Chokuzuki Or the Straight Punch

When attending a karate for beginners class, one of the first karate moves taught is Chokuzuki or straight punch.

The punch is practiced from heiko-dachi (natural stance), feet roughly shoulder width apart, toes facing forward, shoulders relaxed, crown of the head pushing up, stomach pushing down and chin pulled in. The weight should be evenly distributed over both legs. Try not to put the weight on the heels, instead the weight should be on the balls of the feet and big toes.

One arm is placed straight out in front with a fist formed, try to keep the shoulder of the punching are relaxed and down, the back of the hand facing up.

The other arm is placed in the hikite position. Hikite is made when you form a fist and place it on the ribs at the side of your body, the fist should be palm up, with the elbow pulled in and down. If you look from the front, you should be able to see the fist at the side of the body, but not the elbow sticking out. If the elbow is higher than the fist, the shoulder will be up and weak.

Punching With The Right Arm

1. When you start the punch, your right fist will be in the hikite position at the side of the body. Your punching arm moves forward, but nothing else, keep the palm facing up, do not let the elbow come away from the body as this will cause the punch to become a flick, keep the elbow directly behind the fist until your elbow comes level with the front of your stomach. As your elbow moves away from the body, you begin to rotate the forearm anti-clockwise, your fist and forearm should travel through 180 degrees and complete the rotation at the end of the punch, do not do the rotation at the end of the punch, this is a mis conception, the rotation starts as the elbow leaves the body and finishes at the end of the punch.

2. Try to keep the wrist straight and the two large knuckles aligned forward.

3. At exactly the same time as this is happening, the arm that is out straight, starts to pull back to the hikite position. As soon as the pull back starts, twist the left arm 90 degrees anti-clockwise, then start to pull the arm back in a straight line. Once again keep the elbow in a straight line, as soon as the elbow reaches the side of the body, the last 90 degree rotation can be completed.

4. Both arms should be moving at the same time and both arms should stop at the same time. Breathing should be silent, breathing out on the execution of this basic karate punch.

5. Technical Detail

When punching with the right fist, the power is generated not just from the upper body and arms but from the legs and in particular, the left hip which initially rotates back to pull back the left reaction hand (hikite) and then immediately thrusting forward at the completion of the punch, so the hips once again return to their square position, this movement generates tremendous power in the punch. The muscles in the back of the left thigh plays a major part in the punch and this muscle tenses at the end of the technique, along with the abdominal muscles and the muscles under the right punching arm.

When learning karate, the techniques are extremely complex, so it is a good idea to take things slowly and understand the karate basics fully, before moving on to the advanced training.

Great care should be taken when practicing these karate moves for beginners, if practiced incorrectly they may cause injury, so please find a qualified instructor and sign up for their karate classes.

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How To Choose A Self Defense Class

The interest in self defense courses is on the rise and this vital class work is now available in most communities across the country. The most popular courses are designed for women and may be mastered by most physical sizes and fitness levels. The hope is that you will never have to use these skills, but it's essential to be instructed in self defense and be able to handle yourself in case of emergency.

There are a multitude of factors when choosing your self defense course such as class times, fees and locality of the program. And when selecting the courses that are right for you, be sure to exhaust the lower cost programs and seek out those that are free.

1. Police Departments.

Be sure to check with your local police department or sheriff for self defense classes conducted by police officers. They not only provide excellent instruction on the self defense maneuvers, but will also offer valuable insight on added safety measures. The police agency courses may also offer mace and pepper spray classes and valuable knowlege should you choose to get a license for a gun. No one knows the self defense industry better than a police officer and they can provide life saving know-how when it comes to spotting a dangerous individual on the streets or in a parking lot.

2. City Hall.

Check with your city hall office for city or county programs available in your area. In some cases, the city hall office may direct you to the district's park and recreation program which offer convenient evening and weekend courses.

3. Telephone Directory.

Private institutions will advertise in a telephone directory, and although they might be convenient for year round class time, they tend to be more expensive than the city programs. However, if you need the self defense course right away, the Yellow Pages will put you in touch with a qualified training program. Some states provide a license and certification for their self defense trainers, so be sure to check the credentials of all schools that interest you. In addition, before you sign up, have a face to face meeting with the instructor and be sure you are comfortable with him or her. There should be no personality conflicts or communication difficulties that would hinder your progress in the class.

4. Colleges.

Community colleges are an excellent resource to take your self defense classes for a nominal fee. In many states, anyone may register for self enrichment courses and pay the basic registration fee. However, in some states, such as California, if you hold a Bachelor's degree the community college fees will triple. Check online for the community colleges in your neighborhood and click on their online course catalog to find your classes.

5. Buddy System.

Once you have located that perfect place for your self defense courses, ask a friend to sign up with you. The buddy system is a great way to stay motivated and it helps to wash away the shyness when around strangers. When you encourage each other, the sky's the limit for what you will be able to do in your classes. Remember to get involved and participate in every maneuver. Watching might be fun, but doing gets the job done.

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