Shotokan Karate
Taught by Paul Plevakas, Karate Sensei, Third degree Back Belt (SanDan)
and Dr. Jolie Bookspan, Karate Sensei, Master Instructor, Fourth degree Black Belt (YonDan)

Inducted, Black Belt Hall of Fame
International Martial Arts Association Man and Woman of the Year 2004, Instructors of the Year 2009.


Your gentle teacher Paul Plevakas
Member of the United States Ju-Jitsu and Shotokan Karate Associations.
Training in Shotokan, Shorinji-Ryu, Goju-Ryu Karate, Tang Soo Do, and Ju-Jitsu.

 

Who Is This Class For?
For adults who want to get back to martial arts or start for the first time.
Classes are traditional, train physical skills in respectful disciplined ways to get you back in shape, body and mind. Small class, personal attention.
If you are out of shape, older, or have injuries, this class coaches you in healthy movement patterns. The teachers are trained and certified in injury prevention and rehab techniques.
Those already holding rank may attend wearing their rank belt. Tournament opportunities available, not required.
Students who want to advance belt rank may work up through Black Belt, based on merit and work.

When
Mondays 8pm to 9:30pm
Thursdays 7:30 to 9pm.

Where
2100 Chestnut Street, downtown Philadelphia.
Entrance on 21st between Chestnut and Sansom. 2nd fl, turn right at top of stairs to Training Hall at end.
Directions to the Dojo (martial arts training hall):


View Larger Map 

 

Also Available - Thai Massage
Thursday evenings by advance appointment at the Karate Dojo during class time 7:30pm - 9pm. Wonderful for family members while you take class.
Done fully clothed, bare feet, lying comfortably on a soft mat.
Other appointment times possible, including housecalls to your center city location.
More about Thai massage on Dr. Bookspan's web site here.

Contact
phone (215) 778-2634       
e-mail Paul@PaulPlevakas.com
web www.PaulPlevakas.com

Equipment
Do gi (clean karate uniform) and belt. New students may wear white t-shirt and athletic pants.
Bare feet
Enthusiasm

 

Begin

Never forget: karate begins with rei and ends with rei. Rei means courtesy or respect, and is represented in karate by bowing.


Classes at Temple University location

     

Fall seven times, stand up eight.
shichi ten battou" also pronounced as "nana kolobi ya oki"
- Japanese proverb 
Japanese martial arts require 8 out of 7 effort;  students must solve the puzzle of the proverb through work

 

  Class at our dojo (training hall)
Sensei (teachers)  Dr. Jolie Bookspan and Paul Plevakas at  left,    Yudansha (Dan - black belt rank) third from left,   Mudansha (kyu rank) at right

 

Never forget: karate begins with rei and ends with rei. Rei means courtesy or respect, and is represented in karate by students respecting the dojo.

 

Dojo Kun – Shotokan Training Hall Rules

These kun are the guide, philosophy, mindset to your training. Each rule is numbered "1" because each has equal merit.
With each training session at the JKA dojo, students kneel in zeiza and repeat these five precepts aloud.

1) Seek Perfection of Character - Jinkaku kansei ni tsutomuru koto.
1) Defend the Path of Truth (be sincere) - Makoto no michi o mamoru koto.
1) Foster Spirit of Effort (put maximum effort into everything you do) - Doryoku no seishin o yashinau koto.
1) Honor the Principles of Etiquette (respect others) - Reigi o omonzuru koto.
1) Guard Against Impetuous Courage (develop self-control) - Kekki no yuu o imashimuru koto

Click to hear native pronunciation of the Dojo Kun by student Lisa Nakata

 

calligraphy by NakayamaSan

 

Class Textbook

Healthy Martial Arts by Dr. Jolie Bookspan. Click BOOKS page to order on-line, or request in class at discount to our students.

Kata
There are Mudansha or kyu kata, and Yudansha or Dan (black belt) kata. We start with Mudansha.

 

Watch as 10th Dan KanazawaSan demonstrates first kata Heian Shodan. Click arrow to run:

 

 

Here is second kata, Heian Nidan, demonstrated first quickly, then again slowly step by step:

 

Third kata, Heian Sandan:

 

 

Fourth kata, Heian Yondan:

 

 

Fifth kata, Heian Godan:

 

 

In Shotokan Karate, after the first five Heian katas, come the Tekki katas.


Here is first Tekki, Tekki Shodan, by OSensei Gichin Funakoshi, recorded 1924:

 

 

Second Tekki, Tekki Nidan, 1924 recording of O-Funakoshi San (the very honorable Gichin Funakoshi):

 

 

Here is Tekki Nidan again, by KanazawaSan:

 

 

Third Tekki kata, Tekki Sandan:

 

 

Anaku Kata
Done completely differently in Shorin Ryu, Kenpo, Shotokan, Shito Ryu. Teaches not to argue which is "right."
Ananku means "peace (or safety) from the South." Here is a Shotokan Anaku by Seibukan Shorin Ryu Chief Instructor of India Renshi MalaysianRaegoo:

 

 

Laugh and Learn

Etiquette first in combat:

 

No Drugs:

 

 

Readings below are from my column The Fitness Fixer™ which ran on Healthline.com from 2006 to 2010. When they ended my column they removed all my movies, all comments, and most accompanying illustrations and photos. Come to class for the graphics.

