Today must be better than yesterday and tomorrow better than today!

I’ve been sent numerous emails asking for video links of my karate. While these links are not everything freely available on the internet, there are a significant number here. Irrespective of this, as I wrote in an article earlier this month “karate is a work in process”, so for me, these videos are naturally disappointing—Karate-Do is path of constantly moving forward—as Asai Tetsuhiko Sensei always said “today must be better than yesterday, and tomorrow better than today.”

In June when my workload at the University of Canterbury is a lower I promise to post a lot more. Nonetheless, I appreciate the hundreds of emails I receive each month, and apologise for not enough time to reply to everyone.

Osu, André Bertel

              ANDRE BERTEL - ASAI HA SHOTOKAN-RYU KARATEDO VIDEO LINKS

A full list of videos I’ve uploaded on my channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/andrebertel/videos?sort=dd&view=0&page=1  and http://www.youtube.com/user/andrebertel/videos?sort=dd&view=0&page=2

Some other videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/olliwaa/videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CBEtiICjBw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ1W_GPhfLM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m34qsesUDEQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUNVc_uRubY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2QTfnlcVcM&feature=fvst

© André Bertel. Christchurch, New Zealand (2012).

Keigo Abe Sensei: Christchurch Seminars

Keigo Abe Sensei conduct two seminars in Christchurch on the 5th & 6th of May 2012.

This course will be OPEN for all karateka irrespective of style or association. For those wishing to attend please email me ASAP at: andrebertelono@gmail.com or call me on (021) 295-8669.
 

© André Bertel. Christchurch, New Zealand (2012).

Great Karate

How can anyone who practices karate-do think they are “great”? It is impossible if one has an honest view of themselves. Irrespective of competitive wins, tenure, rank and other accolades, Karate-Do is always about “where to next?” Intrinsically, the Japanese concept of ‘Do’ (way or path) does not imply a destination, only a journey.

Like all things, I believe there must be a balance, harmony. We are innately weak, so we cannot always be magnifying our deficits—sometimes—when deserved, we need to acknowledge our improvements. Nevertheless, these little truck stops where we reach our goals are not places of growth, but a point where we “get reinvigorated and set our next goal”… This means that it is time to make a renewed plan to start walking again.

One of my weaknesses when I was younger was that I was far too hard on myself in the dojo, especially in my childhood and teens (probably why I didn’t like karate very much for many years). Looking back now, I can clearly see it was due to my immaturity and a perfectionist attitude, based on my ‘boyish pride’. While these things can obviously be used to channel motivation, they can also stump development as well… And at times for me, they certainly did. During my 20s I sometimes found myself wrestling with these issues, and by my early 30s, I came pretty much to the point I am now.

Now, my approach to karate now is far better because of ‘balance’ and ‘self-honesty’. The combination of these attributes motivates practice through `step-by-step’ technical improvement, the construction of constant challenges, and the occasional truck stop where long-term goals are reached; nevertheless, the contemplation of oneself being “great” can never be a part of this equation. Overall, the idea of ‘great’ to me is a dead end… Train well and enjoy your improvements, but the only thing, that is great in Karate-Do, is the thought of “Where to next with your practice?” That truly is great! Osu, André.

© André Bertel. Christchurch, New Zealand (2012).

Christchurch Seido Karate

On Thursday night I enjoyed participating in one of Hanshi Renzie Hanham’s black belt classes (at the Seido Shibu on Barbadoes Street, in the Christchurch CBD). It was super to catch up with the Kyoshi Ellen Hampson and Sensei Tony Cope both of whom I haven’t seen in 20 years! Also, I was honoured to meet many other senior club instructors and fellow karateka. Many thanks to Kyoshi Harry for the ride and the beverages after class.

I can truly say that the karateka at Christchurch Seido exemplify the precept: “Karate-Do wa rei ni hajimari, rei ni owaru koto wo wasuruna” (Karate-Do begins and ends with courtesy).
Overall, I would like to thank everyone at Seido for their kind hospitality. Domo arigato gozaimashita. Osu!

