1) Elimination of fancy techniques - once
used to hide karate's killing power because it was against the law to practice
karate.
2) Combination of the best of Shorin-ryu
and Goju-ryu to form a basic, realistic system of self-defense.
3) Use of low kicks (none above the
waist) because low kicks allow you to move quickly with power and balance.
Such kicks are hard to see, and hard to block. Sport karate can use high
kicks.
4) Use of short, natural stances which
eliminate wasted motion and major body shifting, giving a split-second time
advantage in self-defense situation. Such stances are more adaptable to
American physique and temperament because the stances follow natural body
movements.
5) Hand and foot techniques are about
50-50 in the katas, giving the student a well-rounded system of karate.
6) Close-in techniques which are valuable
for street fighting (Bunkai).
7) Snap-punches and snap kicks (punches
and kicks come from a limb only 90% extended and immediately retracted),
enabling you to move in and out quickly in a self-defense situation and to
immediately correct yourself if you miscalculate. The lack of full extension
of the limb prevents excessive wear and tear on the hinge joints.
8) Elements of hard blocking (meeting
force with force) and soft blocking (deflecting or parrying the blows).
9) Blocks executed with the muscular part
and 2 bones of the forearm rather than one bone and all muscle part to prevent
breakage of the bones.
10) A fist made with the thumb on top of
the fist rather than over the first two fingers. This method locks the wrist,
helping to prevent the fist from buckling at the wrist on impact. This method
also tightens the fist by allowing you to put tension on the top of the fist
(thumb side) and the side of the fist (finger side).
11) Vertical punch, which increases the
speed and focus of the punch.
12) Blocks are blocks and blocks are
strikes. Basic kata teaches that blocks are blocks or kamae. Advanced Bunkai
shows that blocks are strikes.
