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Budo Ryu Karate - Student Manual

Budo Ryu Karate DoStudent Manual

Compiled by the instructors of Budo Ryu - 2004

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student Manual/tt/file_convert/5a9f83677f8b9a0d158cf238/document.doc Updated 28 January 2001

Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 3

The Goals of Budo Ryu.............................................................................................. 3

Self Protection vs. Self Perfection..........................................................................4

Kindness of spirit........................................................................................................ 4

The road ahead............................................................................................................ 5

Training Principles.........................................................................................................9

Dual Road - Physical and mental/spiritual............................................................9The Mental Principles..................................................................................................20

Budo weapons........................................................................................................... 29

Belt Rank and Advancement Testing...................................................................41

Kyu Requirements....................................................................................................42

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Yellow Belt..................................................................43

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Yellow one stripe.........................................................44

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Yellow two stripes.......................................................45

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Green Belt...................................................................46

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Green one stripe.........................................................47

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS- Green two stripes.......................................................48

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS BROWN......................................................................49PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Brown - one stripe...........................................................50

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Brown - two stripes....................................................51Terminology Dictionary......................................................................................................52

Recommended Reading for further study......................................................................58

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Introduction

What is Budo Ryu Budo Ryu is a self-defense oriented style of Martial Arts derived from Japanese traditional arts and incorporating techniques from many martial disciplines. While rooted in traditional forms,

Budo Ryu is an evolving style which grows and changes to perfect it’s techniques. Practicality is central to our style and techniques which have limited application or require special physical skills are not part of the core of Budo Ryu techniques.

The Goals of Budo Ryu Budo Ryu was founded to provide students practical self defense techniques with a “low investment - high yield” philosophy. Low Investment means that techniques which are simple to learn and apply are taught first and these techniques show immediate results. The idea that a student can learn effective self defense strategies in just a few classes is central to the teachings of Budo Ryu. As the student progresses, more complicated techniques are introduced, but the goal is to provide effective self defense first before moving ahead to techniques which may take years to perfect.

Because of this philosophy, these techniques do not require radical physical changes in the student. How can a self defense technique which requires extreme flexibility be effectively learned in a few weeks when obtaining the flexibility to execute it properly may take years ? The core techniques of Budo Ryu can be applied by the average student right away.

Budo Ryu is also called a “No Way Way”. A style unbounded by adherence to conventions. This means that while specific techniques are taught in a strict form to be performed a very specific way, this is intended for the beginner. For new students, these rules are necessary to provide a framework from which to expand and eventually break free of the rules of “standard” karate. Many great teachers over the centuries have rejected strict formalism

in styles because they become static - “concretized” - over time and lose their vitality. Jeet Kun Do, Bruce Lee’s famous martial style, was such a method as were the sword techniques of the greatest Japanese swordsman of all time, Miyamoto Musashi. Musashi directly rejects the various schools of his day saying that once having learned the basic postures and cutting techniques through repeated practice, the student will discover methods which extend and then break the confines of the limitations of form.

Budo Ryu grew from these same motivations. As times change, so must self defense tactics. Tactics developed to stop an unarmed attacker may remain a constant, but more and more attacks with more dangerous weapons by people who may be numbed by the effects of drugs or alcohol, call for new strategies. Who knows what might self-defense challenges we may face 50 years from now. A static style will never learn to deal with attacks which are evolving. Budo Ryu’s founder also realized the power of a flexible form and when he later read the writings of Musashi, his vision of an evolving style was crystallized.

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Self Protection vs. Self Perfection In ancient times the primary function of any martial art was self protection. The “martial” aspect was emphasized and the “art” was secondary. The Japanese word for “Martial Art” is BuJutsu. “Bu” being “military or martial”, “justu” becoming translated as “art”. The character for “Bu” consists of the radicals “to stop” ( ) and “spear” ( ), the ancient implication being a military man’s foremost duty was of protection and defense. The character for Jutsu does not mean “art” as we commonly think of it. It means “useful” or “technique”. So the original meaning of BuJutsu was a “practically useful martial form”. During Japans 300 years of civil war which ended in the 1600’s, the various Ryu or “schools” developed their particular form of BuJutsu to a high degree. Self Protection was the goal, not just of the self, but of the clan, the family and one’s sovereign lord.

Over time, as civil unrest ceased and armed conflict became more rare, the energies of many Ryu became completely focused on developing the character of those practicing the martial arts. The practical combat aspect was slowly suppressed. As a result, the various Ryu found themselves teaching non-combative techniques focusing on the individual’s self-perfection. These styles were no longer “Jutsu” forms, they became “Do” forms. “Do” means “way” or “path”, the implication is a path to self-improvement, enlightenment or education. It does not mean self-protection.

Today there are many Ryu which focus on the “Do” aspect - Kendo - Japanese Fencing, Karate-Do, Judo - Wrestling, Iaido - the art of drawing the sword, etc. These forms are self-perfection forms which teach techniques whose roots are in the Jutsu traditions but which have became more stylized and less useful in combat situations. In many schools the line between Do and Justu forms is blurred and they are often taught side by side without distinction. “Do” forms have great power to mold character, teach discipline and tradition. What is lacking is the practicality of the older forms.

Budo Ryu’s core principle is that of the ancient “Jutsu” forms - practical self-defense. Ultimately though, a trained fighter without self-discipline is like a loaded gun with no safety. All martial arts, whether they be hand-to-hand or weapons oriented require more than merely memorizing physical techniques.

Self Discipline Discipline is the cornerstone of the martial spirit and the single most important lesson to be gained from your training. Without it, instructors have no way of knowing if what they are teaching will be used for aggression or for self-defense. In class and out, the student must remember the responsibility which comes with the power behind their techniques. Reinforced in class through drill and absolute obedience to instructors and senior students, the discipline of the student will be seen in their every day lives in the actions and words.

Kindness of spirit With the knowledge of the power of the students training and the discipline which tempers it comes and natural progression to a kind and generous spirit. Courtesy, honesty and integrity show through.

Respect for others Discipline in the training hall inevitably flows out into the students everyday life. Respect for others is central and this attitude, perfected in class through rigorous training, permeates the students daily life both in an out of class.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualThe road ahead How long will it take to get to the “end” of your journey ? Many years ago, a young student approached a Karate master and asked the same question - “How long will it take to reach Black Belt ?”. The Master replied “6 years”. “What if I train twice as hard?” The master replied - “10 years”. “What if I train everyday with all my effort ?” Again the master replied - “12 years”. The puzzled student asked ‘ Master, I don’t understand. If I train harder than anyone else, if I train everyday with all my energy, why will it take me 12 years to earn my black belt.” The master smiled and said, “With one eye on your goal, you will have only one eye to find the way.”

And so it will go with your training. You will learn the journey has no end and that the road you will travel - the training in class - is the reward. Keep both eyes on the training at hand and the improvement we all seek will find it’s way to us.

Brief History of Karate

Earliest formsMartial disciplines are as ancient as mankind. Certainly before recorded history rudimentary systems of martial combat were practiced. These forms have been lost in time, but modern Karate’s roots extend thousands of years into the past.

The earliest evidence of martial forms comes from clay tablets carved in Greece around 300 BC. These crude fighting forms, called “Pankration”, were practiced by Alexander the Great’s soldiers and carried throughout the near east during Alexander’s conquests. In India, Pankration was influenced by the Indian warrior class whose Vajramushti disciplines were taught to all of the caste. At the time, the nobility were educated in martial disciplines and a young Buddhist monk named Bodhidahrma studied the new forms. His life is a story which has long ago been transformed by myth and legend. Much of what is known has been passed down by oral tradition and therefore many “facts” of his life may be fiction. But to the martial arts, Bodhidharhma’s life story is central.

Bodhidharhma left India sometime during the 6th Century and traveled to Liang Province, China where he was greeted by Emperor Wu. Emperor Wu was greatly interested in Bodhidharma’s new religion and his martial background. But Wu found the teachings difficult to understand and the long hours of silent meditation were too much for him to bear. He banished Bodhidharhma from Liang. But Bodhidharhma was certain his philosophy that only “Jiriki” - self effort through protracted meditation and self discipline - would lead one to true enlightenment. Bodhidharhma devised exercises to improve the physical nature so that his students could endure the long meditation sessions. To this day meditation remains a central precept of Mahayana1 Buddhism.

The exercises and the Buddhist philosophy were contained in two books, the I-Chin-Ching and the Hsiensui-Ching. These exercises were called the Shin Pa Lo Han Sho or the 18 Hands of Lo Han. Very likely they were developed using Bodhidarhma’s Vashramushti training as a basis. In modern times, Hun-Gar Kung Fu schools teach a variation of this early form.

1 Mahayana Buddhism - literally “Great Vehicle” Buddhism and Hinayana - Little Vehicle Buddhism are the two primary sects of modern day Buddhism. The “vehicle” in these cases being equated with a Ferry Boat. The boat being that which helps you to cross the divide to enlightenment. A apt anology since once across the vehicle is to be discarded and the practicioner free to move about without the constraints of the dogma which defined and informed his initial passage. Much like a structured Kata form which later allows a more unstructured approach to martial arts training.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualTo build endurance and strength, the exercises were done slowly and resembled modern Kata2. Slow movements are a characteristic of modern T’ai Chi, a Chinese martial form which focuses on inner harmony. As the students mastered the slow forms, they increased their speed. Chinese Kempo (boxing) developed around the same time and these forms were combined with Bodhidarhma’s regimen to form Shaolin Kempo. Later, these forms were known as Shaolin Ch’uan Fa (Kung Fu). Forbidden to carry weapons of any kind, the Shaolin monks were well known for their prowess in unarmed combat using Shaolin Ch’uan Fa.

Sometime after Bodhidarhma’s death, a Ch’uan Fa master named Ch’ueh Yuan Shang-Jen combined the 18 hands of Lo Han with his own forms. Traveling to Shensi province Shang-jen met another Ch’uan Fa master name Li. Together they developed 170 movements and named the best of these “Snake”, Dragon, Crane and tiger. Shaolin Ch’uan Fa became the first school of unarmed fighting known as the external school.

From this beginning, the arts found their way to many Asian and southeast Asian countries. In each, the forms found a unique expression, combining with locally developed styles to form new schools. During this period of time from around 600 AD to the late 1300’s, the development of martial forms was wide spread. In 1372, the origins of modern Karate found their way to the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa. The ancient Ch’uan Fa forms landed there and when combined with the native Okinawan forms, was called Tode. Tode Ch’uan Fa was modified through the years until the early 1600’s.

After 300 years of civil war, Japan came under one ruler - the Tokugawa family whose leader Tokugawa Ieyasu 3was named “Shogun” (military ruler) of all Japan. To placate the defeated Satsuma clan , the Shogun granted permission for the Satsuma to subjugate the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa. This attack in 1609 ended Okinawan independence. To ensure against civil uprisings, Shimazu Iehisa issued a ban on all weapons and a house to house search was ordered to collect them. The Okinawans, stripped of their only means of self defense turned to their unarmed combat forms. Local Ch’uan Fa and Tode schools joined forces in 1629 and the Ryu’s alliance resulted in the “Te” - literally “Hand” - form of Martial Arts.

Because of the martial rule of the Satsuma, “Te” was forced to exist as a secret style for many years. Kata were disguised as dance and all written accounts of the style were suppressed. Te divided into two schools, the Naha Te which was primarily defensive and the Shuri Te which was offensive. Also during this time, Te practitioners developed Kata and individual techniques using farm tools as weapons. Most of the weapons taught in modern Karate schools were at one time simple farms tools. For example, the most famous, the “Nanchuka” was at one time a rice beater used to separate the rice grains from the plants.

In 1890, Japan annexed Okinawa. “Te” was renamed “Karate-Jutsu “ or the “China hand art”. In 1903, impressed with the physiques of the Okinawan students who studied this martial art, the Japanese government authorized Karate-justu as physical education in all Okinawan schools. Funakoshi Gichin Sensei4, a prominent Okinawan instructor was invited to Japan to demonstrate his forms at Japanese Universities. By 1924 Funakoshi Sensei showed that Karate could be part of the university curriculum and Deio University in Tokyo became the first to organize a dojo. Other Karate masters followed Funakoshi and each founded new styles. Funakoshi founded Shotokan Karate. Mabuni Sensei the Shinto Style of Karate.

2 “Kata” translates as “form” but is used to describe the codified sequence of movements learned by all students of Martial Arts. Kata will be discussed further in subsequent sections on this manual.3 Ieyaasu was the consumate warrior. In his diary he recorded a “typical” day. Awake at 5am, washed, practice archery, 500 cuts with the sword, got married. 4 “Sensei” is generally translated as “Teacher” or Mister. It is a honorific suffix which can be used for either male of female. Interestingly, the two characters “Sen” and “Sei” mean ‘before’ and ‘to be born’. The implication is not that the teacher is chronologically older, but that he was “born’ into the learning of a particular discipline before his students.

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By 1932, all Japanese universities had their own dojos. The character “Kara” meaning China was replaced with the character for empty - still pronounced Kara - to form “Karate-justu”, the empty hand art. Karate comes to the USIn 1922, a Ch’uan Fa school opened in Hawaii. Accepting only Chinese students it was the first martial arts school in the US. In 1927 Yabo Kensu Sensei, an Okinawan master, traveled to Hawaii to demonstrate his techniques at the Honolulu YMCA. Okinawans living in Hawaii convinced another master Motobu Chokei Sensei to open a school in Hawaii.

