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SayokanUSA                                            

FAQ

What is different about Sayokan?

At first glance Sayokan looks a lot like other styles in the karate category most closely  resembling Ashihara “in my opinion” because Of our founder’s time spent in that  system and because the rules for competition are so similar. But that’s where it ends.

Sayokan is so different from other styles that it can’t be answered in one statement.

#1-Strategy-In most styles the emphasis is on technique while in Sayokan, strategy is the number one issue. This is why the average person can use Sayokan affectively without precise technical ability.

#2-Ability- Your system should support you and not the other way around. If you are an incredible athlete just about any style you choose can be affective for you. But what about the rest of us. Jeat kun do was Bruce Lee’s style but very few practice it. Jeat kun do was good for him because of his athletic ability. sayokan can be affective for even the average person with limited  abilities.

#3-Movement-Some styles revolve around circular movements and some strait lines or 45 degree angles. Sayokan utilizes the crescent in it’s footwork and for it’s power. Most of the strikes and kicks either move in the shape of the crescent or get there power from the body’s crescent movements. Even the Arrow punch which moves in a strait line gets its power from the crescent movement of the shoulders and hips.

#4-Strikes-Sayokan has many strikes and kicks different from traditional styles from the Ottoman strike to the orak(sickle) and the Tirpon(finish)kick.

#5-improvisation-Traditional styles discourage using your imagination but Sayokan’s whole purpose is to prepare you to improvise.

#6Kata-Traditional katas have many useless techniques while Sayokan(tolas) consist only of techniques you are likely to use in real life.

#7-Religion-Sayokan has no religious affiliation while most traditional styles Incorporate philosophies of Budism and Taoism. Sayokan leadership encourages loyalty to your own country and personal beliefs. Sayokan headquarters In Turkiye has all the countries flags so that when you visit and train there you can salute your own country’s flag

#8-Power-All Sayokan strikes are full power as you would use for breaking demonstrations.

#9-Stance-Sayokan practitioners stand more like a boxer which is more realistic. Many Styles teach you to stand sideways which is terrible for balance and stability.

 

 

Can children practice Sayokan ?

Sayokan for kids?

              Sayokan cocuklar icinma?

   Sayokan was originally designed with adults in mind for life and death situations. It’s aggressive nature is to inflict as much damage as possible to attacker(s) in a very short amount of time so that a smaller weaker person could stand a chance in a confrontation in the street. Many of the techniques could be potentially devastating in every day school yard horse play.

    Most traditional systems while being great for promoting discipline and self confidence do not address reality. In fact a child can become overconfident and not react properly when approached by a strange adult. A 50 pound child cannot engage

in combat with a full grown adult no matter what tricks they’ve learned.

     This is why Sayokan for kids was developed. Children are first taught how to avoid a confrontation with a stranger. They are taught to run, scream, bite, pinch, and twist their way out of trouble, techniques that can come natural to a child in a “panic”   situation. They are also taught how to identify potential trouble and avoid it altogether.

     After all these things are understood they are encouraged to go to the next level. All traditional style moves and things they may have seen demonstrated in the entertainment media can be taught in proper context. Your child’s safety is our first concern. If a child learns maturity and self control, “the sky’s the limit”.

    

 

 

Basic required techniques and Turkish Terminology  (phoneticly)

begin                     Bashla

inside block           Kalkan     (shield)

rainbow block         Gerk kushaai             Sky belt

cork screw block    burgu

sword hand            Kuluch el

punch                    Yumruk

arrow                     Ok

sickle                     Orak      

upper cut               Kanja                             

elbow                    Dirsek

reverse punch  ters yumuruk                    

horizontal knee     Omja

kick                       Tekme

finish kick             Tirpan

turning                  Durner

high                       Ewst

medium                 Orta

low                        Alt

full moon drill      Togay

attention               dikkat et                   

ready stance          Hazir ol

fighting stance      Jenkal

front                      Urn

side                       Yan

lines (crescent)       Hilal

1-10 bir, iki, ewch, durt, besh ,alta, yede ,sekeez ,dokooz, own

Rank-student-alp       1st- san-tuyun, 3rd san-aybar, 6th san taygun

9th-san tanyu    10th yabgu

           Why Sayokan ?

  Your system should support you and not the other way around. In the traditional systems only about 5% of students are able to perform with reasonable success in real life situations.

That’s because they are a phenomenal athlete or they have  devoted their life to the art and could do it in their sleep. In other words your system may be good because you are good. What about the rest of us who are not gymnasts or cannot devote our lives to it. If you are in the 95% like me you need a system that makes you look good and not a system that” needs you to make it look good”. Sayokan self defense teaches strategy that the average person can perform. Basic Sayokan self defense consists of only about 15 strikes blocks and kicks. It is better to know a few things very well than to know 100 mediocre. There is a three point foundation consisting of hand position, feet position, and core strength. Every movement prepares you for the next. Every strike is full power as in breaking techniques. There are no wasted moves. You do not waste time learning things you will never use. If you desire to go to the next level you can learn many more techniques but they are not required for 1st degree black belt. All that is required is that you can defend yourself in real life situations.

    If you have already trained in another style you don’t have to throw it away. No matter what style you practice you can improve it’s effectiveness with Sayokan strategy.

 

Sayokan SD do’s and don’ts

   Do stand still. Keep movement to a minimum. The more you move the more complicated the attack will become.

   Don’t dance around. It just wastes energy and decreases balance. Competition is more flexible but the basic philosophy is the same.

   Do stand solid. Feet at least shoulder width apart. The taller you are the farther apart.

   Don’t stand sideways or in a back stance accept when executing a spinning technique. “Fight the way you walk”.

   Do keep at least one hand up to guard face and head. Proper hand position is palms facing each other and elbows directly below to protect body.  Hands are above your feet. Hands open. Making a fist slows you down and reduces the area you can cover.

   Do strive for diagonal position against opponent. (Outside corridor.)

   Don't use center corridor except for momentary strike and then get out as quickly as possible.

   Don’t turn your back to opponent except during a throw or spinning.

   Do stand as close as possible to perform techniques. If you have to lean in you are to far away. The closer you are the stronger you are. It is possible to stand “too close” but usually the opposite is the problem.         

   Do use inside block (kalkan) as much as possible. It would be rare to use outside block as this would leave you exposed and is not consistent with footwork.

   Don’t use techniques that only equalize the situation. You want your response to leave yourself in a position of advantage.

   Don’t waste movement. Try to strike and re-chamber every time you move.