Early Karate techniques

[jestercheck]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm trying to find out how many (and what kinds of) techniques existed in Gichin Funakoshi's Karate-do, ca 1940-1950. If anyone could tell me, or tell me where to look for this information, I would appreciate it very much.

 

Also, it would be interesting to know which techniques were part of Kong Soo Do/Tang Soo Do/Taekwondo at this time, and how different from Karate-do it had become at this stage.

 

Best regards,

 

Jester

[AngelaG]

Get Karate-do Kyohan by Gichin Funakoshi. Probably 'the' must have book for Shotokanists.

[SevenStar]

This isn't completely relevant, but I thought it was interesting:

 

http://seinenkai.com/articles/swift/swift-tidbits2.html

[manuelito]

angelag hit this one right on the nose. this book is a must. https://www.amazon.com sells this book for about $35

[Sho-ju]

Funakoshi used a lot of high stances compared to what we see today, it also looks like a lot more time was spent on takedowns and stand up grappling.

 

Looks higher then tekki as seen today, it's more of naihanchi.

 

http://www3.sympatico.ca/aikiwoman/Funakoshi.JPG

 

http://karatedojo.uazone.net/img/prakt/dzkd/Funakoshi%20Low%20Stance.JPG

 

More reading: http://www.shotojuku.com/karate_history.htm

 

http://karatedojo.uazone.net/img/prakt/dzkd/Funakoshi-Hi-Low.jpg

 

http://membres.lycos.fr/fsklg/photos/funakoshi06.jpg

 

Notice the grabbing of the attack.

 

http://www.shinan.it/karate/immagini/funak2.jpg

 

http://www.amerikanjudo.org/funakoshi.jpg

 

Short hangetsu dachi.

 

http://www.nbkarateclub.it/gichin/altre-foto/hn-3.jpg

 

I had a link at one time with a ton of pic's of Funakoshi doing takedowns, etc. I'll try and find it, then post it.

 

Hope the old pic's help, do a quick search for Funakoshi's son Gigo if you want to learn more about the changes made. Not all of them are bad, contary to what 'some' may say.

 

peace

 

sj

[Master Jules]

Also notice that in the second to last pic...hes grabbing a pressure point on the Lung meridian line, and directing a nakadaka ken zuki (middle knuckle strike) to Stomach meridian point number one.

[Sho-ju]

Here's a link with some basic stances.

 

http://www.nbkarateclub.it/gichin/basic3.html

[Master Jules]

Basic stances in Goju are very simply measured out. Starting in "ready stance, move one foot forward the length of the foot, so that the heel of the front foot lines up with the toes of the back foot....thats basic stance. One more step is a fighting or free stance, and one more is long stance or deep stance, or forward stance, however you like to call it.....the heels should be slightly kicked out. From there, when the back foot is at the 45 degree angle, rotate the front foot the same way, and you wind up with the sheiko dachi, or "sumo" stance......thats just a few.

[Killer Miller]

I believe the other person in the pictures with Funakoshi was Nakayama.

 

Many of the early stances and techniques from Funikoshi's days were derived from Juijitsu. (sp?) Stances were much higher then and a lot more open handed techniques. Once Karate was modernized, the stances became much lower and more closed fists as well.

 

- Killer -

[Sasori_Te]

Huh???

 

Funakoshi's teacher, Itosu Yasatsune was a Shuri Te stylist (Shorin Ryu). The stances in traditional Shorin Ryu are higher and much more natural than today's Shotokan. If anything, I would say that jujutsu/judo had more of an effect on the modernization of Shotokan, not what Funakoshi taught when he first came from Okinawa. Also, the open hands were from Shuri Te's Chinese origins more than anything else. As I understand it, the katas passed from the Chinese to the Okinawans using only open hand and finger techniques. The Okinawans introduced the closed fist into their martial styles.

 

If I am incorrect please let me know, and also where I could look up the information for my self.