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Stanford Shorin-Ryu Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate Club American Karate Federation The Stanford Shorin-Ryu Karate Club is offering students,
faculty and staff an opportunity to register for the Spring Quarter karate
classes. Shorin-Ryu provides an
excellent opportunity to improve one’s self confidence and mental and
physical conditioning. An extremely conservative Okinawan fighting style,
Shorin-Ryu (Matsubayashi-Ryu) Karate is a centuries-old merger of Chinese
gung-fu and the Okinawan fighting art “Te” (meaning fist) and is
widely acknowledged as the “original” style of Karate. Students are instructed according to
traditional Okinawan techniques, rather than being trained to participate in
sport karate contests. Two central
tenets shape Shorin-Ryu training: it
is a conservative style and it is a hard style. Being conservative, Shorin-Ryu stresses
defensive measures until an opening has been created at which time all energy
is focused on delivering a single knockout blow. A hard style, in contrast to a soft style,
uses one’s own strength and force to overcome the attack – in
essence the blocking technique is designed to be as destructive as an attack. Shorin-Ryu training takes the shape of an intense physical
workout requiring (and building) stamina and mental focus. Shorin-Ryu is noted for its simple and
aggressive attacks involving the use of the hands, elbow and kicks. Teaching methods include kata (formal
exercises), floor exercises and drills stressing fundamental elements and
line training, circle training and free fighting (kumite) to ensure
self-defense prowess. Instruction in the use of traditional weapons such as
bo, sai, tonfa and nunchuku begins at the black belt level. In addition, physical conditioning and
stretching exercises are incorporated to round out the training
sessions. Shorin-Ryu karate classes
are conducted in a formal, disciplined manner without exception. This
provides the optimum environment to allow each student to focus on karate
training and minimizes distraction and disruption. Shorin-Ryu training is designed to enable the student to
develop power, speed, self-confidence and fighting proficiency. In Shorin-Ryu, one does not reach any
standard; one trains more intensively to become a beginner. A student never ceases to be a
student. One does not intellectualize;
one experiences. The role of the karate
instructor is to embody and display good technique – all that an
instructor can possibly “say” about the art is expressed in his
movements. It is the responsibility of
the student to bridge the gap by observation, participation and imitation
rather than attempting to question or analyze. Thus, all instructors participate fully in
all workouts to provide examples of technique, speed, timing and mental
attitude. The Stanford Shorin-Ryu Karate Club has operated
continuously since 1987 under the same leadership. Beginners are accepted during the first two
weeks of each quarter and each student, at the end of the quarter, is tested
individually. Rank is awarded strictly
according to prowess and is registered nationally with the American Karate
Federation. All Shorin-Ryu AKF dojos
are non-profit organizations and do not operate as commercial entities. For more information call 650-724-0457 or email lorenzen
AT stanford DOT edu.
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