20th Anniversary of Asai Tetsuhiko Sensei’s passing

Today marks the 20th Anniversary of 浅井哲彦先生 (Asai Tetsuhiko Sensei’s) passing.

I’d like to take this opportunity to remember him with deep appreciation for his Karate teachings and personal guidance.

Us, Asai Sensei’s personal students—here in Japan and around world— are thinking of him today in our respective memorial trainings.

Finally, we wish to express our heartfelt thoughts for the Asai family on this day.

押忍！

アンドレ・バーテル

Gijitsucho

国際空手道松濤館

©️ André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (August 15th, 2026).

抜塞小 (Bassai Shō): Part 2

 Below are images from self-training today, which again primarily focused on 抜塞小 (Bassai Shō) Kata. 

The pictures are followed by an overview of each action in the kata in both NIHONGO and ROMANJI.

For those of you learning (or working on this kata), I hope this article is useful.

OSU! - AB

 

拔塞小  (Bassai Shō) 

礼               結び立
REI: Musubi dachi

用意              閉足立     左手刀、右背刀、下腹部前
YOI: Heisoku dachi, Hidari shuto migi haito kafukubu mae

第1挙動    両掌後方合わせ受  右足前交叉立  両掌十字上段合わせ受
Ryo sho koho awase uke, Migi ashi mae kosa dachi, Ryo sho juji jodan awase uke

第2挙動    右後屈立    両掌上段棒受
Migi kokutsu dachi, Ryo sho jodan bo uke

第3挙動    閉足立     右背刀下段すくい受       右下段払
Heisoku dachi, Migi haito gedan sukui uke, Migi gedan barai

第4挙動    右後屈立    両掌上段棒受
Migi kokutsu dachi, Ryo sho jodan bo uke

第5挙動    閉足立     左拳右背手左腰構
Heisoku dachi, Saken migi haishu hidari koshi gamae

第6挙動    左腰立     右背刀上段内回し打       右足刀中段横蹴蹴上
Hidari ashi dachi, Migi haito jodan uchimawashi uchi, Migi sokuto chudan yoko geri keage

第7挙動    騎馬立     左縦手刀中段受         右拳右腰
Kiba dachi, Hidari tateshuto chudan uke, Uken migi koshi

第8挙動    騎馬立     右拳中段直突き         左拳左腰
Kiba dachi, Uken chudan choku zuki, Saken hidari koshi

第9挙動    騎馬立     左拳中段直突き         右拳右腰
Kiba dachi, Saken chudan choku zuki, Uken hidari koshi


第10挙動 右後屈立      右側面上段内受         左側面下段受
 Migi kokutsu dachi, Migi sokumen jodan uchi uke, Hidari sokumen gedan uke


第11挙動 左後屈立      左側面上段内受         右側面下段受
 Hidari kokutsu dachi, Hidari sokumen jodan uchi uke, Migi sokumen gedan   
 uke

第12挙動   左後屈立    右中段手刀受
Hidari kokutsu dachi, Migi shuto chudan uke


第13挙動   右後屈立    左手刀中段受
 Migi kokutsu dachi, Hidari shuto chudan uke


第14挙動   左後屈立    右中段手刀受
Hidari kokutsu dachi, Migi shuto chudan uke


第15挙動   右後屈立    左手刀中段受
 Migi kokutsu dachi, Hidari shuto chudan uke


第16挙動   左脚前屈    両掌中段つかみ受
Hidari ashi zenkutsu, Ryo sho chudan tsukami uke


第17挙動   左脚立   両掌つかみ寄せ   右足刀下段蹴込 (気合)
 Hidari ashi dachi, Ryo sho tsukami yose, Migi sokuto gedan kekomi (KIAI)

第18挙動   右後屈立    両拳中段掻分け受
 Migi kokutsu dachi, Ryo ken chudan kakiwake uke



第19挙動   右後屈立    寄足              両拳上段裏突
 Migi kokutsu dachi, Yori ashi, Ryo ken jodan ura zuki


