Comparison of JKA and Shihan McClary’s Shotokan Karate

The intent of this paper is to compare and contrast several different aspects of JKA and Shihan McClary Shotokan karate. Shihan McClary’s primary instructor, Teruyuki Okazaki, was a long time member of the JKA and one of the founders of the JKA Instructor Training program, and a student of Master Funakoshi. My instructor, Shihan Robinson, is one of Shihan McClary’s top students, having been with him for more than 20 years. While Shihan Robinson’s school, as well as Shihan McClary’s, is no longer directly affiliated with the JKA (the “why” of the split from the JKA is not the purpose of this paper and will not be covered), we still practice a “JKA karate style”, meaning that anyone observing our karate would know where our roots came from. This is true for many of the schools and organizations that have splintered from the JKA over the years. Even before the bonds with the JKA were broken, Shihan Robinson (having learned from Shihan McClary) was teaching his students elements of karate above and beyond the core teachings within the JKA. It is these differences that will be highlighted in this paper.

Brief History

Master Gichin Funakoshi brought what is known today as kara-te do (literally translated as “the way of the empty hand”) to mainland Japan in 1922 from Okinawa. Through his teachings, perseverance and character the popularity of karate blossomed. Some 27 years later (1949) the first formal organization tasked with the promotion of karate was established, the Nihon Karate Kyokai – the Japan Karate Association (JKA). Master Funakoshi was appointed as the JKA’s emeritus Chief Instructor (Master Masatoshi Nakayama, a student of Funakoshi’s, was the actual Chief Instructor), and taught his style of karate, named Shotokan by his students. After more than 50 years in existence, and having had many different Chief Instructors, the JKA is still operating based firmly on the teachings of Master Funakoshi.

Throughout the lifetime of the JKA many traditional karate dojos have spawned within Japan and across the world, many being started by the early leaders within the JKA, including Master’s Kanazawa, Okazaki, and Mikami. Many of these schools, being led by direct students of Funakoshi’s, continued to follow the many different practices they had learned from the original master; however, over time different teaching styles and emphasis on different aspects of movement, thinking and philosophy, conditioning, and exposure to different arts began to infiltrate these schools. Some of the changes caused the schools to break away from the JKA, but continue follow the path Funakoshi blazed.

Philosophy

Master Funakoshi taught that the mind and character had to be trained as well as the body. Based on the teachings of bushido (the way of the samurai) he developed the dojo kun and niju kun. The dojo kun, 5 guiding principles, are general precepts to help one achieve the perfection of character. The niju kun are 20 more detailed principles which expound on the dojo kun. While we do not live in the age of samurai anymore, or even in times similar to those of Funakoshi’s era, these guidelines still apply today. Which is why in traditional Shotokan schools, such as Shihan Robinson’s, or in a JKA-sanctioned school, the dojo kun is recited, in unison, at the end of class by all the students. Without the pursuit of perfecting one’s character the karate-ka will not fully achieve their potential in his life or in his karate training. This philosophy has been passed along through the generations of instructors beginning with Master Funakoshi, and is alive and strong within traditional Shotokan schools, whether a part of the JKA or not.

Training

In the JKA, the physical part of karate training focuses on developing the mind, body and spirit. This is done through extensive training of kihon (basic techniques), kata (forms), and kumite (sparring). All three aspects rely on each other; one cannot be improved without improvements in the others. When karate was beginning to gain popularity in the early 20^th century there was little to no written documentation of the art. Knowledge (including movements, explanations, lineage and history) was passed from instructor to student by word of mouth and demonstration.

No one knows how much valuable information was lost, forgotten, or misinterpreted over the centuries that martial arts have been practiced. The JKA worked to remedy this situation through the introduction of its Specialist Instructor Training Program and by documenting the 3 main aspects of Shotokan Karate, kihon, kata and kumite. With Master Nakayama as the Chief Instructor, the JKA began to create a repeatable set of instructions for Shotokan karate, which would ultimately lead to a consistency within the many different dojos across the world.

Kihon

By formalizing the training aspects of Shotokan karate the JKA was able to focus on and hone a set of instructions which they rigidly adhere to. As stated in their own words, the JKA “knows the correct way to perform a karate technique.” While this could be interpreted as a bold statement based on a long tradition and years of exploration, it also seems to be limiting.

On the surface, this position seems to express that there is only one way to correctly perform a particular technique. What we have learned from the teaching of Shihan Robinson is that there may be several ways to achieve the same end result from a technique. Physical differences between individuals require adaptation of techniques, the age old adage “no one size fits all” applies here. Moreover, we are taught that we need to understand the basic elements of the movement, and then experiment with our bodies to find the optimal solution for ourselves. It is this personal exploration that ultimately leads an individual to the best result.

