Yōshūkai

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Yōshūkai emblem in the international version

Yōshūkai ( Japanese 養 秀 会 , dt. Hall of Eternal Improvement ) is an Okinawean style of karate that developed from the Chitō-ryū in the middle of the 20th century . In Germany, Yōshūkai is run as a separate style in the German Karate Association with the Honbu Dojo in Dortmund , but the principles are also taught by some other, style-open dojos.

Features of style

Yōshūkai is a modification of the Okinawan Chitō-ryū with influences of the Gōjū-ryū and therefore adopts most of the kihon and kata techniques of the mother style. Due to the physical size of the founder and his followers, these techniques were interpreted with firmer and deeper levels. Likewise, more emphasis was placed on throws , levers and direct close combat in the swinging distance. Overall, this makes Katas of Yōshūkai appear more sluggish and more powerful than of comparable styles. Further differences to the main island styles, such as the Shōtōkan , are the training on the typical Okinawean weapons ( nunchaku , bo , sai and tonfa ) and the lack of attack jumping techniques .

While kumite is usually practiced in the international Yōshūkai according to full contact rules such as in the Kyokushin Kaikan , in Germany the rules of the World Karate Federation fight in light contact. Training with nunchaku, which is actually taught as the first weapon in the Yōshūkai, is also prohibited in Germany for legal reasons. This training was conceptually replaced by an earlier and longer training at the Bo. Yōshūkai karatekas thus receive an overall training that is more kobudo -oriented than other karate styles .

history

The style founder Mamoru Yamamoto (born July 10, 1938) trained judo in his childhood and began to practice karate at the age of 15 under the Chito-ryu style founder Chitose. Michael G. Foster, an employee of the US Army, also trained judo first and later learned Goju-Ryu under Watanabe. Both Chitose and Watanabe recognized the abilities of their students on the one hand, but also that they had to modify the classic karate techniques due to their above-average size. Chitose therefore sent Yamamoto to found his own dojo with his own style. Watanabe, who knew Yamamoto, recommends that Foster also train with Yamamoto. Yamamoto and Foster became intensive training partners and thus elements of Goju-Ryu became part of the new style. Yamamoto and Mas Oyama , the founders of the Kyokushin Kaikan, also worked closely together and worked out the rules of full contact karate as it is still practiced today.

emblem

The emblem is supposed to show the imperial Japanese insignia mirror " Yata no Kagami " as a red border with a white background in the form of a lotus blossom as a sign of wisdom through self-reflection. In the upper circle the three Kanji "養 秀 会" are written in a bow. The center of the mirror is decorated with the Japanese flag. In the lower third, "YOSHUKAI-KARATE" is written in a curved manner, so that the western and Japanese spelling is reflected within the insignia drawing.

Internationally, the red sun of the Japanese flag is often supplemented with the symbol 忍 (in English "patience") and the words "YOSHUKAI-KARATE" are adapted by customizing the corresponding dojo.

Kata

Unarmed katas

The following is an overview of the unarmed katas that are taught in Yōshūkai.

Surname Kanji
Nijushichi 二 十七
Zenshin Kotai 前進 後退
Taikyoku : Shodan, Nidan, Sandan, Yondan -
Shihohai 四方 拝
Gekisai 撃 塞
Seisan 正 整
Niseishi 二十 四 歩
Rohai Sho 鷺 牌 小
Rohai Dai 鷺 牌 大
Sochin 荘 鎮
Tenshin 転 身
Mugen 無限
Bassai 披 塞
Sanchin 三 戰
Chinto 鎮東
Kūsankū 公 相 君
Sanshiryu 三 十六 歩
Ryusan 龍山
Tensho 転 掌
Bechin 征 遠 鎮
Hen Shi Ho Jitsu 1 - 50 -

The “Seisan” kata is considered a style kata. The Kata "Gekisai" is a fusion of the two "Gekisai" Katas of Gōjū-Ryū. The Kata Mugen is an in-house development of the style founder.

The forms of Hen Shi Ho Jitsu correspond to established Ippon Kumite partner exercises and focus on self-defense.

Kobudo katas

The weapon kata of the Yōshūkai style know both independent weapon kata and interpretation of unarmed katas. This is especially evident in the katas with sai. The following is a list of all Kobudo Katas of the Yōshūkai:

Surname Weapon type
Nunchaku kihon kata Nunchaku
Nunchaku Kihon Kata Shodan Nunchaku
Nunchaku Kihon Kata Nidan Nunchaku
Nunchaku Kihon Kata Sandan Nunchaku
Misato No Nunchaku Nunchaku
Honto Nunchaku
Kihon-Bo-Kata: Shodan, Nidan, Sandan Bo
31-Bo-Waza Bo
Shushi-no-Kon-Sho Bo
Uchi-wa-no-kata Bo
Sho-no-Bo Bo
Bo Tai Bo Bo
Bo Tai Sai Bo
Naha-Bo Bo
Zenshin-Kotai Tonfa Tonfa
Shiho-Hai Tonfa Tonfa
Tonfa no Bo Tonfa
Zenshin-Kotai Sai Sai
Shiho-Hai Sai Sai
Rohai Sai Sai
Bassai Sai Sai
Mugen Sai Sai
Sai Tai Bo Sai

literature

  • Buttitta, Bob. "Yoshukai Karate: Not for the Weak of Heart. “ Black Belt Magazine , May 1984, p. 54
  • Baker, Timothy. "The Weapons of Yoshukai Karate: Nunchucks, Swords, Sickles, Staffs, Sai and Bo." Black Belt Magazine, January 1992, p. 24
  • Heinze, Thomas. “The Masters of Karate and Kobudo”: Part 1: Before 1900, ISBN 978-3-8391-1785-9
  • Klase, Bill. "Rough, Tough Yoshukai Karate: Traditional Karate's Link to Full-contact Fighting." Black Belt Magazine, March 1988, p. 56

Web links