Motobu Choki’s Books on Karate
Motobu Choki (1870–1944) was probably the only karate master who openly tested his skills and proved that his karate style was effective in actual combat. Many believe that his no-nonsense street-fight style of karate is the very essence of karate, it is how karate...
How to Generate Explosive Power in Your Karate Punches
A simple straight punch (choku tsuki) can tell a lot about you as a karateka because delivering a good punch with decent power is not easy. It requires a good understanding of body mechanics and thousands and thousands of hours of practicing correctly. This post...
The Legendary Feud Between Motobu Choki and Funakoshi Gichin
Motobu Choki (1870 – 1944), one of the best karate fighters of his era, and Funakoshi Gichin (1868 – 1957), referred to as “the father of modern karate” by many, had very little in common and very little regard for each other. While Motobu called...
San Dan Gi and How to Get the Most Out of These Drills
San dan gi is a sparring drill commonly used in Goju Ryu to introduce sparring techniques to beginners. However, like all other basic techniques, kumite drills, and kata that are taught to beginner karateka, san dan gi is not easy to master. Practicing them right will...
Motobu Choki’s Fight with a Boxer that Brought Him Fame
In around 1922, Motobu Choki aged 52 at the time, soundly defeated a young Western boxer and became famous in mainland Japan This post includes different accounts told by different people about what might have happened and the impact it made on karate history. Motobu...
Motobu Choki’s Karate Principles Through Quotes
While a lot less well-known and influential in the development of karate than his contemporary peers, Motobu Choki’s technical and fighting ability, without a doubt, was one of the best. This post provides a list of Motobu Choki quotes that reflect the essence...
The Meaning Of “Osu” or “Oss” in Karate
If you walk into a Japanese karate dojo for the first time and hear people say “osu” or “oss” all the time but don’t know what it means, this post is for you. It covers the origin, meanings, and usage of this term. The origin of...
What Is the Purpose of “Chambering” in Karate?
We practice “chambering” a lot in karate including in kihon, kata, and basic kumite drills. But when we practice jyu kumite or freestyle sparring, “chambering” seems to go out the window and we rarely ever see it in competitions, combat sports,...