| Kansuiryu Karate Flag | |
| Focus | Striking |
|---|---|
| Hardness | Full-contact; sport competitions include kicks to the head, but not hand or knee strikes to the head |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Creator | Yukio Mizutani and Kanji Inoki |
| Famous practitioners | Antonio Inoki |
| Parenthood | Various, including Matsubayashi-ryu |
| Official website | http://www.npo-kansui-karate.com/ |
Kansuiryu (寛水流 Kansuiryu) is a style of Japanese karate founded by Yukio Mizutani and Kanji Inoki in 1979. It is known for its full contact training.
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Two men, Yukio Mizutani (水谷征夫 Mizutani Yukio) and Antonio Inoki (猪木寛至 Inoki Kanji), founded Kansuiryu Karate in the Mie prefecture of southern Japan.
As a young man Yukio Mizutani traveled to Okinawa and studied the Matsubayashi Ryu style of Shōrin-ryū karate under Shōshin Nagamine. Upon returning to Japan Mizu Sensei began teaching karate and soon earned a reputation as a tough instructor who expected total and unquestioning commitment from his students. Training under Mizu Sensei was severe to the point of being brutal and the drop-out rate amongst students was high.
Inoki, a professional wrestler trained by Karl Gotch and karate expert, earned his reputation fighting opponents from Asia, Pakistan and the United States. Today Inoki is as much a household name in Japan as is Muhammad Ali in the West (in fact the two once fought, the result being a lacklustre draw).
Inoki’s penchant for delivering off the cuff challenges soon brought him to the attention of Mizutani, who immediately proposed a bout - with the winner to be decided on the basis of whoever had a pulse afterwards! As it happened the fight never took place. The two men found they had a lot in common and became firm friends.
In 1979 Mizutani and Inoki decided to jointly found a new style of karate, which they named ‘Kansuiryu.’ The name is an amalgam of both surnames; ‘kan’ from Kanji Inoki and 'sui' being a play on words with the dual meaning of "water" (mizu, the first component of the surname Mizutani meaning water) or alternatively ‘essence’ or ‘elegance.’
While retaining the traditional elements of kata and weapons training, particularly for higher grades, Kansuiryu also offers vigorous competition for those who display aptitude and interest. Training reflects the full-contact nature of the Knockdown karate tournament rules, with practitioners expected to achieve a high level of fitness and technique.
Today in Japan more than seven thousand students study Kansuiryu Karate and compete in the Kansuiryu Full Contact Karate Championships, held during October each year. It is one of the largest full contact tournaments in the country.
Fudo-dachi: Rooted stance
Heisuko-dachi: Informal Attention stance
Jiyu-dachi: Free-fighting stance
Kiba-dachi: Straddle leg stance; aka "Horse stance"
Kokutsu-dachi: Back stance
Mae-dachi: Front stance
Niko Ashi-dachi: Cat stance
Sanchin-dachi: Hour-glass stance
Zenkutsu-dachi: Forward stance
Age-zuki: Rising punch
Awase-zuki: U punch
Choku-zuki: Straight punch
Gyaku-zuki: Reverse punch
Kagi-zuki: Hook punch
Kizami-zuki: Jab
Mawashi-zuki: Roundhouse punch
Oi-zuki: Lunge punch
Tate-zuki: Vertical fist punch
Teisho-zuki: Palm-heel punch
Ura-zuki: Close punch
Fumikomi: Stamping kick
Gyaku mawashi-geri: Reverse roundhouse kick
Mae-geri keage: Front snap kick
Mae-geri kekomi: Front thrust kick
Mae-tobi-geri: Jumping front kick
Mawashi-geri: Roundhouse kick
Mikazuki-geri: Crescent kick
Ushiro-geri keage: Back snap kick
Ushiro-geri kekomi: Back thrust kick
Yoko-geri keage: Side snap kick
Yoko-geri kekomi: Side thrust kick
Yoko-tobi-geri: Jumping side kick
Empi-uchi: Elbow strike
Mawashi empi-uchi: Roundhouse elbow strike
Otoshi empi-uchi: Downward elbow strike
Ushiro empi-uchi: Rear elbow strike
Yoko empi-uchi: Side elbow strike
Haishu-uchi: Back hand strike
Haito-uchi: Ridge hand strike
Koko-uchi: Tiger mouth hand strike
Shuto-uchi: Knife hand strike
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