Following Chokei Sensei, two masters Mustu Suiho Sensei and Higaonna Kamusuke Sensei opened the Karate Seinen Kai in Hawaii in 1933. Public demonstrations of the new art followed and the first westerners to train studied under Mustu Sensei and Higaonna Sensei. From 1936 to 1942 interest in the arts waned. But in 1942 Dr. James Mitose opened the official self defense club at Beretania mission in Honolulu. When he retired he left five students Thomas Young, William Chow, Paul Yamaguchi, Arthur Keawe and Edward Lowe to carry the arts forward.

The Okinawan forms flourished after WW II when US servicemen who had studied the arts abroad brought them back to the US. In 1960 Hirukazu Sensei of the Japan Karate Association was sent to Hawaii to teach Shotokan, Funakoshi Sensei’s style. Popularity soon followed and with it, Karate landed on mainland America.

The first known school opened in Provo, Utah in 1954 under Edward Parker Sensei. 5 Parker’s demonstration during half-time at a basketball game attracted the interest of local police. Parker Sensei soon began teaching his form to the Provo police department. In 1959, Parker Sensei move to Pasadena, California where he opened a Kempo Karate school where he trained celebrities such as Elke Sommer, Robert Culp, Ruta Lee and Elvis Presley.

By 1957, Karate had reached the eastern United States. Don Nagel Sensei opened an Isshin Ryu dojo (an Okinawan form founded by Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei ) in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Nagel Sensei later opened a school in NJ which soon helped spread the arts through the New York metropolitan area.

Other styles, from Korea, China, Thailand, Indonesia and elsewhere developed along with Karate. These styles demonstrate a wide variety of techniques and are unique to their countries of origin. Budo Ryu has it’s roots primarily in the Okinawan and Japanese traditions and therefore their history is presented here.

Budo Ryu Budo was developed by Edward Garrasi Sensei. Garrasi Sensei first studied Shotokan Karate at the Asahi Karate Club under Dick More Sensei and Mike Baycheck. Before enlisting in the Navy, Garrasi Sensei continued to study a wide variety of forms, including Okinawan Kempo.Aboard the USS Montrail Garrasi Sensei was invited to join the on-base Karate dojo where he initially taught beginners. During his Navy service he studied Judo and the Korean form Tae Kwon Do. He realized the wide variety of techniques each style possessed beyond his initial Shotokan training and this planted the seed for Budo Ryu’s later development.

5 Parker Sensei is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

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Upon discharge from the Navy, Garrasi Sensei returned to NJ and joined the dojo at the Bucks County, Pa. YMCA under Bill Hodgkis Sensei. He advanced quickly, but just before his black belt examination he was injured in a swimming accident. Unable to train, he taught Karate and began to develop his own Kata based on his wide experience. One year later, he returned to training, but soon broke his hand. Shortly after, Hodgkis Sensei closed his dojo and Garrasi Sensei joined the Shotokan club at Mercer County Community College.

Don Stamile Sensei continued Garrasi Sensei’s training and after one year, promoted him to Shodan - first degree black belt in Shotokan Karate.

By 1973, the kernel of the evolving style had already formed. Garrasi Sensei understood the limitations of static forms and formulated a new style based in old traditions. The form would be firmly rooted in practical application, but would grow and change to meet new challenges. The style was called “MALSHA” – an acronym lost to even O-Sensei, but likely meaning “Martial Arts Laboratory Sythesis of Hybrid Applications”. The exact name is unimportant, but the idea behind it began to effect the students training and their view of martial arts. He began teaching MALSHA at his home in Hightstown, NJ that year, but to grow the style, a more permanent dojo would be needed. In September 1976, Garrasi Sensei began teaching his new form at Mercer County College. The style was popular with students because of its analytical approach and adaptability. By September 1979, Garrasi Sensei’s top student, Sheila Scott, opened her own dojo at Trenton State College. In 1981, when Garrasi Sensei moved to Florida, he left the Mercer County dojo to his senior most brown belt, Michael O’Neal.

During the next few months, both the Trenton State and Mercer County schools grew. In September 1982, the Trenton State dojo was assumed by Eric Markowitz. On 30 October 1983, Markowitz became the first black belt in Garrasi Sensei’s Malsha Freestyle Karate. Upon graduation Markowitz Sensei opened his own dojo at the Boys Club in Clifton, NJ while the Trenton State School was assumed by Lee Rose, then a senior green belt. After moving back to Trenton Markowitz Sensei opened another dojo at the Jazzercise fitness center in Pennington, NJ and a second at the Pennington School. Markowitz Sensei’s schools are called the “Nami” - “wave” dojos.

In 1984, with it’s traditional Japanese background pressing for attention, Malsha was renamed simply “Budo Ryu” - martial arts school.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualGarrasi Sensei moved north to established dojos in Jessup and Randlestown, Maryland in the late 1980’s. Markowitz Sensei broke away from Budo Ryu, established his own schools in the Pennington area and has three dojos under him or his students. O’Neal Sensei continued to teach at Mercer County College until the late 1980’s and later opened a dojo at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in East Brunswick, NJ. O’Neal Sensei’s dojo is called the “Kumo” - “cloud” dojo.

Four Senseis - Graig DuPee, Jeff DeGroff, O-Sensei & O'Neal Sensei, 2003

Today, Garrasi Sensei continues to train in the martial disciplines. He studies the ancient art of Zen Archery called “Kyudo” and has risen to instructor of the style headed by the bow maker to the Imperial Court of Japan, Kanjiro Shibata the 20th . 6

Today with your support and dedication, Budo Ryu continues to grow.

Training Principles

Dual Road - Physical and mental/spiritual Karate in it’s finest form is a combination of both physical and mental principles. It is this union which gives the martial arts is broad and long-enduring appeal. The physical principles are the

6 Many Budo Ryu students and instructors have attained rank in a variety of martial arts. DeGroff Sensei is trained in the Philipino stick fighting styles, DuPee Sensei holds a Ni-dan rank in Iaido and O’Neal Sensei is a Shodan in both Iaido and Kendo.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student Manualmost well known. It is easy to recognize the techniques of the martial arts - the kicks, punches and blocks. But the grounding of a student must be in the mental aspects of the way. Too often well trained martial artists have resorted to thuggery simply because they are skilled fighters. Discipline is the key to learning the true way of the martial arts. Physical discipline is a start, but the real challenge is in the mental disciplines. To learn these takes more time, more patience, more self-discovery.

The Techniques (Waza) of Budo Ryu Budo Ryu embraces techniques from many traditional schools and has developed some of it’s own. In the appendix of this manual you will find the Japanese terminology for the various strikes, stances and blocks taught during class. These terms encompass the whole of the Budo Ryu library of techniques.

Budo Ryu also teaches several different katas, well explained previously. These Kata are the body of Budo Ryu.

For more advanced students, Budo Ryu Sensei’s are trained in a wide variety of additional martial arts. Some Sensei have studied “Kendo” (Japanese Fencing) , “Kyudo” (Japanese Archery), Iaido (Japanese Swordsmanship) or “Jodo” (Japanese short stick techniques) among others. Ask your Sensei about their additional training. These additional techniques will be taught to more advanced students as a means of broadening their knowledge and understanding of Budo.

The Dojo “Dojo” roughly translated means the “Place of the Way”. “Do” translates as “way” or “path”. “Jo” means building or place. In martial arts, the “way” is the methods of self-protection or self-perfection you are studying. In this way, Dojo is synonymous with the training hall. Generally this means a building where you train, but the Dojo can be anywhere - your home, a public park, a quiet field or a forest clearing - anywhere where you practice your “way”.

Before entering the Dojo, students should be in uniform ready to practice. Their Gi should be neat and the belt tied. The Dojo-mon, the gateway to the Dojo, marks the barrier between the outside world and your training. When you enter, your mind should be at rest. Concerns about money, job stress, homework or any other daily cares should be left at the door. Any thought which distracts the student from their training makes both the student and the instructors job more difficult and will certainly slow learning.

Once ready to enter the dojo, students should place their shoes on the “shoe-line”, toes facing into the dojo. The rightmost position should be reserved

for the instructor’s shoes. Before crossing the shoe line and entering the dojo, the student must “rei” (bow) as a sign of respect to the Sensei, fellow students and the Dojo itself. Stand at

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student Manualattention facing into the Dojo and calm your mind. Rei crisply, bending only at the waist, return to attention and then enter the dojo. An old Japanese phrase states “You finish how you begin”. A well done, sincere “rei” distinguishes the serious student.

If you arrive late to class, you must not enter without Sensei’s permission. Remove you shoes, place them on the shoe line and stand at attention until invited to enter class. Senior students, may request entry by saying “Sensei, Keiko Onegaishimasu” – literally “Sensei, Practice please.”

Dojo RegulationsOnce you cross the shoe line, several rules should be observed.

1) During class the instructor will only be called “Sensei”. 2) When adjusting your gi or belt, the student should turn their back to the Sensei as a sign of

respect.3) When asking a question, only a raised fist will bring a response from the Sensei. 4) No shoes should be worn in the Dojo.5) Jewelry of any kind should be removed before entering the dojo due to the increased risk of

injury.6) No eating in the dojo.7) Once in the Dojo all students must conform to the Sensei’s authority.8) Non-participants observing class are forbidden to engage in any form of exercise or training.

Although encouraged to observe class, spectators must remain quiet at all times in the dojo. 9) While waiting between techniques after a class has started, the student should rest in one of

three positions. During floor exercises, the student may sit in Seiza or lotus position (cross legged), if during standing techniques, either Shizentai or Tsuru-ashi-dachi.

10) Talking during class should be kept to a minimum. Talking between students is only allowed when discussing the techniques at hand.

11) Most importantly, always be respectful of others both in and outside of the Dojo. You actions are a reflection on your school, your Sensei and yourself.

The Dojo Kun The Dojo Kun is a short list of principles which help your training and attitude in class. Each dojo may have a slightly different list, but the idea behind them will be the same. All traditional Japanese dojos have their own Kun, each reflecting the ideas and attitudes of the head instructor. Generally, the Dojo Kun is recited at the end of each class to remind students of their goals and responsibilities.

Kumo Dojo Kun Honor your parents You must never lie Finish what you begin Work diligently in all things The Way is in Training

The Role of ZenBecause of it’s long association with the martial arts in Japan, students of Budo Ryu will learn the basic principles of Zen. Zen developed from austere Buddhism, but it is not itself a religion. It is a mental attitude, a philosophy that supports the martial disciplines well. It promotes self-reliance and encourages students to focus on the moment at hand.7

Almost from the time of it’s introduction in Japan, Zen and the martial arts have been inseparable. Nearly all arts, martial and artistic, have a Zen component in Asian societies. To the

7 To the Zen practitioner the concepts of “future” and “past” are though to be creations of the intellect. The only thing tangible is the present.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualAsian school of thought, they are not two separate entities, but two halves of one whole. In the west, where Zen is not as well understood, the notion of a “religion” being taught alongside a martial art is not well received. As a consequence, Zen training is often eliminated from most schools thereby diminishing the experience. What we are exposed to is a “De-Zenned” art form which in the east would be thought of as only half the training. Budo Ryu strives to reunify the parted halves of the ancient traditions – Zen and the Martial Arts.

However, while some martial arts schools teach a particular religion or even require a student to adhere to it, Budo Ryu students are not required to study Zen. It is not a religion and it’s principles co-exist in harmony with nearly all world religions. Most devotee’s who have been exposed to Zen agree that it has deepened their own spiritual natures and has helped them to grow in their own religions.

While most students may have no interest in the deeper teachings of the Ryu, including the study of Zen principles, students who expect to continue their training and become Budo Ryu Instructors must have a grounding in the Zen philosophy as it pertains to their training.

Introduction to ZenMost people have heard of Zen, but few can describe precisely what it is. It’s not for lack of trying or in some cases lack of understanding. It’s simply difficult to describe in words. To most the first impressions are of a spiritual, uncluttered, calm mind. But these words miss the mark. To understand Zen philosophy, it is essential to live it. It cannot be transmitted to the student through words alone.

Zen is one of a number of branches of the Buddhist philosophies. “Buddha” is the title given to the founder of Buddhist teachings Sidhartha Gautama (563?-483?). His life has been transformed from the few facts which are known into a legend which forms the basis from which his later teachings emanate.

From earliest childhood Sidhartha was trained to follow in the footsteps of his father a great ruler and skilled General. A seer was summoned to prophesy the young man’s destiny. “He will be either a great philosopher or a great leader”. Sidhartha’s father wanted his son to follow in his footsteps and study military ways. But the seer admonished him, Karma will decide the young man’s fate.

Sidhartha’s life was ideal in every way. He spent his days in walled cities, each according to the season in order to maintain a perfect and comfortable life. All around were the most beautiful surroundings, free from suffering and hardship. His days were idyllic and his every wish attended to. His isolation was complete and his exposure to the sufferings of life eliminated.

In isolation from the world outside, Sidhartha matured, unaware of life outside of the idyllic setting in which he was raised. Although his father forbade him to leave the palace grounds, the young prince was strong willed and disobeyed his father. Mist descended and while Sidhartha pondered a way to get away unnoticed, everyone in the walled city fell into a deep sleep. Sidhartha awoke his groom, mounted his white horse Kantaka, and with the numerous deities muffling the horses steps at every stride, he made his way to the outside world.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualAs he rode through the city he saw for the first time, the ravages of the aged, sickness and death.8 He was unaware that there could be any life other than the tranquillity he had so far known. Deeply affected by what he saw, he vowed to find the reasons for human suffering.