In our dojo developing strong kihon is highly emphasized. However, we do not just train the individual movements, but also sequences which help develop explosive, dynamic movement in our hips and torsos, our tanden, and in turning and stepping. For example, a drill we do with partners has us each starting in kiba dachi facing each other close enough to punch and block each other. We then, on count, shift our stances (for this example each shifts to their left first) to zenkutsu dachi in a diagonal direction, punching (right) gyaku zuki. The purpose is to focus on the hip movement, snapping the hip around between the two stances. The next movement is shifting back to kiba dachi, where one student blocks and the other punches. Again, the shift in stances is done rapidly, concentrating on keeping consistent height and strong connection to the floor. On the next count the punch and block again with their right hands while maintaining kiba dachi. Here the focus is on the tanden, utilizing it to ensure a strong foundation and connection to be able to execute powerful blocks and punches. The last movement is the same as the first, except this time the students shift to their right into zenkutsu dachi and punch gyaku zuki with their left hand. Once again the students are to concentrate on their hip movements.

There are many other drills we do which aid in quick, stable and powerful movements. Some drills include stepping and turning in the opposite direction to the norm and at the same time performing a basic kihon technique. These types of drills help the students develop better fluidity and speed in more uncommon movements, which, in turn, builds the student’s ability to move more dynamically in different situations.

Kata

Within Shotokan karate there are 27 kata (some say there are only 26, and are excluding Hyaku Hachi Ho) which were derived from many different sources and styles. However, all have been “shotokan-ized”, meaning they have been adapted to be more in line with typical shotokan movements. This makes it easier for a karate-ka to learn new katas because the movements are all very similar, for the most part. It also means that if a karate-ka in the Shotokan system only learns these kata they only move in a specific, predictable way.

In our dojo we go beyond the 27 kata, incorporating kata from different styles and kata that have been recently created (such as by the late Sensei Asai) in order to teach new types of movements. Usually these new kata have a similar theme to them: dynamic movement. Shihan Robninson places a strong emphasis on dynamic movement within kata, based on the feeling that performing a kata should be like being in a fight. The whole body must be used with fast, explosive movements, overwhelming the imaginary opponents. The focus is on rapid hip rotation, contraction of the abdomen and tanden, and overall contraction and expansion.

Traditionally, Kanku Dai is the signature kata of Shotokan, and we observe that fact in our dojo. However, the signature kata of our school is Basai Dai. This is because it has more sequences of moves in which dynamic movement is required. It has most of the same basic elements as Kanku Dai, but has additional areas in which, through extensive training, builds the student’s ability to demonstrate explosive power and quick movement.

Traditionally katas are practiced and performed in a very strict and controlled manner, sometimes done to be “pretty”, as for a competition. This is not how we are taught to practice and perform kata. While our student’s kata might not be as pretty, it is expected to be strong, explosive and dynamic. An opponent is not going to appreciate the “perfect-ness” of stance or a movement, but they will understand when a Robinson/McClary student hits them with a killing blow derived from dynamic movement.

Kumite

Fighting, or kumite, as part of the JKA follows a very strict tradition and practice. Following the philosophy of “one blow, one kill”, the JKA emphasizes that the karate-ka attack an adversary with the intent to deliver a killing blow. Of course in modern society this is not a common practice, but instead the karate-ka demonstrates to an opponent that they could do this.

In observing our students interacting (such as in kumite or drills) with students from other schools (or students who come to us from other schools) it is easy to see many differences, most notably in how they move and they power they are able to generate. Some of these other students have strong kihon but lack dynamic, fluid movement. Others move well and quickly, but lack the ability to demonstrate truly powerful techniques. With the concentration on movement and power in the training at our school, our students (to varying degrees based on their level and time in training) are more advanced in both of these regards.

Shihan Robinson teaches that in the process of getting to the point of delivering a finishing blow, any part of an opponent that is touched by the karate-ka should hurt, meaning that for example a block or a deflection should cause injury or pain to the opponent. He refers to this as being “electric.” By using this principle a karate-ka could dissuade an opponent from further attack without actually having to inflict a devastating injury or death. Most of these techniques come from existing shotokan movements, with a slight adaptation; however, several of the techniques used come from other types of martial arts.

In our dojo it is not uncommon to have classes (sometimes with guest instructors) on different styles of karate or on completely different art forms, such as jiu jitsu, judo or aikido. By learning from these different styles we are able to enhance our arsenal of attacks and defenses. Shihan Robinson has always emphasized that knowledge is power, and knowledge can come from many different sources, even outside your ryu or art form. We are encouraged to learn from any source we can, about martial arts, anatomy and physiology, health, training, and many more areas critical to our karate training.

In the end, whether you are a karate-ka at a JKA dojo or a student of Shihan Robinson’s or McClary’s, you are practicing and following the long standing traditions of Shotokan karate, as prescribed by Master Funakoshi. With the JKA you get concise and formalized karate training; with Shihans Robinson and McClary you experience the same fundamentals with the added emphasis on dynamic movements, electric encounters and growth of knowledge, as well as very experienced and enthusiastic instructors.

Craig Lawton
Triangle's Best Karate
February 12, 2008