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Typical for the Shuri-te is distance fighting presupposing an opponent armed with a sword. Naha-te, however, is infighting, based on southern Chinese kempō. There are no thrusts and kicks which are typical elements of distance fighting. Of course Naha-te, too, is not pure kempō. It is influenced by the Shuri-te and adapted to the Okinawan conditions. However, techniques that are called in Chinese kempō “explosive energy” (hakkei) or “power of the moment” (sunkei) are particular for this style. In the Naha-te, these techniques were at first practiced by exercising the “three phases kata” (Sanchin) and “turning-the-palms kata” (Tenshō).

A particularity of the Naha-te is also a breathing technique used to contract all muscles of the body. There is no such exercise in the Shuri-te. In the beginning it is practiced by inhaling and exhaling slowly, and at the same time slowly pulling the fist back to the hip (hikite) and thrusting it forward. Of course in a normal situation blocking and thrusting are carried out much faster.