Sidhartha left his home to pursue a life of austerity. Recognizing that all human suffering emanated from desire or fear, he vowed to meditate until he conquered these demons and achieved enlightenment. Legend says he studied with Indian mystics for six years, practicing various forms of extreme self-denial. But he found no peace with the mystics and traveled on through the country. After his harsh existence with the mystics, Sidhartha bathed and ate a good meal for the first time in years. He became peaceful and his vision cleared and he had a mental image of what he sought. While in meditation he heard the sound of a stringed instrument being tuned and realized that if too slack or too tight, the sound would not be true. The parallel between a heightened state of awareness and the strong struck him deeply.

He wandered into a small village near Gaya and sat under a shady Bohdi tree. Under the Bodhi tree he resolved to meditate until he achieved his enlightenment. Legend says after falling asleep during meditation, he cut off his eyelids to prevent it and tea plants grew from the spot where they landed. His limbs grew small and withered from disuse and eventually disappeared altogether. Today the “Daruma” doll in Japan which appears as just a head with wide open eyes, is a representation of Sidhartha as he meditated.

Throughout his meditations, he was challenged by his desires, fulfillment’s and regrets. They appeared to him as three daughters. Legend embodies them as real beings, but they are just manifestations of his struggles within his own mind. He rejects them all. Mara threatens him with death – again not a real being a psychological manifestation – who hurls spears at Sidhartha. But he touches the ground meaning “I am centered, solid and unafraid” and the spears turn to lotus blossoms as they pierce the ground around him. Finally he is confronted by social responsibility and duty. He is offered the opportunity to be worshipped, but he realizes it is simply an illusion – his ego intruding. He rejects this as well and in that moment when final peace is achieved, he gains his enlightenment. Immediately apparent is that what he has discovered cannot be directly taught. It can only be achieved through personal experience and effort. 9

From this time forward he vowed to teach others his philosophy and began traveling the country. He was then called “Buddha” which means “the One who has waked up”. In the next 10 centuries, Buddhist philosophy made its was through the near east, spawning several new schools of thought. 10

Zen philosophy began in China in the sixth century with the meeting of Indian Buddhism and Chinese Taoist philosophy. An Indian Buddhist Monk Bodhidharhma (c.470-532) traveled to China to teach this philosophy. The chief goal is to discover what the Zen masters call the “Buddha Nature” or “Original Mind” inherent in ourselves. It is the nature of the self at birth; that is simple, direct and uncluttered. It means to see things as they are, not as they appear, to be direct and forthright with a simple grasp of the moment you are in. Originally called Ch’an in China, Zen emphasized meditation over verbal teaching as the direct road to understanding it’s

8 In some versions of Buddha’s life, he sees these as visions or dreams, not as real events. Often he is said to have taken three separate journeys, and discovered the aged, the sick and the dead separately on each. 9 This enlightenment solves the “84th problem”. Buddha realizes we are beset with 83 problems in this life and the solution to them is the answer to the 84 th problem. Legend says a farmer asks him to teach him the way to peace and revealed his struggles. At each problem, Buddha says “I cannot help you with that problem”. Buddha says he can only solve the 84th problem. “What is that”, the farmer asked. “The belief that you have to solve your problems.” 10 In an interesting footnote in the development of great philosophies, Confucius (551-479 BC) was teaching his own philosophies around the time the Buddha was introducing Buddhism to the world.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student Manualprinciples. Two schools developed. The Northern school whose teachings emphasized gradual progression towards enlightenment11 and the Southern school which taught that enlightenment was reached suddenly. The Southern Schools dominate Zen to this day. Zen arrived in Japan around 1190 where the Rinzai and Soto sects are the most popular. KoBudo12 and Zen Warriors of the Kamakura period (1192-1392) were encouraged to study Zen as an adjunct to their physical training. Zen’s philosophy is simplicity. There are no elaboration’s, no ceremonies no teachings. The utter single-minded approach to a Samurai warriors duties made Zen the perfect compliment to his physical training. Spiritual matters were left to the priests, monetary to the merchants. The duty of the Samurai was to protect and serve and Zen supported this direct approach.

The goal to Zen training is entirely personal. If Zen is studied under a “roshi”, a Zen master, the student’s goal is to achieve “Enlightenment” or “Satori” through discipline, study and many hours of seated meditation. Meditation “ZaZen” - literally “seated Zen” is thought to help the student develop this calm, direct approach to life. The Zen master may provide clues, but the way to understanding is entirely up to the student. The saying “The teacher opens the door, but the student must enter himself.” expresses this perfectly. But the result is not a change in behavior, you simply realize the nature of everyday life.

A student inquired to a Zen master, “Sensei, I have come to the temple to learn Zen. Please show me the way.” “Have you eaten your rice gruel?”, asked the Sensei. “Yes, master” said the student awaiting his reply. “Then wash your bowl.” But the simplicity of the Samurai was more simply to avoid attachments to temporal things, to not distinguish between right and wrong, but only to act. The principles of Zen state that when your thoughts are correct, your actions will be too. Thinking about your actions then only clutters the process. This direct link between intention and action in central to effective technique in the martial arts. No thought should cloud your actions while sparring or performing kata. Simply doing them will reveal whether they are well done or not.

You’ve heard of “beginner’s luck”, success at something without training. It often occurs when the student has no knowledge of the “technique” they are trying to learn – just an open mind. It’s an example of what a Zen practitioner would call “beginners mind”. O-Sensei relates his experience with Japanese Archery – Kyudo – to illustrate this. His very first shot was a bulls-eye. It was only after he began training – and thinking – that his shots began to fall short or fly left and right. It’s a long road from training to a trained “beginners mind”, but it is the goal.

For Budo Ryu students the Zen notion of “no mind”, a mind free of intentions, thoughts, or preconceptions is key to developing effective techniques. It sounds strange to say the best fighters are not thinking when they fight or the most perfect techniques are done without conscious effort, but this is precisely the goal. Certainly we’ve all heard the expression ”Don’t think about it, just do it”. It is direct and to the point - once you’ve learned a technique so that it is so ingrained in your mind that it can be executed without thought- the same way you’ve done it 1000 times previously while learning it - you can just do it, no thought required.

The Physical principlesAlong with the mental principles, there are physical aspects of Budo Ryu. Although this list is not exhaustive, it will give you an idea of what Budo Ryu training entails.

11 Enlightenment means the discovery of the “Buddha-Nature” in you. It is used interchangeably with “Satori”, the Japanese term for enlightenment. 12 KoBudo literally translates to “Ancient Martial Ways”.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student Manual The Hara For centuries Sensei’s have encouraged their students to strengthen their abdomens. The Japanese word is “Hara” which translates as stomach or abdomen. But the ancient Japanese thought not simply of the physical strengthening but of a spiritual one as well. The Hara was thought to be the seat of the soul and by making it less vulnerable, the student would become stronger as well.

Western philosophy may disregard the Hara as the seat of the soul, but the ancient instructors were wise to encourage their students to strengthen themselves. The abdomen has no skeletal support and presents a weak spot in the Karateka’s13 defense. It is also the center of balance and in order to perform techniques well, should be well controlled. It is impossible to execute any Karate technique without involving the abdomen muscles and so a weak center wil mean a weak technique. Lastly, during each technique through muscle and breath control, the Hara is tensed. Because we may be struck at the instant we are in turn striking, it is important to be prepared for this as well.

Most westerners have heard of “Hara Kiri” 14, the ritual disembowlment performed by Samurai warriors during the Medieval period. Hara Kiri was performed to absolve the warrior of a crime or to restore his integrity and family honor. Since he believed his “hara” contained his very essence, his soul, by cutting his “hara”, he was exposing his soul to those present, showing with all certainty that it was pure.

Power The great power generated by Karate strikes is well known. Images of Karate masters breaking wood or smashing bricks with their hands and feet are among the most impressive. But this power is not a mystical force generated by “secret” techniques. It is simply the result of proper training both physically and mentally.

Instead of an unexplainable supernatural force, the power in your techniques is determined by one thing - physics. By learning to understand the physical nature of Karate, each student will learn to properly coordinate their actions to develop maximum power. Body weight, speed, balance, breath control and coordination combined in a Karate strike bring it to it’s full potential.

Body WeightThe force of a strike is influenced first by body weight. It is a simple matter to say that a larger student can generate more power than a smaller one. This is “potentially” true. Uncoordinated, unfocused, sloppy technique by any student large or small will not fulfill it’s potential. A blow by a smaller, faster, more focused and more coordinated Karateka will surely be more powerful. The physics formula F=MA or Force = Mass (body weight) times Acceleration, clearly shows this. It

13 Karateka - One who studies Karate’s physical aspects. By contrast a ”Budoka” studies both the external and internal teachings. 14 Hara Kiri - Sometimes erroneously pronounced “Harry Karry”. To the Japanese Hara Kiri is a more impolite term, the proper word is “Seppuku”.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student Manualdoes not mean that the large will always be stronger or more powerful than the small. Consider a slow, plodding strike from a large student to the same technique crisply executed by a smaller Karateka. Thought smaller and lighter, than the large student, the former technique will certainly be more effective.

An effective analogy is one of a 100 pound mass moving at 10 MPH and a 10 pound mass moving at 100 MPH. They both have the same force behind them, but the 10 pound mass will arrive first. In a fight, it is often the first effective blow that determines the outcome. The extreme example is a bullet – a very small mass moving at great speed. It’s impact is generated almost entirely by his high velocity. SpeedSpeed is the second major factor in developing force. Much of your speed will be determined by your muscle type. We consist of two basic types - fast twitch, which are characterized by short duration, high speed movement and slow twitch muscles which have greater endurance, but are slower to react to stimuli. The Africa Cheetah can run close to 70 miles per hour, but can only do so for a few hundred yards at best. This is a fine example of fast twitch muscle in action. Zebras on the other hand, have great endurance, and while much slower in the short run than the Cheetah can often avoid injury by simply running longer than the Cheetah.

Our muscle makeup is primarily determined by heredity. But through training we can increase our speed by coordinating the other factors that produce speed.

BalanceWhen you first start training, you will have poor balance. Your kinestectic sense of motion is not well developed during average daily life. The vestibular organs in the inner ear send impulses about motion and the position of your head to your brain. These organs are made up of three canals filled with fluid and fine hair receptor cells which detect motion. Other receptors in the joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons measure the rate of movement and

relay this information to the brain as well. Coordination depends upon the body’s reaction to the information gathered from these various receptors. Interpreting this information is a learned skill which few people will develop to any degree without training.

For the Karateka, we have additional challenges. Rarely during our daily activities do we find the need to stand on one leg, or spin around quickly, or lift 150 pounds onto our backs. Yet these things are done regularly during a class. By training to stand on one leg through slow motion Kata,, drilling the various kicking techniques and learning the proper footwork for turning

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student Manualtechniques, we can re-train out sense of balance to a higher degree. Some students may have gymnastic or similar training which has helped them along this path, but all students will find benefit in improved balance.

Recent studies suggest that elderly practitioners of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, a Chinese Martial Art characterized by slow motion techniques, are injured less often due to superior balance and muscle coordination.

Breath Control In Japanese, the word for breath is “Ki”. It can also mean “steam” or “spirit”. When you inquire about your Sensei’s health you would say “O-GenKi Desu Ka” - How are You. But it’s slightly more complicated than that. “Gen” means origin or original, so GenKi15 means your “original Ki” or the Ki you were born with. It is the coordination of this energy, your Ki, that characterizes most martial arts.

The loud barking sound you hear during class is called “KiAi”. Ai in this word means to join or to meet. KiAi is the focusing, the meeting of your Ki during your techniques. It is extremely important to be able to focus both your spiritual energy-your Ki- and your physical energy through your technique into one simultaneous action. It is this union of physical action and breath control which makes Karate techniques more powerful than those of untrained fighters. Muscle MemoryWhen you run up a flight of stairs, do you think about which foot goes first ? Do you say to yourself, “OK - left foot, right foot, left foot…”. No. If you did you would either be flat on your face or it would take five minutes to get up the stairs. What you do everyday in climbing stairs is exercising what we call “muscle memory”. It is the result of continuous repetition of something until it becomes an unconscious act.

Babies climb stairs only with great effort. They have not yet committed the repetitive motion to “muscle memory” and still have to think about each move as they go up or down the stairs. Our Karate techniques are similarly “burned in” to our physical memories as we do them. This is also called “habituation”. If you watch a musician play a familiar piece of music, you will notice they cannot be distracted by someone speaking to them or by their concentration on another unrelated task. Why ? Muscle memory. They have learned the movements associated with playing the music that they no longer think about it.

In class you will be asked to do drills which are often less than interesting. Over and over for hundreds of repetitions you will be asked to do the same simple punches, kicks , blocks and combinations until you know them so well, they can be done without thought. The principle is to learn them so well, that if you ever need to defend yourself, there will be no doubt about what to do. Even if you “forget” - the technique is so well learned that it is done as you would breathe - without a thought.

Unfortunately, learning Karate is slightly different than breathing. We cannot forget how to breathe. But once you begin training, you will find it is easy enough to forget what you have learned. The key to remembering and improving your technique is repetition every day.

Repetition and boredom are the single greatest causes of students stopping their training. If you realize that at each class, with each repetition, you are improving your skills, learning a technique so well that if you do stop practicing later in life, you will probably always “remember” 15 Ki is used in many Japanese terms such as “TenKi” - Heaven’s Ki, “ByoKi” - Sickness and “Ki Chigai” - Crazy (literally “Wrong Ki”) among others.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student Manualthe moves. If you stop before having these techniques burned in, before your conscious mind releases control of the technique to your body, you have no chance of using it effectively in a self defense situation. To stay sharp you must train continually But to build these techniques into your physical memory we must endure some boredom.

