Monday 19 December 2011

Karate Seminar Report: Christchurch, New Zealand (December 2011)

Over the weekend I taught Asai-ha Shotokan-ryu technical seminars here in Christchurch, New Zealand. As promised this report has been written (and video uploaded) for the attendees of the seminars.



The weekend course was focused on a number of core issues to make one’s karate effective with particular emphasis on correct distancing and timing, and the usual combination of koshi no kaiten, tai no shinshuku and junansei.



In particular, destroying the opponents balance was practiced in varied harmony with a percussive blows (using Sen no sen, Go no sen & Tai no sen).



To highlight these points, Asai Sensei’s “traditional” applications from the five Heian/Kanku-dai, Tekki, Bassai-dai, Empi & Jion were analysed. Furthermore, the koten-gata Kashu (also known as Hi no te) was taught emphasising the aforementioned self-defence principles, fluidity and natural energy. For everyone who attended, please use Kashu to improve your movement and "physical understanding". Karate must be second-nature!

Rather than doing extensive ido-kihon most of the fundamental training was done with a partner (to strongly link the techniques/principles of kata directly to jissen-kumite/goshin-jutsu). Overall, based on the feedback I've received, it was a fantastic weekend of karate-do. I hope this report, and the attached video, assists the attendees in remembering the ‘self-defence principles’ we covered. Domo arigato gozaimashita. Osu, André.


© André Bertel. Christchurch, New Zealand (2011).

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