Renshūsei from Bern, SWITZERLAND: Part Two (Kumite)

Beat Frauchiger, from Bern (Switzerland), specifically asked for Jiyū Kumite training.  

Accordingly, here are some images of the Kumite training. The images are to remind Beat of the key points I taught him during his time here as a Renshūsei.

Like with all first-time Renshūsei, who specifically request Jiyū Kumite, when sparring I limit my types of attacks, to allow them to build familiarity with them. Then I subtly adjust them, so the trainee cannot defend against them. As the trainee's skill advances, I gradually increase the number of techniques I use, introduce more variations/adaptations, and progressively speed up without compromising safety. In this way, skills and confidence is built up without the fear of injury. 

I wish you the very best Beat and hope that you can develop your skill in Kumite from now. Best regards and good luck, 押忍！

Haitō uchi

Closely slipping techniques to apply DEAI-WAZA makes defense nearly impossible for the oppoent.

As the opponent adjusts their position land your kick.

Punching to the throat.

The axing mawashi-geri impacting with the shin.

The classical mawashi-geri with the 'ball of the foot'.

My 'tokui' specialty in Free sparring: DEAI-WAZA.

There is no contact here, as you can see Beat is laughing. It is just a gentle push with the fist (to verify the correct distance). All too often karateka throw their techniques from 'point fighting distance', which has no relationship to Budō Karate.

Kaiten shutō uchi to the carotid artery.

In Jiyū Kumite train light and with control to avoid injuries and progressively develop skill. Couple this with full contact training on impact shields, the sandbag and other training tools. In this way we can safely practice and develop the necessary skills, speed, timing and power.

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

Renshūsei from Bern, SWITZERLAND: Part One (Kihon and Kata)

Beat Frauchiger who is a Nidan from Bern, Switzerland, came for four sessions as a Renshūsei. It was great to have him here and see him progressively improve his karate.

Rather than go into what I taught, here are some images from the Kihon and Kata covered. Please note that 'Part Two' will cover Kumite.

I should add that his request was to study Rōshū and Rakuyō, which of course I obliged. But like everyone else, I stressed the importance of the core Shōtōkan kata, especially Heian for one's foundation.

In Shōtōkan-Ryū, Heian Shodan (Pinan Nidan) is most important, coupled with any of the three Tekki; furthermore, any kata from Bassai (Dai), Kanku (Dai), Jitte, Hangetsu, Enpi, Gankaku and/or Jion.

Overall, I'd like to wish Beat the very best in his karate development and for his remaining time here in Japan. With serious practice of the points covered, you will greatly improve from now!

押忍！

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

Renshūsei from Geelong, AUSTRALIA

Pieter de Koning Sensei (Sandan) and his lovely wife Lezanne (who recently attained her Shodan) came to meet and train as Renshūsei here in Ōita.

From South Africa, their dōjō ‘WSKF Karate Geelong’ has classes for beginners and experience karateka, both children and adults, in Belmont. For those interested in training please contact Pieter Sensei at: info@karategeelong.com.au

Furthermore, here is a link to their club website: www.karategeelong.com.au

Insofar as their Renshūsei training is concerned, the focus was on core the traditional Japanese Shōtōkan 基本(kihon). This was done via several of the central kihonwaza in our style. 平安初段 (Heian Shodan) was extensively utilized as a foundational reference point for both 型 (Kata) and 組手 (Kumite).

As always in my teaching, the overarching theme was my teacher, Shuseki-Shihan Tetsuhiko Asai's 自然空手 'SHIZEN KARATE' or 'Natural Karate'.

It was great working with Pieter and Lezanne, as they are such nice people and very studious in their karate practice. Accordingly, it made it easier for me to impart several critical aspects of Shōtōkan-Ryū. Outside of the training it was also great spending some time together!

Overall, I want to wish Pieter Sensei and Lezanne the best in health, happiness and in their Karate-Dō training. I look forward to seeing you both again in the future!

押忍！

AB

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

筋肉は使わないと落ちる

Concluding my self-practice today with some jumping training for explosiveness.

筋肉は使わないと落ちる literally means “Muscles drop/shrink if you don't use them” while, while slightly different from the English saying, “Use it or lose it”, conveys the same point.

Fortunately, in ‘traditional karate-dō’ being in one’s 50s, as I am, is still very young.

Seeing my seniors in their 60’s, 70’s and older, it is obvious that those who constantly practice karate “…irrespective of injury or illness, continue to defy age and their respective ailments”.

Practicing tobi yoko-geri today (to conclude my session) reminds me that I’m still just a young man in Karate-Dō… as long as I continue training.

After 45 years of karate, I look to the inspiration of my seniors, especially here in Japan,  some of whom are now in their 90s and still train!