Fight or FlightWhen you are confronted by danger, how do you react ? Your natural reactions are likely to be increased heart and breathing rate and a release of adrenaline into your blood stream. You may “freeze” It’s your body’s defense against a fight, gearing you up to either “fight” or run - “flight”. Few of us are in danger often enough to learn to control these physical responses. As a result we are often left with our knees knocking and our hands shaking after a close call.

In class you will find this response is exercised every time you spar. The danger is of course less since your opponent will be trained - probably your senior - and in control. But your reaction to their kicks punches and sometimes relentless attacks will produce your “Fight or Flight ” response. Every student experiences it from the most junior to the most senior. The difference is in how they control the reaction and whether it enhances their fighting skills or hinders them.

Senior students have sparred literally hundreds of times. They have learned to recognize their own “fight or flight” reaction and how to control it. At first it is unfamiliar and difficult. But through repetition, concentration and guidance by the instructor, each student will learn to use this heightened awareness and increased adrenaline to their advantage.

Kata Literally translated “Kata” means “form”. Martial Arts Kata is a pre-arranged sequence of movements done in sequence that teach and reinforce the basic principles of your training. Your Kata will contain all the stances, blocks, strikes and kicks you will learn in class. It is a reference library of techniques you carry with you in your mind from the time you begin training until long after you end your training. Developed over many years, the Budo Ryu kata contains hundreds of techniques from the most basic to those required to achieve Black Belt.

During every class the kata will be performed by all students. It resembles a dance to the untrained

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student Manualeye. Done slowly in training16, the kata is divided into individual techniques called “sets”. Each set represents one attack or one opponent and one response to the situation. For your first belt examination, you will know 10 sets of kata. Therefore you will have ten different techniques each in response to a different imaginary attack. The practical use of the sets are called “applications” and the student will be taught both the attack and the response to the attack when learning the kata. As you advance towards the upper ranks, some sets deal with multiple attackers or attacks weapons.

Budo Ryu maintains three distinct katas. The KoBudo Kata, or the Old Budo Kata, the Shin-Budo Kata or “New Budo Kata” and those kata from various traditional martial arts learned outside of Budo Ryu. The KoBudo kata was developed by Sensei’s Garrasi, Markowitz and O’Neal and consists of 100 sets. Since each belt rank requires 10 sets and there are 10 individual ranks, there are 100 sets in the KoBudo Kata.

O-Sensei recognized that many of the KoBudo techniques were developed from forms which had little street application. That is they were unlikely to be effective in a self-defense situation. By looking at video tape of many hours of sparring, O-Sensei devised a simple more direct kata designed to provide “low investment - high yield” techniques for self-defense. These techniques were then strung together to form the Shin-Budo Ryu Kata. Additionally, the first 20 techniques were designed specifically for children to use against larger opponents. Many self-defense situations were uncommon when the KoBudo Kata was developed are addressed in the Shin Budo Kata. Together these two kata form the basis of Budo Ryu kata training.

Although the KoBudo kata is a static, unchanging kata, the Shin Budo kata is not. Confucius said “Stiffness is the way of death”. He of course knew that when plants died they became stiff and brittle, but he also meant that any person who was unable to adapt was in danger of being passed by time. It wasn’t long ago that we wrote on paper instead of computer terminals. Now we can send mail electronically or gather information on the Internet. Shin Budo Ryu Kata too changes over time. Great experience in the martial arts does not make one perfect and the Budo Ryu Kata was and is being developed by humans who will make errors. When Kata techniques are found to be less than effective, they are changed or totally rejected and replaced with better techniques. The senior most students and instructors develop and refine the Shin Budo Kata and standard methods for testing it’s effectiveness are applied to each newly developed set. Techniques which do not pass these tests are rejected, or modified to ensure they will be useful in practical situations. Junior students are encouraged to participate in the process as well. Often, the less formal training a student has, the more insightful they will be. The Shin-Budo Ryu Kata is adaptable and a living form that continually grows.

All Budo Ryu Sensei’s have had training outside the Budo Ryu schools. O-Sensei encourages students to explore other martial arts to gauge their strengths and weaknesses, learn new techniques and katas and to keep Budo Ryu a vital and growing form by returning this new knowledge and applying it to our developing style. Because of this many students and instructors have learned forms passed on from the traditional Korean, Chinese of Japanese forms. These forms are taught at the instructors discretion to students who have mastered the Budo Ryu Kata. They are a way of keeping the traditional forms alive, allowing students to learn something about other styles and providing additional techniques for the student to study.

Sparring - the first ruleKata only prepares you for specific attacks. But few opponents “play by the rules”. It is certainly impossible to stop a mugger in mid punch and instruct him to that he should be punching this way or that because those are the defenses you’ve learned. Sparring fills the gap between Kata and reality. It is how you test your techniques against an uncooperative opponent 16 The term “T’ai Chi pace” recognizes the origins of this training method. The Chinese martial Art T’ai Chi Ch’uan uses this very slow pacing almost exclusively to aid in the development of balance and coordination.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student Manualwho is also testing their techniques on you. Since Budo Ryu is essentially a self-defense oriented style, the very first rule of sparring is simple - “Don’t get hit !”. Unfortunately, that is more difficult than it sounds.

Normally, beginners spar only the Sensei. Because the beginner can often not control what little they know, their strikes are often erratic, unfocused and often uncontrolled. The Sensei acts as a guide and since he has learned to recognize many different fighting styles and his reactions are better and more trained, it is unlikely the beginner can do any real damage. It is also the Sensei’s job to teach each student to realize the power they can generate even as beginners.

The Sensei’s role is to “surf” just ahead of the skill level of the student, but allowing them occasional victories to help them improve their fighting. A one sided fight is no learning experience. Students who are soundly beaten every time they spar often feel as if they are not progressing even when they are. A Sensei who allows his students to score easy points, breeds a false self-confidence in his charges.

Once properly trained in delivering strikes with force, students are taught “focus”. Focus is a skill that enables students to spar with each other without much risk of injury. Each student will learn to gauge striking distance and force so that blows which in a real fight would cause great damage are “focused”, pulling away after just a light touch or coming close with no touch at all. This is the most difficult skill to master. In a sparring match with the adrenaline running through a student, it is difficult to pull back. Many strikes are directed to highly sensitive areas - the head, spine, groin or legs. The greatest skill you can achieve is being able to throw a full speed technique with such control that it lands exactly where you want it to, leaving no doubt about the intent, yet leave no mark on your sparring partner.

For self defense purposes, this is a useful skill. Statistics show that nearly all altercations occur between friends or family. Since we would not want to hurt someone we know, the student needs to know how hard a kick to the ribs to direct. Enough to knock the wind out of the opponent perhaps, probably not enough to break the ribs. It is this “focus” of technique and force that becomes valuable both in and out of class.

Drills - Class drills consist of learning individual techniques or simple combinations of techniques and then applying them repetitively in class. It is here that the techniques are truly learned. Only by constant repetition can a kick or punch be perfected. It is probably the least interesting of the activities in class to the beginner and the most interesting to the advanced student.

Beginners will learn simple techniques and the more advanced students will be taught accordingly. Each will find something in their technique which needs improving and each will be rewarded according to their efforts. Watch carefully the more senior students in class. During a break or before class, what are they working on ? Complicated techniques ? Probably not. More likely they are working on simple drills, basic kicks or punches or a blocking sequence. These basic techniques are the foundation of your training. Learning to spar or do kata without having first learned the most basic and simple of techniques is like a house built on sand. No matter how well constructed it is, the foundation will not hold it up. You must build from the ground up on solid fundamentals.

The Mental Principles

Zanshin

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualPrimary among the mental postures is Zanshin. Roughly translated, zanshin means “alertness”. For the Karate-ka, it is the essential attitude. When a Budo-ka reaches this mental attitude he is aware not only of what lies immediately in front of him, but also behind, to the sides, above and below. “Happo-Zanshin” or “eight direction Zanshin” is the ideal state of awareness, a closure of weaknesses or gaps all around the student. If you study this carefully, you will see that this attitude ceoms from a singular detachment from the hopes of winning and losing or gain and loss. Once detached, your movements can become natural and free without atatchment to the outcome.

In the dojo, zanshin finds it’s most frequent expression during sparring. The heightened sense of awareness which comes with each sparring match promotes the development of zanshin. During belt examinations, an exercise called “Dark Circle” is perhaps the most severe test of Zanshin. The exercise begins with the student standing at Shizentai (attention) with their eyes closed. The examiner will then randomly attack and the student expected to respond to each attack.

Beyond maintaining awareness, Zanshin also denies your opponent of clues which reveal your intentions. Your gaze is generally at your opponents solar plexus17, the lower junction of the ribs and sternum, but not focused on one spot specifically. Your see all of him at once from head to toe. Your face is calm, unwrinkled, expressionless, revealing neither emotion nor intention . Your opponent can not tell if you are angry, afraid, on the verge of attack or awaiting his first move. You provide no feedback which might reveal yourself and by doing so make it impossible for your opponent to know anything about you.

But Zanshin is not a temporary state of mind. Zanshin should be maintained at all times in and out of class. When students bow to the Sensei to open and close the class, they bow eyes down, showing their respect and trust of the Sensei’s good intentions. In ancient times, when the intentions of the man in front of you would have been unknown in many cases, the rei (bow) was performed low enough to show respect, but not low enough to lose sight of the opponent. Further, if the bow was performed on the floor, the rei might be performed with the left knee down, allowing a quick draw of the sword. The implicit meaning here was “I don’t trust you and my Zanshin is unbroken”. In the dojo, this level of awareness is drilled every class during the various exercises. Each student must train in this way to cultivate the “Happo Zanshin”.

Ma-Ai In concert with Zanshin is the Ma-Ai. The two characters for Ma-Ai translate as “space or opening” and “To meet or Join”. Ma-ai may be translated as the distance of combat of the distance at which your opponent may strike - or you may strike them. It is thought of as an invisible sphere which surrounds the Budo-ka which when breached, signals potential danger. The Budo-Ka becomes aware of this distance in an acute way when sparring or when training with the various Budo weapons.

The Mai-Ai is the buffer between the student and danger. It allows the space, and time, for the Karateka to react to attacks. It is essential that each student learns this distance, as it varies from student to student. Visualize it as the space surrounding the student – side to side, fore and afte, above and below.

The flowing mind17 In Japanese the solar plexus is called “suigetsu”. The two characters which make up the word are unravel/understand/explain and divide. The implication is that by reading your opponents “suigetsu” you can know his intentions. It also implies that by denying your opponent this clue, you are remain “unreadable” showing no physical or emotional intentions. What your opponent sees is simply a blank slate. The word Zanshin and “Suigetsu” are used interchangeably.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualThe flowing mind derives from the Zen concept of No-Mind. That is that the student attempts to maintain a mental state which does not focus on any one point, but maintains a flow of consciousness. The phrase “Munen - Muso” means “no thoughts - no intentions”. It describes the ideal state of mind for combat, that of intentionless action. When this state of mind is achieved the Budo-ka does not react to external stimuli, they act. The act is detached from the thought which in normal western philosophies spawned it. In Zen philosophy the body acts first, the mind only finds out about it later. This state of mind is characterized by swift decisive action, flowing motion and complete commitment to a particular technique. “to know and to Act - One and the same”.

A beautiful explanation of the flowing mind comes from old Japanese literature. “The moon in the cold stream like a mirror” has been used as an example of the flowing mind. You can maintain focus of the moon although the stream flows quickly by underneath. The stream is like your thoughts flowing by without stopping. Like a mirror, it reflects all it sees but captures nothing. You do not freeze any one thing to analyze it, you simply let it go by. But your focus, your “zanshin” state of mind, remains unchanged.

Ki-Ai The most difficult to translate directly, Ki-Ai is perhaps the most important concept for the beginning student. The character “Ki” means breath or air. “Ai” means to join or meet. “Ki-Ai” is the concentration of effort in a single instant by strict coordination of the mind, body and breath control. Whole martial disciplines have been built upon the development of “Ki” as a self-defense weapon and Ki-Ai is central to nearly all Asian martial arts.

For the Budo-ka, Ki-Ai is first recognized as the loud, guttural yell used during training exercises. It is used to focus concentration, unit intention with action, and coordinate the mind and body in a single instant. It can also be used to startle your opponent, break their concentration and cause them to lose their Zanshin. Your will exercise your Ki in class everyday during drilling and sparring. But you will find that you will apply Ki in your everyday life in a variety of ways.

Budo-Ryu recognizes three distinct Ki sounds. “Open - Ki” the loud barking sound, “Silent-Ki” the short exhale through the mouth and the “Cat-Ki” a particular raspy Ki which as the name implies sounds much like a hissing cat. Each has a particular application in the Kata (forms) and in sparring. As you progress you will learn to use each appropriately.

The grass and the oakAs you will discover during your training, many important principles are taught by the use of parables. Many will be told in class, but one, “The Grass and the Oak” is so important, it will be told here.

In a large field facing the Sea of Japan lived a great oak tree. Twisting out of its massive trunk, impressive branches reached towards the afternoon sun. The oak was proud of its size and strength and made no attempt at humility. He was certainly the strongest tree on earth he thought.

All around the great oak a field of green grass spread before him. The grass was small and compared to the oak, puny and weak. The summer winds rippled the great field and the Spring rains caused the individual blades to bend under the weight. They were certainly no equal of the Great Oak

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualThe Oak had no such worries, the wind never moved him and the rain spilled off his great branches and pounded the grass below. Everyday he looked down to the grass and said “You are so puny and weak, even the winds blow you down. I am strong and bow to no wind.” The grass could say nothing as they rocked to and fro in the gentle breezes.

