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The Best of Both Worlds

1. Elimination of fancy techniques--once used to hide Karate's killing power because it was self-defense.

2. Combination of the best of Shorin-Ryu to form a basic, realistic system of self defense.

3. Use of low kicks (none above the waist) because low kicks allow you to move more quickly with power and balance. Such kicks are hard to see and hard to block.

4. Use of short, natural stances which eliminates wasted motion and major body shifting, giving split-second time advantage in a self-defense situation. Such stance are more adaptable to American physique and temperament because the stances follow natural body movements.

5. Hand and foot technique are about 50-50 in the katas, giving the student a well-rounded system of Karate.

6. Close-in techniques, which are valuable for street fighting.

7. Snap punches and snap kicks (punches and kicks come from a limb of only 90% extended and immediately retracted), enabling the student tomove in and out quickly in a self defense situation, and to immediately coorect one's self if one miscalculates. The lack of full extension of the limb prevents excessive wear and tear on the hinge joints.

8. Elements of hard blocking (meeting force with force) and soft blocking (deflecting or parrying blows).

9. Blocks excecuted with muscular part of the forearm rather than the bone to prevent breaking of the bones.

10. Afist made with the thumb on top of the fist rather than over the first two fingers. This method locks the wrist, helping prevent the fist from buckling at the wrist on impact. This method also tightens the fist by allowing the student to put tension on the top of the fist (thumb side) and the side of the fist (finger side).

11. Vertical punch, which increases the speed and focus of the punch.

12. Multiple-purpose techniques, allowing a block to become a blow, and vice versa, making the shift from offense or defense in a matter of split-second timing.

Curtousy of Gary Peckham