Detailed Shotokan Karate Terminology

[tamaro]

Hello all,

I'm currently writing content for a couple of mobile apps about martial arts and was wondering if I could get some help from this forum in pointing me towards some good references.

I'm basically working on two apps, one about Taekwondo and another about Shotokan Karate. Each app is meant to be an evolution of apps I already published. I'm planning on referencing all techniques, forms and sparring drills usually taught from white belt up to 1st dan.

Doing that with Taekwondo has so far been easy. There are a lot of good well detailed books on techniques. But on shotokan karate it has been really hard.

The main problem is the number of variations per each type of technique and the lack of information on terminology.

For example, in Taekwondo I know that a back kick is called Dwit Chagi and a spinning back kick is called Mondolyo Dwit Chagi. I can find that information in any Taekwondo book.

In Karate, in the references I found, there was no distinction in name between back kick and spinning back kick, both variations being simply called Ushiro Geri.

I would like my Shotokan Karate app to go to the same level of detail as the Taekwondo one.

My sensei mentioned it's not common for instructors to go to that level of name distinction in the dojo and that he's not aware of references that do that.

I do have one reference that's great in detail: Best Karate by Nakayama. But it doesn't mention techniques and variations that aren't present in the Kata.

Anyone can recommend good references of books that follow that type of detail in technique naming?

Thanks.

[ninjanurse]

Dynamic Karate. Mastoshi Nakayama.

[sensei8]

Karate: The Art of Empty-Hand Fighting by Hidetaka Nishiyama

This is an excellent reference book for Shotokan; published in 1960...same year Nishiyama Sensei earned his Godan in Shotokan. Can still be found!!

[cheesefrysamurai]

Make one for goju ryu pleasssseeee lol

Good luck!!!!

[ps1]

Might also be a good idea to find someone who is fluent in Japanese to assist you. A translator of some sort would be fruitful.

[tamaro]

Much appreciated help!

Looked at some of the references and still struggling a bit more to find detailed information on terminology.

The Ushiro Geri example: Would like to ask for some insight in someone who can confirm my findings.

Most dojos referer Ushiro Geri as a spinning back kick.

When translated Ushiro means rear, so the translation would be rear/back kick.

Usually the Ushiro geri is only practiced in most dojos with a spin.

Comparing with Taekwondo, the back kick (no spinning) is called Dwit chagi, and the spinning back kick is called "Mondolyo dwit chagi".

So my question is if in Shotokan Karate terminology there's a different terminology for the back kick application with and without a spin ?

Also, the spinning hook kick is called Ushiro Ura Mawashi Geri in most references. So translation would be "rear reverse turn kick". Regarding this is if there are dojos where the name of this technique is different?

Overall, as far as spinning kicks go, in shotokan karate, used dojo terminology doesn't seem to differ a kick in its normal application from its spinning variations. Do you agree?

Please note that in my work I intent to list differences between different main associations. All feedback on different ways it may be called is much appreciated.

Regarding:

Make one for goju ryu pleasssseeee lol

Good luck!!!!

Unfortunately I don't know anything about Goju Ryu, so wouldn't be capable of doing any good work on it. But in the future, instead of writing all the stuff, I may simply contact authors of other martial arts and publish their work through the existing technology. Let me know if you know someone who understands and studies Goju Ryu to the tiniest detail. Thank you.

Thanks for the assistance.

[Karate_John]

Hope this helps some, As far as I know.

Ushiro geri would be a Back kick, spinning usually as your opponent is in front most of the time. But it is launched with your back facing your opponent like a mule would kick.

Ushiro mawashi geri on the other hand, would be a reverse spinning roundhouse kick with the back of the heel connecting with the opponent. not straight back like Ushiro geri.

[Nidan Melbourne]

At my dojo (I'm Goju); Ushiro Geri is a back kick (Aka Donkey Kick lol cause its true).

Also we have Ushiro Mawashi Geri which for us refers to Reverse Roundhouse Kick

And one that we call it sometimes is a yuko geri (we know it translate to side kick) but for us it refers to a roundhouse kick to the body (Mawashi Geri Chudan)

Whilst mawashi Geri was for a roundhouse kick to the head

[Kusotare]

Much appreciated help!

Looked at some of the references and still struggling a bit more to find detailed information on terminology.

The Ushiro Geri example: Would like to ask for some insight in someone who can confirm my findings.

Most dojos referer Ushiro Geri as a spinning back kick.

When translated Ushiro means rear, so the translation would be rear/back kick.

Usually the Ushiro geri is only practiced in most dojos with a spin.

Comparing with Taekwondo, the back kick (no spinning) is called Dwit chagi, and the spinning back kick is called "Mondolyo dwit chagi".

So my question is if in Shotokan Karate terminology there's a different terminology for the back kick application with and without a spin ?

Also, the spinning hook kick is called Ushiro Ura Mawashi Geri in most references. So translation would be "rear reverse turn kick". Regarding this is if there are dojos where the name of this technique is different?

Overall, as far as spinning kicks go, in shotokan karate, used dojo terminology doesn't seem to differ a kick in its normal application from its spinning variations. Do you agree?

Please note that in my work I intent to list differences between different main associations. All feedback on different ways it may be called is much appreciated.

Regarding:

Make one for goju ryu pleasssseeee lol

Good luck!!!!

Unfortunately I don't know anything about Goju Ryu, so wouldn't be capable of doing any good work on it. But in the future, instead of writing all the stuff, I may simply contact authors of other martial arts and publish their work through the existing technology. Let me know if you know someone who understands and studies Goju Ryu to the tiniest detail. .

The problem is you are dealing with a very slippery fish ie:

Nihongo+Martial Arts+Ryu-ha

Unless you are a native, the Japanese language is hard to enough to translate well - even just in general terms.

Put martial arts into the equation and there are many idiosyncrasies that even Japanese speakers (who are not martial artists) would struggle to uderstand.

Factor in different martial arts schools the same terminology to mean different things and the problem gets bigger.

Then, even within different factions within the same style of the same martial art - terms are used differently, from dojo to dojo.

Really, the only 100% correct way (for you) is how your sensei uses it in your dojo.

K.

[Harkon72]

In Japanese;

Back kick - Ushiro Geri

Spinning or Turning Back kick - Bouseki Ushiro Geri or Jiten Ushiro Geri