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The Art of Hojo Undo: Power Training for Traditional Karate
ADDING POWER TO THE FIGHTING TECHNIQUES OF KARATE
Hojo Undo means 'supplementary training', and using these tools is the key for developing the devastating power of karate techniques. Without Hojo Undo, a practitioner cannot reach the profound strength levels required for a lifetime of karate training.
This book details how to construct and use many training tools; provides accurate mechanical drawings, comprehensive training methods, and an historical context to understand why Hojo Undo was created in 'old' Okinawa.
Warm up exercises Detailed construction drawings Build your own Hojo Undo tools! Learn how to use the tools to develop devastating power Link your increased power to fighting techniques Hear what Okinawan Masters say about Hojo Undo training
Hojo Undo means 'supplementary training', and using these tools is the key for developing the devastating power of karate techniques. Without Hojo Undo, a practitioner cannot reach the profound strength levels required for a lifetime of karate training.
This book details how to construct and use many training tools; provides accurate mechanical drawings, comprehensive training methods, and an historical context to understand why Hojo Undo was created in 'old' Okinawa.
Warm up exercises Detailed construction drawings Build your own Hojo Undo tools! Learn how to use the tools to develop devastating power Link your increased power to fighting techniques Hear what Okinawan Masters say about Hojo Undo training
- GenresMartial Arts
232 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
32 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
Michael Clarke
5 books1 followerLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: Michael Clarke
Michael Clarke (1958-1999)
By the age of 17, Michael Clarke, Kyoshi 8th dan was behind bars, a veteran street fighter serving a two-year sentence for occasioning grievous bodily harm. Turning 18 behind the walls of one of England's most notorious prisons 'Strangeways', was a wake up call that began his climb off the bottom.
Released back into society on parole in December 1973, he began training in karate in January 1974.
After ten years of training in the Japanese system of Tani-ha Shito-ryu, he travelled to Okinawa for the first time in 1984, in search of the more traditional training methods. There he was accepted into the dojo of the famed Morio Higaonna sensei. In 1992 he entered the Jundokan dojo of Eiichi Miyazato sensei, the dojo where Higaonna sensei himself had learnt karate, and became a student of the man who had received his instruction directly from the founder of goju-ryu: Chojun Miyagi. Six weeks before he passed away, in 1999, Miyazato sensei promoted Michael to 6th dan.
source: Amazon
Please see: Michael Clarke
Michael Clarke (1958-1999)
By the age of 17, Michael Clarke, Kyoshi 8th dan was behind bars, a veteran street fighter serving a two-year sentence for occasioning grievous bodily harm. Turning 18 behind the walls of one of England's most notorious prisons 'Strangeways', was a wake up call that began his climb off the bottom.
Released back into society on parole in December 1973, he began training in karate in January 1974.
After ten years of training in the Japanese system of Tani-ha Shito-ryu, he travelled to Okinawa for the first time in 1984, in search of the more traditional training methods. There he was accepted into the dojo of the famed Morio Higaonna sensei. In 1992 he entered the Jundokan dojo of Eiichi Miyazato sensei, the dojo where Higaonna sensei himself had learnt karate, and became a student of the man who had received his instruction directly from the founder of goju-ryu: Chojun Miyagi. Six weeks before he passed away, in 1999, Miyazato sensei promoted Michael to 6th dan.
source: Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 19, 2015
Hojo undo, or, roughly, supplementary training, has always been a part of Goju Ryu, my primary style of karate (I practice two), and it’s something I’ve been interested in for a while. When I attended an open training session this summer at another dojo in our federation, it was one of the things we discussed and tried out. The Sensei of the dojo pulled this book from the shelf of the dojo library, and it only took a couple of minutes for it to earn a place on my next Amazon order.
The format of the book is fairly simple, with the lion’s share of the text being devoted to the traditional hojo undo instruments, broken into striking and gripping types, and going through each with liberal photos (modern and historical), and finally providing instructions on how to make one yourself. Sometimes more than one set of instructions.
I’ve had a peripheral interest in hojo undo for a while and have been thinking about getting/making some of my own equipment. Before reading this book, I’d already planned a set of chiishi (English translation), and was thinking about some nigiri game (gripping jars). After this training session, I wanted more, and The Art of Hojo Undo was going to help me get there. Is going to help me get there.
Taking an example with the section on the makiwara (striking board), Mr. Clarke gives us half a dozen pages of captioned photos of makiwara in use in both classical and more modern settings. He talks about the different types of makiwara and their designs, goes into detail on their use including a variety of specific exercises, and then walks through the instructions on how to make your own of several different types.
