Karatejutsu 5 Principles

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KARATEJUTSU

The Five Principles

by Nodan



c. 2013 Lighthouse Productions

All rights reservedISBN-13:978-1492172819

ISBN-10:1492172812



CONTENTS

Introduction and History 1

Five Principles 8

Blocking and Kicking 26

Kata and Kumite 31

Makiwara 36

Board Testing and Breaking Difficulty 44

Street Defense 54



Warning !

The breaking and self-defense

demonstrations shown in this bookcan be dangerous and should not be

attempted without the supervision

of a qualified instructor!



1

This book is for YouTube viewers who have requested

more information about techniques seen at the nodankarate channel. While it is not a comprehensive analysis of my

teacher Quan Li’s kar ate, it does nonetheless provide a

standard against which practitioners can compare their own

techniques. The F ive Principles are foundational to all the

martial arts and are not unique to any particular style.Quan Li’s methods were especially effective because he

applied all five principles to every aspect of his art- to

every step, block, kick, and strike.

I have included a number of breaking demonstrations to

illustrate the extraordinary strength in Li’s “one strike”

methods. Readers should bear in mind, however, that my

demonstrations are unimpressive when compared to the

power that can be channeled from the spirit realms. My

teacher, Sensei, possessed supernatural strength and was

the most powerful martial artist I have ever seen but, he

lived an unhappy life and, by his own admission, he diedwithout hope. Some martial artists may be tempted to seek

these paranormal powers as I did, unaware that they come

from the dark side but, what will a man exchange for his

soul? The story of my own occult involvement in the

martial arts is told in The Power of The Way: A Spir itualJourney . I hope you will read it.

I have trained in a number of striking arts and there are

many variations to the techniques shown in this book. So, I



2

advise martial artists to test these techniques for themselves

to see if they are sound. Keep an open mind. Practitionersfrom all styles can benefit in some way from a serious

consideration of these five principles.

Master Quan Li

Quan Li trained in kempo, taekwondo, Kyokushinkai,

Shaolin, and Shotokan karate, along with judo, aikido, and

kobudo (traditional Japanese weapons). He earned his

black belt in Sensei’s k arate-do in the early1970s.

His brilliance was in his striking technique, which I

later named The F ive Principles . These precepts are not

new to the martial arts but, Li’s radical 1-2 Timing and

emphasis on the Extension of Ki (Mind Pr inciple ) set him

apart. Ki (chi) is the dynamic energy that is in all living

things and, “to extend ki” one must mentally follow

through every movement.In Li’s interpretation of the 1-2 Timing, the hips are

rotated before the arm or leg moves. This increases the

terminal velocity of the strike and generates more power.

The human body has 206 bones, 187 joints, and more than

640 skeletal muscles. Li’s method maximizes body lever-age through precision bone alignments and a refined firing

sequence of the major muscle groups in the legs, hips,

abdominals, and upper torso.



3

Although I trained with heavy weights and practiced

karate for many years before meeting Quan Li, I could nothave performed any of the horizontal breaking demon-

strations seen in this book without makiwara training and a

proficiency in Li’s five striking principles.

I believe my five years of intensive training with Master

Li enabled me to double my striking power.

The Five Principles

1st Proper Bone Alignment (the stances are centered

in the hara, a point two inches below the navel)

2nd

The 1-2 Timing (the hips are fully rotated before

the arm or foot is extended)

3rd

Extension of Ki (the Mind Principle, or “follow

through” of every technique)

4th

Correct Breathing (inhale through the nose and

exhale through the mouth using the diaphragm)

5th

Soft and Hard (maintaining the right balance

between relaxation and focus)



4

In the video, “Nodan’s Teacher,” Quan Li can be seen

leading two students through the Heian Yodan and HeianGodan katas. His speed, power, and precision are a

benchmark of excellence for the traditional striking arts.

Li’s five principles are summarized in the YouTube video,

“The Five Principles,” at the nodankarate channel.

Foundation Principles

These five principles were originally developed by

Asian martial artists in order to maximize the leverage of

their techniques. Today, few practitioners are familiar with

these precepts, while the non-martial sports world has

advanced them to the level of a “science” for perfecting

their own “striking” methods.

For example, to generate power, tennis players rotate

their hips first and then follow through with the arm and

upper body. A grunt or yell (kiai) can be heard on everystroke, and speed and endurance are a function of the Soft

and Hard principle.

