The Weapons of the Body

The vast array of karada no buki (weapons of the body) make karate-do extremely unique as an unarmed system of self-defence. Here is a list of the most common, as taught in Asai-ha Shotokan-ryu. I failed to include the head, hips and teeth as weapons, but these are also standard.

Please note: In some of the photos I have intentionally positioned the karada no buki to more clearly show how to correctly form them (as opposed to showing it in the typical manner for actual application).Osu, André.

© André Bertel. New Zealand, 2010.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traditional Karate-Do Beach Training - Christchurch, New Zealand.

This morning a small group of karateka from the Christchurch Shotokan Karate Club did practice at North Beach from 6am. The training was initiated by a run and around 100 seiken choku-zuki and 50 mae-geri, followed by oi-zuki and mae-geri in standard ido-kihon form. We then went through the Heian and Junro kata, kihon ippon-kumite, jiyu-kumite, and some other calistenics including the traditional `beach sumo'. The session was rounded off by seiken-tate (fore fist knuckle push ups) and an extended time in mokuso. Well done to everyone who attended! Here are some photos from this mornings keiko courtesy of Mizuho. You can click on the photos to enlarge them. Well done everyone! Osu, André.

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© André Bertel. New Zealand, 2010.

 

 

 

 

 

Site Video Links Updated

Arriving home tonight from training, at the Christchurch Shotokan Karate Club, I found several emails requesting links to my previously uploaded videos. This occurred because early this afternoon I provided a link to a new video kindly uploaded by Silvio Cannizzo from Mira, Italy (please click here to check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CBEtiICjBw).

Below are the previously uploaded links to videos. Please feel free to comment and rate the videos. My objective is to talk with my karate and to keep Asai Sensei's karate alive in the purest technical form. The direct links below are all from 201o, and the following link including my karate with my late teacher Tetsuhiko Asai, some compeition clips and a sample of Asai-ha Shotokan-ryu kata.

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These samples of karate give a general indication of the karate tuition available at the Christchurch Shotokan Karate Club & Tetsubukan. For people interested in attending practice, please feel free to email me at: andre.mizuho@hotmail.co.jp

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PREVIOUS VIDEO LINKS

Self-training in the mountains (Oita, Japan): http://www.youtube.com/user/andrebertel?feature=mhum#p/u/3/-sCwEte1Zsw

Teaching in Hamburg, Germany: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBHfwT0n8I8

Teaching in Lignano Sabbiadoro in Italy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjWjasrt2qw

Teaching in Ahrensburg, Germany: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LW-UgZECcY

Teaching in Shibuya, Tokyo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCz1f8ruhTM

For all video links prior to this (pre-2010) please click here and navigate/select clips accordingly from the following post: http://andrebertel.blogspot.com/2009/09/andre-bertels-karate-do-video-links.html

© André Bertel. New Zealand, 2010.

More video footage from Italy

Here is some footage kindly uploaded by Silvio Cannizzo Sensei from the seminars I taught in Italy earlier this year. This was the final practice on the last day of training in Mira, and shows the great karate spirit of Mauro Mion Shihan (7th Dan) and Guiseppe Formenton Shihan (7th Dan), and that of their students.

Best wishes to all of our wonderful karate friends in Italy, OSU! André & Mizuho.

© André Bertel. New Zealand, 2010.

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PS - Here is a link to a previous article relating to the seminars in Italia. Click here: http://andrebertel.blogspot.com/2010/05/video-footage-from-my-seminars-in-italy.html

Advanced Shotokan Training in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Today Lyall Stone Sensei and I had a special five hour senior instructor training focusing on advanced skills and the long-term development of Shotokan Karatedo in Christchurch-City.

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We covered the various standard forms of partner training namely Gohon kumite (five step sparring), Sambon kumite (three step sparring), Kihon ippon kumite (fundamental one step sparring), Jiyu ippon kumite (free one step sparring), Kaeshi ippon kumite (reaction one step sparring) and Jiyu kumite (free sparring). The ferocity of this advanced practice was focused on high level precision and maximization of effectiveness.

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We then moved on to kata and covered the five Junro, Gankaku and Wankan in depth. Relationships between Gankaku and Heian-sandan/yondan were also made, with seamless ties back to the five Junro, and of course practical bunkai for goshin-jutsu (self-defence). I focused on coaching ryo hiji gamae, uraken no gamae, ryo sho tsukami uke, uchi-uke doji ni gedan barai, and several other aspects to up-level/improve the standards here.

Needless to say, this level of training is unique in the South Island of New Zealand. The Christchurch Karate Club is the only dojo in Christchurch City that offers its members serious traditional Japanese Shotokan tuition (where effective `martial arts' karate is taught). Advanced black belt sessions, like that of today, aim to further refine instructors skills at an even more intense level, and therefore further benefit everyone in the region who is serious about learning real karate.

© André Bertel. New Zealand, 2010.