That bit is key, really. Hojo undo is all about using materials at hand to supplement and improve your training. All of the traditional equipment began as something else and was either adapted directly or morphed into something closer to its current form.
And he goes into this level of detail for more than a dozen different pieces of equipment, plus traditional preparation/warm up exercises, isometric exercises, and body conditioning. Plus there's a nice little chapter near the end mentioning another eight or ten types of equipment in less detail.
Before this book, I'd already planned a pair of chiishi (strength stones) and a set of nigiri game (gripping jars), but I spent a lot of the book thinking, “I could do that.” Now I have a makiagi (wrist roller), a tan (a slightly modified barbell, but the regular kind will do), and the nigiri game. I haven't quite gotten to the chiishi yet, but I have everything I need for them. Plus there will be a wall-mounted makiwara soon (and maybe an outdoor one, too), and a kongoken (a large iron ring that can be made from other materials). Maybe more.
Overall rating: 5 stars. While I’m certain there’s a lot more to learn and a lot more depth to find, The Art of Hojo Undo gives me everything I want on the subject at an introductory and intermediate level: history, design, and practical. The training equipment section of mygarage home dojo is starting to get a little crowded, and I haven’t put together everything I want yet by a long shot. Maybe we really do need to have a yard sale.
The format of the book is fairly simple, with the lion’s share of the text being devoted to the traditional hojo undo instruments, broken into striking and gripping types, and going through each with liberal photos (modern and historical), and finally providing instructions on how to make one yourself. Sometimes more than one set of instructions.
I’ve had a peripheral interest in hojo undo for a while and have been thinking about getting/making some of my own equipment. Before reading this book, I’d already planned a set of chiishi (English translation), and was thinking about some nigiri game (gripping jars). After this training session, I wanted more, and The Art of Hojo Undo was going to help me get there. Is going to help me get there.
Taking an example with the section on the makiwara (striking board), Mr. Clarke gives us half a dozen pages of captioned photos of makiwara in use in both classical and more modern settings. He talks about the different types of makiwara and their designs, goes into detail on their use including a variety of specific exercises, and then walks through the instructions on how to make your own of several different types.
That bit is key, really. Hojo undo is all about using materials at hand to supplement and improve your training. All of the traditional equipment began as something else and was either adapted directly or morphed into something closer to its current form.
And he goes into this level of detail for more than a dozen different pieces of equipment, plus traditional preparation/warm up exercises, isometric exercises, and body conditioning. Plus there's a nice little chapter near the end mentioning another eight or ten types of equipment in less detail.
Before this book, I'd already planned a pair of chiishi (strength stones) and a set of nigiri game (gripping jars), but I spent a lot of the book thinking, “I could do that.” Now I have a makiagi (wrist roller), a tan (a slightly modified barbell, but the regular kind will do), and the nigiri game. I haven't quite gotten to the chiishi yet, but I have everything I need for them. Plus there will be a wall-mounted makiwara soon (and maybe an outdoor one, too), and a kongoken (a large iron ring that can be made from other materials). Maybe more.
Overall rating: 5 stars. While I’m certain there’s a lot more to learn and a lot more depth to find, The Art of Hojo Undo gives me everything I want on the subject at an introductory and intermediate level: history, design, and practical. The training equipment section of my
March 1, 2020
An well written and deeply researched account of the history and traditional methods of resistance and impact training found in Okinawa karate.
The techniques are interesting but some strike me as potentially leading to repetitive stress injuries. Morio Higaonna’s rock pounding hands are impressive in appearance and function, but for some such training will lead to crippling arthritis.
Most of the exercises build the anterior muscles. The scapular muscles and anterior deltoids don’t get as much work.
That said, one’s forearm muscles and grip could become extremely powerful using some of these tools.
The techniques are interesting but some strike me as potentially leading to repetitive stress injuries. Morio Higaonna’s rock pounding hands are impressive in appearance and function, but for some such training will lead to crippling arthritis.
Most of the exercises build the anterior muscles. The scapular muscles and anterior deltoids don’t get as much work.
That said, one’s forearm muscles and grip could become extremely powerful using some of these tools.
March 10, 2014
Good thoughts on traditional supplemental training.
January 15, 2023
Great book for understanding Hojo Undo. Shows many ways to create classical karate training tools from general material and various ways of utilizing said tools. A must read/reference for all serious practitioners.
July 16, 2013
A great guide to hojo undo. How to use the equipment and how to make yourself the equipment if you can't/don't want to order them from Okinawa.
A solid, well researched read.
A solid, well researched read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews