Personal Training from Asai Sensei

Here are some pictures of one-on-one practice with my late Sensei, Tetsuhiko Asai. I hope you enjoy them! I have many more photos and videos to come of private training.

As I've said before, being a personal student of Asai Sensei meant far more to me than attaining dan ranks, qualifications, and competition wins. In saying that, it also fired up much jealousy in New Zealand, causing me lots of trouble!

The amount of jealousy in the karate world is unbelievable (especially amongst those who have poor and ineffective technique), and is the source of all karate politicians. Such envy leads to ‘rumour spreading’ to destroy those who are perceived as unstoppable on the dojo floor. No one ever makes trouble with those who have inferior karate technique! My advice to everyone is simple: "Don’t spread rumours, just train!"

Asai Sensei saw my love of karate, and naivety in regards to politics, so he took me on as a ‘personal deshi’. This led to extensive private lessons. Why? Well as mentioned before, I was, and have always been ‘karate focused’; secondly, I tried as hard as I could to assimilate everything that he taught me. As a result Sensei invested much time and effort into my technique. As a Westerner this was great honour, especially being his only personal student from New Zealand. I'll continue to share these experiences here with you on my blog.

OSU, André Bertel

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© André Bertel, Japan 2008

New competition kumite clips

Last year I uploaded two clips of myself in kumite competition. The first of these was a jodan mawashi geri (upper level roundhouse kick) followed by an ashi barai (leg sweep) and finishing blow (http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=IbtN6_su3Kg); the second was scoring an ippon with a jodan zuki, which floored my opponent (http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=rcLf7RGQ-MM). Since then, I've recieved an ample amount of emails requesting that I upload more videos of my tournament kumite. Sadly I've haven't got any really good quality footage... Regardless, I've uploaded the following clips.

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Note: I've added some additional commentary (attached to the videos) on Youtube.

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(1) The first clip is of a double ashi barai followed by a gyaku zuki that downs my opponent. The first sweep 'off-balances' and 'freezes' him, and the second ensures he goes down with the punch, whilst making sure his attack impossible to launch. http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=QM_zckLv158

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(2) In the second clip, because of the distance and poor quality of this video footage, my chudan mawashi geri (middle level roundhouse kick) may not look so fast, but I'll let you decide ;-)http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=arsJwnrjvv4

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(3) In the third clip I use a right jodan mawashi geri followed by right jodan punch. The roundhouse kick made 'the gap' for an immediate straight punch to my opponents face. http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=fD5aVZMJ1LE

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(4) The forth clip is a chudan gyaku zuki which floors my opponent. Even though he quickly returned to his feet after this blow, his ability to fight was removed as he was seriously winded. http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=9ml4zX6xBFU

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(5) The fifth clip features a basic tai sabaki technique, which won Asai Sensei many matches in the early 60's. The punch to the back of my opponents neck is worth watching for, an excellent example of a finishing blow if not perfectly controlled. http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=UlZj0M_fqP0

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(6) The sixth clip is exactly the same combination as posted last year (the first link on this page). Left jodan mawashi geri, right ashi barai, followed by a kimewaza. A pretty nice ippon to wrap up a championship... http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=4SWhpQVih4Y

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I hope you enjoy the video clips, keeping in mind that I'm not, and never was, a serious 'karate competitor'. I've always trained karate as a martial art, and therefore didn't specifically practice to achieve competition 'success'. When training and fighting in tournaments, I never thought that I want to win by two wazari. I always wanted to win by an ippon. Following that mindset, my training for kumite competition was simply based on doing more kihon, thus my karate was never 'watered down' prior to attending such events. I'm really pleased that so many others also follow this 'karate way', ensuring that the 'martial art' of karate (real karate) will never become extinct.

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© André Bertel, Japan 2008

THE 1ST BIRTHDAY OF ANDRE BERTEL'S KARATEDO

Today is the first anniversary of www.andrebertel.blogspot.com. Initially I was concerned if I could consistently publish posts making the site worthwhile. What finally convinced me to initiate the blog was the fact that I write notes after practice every day regardless. What’s more, it helped me to stop littering our small Japanese apartment with my training notes, and updated self-practice routines (yes… some selfish motivation in there as well).

I didn’t expect that so many people would proclaim my blog as being 'the best karate website in the world', nor did I expect to ever get over 320,000+ visits in a year! Also the staggering amounts of emails I’ve received from karateka across the planet (http://andrebertel.blogspot.com/2008/05/visitors-to-this-blog.html). What probably makes this blog different (to the majority of other online karate resources) is that the contents are a result of actual training. The posts are reflective of what I'm currently doing, and more importantly what I have to do, to keep advancing my own karate (and hopefully help you on you karate journey as well). It goes without saying that this blog also offers very special insights into the personal karate training of my late teacher, Asai Tetsuhiko Sensei, which has also contributed its popularity.

