Yahara UNSU in Shotokan Karate Magazine Special 100th Edition!

For it's 100th Special Edition, Shotokan Karate Magazine's redoubtable mastermind and editor John Cheetham has given "TEN POINTS IN KATA UNSU: By Sensei Mikio Yahara" top billing. For those of you who don't know the magazine, SKM is required reading and continues to be a flagship source of news, reviews, insight and intelligence about Shotokan Karate.

The key point about this special edition for us is that this is the first time we know of that YS has explained his take on Unsu to a wider and non-Japanese audience. In other words, this is a major first in the western Karate press. (Bryan Dukas Sensei has been personally taught Unsu by YS, though).

In fact, this is Unsu from the eye of the hurricane. Did I mention a storm? Well, inside YS not only talks about technical aspects of Unsu, but also his philosophy behind it.

For copies of SKM's 100th Special Anniversary Edition, please check out the website HERE. Thanks so much, John!

You can also see several versions of the YS Unsu in the video bar up top of this blog.

Enjoy!

Yoroshiku,

Paul.

Memoirs of a Grasshopper - Planet Hopping, Stargazing...

A fascinating (and beautifully put together blog) has been drawn to my attention and I took one look and thought- "Great!" It's written by Krista de Castella, who has the wonderful experience of training at Sensei Morio Higaonna's dojo in Naha. The stuff of legend! Oh Happy Daze! 

Memoirs of a Grasshopper has a very different take on things, so for me it's highly refreshing. It's a bit like this: most people know Holst's Mars: Bringer of War but I love in particular listening to all the suites, in particular, Jupiter, which is simply one of the most exhilarating and uplifting pieces of music I know. 

I once knew a young man of very fixed and rigid ideas who told me solemnly that the only "true" Karate was Shotokan Karate. I really didn't know where to begin with him, because such a statement predisposes emotional and academic inexperience that can only be unlearned, hopefully, over time. On the other hand, with Goju-Ryu Karate, I find the Kata in particular awesome. I often think if or when I can get to my sandan, say when I am in my 50s or so, I would LOVE to cross train with our Karate cousins. It certainly helped YS Karate. 

So why get stuck on Mars when you can have a great time on Jupiter or Neptune, or Saturn...? We orbit around the same son. (The critical question is, then, if each planet represents a major Karate school, which one is represented by Uranus? That's a place I do not want to delve into ;-) ).

I was first introduced to Goju-Ryu by Sensei Higaonna's son Eric, who came to train under Yahara Sensei for a year to study Shotokan in 2005. Here is is demonstrating for the KWF in one of our Nationals a few years back. He tried to teach me Sanchin, and I can still feel the sting of his blows, even though I know he was being nice to me! I'll stick to Hangetsu until I can get my leg over without wobbling first though...

We sometimes talk of asking permission and forging links and going down to train in Okinawa, you know, the KWF equivalent of "Roots" or something. Unfortunately or otherwise, the only times I have made it to the main island was on business for a conference. All the other times we have just been straight down to Miyakojima and into the surf and awamori! 

So  the meantime, I'll be checking out Memoirs of a Grasshopper for beautifully presesented insights on something extraordinarily precious.

Yoroshiku ;-)

Paul.

KWF North African Seminar June 27-28, 2009!

The 4th KWF International Seminar, North Africa (Tunisia)

Following on from the highly successful previous outing to North Africa (you can read the report HERE) it's time again for the latest KWF North Africa Seminar hosted by Shihan Sid Tadrist and headed by YS. The details on the picture are self-explanatory. However, if your screen hasn't got sufficient resolution, here are the details:

Date: June 27-8, 2009
Theme: Kata Bunkai

Contact details:

1. Abdelkader El Fendri:
Tel: 00216 20505435
E-mail: atktfendri@hotmail.fr
2. Sid Tadrist: 
Tel: 0044 7958497562
E-mail: sid_tadrist@yahoo.co.uk

From what I know about YS Kata Bunkai, YS tends to dispel complex explanations about lots of Kata moves and brings things back to their original simplicity. Those of you who are aite, be prepared to get knocked flat or hit by YS masonry-like fists and iron bar arms and legs. Ouch! (Part of the fun, of course...)

Sensei Sid says every effort is being made to make the arrangements as pleasant and affordable as possible and everyone is welcome. I am sure it's going to be a "knockout" event, like Sid Sensei's Ippon!

BTW, take a look at this blog's VIDEO BAR (up top!) to see KWF Algeria in action. 

Yoroshiku ;-)
Paul.

