Shotokan Karate
Taught by Paul Plevakas, Karate Sensei, Third degree Back Belt (SanDan)
and Dr. Jolie Bookspan, Karate Sensei, Master Instructor, Fourth degree Black Belt (YonDan)

Inducted, Black Belt Hall of Fame
International Martial Arts Association Man and Woman of the Year 2004, Instructors of the Year 2009.

Your gentle teacher Paul Plevakas Sensei
Member of the United States Ju-Jitsu and Shotokan Karate Associations.
Training in Shotokan, Shorinji-Ryu, Goju-Ryu Karate, Tang Soo Do, and Ju-Jitsu.

Who Is This Class For?

For adults who want to get back to martial arts, or start for the first time.

If you are out of shape, older, or have injuries, this class coaches you in healthy movement patterns to be able to get back to real training. The teachers are trained and certified in injury prevention and rehab techniques.

Those already holding rank may attend wearing their rank belt. They are expected to meet requirements of the rank or work back toward them if they have been out of training.

Students who want to advance belt rank may work up through Black Belt, based on merit and work.

When and Where

Our training center (dojo) was at 2100 Chestnut Street, downtown Philadelphia. Currently we are looking for a new location.

Contact Paul for groups or private classes at your location, including online - Paul@PaulPlevakas.com.

Special Opportunity for Thai Massage and Sport Massage

By advance appointment. Wonderful for family members while you take class.

Done fully clothed, bare feet, lying comfortably on a soft mat.

More about Thai and Sport Massage here.

Paul Sensei breaking five flaming boards at a public demonstration

Begin

The first of the Niju-Kun: Never forget Karate begins with rei and ends with rei. Rei means courtesy or respect, and is represented in Karate by bowing. You are recognizing your own highest self.

Our classes at Temple University

Fall seven times, stand up eight.
shichi ten battou" also pronounced as "nana kolobi ya oki"

- Japanese proverb

Japanese martial arts teaches a continuous positivity. Students solve the proverb through practice

Sensei (teachers) Dr. Jolie Bookspan and Paul Plevakas, Yudansha (Dan - black belt rank), Mudansha (kyu rank) at our dojo (training hall)

Never forget: karate begins with rei and ends with rei. Rei means courtesy or respect, and is represented in karate by students respecting the dojo.

Dojo Kun – Training Hall Principles

These kun are the guide, philosophy, mind set to your training.

Each rule is numbered "1" because each has equal merit.

With each training session at the JKA dojo, students sit in seiza and repeat these five precepts out loud.

There are several different translations. The Dojo kun are not to force morality, but remind of universal positives. Instead of mindlessly repeating as a chant, you remind yourself of using training for good:

1) Seek Perfection of Character (Work to be good) - Jinkaku kansei ni tsutomuru koto.

1) Defend the Path of Truth (Be sincere) - Makoto no michi o mamoru koto.

1) Foster Spirit of Effort (Put honest effort into everything you do) - Doryoku no seishin o yashinau koto.

1) Honor the Principles of Etiquette (Respect others) - Reigi o omonzuru koto.

1) Guard Against Impetuous Courage (Develop self-control) - Kekki no yuu o imashimuru koto

Click to hear native pronunciation of the Dojo Kun by student Lisa Nakata

calligraphy by NakayamaSan

Class Textbook

Healthy Martial Arts by Dr. Jolie Bookspan. Click BOOKS.

Stretching

We teach healthy stretches that directly train martial arts positioning, balance and range, and which directly train and practice everyday healthy body position for healthy movement habits outside the training hall.

Just as not all foods are necessary or healthy, neither are several common stretches. We change them to healthier ones.

For more about this exciting better way of stretching, and to learn one set of quick simple stretches that we use, click the Stretching Smarter article on this web site and scroll down to Six Quick Stretches.

Kata

There are mudansha or kyu kata, and yudansha or dan (black belt) kata. We start with mudansha.

First kata, Heian Shodan. 10th Dan KanazawaSan demonstrates (twice)

Second kata, Heian Nidan. Demonstrated by Hirokazu KanazawaSan

Third kata, Heian Sandan

Fourth kata, Heian Yondan:

Fifth kata, Heian Godan

In Shotokan Karate, after the first five Heian katas, come the Tekki katas

Here is first Tekki, Tekki Shodan, by OSensei Gichin Funakoshi, recorded 1924

Second Tekki, Tekki Nidan, 1924 recording of O-Funakoshi San (the very honorable Gichin Funakoshi)

Tekki Nidan, again, by KanazawaSan

Third Tekki kata, Tekki Sandan

Anaku Kata

This kata is done completely differently in Shorin Ryu, Kenpo, Shotokan, and Shito Ryu styles. The difference teaches not to argue which is "right."

Ananku means "peace (or safety) from the South." Here is a Shotokan Anaku by Seibukan Shorin Ryu Chief Instructor of India Renshi MalaysianRaegoo

Traditional Kedakitai Body Hardening Conditioning

Sound of the strikes in the original movies was lost in transfer to these gifs. Originally was very loud.