One night a Tai Fune - “Great Wind” - blew across the sea. Lighting lit up the sky and great waves crashed along the coastline. When the rain pounded the grass down, it bent, the droplets ran into the soil and just as quickly, each blade bounced back unharmed. Fierce winds blew but the grass bent with them, flowing with every breeze. The great oak, proud of his strength stood before the wind, straining into the gale. His great branches stiffened and his massive trunk held firm in the rain soaked soil.

The winds blew all night and it rained for hours on end. But by the morning the winds had subsided and the sun shone brightly along the coast. Gentle waves broke on the shore and a refreshing breeze rippled the field of grass.

Far to one side, the proud oak stood his last. Ripped from the ground during the night, his once mighty branches lay round about in splinters, his great trunk resting on it’s side, roots exposed. For all his strength, he could not resist the TaiFune. All around him, warmed by the morning sun, the grass swayed in the breeze.

Meditation (ZaZen)“Know Your enemy, know yourself. In a hundred battles you will not be defeated.” Sun Tsu considered to be the father of oriental martial strategy, set the ground for the complete study of the martial arts in his book “The Art of War.” He stressed not only physical strategy, but all mental strategy. Not only external action, but internal action.

As modern martial artists, we practice kicking and punching to understand the dynamics and the physical qualities of our style. But in the 15 th century, when your skill as a martial artist was often the thin measurement between life and death, all martial arts were taught with a mental/internal aspect. In Japan, this was the Zen philosophy. In Budo Ryu, the “mental martial tradition” is taught in the form of Zazen – seated Zen meditation. Zazen does not attempt to bring you to a special state of mind, or to teach special powers or philosophies. It is the essence of Sun Tsu’s admonition to “know yourself”.

While the particulars of Zen mediation are taught in class, here below are the critical points as taught by Zen Master Dogen.

For meditation a quiet room is suitable, eat and drink moderately, cast aside all involvements and cease all affairs.Do not think good or bad. Do not administer pros and consCease of the movements of the conscious mind the gauging of all thoughts and views. Have no designs on becoming a BuddhaMeditation has nothing whatever to do with sitting or lying downAt the site of your regular sitting spread out thick matting ands place a cushion above it. Sit in a crossed legged position with your knees directly upon the matYou should have you clothes loosely bound and arranged in orderThen place you right hand on your left leg and your left palm facing upward on your right palm, thumbs touching Thus sit upright in bodily posture, neither inclining to the left or to the right, neither leaning forward or backward.Be sure you ears are on a plane with your shoulders and your nose in line with your naval. Place your tongue against the front rook of your mouth with teeth and lips both shut. Your eyes should always remain open. And you should breath gently through your nose

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualOnce you have adjusted your posture, take a deep breath, inhale and exhale rock you body right and left and settle into a steady, immobile sitting position.After you have rocked your body, and settled into your sitting position bring your attention to your breath.Sitting erect, breathe fully and deeply from your diaphragm. Breathe from the center of your body, place your focus on your breath .Breath naturally and quietly, don’t force the breath in any way, just follow itAs you inhale be aware of breathing in, as you exhale be aware of breathing out. In the beginning stages, since it is difficult to stay with the breath, counting each breath may help you maintain your concentration.Count 1 as you inhale, 2 as you exhale, continue counting to 10 then repeatAgain just follow the breath, as you do, thoughts will arise. Don’t be bothered by them. Don’t think they are bad or that you shouldn’t be having them . Don’t try to drive them away.If you leave them alone, they will depart of their own accord. This is how to cease all the movements of the conscious mind. You cannot do it by direct application of your will. If you find you have been distracted by thoughts and feelings and have forgotten your breath, just come back to the breathing. There is not need to scold yourself that you wandered away. To scold yourself is to wander away again.Resume counting from one

As you meditate, all kinds of self-comments may arise.“There I go again, or“I can’t do this, or“I’m not very good at this, or even“I am not sure I am doing this right”.These comments are quite normal Observe them and let them go. They will depart if you let them. Don’t strive for some special state of mind. There is no special state of mind, if you strive for some special state of mind, you will only disturb your mind. This sitting meditation is not trance, it is not rest, it is not relaxation. It is just awareness of breath, that’s all. Gradually once your concentration increases, you can count just the exhalations, then just the inhalations.Once you can stay with the breath fairly regularly you can stop counting and follow the breath alone. Beyond these simple instructions, the mediation itself will teach you what it is.You will gradually learn to sit like a mountain.Though thoughts will arise, they are merely clouds passing by the mountain. The mountain need not be perturbed by clouds.The clouds pass on and the mountain continues to sit, observing all, grasping at nothing.

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Student Equipment

In addition to a good mental attitude, each student should have the correct equipment for training. Fortunately, Karate requires little beyond you and your training clothes. Here are a few items which may prove useful in class.

Your Gi The proper uniform for the Dojo is a black Gi consisting of top pants and a belt which indicates your rank. “Gi” means simply “clothes” so the uniform is sometimes called “Keiko Gi” or “practice clothes”. Budo Ryu students where black simply because it is easier to keep clean. Outdoor training in more common white Gi would certainly result in difficulties keeping your uniform looking unsoiled. In keeping with old Japanese tradition, students may wear a “Hakama”, the particular split-legged skirt worn over their Gi pants. The Hakama is especially useful in training with the Japanese sword and so is used at all times when learning those techniques. For normal Karate training though, students may opt to wear one or not.

The MonMon are Japanese family crests. Early mon were simply designed and often indicated the families place in society. In this way they are very similar to the European coat or arms. Samurai families often used helmets, swords, bows and arrows or axes on their crests. Farmers might use plows, merchants the product of their trades. Some families used the plants which represented their names. Since “Tachibana” is a common family name which also means “orange blossom”, the “Tachibana family uses the “Orange blossom” for their mon.

During the 300 years of civil war, soldiers used simplified family crests painted on banners called “Sashimono” attached to their backs. This enabled friend and foe alike to quickly identify each other on the battle field. Some soldiers used their own families crests, most used the crest of their Lords.

Years after the civil wars ended, Mon became more stylized and complicated. Quick recognition in combat gave way to more artistic purposes. Today thousands of different mon exist and many are used in business as company logos.

The central Mon to Budo Ryu is that of the founder, Garrasi Sensei. O-Sensei’s mon is a circle of bamboo with the Japanese character for “origin” within. The bamboo is symbolic of the flexible nature of Budo Ryu, it’s adaptability and resilient nature. But bamboo also grows straight and strong as do the students of the style. The character for origin - “moto” - signifies O-Sensei’s place as the founder of the style.

O'Sensei's Mon

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Each Dojo will have it’s own mon. While all schools will wear O-Sensei’s mon on the back of their Gi, the student will wear their own Sensei’s mon on the front. These individual mon are designed by the instructors and reflect their personal taste and preferences. In this way all students show their roots to the founder and their roots in their individual schools.

For the story of your dojo’s mon, ask your Sensei.

O'Neal Sensei's Mon

Care of your Gi.Your Gi reflects your attitude as a student. More than simply clothing, the Gi embodies your training and attitude. Because of this you should be mindful to treat your uniform with respect and care. Never roll up your uniform and toss it into a dark corner. Either carefully fold your Gi or roll is in the method described below. Although your uniform may be stretched or torn in class and will often show wear from strenuous training, it should be clean and as neat as can be. Wear is a natural result of training and shows dedication, but a sloppy and neglected uniform reflects the students careless attitude.

You should wash your Gi to keep it clean, but never wash your belt. As a new student you will be given a white belt. It is a sign that you are fresh and as yet, untrained. As you advance in rank you are given a new belt, but if you never exchanged your belt, it would eventually turn yellow to green to brown to black as the sweat from each class accumulated and attracted dirt was worn in. This is the old tradition. Tying your Obi (belt)

Your belt (obi) is a representation of all of your Karate training. You have worn it every class, sweated on it and when you have improved your technique, changed it for a higher rank. Like your Keiko Gi, it should be treated with respect. Simple rules apply.

Never wash your belt. Never leave your belt on the floor or drag it around class. Always fold your belt neatly when you are not wearing it. Do not lose your belt. You may have re-test to get a replacement !

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Tying your belt properly is like learning Kata. The more you do it, the easier it is to remember. Always tie your belt tightly so that it does not come loose during class and always have it neatly tied before entering the dojo.

If you have a belt with a rank stripe, always start the rank stripe to your left - #2 in figure 1.

Start with the middle of the belt in front of you.

Wrap it around the back

Figure 1

Figure 2 Loop #2 underneath the entire belt –

both loops Swap sides so that #2 is to your

right (Figure 4)

Figure 3

Drop #2 over the belt. Loop #1 back over and then through

#2 then as in figure 5.

Figure 4

Figure 5

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Pull tightly left to right (not up and down).

If done correctly, there will be a triangle formed with the apex to your right and your stripes (if any) will also be on your right.

Figure 6

The Hakama

The Hakama is a traditional Japanese split-skirt worn by both men and women. It has wide legs and allows great freedom of movement. When tied properly, it also provides some lower back support. Although the hakama can be worn on the most formal occasions when traditional clothing is worn, your training hakama is likely to be made of more coarse material.

In ancient times, when worn informally or in combat, the legs of the hakama were secured just below the knee. The wide upper portion of the hakama would then look like a pair of wide pants. Running with the hakama unbound is not an easy task and requires some practice, but when secured is little problem.

Folding your Gi and Hakama

Protective padding

Padding is required when sparring, and then only to protect the attacker ! We practice low to no-contact sparring. Full control of your techniques is essential to learning restraint and the proper application of force. Blocking, however, is more difficult to regulate. Sharp elbows and tender shins or feet often clash with painful results. Blocks are designed as much to prevent you from being hit as to discourage your attacker’s advances.

Many drills in class require padding as well. In class, we should be unrestrained by the potential for injury. Forearm, elbow and shin pads are useful to the learning process. Your will find that although you can practice successfully without pads, as a courtesy to your training partners, they should be worn. Most students start with elbow pads since your elbows tend to be the most dangerous - and effective - blocking tool you have.

O-Sensei would recommend that you wear the following:

Elbow and Forearm pads Shin pads Protective “cup” for male students Knee pads (not required) Instep pads (not required)

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualWhile we practice the utmost care when drilling or sparring, it is important to minimize the potential for injury. Protect yourself and your training partners.

Budo weapons

During your training you will learn to use a variety of Japanese traditional weapons. The Bo (long staff), Jo (short staff), Katana (sword) and the Yumi (Japanese Long Bow) can all be taught.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualKihon WazaKihon waza are basic techniques of Budo Ryu. These are the primary stances, blocks, kicks & punches which are common throughout many of the training exercises and Kata. Many are common to most martial arts styles.

This portion of the student manual will explain these techniques in detail. It is not intended to replace your training in class, but will supplement your training, answer questions and give the student a handy reference for most of the primary techniques.

All techniques and stances can be done left or right handed. Unlike most things, Karate is not biased towards one side or the other. You should train both sides equally. Naturally, you will favor your strongest side, but you must attempt to train your weak side to be equal to your strong. This is a favorite principle – do not put one thing against another – strive for harmony. In training you can think of this as “balance” of your two sides, left and right.

The section is divided into four basic parts.

Stances Blocks Punches Kicks

Study each section carefully. Pay particular attention to the “key points” of each technique and apply this in class. Observe the senior students in class, model their technique. With proper focus and continual practice you will be able to master all of the basic techniques and build a strong foundation for learning the more advanced waza taught in class.

Remember – Kihon Waza are the basic techniques upon which all other training depends. If you do not learn them thoroughly and properly you will never master the more advanced techniques.

Stances

Stances are the root of all of your technique. They are the foundation upon which all kicks, punches and blocks depend. They are directly related to your mobility, your ability to be in proper position to defend and attack. All proper technique, whether you are a well experienced black belt or a student just beginning, is dependent upon the quality of your stances.

The Japanese word for stance is “kamae” – posture. It means both physical posture and mental posture, but for the beginning student, it should mean primarily physical posture. Proper position of the body, arms, legs, head, eyes, etc. Your Kamae indicates how well you have trained. Even the most advanced students continually practice their stances – follow the descriptions below closely and pay attention to detail.

There are 6 basic stances in Budo Ryu. They are listed below in order of importance.

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Shizentai – Natural StanceThis is the first stance you will learn and it is repeated ever time you come to class no matter what training exercises your do. It is the first stance Sensei will see and the last and is an indication of your seriousness as a student.

Key points:

Feet 1 shoulder width apart – toes straight forward Your back should be straight Chin tucked in Eyes forward – not down Hands in fists, relaxed Generally, you are relaxed, but ready to move.

Strengths: 1. All around balance2. Builds posture3. Not aggressive looking

Weaknesses:1. Hands in a poor defensive posture

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Kumo Ashi dachi – “Cloud Foot Stance”

Kumo Ashi Dachi is the basic fighting stance. It is the most important training stance in the style and should be the primary focus of your training in the beginning. It is the most useful fighting stance, it will improve your balance, leg strength and firmly ground you.

This stance can be done left or right handed. The left-handed version is described below.

Key Points:

Right foot back Feet close enough together to get the weight off of your front foot. This will vary slightly

from person to person Left foot flat on the floor, but with no weight upon it – as if you were stepping on a cloud. Both legs bent – very springy. Your must be able to move quickly in this stance. Back more or less straight. Left hip forward. Right hand closed in “Seppuku” position Left hand closed, shoulder high, but not in front of your face. Slightly to the outside (Left)

of the stance). This gives you a clear view ahead. Do not block you view with your own fist and arm.

