more than half of the calf, and the belt long enough to be wound twice around the hips, tied with a square knot, and leave about one foot hanging down on each side of the knot. The trousers must be pulled on first with one end of the drawstring passed through the loop in front before tying them up at the waist.
The jacket is then put on with the left flap coming over the right flap (this enabled the samurai to draw their swords more easily). The strings on each side of the jacket must be tied. To put on the belt, hold the middle in front of your navel and wind it twice around your hips; tie it up with a square knot, after having pressed the loose end under the first turn of the belt so as to avoid constricting the stomach when someone pulls on your belt.
In Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karatedo as in the Koshiki Karatedo competition system, the preferred dogi is the authorized Supersafe karatedogi, which is plain white in color, with red and black stripes along the sleeves and down the legs of the trousers. Alternatively, a totally white dogi can be worn. The dogi should have no further designs, except that the mark of the training style can be worn on the left chest, and that of the World Koshiki Karatedo Federation can be worn on the right sleeve. Names can be written on the right flap of the jacket and on the upper left part of the trousers. Belts can be marked with the names of the person and the school.
To undress, take off the belt first, then the jacket and trousers. The karatedogi should then be folded in the following way: lay the jacket on he ground and put the trousers inside; fold in the sleeves of the jacket, and then fold in about one third of each side of the jacket. Fold the jacket and trousers once lengthwise and once again in the other direction. Hold the belt in its middle and tie it around the karatedogi with about one-third of it open so that you can pass your arm through to carry it.
In Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karatedo and the Koshiki Karatedo competitive system, protective equipment is used for practice and in competition. Known as Supersafe anzen bogu, this gear was developed by Master Masayuki Kukan Hisataka at the request of the Technical Research Committee of the World Union of Karatedo Organizations in order to provide a greater level of safety and realism to karatedo training.
Supersafe gear consists of the men, or face guard, the do, which protects the chest and stomach, and the kin ate, which protects the groin. The men is made of durable translucent material allowing for complete vision while offering protection for the face. The do is made of fiberglass with padding to stop skin abrasions. The equipment is light and flexible, affording maximum protection without hampering movement.
The equipment requires proper care so that it maintains maximum protection for its entire life span. After use, the equipment should be wiped clean and the men checked for scratches. It should be replaced when cracks appear or serious scratching has occurred. The equipment should not be struck by full contact, uncontrolled techniques, nor by weapons.
Makiwara
The makiwara is the most important piece of training equipment in karatedo. It typically consists of a wooden board covered with straw rope. It is used to develop the power, speed, stance, and form of every technique and at the same time condition natural weapons such as the fists, knuckles, elbows, knees, and feet. Practice with the makiwara toughens the skin, strengthens the joint's articulation, and generally strengthens the technique. It used to be the only way to practice delivering blows with full force and it was used to learn proper concentration of force and focusing of the whole mind and body on the target. In modern karatedo, protective equipment allows the student to work on a moving target. This has somewhat lessened the use of the makiwara, which, however, still remains essential, especially when training by oneself.
The makiwara should be approximately six feet high (the height of a man) and have just enough spring in it to absorb the shock of the impact without generating too great a reaction force. This reaction force is absorbed by the body and may damage the joints or be detrimental to the organs, particularly the heart, if absorbed in a straight line through the limbs. If the expression of force causes as much damage to the instrument generating the force as to the target, the purpose is defeated. In earlier times, karate practitioners practicing on the makiwara over a long period of time sometimes sustained internal injuries (especially when the joints were locked and the body not fully twisted into techniques). Cyclists have discovered that using their limbs, particularly their arms (elbows and wrists), as shock absorbers to buffet and dissipate the jolts received from the ground, tires them immeasurably less than absorbing these shocks directly. Their consequent gain in stamina is obviously a sign of less body damage occurring, thus reducing the amount of energy needed to maintain the exercise, and allowing for the maximum gain with the minimum expenditure. This is a primary axiom of all athletic motion, and one of the reasons why in Kenkokan karatedo, the punching arm is slightly bent and shoulders are fully twisted so that they end up being perpendicular to the target. In this way the reaction force is better absorbed and dissipated by the arm and shoulders. For further explanation and evolution of these principles of dynamics, see Chapter 3, p. 29.
Makiwara can also be tailored for developing hand and foot techniques. After constant striking, makiwara can lose their resiliency and become slightly deformed. So it is preferable to have two separate makiwara, one for the hands and one for the feet.
Other equipment used in the practice of karatedo includes sandbags and speed bags to develop the power and speed of techniques, dumbbells and weights for general conditioning, and iron clogs or weights specially designed to strengthen kicking and punching.
b. Karatedo Etiquette
Karatedo practice begins and ends with courtesy. The politeness surrounding combative activities like kumite or shiai is certainly inherited from the origins of karatedo and is an essential element of the art because of the potential danger involved if both partners do not display an attitude of restraint, respect for each other, and sportmanship. In training, both partners are, in fact, trying to improve themselves and each other. They must therefore control themselves to avoid any risk or injury. This is true of any martial art (budo). Budo not only means "the way of weapons" but also "the way of non-violence." The true goal of karatedo is to win without hurting the opponent; that is the meaning of the bow which precedes and follows every act in karatedo. It is a gesture of respect for the opponent and a reminder to oneself of the spirit in which karatedo must be practiced. The bow is not merely a physical gesture but an expression of one's whole attitude.
There are three different forms of the bow:
a) Keirei is the ceremonial salutation used to bow to your instructor or to show your respect for others and the dojo. To perform keirei, adopt the musubi dachi stance with your hands falling naturally on each side of your body. Bend your head and shoulders 25° to 30° forward with your eyes looking downward and your hands in front of your knees. Keep this position for about two seconds then look up.
b) Kenko ritsurei is the fighting salutation used to bow to your opponent (or partner during practice). Standing in the shizen hontai stance a few feet from your opponent (3 yards in a shiai), look him straight in the eyes and bend the upper part of your body 10° to 15° forward without losing eye contact. Your arms should be extended in front of your thighs, hands closed. Hold this position for one second then straighten your body. As soon as you have bowed the fight is engaged.
c) Zarei is the sitting salutation (ceremonial and fighting bow). Standing in the musubi dachi stance, bend your left leg and put your left knee, then your right knee, on the ground (your knees should be the width of two fists apart). Put your hands on your thighs, keeping