New Angles on Kakehiki Kusshin- "That's the Spirit!"

Well yesterday's practice was just unbelievably good: after the warmup it was 80 minutes of kusshin-kihon, kusshin-kumite, sen-no-sen kusshin hangeki, kakehiki kusshin, kusshin, more kusshin, and ...you guessed it....yet more kusshin. There was no break, just time to recover your breath, and then Kanku-Dai.

All this was especially hard on me because a) it was the first training for me in a month following influenza then pneumonia and a gammy leg and b) because of its pace and c) because my partner was Pieter. The consequence is that I even have bruises on the palm of my hand! The spirit is willing. Pity about the body!


1. Kihon Basics
Before we went into compression (kusshin) training we did some very basic warmup Kihon
a) From shizentai kumite kamae smash forward with maximum extension gyakuhanmi go-tai-ichi oi-zuki -> come back into kusshin kamae
b) From shizentai kumite kamae smash forward with maximum extension maegeri -> second maegeri


2. Diagonal Compression (Kusshin) Training
Then we realized we were in for a treat: did compression from shizen kamae on the back leg into age-uke ==> followed by gyaku-zuki
==> then compressing diagonally to the back, on the left and then right sides, gedan barrai followed by gyaku-zuki.
Begin with two count, then go to one count. Fortunately for my stamina we didn't do the three Kusshin/defense=> counter on one count!
Key points with this are:
a) Kusshin means going down to maximum compression on the rear leg and then the counter attack (hangeki) gyaku-zuki is from the rear leg
b) Koshi no kiru --> really "whaak" your hips into hami and then use shinshuku off the rear leg to drive the gyaku-zuki
c) Merihari (contrast): remember, big decisive movements- imagine yourself like a huge spring, compressing yourself so it's unbearable and releasing and explosively expanding

3. Diagonal Kusshin and Applied Kihon
Then we did some moving kihon. Forward with oi-zuki, returning with mae-geri. This was followed by applying the first part of the training into moving kihon (age-uke->gyaku-zuki, diagonal gedanbarai-> gyaku-zuki).

4. Diagonal Kussin and Applied Kumite
Then we applyed this combination into kumite, with the opponent attacking jodan oi-zuki-> mae-geri-> mae-geri.

5. Yahara Tai-Sabaki-> Hangeki (Avoid and Counterattack) I, II, III
Just as we were really hammering each other, YS changed the pace of the lesson and we moved into tai-sabaki->hangeki drills

Drill I: Standard twist tai-sabaki
Simply from hips twist back and compress into Kusshin and then counterattack of your own choice from the leading arm (twist back left or right)

Drill II: Sen-no-sen tai-sabaki and counter
This was really fun- twist into the attack to avoid and simultaneous counter. For example, YS for anti-clockwise forward twist left arm block and leading right hand for teisho counter WHAK- scary stuff! I instinctively prefer enpi! ;-)

Drill III: Sen-no-sen tai-sabaki --> instant Yahara Reaper!
Oh boy this was fun! Fortunately we didn't do this on each other. The committment required for these makes them just too dangerous.

6. Tai-sabaki -> Hangeki Kakehiki Kihon
Yet more fun! Next we applied this to Kumite: Sen no sen, exploding forward to opponent's mae-geri block one hand gedan while simultaneously countering with a kisami-zuki, or compressing on the back leg blocking the mae-geri with a two handed block following with a counter.
Kakehiki:
The point here was that we were trying to trick each other about the timing to try to throw our opponent off. However, this really did not work for Pieter and I because I was exhausted and Pieter, while he is getting faster, because I am still expecting it, I can see it coming.

7. Tai-sabaki -> Kakehiki Hangeki Kumite Ji-yu-Ippon Kumite
These techniques were then applied into kumite, with the opponent kicking mae-geri. This was repeated 5 times. After this we did jiyu-ippon-kumite with two jdoan, two chu-dan, two mae-geri and two mawashi-geri on each side.
Kakehiki:
See above! Although Pieter the sod tricked me by dipping his jodan mawashi-geri into my ribs, giving me a very hard time getting up from the futon this morning ;-).

8. Kanku-Dai
Key points:
1. Koshi no kiru on gedan block
2. Bunkai on high crossblock, like why don't I snap your arm off at the shoulder?

It was a great session with pacing just enough to get us tired but when YS saw people (guess who) getting tired, he would crack a joke or get us to bend and stretch out the knocks. Specifically for me, the session, while hard for me trying to bounce back after a pretty rocky month, was just the sort of jolt I needed.