Strengths:1. Best combination offensive and defensive posture2. Builds leg strength and balance3. Front foot is deceptive – no need to shift weight before kicking with it.

Weaknesses:1. It must be trained constantly to be effective.2. Fatiguing to stay in for long periods

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Neko Ashi Dachi – Cat StanceCat stance is very similar to cloud foot stance with some minor variations. Like Kumo Ashi, it is a good fighting stance, but you must practice moving with the proper posture and form.

Feet are closer together, but this distance will vary from person to person. Very little weight on front foot. Some people prefer no weight on the front foot. Front foot is on the ball, not flat like Kumo Ashi. Posture is more forward, less to the side. Hand position varies, but similar to Kumo Ashi.

Strengths:1. Good offensive/defensive stance2. Builds leg strength and balance3. Front foot easy to use, but not deceptive like Kumo Ashi Dachi

Weaknesses:1. Fatiguing to stay in for long periods.2. Forward hip posture gives opponent better targets

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Kokutsu dachi - Back StanceKokutsu Dachi is similar to both Kumo Ashi and Neko Ashi Dachi’s. In older forms of Karate, it is more like Neko Ashi Dachi with most of the weight on the back foot, but in Budo Ryu and most more modern styles the weight is more evenly distributed.

Key Points Feet two shoulder widths apart – this varies slight from student to student Both legs are bent, flexible, but strong. Feet are flat on the ground – rooted to the floor Front foot toes are directly forward, rear foot toes or about 45% from perpendicular. Body and hip are completely sideways. Face forward looking over your shoulder Weight should be 60% on rear foot, 40% on front. Hands are open – Shuto Uke – Knife-hand block. Your left hand should be shoulder high, turned out slightly with the back of the hand and

the forearm forming one line. Like Kumo Ashi dachi, you hand and arm should not block your view ahead.

You right hand should be flat, like a table, palm up, able to hold a glass of water.

Strengths:1. Good offensive/defensive stance2. Builds leg strength and balance3. Front foot easy to use, but not deceptive like Kumo Ashi Dachi

Weaknesses:1. Not as flexible as Kumo Ashi Dachi.2. Since weight is 60% on rear foot, slight more difficult to move without shifting weight.

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Kibadachi – Horse Stance

Like it’s name implies, this stance gives the appearance of riding a horse. It is a primary training stance and appears numerous times in the kata.

Key Points Your feet should be two shoulder widths apart and almost parallel Your weight should be evenly distributed between your feet. Your back should be straight. Your hips should be tucked forward slightly. This of a light shining from your naval – it

should be above the horizon, not below. Bend your knees ! Hand positions can vary, but primary is straight at your sides, elbows slightly bent.

Strengths:1. Build legs strength2. Excellent for training3. Simple for beginners to master

Weaknesses:1. Difficult to move quickly 2. Weight must be shift to attack with legs3. Vulnerable to leg attacks

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Zenkutsu-dachi/Gedan-Barai -Front stance

Key Points

Your stance should be one shoulder width wide and two shoulder widths deep. Your feet should be as parallel as possible. Your hips and shoulders should be forward – not turning to the side. Your back leg should be straight – locked, rooted to the floor. Your front leg should be bent and your calf should be perpendicular with the floor. Your back should be straight. Your left arm should be slightly bent. Your left fist should be one fist’s distance above

your thigh. Your right arm should be fist hip on guard on your belt or above. The higher your rank,

the higher the fist should rise. Your Hip on Guard elbow should be tucked close to your body –do not let your elbow

flare out away from your body.

Strengths:1. Build strength and body posture2. Good for training coordination and timing3. Very strong front to back4. Excellent for use in high power forward facing techniques - like breaking boards

Weaknesses:1. Impossible to move quickly2. Weight shift required for any attack3. Forward facing hips leave many targets for opponents4. Vulnerable to leg attacks

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BlocksBlocking is a complicated area. There are many, many blocks, varieties of the basic techniques, hard, soft, linear, circular blocks, leg, arm, hips, foot blocks. To discuss them all would take virtually another entire student manual. However, there are a few blocks which are repeated so frequently that they can be considered Kihon waza.

All of the following blocks are forearm blocks the striking point being between the elbow and wrist.

Rising blockUse to protect the head from an overhead attack.

Key points Arm is angled Arm is above the head high enough to prevent the strike from touching your head. Wrist is just off-center Wrist is turned either downward or towards your head – not towards your opponent.

Middle blockThis block meant to protect the middle of the body in front – it is done at two distinct heights. The first is to protect the head/face, the second to protect the mid-section. It also occurs in two directions, inside and outside. Both heights and directions share the same key points.

Key points For protecting the face, the elbow is shoulder high. For the mid section, the first is

shoulder high. The wrist is bent towards the attack. This prevents the attack from slipping over the

block.

Downward blockThis block can be used to protect the back or sides.

Key points Elbow must be slight bent. If the elbow is locked and hit by the opponents attack, you,

not the opponent, will be injured. Wrist and forearm form one continuous line – your wrist is not bent.

PunchesThere are 2 basic punches in Budo Ryu. Others will be taught as our training progresses.

Hammer Fist PunchThe first punch you will learn. It is generally executed from horse stance, but can be done from any posture. The instructions below apply to horse stance.

In class is it taught first as a three part exercise, but it must be thought of as a single movement.

Key points Generally, you should be relaxed through the entire punch except the moment of impact

with the target. If you are tense throughout, you will waste energy and slow your punch. Your fist should rotate as it approaches the target, ending it’s rotation when it impacts.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student Manual Punch is aimed at the solar plexus – the center of the body. Both punches, left and right

should strike the same exact spot. Your arm should be locked when the punch is delivered. Your wrist should be lock – not bent either up nor down. Equally, your should aim the punch to strike with the knuckles of your index and middle

fingers. The ring finger and pinky finger knuckles are not used. Think of punching from the floor – not from your arm – but more from your legs Your non-punching hand should always be fist hip on guard, ready to punch next. For slightly more advanced students, your hips should swivel at each punch. Keep your

head stationary – do not allow it to move up and down or left and right – only pivot your torso.

When swiveling, the punching arm is straight and locked, so is the leg on that side. The opposite side is bent, like your arm when hip on guard.

Breathe in when preparing to punch, breathe out when you strike Tighten the Hara when you impact the opponent, then relax and prepare the next strike

Jack punchThis punch is practiced from Kumo Ashi, Neko Ashi and Kokustudachi. It is a low poser punch and cannot be used against all targets

Key points The basic Jack punch is from the shoulder. Your targets should be the softest areas of the body – face, throat, groin. Because the

punch has little power, a jack punch to the body is not likely to be effective. Wrist is locked vertically – the punch does not rotate. You must concentrate to ensure the index and middle finger knuckles strike the target –

the smaller knuckles tend to lead the punch if you are careless.

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualKicksThere are 6 basic kicks in Budo Ryu. All six are used in the first 10 sets of kata and re-used repeatedly in the kata all the way to black-belt.

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Front Kick – Mae Geri

This is the first stance you will learn Key points

The basic Jack punch is from the shoulder.

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Side Kick – Yoko Keage

Key points

Hands should always be in ready position to block. For a left kick, left hand is down, right hand is up mid chest, but slightly off of the body.

Face towards the target, do not look away when you kick.

Came to crane stance first – load the kick before firing.

Strive to strike with the side of the foot, close to the heel. Turn your hip slightly when kicking to lead with the heel.

Lock you leg when you kick – fully extend. Return to crane stance after the kick – stay centered.

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Round House KickKey points


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Crescent KickKey points


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Training techniquesSome of the basic training techniques are described below. Like the instruction of Kihon Waza, this is not meant to replace your training in the dojo. Only through proper instruction and correct practice can you learn the techniques well.

Blocking Kata Old style

Blocking Kata Modern Style

Blocking Kata – Rotary two-person drill

Thug Alley/Spider Web/Inverted Spider Web -

Kicking Kata Short form

Kicking Kata Full form

Sparring. Technique and practice

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Belt Rank and Advancement Testing Before a student achieves their next belt rank, they must first pass a test of Budo Ryu knowledge and techniques. Before testing students must:

1) Demonstrate during a pre-test or during normal class activities that they know and can demonstrate all requirements for advancement. Your Sensei will not allow you to test if he is uncertain of success.

2) The candidate must have attended 80% of all scheduled classes since the last examination. This rule does not apply to shiro-obi (white belt) students.

3) The candidate must own and wear a complete regulation uniform appropriate to their rank and school.

4) The student must pre-pay the non-refundable testing fee, usually $15.00. The fee covers the cost for a new belt and advancement certificate.

5) The student must have submitted a completed membership form.

Shiken (examinations) are on a pass/fail scale. Each student will be given a review by the Sensei after their test to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of their test. In this way each student can concentrate on their own goals for the next examination.

Generally speaking examinations are given at two or three month intervals. Some dojo may test more or less frequently at the instructors discretion. The chart below outlines the belt ranks and their class time requirements.

Belt test judges will be higher ranking students and instructors from your dojo and possibly other Budo Ryu dojos. At least one black belt instructor should be present at examinations.

Scoring is based on several categories; Kata, sparring, KiAi, reaction response, specific techniques and attitude among others.

Belt RankingAll students begin their training as a white belt. No test is required for this rank. Budo Ryu recognizes two belt ranking systems, both given below. The Northern schools currently use the Old system. O-Sensei’s southern dojo uses the new system.

Ranking system

Rank number Rank Name Old Belt system Classes

10th Kyu Jyu-kyu White From day 1

9th Kyu Ku-kyu Yellow 20

8th Kyu Hachi-Kyu One Stripe Yellow 35

7th Kyu Shichi-kyu Two Stripe Yellow 55

6th Kyu Rok-kyu Green 85

5th Kyu Go-kyu One Stripe Green 105

4th Kyu Yon-kyu Two Stripe Green 144

3rd Kyu San-kyu Brown 168

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Budo Ryu Karate - Student Manual2nd Kyu Ni-kyu One Stripe Brown 192

1st Kyu Ik-kyu Two Stripe Brown 216

1st Dan Shodan Black 306*

*Plus a one year wait from promotion to Ikkyu and a research term paper whose topic will be chosen by the student and Sensei.

Kyu Requirements

Each belt rank has it’s own specific requirements. Students should study the requirements for their next advancement first and foremost. Much of the information you need is contained in this manual, but some requirements are taught only in class. If you have questions about the requirements for next advancement, please feel free to ask the senior students or your Sensei.

The answers for most of the questions at each belt rank are contained in this manual. However, some things are not covered anywhere but in class and some questions can only be answered after much training and self-discovery.

The following pages are your record of your training. As each requirement is completed, Sensei or one of the senior students will verify you have completed the requirement and sign your manual. After all of the requirements for your next belt rank have been completed, you will be allowed to test for rank. This way, all students will be certain to learn all they need to know for promotion and no one will ever be unsure of when they are eligible to test. Keep this record safe and check your progress. If you do not have the answer to a question or lack a skill you require for your next rank – ask a senior student for help.

Class credit will be given for each class attended, class outings outside the dojo, extra training with Sensei, attendance of related cultural activities (Chinese New Year celebration for example) and attendance of the senior portion of the Saturday class.

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Belt Requirements 9th Kyu Yellow Belt

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Yellow Belt All of these requirements must be signed off before you may test for this

rank ! No exceptions !Req.

#Requirement Test

By *Insho

1 Student must attend 20 classes Sensei2 Student must own Gi/belt and know how to tie their belt properly. Sensei3 Student must perform 10 sets of Kobudo Kata Sensei4 Student must demonstrate one application Green5 Student must demonstrate Dark Circle Sensei6 Student must demonstrate sparring with Sensei Sensei7 Student must demonstrate proper Rei for entering

Dojo.Yellow

8 Student must know proper etiquette when arriving late to class. Yellow9 Student must demonstrate all four basic stances;

Horse stance, back stance, front stance and cloud foot stance.Green

10 Student must demonstrate 5 basic kicks;Front, side, round house, Chinese crescent and Japanese crescent.

Green

11 Student must demonstrate hammer fist and walking punching. Green12 Student must know the name of their style of Karate. Green13 Student must their Sensei’s name and rank. Green14 Student must know the founder of Budo Ryu Karate Green15 Student must know the proper part of the foot to strike with the five

basic kicks in requirement 10.Green

16 Student must demonstrate a front and reverse front punch and know why they are different.

Green

17 Student must know the story of the Grass and the Oak. Green18 Student must the Japanese term for:

“Thank You” & “I humbly receive Green

19 Belt Ceremony required at all ranks Green

Requirement may only be tested by this rank or above. The first 6 requirements are required at every rank.

