Studying for Green Belt
I put together this test to help me prepare for Saturday. If you’re curious about martial arts and Shuri-Ryu in particular, you’ll enjoy this. Otherwise, you might just skim… 🙂
Practice Test Answers, General Knowledge of Shuri-Ryu System, March 2009
1. What is the meaning of each form? How many movements and attackers in each?
a. Shino Kata: 4 Direction Form, 31 moves 5 attackers
b. Wunsu Kata: Strong Arm Form, Dumping or Dragon Form, 38 moves 11 attackers
c. Anaku Kata: Small Bird Form, Pivoting Form, 33 moves 8 attackers
d. Empi-Sho Kata: First Elbow Form, Flying Swallow Form, 34 moves 10 attackers
e. Nai Han Chi Sho Kata: Missing Enemy Form 1, Iron Horse Form, 49 moves 17 attackers
f. Basa Dai Kata: Storming the Fortress, 55 moves 19 attackers
g. Safa Kata: Vision of the Crane, 48 moves 12 attackers
2. Name the 3 parts of balance: foundation, footwork, posture
3. Name the 3 platforms of power: hips, shoulders, head
4. Unit of action…always precedes speed of action.
5. Name the 4 types of training: shugyo (austere training), shindo (real or lifelike), shuhari (training to transcend), and keiko (training w/o intention of improvement).
6. Kiotske: Come to attention
7. Kakanate: Line up
8. Name the 5 locks in the cross body series: branch up, branch down, roll thumb, gooseneck, and straight.
9. Define kata: Our most formal form.
10. Define ippon kumite kata: One-step sparring forms based on the principles of speed
and power.
11. Define taezu naru waza: Continuous movement techniques based on the principles of speed and fluidity. Executed with one out breath in 2 seconds or less.
12. Define kihon kumite kata: Basic sparring forms based on the principles of speeed, power, and form.
13. Define jiyu undu: Free exercise based on the principle of improvising because it is the form that you make up as you go along (without repeating yourself).
14. Define kime dachi kumite: Focus stance sparring based on toe-to-toe training.
15. Define sessen kumite: Close in fighting based on head-to-head training.
16. Define kata kumite: Form sparring comprised of constantly moving formal movements back and forth, concluding with a hara supported punch.
17. Define irimi: To enter without thought of retreat.
18. Define atemi: Vital strike.
19. Do kihon kumite kata 1-5 on both sides: Keep nose in line w/ technique! Describe them here:
a. step/slap into uppercut, lead punch, low block
b. shuto into 45 horse, pivot out to zen kutza and punch kidney, back round kick, 45 low block
c. palm heel into 45 horse, pivot in to zen kutza and thumb knuckle punch to solar plexus, pivot out to zen kutza and hammer fist to back of neck, low block
d. double grab arm into 45 horse, back knee to chest (slap knee), shuto to back of neck, pivot out to zen kutza and low block
e. upper block into zen kutza, backfist, reverse punch, low block
20. Do ippon kumite kata 1-5 on both sides: Hit your targets! Describe them here:
a. Upper block, back snap kick, shuto to neck, double punch, low block
b. Upper block, back snap kick, hammer fist to clavicle, low block
c. Upper block, back snap kick, leopard fist to throat, low block
d. Upper block, back snap kick, vertical punch to solar plexus, low block
e. Upper block, back snap kick, palm to face, low block
21. Do kimenokata 1-5 on both sides: Enter, break balance, execute! Describe them here:
a. Double lapel grab
b. Rear forearm choke
c. Side head lock
d. Straight, rear shoulder grab
e. Cross, rear shoulder grab
22. Name the 4 parts of kimenokata: stop, shock, take down, control
23. Define hane-uchi: breakfall.
24. Define maita: to tap out, “I submit.”
25. What is your rank in Japanese? Gokyu (5th, green belt)
26. What does the eagle on your school patch mean? Freedom, pride, leadership.
27. Define Okinawan Shuri Ryu Karatedo: An ancient, traditional form of martial arts that comes from Okinawa, the birthplace of karate. Shu means to learn from tradition, ri means to transcend, and ryu means style. Karatedo means empty hand way.
