Basic Shotokan Strikes From Shizentai

Here is a good shotokan karate training combination, comprising of basic strikes from shizentai or yoi dachi (natural stance). In this exercise Marcus Sensei is using the basic shotokan karate techniques, chokuu zuki (straight punch), teisho uchi (palm heel strike), heito uchi (ridge hand strike), shuto uchi (knife hand strike), tettsui uchi (bottom fist strike) and uraken uchi (back fist strike).

Tips
1. Always try and use your legs and hips when striking.
2. Try and keep relaxed in between the strikes.
3. Have an explosive start at the beginning.
4. Make sure you have a strong hikite (pulling arm).
5. This is a good coordination exercise also, so ensure your hikite is in a good fist when pulled back after the open handed strikes.
6. Breathe naturally
7. Heito uchi (ridge hand strike) can be a large circular motion or a more direct strike with a sharp circular movement just in the final 15% of the strike (as Marcus shows in the video)

Shotokan Karate Techniques Order
1. With the right arm, punch choku zuki (straight punch), immediately pull the right arm back to the left side of the chest or neck after the punch, then strike uraken uchi (back fist strike) with the right arm.
2. Repeat on the opposite side and make sure the body stays square for the completion of the punch, then rotate the body and hips for the uraken uchi.
3. Next, strike teisho uchi (palm heel strike), with the right arm, immediately pull the right arm back to the left side of the chest or neck after the punch, then strike tettsui uchi (bottom fist strike) with the right arm.
4. Repeat on the opposite side and make sure the body stays square for the completion of the palm heel strike, then rotate the body and hips for the tettsui uchi.
5. Next, strike nukite (spear hand), with the right arm, immediately pull the right arm back to the left side of the chest or neck after the punch, then strike shuto uchi (knife hand strike) with the right arm.
6. Repeat on the opposite side and make sure the body stays square for the completion of the spear hand strike, then rotate the body and hips for the shuto uchi.
7. Next, strike heito uchi (ridge hand strike), with the right arm.
8. Finally, strike heito uchi (ridge hand strike), with the left arm.

We hope you find this shotokan karate strikes tutorial useful. Check out our Shotokan Community, where we are continually adding shotokan kata tutorials, which include ~ complete kata tutorials, live kata class recordings, individual kata moves, bunkai, combinations like this one and much more.

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Shotokan Karate Techniques

Basic Shotokan Strikes From Shizentai

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About the author

I have been practicing and teaching karate for over 50 years and believe first and foremost, karateka should enjoy their karate. There is nothing better than seeing a person develop into a great martial artist through their karate practice, while at the same time really enjoying karate.

Linden Huckle 7th Dan

Basic Shotokan Strikes From Shizentai

Shotokan Karate Techniques

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