SEMINARS IN SOUTH AFRICA (PART 2): Private Lessons

Each day, whilst in South Africa, I gave Gary Grapentin Sensei and Maureen De Jager Sensei private lessons. The private lessons for Maureen Sensei were primarily focused around Jitte kata and “Jitte kata kumite no bunkai”, but also included a general introduction of the Asai-ha version of Unsu, and revision of Seiryu. The one-on-one lessons I gave Gary Sensei also included a revision of Seiryu; however, elite traditional kihon and Meikyo-Nidan kata (the Shotokan version of Matsumura Rohai) took precedence.

All of these private sessions emphasised `hip-torso-leg coordination’ during the execution of all techniques; maintaining correct posture; relaxation to generate snap; and the interrelationship between compression and rotation. I will not give a full run-down on what we did—in detail—as that information is in Gary Sensei’s hands, as the chief instructor of East Cape Shotokan-ryu.

On the whole, it was great watching Gary and Maureen improve their karate technique and, in doing so, generate more speed and power than they previously could; moreover, equip them with new skills to filter out to the members of East Cape Shotokan-ryu. Osu, André.

© André Bertel. Christchurch, New Zealand (2013).