Karate UES : How effective is karate ?

Karate UES : Igor Dyachenko’s knowledge

Karate UES : First Karate is a traditional martial art from Okinawa and Japan. It is more popular than ever, with more than 100 million people across five continents following its philosophies. If you or your child are starting karate, then you likely want to know how effective is karate.

Karate is a philosophy. It will certainly teach you or your child practical self-defense, but karate is far more than this. However, first of all, karate will help you survive aggression, giving you the confidence of personal protection.

Karate is also very safe and extremely effective when done right. When you practice karate, you learn to avoid injury, work hard, and stay healthy through physical training. Because of this, karate will become a lifestyle for you or your children. Therefore, we will next discuss its effectiveness in childhood development.

Igor Dyachenko’s karate and childhood development

First of all, karate allows for the integration of modern methodologies, making them become a part of the sport. There are hundreds of styles of karate with many variations and interpretations. Igor focusses his karate methodology on children and their development, through Neuropsychology.

When your child learns karate at Karate City, they are accelerating their childhood development. They learn more than just how to protect themselves using their hands and feet. Your child is building a well-balanced mind and body.

Your child will develop a thirst for knowledge and learn:

• Problem-solving
• How to manage stress
• Self-confidence
• How to set and achieve goals
• That hard work results in rewards
• Self-protection

For your child, choose a school that teaches karate correctly. Karate City will help your kid develop their body, spirit, and mind. If you want your child to excel in school and improve their behavior, then karate is for them.

Karate effectiveness for self-defense

Unfortunately, you or your children are never 100% safe. Street violence is always a possibility, and knowing karate will significantly increase your chance of survival. An attack can last for seconds but may result in life-changing injuries. These injuries and the legal repercussions can last for years or a lifetime.

Karate is useful for self-defense, and its history is the reason why. The creation of Shotokan karate was a result of the Japanese government imposing a no-weapons policy. Because of this, the civilian population creates a system of self-defense. This system uses only their bare hands, feet, and knees, as well as their elbows.

Today, you and your children can practice karate through Kumite and also Kata. Firstly, Kumite focuses on sparring techniques. Kata focuses on the patterns of movement and transitioning from one technique to another.

However, the first thing that Shotokan karate teaches is the correct way of thinking. You and your kids will learn to avoid, evade, and remove one’s self from the situation. It is always better to prevent incidents in the first place and avoid violence whenever possible. Ultimately, you will learn to be more aware of your surroundings. Offense and attack should only be put to use when defense through other means is impossible.

“The ultimate form of self-defense is not to be there.” – Igor Dyachenko

How Igor Dyachenko teaches defensive karate

Learning self-defense through karate can be a lot of fun. Therefore, this makes karate ideal for children who will enjoy many of the drills. Children have fun in dodging drills while adults appreciate the reaction drills. Ultimately, you and your children will become more agile, faster, and more confident.

Let us now take a look at seven of the blocking techniques you will learn in your karate lessons:

1. Outside-to-inside block (Soto-uke) – people often refer to this block as the karate chop
2. Outside-to-inside block (Giaku-Soto uke) – this defensive block employs the back of your arm
3. Inside-to-outside block (Uchi-uke) – this block is ideal for protecting yourself from wild, swinging punches or kicks to the head
4. Lowering block (Osae-uke) – with this block you can protect your lower level from long and powerful punches
5. Low block (Gedan-uke) – this blocking techniques provide defense against kicks
6. Low block with back arm (Giaku-Gedan-uke) – this technique also defends against kicks
7. Brazilian double block (Moroto-uke) – this technique is a combination of Giaku-Gedan-uke and Soto-uke. Performed simultaneously, there are two variations using the front arm and back arm and Vica-Versa.

How to perform the blocks of Shotokan karate

Soto-uke:

1. Firstly, keep your fingers together and bend your thumb on the side
2. Engage the muscles of your forearm to connect your forearm with your palm
3. From your handguard, lift your arm to a 90-degree angle
4. Move your arm across your centreline
5. Pull it backward and down to your handguard

Giaku-Soto uke:

1. Perform Soto-uke but this time use your back arm and hand
2. Move your back arm across your face and move your arm down in a diagonal line

Uchi-uke:

1. Move you are to a 90-degree angle
2. Move all of your body and arm to a 35-degree angle
3. Pull back while dropping your arm down

Osae-uke:

1. Start with handguard in the fighting stance
2. Tilt your body slightly forwards
3. Move your forearm across your body
4. Push your elbow down slightly
5. Extend your arm at a 25-degree angle
6. Perform a small hop backward and put your weight into your front arm
7. Protect your centreline with your other hand
    

    

   Gedan-uke:

   1. Drop your forearm down all the way
   2. Move your body sideways slightly
   3. Move your head out of the way
   4. Use your backhand and arm to control your centreline
   5. Move your body away from the attacker’s kick
   6. Keep your elbow slightly bent and do not lock the elbow
   7. Ensure your fingers stay together

   Giaku-Gedan-uke:

   1. Perform Gedan-uke but use more body motion and;
   2. Scoop with your back arm from your centreline
   3. Rotate your body out of the path of the attack

   Moroto-uke (variation one):

   1. Use your front arm as Soto-uke and your rear arm for Giaku-Gedan-uke
   2. Your backhand scoops your lower level area
   3. Your front arm moves across your face
   4. Rotate your body and head out of the way

   Moroto-uke (variation two):

   1. Drop your front arm down, by performing Gedan-uke
   2. Use your back arm to cover your face, by performing Giaku-Soto-uke

   So, Karate City and Shotokan karate is a combination of self-defense techniques. Teachings include tactics, dodging, speed, and maneuvering, as well as blocking. With these skills, you and your children are in a far better position to avoid and defend against an attack. Karate UES