In baseball, a batter’s hips are fully rotated before his

arms and torso are extended with follow through. For

maximum power, the batter’s stance is “centered.” In golf, Proper Bone Alignment and 1-2 Timing are

critical for distance and accuracy. The Extension of Ki

(follow through) and correct Breathing are essential for



5

managing the complexities of the swing, and the applica-

tion of Soft and Hard generates speed and fluidity.How ironic that so few martial artists today are familiar

with these five principles which are so foundational to the

traditional martial arts.

Karate Jutsu

Quan Li’s art is Karate Jutsu (empty hand technique)

and it is closely related to the Okinawan Shuri-te that

Master Funakoshi first introduced to Japan in 1922. This

style was developed during the middle 1800s and was a

dramatic departure from the Chinese kung fu that had

traditionally influenced the Okinawan striking arts.

In his provocative book, Shotokan’s Secret , karate

expert and researcher Dr. Bruce D. Clayton writes the

following about this new unarmed fighting art:

“The new art, called Shuri-te, was fundamentally different

from traditional chuan fa. Compared to Chinese fighting,

the new art was shockingly ruthless. The new style made

no attempt to subdue the opponent through painful nerve

strikes or immobilizing joint locks. Instead, every elementof the new art emphasized destroying the opponent

completely in one or two seconds.”1



6

Soken Matsumura, the head of the Shuri castle gaurds,

was instrumental in the development of Shuri-te. In his day,he was considered to be the best martial artist in Okinawa.

Former students have described him as being exceptionally

fast and deceptively strong, and he was especially known

for his terrifying “piercing eyes.” His student, Anko Itosu,

taught Master Funakoshi and is credited with creating thefive Pinan (Heian) katas that are still practiced today by

many traditional karate styles.

Dr. Clayton’s research into Matsumura’s karate skills

leads him to speculate, “Matsumura may have been the first

to appreciate that kinetic energy increases exponentially

with the square of the speed.”2 The following physics

formula is often used to illustrate the significance of speed

for the striking arts.

Force = Mass x Velocity2

2

Proper Bone Alignment, the 1-2 Timing, and Soft and

Hard work together to increase velocity, which is

multiplied exponentially in the formula.

Thus, Force is a function of the amount of body weight

transfer (Mass ) times its speed upon impact (Velocity )

multiplied by itself, and then divided by two.



7

Soken Matsumura (1797-1889)

Matsumura used strong hip rotations to generate

power and he was known for his piercing eyes.

Anko Itosu (1831-1915)

Itosu created the Pinan katas and was

known for his powerful thrust punch.



8

Gichen Funakoshi (1868-1956)

Funakoshi (on left) was a student of Anko

Itosu and the founder of Shotokan karate.

First Principle: Proper Bone Alignment

Quan Li’s stances are upright and “centered” in the hara.

His Front Stance assumes a natural walking step. His feet

grip the floor, the back leg and spine are straight, the head

is held erect, the shoulders are down and back, and the

torso and rear foot are turned at 45 degree angles facing

toward the front.



9

Quan Li’s Front Stance

His ready thrust forearm position forms a 45 degree

angle with the floor. 45 degree angles were integral

to Master Li’s highly leveraged striking techniques.

Back Stance Straddle Stance



10

Stance Testing

The center of gravity of a stance is in the “one point,” or

hara, a point located two inches below the navel. Nodan

and his senior student, Yakov “The Hammer,” are assisted

by three former students in a demonstration in which

Yakov maintains a one-legged Crane Stance and then, by

“moving in center,” pushes the three men backwards.

Quan Li used this testing method to measure his

students’ progress in the fir st principle.

Yakov, Nodan, and three former students



11

Maintaining the Crane Stance

Pushing the three men backwards



12

Second Principle: The 1-2 Timing

Nodan takes a ready thrust position with hiships and torso facing 45 degrees to the target.

Step 1- He rotates his hips sharply toward the

target while keeping his upper body relaxed.



13

4 Board Break from Crane Stance

Step 2- The arm is extended as his torso is rotated

strongly into the target. His elbow remains under,his back straight, and shoulders down and back.

The Extension of Ki (follow through) sends

the excess energy of the strike into the bag.



14

Step 1- The hips are fully rotated towards the target.

Step 2- The arm is extended as the torso rotates

45 degrees into the target (the back and rear leg

are straight, the shoulders are down and back).



