| A karate class usually consists of kihon, kumite and | | | | practiced in shotokan is either, sanbon (three step), or |
| kata. | | | | gohon (five step) kumite, moving onto kihon ippon |
| Kihon translates as basics or fundamentals and in | | | | kumite (basic one step sparring), then jui ippon kumite |
| karate classes across the world, refers to the practice | | | | (semi free sparring) and finally jui kumite (free sparring). |
| of the basic karate techniques. | | | | There are also many other kumite training exercises, |
| So a typical karate class would start of with basic | | | | that build upon the exercises mentioned above. |
| punches, strikes, blocks and kicks. Normally starting of | | | | Kata means form and is mainly practiced after the |
| with single techniques, then progressing to | | | | kumite (sparring). There are many karate kata, ranging |
| combinations. Working through the shotokan belt | | | | from the very basic Kihon kata (taikyoku shodan) and |
| system, the kihon starts with single techniques, like | | | | heian shodan, right up to the most advanced black belt |
| oizuki (stepping punch), then after a few belts, the kihon | | | | kata, like Unsu. Usually one kata is practiced for each |
| progresses to combinations like sanbonzuki (three | | | | new belt test, then when black belt is taken, the |
| punches), then at brown belt, the kihon enters the semi | | | | karateka is expected to perform all the kata under |
| freestyle range, where techniques are snapped back, | | | | black belt, to a high level. |
| instead of held out. | | | | Kata is a set sequence of karate moves, including |
| Kumite means sparring and is usually practiced after | | | | kicks, punches, strikes, jumps, spins, etc. These karate |
| the kihon section. This is the part of karate in which | | | | kata all have different timing and feeling, some kata |
| you partner up with other karateka in the dojo and test | | | | are slow and strong, like Hangetsu, others are fast and |
| the techniques learned from the kihon (basics) and | | | | technical, like unsu. |
| kata (Forms). The first set sparring sequence | | | | |