Blancke Academy pages to save
| Notebook section |
Resource |
What to extract |
| Club / training context |
Homepage |
Club identity, dojo locations, ethos, Kokoro Kumi motto, contact details. |
| Classes |
Our Classes |
Shotokan as the core offering, beginner to black belt, health and fitness framing. |
| Instructor background |
Sensei Gunther Blancke profile |
Sensei background, Maurice Blancke, 7th Dan award in March 2024. |
| History |
Origins of Karate and Master Funakoshi |
Okinawan roots, Chinese influence, Ryukyu Kingdom context, Shotokan emergence. |
| Kihon |
Karate Fundamentals Part 1 |
Stances, kicks, technique categories, Shotokan stance depth. |
| Kata |
Karate Fundamentals Part 2 |
Kata definition, embusen, 26 SKIF kata, individual kata links. |
| Kumite |
Kumite |
Kumite definition, yakusoku kumite, sparring categories. |
| Dojo etiquette |
Dojo Etiquette |
Behaviour, bowing, line-up, lateness protocol, Dojo Kun. |
| Principles |
20 Guiding Principles |
Funakoshi’s Niju Kun as reflection prompts. |
| Grading |
Grading and Belts |
ISKF kyu guidelines and grading checklists. |
| Terminology |
Karate Terms and Numbers |
Counting, commands, stance terms, bunkai, budo, dan, dachi. |
| Study links |
Resources |
Websites, YouTube channels, books, organisations. |
| Training advice |
FAQ |
Regular training, three-month steps, daily stretching, reading, video study, asking questions. |
Recommended websites
| Resource |
Notes |
| The Martial Way |
Descriptions of kihon, kata, and kumite, with illustrations and videos. |
| The Karate Handbook |
Karate-related notes and resources. |
| Karate Step by Step |
Karate history, masters, kata plans, and techniques. |
| Applied Methods Substack, Adam Carter |
Study and practice of karate. |
| Black Belt Wiki |
Broad karate information resource. |
Apps
| Resource |
Notes |
| Movements Shotokan Karate |
3D motion-captured Shotokan reference; likely the closest app to a controllable movement reference. |
| Shotokan Karate Kata by Fiore Tartaglia, 7th Dan |
Animated guide to all 27 kata. First three kata free; full version listed as a one-time payment. |
| ShotokanKata / Fiore Tartaglia app |
Kata sequence reference with controllable speed and scrolling. |
YouTube channels
| Channel |
Notes |
| Kuro-obi World |
Features Sensei Tatsuya Naka, 7th Dan. |
| Ultimate Karate |
Sensei Jason Leung’s instructional videos and clips. |
| Shotokan Sensei |
Sensei Paul Walker’s kata and kihon presentations. |
| Shotokan Karate Academy |
All 26 Shotokan kata presented by Master Hirokazu Kanazawa. |
Books
| Author |
Book |
| Gichin Funakoshi |
The Essence of Karate |
| Gichin Funakoshi |
The Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate |
| Gichin Funakoshi |
Karate-Do: My Way of Life |
| Hirokazu Kanazawa |
Karate - My Life |
| Lawrence Kane and Kris Wilder |
The Way of Kata: A Comprehensive Guide for Deciphering Martial Applications |
See also: Reading list for the wider curated
movement studies shelf.
Organisations and official references