Self-Defense and Karate Kata

Two black belt instructors from Utah Shorin-Kai practice one of dozens of techniques from Meikyo kata during clinic
at the Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Hombu in Mesa. This application near the end of the kata and is taught as a jumping
elbow strike. It also applies when an attacker attempts to grabs a leg for a take down. Warning, do
not use this on anyone - it is dangerous (photo courtesy of Nemec Photography).

Visualize an attacker moving fast and low to take you to the ground by gabbing and lifting your leg, or lifting you by your crotch or ankle. I periodically see people practicing these moves at the gym, and it is likely a great move against someone not properly trained in self-defense.

From my martial arts education in karate and jujutsu in 50 years of training is that you should never grab anyone until you first apply atemi (attention getter - basically a knock out strike to the jaw). As you can imagine, if your opponent is seeing stars, it should be relatively easy to take them down. But another thing I have been taught in the many martial arts I've trained in - never go to the ground for any reason! By going to the ground, you leave yourself open to an attack by one of your opponent's friends, and you also have fewer options for self-defense whether you take a person down, or you are taken down. 

So, as I watch these individual practicing take downs, a couple of bunkai (practical applications) I've taught in classes and clinics come to mind. One is in Meikyo kata and designed for situations like this. The technique is disguised in kata and begins with a 360-degree jump. Of course you should not jump while an attacker is trying to take you down, but using a downward elbow strike on the top of the head, neck, or spine would likely end a take down attempt (it could also end in very serious injury, so be very careful and do not use this unless you are prepared for the consequences).

There are two other bunkai from Rohai kata that are also designed to defend against a takedown. One is a hard punch directed downward, and the other is a double, open-hand technique also directed downward. Imagine a person trying to tackle you while you apply a hard punch to his spine while at the same time pushing his head to the ground with your other hand. Or imagine using the other bunkai - slapping your attacker on both ears while he rushes in for the take down. Game over. 

Every kata taught in traditional Okinawan karate has many self-defense applications such as these that people should be practicing for self-defense. Imagine, training every day with kata that contain dozens of devastating self-defense applications. Your muscles learn to move properly, you build speed, power and balance. This is what kata and karate are all about - building proper muscle memory. Then, take individual pieces out of the kata and periodically practice them with a partner - soon you will soon be dangerous! This is karate!

Self-Defense Classes in the Phoenix East Valley

Karate classes at the Arizona Hombu focus on kata and self-defense applications known as bunkai from those kata.

Self-Defense classes taught at the top martial arts school in Mesa, Arizona: the Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Hombu, focuses on adults, families, school teachers, clergy, engineers, scientists, faculty, prospectors, women, men and grandparents taught by Hall-of-Fame Martial artist, Soke Hausel, formerly with the University of Wyoming. People who attend these classes and clinics are always impressed by what they can do just by using simple strikes and unbalancing their attackers. The training is always very entertaining and a great time for all involved.

Grandmaster Hausel considerable experience teaching self-defense, karate, kobudo, samurai arts, martial arts history, women's self-defense, jujutsu and more. While at the University of Wyoming, he taught staff, faculty, students, sororities, church groups, clergy and other martial artists. His years of teaching taught him to break down techniques and make them simple but effective for self-defense classes and clinics and it paid off. Many students enjoyed the classes and over the years, Grandmaster Hausel has heard back from a few students who were actually attacked and successfully defended themselves.

The Self-Defense classes at the Arizona Hombu include school teachers and professors who are attracted to the classes due to violence in the classroom and on the streets, and also because of it educational value and value for physical fitness.

We highly recommend all women learn martial arts because they never know when they might be attacked. While at the University of Wyoming, Soke Hausel's karate and kobudo classes included about 35% women. In addition, he taught clinics to campus sororities, women's church groups, women's clubs and offered women's self-defense classes on campus simply because authorities report 1 in every 4 women on campus will be sexually assaulted during their college attendance.


So, instead of being a victim, some people in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Phoenix and Apache Junction are learning self-defense and karate at the Arizona Hombu in Mesa, Arizona. Recently, some of Grandmaster Hausel's classes have included as many as 60% women who want to be armed with self-defense knowledge. This is simply because when you are trained in self-defense, you don't have to be concerned about how to get to a gun or pepper spray when someone grabs or restricts your arms.

Soke Hausel refers to cases where his students successfully defended themselves. In one situation, a handicapped student was run off the road in Mesa, Arizona by another driver simply because the karate student was driving too slow - road rage is a not so uncommon occurrence in the Phoenix valley. In another case, one of Soke's students was physically attacked by a male essentially twice her height and weight.  He later called the police for assistance after being severely

beaten by the petite karate girl.

Self-Defense Clinics & Classes

One cannot emphasize enough - self-defense clinics can be a lot of fun and they can help educate the lay-person, but to be effective, one must make a lifetime commitment in self-defense training! This shouldn't be a problem if you find a good self-defense or martial arts school, and it can be better than a gym because you will burn a lot of calories, get in shape, and learn a valuable art.

A makiwara board in Gilbert, Arizona.

Last night I was talking to a couple of our female martial artists - one a black belt, and they wanted to know how a person can get over the fear and anxiety of defending against an attack on the street. Based on my 50 years experience in martial arts, this only comes through training  every week for a lifetime. One has to make a lifetime commitment to follow the path of martial arts - just consider it a choice to be physically and mentally healthy and you will gain many benefits. Also, after you are trained,  know when to walk away. If you can't walk away, the training will automatically activate and keep you calm because you have already trained and covered most of the variables and you know how to block. In Seiyo Kai Shorin-Ryu Karate, people are also taught how to take out an attacker with one strike. Sure, there is always the unknown factor as to how the attacker will strike or what kind of weapon he might have, but your weekly training will provide you with the means to defend yourself.