15

This picture captures Nodan’s finishing position in theReverse Thrust Punch break. His rear leg and spine form a

straight line as his upper body is rotated 45 degrees into the

board stack. His shoulders are held down and back at the

moment of impact, in order to minimize the power loss

through the shoulder joint. His fist is rotated 45 degrees atthe point of impact, and his elbow remains under

throughout the movement of his arm. If the elbow is

allowed to turn outward during the thrust, power will be

lost through the elbow joint.

Master Li emphasized the importance of “moving in

center” whenever stepping forward or backward. This is

because power is lost when the legs are not firmly rooted to

the ground upon impact with the target.



16

“Moving in Center”

Quan begins an elliptical forward step. His

front foot “seeks” the right foot placement.



17

He maintains a ready thrust position

and keeps his hips cocked as he steps.

Step 1- Li rotates his hips sharply to the front.

Step 2- His arm and torso are strongly rotated.



18

Fore Fist Position

Nodan rotates his fist to a 45 degree angle in order to

maximize energy transfer through the forearm. This posi-

tion enables the interosseous membrane that connects the

two bones in the forearm (the radius and the ulna) to

maintain the proper tension and bone alignment.

Originally, I learned the traditional Okinawan punch

which utilizes a fully rotated cork screw motion. After

many years of training, this comes naturally to me but, the

45 degree angle shown below is more technically correct.

Besides properly aligning the forearm, the 45 degree

rotation makes it easier to keep the elbow under through-out the movement of the arm.

To find the optimal fore fist position, extend both arms

against a solid wall and try to push it over. Then, form a

fist based upon your hand positions against the wall.



19

Third Principle: Extension of Ki

Ki, also known as chi or qi, is the vital energy and

vivifying life force inherent in all living things. Quan Li

learned this principle from Sensei, who took it from his

study of jujitsu and aikido and then applied it to his karate-

do. The concept of “extending ki” is fundamental to the

throwing and weapons arts, and it has an essential mind

component to it, in that it requires a concentrated effort to

mentally “follow through” with every technique- all the

way “out to infinity.”

4 Board Break with a low back kick

Nodan extends ki with “follow through.”



20

Extending Ki with the Push Break

This is a simple but very difficult test of thrusting

power. The challenge is to exert 135 lbs. of thrust (61kg)

on the board before the 75 pound suspended bag moves

(see p. 44-49 for board testing standard).

Nodan’s stance is properly aligned with its center of

gravity in the hara. His body is soft, with only enough

tension to hold the stance together. The rear leg and spine

are straight and the shoulders are held down and back, in

order to reduce power loss through the shoulder joint. His

head is held erect, as if suspended on a string, and his

elbow is held under.



21

Step 1: Nodan inhales deeply, then rotates his hips

sharply while, at the same time, keeping his upper torso,shoulders, and arms properly aligned and relaxed .

Step 2: following this, he rotates his upper body into the

board and exhales with a kiai yell. This technique takes

only a split second using the 1-2 Timing, and throughout

the movement he “follows through” the board with a

concentrated Extension of Ki, as if projecting a stream of

energy out to infinity.

With the starting position of his “striking” arm already

fully extended against the board, the acceleration required

to overtake the movement of the bag must be generated by

a very quick and explosive hip rotation.



22

3 Board Break from Cat Stance

This difficult break requires a concentrated“follow through” beyond the breaking point.

The Mind Principle: projecting ki to infinity.



23

Fourth Principle: Correct Breathing

Breathing must be controlled from the diaphragm.

Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.

This same breathing method is used by boxers, professional

singers, and musicians who play wind instruments. For the

striking arts, it is essential to exhale sharply on every

focused technique.

Kiai means “spirit meeting” and is the union of mind,

body, and spirit. It can manifest itself in the vocalization of

the rush of air during hard exhalation on every focused

movement. When vocalized correctly, the kiai yell is a

ferocious primal roar from the depths of the hara.In the video, “Dagger Form,” the kiai points are not

vocalized and a sharp exhalation can be heard on each

focused movement. This is “breathing kiai.”

Fifth Principle: Soft and Hard

This principle refers to the complex sequence of

contraction and relaxation of the more than 640 skeletal

muscles in the body. For most karateka like myself,

mastering Soft and Hard requires many thousands of

repetitions for each technique and it is the last of the five

principles to be perfected. For a few exceptional athletes

like Quan Li, this principle seems to come naturally.



