Karate training is based on three elements or pillars. An equal emphasis on all three areas during training is essential if one is to have any hope of mastery. The three pillars are:

1. Kihon (basic technique): In Kihon a single or a series of techniques are practiced. These techniques include offensive maneuvers such as kicks and punches, defensive maneuvers such as blocks, as well as stances and movement. This gives the practitioner a chance to work on muscle and body control, speed, breathing, and exactness as they pertain to the technique being practiced. The idea is to perfect individual or short combinations of techniques and to make them second nature through continuous repetition. 

2. Kata (prearranged forms): Katas are longer series of prearranged techniques in which the practitioner fights against imaginary opponents. Some katas are hundreds of years old and were passed on from generation to generation. These Katas contained the essence of a certain fighting style. The practice of kata is twofold. First the whole kata is learned and practiced then, in a second step, the individual parts of the kata are studied and the meaning and practical implementation of the techniques is analyzed. This is known as kata bunkai and allows the practitioner to understand the aforementioned essence of the kata.

3. Kumite (sparring or practice fighting): In kumite the techniques practiced during kihon and kata training are implemented against a real opponent. Due to the unpredictable nature of hand to hand combat, Kumite training evolves through stages with increasing difficulty . The first stage is gohon kumite in which both opponents start in a fixed stance. One opponent attacks five times with a predetermined attack, the other defends five times with a predetermined block countering with gyaku zuki (reverse punch) after the last block. The second stage is sanbon kumite. This is basically the same as gohon kumite except that there are only three attacks and blocks. Often three different predetermined attacks and blocks are used. The third stage is kihon ippon kumite. Here the attacker starts in a fixed stance and attacks once with a predetermined attack. The defender moves from a ready position into a stance, blocking the attack and countering. The fourth stage is jiyu ippon kumite. Here both the attacker and the defender pick a comfortable fighting stance (kamae). The attacker announces the attack and is free to move and feint. The defender is free in the choice of block and counter.  The last stage is jiyu kumite which is freestyle sparring.