Shihan Kyle of Gillette, Wyoming looks forward
to training during a body hardening.
In such training, a martial artist trained in body 
hardening can accept strikes with considerable force
without fear of injury.

One of these students noted that she took classes offered by a local police department where an officer attacks the women while wearing a Redman suit. I don't recommend this, nor do I recommend using boxing gloves or punching hanging bags. These are too artificial and they do not give a person the proper feeling of striking another person and will teach a person to strike incorrectly - they will also hinder and limit one's self-confidence. If you need to hit a target, I recommend a makiwara board or one of our black belt students trained in kote kitae (ボディ硬化). It is as realistic as it can be expected and it will build self-confidence. Your best bet is to take karate classes that teach kata and bunkai as these teach proper technique and self-defense. Kata are forms - they represent living encyclopedias for self-defense if they also include lots of bunkai (practical self-defense application training of the kata).

Self-Defense Clinics Can Be A Real KICK!

Welcome to our honorable dojo (martial arts school) in the East Valley of Phoenix where we offer special two-hour personal self-defense clinics to the general public, women's clubs, private companies and other groups. These clinics are designed to teach basic self-defense concepts such as how to use your elbows, knees, feet, hands, legs, balance, just in case you are attacked. Our clinics even introduce you to common, everyday weapons such as car keys, magazines, books, coins, purse, belt or anything else you might be carrying on your person - even a Duck Commander duck call which we call a Louisiana kuboton. And these clinics are taught by the 2004 Instructor of the Year and 2001 International Instructor of the Year Hall-of-Fame martial artist who is a noted public speaker. The clinics are designed to be entertaining and introduce you and your friends to self-defense. All it takes is minimum of ten people, each paying a fee comparable to what you would pay at a movie theater - but you can walk out of this theater feeling more confident about yourself. So, find nine or more friends, and schedule a clinic at our martial arts school in Mesa that services Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Phoenix and Tempe.

One of many self-defense clinics held at universities across the country and
taught by Hall-of-Fame martial artist, Soke Hausel.

Imagine - you are in a public library on a Friday evening and stalked by an illegal alien: how would you defend yourself if you were attacked? You are surrounded by books with pointed edges, you have car keys - how about that pen in your purse? How heavy is your purse?  You have many weapons in addition to your feet, knees, hands, elbows, fingers, thumb. Why not learn how to use these? Imagine, you are in a pub, and some drunk redneck grabs your wrists and drags you out the back door? What are you going to do with your elbows? Your knees? Your feet? How do you escape? Or what do you do when walking on the ASU, MCC, CGCC, AT Still, Grand Canyon University or University of Phoenix campus and two thugs run into you. You turn around, say something not too pleasant, and one responds by attacking you on your right, the other on your left. 

These are real life situations that are all too common. Phoenix has a crime rate that only a democrat would love, and is higher than the national average. Remember, you cannot always get to a gun even if you have one.

We have very inexpensive community self-defense clinics as well as weekly self-defense classes taught by a Hall-of Fame martial arts instructor and former professor of martial arts at four universities where he instructed students, faculty, community members in self-defense, karate, kobudo (martial arts weapons), jujutsu and samurai arts. Check out our sites at Arizona Karate, Seiyo Shorin-Ryu and Self-Defense training for more information.

Arizona Martial Artists Learn Self-Defense

Students at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate, also known as the Arizona Hombu, as well as members from around the country learn the basics of karate and kobudo (martial arts weapons) along with a variety of other martial arts that few outside of Okinawa and Japan have the opportunity to learn. These include samurai arts, body hardening, as shitai kori, rock breaking, kobudo (weapons), self-defense, and more.

During classes, martial artists from Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Tempe, Phoenix, Scottsdale and from other states in the US learn to take away guns and clubs as well as defend against knife attacks - something all too common on the streets of Phoenix.

Hanshi Andy Finley, 7th dan, learns body hardening while being choked by
Shihan Kyle Gewecke, 4th dan, at a clinic in Gillette, Wyoming taught by
Soke Hausel, 12th dan, from Mesa, Arizona.

Hands Up!  Ryan defends against a mugger with gun at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate, Mesa and Gilbert.

Ryan takes rifle from Amanda at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa.

Sarah practices defending against a mugger (Patrick) with gun.

Knife Attack!  Kyle Linton, 3rd dan, from Colorado defends against knife attack by Hanshi Finley, 7th dan, from Casper Wyoming during a clinic at the University of Wyoming taught by Soke Hausel, 12th dan, from Gilbert, Arizona

Personal Self-Defense Clinics

Like Us on Face book to learn more about classes, styles and people in Shorin-Ryu Karate & Kobudo in Arizona as well as in the world. You can learn more about the Arizona Hombu and our International Training Center in Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Arizona. 

You may not be able to defend yourself if you are not properly prepared. It requires constant practice to teach muscles to react without thinking in various situations.  Martial artists call this mushin - to react without thinking.  Because of violence in the Phoenix Valley, the Arizona School of Traditional Karate has developed a special clinic for private groups at a minimal price.  This 2-hour clinic (for adults) will teach you the basics of self-defense - how to defend against common grabs, hair pulls, etc and how to use your knees, feet, elbows, hands and fingers for weapons. If you have car keys, you have a good weapon at hand - what other things do you have on your person, at work, home that are considered everyday tools that are useful as weapons? 

After you are taught these simple, but effective techniques, then it is up to you to continue to practice on your own or in a dojo (martial arts school) setting. We call this our Personal Self-Defense Clinic. 

You will be amazed at what you can do to defend yourself and what things can be used as weapons.

We look forward to meeting you. Konnichi Wa.