28. Inhale on ___ , exhale on ___. (preparation, execution)
29. How many muscles and bones in the body? 620 muscles, 206 bones.
30. What does the knot at the center of your belt mean? It symbolizes yin and yang coming together and it means we are a hara supported art.
31. What principle do we employ to execute our blocks most effectively? Opposite parallel linear motion.
32. What makes a kick or a punch? A solid surface backed by 3 consecutive joints.
33. How many bones in the human hand? Forearm? Upper arm? 27, 2, 1.
34. Why do we bow at the gate? To show respect to our lineage.
35. How many movements are there to the hips? What are they? Six: down, forward, rotation, tilt, pendulum, vibration.
36. Define shomen: To the front.
37. Define kamiza: Higher place.
38. Where and how do we get our power? Our power comes from the ground and we make use
of it through ground reaction force and gripping the floor with our feet.
39. Define zen hara ashi: Mind, center, foot.
40. Define zen hara te: Mind, center, hand.
41. Why do hands and hands start and stop together? Because it’s more powerful to move
that way and because of natural body alignment.
42. What are the 5 principles of close combat? Move, get small, get close, connect, cheat.
43. Define wu ji: The center where all things are possible. Solid as a rock but prepared for anything from any direction.
44. Define tsuki: In interval or moment of relaxation between techniques.
45. Name the 5 animals of the Shuri system, what they stand for, and their first 3 forms:
a. Tiger (bone strength): 45 horse stance with split tiger palms, step slide into palm thrusts, front facing cat with snap back to open claws at trigger.
b. Dragon (body strength): Very low side jungle step with open chest and outward dragon fists, very low horse stance with dragon fists up near back of head, swoop fists over back of head into very low 45 horse stance with one dragon fist down at floor and the other facing up at solar plexus.
c. Crane (muscular and spiritual strength): Horse stance with open chest and outward crane hands snapping to elbows slightly bent, cat stance with left arm in hook punch form under right arm that’s in middle block form, both hands in crane formation, switch arms and raise right foot out into slight kick/block.
d. Serpent/Snake (breath): Forward into jungle stance with one hand over front leg and other hand at solar plexus and both aiming down in serpent formation, head snap over opposite leg and up while shifting hands to new target, step right foot forward and into “reading a book” pose.
e. Leopard (inner and outer strength): Horse stance with open chest and outward leopard fists palms facing forward, step up into left jungle stance with left leopard palm out and facing down and right leopard palm out and facing up, step into kiba as leopard palms turn in toward center and tear sideways out just off the solar plexus.
46. What do the colors on the Shuri Pine Tree patch mean? Green is everlasting, white is purity, black is steadfastness, red is courage.
47. Explain the symbolism of the Shuri Pine Tree patch branches, roots, shape of patch, trunk, and needles. The six branches are for the six grades, the roots are mind/body/spirit or speed/power/form, the patch is round because 90% of all techniques are circular and everything returns to its source, the trunk is for strength and endurance and the needles are for progress.
48. Name the 5 aspects of zanshin: impenetrable posture, extending qi, utterly cutting bow, perfect conclusion, remaining mind.
49. Write low, middle, upper, back of hand, palm heel, and knife hand block in Japanese: gedan barai, chudan barai, jodan barai, haishu barai, nagashi barai, shuto barai.
50. Write scoop, front, side, round, and back kick in Japanese: kin geri, mae geri, yoko geri, muashi geri, ushido geri.
51. Write numbers 1-10 in Japanese: ichi, ni, san, shi go, roku, shichi, hachi, ku ju.
52. Write straight, vertical, uppercut, hook, and roundhouse punch in Japanese: seiken tsuki, tate tsuki, uraken tsuki, kage tsuki, muashi tsuki.
53. What is your lineage? Matsumura, Motobu, Hsing, Trias, Roensch, yourself.