24

Soft and Hard combination break

The entire body is relaxed before striking.

The first strike is a snapping back fist to the face.



25

The second strike “flows” from the first.

The two breaks take less than ½ second

from the time of the initial movement.



26

Formal Blocking Techniques

Quan Li taught that the formal Downward, Middle, and

Rising blocks are striking techniques that must hit with the

entire body, and not just with the arm and shoulder . He

applied aikido’s unbendable arm , a technique whereby the

arm is extended in a soft/hard position using the tricep

muscle in the arm and the latissimus dorsi in the back.

The formal blocking movements in Li’s karate use a full

range of motion to develop form, speed, and power . With

proper training, however, practitioners learn to project

strength into the shorter and quicker street applications of

these formal kata blocks.

Formal Downward Block

Yakov defends against lunging punch in Sanbon Kumite.



27

5 Board Break with formal Downward Block

The hips are sharply rotated toward the target.

The unbendable arm makes Nodan’s arm like a

slightly bent steel rod wrapped in cotton cloth.



28

Practical “abbreviated” street application

Nodan waits in the “surrender” position.

He extends his arm into a Downward Block.



29

Kicking Techniques

Quan Li’s kicking techniques also followed The F ive

Principles . In the Front Thrust Kick, he taught that the hips

are rotated 45 degrees as the knee is raised. This “opening”

of the hips releases the hamstring muscle and allows for

greater speed and flexibility in the movement. While

executing the Front Kick, it is important to keep the base

foot firmly rooted to the ground at the moment of impact,

in order to minimize power loss through the hips and legs.

The “down and in” motion of the thrust gives this kick

its exceptional power and it is most effective when used

against the lower abdomen, the groin, and the legs.

Quan’s base foot and hips rotate 45 degrees as his

knee is raised. Note his upright “centered” stance.



30

5 Board Break with reverse Front Kick

Nodan throws a thrust punch to disguise his kick.

The “down and in” motion of the reverse

Front Kick leverages exceptional power.



31

Kata and Kumite

Asian striking arts use kata, the pre-arranged formal

exercises that train the stances, stepping, blocking, kicking

and striking techniques of the style. For the 19th

century

Okinawan masters, kata and makiwara practice formed

the core of training (competitive “sport” karate did not

begin to develop until the 1930s).

Kata systems vary widely and I have studied Chinese,

Okinawan and Japanese styles whose basic training stances

differed significantly. Some were characterized by low,

elongated stances while others preferred taller, more

compact positions.Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what style you practice

because The F ive Principles are foundational to all the

martial arts. Every system has strong and weak points, and

I have applied techniques from a variety of arts to my street

self-defense. Whether you concentrate on one style or

practice many, the important thing is that you make your

martial art your own. Master Funakoshi used to tell his

students, “Art does not make the man, the man makes art.”3

Quan Li’s katas closely follow Master Funakoshi’s

earlier Shuri-te style, in which his training stances were

shorter and more upright than the deeper stances that were

later adopted by the Japan Karate Association (JKA).



32

From Tekki Nidan (Naihanchi Nidan)

From Heian Godan (Pinan Godan)



33



34

Maintaining “the center” while turning

Li first looks to his left as he prepares to pivot and turn.

He maintains his center as his lead foot “seeks” the

correct position before shifting into a Front Stance.



35

Kumite (Sparring)

Quan Li taught formal prearranged Sanbon (three step)

and One Point kumites. Like the early Okinawan masters,

Li considered free-style sparring too dangerous. The

originators of the Okinawan striking art designed it to be

effective combat defense against untrained , multiple

adversaries who may be armed with weapons. So, free

sparring with another karateka who also possessed “one

strike” capability could pose a dangerous risk.

Karate jutsu’s introduction to the general public in the

early 1900s marked the end of karate as a true combat art.

Later, with the development of tournament competition inthe 1930s, the art quickly evolved into a competitive sport

with rules and safeguards to protect the players.

Today, after several decades of commercialization, the

public perception of this once ferocious striking art is more

that of a family friendly activity best suited for young

children. It is little wonder that MMA (mixed martial arts)

training and competition, which has so little in common

with real street self-defense, has become the “ultimate

fighting” paradigm for martial arts fans.

