Master Okazaki Drills

Master Okazaki received the rank of 10th Dan in October of 2007. He has been a faculty member of Philadelphia’s Temple University since 1970, and is also an instructor at the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, West Chester University, and Thomas Jefferson University. He is also Chief Instructor of our sisterorganization the International Shotokan Karate federation (ISKF). These are the drills that he teaches and that Scott Monroe, Sensei, taight in class this week:

Beginning with left leg forward in fighting stance (jiyu dachi):
1. Shift forward with the front foot into front stance (zenkutsu dachi), jab face (jodan kizami zuki), reverse punch stomach (chudan gyaku zuki).
2. Pulling front foot back and around counter-clockwise to face 10:00 in front stance with right leg forward, outside round block (soto ude uke).
3. Pull front foot back to center, then push out into side stance (kiba dachi), side elbow strike (yoko empi uchi), back-fist strike face (jodan uraken uchi).
4. Move front foot to change to front stance, reverse punch stomach.
5. In place, rising block (jodan age uke).
6. Lunge punch face (jodan oi zuki) toward 10:00.
7. Pull front foot back and around counter-clockwise to face 12:00 in back stance (kokutsu dachi) with right foot forward, knife-hand block (shuto ude uke).
8. Moving front foot to change to front stance, reverse spear hand (gyaku nukite).
Master Okazaki has devised a version of this drill using kicks instead of hand techniques:
1. Front-leg front kick face (jodan kizami mae geri), rear- leg front kick stomach, (chudan mae geri), leg back.
2. Pulling back and around counter-clockwise to face 10:00, right leg side snap kick (yoko keage geri), planting kicking foot in side stance.
3. Moving front foot to change to front stance, rear-leg front kick stomach, leg back.
4. Front-leg round snap kick (kizami mawashi geri), step in round kick with rear leg (mawashi geri).
5. Pulling front foot back and around counter-clockwise to face 12:00 with right fool forward in back stance, right leg side thrust kick (yoko kekomi geri).
6. Planting kicking foot in front stance, rear-leg front kick stomach, leg back.
These drills should also be practiced beginning with right foot forward. The directions of the movements may be reversed.

Thanks, oss!

Scott Monroe

Instructor, Austin Shotokan Karate

Stan Schmidt Drills (Second Post)

Stan Schmidt is one of the world's most famous and internationally recognized karate masters. He was the first non-Japanese karate practitioner to attain the grade of 7th degree black belt from the Japan Karate Association (JKA) and is the only non-Japanese member of the Shihankai (Council of Masters) of the JKA/WF. He has visited Japan dozens of times since 1963 to train with Japanese experts at the JKA's famous honbu (headquarters) in Tokyo. He is the Chief Instructor of the South Africa JKA with over 25,000 active students, and is a Founding Fellow of the International Karate Society (IKS).

Beginning from down block position in front stance:

1. Stepping forward into front stance, triple punch, face-stomach-stomach.

2. Stepping backward into front stance, rising block, reverse punch stomach.

3. Stepping forward into front stance, outside round block (soto uke), reverse punch stomach.

4. Stepping backward into back stance, inside forearm block (uchi uke), moving frontfoot to change to front stance, reverse punch stomach.

5. Stepping forward into back stance, knife-hand block (or strike), front-leg front kick,moving front foot to change to front stance, reverse spear hand stomach.

6. Hands at sides for kicking (mae geri gamae), rear-leg front kick, leg back.

7. Front-leg front kick face, rear-leg front kick stomach, stepping forward.

8. Move rear foot behind front foot to change to side stance, facing to the rear. Stepping across, side snap kick.

9. Turn to face the other way, stepping across, side snap kick with the other leg.

10 Turn to face the other way, stepping across, side thrust kick.

11. Turn to face the other way, stepping across, side thrust kick with the other leg.

12. Turn to face the other way (you should be facing in the opposite direction fromthe starting position), change to fighting stance (jiyu gamae). Rear-leg roundkick, stepping forward into front stance, front-hand backfist strike-snap face,reverse punch stomach

Stan Schmidt Drills

Stan Schmidt is one of the world's most famous and internationally recognized karate masters. He was the first non-Japanese karate practitioner to attain the grade of 7th degree black belt from the Japan Karate Association (JKA) and is the only non-Japanese member of the Shihankai (Council of Masters) of the JKA/WF. He has visited Japan dozens of times since 1963 to train with Japanese experts at the JKA's famous honbu (headquarters) in Tokyo. He is the Chief Instructor of the South Africa JKA with over 25,000 active students, and is a Founding Fellow of the International Karate Society (IKS).

Beginning from down block position in front stance:

1. Stepping forward into front stance, triple punch, face-stomach-stomach.

2. Stepping backward into front stance, rising block, reverse punch stomach.

3. Stepping forward into front stance, outside round block (soto uke), reverse punch
stomach.

4. Stepping backward into back stance, inside forearm block (uchi uke), moving front
foot to change to front stance, reverse punch stomach.

5. Stepping forward into back stance, knife-hand block (or strike), front-leg front kick,
moving front foot to change to front stance, reverse spear hand stomach.

6. Hands at sides for kicking (mae geri gamae), rear-leg front kick, leg back.

7. Front-leg front kick face, rear-leg front kick stomach, stepping forward.

8. Move rear foot behind front foot to change to side stance, facing to the rear. Step-
ping across, side snap kick.

9. Turn to face the other way, stepping across, side snap kick with the other leg.

10 Turn to face the other way, stepping across, side thrust kick.

11. Turn to face the other way, stepping across, side thrust kick with the other leg.

12. Turn to face the other way (you should be facing in the opposite direction from
the starting position), change to fighting stance (jiyu gamae). Rear-leg round
kick, stepping forward into front stance, front-hand backfist strike-snap face,
reverse punch stomach