{almost} Everything you never wanted to know about:
Karate
[this page is loosely based on some sort of sara like organization system and is still undergoing construction]

Major styles of Martial Arts:

Aikido
Judo
Jujitsu
Karate
Kung Fu
Tae Kwon Do

What do I take? Japanese Karate

Three Main Parts of Karate:

Kata--forms, pre-set combonations of movements
Kobudo--weapons; bo (staff); sais; nunchaku
Kumite--sparring; hand to hand combat

My fave? Probably Kumite. Why? You get to hit people!! And it's more moving around than in kata. However, I tend to do better in kata. Go figure.

Good Competition Katas:

Anan
Kururunpha (i think)
Niseishi
Superinpei
Rohai
Seienchin
Seipai

Which is my fave? Hmm. Rohai is good, I won state with it in '99, I did Bassai Dai this year ('00) and did okay (but i was up against really good ppl), it's not a competition kata anyway. I really like Anan, even though I don't know it)

Sparring Calls

Akka--left (white)
Ateoni--face contact
Hajime--begin
Ippon--point
Ikatch--match
Jogai--out of bounds
Nakai--enter ring
Shiro--right (red)
Shobusanbon--three point match
Torimesin (sp?)--no point
Tszukate Hajime--continue match
Yame--stop

I don't really have a favourite call...I like Ippon and Ikatch, if they're given to me. Hehe.

Weapons

Bo--wooden staff
Iaido--sword
Nunchaku--pair of two octagonal pieces of wood connected by metal chain links
Sai-- pair of "corn huskers" three pronged daggers
Tonfa--police nightstick was based on these;wood; pairs

Definately sais. It's what I want to do, but I'm taking a Nunchaku course anyway.

PICTURES

Traditional Karate Kata List

Kata Articles

Martial Arts

USANKF (United States of America National Karate Federation)

USA Karate Federation

WKF (World Karate Federation)

NATIONALS: JULY 28^th-30^th, 2000 SACRAMENTO, CA.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: OCTOBER 12-15,2000  MUNICH, GERMANY

  <-- Link to my dojo's website

Don't own Mortal Kombat. Who does? I dunno. And Buckner Martial Arts isn't paying me to put an ad on my site, altho i'm sure they like it ;-)