(Approx 2 minute read)

Imagine stepping into an early Okinawan karate dojo around the turn of the 20th century. It was probably someone’s back garden, surrounded by a wall or fencing so no one could see what was going on. Unlike today, the environment was very different.
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Teachers of the time passed down their knowledge to only a handful of students, shaping their unique approaches to self-defense.
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The technical terms we readily use in karate today bear a surprising secret: they emerged long after the techniques themselves.
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Every day on social media, you’ll see someone posting what these techniques are called. Some of them are wrong, by the way – but that’s another story.
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Back then, each technique lacked a formal name. Instruction focused on movement, not terminology.
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As karate migrated to mainland Japan, the need for standardized teaching methods grew. Large classes in schools and universities demanded a common language.
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Drawing inspiration from established martial arts like judo and kendo, new terms were created for the techniques we use today.
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These labels offered uniformity and clarity, ensuring consistent instruction across different schools and styles. And of course, with karate’s rapid global expansion, it made it easier for everyone – regardless of language – to understand what was required of students.
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But while these technical terms aimed to bridge communication gaps, they also introduced a new challenge: interpretation.
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Old Okinawan concepts, when renamed in Japanese, often lost their original meaning.
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Today, most people use the same terms – but they may interpret them differently, leading to even more confusion.
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Yet if you choose to look past the terminology for a moment, new meanings can appear, offering fresh insights.
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Take the commonly seen ‘punch’, for instance. It’s often taught and labelled as a straight strike with a closed fist – but is it always a punch? Just because the hand is closed doesn’t mean it’s limited to that function. In some interpretations, that same movement can represent a grab, a pull, or even a joint manipulation.
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The label might say ‘punch’, but if you look deeper – within the context of the kata or the principle – it might be something else entirely, opening up a vast array of techniques you may not have considered.
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As long as you interpret your new understanding within the right context, of course.
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By focusing on core principles and actively seeking their deeper meaning, you can unlock new skills – through action, not just words.
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The historical disconnect between the terms we use today and the actual movements is crucial to grasp. It can lead to deeper insights, especially when analyzing the applications within kata.
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While technical terms play a valuable role in instruction, they shouldn’t overshadow the underlying principles and their application.
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Remember, a name is just a label – the real understanding lies in why the movement exists in the first place.
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Written by Adam Carter