WJKA Canada

The WJKA Canada community practices traditional Shotokan Karate.  Shotokan is one of four main traditional Japanese karate styles.   Originating in Okinawa, it was brought to mainland Japan by Ginchin Funakoshi.  Today Shotokan has become one of the most practiced styles of karate worldwide.

 

Shotokan is a traditional martial art with influences from mainland China combined with the fighting art of Okinawa.  It is a well-rounded, self defense form of martial art which includes punching, kicking, and grappling.

 

Shotokan karate is noted for its deep stances which develop strong bones and muscles and in turn, strong attacks.  It is considered a mid – long range attack form.

 

Training in Karate involve many things. Traditionally this means Basics (Kihon), Forms (Kata) and fighting (Kumite). This is only the simplistic view, a beginners view so to speak. The concepts of Sen no Sen, simply put, as your opponent begins his attack, you attack simultaneously and beat his attack. Go no Sen, waiting for your opponent to attack, blocking and countering it. Tai Sabaki the addition of movements and twisting to avoid the attack.

 

That’s the magic of Karate, you can never master it and thus it is always a challenge. If we were able to master it the challenge would be gone, and like any game we have played when we beat it the excitement is gone and we play it no more. Karate is not like this. It is a life time study and it is always challenging which of course keeps our interest.