Curriculum

Our training incorporates traditional karate, basic clinch fighting, sweeps, take downs, and throws. Each class includes solo training (kihon and kata), impact training (hitting and kicking target shields), and partner training (self-defense drills, bunkai drills, kata-based sparring, sweeps, take downs, and throws). For rank promotion purposes, we follow the Shorin Ryu curriculum listed below.

The Shorin Ryu Karate Academy is a charter Shorin Ryu Karatedo International (SRKDI) dojo; therefore, any student who becomes an SRKDI member and earns rank in our club will have his/her rank recognized in Okinawa. (Note: as a member of the club, you are not required to test for rank, but it is encouraged.) Moreover, as an SRKDI member, all yudansha ranks (black belt ranks) can also receive an Okinawan yudansha rank certificate through the International Shogen-Ryu Karate-Do Kyokai, which has a formal relationship with SRKDI.

Below is a basic outline of the key curricular elements for each rank, from 6th Kyu (the first rank in our curriculum) to 1st Dan (1st degree black belt):

RO KYU (6th KYU: WHITE BELT W/ GREEN STRIPE)

Kihon:

  • Walking stance
  • Front stance
  • Lunge punch
  • Reverse punch
  • High block
  • Low block
  • Front kick
  • Fighting stance and guard 

Kihon Drills:

  • Four low-block combination drills

Kata:

  • Fukyugata 1

Bunkai Drills:

  • Fukyugata 1 bunkai drills

Basic Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

  • Basics of self-protection (lecture information)
    • Situational awareness
    • What you can control
    • What you cannot control
    • Understanding types of violence
    • Understanding fighting and its consequences
  • Wrist releases and follow-ups
  • Choke defenses and follow-ups

Basic Fall Skills

Basic Throws:

  • Sweeps
  • Winding Throws
  • Neck Throws

Readings:

  • The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do by Shoshin Nagamine

GO KYU (5th KYU: WHITE BELT W/ 2 GREEN STRIPES)

Kihon:

  • Chest blocks
  • Side stance
  • Side kick

Kihon Drills:

  • Four chest-block combination drills

Kata:

  • Fukyugata 2

Bunkai Drills:

  • Fukyugata 2 bunkai drills

Basic Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

  • One and two handed Lapel grab releases and follow-ups
  • Wrist releases and follow-ups
  • Choke defenses and follow-ups

Yakusoku Kumite #1 and #2

Basic Fall Skills
 
Basic Throws:
  • Sweeps
  • Winding Throws
  • Neck throws

Readings: 

  • The Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate by Gichin Funakoshi

YON KYU (4th KYU: GREEN BELT)

Kihon:

  • Cat stance
  • Shuto uke
  • Round house kick
  • Elbow strikes
  • Knee strikes

Kihon Drills:

  • Four high-block drills

Kata:

  • Pinan 1-2

Bunkai Drills:

  • Pinan 1-2 bunkai drills

Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

  • Bearhug releases and follow-ups
    • Under the arms and over the arms
    • From the Front and the rear
  • Headlock release
  • One and two handed Lapel grab releases and follow-ups
  • Wrist releases and follow-ups
  • Choke defenses and follow-ups

Yakusoku Kumite #3

Throws:
  • Winding throws
  • Neck throws
  • Sweeps

Break Falls

Readings:

  • Karate-Do: My Way of Life, by Gichin Funakoshi 

SAN KYU (3rd KYU: BROWN BELT)

Kihon:

  • Hook kicks
  • Crescent kicks
  • Shovel kicks/knee stomps

Kihon Drills

  • Four shuto uke drills

Kata:

  • Pinan 3-5

Bunkai Drills:

  • Pinan 3-5 bunkai drills

Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

  • Blunt weapon defense and follow-ups
    • Using blunt weapons in self-defense
  • Bearhug releases and follow-ups
    • Under the arms and over the arms
    • From the Front and the rear
  • Headlock release and follow-ups
  • One and two handed Lapel grab releases and follow-ups
  • Wrist releases and follow-ups
  • Choke defenses and follow-ups

Yakusoku Kumite #4

Basic Throws
  • Shoulder throw
  • Inner and outer reaping throws

Readings:

  • Bunkai Jutsu by Iain Abernethy

NI KYU (2nd KYU: BROWN BELT WITH ONE BLACK STRIPE)