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Belt Requirements8th Kyu Yellow Belt

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Yellow one stripe All of these requirements must be signed off before you may test for this


#Requirement Test

By *Insho

1 Student must attend 35 classes. Sensei2 Student must own Gi/belt and know how to tie their belt properly.

All patches must be in place.Sensei

3 Student must perform 20 sets of Kobudo Kata Sensei4 Student must demonstrate two applications. Green5 Student must demonstrate Dark Circle. Sensei6 Student must demonstrate sparring with Sensei Sensei7 Student must demonstrate proper Rei for entering

Dojo. (9)Yellow

8 Student must know proper etiquette when arriving late to class. (9) Yellow9 Student must demonstrate all four basic stances;

Horse stance, back stance, front stance and cloud foot stance.(9)Green

10 Student must demonstrate 5 basic kicks;Front, side, round house, Chinese crescent and Japanese crescent. (9)

Green

11 Student must demonstrate hammer fist and walking punching. (9) Green12 Student must know the name of their style of Karate. (9) Green13 Student must their Sensei’s name and rank.(9) Green14 Student must know the founder of Budo Ryu Karate.(9) Green15 Student must know the proper part of the foot to strike with the five

basic kicks in requirement 10. (9)Green

16 Student must demonstrate a front and reverse front punch and know why they are different. (9)

Green

17 Student must know the story of the Grass and the Oak. (9) Green18 Student must demonstrate traveling side and roundhouse kicks. Green19 Student must know the blocking kata. Green20 Student must know when Budo Ryu was formed. Green21 Student must know who Bodhidahrma was. Sensei22 Student must explain why we bow in class to Sensei and sempai. Sensei23 Student must know the mechanics of punching – what part of fist to

strike with, elbow position, leg position, etc.Green

24 Student must know the Japanese terms for; “Stop”, “Begin”, “End” and “I’d like to go to the bathroom.”

Green


Requirement may only be tested by this rank or above. Number in parentheses after requirements indicate this requirement required at the

indicated lower ranks. i.e (9,8) indicates requirement also applies to 9th and 8th kyu ranks.

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Belt Requirements7th Kyu Yellow Belt

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Yellow two stripes All of these requirements must be signed off before you may test for this


#Requirement Test

By *Insho

1 Student must attend 55 classes Sensei2 Student must own Gi/belt and know how to tie their belt properly.


3 Student must perform 20 sets of Kobudo Kata Sensei4 Student must demonstrate three applications. Green5 Student must demonstrate Dark Circle. Sensei6 Student must demonstrate sparring with Sensei Sensei7 Student must demonstrate proper Rei for entering

Dojo. (9,8)Green

8 Student must know proper etiquette when arriving late to class and phrase for requesting entry. (9,8)

Green

9 Student must demonstrate all four basic stances;Horse stance, back stance, front stance and cloud foot stance. (9,8)

Green

10 Student must demonstrate 6 basic kicks;Front, side, round house, hook kick, Chinese crescent and Japanese crescent. (9,8)

Green

11 Student must demonstrate sticky hands sparring. Green12 Student must know the “caterpillar story” and how it relates to Budo

Ryu. Brown

13 Student must know the significance of O-Sensei’s mon. Green14 Student must know the significance of their own Dojo’s mon. Green15 Student must identify 5 vital strike areas. Green16 Student must explain why we practice slow Kata. Green17 Student must know why there are two katas – the KoBudo Kata and

the ShinBudo Kata.Brown

18 Student must demonstrate traveling side and roundhouse kicks. (8) Green19 Student must know the blocking kata. (8) Green20 Student must know when Budo Ryu was formed. (8) Green21 Student must know who Bodhidahrma was. (8) Sensei22 Student must explain why we bow in class to Sensei and sempai.

(8)Sensei

23 Student must know the mechanics of punching – what part of fist to strike with, elbow position, leg position, etc. (8)

Green

24 Student must know the Japanese terms for; The numbers 1 through 10, “Good”, “Bad” and “switch”.

Green




49


Belt Requirements6th Kyu Green Belt

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Green Belt All of these requirements must be signed off before you may test for this


#Requirement Test

By *Insho



3 Student must perform 30 sets of Kobudo Kata in both slow and fast fashion.

Sensei

4 Student must demonstrate four applications. Brown5 Student must demonstrate Dark Circle. Sensei6 Student must demonstrate sparring with Sensei Sensei7 Student must demonstrate a two-drill technique at Sensei’s

discretion.Brown

8 Student must know proper etiquette when arriving late to class and phrase for requesting entry. (7)

Brown

9 Student must demonstrate all four basic stances;Horse stance, back stance, front stance and cloud foot stance.(9,8,7)

Brown

10 Student must demonstrate 6 basic kicks;Front, side, round house, hook kick, Chinese crescent and Japanese crescent. (9,8,7)

Brown

11 Student must demonstrate sticky hands sparring. (7) Brown12 Student must demonstrate proper break-fall technique. Brown13 Student must know the significance of O-Sensei’s mon. (7) Brown14 Student must know the significance of their own Dojo’s mon. (7) Brown15 Student must identify 5 vital strike areas. (7) Brown16 Student must demonstrate one throwing technique. Brown17 Student must know why there are two katas – the KoBudo Kata and

the ShinBudo Kata. (7)Brown

18 Student must demonstrate traveling side and roundhouse kicks combinations. (8,7)

Brown

19 Student must know the blocking kata. (8,7) Brown20 Stduent must know what “Empty your Cup” means. Brown21 Student must know what Zanshin means. Sensei22 Student must explain “Do” (the way). Sensei23 Student must know basic knife defense. Brown24 In addition to lower Kyu terms, the student must know the Japanese

terms for; “Turn around”, “Sit”, “Meditate”.

Green




50



PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Green one stripe All of these requirements must be signed off before you may test for this


#Requirement Test

By *Insho




Sensei

4 Student must demonstrate five applications. Brown5 Student must demonstrate Dark Circle. Sensei6 Student must demonstrate sparring with Sensei Sensei7 Student must demonstrate a three-drill technique at Sensei’s

discretion. (6)Brown

8 Student must know basic ground fighting. Brown9 Student must demonstrate these basic stances;

Horse stance, back stance, cat stance, front stance and cloud foot stance. (9,8,7,6)

Brown

10 Student must demonstrate 6 basic kicks;Front, side, round house, hook kick, Chinese crescent and Japanese crescent. (9,8,7,6)

Brown

11 Student must demonstrate sticky hands sparring. (7,6) Brown12 Student must demonstrate proper break-fall technique. (6) Brown13 Student must demonstrate spinning side kick. Brown14 Student must explain why we meditate in class. Brown15 Student must identify 5 vital strike areas. (7,6) Brown16 Student must demonstrate one throwing technique. (6) Brown17 Student must demonstrate proper basic technique for one Kobudo

Weapon. Brown

18 Student must demonstrate traveling kick combinations. (8,7,6) Brown19 Student must know the kicking kata. Brown20 Student must explain what they have learned after studying

BudoRyu Karate.Brown

21 Student must know what Zanshin means. (6) Sensei22 Student must explain “Do” (the way). (6) Sensei23 Student must know basic knife defense.(6) Brown24 In addition to lower Kyu terms, the student must know the Japanese

terms for; “Good morning”, “quiet”, “once again”, “together”

Brown

25 Belt Ceremony required at all ranks Brown26 Student must demonstrate Zazen Sensei



51



PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS- Green two stripes All of these requirements must be signed off before you may test for this


#Requirement Test

By *Insho




Sensei

4 Student must demonstrate six applications. Brown5 Student must demonstrate Dark Circle with multiple attackers. Sensei6 Student must demonstrate sparring with Sensei and one lower rank.

Attackers will be single and double.Sensei/Green

7 Student must demonstrate a three-drill technique at Sensei’s discretion. (6,5)

Brown

8 Student must know basic ground fighting. (5) Brown9 Student must explain the benefits and weaknesses of these basic

stances;Horse stance, back stance, cat stance, front stance and cloud foot stance. (9,8,7,6,5)

Brown

10 Student must demonstrate 6 basic kicks;Front, side, round house, hook kick, Chinese crescent and Japanese crescent. (9,8,7,6,5)

Brown

11 Student must demonstrate proficiency at all types of Kiai and sanchine breathing.

Brown

12 Student must demonstrate proper break-fall technique both backwards (simple) and forward (forward roll). (6,5)

Brown

13 Student must explain the benefits of repetition. Brown14 Student must explain why we meditate in class. (5) Brown15 Student must identify 10 vital strike areas. (7,6,5) Brown16 Student must demonstrate one throwing technique. (6,5) Brown17 Student must demonstrate proper basic technique for one Kobudo

Weapon. (5)Brown

18 Student must demonstrate traveling kick combinations. (8,7,6,5) Brown19 Student must know the kicking kata. (5) Brown20 Student must explain the benefits of self-discipline. Brown21 Student must know what Zanshin means. (6,5) Sensei22 Student must explain “Do” (the way). (6,5) Sensei23 Student must know basic knife defense. (6,5) Brown24 In addition to lower Kyu terms, the student must know the Japanese

terms for; “Good afternoon”, “Come Here”, “Pleased to meet you”

Brown

25 Student must supervise a sparring session Brown26 Belt Ceremony required at all ranks Green

Requirement may only be tested by this rank or above. Number in parentheses after requirements indicate this requirement required at the indicated lower ranks. i.e

(9,8) indicates requirement also applies to 9th and 8th kyu ranks.

52


Belt Requirements3th Kyu Brown Belt

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Brown All of these requirements must be signed off before you may test for this


#Requirement Test

By *Insho




Sensei

4 Student must demonstrate seven applications. Sensei5 Student must demonstrate Dark Circle with multiple attackers. Sensei6 Student must demonstrate sparring with Sensei and one lower rank.

Attackers will be single and double.Sensei/Green

7 Student must demonstrate assorted drills at Sensei’s discretion. (6,5,4)

Sensei

8 Student must know basic ground fighting. (5,4) Sensei9 Student must explain the benefits and weaknesses of these basic

stances; Horse stance, back stance, cat stance, front stance and cloud foot stance. (9,8,7,6,5,4)

Sensei

10 Student must demonstrate all basic kicks, including but not limited to; Front, side, round house, hook kick, Chinese crescent and Japanese crescent. (9,8,7,6,5,4)

Sensei

11 Student must demonstrate proficiency at all types of Kiai and sanchine breathing. (4)

Sensei

12 Student must demonstrate proper break-fall technique both backwards (simple) and forward (forward roll). (6,5,4)

Sensei

13 Student must explain the benefits of repetition. (4) Sensei14 Student must explain why we meditate in class. (4) Sensei15 Student must identify 10 vital strike areas and the effects of a strike

to each. (7,6,5,4)Sensei

16 Student must demonstrate two throwing techniques. (6,5,4) Sensei17 Student must demonstrate proper basic technique for one Kobudo

Weapon and partial kata.++ (5,4)Sensei

18 Student must demonstrate traveling kick combinations. (8,7,6,5,4) Sensei19 Student must know the kicking kata. (5,4) Sensei20 Student must be able to teach the basic stances, punching

technique and three basic kicks. Sensei

21 Student must know what Zanshin means. (6,5,4) Sensei22 Student must explain “Do” (the way). (6,5,4) Sensei23 Student must know basic knife defense. (6,5,4) Sensei24 In addition to lower Kyu terms, the student must know the Japanese

terms for; “Stop”, “Upper/Middle/Lower” Sensei

25 Student must demonstrate knowledge of the basic Jungian “telegraphs”.

Sensei

26 Belt Ceremony required at all ranks Sensei* Requirement may only be tested by this rank or above.++ “Partial Kata” means the rudiments of a Kobudo weapon kata from a discipline of the student’s choice. Number in parentheses after requirements indicate this requirement required at the indicated lower ranks. i.e


53


Belt Requirements2nd Kyu – Brown Belt

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Brown - one stripe All of these requirements must be signed off before you may test for this


#Requirement Test

By *Insho



3 Student must perform 60 sets of Kobudo Kata in both slow and fast fashion. Other kata may be performed for additional credit.

Sensei

4 Student must demonstrate eight applications. Sensei5 Student must demonstrate Dark Circle with multiple attackers. Sensei6 Student must demonstrate sparring with Sensei and one lower rank.

Attackers will be single and double and one may be armed.Sensei/Green

7 Student must demonstrate assorted drills at Sensei’s discretion. (6,5,4,3)

Sensei

8 Student must demonstrate proficiency at ground fighting techniques. (5,4,3)

Sensei

9 Student must explain the benefits and weaknesses of these basic stances;Horse stance, back stance, cat stance, front stance and cloud foot stance (9,8,7,6,5,4,3)

Sensei

10 Student must demonstrate all basic kicks, including but not limited to;Front, side, round house, hook kick, whip kick, Axe kick, Chinese crescent and Japanese crescent. (9,8,7,6,5,4,3)

Sensei

11 Student must demonstrate how to set up a basic board break. Sensei12 Student must demonstrate proper break-fall technique both

backwards (simple) and forward (forward roll). (6,5,4,3)Sensei

13 Student must explain the benefits of teaching. Sensei14 Student must name three other martial arts. Sensei15 Student must identify 10 vital strike areas and the effects of a strike

to each. (7,6,5,4,3)Sensei

16 Student must demonstrate two throwing techniques. (6,5,4,3) Sensei17 Student must demonstrate proper basic technique for one Kobudo

Weapon and partial kata.++ (5,4,3)Sensei

18 Students must know what “The way is in training“ means. Sensei19 Student must know the kicking kata. (5,4,3) Sensei20 Student must be able to teach the basic stances, punching

technique and three basic kicks. (3)Sensei

21 Student must know what Zanshin means. (6,5,4,3) Sensei22 Student must explain “Do” (the way). (6,5,4,3) Sensei23 Student must know knife defense. Sensei24 In addition to lower Kyu terms, the student must know the Japanese

terms for; “Test”, “Loyalty”, “Focus” Sensei

25 Student must demonstrate knowledge of the basic Jungian “telegraphs”. (3)

Sensei

26 Belt Ceremony required at all ranks Sensei* Requirement may only be tested by this rank or above.++ “Partial Kata” means the rudiments of a Kobudo weapon kata from a discipline of the students choice. Number in parentheses after requirements indicate this requirement required at the indicated lower ranks. i.e


54


Belt Requirements1st Kyu Brown Belt

PRE-TEST REQUIREMENTS Brown - two stripes All of these requirements must be signed off before you may test for this


#Requirement Test

By *Insho



3 Student must perform 60 sets of Kobudo Kata in both slow and fast fashion. Other kata may be performed for additional credit.