These are observations not criticisms. Today, numerous

family oriented karate schools provide much needed

structure, discipline, and exercise for adults and children of

all ages. Quan Li’s karate teacher, Sensei, stopped teaching

his karate-do in the 1970s, believing that the ferocious



36

striking art no longer fit in a civilized society. In its place,

he began teaching Morihei Ueshiba’s aikido, a “soft”throwing art that seeks to do as little harm as possible to an

aggressor.

Makiwara

The traditional Okinawan makiwara was a wooden post

wrapped in rice straw and buried three feet in the ground.

These outdoor striking posts were fairly rigid and, with

intense training, its users formed unsightly bone calci-

fications and large calluses on their hands.

Left- Photo believed to be of Mas Oyama’s right hand.

Right- Master Funakoshi training on a traditional post.



37

To protect my students, Yohan and Yakov, from long

term hand injuries, I designed a flexible, rubber paddedstriking post based on the principle of graduated

resistance . Over time, this proved to be a safe and efficient

way to develop powerful striking techniques. Besides this,

callus formation is not essential for effective self-defense.

Flexible indoor makiwara

After several years of makiwara practice and instruction

in Quan Li’s five principles, my student Jason, a former

high school track athlete, broke three suspended boards

using his strong side reverse punch. Without this kind oftraining it would be difficult for an adult karateka to

duplicate Jason’s 3 board break using 130 lb. test boards

(see p. 44-49 for board testing standard).



38

The post is made from two 1x8 inch wide boards.

Layers of soft rubber padding protect the hands.

Resistance is altered by changing the post width.

Post holder is made from wood and framing

brackets, and is attached to ¾ inch plywood.



39

Board holder constructed with ¾ inch plywoodand could hold five 1x12x10 inch wide boards.

Makiwara develops striking power

The Shuri-te masters used the makiwara as their primary

tool for developing powerful striking techniques. Therelationship between flexible post makiwara training and

suspended horizontal power breaking should be apparent in

the following power breaking demonstrations.

For instructions on how to construct an indoor makiwara

see the video, “How to Build a Makiwara and Board

Holder” at the nodankarate channel on YouTube. For an

excellent guide to board breaking, see Karate Breaking

Techniques , by Jack Hibbard.4



40

Resistance increases over distance.

5 Board Break with Reverse Punch

Nodan’s 5 board stacks will support a 650 lb.

(295 kg.) barbell placed across the centerline

running parallel with the grain (p. 44-49).



41

Striking from side Straddle Stance

4 Board Break with Bent Wrist Strike

This proved to be Nodan’s most difficult break .



42

Striking from Neutral Stance

4 Board Break with Palm Strike



43

Striking with the elbow

5 Board Break with Elbow Strike

This proved to be Nodan’s most powerful

suspended horizontal breaking technique.



44

Board Testing and Breaking Difficulty

Board breaking was never a part of my teaching or

martial arts training but, in order to provide tangible

evidence of the extraordinary power in Quan Li’s striking

method, I needed to offer some kind of dramatic visual

proof. After some experimentation, I decided to use un-

spaced, suspended, horizontal board breaking because it is

notably difficult, requiring both a substantial transfer of

body weight into the board stack and enough speed to

overtake the movement of the 75 pound bag.

The boards were cut from 1x12 inch wide (actual mill

size is ¾ x 11¼ inches) Common White Pine boards, whichare found at home improvement centers and lumber yards

throughout Canada and the United States. The ideal pene-

tration distance for a horizontal strike is approximately two

inches, or the equivalent of 3 boards (2¼ inches). So, the

four and five board stacks are more difficult, at least in part,

because of the increasing thickness of the wood. A five

board stack is nearly 4 inches thick, almost twice the ideal

penetration distance. This means the terminal velocity of

the strike must be greater.

For experienced martial artists who wish to replicate

these breaks, it is important to establish and maintain a

uniform standard of board strength in order to measure

relative breaking difficulty. Wood strength varies widely,



45

depending on size and moisture content, and a sample from

each donor board should be tested beforehand to deter-mine board strength.

Because of the “soft” suppor ts, suspended stacks of

wood must be broken in a fairly straight line. So, use

pieces that have been cut from the same donor board and

align the grain patterns so they face in the same direction.In addition, since the boards are not rigidly supported, the

stack must be struck accurately along its centerline in order

to distribute the force evenly across the board holder.

Before assembling each board stack, “strike test” each

board against a rigid surface to expose unseen weak points,

such as cracks or splits. Holding the board in one hand,

strike downward with the grain along its centerline.