Laugh and Learn

Making fun of Osu! Karate Master - Amazing Performers - Masquerade TV

No Drugs

Karate Terms
Native Japanese pronunciation audio files follow terms

Location / Direction

Migi right
Hidari left

Ageh rising

Jodan upper

Chudan middle

Gaedan lower

Naka - from inside to outside

Soto - from outside-to-inside

Stances - Tachi (Pronounced with "T" when the word comes first or stands alone: tashi)

Heisoku dachi. Blocked foot stance. Stand straight feet together, toes facing forward. (The "t" sound changes to "d" when the word follows another: Heisoku dachi)

Musubi dachi. Open foot stance. Stand straight heels together, toes facing outward.

Sansen dachi. Fighting stance. (sen means "fighting") Feet apart, toes facing inward.

Soto hajichi dachi. Arch eight stance (outer figure 8 stance, feet apart toes out)
Naka dachi. Inner eight stance (inner figure 8 stance, feet apart toes in)

Heikou dachi. Parallel foot stance. Stand straight feet apart, toes facing forward.

Zenkutsu dachi. Forward stance

Migi zenkutsu dachi, Right forward stance

Hidari zenkutsu dachi. Left forward stance

Koukutsu dachi. Back stance

Migi kokukutsu dachi. Right back stance

Hidari kokukutsu dachi. Left back stance

Kiba dachi. Horse stance. Feet wide and pointed forward.

Shiko dachi. Sumo stance. Feet double shoulder width, feet pointed out. Like horse stance with feet out.

Tsuru ashi dachi. Crane stance. One leg, other foot on outside knee.

Neko dachi. Cat stance

Neko ashi dachi. Cat foot stance

Click to hear native pronunciation of the tachi by student Lisa Nakata

Keri - Kick

Keri ageh. Rising kick (pronounced with "k" when the word comes first or stands alone: keri and keri-ageh)

Mae geri. Front kick (the "k" sound changes to "g" when the word follows another: Mae-geri )

Mae geri ageh. Front kick rising

Jodan mae geri. Upper front kick

Chudan mae geri. Middle front kick

Gaedan mae geri. Lower front kick

Yoko geri. Side kick

Yoko geri ageh. Side kick rising

Yoko tobi geri. Side jump kick

Mawashi geri. Roundhouse kick

Ushiro geri. Back kick

Hiza geri. Knee kick

Oi geri. Lunge kick

Kansetsu geri. Kick to joint or knee

Kakato geri. Heel kick

Booshi geri. Hat kick (kick off someone's hat)

Tabako geri. Cigarette kick (kick someone's cigarette from their mouth or hand)

Tama geri or kogan geri. Kick to testicles. Kokan geri (spelled with 'k') is general any-gender groin kick and more polite

Click to hear native pronunciation of the keri by student Lisa Nakata

Uke - Block (Uke means "receive" in Japanese. You deflect incoming strikes. Do not suffer the hard impact.

Mawashi uke. Roundhouse block

Morote uke. Two hand block

Morote naka uke. Two hand inside block

Juji uke. X block ("Ju" is number ten. Written as X)

Gedan tegatana juji uke. Lower body hand-sword X block

Hiza naka uke. Knee inside-to-outside block

Hiza soto uke. Knee outside-to-inside blockUchi - Strike

Age uchi. Rising strike

Mawashi uchi. Roundhouse strike

Tsuki - Lunge Punch

Katana - Sword (pronounced with "k" when the word comes first or stands alone: Katana)

Te gatana. Hand sword, also called shuto. (the "k" sound changes to "g" when the word follows another: te gatana)

Se gatana. Reverse hand sword

Ashi gatana. Foot sword

Gedan tegatana. Lower body hand-sword

Gedan tegatana juji uke. Lower body hand-sword X block

Body - Kalada

Te. Hand

Ashi. Foot

Hiza. Knee

Hiji. Elbow

Kokan. Groin

Soto. Arch of the foot

Koteh. Forearm

Ago. Jaw

Kakato. Heel

Kombushi. Fist, when used alone. (Changes to "ken" when the word follows another: Uraken -Back fist. However, "ken" alone is sword.)

Te - Hand

Te gatana. Hand sword (shuto)

Nukite. Piercing hand

Ippon nukite. One finger piercing hand

Nihon nukite. Two finger piercing hand

-ken - Fist

Uraken. Back fist

Koken. Arc fist (bent wrist strike with back of wrist)

Heyken. Flat fist (leopard hand)

Mawashi - Roundhouse, go around, using circular or turning movement

Mawashi geri. Roundhouse kick

Mawashi seashi geri. Roundhouse instep of foot kick

Mawashi kake. Roundhouse hook

Mawashi uke. Roundhouse block

Mawashi uchi. Roundhouse strike

Moro - Moves Using Two

Morote. Two handed

Morote naka uke. Two hand inside block

Moro ashi. Two foot

Moro ashi dachi. Two foot stance

Naka - From Inside to Outside

Naka uke. Inside to outside block

Naka hachiji dachi. Inside figure 8 stance

Naka ashi. Ball of the foot

Soto - Inside-to-Outside

Soto uke. Knee outside-to-inside block

Belt Rank

Helpful Stories

The Kru Ba. Photos and story of the Muay Thai Monks on horseback who work against drug violence around the Thai Burmese border areas. Link takes you to my Kickboxing syllabus page for the story.

