Australian instructors visit

Australian Shotokan karate instructors Ken and Helen Bainbridge visited Nakatsu on Sunday morning (March 21st). It was nice meeting and doing some training with them. Also taking them for some sightseeing around Nakatsu and Usa.

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With limted time I took them through some fundamental aspects of Asai style Shotokan karate (in both kihon and kata application). The kihon I introduced included correct chushin for choku-zuki, and testing of this, which can then be applied to all other techniques. Also dentouteki koshi no kaiten (traditional hip rotation) for gyaku-zuki; oi-zuki timing; and Asai-ryuha kihon tachikata.

Oyo-jutsu (practical application) of kata included the final movement of Jion and some others. I hope all of this kihon, and the applications, will be of great benefit, for their students back in Western Australia.

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Mizuho and I really enjoyed meeting Helen and Ken. It is always a pleasure to make new friends through the art of Karate-Do. We wish them both the utmost best, for their remaining time here in Nippon.

© André Bertel, Japan (2010).