Karate Systems, Part 3 of 3

Okinawan Kobudo

Sometimes known just as "kobudo," this art is thought to be a forerunner of karate. The techniques of the two arts are closely related in some ways, and kobudo's "kata" (set forms) do include certain empty-hand movements, although they all tend to be based around traditional weapons, such as the bo staff, the tonfa, the sai, the sickle, and the nunchaku, along with improvised farming tools.

Preserving traditions

The kata of kobudo reached their peak between 1600 and 1800, and although the art went into decline, martial-art traditionalists such as Yabiku Moden are credited as being responsible for keeping the art alive through the 20th century to the present day.

Taira Shinken, known as "the father of modern kobudo," is also a well-known practitioner. In a quest to restore and promote traditional Okinawan martial arts, he learned and disseminated the ancient kata after researching and collecting the set movements from the Ryukyu Islands. He selected a total of 42 existing kata, covering eight types of traditional Okinawan weapons. These form the basis of everything known today of the old systems of the Okinawan Islands.

Wado Ryu

This is one of the main systems of karate that is not of Okinawan origin. Although the system bears a resemblance to shotokan, practitioners of wado ryu are more likely to dodge punches rather than block them directly; they believe that correct technique and yielding are sometimes more effective than brute strength alone. The key principle of the system is known as "tai sabaki," meaning "body management," which refers to the technique of moving one's body out of the way of harm and moving along with, rather than against, force.

A belt system, ranging from white to black, and then 10 degrees of black, is standard. The 6th to 10th degree black belts are honorary ranks and are extremely difficult to achieve.

Goju Ryu

Chojun Miyagi was a disciple of Higaonna, the founder of Naha te, and trained for many years in China before developing this system of karate. Borrowing heavily from Chinese moves and concepts, the style, and indeed the name Miyagi, became synonymous with the Karate Kid movies.

The art stresses the importance of blocking softly, yet attacking hard. For example, a soft-palm diverting technique may be countered by a straightforward reverse punch from an opponent, followed by a powerful punch to the opponent's face or head.

Goju is one of the four important systems of karate of Okinawan origin. The system's kata are generally divided into "sanchin" (basic, standard forms), "kaishu-gata" (open-hand forms), and'neishu-gata" (closed-hand forms).

Naha Te

Named after the Okinawan port of Naha, this is an adaptation of a free-flowing style of Chinese boxing. According to legend, in 1869 Kanyro Higaonna sailed to Fuzhou, in China. An illiterate man, he found employment as a house servant to a wealthy martial arts' master named Lu Lu Ko. He spent years in this lowly position until he saved his master's daughter from drowning during a heavy storm. As a reward his master taught him his system of kungfu.

In the 1880s he returned to Okinawa and started teaching martial arts. His system was heavily influenced by his time spent in China and he became known for the integration of hard and soft techniques. It is said that his kata were so powerful that the wooden floor would become hot to the from the gripping action of his feet.