1. What does "karate-do" mean?

-The way of the empty hand.

2. What does "sensei" mean?

-One who has understood before I; teacher

3. What does "sempai" mean?

-Senior

4. What does "dojo" mean?

-Place where we train in "the way"

5. Who founded traditional American karate?

-Master floyd burk

6. What is a "gi"

-A karate uniform; jacket and pants

7. What sparring rules does t.a.k. use?

-Three inches to touch

8. Is karate a "hard" style or a "soft" style?

-Hard

9. What does "kyu" mean?

-Student level

10. What does "dan" mean?

-Step; black belt level1

11. What is the Japanese word for "Punch"?

-Tsuki (or zuki)

12. What is the Japanese word for "Kick"?

-Geri

13. What is the japanese word for "Block"?

-Uke

14. What is the Japanese word for "Stance"?

-Dachi

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MARTIAL ARTS KNOWLEDGE
Level 2

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1. What does "judo" mean?

-The gentle way

2. What color stripes does a sensei wear on his belt?

-Red

3. What color stripes does a sempai wear on his belt?

-Brown

4. What is an "obi"?

-A belt.

5. What is a "naginata"?

-A bo with a blade on the end.

6. What does "empi" mean?

-Elbow

7. What traditional katas are tiger katas based on?

-Heian katas

8. What is "one-step sparring"?

-Self defense techniques

9. What is a "jo"?

-A half sized bo.

10. What is a "shinai"?

-A bamboo Practice sword.

11. Do black belts have to register with the police?

-No.

12. Can you drive someone's nose into their brain?

-No.

13. What is a "shock Move"?

-A distracting technique.

14. What is "kumite"?

-"Crossed hands"; sparring

15. What does "tap out" mean and when is it used.

-To surrender; when the technique is causing pain.

16. What does "kata" mean?

-"Formal technique" or "form"

17. What is the Japanese word for "Front" (as in front kick)?

-Mae

18. What is the Japanese word for "Side" (as in side kick or side block)?

-Yoko

19. What is the japanese word for "Roundhouse"

-Mawashi

20. What is the Japanese word for "Back" (as in back kick)?

-Ushiro

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MARTIAL ARTS KNOWLEDGE
Level 3

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1. What ranking system does TAK use?

-The KYU-DAN system

2. What country does Tae Kwon Do come from?

-Korea

3. What does "Aikido" mean?

-The way of energy and harmony.

4. What is the highest degree black belt awarded?

-10th degree; some systems have only 5; some have 8

5. Who was the founder of Judo?

-Dr. Gigaro Kano

6. What is "kendo"?

-Japanese fencing; usually using bamboo = swords

7. What does "budo" mean?

-The way of war.

8. How many times do we bow upon entering the dojo?

-Twice; once to the dojo, once to the highest to the rank.

9. Is it proper to say "Hi, Sensei"?

-No, "Good evening" or "Good Afternoon" is proper.

10. What is Iaido?

-The art of drawing the sword.

11. What is the word for internal energy in Japanese?

-Ki

12. What is the word for internal energy in Chinese?

-Chi

13. What style does Sensei Ted Tabura practice?

-Lima Lama

14. What is an "ikkyu"?

-3rd brown belt level; 1st kyu.

15. What is a "jitsu"?

-A "science" of defense

16. What are the three primary target areas?

-Eyes, throat and groin.

17. What country does Tai Chi come from?

-China

18. Where are the carotid arteries?

-Throat (side of the neck).

19. What is the japanese word for "Upward" (as in upward or rising block)

-Age

20. What is the japanese word for "downward" (as in downward block)?

-Barai (or Harai)

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MARTIAL ARTS KNOWLEDGE
Level 4

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1. What art did Chuck Norris first study?

-Tang Soo Do

2. What system/philosophy did Bruce Lee found?

-Jeet Kune Do

3. Who was the "Father of American Kenpo"?

-Ed Parker

4. What are the two things we train for?

-Physical and Mental Health

5. Who is the "father of modern day karate"?

-Gichin Funakoshi

6. What weapons does TAK teach?

-Bo, escrima, nunchaku(s), sai, kama, yawara

7. What does "escrima" mean?

-"skirmish"

8. What does "hijime" mean?

-Begin; start

9. What does "yame" mean?

-Stop

10. What does "yoshi" mean?

-Continue

11. What is the "clock reference" of directions?

-System where 12:00 is directly ahead and 6:00 behind.

