Japanese in Karate 25 “kata” "ibuki"

“Kata” means ‘form’

The definition of “kata” in Karate :

Assuming the fight is against various enemies, you perform the predetermined techniques in predetermined order.

 “Kata” is different in different styles of karate and there are different opinions towards “kata”.

Therefore, I just translate what I learned and what I read on the internet.

These are the points of kata:

1.“Kata” is the completion of “kihon”.

2.“Chikara no kyoujaku” :  chikara = power,  kyoujaku = strong and week

     It means that it’s important to differentiate the strength of power according to the technique.       

3.“Waza no kankyu”       :   waza = technique, kankyu = fast and slow

     It means that it’s important to differentiate the speed of techniques    

Now I don’t translate the names of “Kata” since they are not simple Japanese words and I don’t understand most of their meanings. Even Japanese people remember those names of kata just from the sound of it.

Another important thing in kata is ‘breathing’

“Kokyu hou” = breathing technique    “kokyu” is breathing and “hou” is the way

One of the “kokyu hou” in kata is “ibuki”.

 “ibuki” also means ‘breathing’

And the meanings of this breathing in karate are:

To tighten the whole body

To raise the concentration

To strengthen the internal organs

I am not a karate teacher and I cannot explain how to do “ibuki” properly but I’d like to introduce an explanation that I found on the website of a Japanese Shihan. Because his instruction really helped me understand how to do “ibuki” better.

"When you breathe in (the air goes in to the lung), instead of blowing up the stomach, you make a dent in the stomach. And when you breathe out from the mouth, you plump out the stomach and concentrate the power into lower stomach."

This is also called “tanden kokyu”.   In the picture, the red point inside the stomach is "tanden". (the red point on the surface is a belly button)

I attach here 2 videos. One is an amazing kata practice (Kankudai) by 7 year old Japanese girl and the other one is a demonstration of Tensho kata(with ibuki). The sensei who performs in the video was my own sensei in Tokyo.