Taught by Sensei Paul Plevakas
Second degree Back Belt Shotokan Karate
Member of the United States Ju-Jitsu and Shotokan Karate Associations.
Training in Shotokan, Shorinji-Ryu, Goju-Ryu karate, Tang Soo Do, and Ju-Jitsu.

Black Belt Hall of Fame
International Martial Arts Association Man of the Year 2004


Your gentle teacher, Sensei Paul Plevakas

Contact
phone (215) 778-2634       
e-mail Paul@PaulPlevakas.com
web site www.PaulPlevakas.com

Equipment
Do gi and belt.
No shoes or socks

Never forget: karate begins with rei and ends with rei. Rei means courtesy or respect, and is represented in karate by bowing.

Fall seven times, stand up eight.
- Japanese proverb

Sensei Yudansha Mudansha

Dojo Kun – Training Hall Rules

These kun are the guide, philosophy, mindset to your training. Each rule is numbered "1" because each has equal merit.
With each training session at the JKA dojo, students kneel in seiza and repeat these five precepts out loud.

1) Seek Perfection of Character - Jinkaku kansei ni tsutomuru koto.
1) Defend the Path of Truth (be sincere) - Makoto no michi o mamoru koto.
1) Foster Spirit of Effort (put maximum effort into everything you do) - Doryoku no seishin o yashinau koto.
1) Honor the Principles of Etiquette (respect others) - Reigi o omonzuru koto.
1) Guard Against Impetuous Courage (develop self-control) - Kekki no yuu o imashimuru koto

Kata
There are Mudansha or kyu kata, and Yudansha or Dan (black belt) kata. We start with Mudansha.

 

Watch as 10th Dan KanazawaSan demonstrates first kata Heian Shodan. Click arrow to run:

 

 

Here is second kata, Heian Nidan, demonstrated first quickly, then again slowly step by step:

 

Third kata, Heian Sandan:

 

Fourth kata, Heian Yondan:

 

 

 

Fifth kata, Heian Godan:

 

 

In Shotokan Karate, after the first five Heian katas, come the Tekki katas.
Here is first Tekki, Tekki Shodan, by OSensei Gichin Funakoshi, recorded 1924:

 

 

Second Tekki, Tekki Nidan, 1924 recording of O-Funakoshi San (the very honorable Gichin Funakoshi):

 

 

Here is Tekki Nidan again, by KanazawaSan:

 

 

Third Tekki kata, Tekki Sandan:

 

 

Anaku Kata
Done completely differently in Shorin Ryu, Kenpo, Shotokan, Shito Ryu. Teaches not to argue which is "right."
Ananku means "peace (or safety) from the South." Here is a Shotokan Anaku by Seibukan Shorin Ryu Chief Instructor of India Renshi MalaysianRaegoo:

 

 

Laugh and Learn

Etiquette first in combat:

 

No Drugs:

 

 

Short article to see Sensei in a Karate Computer Simulation study: Computer Fight Simulation

Photos and story of the Kru Ba, fighting drug violence at the Thai Burmese border: Muay Thai Monks on Horseback

Photos and story of the Thaipusam festival. Pious Hindus walk miles pierced with hundreds of skewers. Read why: Thaipusam - Exercise of Body and Spirit

 

Karate Terms
Coming soon (eventually) Native Japanese pronunciation audio files

Location/Direction
Migi right
Hidari left
Ageh rising
Jodan upper
Chudan middle
Gaedan lower
Naka - from inside to outside
Soto - from outside-to-inside

Tachi - Stances
Heisoku dachi. Blocked foot stance. Stand straight feet together, toes facing forward.
Musubi dachi. Open foot stance. Stand straight heels together, toes facing outward.
Sansen dachi. Fighting stance. Feet apart, toes facing inward.
Soto hajichi dachi. Arch eight stance (outer figure 8 stance, feet apart toes out)
Naka dachi. Inner eight stance (inner figure 8 stance, feet apart toes in)
Heiko dachi. Parallel foot stance. Stand straight feet apart, toes facing forward.

