Instructors Terminology
Meditation mokusō (moh-koo-soh)
Bow rei (reh-ee)/lei (leh-ee)
Assume stance kamaete (kah-mah-eh-teh)
Get ready yōi (yoh-ee)
Begin hajime (hah-jee-meh)
Pivot/assume opposite direction kaette (kah-eht-teh)
Stop yame (yah-meh) At ease yasume (yah-soo-meh)
Vocal expulsion of air kiai (kee-ah-ee)
General Terminology
Head instructor/Master instructor (of an organization) shihan (shee-hahn)
Instructor sensei (sehn-seh-ee)
Training hall dōjō (doh-joh)
Training uniform keiko gi (keh-ee-koh gee)/gi (gee)
Training uniform belt
obi (oh-bee)
Basic training
kihon (kee-hohn)
Technique Terminology
Formal exercise/forms
kata (kah-tah)
Sparring
kumite (koo-mee-teh)
Escape techniques
torite (toh-ree-teh)
Throwing techniques
nagewaza (nah-geh-wah-zah)
Foot sweep
ashibarai (ah-shee-bah-rah-ee)
Maximum effectiveness/ focus of techniques
kime (kee-meh)
Pulling hand
hikite (hee-kee-teh)
Breathing center in lower abdomen
tanden (tahn-dehn)
Getting into the opponent
irimi (ee-ree-mee)
Elbow Attacks
enpi (ehn-pee)/ empi(ehm-pee)
Jumping-in attack
tobikomi (toh-bee-koh-mee)
Continuous Techniques
renzoku waza (rehn-zoh-koo wah-zah)
Counting
One ichi (ee-chee)
Two ni (nee)
Three san (sahn)
Four shi (shee)
Five go (goh)
Six roku (roh-koo)
Seven shichi (shee-chee)
Eight hachi (hah-chee)
Nine ku (koo) / kyū (kyoo)
Ten jū (joo)
Equipment Terminology
Punching board
makiwara (mah-kee-wah-rah)
Staff
bō (boh)
Karate gi
(空手着 or 空手衣) is the Japanese name for the karate training uniform.
There are many different kinds of Karate gi's. Master Funakoshi modeled the
Shotokan gi from the durable Judo gi.
There are numerous gi vendors.
Here are a few with whom Mumon has used over the years:
Ranking
In 1924, Master Funakoshi adopted the Kyū / Dan rank system and the uniform (keikogi) developed by Kano Jigoro, the founder of judo. This system uses colored belts (obi) to indicate rank. Originally, karate had only three belt colors: white, brown, and black (with ranks within each).
Mumon Karate accepts students starting at age 6. Testing for Black Belt is conducted at an adult level. A student must be 16 years or older to be considered for an adult blackbelt. Mumon may award a youth black belt ( black belt with a white line) for especially talented individuals who are at least 14 years old and have shown a dedicated training mentality. Standards for this special youth black belt are the same as for an adult shodan candidate.
Mumon Karate uses the following ranking systems for both youth and adults.