All in all, it reminded me why I do Karate- there were a couple of times when things were spinning a bit, but the positive energy of pushing yourself and moving in a larger world than your own grumbles and insecurities was just GREAT. Great people, great training, interesting techniques, switches and logic, and watching a master in action- YS.

Yoroshiku ;-)
Paul.

KWF North African Seminar June 27-28, 2009!

The 4th KWF International Seminar, North Africa (Tunisia)

Following on from the highly successful previous outing to North Africa (you can read the report HERE) it's time again for the latest KWF North Africa Seminar hosted by Shihan Sid Tadrist and headed by YS. The details on the picture are self-explanatory. However, if your screen hasn't got sufficient resolution, here are the details:

Date: June 27-8, 2009
Theme: Kata Bunkai

Contact details:

1. Abdelkader El Fendri:
Tel: 00216 20505435
E-mail: atktfendri@hotmail.fr
2. Sid Tadrist:
Tel: 0044 7958497562
E-mail: sid_tadrist@yahoo.co.uk

From what I know about YS Kata Bunkai, YS tends to dispel complex explanations about lots of Kata moves and brings things back to their original simplicity. Those of you who are aite, be prepared to get knocked flat or hit by YS masonry-like fists and iron bar arms and legs. Ouch! (Part of the fun, of course...)

Sensei Sid says every effort is being made to make the arrangements as pleasant and affordable as possible and everyone is welcome. I am sure it's going to be a "knockout" event, like Sid Sensei's Ippon!

BTW, take a look at this blog's VIDEO BAR (up top!) to see KWF Algeria in action.

Yoroshiku ;-)
Paul.

IS Fundamentals (a) Sit Down Lesson Part 4/10: Yokogeri

Folks, as I am not able to train this week, I thought I would take a look at Isaka Sensei's double-yokogeri. The first essential thing to point out is that this is not the same as kai-kyaku (開脚) open legs stretch, or the splits. This sit-down is double-yokogeri. Right?

Right!

So what am I saying? Well, understanding this point is pretty essential in understanding Isaka Sensei's training. Anybody worth their salt in Shotokan Karate will know, to one degree or another, that kicking from the hip, or however you want to put it, is essential. It's a core part of kihon, it's a core part of Shotokan, and therein lays its strength. This is why Budo karate fighters don't go flapping thier legs around (or at least they shouldn't, right?)

But, moving on, when you are doing this stretch, please imagine yourself doing two yokogeri kicks from the hips. The second essential thing here is that the angle of your legs is not initially all that important. It's the angle of your legs relative to the vector of the kick that counts. In other words, you might find an uncomfortable truth. Some of you may get real shock, if you have only stretched with your feet up.

Yah, so if you just stick your toes up vertically, you will probably find you can open a lot wider. Please now try to touch the dojo floor with your toes. This "turn of events" is, as I said, essential to the exercise, which is getting your body instinctively tuned up for a great yoko-geri with correct sokuto.

As an aside, while IS and YS praise flexibility, jodan kicks are not seen as necessarily desirable by YS- only effective kicks with proper technique are desirable. YS would rather you do a great chudan kick leaning forward into the kick, with proper sokuto, than a jodan which has you leaning backwards. The lean backwards in a ke-age or a mawashi-geri is a potentially fatal weakness, right?

So the critial point in this move is sokuto- as it is with the kick. You must angle your foot forward so that your instep is touching the dojo floor, mat because you are performing the sokuto of a side kick! Now prepare for a shock if you are able to do a wide splits normally. It is better to close the angle in a little and point your feet forward.

OK, I have been able to move quite comfortably for the last two days for the first time in ten days. We went to Meji Jingu this morning for (in my case) a limp around and I got a real shock trying to gently do Isaka Sensei's kihon. I haven't been able to move much for ten days and I had shooting pains running up and down my nerves in my legs. This reminded me to say, more than ever, take it easy with these stretches, always. Never get some fool to force you into a position you body says "no" to, never force yourself to do something you know is too painful, and never, ever worry about anyone else. Keep a calm mind and breath deeply and...enjoy!

Yoroshiku,

Paul.

Crocked Again- Tendonitis

Well it's been 9 days now and things are getting better. After more trips to the hospital (I am up to 6 in the past 8 weeks) I was diagnosed with tendonitis and have to take a complete rest.

Meanwhile the swelling that turned the bottom half of my left leg into something out of the Elephant Man, has gradually moved to my foot, so now I can't put on shoes. Great, eh!

I'll try to update Isaka Sensei's lessons this week, focusing on double yoko-geri. 

Yoroshiku,

Paul ;-)