Particulars of Waza
One of the most fundamental responsibilities we have as karate instructions is to
provide our students with concise and easy to understand instructions. Providing
wrong, haphazard and inconsistent instructions will only confuse the students and
delay their advancement in the art. Inconsistent instructions too often causes students
to get discourage and loose interest.
Once students are comfortable with the consistent nature and way the instructors
teach they then can focus on their techniques and advance with more confidence, instead
of struggling trying to decipher what the instructors is trying to say.
The ‘Particulars of Waza’ have been developed to aid both the instructors and the
students. In following a consistent pattern of relaying technical instructions to
the students.
The Particulars of Waza (techniques) aka Kunji (Instructions)
1. Name of Waza (technique to be performed)
2. Seichusen (center line, mental orientation)
3. Proper Kamae (stance) for the technique.
4. Hoi (direction) of the technique - Mae (front), Ushiro (back), Yoko (sides), Naname,
(angles), Tate (up), Gedan (down). Spatial orientation of where the technique is
to go.
5. Description or name of the specific technique - Yoko Geri (side kick), Oi Zuki
(lunge punch), Gedan Barai (downward sweeping block), etc.
6. Specific or special characteristic of the technique (Kekomi (hold), Keage (snap),
etc.
Example: Migi Yoko Geri Keage (Step No.1)
Establish seichusen, most likely facing the shomen (front) (Step No.2)
Go into proper stance whether it is Hachiji Dachi (natural stance), Zenkutsu Dachi
(front stance), etc. In this example we’ll us Hachiji Dachi (natural stance). (Step
No. 3)
The technique should include the direction in which the technique is to be executed
In this case it states Migi (to the right) (Step No.4).
What technique is to be executed. Here we are doing a Yoko Geri (side kick). (Step
No.5)
What qualifiers are need to complete the techniques. In this case the description
of the technique is asking for a Keage (snap). (Step No.6)
Instructors using the ‘Particulars of Waza’ will have fewer confused students asking
questions and will avoid you having to delay the class in order to explain what needs
to be done. More time for learning and more time for training.
ALR
