Finger Sparring Boxing

Karate Techniques and Drills

This is not a comprehensive list of techniques and drills, but those that I personally teach. Notes and Japanese terms also includes.

Basic Directions/Positions

High - Jodan / Middle - Chudan / Low - Gedan

Left - Hidari / Right - Migi

Centerline - Seichusen, Pattern line – Embusen

Karate Techniques (Basic Strikes, Kicks, Blocks, and Stances)

Strikes:

Knife hand - Shuto

Ridge hand - Haito

Elbow strike - Empi uchi

Hammer fist - Tettsui

Back fist - Ura ken

Four finger spear hand thrust - Yohan nukite

One knuckle punch - Ippon ken

Palm strike - Shotei uchi

Reverse Punch - Gyakuzuki

Kicks:

Front snap kick - Mae geri, Roundhouse kick - Mawashi geri

Side thrust kick - Yoku geri kekomi / sokuto geri

Side snap kick - Yoko geri keagi, Back kick - Ushiro geri

Inward & Outward Crescent kicks - Mikazuki geri

Knee kick - Hiza geri

Blocks:

Brush block; High block - Jodan uke

Outward & Inward middle blocks (Chudan soto uke, Chudan uchi uke)

Low block - Gedan barai uke

Knife hand block - Shuto uke, Support hand block - Morote uke

Elbow block - Empi uke

Cross arm block - Juji uke

Stances:

Attention stance; Ready stance; Horse stance - Kiba dachi

Straddle stance - Shiko dachi

Cat foot stance - Neko ashi dachi

Back stance - Kokutsu dachi

Front stance / "Fighting stance" - Zenkutsu dachi

Hourglass stances - Sanchin dachi, Seishan dachi

Crane stance - Tsuru dachi

Footwork:

Some basic types of footwork used in getting closer to the opponent.

Yoriashi - move the front foot, then the back foot.

Ayumiashi - the back foot moves forward (as if walking).

Suriashi / Tsugiashi - back foot steps up to the front foot (no crossing over).

Surikomi - crossover step using the back foot.

muay Thai Techniques:

Front push, Switch kick, Inside leg kick, Power kick, Cut kick, Clinchwork

Boxing Techniques:

Punches - jab, cross, hook, uppercut, shovel hook, overhand cross

Parries - inward, outward, low, glove parry, slipping parry

 

Grappling:
This includes throws, takedowns, as well as seizing & controlling techniques such as joint locks, chokes, gripping, and small joint manipulation. These deal with various body points, including vital organs, muscles, joints, and nerve clusters. When using locks, maintain pressure and use pain to control or subdue the opponent.

Control all the joints in the arm when applying wrist / arm locks, and to push with your hands rather than pull. Do not allow the opponent to use his or her strength to resist - find the center of gravity and attack their weak line of movement. Use circular movements to defeat the linearity of the human body. Study kuzushi and sensitivity to understand not only grappling, but striking.

Some Basic Locks:

Various wrist and arm locks, Rear naked choke, Guillotine choke, leg and ankle locks

Some Basic Sweeps, Throws, Takedowns:

Major outer and inner reaps - Osoto gari, Ouchi gari

Minor outer and inner reaps - Kosoto gari, Kouchi gari

Foot sweep - Okuriashi harai, Forward foot sweep - Deashi harai

Hip toss, Shoulder throw variations

Sacrifice throw variations, Double or single leg takedown

Basic Ground Positions:

Mount, side mount / control, guard, half guard

Drills:

Alternate sparring

Take turns striking, with no blocking or hard contact.

Call sparring

Call a technique or series of techniques, and wait for your partner to confirm that he or she is ready before attacking. Your partner's goal is to successfully defend all techniques (via evasion, parrying, and/or blocking). It is then your partner's turn to attack.

When both partners have improved at this drill, they may both simply take turns delivering a short series of attacks without calling out techniques. At first, this drill should be done at half intensity with light to no contact. Also, counterattacks should not be used in this drill, as the goal is to develop quick, reflexive defenses. However, once skill is gained, counterattacks may be drilled using the following routines.

Slip and duck (Reaction and combination drill)

This drills additional body shifting against punches at close range. The key is to develop both looseness and quick reactions when cornered. At first, the hands simply protect the face. As you improve, add counter punches during and after slips and ducks. This drill may be practiced with or without striking pads.

Sensitivity drill

You and a partner face each other in fighting stances, with your hands open in guard position. You and your partner should keep your hands or arms in contact with each other throughout the drill. Practice redirection using soft techniques that flow into one another, while maintaining good posture. As often as possible, simultaneously redirect and counter attack. Do not rush the drill at first - you and your partner will both slowly use redirection on one another - 'countering counters', so to speak. This helps 'musubi' / connection and sensitivity to direction of force, as well as bunkai. It will also help you to not depend only on your eyes at close range. This drill helps with clinchwork, Ki Ken Tai no Ichi and Hei Jo Shin.

Kuzushi (Balance breaking)

Clinch with your partner, and use momentum, body mechanics, clinchwork, foot sweeps/reaps, etc. to try to break one another's balance. Try to create openings for takedowns. Major outer reap uses the back leg on their opposite leg. Major inner reap aims for the inside (mirror image). Minor outer reap uses the front leg on the same side (mirror image). Minor inner reap aims to the opposite leg.

Shadow Boxing

Practice performing "freestyle" combinations on your own. Footwork, breathing, rhythm and flow of techniques, slipping, and a continuous active guard are among the most important things in shadow boxing. Visualize an opponent as you practice - imagine different scenarios and fighting rhythms.

If you are new to this, do it for three 1-minute rounds at half speed. As your technique and/or stamina improve, build up to at least three 3-minute rounds at full speed. Always take a one minute rest between rounds. Of course, one can always perform more rounds as desired / needed.

Once you are ready, do it with a partner at half speed. Maintain some distance from one another - and read each other's movements as you attack, defend, and use footwork. Watch angles, body language, and rhythm as you apply what you learned in previous drills. Partner shadow boxing helps adapt technical skills to a real sparring situation. Eventually, move on to light sparring. Perform strikes closer to your partner, and at full speed. However, use little to no contact until you have improved control, and have gotten used to techniques being thrown at you.

About the Author

This article is a part of the author's concise guide to karate. Be sure to visit Johnston Karate Home Page to view the guide as well as many other free resources.

BOXING STANCE and Karate Stance Keep, keeping Hands Up HANDS UP BOX GUARD UP