In sum, irrespective of your age: KEEP TRAINING! And even if you’ve stopped, if you listen to your body, you can always come back.

I am reminded of a statement by Tanaka Masahiko Sensei: “Karate-Do is Lifetime Budō”.

押忍!

アンドレ バーテル

©️ André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (October 23rd, 2026).

少しずつ前進 (PART TWO)

Today’s daily two-hour self-training session was completely dedicated to kata practice:

Kata practiced were:

基本型 (KIHON-GATA)

1. 序の型 

(Jo no kata)

2. 平安初段

(Heian Shodan)

3. 順路初段

(Junro Shodan)

上級型 (JŌKYŪ-GATA)

1. 観空大

(Kankū Dai)

2. 十手

(Jitte)

3. 半月

(Hangetsu)

4.王冠

(Wankan)

5. 掌手小

(Shōte Shō)

Rather than simply list the kata I worked on today, which has little to no meaning for you (the reader)—as it is merely a record for me—allow me to expand on the focal points of the practice.

Firstly, for the KIHON-GATA, my focus was on Asai Sensei’s 自然空手 (Shizen Karate) or ‘Natural Karate’, which is at the heart of our way of Shōtōkan. The IKS approach is utilizing all the technical and scientific advancements acquired from Masters Funakoshi, Nakayama and Asai; furthermore, returning karate to its earlier roots, which was based purely on ‘bujutsu efficiency’.

Today, in these regards, I particularly focused on optimal stance configurations to fully maximize the hips.

Secondly, for JŌKYŪ-GATA, my practice was freer. 

観空大 (Kankū Dai): Reviewing Kankū Dai from yesterday, so I won’t comment on this today, except with a few novelties… Doing this kata over and over again with the late Abe Keigo Sensei, this kata became known as Kankū Die. This name also got used when Isaka Akihito Sensei made us do his ‘slow motion’ version of it.

十手 (Jitte) is not only a bold kata but also aesthetically a beautiful one. With proper practice the coordination of the limbs, upper body and hips are greatly improved resulting in increased impact power. There is a joke about Jitte… Many instructors say: “Training in this kata will make you as strong as ten people, hence the name ‘Ten hands’”. Accordingly, it must be ten people with one arm or some karate instructors are simply bad at mathematics, human biology, or both… Lastly, I beg everyone not to try and use the techniques of this kata against a person savagely attacking with a bo, otherwise they might end up being one of the above-mentioned individuals, with only one arm.

半月 (Hangetsu): The applications and depth of Hangetsu (Seishan) is actually really impressive. It really is a high-level karate kata. So many highly effective self-defence applications and counter applications/variations. Many karateka do not like this kata as they only see that it’s ‘different from the others in Shōtōkan’. Needless to say, it is this difference that vividly highlights its value in our style. It also elucidates how much ‘gymnastic performance’ has corroded many people’s understanding/valuing of kata. 

Today I practiced one of the older forms of 王冠 (Wankan). This kata, while short, possesses everything one needs to defend themselves. There are two folktales which, whether true or not are interesting. It is said that the name ‘Kings Crown’ comes from two sources. Firstly, the shape of the enbusen (performance line) resembles a crown. And, secondly, that this kata was “…solely practiced by the bodyguards at Shuri Castle, due to its highly pragmatic applications”.

Many say that Wankan is the shortest kata in standard Shōtōkan-Ryū, which of course it is not. If the Taikyoku are not included, the shortest kata is Heian Sandan with 20 movements, followed by Heian Shodan with 21 movements, Heian Godan with 23 movements and finally Wankan, Jitte and Tekki Nidan—equally in fourth place—with 24 movements.

掌手小 (Shōte Shō). The second Shōte kata continues on from the first but with increased complexity; thereby, requiring a solid foundation in the first two ‘palm heel’ forms: Senshō and Shōte Dai. In particular, the various core applications of kakuto/koken are expanded. Furthermore, kōryū karate attacks with kumade, shunshu, yoko teishō, nihon nukite, seiryutō and other open-handed weapons are employed.

Like Senshō and Shōte Dai, the applications of this kata are not obscure. As such, Asai Sensei categorized them as being amongst the ‘Bujutsu kata’. 

To conclude, I want to emphasize that “it’s not the kata, but the quality of training” that truly matters. That being said, the joy of studying a vast array of kata (in addition to really specializing in less than a handful) makes Karate-Dō a beautiful and inspiring lifelong pursuit.

What’s more, deep specialization as one’s core practice, and also spreading the net wide (in one’s generic practice) is not only highly motivational for one’s own training, but also critical for those teaching Karate-Dō to others.

©️ André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (October 21st, 2026).