New Old Videos of Yahara Sensei and Asai Sensei

Robert Sidoli Sensei just came across some videos on You Tube featuring Yahara Sensei and Asai Sensei, and also a fascinating video of Isaka Sensei doing Kihon. It's hard to believe that this was more than 10 years ago, and I was struggling with Heian Nidan under Richard Amos Sensei (who can be found demonstrating Kumite here.)

Come to think of it, I am still struggling with Heian Nidan ;-)  

I don't know what these were shot on, but for me the weird color and muddy focus only add to the charm. Click on the bold hyperlinked title to see the videos! 

1. Isaka Sensei Kihon Demonstration, Paris 1997

What I love about this video is that it clearly shows an earlier stage in the evolution of IS slow-motion training to the level he trains at now. One of the things you have to remember with IS is that kicking fast and high is easy. Kicking slow is a different matter. As an aside, just before we went off to Norway, I saw IS walk up to the bag at the other end of the ShotoKan. He lurked in front of it and then suddenly POP! out came a fast as lightning left jodan mawashigeri that hit the top of the bag. He then turned around and wondered off absent-mindedly as if he was thinking about his lunch or something. That's Isaka Sensei. No matter what you think he's thinking, he's thinking something else. You think he's going to kick one way, but he's already somewhere else. 

This reminds me of Asai Sensei- he seemed to have a temporary anti-gravity button. With Isaka Sensei, it's a sort of appear where you don't expect him. Difficult to explain, you just have to see it. 

2. Knives, Nunchacku, and the odd Kick or Two! 

Here we can see YS with knives, Asai Sensei looking very deadly with nunchacku, and a rare ushirogeri from YS. The big point for me is that this was apparently filmed back in 1980, and yo can see the early elements of YS spinning techniques that became so important later. 

3. YS LONG EMBU

Just take a look at this. Most of this will be familiar to YS watchers. But there is a lovely surprise at the end. 

4. Asai Sensei and Yahara Sensei Demonstration

Here is a full chance to appreciate a couple of Asai Sensei's Budo techniques. What a pity there aren't more. It's just a delight to watch. And some clips of Isu-Dori as well ;-)

Enjoy!

Yoroshiku,

Paul.