PS – Sadly I have no photos from the training... But better still, here is link to an interview with Hanshi Renzie earlier this year: http://andrebertel.blogspot.co.nz/2012/01/interview-hanshi-renzie-hanham-8th-dan.html

© André Bertel. Christchurch, New Zealand (2012).

Christchurch Shotokan Karate Instructor Training

In addition to training in the general class at the Christchurch Shotokan Karate Club (CPIT dojo) here is the current instructors class training. Please note: the exception of the tokui-gata, which of course dependent on the individual.

I. Junbi-undo: Light jiyu-kumite progressively building in intensity and range of motion/lowering of the hips followed by dynamic stretches.

II. Stationary kihon: (1) Sanbon-zuki (hachinoji-dachi); (2) Hidari jodan kizami-zuki kara migi chudan gyaku-zuki; (3) Migi jodan kizami-zuki kara hidari chudan gyaku-zuki; (4) Hidari chudan maeashi mae-geri kara migi jodan mae-geri; & (5) Migi chudan maeashi mae-geri kara hidari jodan mae-geri. – 50 maximum speed repetitions of “1-3” for a total of 250 tsukiwaza and 30 repetitions of “4 & 5” for a total of 120 keriwaza.

III. Ido-kihon: (1) Sanbon-zuki; (2) Jodan age-uke kara mae-geri soshite chudan gyaku-zuki; (3) Chudan soto-uke kara yori-ashi (kiba-dachi) yoko empi-uchi, uraken yokomawashi uchi soshite chudan gyaku-zuki; (4) Chudan shuto-uke (kokutsu-dachi) kara mae-ashi mae-geri soshite nukite; (5) Chudan uchi-uke kara kizami-zuki soshite gyaku-zuki; (6) Tenshin gyaku-zuki (Kaiten-shinagara gedan-barai kara chudan gyaku-zuki); (7) Ren-geri: Chudan mae-ashi mae-geri kara mae-geri; (8) Chudan mae-ashi mawashi-geri kara mawashi-geri; (9) Ushiro-geri; & (10) Yoko-keage ashi o kaete yoko-kekomi (kiba-dachi). – A minimum of 10 reps of every technique with maximum speed.

IV. Kumite: (a) Jiyu ippon kumite (jodan, chudan, mae-geri, yoko-kekomi, mawashi-geri & ushiro-geri); & (b) Kaeshi ippon kumite (as per jiyu-ippon kumite attacks). – Changing partners at least three times for both forms of kumite.

V. Kata: Presently tokui-gata ‘Unsu’ and general training of the 15 shitei-gata (Heian, Tekki, Junro, Bassai-Dai, Kanku-Dai, Empi & Jion). – Generally speaking three kata are practiced each day (three times with regular speed and twice slowly).

VI. Calisthenics: Asai-ha Shotokan-ryu kihon taiso and the typical impact work. The sessions are concluded with isometric stretches and a variety of comprehensive warm downs.

© André Bertel. Christchurch, New Zealand (2012).

Matt Brew Sensei back in New Zealand

Matthew Brew Sensei (3rd Dan) has returned the dojo after more than a decade in Tokyo.

We welcome him back to the club with open arms, and also his lovely wife Eiko, and son Luke (pictured next to him) and baby daughter Reona. Matt is now teaching Luke karate-do and has him in the beginners class at the Christchurch Shotokan Karate Club.

Matt was a member of our group (Asai JKA New Zealand in the 1990s) before joining the honbu-dojo in Japan, and has done private training under Shuseki-Shihan Tetsuhiko Asai (10th Dan) and Qi Gung under Mrs. Keiko Asai.

Needless to say, he has extensive knowledge of Asai-ha Shotokan-ryu. Overall, I'm personally thrilled to have him back, as is Christchurch Karate Club shibucho, Lyall Stone Sensei, and all of the members. Osu!

© André Bertel. Christchurch, New Zealand (2012).