第20挙動   左脚立     右上段外受   右足出足払   両拳左腰    騎馬立     右側面中段諸手突
Hidari ashi dachi, Migi jodan soto uke, Migi ashi de ashi barai, Ryo ken hidari koshi, Kiba dachi, Migi sokumen chudan morote zuki


第21挙動   騎馬立     左拳槌中段内回し打
Kiba dachi, Hidari kentsui chudan uchimawashi uchi



第22挙動   右前屈立    右中段追突 (気合)
Migi zenkutsu dachi, Migi chudan oi zuki (KIAI)



第23挙動   左脚立     右上段外受   右足出足払   両拳左腰    騎馬立     右側面中段諸手突
Hidari ashi dachi, Migi jodan soto uke, Migi ashi de ashi barai, Ryo ken hidari koshi, Kiba dachi, Migi sokumen chudan morote zuki



第24挙動   右脚立     左上段外受   左足出足払   両拳右腰    騎馬立     左側面中段諸手突
Migi ashi dachi, Hidari jodan soto uke, Hidari ashi de ashi barai, Ryo ken migi koshi, Kiba dachi, Hidari sokumen chudan morote zuki

第25挙動   左脚立     右上段外受   右足出足払   両拳左腰    騎馬立     右側面中段諸手突
Hidari ashi dachi, Migi jodan soto uke, Migi ashi de ashi barai, Ryo ken hidari koshi, Kiba dachi, Migi sokumen chudan morote zuki



第26挙動   左足前猫足立  両掌中段つかみ受
Hidari ashi mae neko ashi dachi, Ryo sho chudan tsukami uke



第27挙動   右足前猫足立  両掌中段つかみ受
Migi ashi mae neko ashi dachi, Ryo sho chudan tsukami uke

直れ              閉足立     左手刀、右背刀、下腹部前
NAORE: Heisoku dachi, Hidari shuto migi haito kafukubu mae



礼               結び立

REI: Musubi dachi

                                            

To conclude, here is a direct link to yesterday's article (Part One): André Bertel's Karate-Do: 抜塞小 (Bassai Shō): Part 1

                                                     ©️ André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2026).

抜塞小 (Bassai Shō): Part 1

基本  (KIHON): Today’s training focused on 蹴り技 (Keriwaza). To be specific, the leg techniques specially extracted from the five 平安型 (Heian Kata).


These include 横蹴り蹴上げ (yoko-geri keage);  前蹴り蹴上げ (mae-geri keage); 踏み込み (fumikomi); 膝槌 (hiza-tsuchi); and 三日月蹴り (mikazuki-geri).

Special attention was given to each 体の武器 (karada no buki). The relationship between each of the foot formations and the natural ‘Asai Tetsuhiko Sensei style’ 腿の新種 (TAI NO SHINSHUKU) was a high priority. Furthermore, taking into account former trainings with Tanaka Masahiko Sensei: 足の柔軟性 (ashi no junansei) was also addressed.

組手 (KUMITE): The utilization of 後の先 (GO NO SEN). This is one of my personal specialties in 自由組手 (Jiyu Kumite). Often this is mistaken as being merely a strategy of 反撃 (Hangeki) or counterattacking. On the contrary, it pressures the opponent’s actions, or inaction, to deliver one’s own attack. It is therefore better understood as ‘taking the initiative later’, which is significantly different from just ‘countering’. Accordingly, when used optimally, Go no sen is actually a very aggressive strategy, in which the ‘Ipponwaza’ is calculated in a manner which mitigates the opponent's ability to defend against it; moreover, if control is not consciously applied, the opponent will be injured.


型 (KATA): The kata I worked on today was 抜塞小 (Bassai Shō). To conclude, and very appropriately, the following images are from the kata portion of my training today!

OSU! - AB

For an overview of Bassai Sho, here's a direct link: André Bertel's Karate-Do: 抜塞小 (Bassai Sho) Overview

 

©️ André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2026).

