35 years 70kg- Umid Hancher from Turkey• Kung fu light 18-35 years 75kg- Jalal Kasimov from

Azerbaijan• Kung fu light 18-35 years 80kg- Bekir Kaya from Turkey• Kung fu light 18-35 years 80+kg-Akhadov Murad from

Russia

Aikido history

Aikido was brought about by a Japanese man called Morihei Ueshiba at the beginning of the 1900’s. Morihei Ueshiba was born on December in Japan in 1883. When he was young, his father used to get beat up for political reasons. He tried to make himself strong to avenge his father. He began to practice hard on martial arts. He managed to master many styles of jujitsu, spear fighting and fencing. Even when he had amazing martial and physical ability, he was still not satisfied. So, by putting together his religious knowledge and martial arts, he created Aikido. Actually, the name Aikido was decided in 1942, whereas Morihei had called it Aikibudo and Aikinomichi.

Aikido tournament rules and equipment

Aikido is different from other martial arts because, actually, no violence is allowed! Not even for self defence. Mainly you are supposed to use your opponent’s strength against them. It is a very hard skill to master.

Adults should not wear the coloured belt system, but children still use the traditional kyu system. They begin with a white belt with one red stripe and progress through different coloured stripes, until they reach their first kyu, which is their final grade before taking their first black belt.

Some of the Aikido equipment include:bokken (wooden sword)jo (wooden staff)tanto (wooden knife)gi (outfit) bokken

Aikido champions and records

Peter Brady is a well known aikido fighter, and has many achievements. Here are some

• He started Aikido at the Hall Green Technical College in 1973. • In 1970 he joined the Birmingham Athletic Institute and attained

Shodan with that organization in 1973.• Affiliated to the West Midlands Aikikai (part of the then Aikikai of

Great Britain)• Attained recognition for Shodan from Chiba Sensei in 1976• In 1996 he was promoted to the rank of Godan in Stourbridge

West Midlands – again through Chiba Sensei’s authority• He was promoted to Rokudan in 2003 and is a Shidoin (Hombu

recognised Senior teacher) with the United Kingdom Aikikai and also holds the position of Senior Coach and Children’s Coach within the British Aikido Board (the Government recognised authority for the teaching of Aikido in Great Britain)

• Peter was promoted to Shihan (Master) in 2010