I’d like to conclude by once again thanking you all for supporting my blog. And more than anything I’d like to take this chance to thank my mother for putting me into karate (and more importantly forcing me to keep going), my ever supportive wife Mizuho (who puts up with my training everyday), Asai Sensei, Stamoulis Sensei, and also my own karate students. DOMO ARIGATO GOZAIMASU!

OSU! – André

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© André Bertel, Japan 2008

New Asai Karate videos online soon!

I've decided to upload some more footage including private lessons with Asai Sensei.

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A few tapes were sent to me from New Zealand last week, and these videos are currently being converted to DVD (and from PAL to NTSC system). Once completed, I'll upload some of this footage.

More video tapes on the way

As I recieve more tapes from New Zealand I intend to upload more private lessons with Asai Sensei

OSU!

© André Bertel, Japan 2008

Asai Sensei's Birthday

Today is Sensei's birthday so if he was still with us, he would have turned 73 years old. I still cannot believe that nearly two years have elapsed since he passed away. Every practice I try to meditate on what Asai Sensei taught and explained to me. I know that in every respect I fall short of what he wanted me to achieve. Regardless, I have the satisfaction of pressing on in hope of perhaps one day getting somewhere close. It goes without saying, that following the model of Tetsuhiko Asai Sensei, really ensures that I achieve my maximum potential as a karateka. Days, months and years pass so very quickly... So whatever we do (work, academic study, karate etc) I believe we should give our utmost best like Sensei did. Such thinking, and application of this thinking "every day the sun rises" can only result in success. More importantly this 'way of life' leads to self-satisfaction. Taking shortcuts literally cheats ourselves and this can only result in a reduction of self-esteem. Why not be 'the best you can be' at whatever you challenge in your life?

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I'd like to end this post by quoting one of Asai Sensei's favourite sayings. Please think about this: "Todays training must be better than yesterdays training, and tomorrows training must be better than todays."

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OSU!

© André Bertel, Japan 2008

Kihoken

Kihoken (Way of Breathing Fist) was a kata designed by Asai Tetsuhiko Sensei to simultaneously, and equally, address three major issues. Firstly, different forms of kokyu (breathing); secondly, for total body relaxation; and thirdly for the development of the kahanshin (lower body) via kihoken dachi (essentially heiko dachi with both knees bent to 90 degrees keeping the back straight and vertical). I will briefly describe each of these points:

Kokyu: Although Asai Sensei broke Kihoken down into three parts (issei, nisei and sansei) it is in fact one very long formal exercise, much like Kibaken and several other Asai-ryu kata. Each part covers a return trip from, and back to, the start point on the enbusen. Asai Sensei explained to me that the first ‘return trip’ focuses on lower abdominal breathing; the second, upper abdominal breathing; and the third, alternate lower and upper abdominal breathing. The basis of this breathing is from Mrs. Asai’s qigong.

Relaxation: The relaxation aspect of the kata is to develop natural energy for martial application. This is particularly important for those who wish to incorporate Asai Sensei’s muchiken (whip fist) techniques. I'd like to expand here by saying there are actually two ways to perform Kihoken. Asai Sensei stated “There is an old man’s Kihoken and a young man’s Kihoken. Old men can do all the movements slowly like taikyoku-ken, and young men can utilize speed”.

Kihoken-dachi: The constant vertical squats from heiko dachi into kihoken dachi were considered by Sensei as a 'core basic exercise' for developing the legs specifically for karate. Asai Sensei practiced squatting into kihoken-dachi every day during his morning practice. Application-wise this also includes 'descending and rising linear body power' not unlike the other Asai style kata; for example movements one and two of Junro-shodan.

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If interested in developing any of the above three points, Kihoken is a certainly a formal exercise worth practising to enhance your overall skill. It also provides a specific foundation for all of the other Asai-ryuha karate kata and techniques.

© André Bertel, Japan 2008

Summer Training Begins

Today marked the beginning of Summer in Japan. As a person who loves the heat, Summer is my favourite season followed by Autumn and then Spring. I'm not a Winter person at all! Fortunately, unlike my past experiences living in Tokyo, Winter here in Kyushu is very mild, more like Spring back in New Zealand.

SPECIAL SUMMER TRAINING

I had a special 'assessment' training today where I videoed several kata; namely Empi, Bassai-Sho, Sochin, Unsu, Gojushiho-Dai, Junro, Kibaken and Joko. Kihon nor kumite were

assessed

indepedently from the kata. I wont harp on, however, I will say that my results were thankfully very pleasing. My karate as of June 1st 2008, is at

the highest point in my life thus far. My target now is simply to keep improving for myself and in memory of my teacher, Asai Tetsuhiko.

I'll continue to teach and propogate the karate that Asai Sensei directly taught me, and hope to continue contributing this technique to my friends in IJKA and JKS Japan, in addition to others interested in Asai Karate around the world.

OSU!

© André Bertel, Japan 2008