Sensei

4 Student must demonstrate nine or more applications. Sensei5 Student must demonstrate Dark Circle with multiple attackers. Sensei6 Student must demonstrate sparring with Sensei and one lower rank.

Attackers will be single and double and one may be armed.Sensei/Green

7 Student must demonstrate assorted drills at Sensei’s discretion. (6,5,4,3,2)

Sensei

8 Student must demonstrate the ability teach green belt level drills and techniques retaining students respect and control.

Sensei

9 .Student must demonstrate basic first aid. Sensei10 Student must demonstrate all basic kicks, including but not limited

to;Front, side, round house, hook kick, Chinese crescent and Japanese crescent. (9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2)

Sensei

11 Student must demonstrate the ability to set up and break at least one board with any technique (2).

Sensei

12 Student must demonstrate proper break-fall technique both backwards (simple) and forward (forward roll). (6,5,4,3,2)

Sensei

13 Student must explain the benefits of teaching. (2) Sensei14 Student must name three traditional Japanese Martial Arts. (2) Sensei15 Student must identify 10 vital strike areas and the effects of a strike

to each.(7,6,5,4,3,2)Sensei

16 Student must demonstrate two throwing techniques.(6,5,4,3,2) Sensei17 Student must demonstrate proper technique for one Kobudo

Weapon and full kata. (5,4,3,2)Sensei

18 Students must know what “The way is in training“ means. (2) Sensei19 Student must know the kicking kata. (5,4,3,2) Sensei20 Student must be able to teach the basic stances, punching

technique and three basic kicks. (3,2)Sensei

21 Student must know what “Enzan no Metsuke” means. Sensei22 Student must explain the relationship of Zen to Martial training. Sensei23 Student must demonstrate high-speed sticky hands sparring. Sensei24 Student must give five reasons to teach Budo Ryu Karate. Sensei25 Student must demonstrate knowledge of the Jungian “telegraphs”.

(3,2)Sensei

26 Belt Ceremony required at all ranks Sensei25 Student must demonstrate Zazen Sensei25 Student must know the story of Chushingura Sensei

* Requirement may only be tested by this rank or above. Number in parentheses after requirements indicate this requirement required at the indicated lower ranks. i.e


55


Terminology Dictionary There are literally thousands of terms and phrases that students will hear during their studies. Many like “Ki-Ai” are difficult to translate and the real meaning can only be learned through training. The names of stances for example are used everyday in class and will quickly become rote memory. Below is a list of several hundred terms which you may encounter during your training. The most important are highlighted. Those required at a particular belt rank are highlighted in the color of that belt. All yellow belt terms for example are highlighted in yellow.

The list is long and few students who do not study Japanese will ever remember all of them, but you will be surprised how many you remember during your training.

Misc. Terms

Japanese Term Prounciation English Translation AArigato Ah-ree-ga-toe Thank you (informal) Ashi Ah-Shee Leg or foot

BBudo Boo-doe Martial waysBudoka Boo-doe-ka Students of Budo

CChudan Choo-Dahn Middle

DDame Dah-May BadDan Dahn Grade (rank)dojo Doe-joe Training hallDomo Arigato Doe-Moe Ah-ree-gah-toe Thank you very much (polite) Gozaimasu Go-zai-mahsDo Itashimashite Doh-Ee-tah-shee-mah-shee-tay You’re welcome

GGedan Gay-Dahn LowerGi Gee Uniform - training clothesGo Goh Five

HHai Hi YesHai, Wakarimasu Hi, Wah-ka-ree-mahs Yes, I understandHachi Hah-chee EightHajime Ha-jee-may Begin Hantai Hahn-Tie Reverse/switch/opposeHidari Hee-dah-ree Left

IIi Ee GoodIie Ee-ay NoIie, Wakarimasen Ee-ay Wah-ka-ree-mah-sen No, I do not understandIssho Ni Ee-show-Nee TogetherIchido Ee-chee-doe One time

56

Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualIchi Ee-chi OneIppon Ee-pohn One pointItadakimasu E-tah-dah-key-mahs I humbly receive

JJodan Joe-dahn UpperJu Jew Ten

KKoko Kitte Kudasai Ko-ko kit-tay koo-dah-sigh Come here pleaseKarateka Kah-rah-tay-ka Karate studentKamae Kah-mah-ay Posture, stanceKi-ai Kee-eye shoutKoshi Koe-shi HipsKyu Q Class, rank Kumite Koo-me-tay FightKyaku-Dachi Key-yah-koo Dah-chee One leg stanceKonbanwa Kon-bahn-wah Good eveningKonichiwa Koh-nee-chee-wa Good afternoonKyu Q NineKyukei Q-Kay (take a) Break

MMagarimasu Mah-Gah-ree-mahs Reverse, turn aroundMigi Mee-Gee RightMoo Ichido Moe-Eee-chee-doe Once again Mukuso Moo-koo-soh Meditate

NNi Knee Two

OOhayo Gozaimasu Ohio Goh-za-ee-mahs Good morningOwarimasu Oh-wah-ree-mahs to finish

RRyo Ree-Yoh BothRyo-Goshi Ree-Yoh Go-shee Both sidesRei Ray BowRoku Roe-koo Six

SSeiza Say-zah Sit (Formal style)Sokuto Soh-ku-toe Side of the footSuigetsu Soo-ee-gayt-sue Solar plexusSan Sahn ThreeShi She FourShichi Shee-chee Seven

TTekubi Tay-koo-bee WristTanden Than-den NavelTatte Kudasai Tah-tay Koo-dah-sigh Please stand

U

57

Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualUshiro Oo-shee-roe Behind, to the back

WWakarimasu Wah-kah-ree-mahs (I) UnderstandWakarimasen Wah-kah-ree-mah-sen (I) do not understand

YYame Yah-may StopYasumimasu Yah-sue-mee-mahs (I) will take a break/restYukkuri You-koo-ree Slowly

ZZenwan Zen-wahn Forearm

Hand Strikes

Japanese Term Prounciation English Translation CChudan Tsuki Chew-dahn Sue-Key Mid level punch

EEmpi uchi Ehm-pee Oo-chee Elbow strike

GGedan Tsuki Gay-dahn sue-key Low level punchGyaku Tsuki Gee-yah-koo sue-key Reverse punch

HHaito Hi-toe Ridge handHidari Tsuki Hee-dah-ree Sue-key left punch

JJodan Tsuki Joe-dahn Sue-key High level (upper) punch

KKarate Kah-rah-tay Empty handKen Ken FistKentsui Kent-sue-ee Hammer fist

MMigi Tsuki Mee-gee Sue-key Right punch

NNukite New-key-tay Knife hand

OOi Tsuki Oy - Sue-key Jack punch (lunge punch)Oyayubi Ipponken O-yah-you-bee Ee-pon-ken Thumb-one-finger fist

RRyu-to ken Ree-you-toe-ken Dragon head fistRyo- ken Ree-yo ken Both fists (two fists)

58

Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualSShuto Shoe-toe Knife handSho Show PalmShotei Show-tay Heel palm

TTe Tay HandTsuki Sue-Key StrikeTettsui Tayt-soo-ee Bottom fist

UUra Ken Oo-rah Ken Back fist

Blocking Techniques

Japanese Term Prounciation English Translation AAge Uke Ah-gay oo-kay Rising blockAge-Juji-Uke Ah-gay Jew-Gee Oo-kay Rising “X” block

CChudan Uke Chew-dahn-oo-kay Middle blockChudan Uchi Uke Chew-dahn-oo-chee- oo-kay Inside to outside block (violin block)

GGedan Uke Gay-dahn-oo-kay Lower blockGedan Juji Uke Gay-Dah Jew-Gee Oo-kay Lower “X” block

JJodan Uke Jope-dahn-oo-kay Upper block

KKake Uke Kah-kay Oo-kay Hooking block

MMorote Uke Moe-roe-tay Oo-kay Two arm block

NNagashi Uke Nah-Gah-shee-oo-kay Sweep block

SShuto Uke Shoe-toe Oo-kay Knife hand block

UUke Ooo-kay BlockUshiro Uke Oo-shee-roe Oo-kay Block to the rear

Stances

Japanese Term Prounciation English Translation

59

Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualDDachi Dah-chee Stance

GGedan Barai Gay-Dahn Bah-rye Downward sweep (Front stance)

HHeisoku dachi Hay-so-koo Dah-chee Closed foot stance

KKokutsu dachi Koh-koo-sue Dah-chee Back stanceKumo Ashi Dachi Koo-moh- Ah-shee Dah-chi Cloud foot stanceKiba Dachi Kee-bah Dah-chee Horse stance

NNeko Ashi Dachi Nay-koh Ah-shee Dah-chee Cat stance

RRei no Ji Dachi Ray-no-Jee Dah-chee “L” stance

SSeiza Say-za Sit formallySuwatte Sue-wah-tay Sit informally (Cross legged)Shizentai She-zen-tie Natural stanceSeiuchin Dachi Say-oo-chin Dah-chee “knock-knee” stance

TTsuru Ashi Dachi Tsoo-roo Ah-shee Dah-chee Crane stance

ZZenkutsu Dachi Zen-Koo-tsoo Dah-chee Forward leg stance (Front stance)

Kicking Techniques

Japanese Term Prounciation English Translation CChugoku Mikazuki Geri Chew-goh-ku Mee-kah-zoo-key Chinese cresent kick

Gay-ree

HHidari Mae Geri He-dah-ray Mah-ay Gay-ree Left front kickHidari Yoko Keage He-dah-ray Yoh-koh Key-ah-gay Left side kick

KKagi Geri Kah-gee Gay-ree Hook kickKeri Kay-ree KickingKeage Key-ah-gay KickKakato-Geri Kah-kah-toe gay-ree Heel kick

MMae Geri Mah-ay Gay-ree Front kickMigi Mae Geri Mee-gee mah-ay Gay-ree right front kick Migi Yoko Keage Mee-gee Yoh-koh Key-ah-gay right side kick

60

Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualMawaru Geri Mah-wah-roo Gay-ree Round house kick Mikazuki Geri Mee-kah-zoo-key Gay-ree Crescent kick

NNihon no Mikazuki Geri Knee-hohn no Mee-kah-zoo- Japanese Cresent kick

key Gay-ree

TTobi Mae Geri Toe-Bee Mah-ay Gay-ree Jump front kick

U\Ushiro Geri Oo-Shee-roe Gay-ree Back kick

YYoko Keage Yoh-Koh Kay-ah-gay Side kick

61

Budo Ryu Karate - Student ManualRecommended Reading for further study

ZenZen in the Art if Archery, Eugen Herrigal, Vintage Books, 1971 Zen in the Martial Arts, Joe Hyams, Bantam Books, NYC, 1982The Three Pillars of Zen, Roshi Philip Kapleau, Anchor Books, 1989

Japanese Culture/History

Autumn Lightning, David Lowry, Shambala Press, Boston, 1985 Bushido, The Soul of Japan, Inazo Nitobe, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland Vt., 1982 Hagakure, Yamamoto Tsnuetomo William Scott Wilson, Trans. Avon Books, NYC 1981The Tale of Genji, Murasaki Shikabu, Vintage Classics, NYC, 1990 Tales of Old Japan, AB Mitford, Charles Tuttle Co. Rutland Vt.1983Travels in the Lands of the Gods, The Japan Diaries of Richard Gordon Smith, Victorian Manthorpe Ed. Prentice Hall, NYC, 1986

Related Martial ArtsA Book of Five Rings, Miyamoto Musashi, Victor Harris Trans., Overlook Press, Woodstock, NY 1982This is Kendo, Gordon Warner and Junzo Sashimori, Charles Tuttle Co. Rutland Vt. 1984Japanese Swordsmanship, Gordon Warner and Donn Draeger, Weatherhill, New York, 1982The Art of War, Sun Tzu, Samuel B. Griffith, Trans., Oxford Univ. Press, NYC, 1971

62


118 Hands of Lo Han, 3

BBodhidahrma, 3, 25, 26Buddha, 9, 10Budo-Ka, 17

CCh’uan Fa, 4, 5

DDojo, 7, 8, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27Don Stamile, 5

EEdward Garrasi, 5Emperor Wu, 3

Ffamily crests, 20Fight or Flight, 14Funakoshi, 4, 5Funakoshi Gichin, 4

GGarrasi Sensei, 5, 6, 20Gi, 7, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35

HHara Kiri, 12Hun-Gar Kung Fu, 3

IIaido, 2, 7

JJudo, 2

KKata, 3, 4, 5, 7, 13, 14, 15, 18, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27,

28, 29, 30, 32, 34

Katana, 21Kempo, 3, 5Kendo, 2, 7, 41Ki, 13, 18, 35, 36KoBudo, 10, 15, 26, 27

MMa-Ai, 17Markowitz, 6, 15Michael O’Neal., 6Mon, 20

NNo Way Way, 1

OO-Sensei, 6, 11, 15, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27

PPankration, 3

SShaolin Kempo, 3Sidhartha, 9, 10

TThe grass and the oak, 18The Hakama, 20, 21The Hara, 11The Role of Zen, 8Tode, 4

WWhat is Budo Ryu, 1

YYumi, 21

ZZanshin, 16, 17, 18, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32Zen, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17, 34, 37, 39, 41

63