Can a computer predict a fight outcome? Computer Fight Simulation. From Dr. Bookspan's column, The Fitness Fixer™ which ran on Healthline.com from 2006 to 2010. Archived on BlogSpot. When Healthline ended the column they removed all the movies, comments, and most accompanying illustrations and photos. Later, they removed the articles and put their own articles on the same links. A few, including this one, are (hopefully still) left on the BlogSpot archive for Fitness Fixers on Martial Arts. Formatting and links were not preserved.

Thaipusam festival. Pious Hindus walk miles pierced with hundreds of skewers. Read why: Thaipusam - Exercise of Body and Spirit. Archived on Blogspot.

See Paul Sensei in a Karate Punch Analysis study next - Comparison of a front punch, novice and black belt.

Comparison Of A Front Punch Using High Speed Filming - Differences Between Experienced and Novice
By Dr. Jolie Bookspan

In the mid 1980s, I did many studies investigating which differences in human movement determined injury potential and athletic performance. In another kind of study, I wanted to know what made the difference between the punch of a black belt martial artist, and the same punch by an athletic person without training.

In present day, a computer can directly pick up the locations of the subject's joints at each point in time, generating a three dimensional computer image of the person as they move in real time. Software automatically calculates, draws, analyzes, and records the images.

Back when I did these studies, we didn't have any of that. I did it all manually. I filmed two subjects using 16mm high speed filming. An athletic man who had never done martial arts was subject #1. My husband Paul, who had earned his black belt a few years before that, volunteered as subject #2.

I put markers over the center points of their major joints, and bands around joints which initially faced the camera but would rotate during the punch, so that the joint center would still be determined. Both executed a front reverse punch with their dominant arm. (Paul had to use traditional hyperlordotic position, rather than healthier neutral spine position, just for this comparison.

After waiting a week for film developing, I went into a darkened lab and used a film projector to throw the image of each of the thousands of frames, one by one, against a large computer digitizing tablet hung on a wall. I then digitized each joint point of each projected image, in each frame, of both subjects, frame by frame, with a digitizing Graf-pen. I sent data points from each frame by (300 baud acoustic coupling) modem to a text editor on a mainframe in another building at the University's new computer center. I wrote my own FORTRAN programs to generate data summaries and used packaged International Mathematical and Statistical Libraries (IMSL) cubic spline programs and subroutines for data smoothing.

This was all to get each knee, hip, ankle, shoulder, wrist, elbow, neck and other filmed joint points into a computer to see exactly where and how fast they moved. Projecting each frame against the wall also allowed me to trace the subjects' outlines to make series of line drawings of their punch, and to make stick figures showing joint center placement.

Here are some data and the actual drawings I made. There were no layout programs back then. You can see the scotch tape where I affixed labels. I need to get these pages scanned in higher resolution next. Until then, enjoy:

The untrained subject is below, first

Below is Paul Sensei

Not long after, with improvements in automating this process, action video games were first flourishing. I was invited to a computer-generated imagery (CGI) development studio to be their "movement representation figure." They put the dots on my joint centers and filmed me using high-speed 3D computer graphics modeling as I did martial arts and tumbling moves. Not just one punch, painstakingly done, but jumping, spinning, flying all over the studio, and up and down walls.

The software automatically generated a mathematical, "wireframe" 2-D representation of my three-dimensional form. From it they animated a wild female warrior action figure for their fighting/mission genre arcade and video gameplay. They also used skeletal animation for when I would morph (on-screen) into various animal forms. I never got royalties but it was fun.

This is a big fun topic. I can post more about motion capture analysis of various sports. Let me know what you'd like to see and learn.

More Classes With Paul Sensei

Self Defense. Sensei Paul also teaches Self Defense. What a great class. Click to see the Self Defense syllabus.

Home Repair and Home Repair GREEN. Not only is Sensei Paul Plevakas an experienced and gentle martial arts teacher, he is a licensed general contractor, and member of NARI - National Association of Remodeling Industry. Learn in your home with your personal home repair coach. Take his fun, hands-on Home Repair Class.Click here for class schedules and here for the Home Repair class syllabus. Private home repair coaching - www.PaulPlevakas.com

Shotokan Karate Taught by Paul Plevakas, Karate Sensei, Third degree Back Belt (SanDan) and Dr. Jolie Bookspan, Karate Sensei, Master Instructor, Fourth degree Black Belt (YonDan)

Comparison Of A Front Punch Using High Speed Filming - Differences Between Experienced and Novice By Dr. Jolie Bookspan

Shotokan Karate
Taught by Paul Plevakas, Karate Sensei, Third degree Back Belt (SanDan)
and Dr. Jolie Bookspan, Karate Sensei, Master Instructor, Fourth degree Black Belt (YonDan)

Comparison Of A Front Punch Using High Speed Filming - Differences Between Experienced and Novice
By Dr. Jolie Bookspan