Finally, avoid boards with knots along the centerline

because the circular grain pattern will make them nearly

impossible to break.

Downward breaking is considerably more powerful thansuspended, horizontal breaking because it follows gravity,

has a longer arc of movement in which to generate hand

speed, and the rigid supports eliminate the power losses

that naturally occur when using a suspended bag.

Nodan’s karate is self -defense oriented and suspendedhorizontal breaking more closely represents the kind of

striking techniques used in real street situations.



46

Suspended horizontal breaking is considerably more

difficult than rigidly supported downward breaking.

Nodan used 1x12x10 inch wide pine boards in all his

breaking demonstrations. Testing showed that each board

could support, on average, a 130 lb. (59 kg) barbell placed

across the centerline of the wood running parallel withthe grain. When testing a board’s strength, the full weight

of the barbell should be rested on the board for no more

than one second, because the actual contact time during a

break is but a fraction of that time.

When the boards are un-spaced, the resistance increases

proportionally. For example, the five board stacks used in

Nodan’s suspended power breaks could support at least

a 650 lb.(295.5 kg) weight (5x130 = 650). Board strength



47

can be adjusted up or down by changing the width of the

boards (five 8 inch wide boards @ 130 lb. test strength areequal to five 10 inch wide boards @ 130 lb. test strength).

Placing spacers between the boards changes the physics

of breaking, making it considerably easier. Spacing the

boards is breaking them one at a time in rapid succession.Breaking can be faked by first scoring or baking the boards,

or by inserting thin spacers. In the YouTube video, “Board

Strength and Breaking Difficulty” at the nodankarate

channel, 53 seconds of un-edited film (2:14-3:07) show that

Nodan’s breaking demonstrations are authentic.For those who are serious about testing their striking

techniques using suspended horizontal breaking, I offer the

following advice: do not underestimate the increasing



48

difficulty of adding one additional board to a board stack.

For example, Going from 4 to 5 boards requires a 25%increase in striking force, which would be somewhat

analagous to raising a bench press lift from 400 to 500

pounds!

I lifted heavy weights for seven years during high school

and college. Although I never used steroids and did notdevelop large muscles, I believe this strength training

significantly contributed to my ability to perform these 4

and 5 board suspended power breaks.

My college weightlifting coach performs a one

arm bent press with 150 lbs. This illustrates the

leveraging strength of Proper Bone Alignment.

(At the time, “Coach” weighed in at 148 lbs.)



49

A barbell was used to measure board strength.

The average board broke with 135 lb. (61.4 kg).



50

Training Both Sides

Developing both the right and left sides of every tech-

nique is an important part of karate training, because an

injury to one side or the other can occur before or during a

street confrontation. Also, street attacks are fluid and un-

predictable, and having the option of using either hand is a

strategic advantage. One of Master Funakoshi’s admon-itions was to always strike the makiwara with twice the

number of repetitions using the weaker hand.

In order to emphasize this point, I performed all but one

of the four and five board horizontal power breaks using

my “weak side” left hand. Also, the fact that I was in mylate fifties when performing these breaking demonstrations

highlights the advantages of technique over sheer physical

prowess.

As already noted, downward breaking is much stronger

than horizontal breaking because the boards are rigidly

supported, the strikes are moving with gravity, and the

longer motion of the arm increases hand speed. 7 board

stacks are 5 ¼ inches thick and could support at least

910 lbs. (413.6 kg) of weight. My “weak side” left hand

broke 7 boards with relative ease using a downward bottom

fist strike but, I failed to break 7 suspended boards with my“strong side” right hand because I could not generate

enough speed to overcome the movement of the bag.



51

7 Board Break with left hand

7 Board Break with right hand



52

7 board failed attempt with

my “strong side” right hand

The bag absorbs the full force of the thrust.



53

4 board breaks with left and right

palm strikes from neutral position

“One strike” power from a neutral stance

is a strategic advantage in street defense.



54

Street Defense

The self-defense techniques shown in the following

demonstrations against guns and bladed weapons require a

high level of skill with many repetitions of practice with a

variety of training partners. These are high risk self-defense

techniques that should only be attempted in life or death

situations.

