WELCOME

-

GRAVENEY KARATE KAI is an after-school karate club solely for students at Graveney School in Tooting, London.
Here, students can find information such as class times, glossary of terms, upcoming events along with links to purchase karate uniforms, equipment & insurance.

Popular posts from this blog

First Grading!

-
 This Friday (17th of May, 2024) Graveney Karate Kai will hold its first karate grading.  Several hard working students will be testing for their first belt: White / Yellow.  The grade is 10th Mon, the first rung on the ladder to the coveted black belt and beyond. がんばって "good luck. Pronounced GANBATATE!"
Read more

The Spirit of Osu 押忍の精神

-
Image
  Osu (pronounced OSS!) is the one word that you'll hear the most in a Karate dojo or at a Karate tournament.  When you enter or leave the dojo, you bow and say "Osu".  When you greet a fellow Karateka  空手家 , you say "Osu" instead of "hello".  When you respond to an instruction or question in class, you say "Osu" instead of "yes" or "I understand".  When performing Kihon Waza  基本技  (basic techniques) in class, each technique is often accompanied with a loud "Osu".  When practicing Jiyu Kumite  自由組手  (free fighting) in class and your opponent lands a good, hard technique, you say "Osu" to acknowledge your opponent's skill. As a measure of respect, knockdown fighters at a tournament bow and say "Osu" to the front, to the referee and to each other, before and after the fight.  Osu is used in many situations and seems to mean a lot of things.  But what does it really mean? ​ Osu  is a contract
Read more