Ku Yu Kai stands for Karate Friendship Association. We invite you to nurture your inner "karate kid" in a friendly and safe class environment. Learn basic and advanced techniques, self defense, the graceful art of kata (forms), kumite (sparring), and kubudo (weapons) while improving your strength, flexibility and focus.
Subjects
Every class begins with a meditation, followed by a warm up that includes limbering, core strength and flexibility exercises. After the warm-up, each class includes a combination of the subjects from the list below. Every class ends with a meditation.
Waza
Students are taught a range of basic & advanced techniques, including:
• Strikes
• Blocks
• Kicks
• Stances
For more information about these techniques, go to terminology.
Kata
Kata, or forms, are set combinations of karate techniques performed against imaginary opponents. A person's kata is judged on the quality of the stances, focus, power, timing, breathing, and a demonstration of the person's understanding of the application of the techniques used in the kata. Mastery of kata takes many years. Perfection takes a lifetime. We have twelve core "empty hands" kata.
1. Sanchin
2. Gekisai Dai ichi
3. Gekisai Dai ni
4. Saifa
5. Seienchin
6. Shisochin
7. Seipai
8. Seisan
9. Sanseru
10. Kururunfa
11. Suparimpei
12. Tensho
In addition, we practice Gekisai Dai San, Gekisai Daichi Bunkai (a two-person version of Gekisai Dai Ichi ), Gekisai Dai San, an introductory kata called "Haiku Ichi" for beginners, a performance kata called "Rensoku Juza", and several weapons kata.
Kumite
Kumite, or sparring, is non-contact, & allows the karate-ka to practice fighting techniques and to learn focus, timing, speed, power & control. In the dojo, students learn basic and advanced techniques. They then learn to apply these techniques in set sparring sessions where they can concentrate on particular techniques and learn to judge their timing and distance. When they are ready, students also practice their techniques in free sparring sessions.
In kumite, a scoring technique only counts if it is applied with proper focus, timing, and control to an authorized target area. The competitor must give a "kiai" (shout of the spirit) at the moment of scoring. Excessive contact or contact to a prohibited area is results in a penalty or disqualification.
Weapons
Although karate developed as an “empty hands” martial art, more advanced students (green belts and up) in Ku Yu Kai Canada learn to use a variety of traditional weapons. Students first learn to use the bo (staff), and then may learn to use tonfa (clubs), sai (short swords), and nunchaku.
Locks, Grapples, etc
Students practice a variety of self-defense techniques & techniques for controlling their opponents. These include hand locks, grappling, sweeps and takedowns, and throws. Students also practice rolling and falling to minimize injury.