12. What were nunchaku, sai and tonfa originally?

-Okinawan farm tools.

13. What is "bojitsu"?

-The science of fighting with the bo.

14. What is a "sandan", "yondan", and "godan"?

-3rd, 4th and 5th step, as in black belt rank

15. What is Japanese for the numbers 1-10?

-ichi, ni, san, shi, go, ruko, shichi, hachi, ku, ju

16. Why do we bow at the beginning of class?

-To show respect for the teachers and students.

17. What is Bill Wallace's nickname?

-"Superfoot"

19. Where is the "xyphoid process"?

-Tip of the sternum.

20. What is "balisong"?

-A butterfly knife.

21. What is a "makiwara"?

-A striking pad.

22. what is the japanese word for "right"?

-Migi

23. What is the Japanese word for "left"?

-Hidari

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Chris Pellitteri's

MARTIAL ARTS KNOWLEDGE
Level 5

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1. Where was Bruce Lee born?

-San Francisco

2. What was Bruce Lee's Chinese name?

-Lee Jun Fan

3. Who taught Bruce Lee nunchakus?

-Dan Inosanto

4. What does "Jeet Kune Do" mean?

-The way of the intercepting fist.

5. What does "sumo" mean?

-Struggle; a Japanese form of wrestling

6. What style does Wally Jay practice?

-Small circle jujitsu.

7. What art was Koga (police art) developed from?

-Aikido

8. What is Sambo?

-A Russian form of wrestling.

9. What were Ninja?

-Japanese assassins/ spies in fudeal times.

10. What is "counting coup"

-A native American way to fight without injury.

11. What rank did Jigoro Kano receive after he died?

-12th dan

12. What was Bruce Lee's most famous book?

-The Tao of Jeet Kune Do

13. What country does Tang Soo Do come from?

-Korea

14. What is Kobudo?

-An art including weapons.

15. What systems were TAK founded from?

-Shorin Ryu, Shotokan, Full contact, Shito Ryu

16 .What is the Japanese word for "Forward" (as in forward stance)

-Zenketsu

17. What is the Japanese word for "Cat Stance" (or "cat foot stance")

-Nekko-Ashi Dachi

18. what is the Japanese word for "Horse" (as in Horse Stance)

-Shiba

19. What is the Japanese word for "Basics"

-Kihon

20. What is the Japanese word for "attention" (as in before you bow)

-kiyotsuke

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MARTIAL ARTS KNOWLEDGE

Level 6

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1. Which style of karate is considered "hard-soft"?

-Goju-ryu

2 Who started the first American Karate Association?

-Robert Trias; 1948; USKA

3. What is a "renshi" belt and how is it worn?

-Half red/half white on one side black on the other. 4th dan white stripe up, 5th dan red stripe up.

4. Who wrote "The Art of War"?

-Sun Tzu

5. What does "kung fu" mean?

-Human Effort

6. What does "tai-chi Ch'aun" mean?

-Supreme Ultimate Fist

7. When Did Bruce Lee die?

-1974

8. What year was Bruce lee born?

-1940

9. What Traditional Katas are the "heian" katas based on?

-The penan Katas

10. What does "Shotokan" mean?

-"House of shoto"

11. Who was "shoto"?

-It was gichen funakoshi's pen name.

12. what is the Japanese word for "spearhand?"

-Nikute

13. what is the Japanese word for "attacker" (as in a partner in a self-defense technique)?

-Uke

14. What is the Japanese word for "Defender" (or the person performing the technique)?

-Tori

15. What is the Japanese word for "the application of a technique?"

-Bunkai

16. What is "ippon seoi nage"

-Full point shoulder throw

17. What are the two facets of power?

-weight (mass) and speed (acceleration)

18. What is the most effective way to move your weight?

-Pivot the hips

19. what does "bassai" mean (as in the kata names bassai dai and bassai shodan)

-To storm the fortress

20. what does "empi" mean when referring to the kata?

-Flight of the swallow.

All text, pictures and images copyright Chris Pellitteri's Trad Am Karate School

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Compiled by John Pellitteri and Chris Pellitteri