Suggested Books:
Karate-Do-Kyohan, The Master Text by Gichin Funakoshi, translated by Tsutomu Ohshima
Karate-Do-Nyumon by Gichin Funakoshi, translated by John Teramoto
Tsutomu Ohshima Carrying the Samurai Spirit Into the 21st Century by Eli Eliyahu Cohen
Notes on Training by Tsutomu Ohshima
Best Aikido, The Fundamentals by Kisshomaru Ueshiba and Moriteru Ueshiba
The Heart of Karate-Do by Shigeru Egami
Karate-Do: My Way of Life by Gichin Funakoshi
The Essence of Karate by Gichin Funakoshi, translated by Richard Berger
Gichin Funakoshi
GICHIN FUNAKOSHI’S TWENTY PRECEPTS
- Karate begins and ends with courtesy.
- There is no first attack in karate.
- Karate is an auxiliary of justice.
- First know yourself, then others.
- Techniques are inferior to intuition/spirit.
- Always be ready to release your mind.
- Misfortune always comes out of negligence
- Do not think that karate training is only in the dojo.
- Karate practice is for your entire life; there is no limit.
- Put your everyday living into karate and you will find a subtle mystery.
- Karate is like hot water; without constant heat it will become cold.
- Do not think that you have to win. Rather think that you do not have to lose.
- Victory depends on the ability to distinguish vulnerable points from invulnerable ones.
- The fight depends on how you maneuver guarded and unguarded positions.
- Think of the hands and feet as swords.
- When you leave home think that you have one million enemies. Your behavior invites trouble from them.
- Beginners must master stance and posture; natural body position for advanced.
- Practicing a kata is one thing, and engaging in a real fight is another.
- Do not forget:
- strength and softness of power
- stretching and contraction of the body
- slowness and speed of the techniques Apply these correctly.
- Always think and devise ways to live the precepts every day.
Shotokan Oshima Dojo, Carpenteria, CA
Belt Levels
White:
8th Kyu – Hachikyu
7th Kyu – Shichikyu
6th Kyu – Rokkyu
5th Kyu – Gokyu
4th Kyu – Yonkyu
Brown:
3rd Kyu – Sankyu
2nd Kyu – Nikyu
1st Kyu – Ikkyu
Black:
1st Dan – Shodan
2nd Dan – Nidan
3rd Dan – Sandan
4th Dan – Yodan
5th Dan – Godan
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