The Best Martial Art

Today, the mixed martial arts (MMA) have taken center

stage as an entertainment blood sport. At the highest level,

world class professional athletes compete for fame and

fortune in heavily promoted cage matches. This latest

expression of the martial arts embraces a very different

philosophy from that of the early Okinawan inventors of

karate. For them, the martial arts were primarily for health

and self-defense, and practitioners were encouraged to

embrace these proverbs:

“To win without fighting is the highest skill,”

“A man learns to fight so he will not have to fight.”

Discussions about which is the best martial art should

begin with the question, best for what? There are traditionalarts, sport oriented fighting styles, and practical street

defense systems. Each approach develops its own unique

set of tools and strategies.



55

Ultimately, the best martial art is the one that best

addresses your needs and goals. There are good and bad practitioners in every art and each style has its strengths

and weaknesses.

Nodan Karate is Street Defense

For me, karate was always an exercise in survival, not asport, and my main interest was in learning how to apply

the techniques in real situations. In the 1960s, I decided to

concentrate on street self-defense and began to work out

with Tex Barnes, a college classmate who studied a style of

combat jujitsu. Tex brought a metal training knife with a

dull, rounded blade to our first practice session together. He

succeeded in “killing” me a number of times and afterwards

I had large red welts all over my body.

This became a wake-up call for me, exposing the fact

that real street defense was something quite different from

the traditional training I was receiving in the dojo. My

formal blocks were ineffective, my body was out of

position, and I lacked a strategy for defending against a

skilled knife fighter’s flowing combinations.

Tex taught me wrist locks and joint holds that were

effective against close quarter knife and gun holdups. Wealso practiced against moving knife and club attacks, and

the kinds of grabs and holds that street criminals were



56

likely to use.

This early jujitsu training was the most importantinfluence in my future approach to the martial arts. Not

surprisingly, Tex Barnes went on to become a high ranking

jujitsu master.

I stopped training in karate for six years after the life-

changing events I experienced in late 1985. In 1991, I was brought back into karate by two young men who asked for

self-defense lessons. Yohan and Yakov trained with me for

five years and were awarded the rank of black belt by an

independent panel of experts in 1996.

Yohan and Yakov (front center) pose with test judges.



57

Then, in 1999 I received another request for self-defense

instruction from Jason, a former high school track athletewho had previously trained in karate. Since there was only

the two of us, I became his practice partner for five years.

This training, along with regular makiwara practice, kept

me strong in karate into my late fifties.

For me karate is about self-defense, and deception and

understanding the predatory nature of street criminals are

essential for good strategies. In addition, each traditional

martial art must be specifically adapted to street defense

because what you practice is what you wil l do when

confronted with a real attack.

There are no rules in the street. Spear hand strikes to the

eyes and throat, grabs and strikes to the groin, and biting

are among the many effective defensive measures that are

not permitted in sport. Also, sport fighters do not face

armed or multiple opponents, and having “one strike”

power can be the equalizer in those situations.The following examples illustrate how strategy and “one

strike” power can combine to produce a formidable array of

street defenses. These are hypothetical scenarios that are

not intended to be “how to” instructions. To effectively

learn to do these defenses requires a trained instructor and

many repetitions of practice with a variety of training

partners.



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Defending a front choke with a Palm Strike

“One strike” power from a neutral stance position

is advantageous in street self-defense situations.



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5 Board Break with a circular Palm Strike

Because of its power at close range, the Palm

Strike is effective “one strike” street defense.



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Double spear hands to the eyes and throat are effective

defense techniques not permitted in sport competition.

Yakov applies a joint hold and uses a front kick

counter attack to thwart Yohan’s knife holdup.



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Lunging Knife Attack

Yakov waits for Yohan to commit to a lunging attack.

Then, he simultaneously blocks and angle steps away,

positioning himself for an immediate counter attack.



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Gun holdup from the front

Nodan raises his hands in surrender and distracts thegunman by asking a simple question. During this tactic, he

subtly moves his head out of the line of fire.

When his assailant’s attention has been diverted away

from the weapon, Nodan applies a wrist lock to the

gunman’s hand and then follows up with a snapping side

head strike to his face. After stunning the attacker, he canuse a follow up counter attack and disarm him.

This kind of gun defense utilizes deception and

misdirection, and requires much practice with a variety of

partners in role playing scenarios. Its effectiveness is

predicated upon the element of surprise.



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After a stunning head strike, Nodan can

thrust the gun barrel into assailant’s face and then disarm him with a wrist break.