Zenkutsu dachi. Forward stance
Migi zenkutsu dachi, Right forward stance
Hidari zenkutsu dachi. Left forward stance
Kokukutsu dachi. Back stance
Migi kokukutsu dachi. Right back stance
Hidari kokukutsu dachi. Left back stance

Kiba dachi. Horse stance. Feet wide and pointed forward.
Shiko dachi. Sumo stance. Feet double shoulder width, feet pointed out. Like horse stance with feet out.
Tsuru ashi dachi. Crane stance. One leg, other foot on outside knee.
Neko dachi. Cat stance
Neko ashi dachi. Cat foot stance

Keri - Kick
Geri age. Rising kick
Mae geri. Front kick
Mae geri agi. Front kick rising
Jodan mae geri. Upper front kick
Chudan mae geri. Middle front kick
Gaedan mae geri. Lower front kick
Yoko geri. Side kick
Yoko geri agi. Side kick rising
Yoko tobi geri. Side jump kick
Mawashi geri. Roundhouse kick
Ushiro geri. Back kick
Hiza geri. Knee kick
Oi geri. Lunge kick
Kansetsu geri. Kick to joint or knee
Kagato geri. Heel kick
Booshi geri. Hat kick (kick off someone's hat)
Tabaki geri. Cigarette kick (kick someone's cigarette from their mouth or hand)
Kentaki geri. Groin kick

Uke - Block
Koken uke. Arc fist block
Mawashi uke. Roundhouse block
Morote uke. Two hand block
Morote naka uke. Two hand inside block
Juji uke. X block ("Ju" is number ten. Written as X)
Geidan tegatana juji uke. Lower body hand-sword X block
Hiza naka uke. Knee inside-to-outside block
Hiza soto uke. Knee outside-to-inside blockUchi - Strike
Age uchi. Rising strike
Mawashi uchi. Roundhouse strike

Tsuki - Lunge Punch

Gatana - Sword
Te gatana. Hand sword (shuto)
Segatana. Reverse hand sword
Ashi gatana. Foot sword
Geidan tegatana. Lower body hand-sword
Geidan tegatana juji uke. Lower body hand-sword X block

Body
Te. Hand
Ashi. Foot
Ken. Fist
Hiza. Knee
Hiji. Elbow
Kinteki. Groin
Soto. Arch of the foot
Kota. Forearm
Aga. Jaw
Kagato. Heel

Te - Hand
Te gatana. Hand sword (shuto)
Nukite. Piercing hand
Ippon nukite. One finger piercing hand
Nihon nukite. Two finger piercing hand

Ken - Fist
Uraken. Back fist
Koken. Arc fist (bent wrist strike with back of wrist)
Heiken. Flat fist (leopard hand)

Mawashi - Roundhouse, go around, using circular or turning movement
Mawashi geri. Roundhouse kick
Mawashi seashi geri. Roundhouse instep of foot kick
Mawashi kake. Roundhouse hook
Mawashi uke. Roundhouse block
Mawashi uchi. Roundhouse strike

Moro - Moves Using Two
Morote. Two handed
Morote naka uke. Two hand inside block
Moro ashi. Two foot
Moro ashi tachi. Two foot stance

Naka - From Inside to Outside
Naka uke. Inside to outside block
Naka hachiji tachi. Inside figure 8 stance
Naka ashi. Ball of the foot

Soto - Inside-to-Outside
Soto uke. Knee outside-to-inside block

More Classes With Sensei Paul

Class Texts

  • Healthy Martial Arts
    Wealth of training for body and mind. Available at discount to students in class.
  • The Ab Revolution™ No More Crunches No More Back Pain Revised THIRD edition expanded.
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  • Health & Fitness in Plain English - How to be Healthy Happy and Fit for the Rest of Your Life
    New Revised THIRD edition. Thirty-one chapters on health, nutrition, exercise, and pain prevention.

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