Kenkojuku is a style of Shotokan karate previous to the establishment of the Japan Karate Association (JKA) style. It was founded by Tomosaburo Okano. Kenkojuku karate is similar to the teachings of Gichin Funakoshi and modifications made by Funakoshi´s son Yoshitaka Funakoshi. JKA Shotokan differs slightly in that it was Masatoshi Nakayama's version of Shotokan. Okano's/Yoshitaka's Kenkojuku karate and JKA karate are becoming more similar compared to other variants of Shotokan karate such as Shigeru Egami's Shotokai, Hirokazu Kanazawa's Shotokan Karate International or SKI. General description Since the style is more biomechanically sound and self-defense oriented, there are notable differences in the way many techniques are performed; by comparison with JKA shotokan karate. For example: The rising block or Age-uke is performed by aligning the ulna bone in the forearm, with the arm and not by twisting the ulna bone as the usual jodan uke. There is a wider arc made at the startup position for the soto uke, the gedan barai is more a check than full power block. The double hand blocks have various "hands together" start-up positions. The shotokan kenkojuku style originally had a lower, more demanding kokutsu dachi and neko ashi dachi stances and a more vertical shuto uke / shuto uchi (known as Seiryuto uke /uchi). The Mawashi geri or round kick is performed in a slight downward angle. Within the style´s katas; these show better relationship / linkage patterns between the various movements between basic - intermediate and advanced katas. The kata Niseishi (Chito Ryu version) is included in the Dan grade syllabus instead of Nijūshiho, as well as other katas from another styles such as Goju Ryu); In the kata Bassai, the "yama tsuki" is performed in a shorter arc. Finally, the style´s free fighting position is similar to a crouching lunge position holding both fists in a vertical forward position, protecting the body's center line, as holding a sword; and the style's kumite is more focused on continuous fighting and combinations as in boxing, rather than the usual stop-and-start sport kumite for points, or WKF sport karate kumite. Kenkojuku karate also includes both traditional Okinawan (Bō, tonfa, sai, nunchaku) and Japanese weapons training, also known as kobudo. The style also includes training in the martial art of drawing the Japanese sword or Iaido within its syllabus; since Okano was also a 7th Dan of Iaido, from the Japan Kendo Federation. Kenkojuku comes