Renshusei from Paris, France: Fabio Alexia Iannuzzella

Fabio Iannuzzella Sensei and Alexia Iannuzzella Sensei returned for Renshusei training, but this time with their young and very cute daughter.

So much was covered while they were here in Oita City, so I will not detail it all. Rather, I'd just like to say how much they have improved in their Karate-Do; moreover, they will be bringing a lot of new knowledge directly back from Japan to Paris.

To conclude, I want to congratulate both Fabio and Alexia on their fruitful efforts. In addition to the Karate Training, it was also wonderful to catch up again. Until next time, OSU!

Junro Nidan: Hidri ashi mae nekoashi-dachi, Hidari gedan-barai.

Junro Sandan: Hidari uraken jodan sokumen yokomawashi uchi.

Tekki Sandan: Hidari haiwan jodan uchinagashi-uke.

The 'sports' mawashi-geri with Haisoku, which is not practiced in the Kihon of the IKS.

The traditional Shotokan mawashi-geri with koshi (josokutei).

©️ André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2026).

Fascia 'pulling your head forward' when kicking

 I was recently consulted for advice, by an elite Japanese karate competitor, about “…the breaking of ‘head/neck posture’ when kicking”: especially when moving with maximum speed/intensity. This article fundamentally addresses this issue. Needless to say, depending on the type of kick, launching position, and so forth, there are differing precise formulas to overcome this issue. 

Today, I will provide a generic answer. 

押忍!  — AB

When your head involuntarily pulls forward when making 蹴り技 (keriwaza) it usually indicates that you are experiencing a ‘fascial compensation pattern’ that is primarily caused by the SBL (the ‘Superficial Back Line’) and/or the SFL (the ‘Superficial Front Line’).

This is because fascia connects the body from your toes to your forehead; therefore, tightness at one end of the fascia line will pull on the other end to find ‘extra slack’. Thereby, as you extend your leg the head can potentially be brought forward.

Why the Fascia Pulls Your Head Forward?

① Tight Hamstrings on the SBL

The Superficial Back Line is a continuous sheet of tissue that runs from the bottom of your feet, up the calves and hamstrings, along the spine, and over the skull to your brow.

• When a kick is thrown your kicking leg puts a massive, rapid stretch on the hamstrings.

• If your hamstrings or lower back fascia lack elasticity, the line runs out of slack.

• To compensate for this stretching action, the body steals length from the top of the chain; thus, pulling your head/neck forward. 

② Guarding Response of the SFL

The Superficial Front Line runs from the top of your toes, up the quadriceps, through the abdominals, and attaches to the base of your skull (the mastoid process).

• If you hunch or tense your chest to brace for impact, thefront fascia shortens.

• This tightening pulls the base of your skull downward and forward, causing a jutting chin. 

How to Fix It?

Release the Anchors (Roll the Feet)

You can directly increase your head and neck mobility by releasing the bottom of your chain. 

• Use a lacrosse ball or tennis ball to roll out the plantar fascia on the bottom of both feet for two minutes before training. 

• Because it relaxes the start of the SBL, this instantly creates slack all the way up to your neck and allows for freer head movement.

Intentionally Tuck the Chin

Consciously combat the pull by keeping your neck structurally stacked. 

• Do not look up at the ceiling or overextend your throat when kicking.

• Keep your chin slightly tucked and your eyes fixed forward on your target. This places the upper cervical fascia under tension, preventing it from yielding to the pull of the legs.

Dynamic Chain Stretching

Instead of just holding passive hamstring stretches, train your fascia dynamically.

• Perform slow, controlled standing leg swings to load the tissue at both ends.
• Focus on keeping your upper body perfectly vertical and your spine neutral while the leg moves.

To conclude: This issue is natural when kicking and impacts all karateka from time to time. The main point—if and when this happens—is to recognize it and utilize corrective methods. As a professional karate instructor, it is imperative for me to optimize my own technique in my daily self-training; furthermore, ensure that all karateka—whom I coach as Renshusei and in Seminars —maximize their skill. While this article has been highly generic it elucidates the point of ‘professional practice and development’.

©️ André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2026).