theKarateHandbook
Welcome to theKarateHandbook
Welcome to the theKarateHandbook. This website is an online collection of karate-related information and resources that I have gathered for my own use and to share with others. My exploration of karate tends to lean into my own personal interests, so you may find a focus on kata, techniques, concepts, and general terminology in many of my documents.
Most of the information in this collection is compiled in documents (Google-docs and Google-sheets) which are linked or embedded in the website. Unfortunately this may make the site somewhat less accessible on mobile devices.
About the author
I've been a practitioner of Shitō-ryū karate since 2011 and I've trained for extended periods with several Shitō-ryū and a few Shōtōkan dōjō in this time. My current dōjō practices Seitō Shitō-ryū, and I've trained with them since 2018.
I practice both Kenshin-ryū and Kotaka-ha kobudō.
Outside of the dōjō I work as a substitute school teacher. My passions for teaching and for karate are a big part of what drove me to create this collection.
Future plans for theKarateHandbook
All of my documents on the website are works in progress and will be given additions and revisions over time. Updates are made on a daily basis.
I am working on adding resource and reference links for older material, but this is not an immediate priority at the moment. For this reason, you may find resource links to be inconsistent.
I would eventually be interested in putting my pedagogical experience into developing worksheets or activities to help teach kids karate terminology, but it may be some time before I can begin to work on this.
Notes
It may be worth recognizing that the terminology and concepts I discuss here may not align with those which your school uses or which you are familiar with. I hope my collection can be a helpful resource nonetheless.
It is also important to note that I am not Japanese and do not speak Japanese, so my discussions of the language, etymology, and culture come from secondary research and not from personal experience. While I have done enough research that I feel confident sharing my discoveries, there may be some mistakes or misunderstandings expressed in my notes.
If you notice anything that you think needs correcting or that you feel is missing, please let me know. You can find my email in the footer of each page.
All of my documents on the website are works in progress and will be given additions and revisions over time.