The 'art' of karate: Neglecting the `martial' part

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to establish that many of the techniques, movements and positions in karate are clearly not directly transferable for self-defence; however, everything has a purpose and can be readily traced back to a critical aspect of combat. Clearly, such an obscure comment has little weight as "anything" could potentially be related. Nevertheless, this is where intention/focus of one's training comes in.

Whether practicing kihon, kata or kumite we must always think "What is this for?" then train it in accordance with the bigger picture of our target(s). Just "perfecting the moves" is certainly not enough to turn our karate into an effective self-defence system. Likewise, just practicing applications of the moves will not give us the physical prowess needed to apply 'martial arts'.

From this perspective, the classical stances and techniques (such as those depicted) can serve to either improve the body and range of motion, and specific principles/applications for self-defence, or set us up with more things we can't use in reality.

Hence, how we approach our training every time we enter the dojo or self-train ultimately determines the potential effectiveness of our karate. Unfortunately, most dojo do not adaquately address this issue, or only do so from a theoretical perspective, or in an inconsistently novel way. This drops the 'martial' and leaves karate as a merely a form of 'art'.

© André Bertel. Christchurch, New Zealand (2012).

Transforming the impossible into merely difficult

Shulman (2005) states that “Habit makes novelty tolerable and surprise sufferable. The well-masked habit shifts new learning into our zones of proximal development, transforming the impossible into merely difficult” (p. 56).

Greetings and salutations… A lot has happened since I returned from teaching the karate seminars in Europe so this is my first post in a while. Anyway, I thought the aforementioned quote from Lee Shulman would be some great food for thought.

Long overdue in text, here is my present daily training schedule:

Kihon: (1) Chudan oi-zuki; (2) Sambon-zuki; (3) Yoko-kekomi kara yoko-keage; (4) Yoko-keage ashi o kaete yoko-kekomi; (5) Mae-geri kara mawashi-geri; (6) Mae-geri kara yoko-kekomi, mawashi-geri soshite ushiro-geri; (7) Jodan age-uke kara chudan gyaku-zuki; (8) Chudan soto-uke kara chudan gyaku-zuki; (9) Chudan uchi-uke kara chudan gyaku-zuki; & (10) Chudan shuto-uke kara nukite.

Kata: Focus on one kata exclusively each day of the week: Joko issei, Joko-nisei, Joko-sansei, Joko-yonsei; Joko-gosei; Jion; & Unsu.

Kumite: Jiyu-ippon kumite, Oyo-kumite & Jiyu-kumite.

I wish you all the very best in your training and good health. Osu, André.
PS – My next karate seminar will be hosted by the KUA (Karate Association of Australia) in June. For those attending, see you there!

Reference
Shulman, L. S. (2005). Signature pedagogies in the professions. Daedalus, 134(3), 52-59.

© André Bertel. Christchurch, New Zealand (2012).

Videos from Germany & Italy

Here are all of the videos from my seminars in Germany and Italy (January/February 2012). When time allows I will post one more, which will feature some different points. Please note that these videos are not on my channel nor were made by me. I was just training and teaching karate-do as usual. The full credit goes to my friends and fellow karateka, Oliver Schomburg, and Silvio Cannizzo (who both also trained very hard). Enjoy and please feel free to make some comments. All the best, Andre

______________

GERMANY 2012 (PART 1)
GERMANY 2012 (PART 2)
GERMANY 2012 (PART 3)
GERMANY 2012 (PART 4)

MIRA, VENICE, ITALY (2012)

© André Bertel. Christchurch, New Zealand (2012).

Andre Bertel 2012 European Seminars (Part Four)

Below is an embedded video from my recent seminars in Mira (Venice Italy) at the new dojo of Mauro Mion Shihan - 7th Dan.

The video was created by my dear friend Silvio Cannizzo Sensei - 5th Dan, and kindly filmed by his son Erik. Domo arigato gozaimasu!

For more information please check Mion Shihan's Italian honbu-dojo website: http://www.jksitalia.it/.

To see the other films from my January/February 2012 seminars in Europe please scroll down the following article: http://andrebertel.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/andre-bertel-2012-european-seminars.html

© André Bertel. Christchurch, New Zealand (2012).