See Paul Sensei in a Karate Computer Simulation study: Computer Fight Simulation

The Kru Ba, Photos and story of fighting drug violence at the Thai Burmese border: Muay Thai Monks on Horseback

Thaipusam festival. Pious Hindus walk miles pierced with hundreds of skewers. Read why: Thaipusam - Exercise of Body and Spirit

 

Karate Terms
Native Japanese pronunciation audio files follow terms

Location/Direction
Migi right
Hidari left
Ageh rising
Jodan upper
Chudan middle
Gaedan lower
Naka - from inside to outside
Soto - from outside-to-inside

Stances - Tachi (Pronounced with "T" when the word comes first or stands alone: tashi)
Heisoku dachi. Blocked foot stance. Stand straight feet together, toes facing forward. (the "t" sound changes to "d" when the word follows another: Heisoku dachi)
Musubi dachi. Open foot stance. Stand straight heels together, toes facing outward.
Sansen dachi. Fighting stance. (sen means "fighting") Feet apart, toes facing inward.
Soto hajichi dachi. Arch eight stance (outer figure 8 stance, feet apart toes out)
Naka dachi. Inner eight stance (inner figure 8 stance, feet apart toes in)
Heikou dachi. Parallel foot stance. Stand straight feet apart, toes facing forward.

Zenkutsu dachi. Forward stance
Migi zenkutsu dachi, Right forward stance
Hidari zenkutsu dachi. Left forward stance
Koukutsu dachi. Back stance
Migi kokukutsu dachi. Right back stance
Hidari kokukutsu dachi. Left back stance

Kiba dachi. Horse stance. Feet wide and pointed forward.
Shiko dachi. Sumo stance. Feet double shoulder width, feet pointed out. Like horse stance with feet out.
Tsuru ashi dachi. Crane stance. One leg, other foot on outside knee.
Neko dachi. Cat stance
Neko ashi dachi. Cat foot stance

Click to hear native pronunciation of the tachi by student Lisa Nakata

 

Keri - Kick
Keri ageh. Rising kick (pronounced with "k" when the word comes first or stands alone: keri and keri-ageh)
Mae geri. Front kick (the "k" sound changes to "g" when the word follows another: Mae-geri )
Mae geri ageh. Front kick rising
Jodan mae geri. Upper front kick
Chudan mae geri. Middle front kick
Gaedan mae geri. Lower front kick
Yoko geri. Side kick
Yoko geri ageh. Side kick rising
Yoko tobi geri. Side jump kick
Mawashi geri. Roundhouse kick
Ushiro geri. Back kick
Hiza geri. Knee kick
Oi geri. Lunge kick
Kansetsu geri. Kick to joint or knee
Kakato geri. Heel kick
Booshi geri. Hat kick (kick off someone's hat)
Tabako geri. Cigarette kick (kick someone's cigarette from their mouth or hand)
Tama geri or kogan geri. Kick to testicles. Kokan geri (spelled with 'k') is general any-gender groin kick and more polite

Click to hear native pronunciation of the keri  by student Lisa Nakata

 

Uke - Block
Mawashi uke. Roundhouse block
Morote uke. Two hand block
Morote naka uke. Two hand inside block
Juji uke. X block ("Ju" is number ten. Written as X)
Gedan tegatana juji uke. Lower body hand-sword X block
Hiza naka uke. Knee inside-to-outside block
Hiza soto uke. Knee outside-to-inside blockUchi - Strike
Age uchi. Rising strike
Mawashi uchi. Roundhouse strike

Tsuki - Lunge Punch

 

Katana - Sword (pronounced with "k" when the word comes first or stands alone: Katana)
Te gatana. Hand sword, also called shuto. (the "k" sound changes to "g" when the word follows another: te gatana)
Se gatana. Reverse hand sword
Ashi gatana. Foot sword
Gedan tegatana. Lower body hand-sword
Gedan tegatana juji uke. Lower body hand-sword X block

 

Body - Kalada
Te. Hand
Ashi. Foot
Hiza. Knee
Hiji. Elbow
Kokan. Groin
Soto. Arch of the foot
Koteh. Forearm
Ago. Jaw
Kakato. Heel
Kombushi. Fist, when used alone. (Changes to "ken" when the word follows another: Uraken -Back fist. However, "ken" alone is sword.)

Te - Hand
Te gatana. Hand sword (shuto)
Nukite. Piercing hand
Ippon nukite. One finger piercing hand
Nihon nukite. Two finger piercing hand

-ken - Fist
Uraken. Back fist
Koken. Arc fist (bent wrist strike with back of wrist)
Heyken. Flat fist (leopard hand)

Mawashi - Roundhouse, go around, using circular or turning movement
Mawashi geri. Roundhouse kick
Mawashi seashi geri. Roundhouse instep of foot kick
Mawashi kake. Roundhouse hook
Mawashi uke. Roundhouse block
Mawashi uchi. Roundhouse strike

Moro - Moves Using Two
Morote. Two handed
Morote naka uke. Two hand inside block
Moro ashi. Two foot
Moro ashi dachi. Two foot stance

Naka - From Inside to Outside
Naka uke. Inside to outside block
Naka hachiji dachi. Inside figure 8 stance
Naka ashi. Ball of the foot

Soto - Inside-to-Outside
Soto uke. Knee outside-to-inside block

More Classes With Paul Sensei

Belt Rank

 

Class Texts

  • Healthy Martial Arts by Dr. Jolie Bookspan
    Wealth of training for body and mind. Available at discount to students in class.
  • The Ab Revolution™ No More Crunches No More Back Pain Revised THIRD edition expanded.
    Revolutionary core training method - No crunches, no flexion which compresses vertebral discs. Combines sports medicine rehab with fun and functional exercise to workout at the same time you retrain your abs and back for healthy movement during all your activities, and learn neutral spine. Used by military, law enforcement, and the nation's top spine docs.
  • Health & Fitness in Plain English - How to be Healthy Happy and Fit for the Rest of Your Life
    New Revised THIRD edition. Thirty-one chapters on health, nutrition, exercise, green fitness, preventive medicine, pain prevention, injury repair, your whole life made better.

Movies