Board break with side head strike



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Gun holdup from the back

Nodan raises his hands in surrender and distracts the

gunman by asking a simple question such as, “Have you

heard if it’s going to rain tomorrow?” He will turn his

upper body on the “to” syllable of “tomorrow,” because the

gunman’s mind will naturally finish the question, thus

taking his attention off his trigger finger, even if only for a

moment.

Nodan’s quick turn moves him out of the line of fire. He

continues turning and traps the gunman’s arm. Then, he

strikes before his assailant can react. This manoeuver can

be performed in either direction, depending on the location

of any bystanders.



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Nodan strikes to the temple. Strategically, the “One

strike” techniques are intended to stun an attacker,

leaving the option for escape or a follow up strike.



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Knife defense using a low side kick

“Surrender” position keeps Yakov’s handsout of reach from Yohan’s slashing attack.

He begins a pre-emptive counter attack by striking

toward Yohan’s face to draw his attention upward.



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Yakov drops his hands in a guarding position and

disguises his intentions by not staring at his target.

Yakov can kick “through” his attacker’s knee joint.



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The Twofold Gaze

The twofold gaze of perception and sight enables a

defender to sees everything simultaneously and not be

distracted by insignificant details or sudden movements by

his assailant. With a clear mind devoid of anticipation, he

can perceive his adversary’s strength and intention.

The twofold gaze is especially helpful when defendingagainst moving attacks involving bladed weapons, because

it gives the defender a sense of having more time to react, a

phenomenon that “ perceptually” slows down the speed of

the attacker’s movements.

Defending against a knife thrust

Using the twofold gaze, Nodan remains relaxed

as he patiently waits for his assailant to attack.



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Nodan uses a sliding angle step to avoid the sudden

knife thrust. As he steps, he simultaneously executesa middle level block and a hook punch to the head.

3 Board Break with Hook Punch



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Simultaneous block with counter strike



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Effective simultaneous block and counter

techniques require a higher level of skill.



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Pre-emptive defense against a knife threat

For most street situations, Nodan preferred to defend

from a neutral stance position. Sometimes, however, the

circumstances may call for a fighting stance. In the follow-

ing scenario, an armed assailant is threatening. If Nodan

believes that a deadly assault is about to be launched at

him, he may determine that a pre-emptive counter attack is

his best strategy.

He assumes a relaxed fighting stance with his arms

“floating” in a lowered, non-aggressive attitude. Note that

he keeps a safe distance away- just beyond the attacker’s

effective lunging range.



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Nodan surprises his assailant with a sudden head feint,

as if initiating his own attack. Then, he moves in quicklywith a sweeping knife hand block and continues stepping

through to strike his attacker’s face before he can react to

make a counter move.

The speed at which this maneuver must be performed

can only be appreciated by viewing the YouTube video,

“Nodan Self - Defense” (2:51-2:58) at the nodankarate

channel.

He moves forward while executing a knife hand block.

Once he begins the pre-emptive self-defense manoeuverhe must remain committed throughout the technique.



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Nodan’s rear leg and spine are alignedas he extends ki with “follow through.”



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Conclusion

19th century karate jutsu was designed as a combat

strategy against multiple un-trained opponents who may be

armed with weapons. When its “one strike” techniques are

adapted to real street situations, the expert practitioner has

the confidence of being “armed” wherever he goes.

Martial arts expertise, however, will always be subject

to limitations due to circumstances beyond our control.

After my journey into the dark side during the 1980s, I

came to the conclusion that the best “self -defense” for

mind, body, and spirit is to practice loving God and loving

others because, in the larger scheme of life, everything elseis meaningless. In the end, only our love lasts forever.

I have described my life-changing experience in my first

book , The Power of The Way: A Spir itual Journey . I hope

you will read it.

Peace be with you,



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END NOTES

1. Bruce D. Clayton, Ph.D., Shotokan’s Secret,

Ohara Publications, Inc., c. 2004, p. xii-xiii

2. Ibid, p. 43

3. Gichen Funakoshi, Karate-do Kyohan,

Kodansha America, Inc., c. 1973, p. 5

4. Jack Hibbard, Karate Breaking Techniques,

Tuttle Publishing, c. 1981

Nodan’s books are a FREE internet download at:

nodan-karate.com

Nodan’s karate videos can be viewed at

the nodankarate channel on YouTube.

Karatejutsu 5 Principles

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