Kihon:

  • Naihanchi stance
  • Spinning back kick
  • Spinning hook kick 

Kihon Drills:

  • All four sets of drills (16 drills)

Kata:

  • Naihanchi 1-2

Bunkai Drills:

  • Naihanchi 1-2

Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

  • Knife defense
    • Using bladed weapons in self-defense
    • Knife avoidance
      • shielding and getting to the side of the attacker
      • getting away
  • Blunt weapon defense and follow-ups
    • Using blunt weapons in self-defense
    • Avoiding strike by backing up
    • Lunging in to close gap (timed when weapon is in centerline—when you move in the weapon will have moved away)
    • Go for eyes or throat
    • Or, control weapon hand/arm and attempt takedown and disarm
  • Bearhug releases and follow-ups
    • Under the arms and over the arms
    • From the Front and the rear
  • Headlock release and follow-ups
  • One and two handed Lapel grab releases and follow-ups
  • Wrist releases and follow-ups
  • Choke defenses and follow-ups

Yakusoku Kumite #5

Break Falls

Basic throws
  • Double leg lift throws
  • Tackle

Readings:

  • Facing Violence by Rory Miller

IK KYU (1st KYU: BROWN BELT WITH TWO BLACK STRIPES)

Kihon:

  • All techniques should be sharp, snappy, focused, and demonstrating speed, power, and control
  • Stances should be strong, precise, and consistent

Kihon Drills:

  • All four sets of drills (16 drills)

Kata:

  • Naihanchi 3

Bunkai Drills:

  • Naihanchi 3

Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

  • Knife defense
    • Using bladed weapons in self-defense
    • Knife avoidance
      • shielding and getting to the side of the attacker
      • getting away
    • Knife disarm
      • when you cannot escape or backed into corner
      • shielding
      • grasping attacking arm
      • close the gap
      • takedown
      • get away
  • Blunt weapon defense and follow-ups
    • Using blunt weapons in self-defense
    • Avoiding strike by backing up
    • Lunging in to close gap (timed when weapon is in centerline—when you move in the weapon will have moved away)
    • Go for eyes or throat
    • Or, control weapon hand/arm and attempt takedown and disarm
  • Bearhug releases and follow-ups
    • Under the arms and over the arms
    • From the Front and the rear
  • Headlock release and follow-ups
  • One and two handed Lapel grab releases and follow-ups
  • Wrist releases and follow-ups
  • Choke defenses and follow-ups

Yakusoku Kumite #6

Break falls

Basic throws

Basic wrist and arm locks

Readings: 

  • Meditations on Violence by Rory Miller

SHODAN (1ST DAN: BLACK BELT)

Kihon:

  • All techniques should be sharp, snappy, focused, and demonstrating speed, power, and control
  • Stances should be strong, precise, and consistent

Kihon Drills:

  • All four sets of drills with precision, snap, speed, power, and control

Kata:

  • Ananku
  • Wankan

Bunkai Drills:

  • Ananku
  • Wankan

Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

  • Knife defense
    • Using bladed weapons in self-defense
    • Knife avoidance
      • shielding and getting to the side of the attacker
      • getting away
    • Knife disarm
      • when you cannot escape or backed into corner
      • shielding
      • grasping attacking arm
      • close the gap
      • takedown
      • get away
  • Blunt weapon defense and follow-ups
    • Using blunt weapons in self-defense
    • Avoiding strike by backing up
    • Lunging in to close gap (timed when weapon is in centerline—when you move in the weapon will have moved away)
    • Go for eyes or throat
    • Or, control weapon hand/arm and attempt takedown and disarm
  • Bearhug releases and follow-ups
    • Under the arms and over the arms
    • From the Front and the rear
  • Headlock release and follow-ups
  • One and two handed Lapel grab releases and follow-ups
  • Wrist releases and follow-ups
  • Choke defenses and follow-ups
  • All drills performed with speed, power, intent to stop/incapacitate opponent yet with control

Yakusoku Kumite #7

Break Falls

Basic Throws

  • Shoulder wheel throw (in preparation for Wanshu)

Basic wrist and arm locks 

Readings: 

  • The Little Black Book of Violence by Lawrence A. Kane
  • Tales of Okinawa’s Great Masters by Shoshin Nagamine
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