No "Renshukai" Session on September 28

There will be no evening session of "Renshukai," at Shinjuku Sports Center on September 28 as the center is closed on the fourth Monday of every month.  The next evening session is Friday, October 2.

"Renshukai" Schedule on September 21

There will be no evening session of "Renshukai," at Shinjuku Sports Center on September 21 as it is a national holiday - Respect for the Aged Day. Instead, there will be an unsupervised training session during the afternoon. Regular training will resume from Friday, September 25.

Goju-Kai Seminar

The second "2015 All Japan Karatedo Goju-Kai Association Kanto Regional Kata Seminar" took place on September 13 at the Minami Nagasaki Sports Center. Around 50 participants attended, learning Sanchin, Tensho and the Kaishu kata, either in preparation for upcoming grading examinations or to refine their understanding as practitioners and teachers.
The day kicked off with everyone doing many of the traditional warming-up exercises together, as well as sanchin and tensho.  After lunch, participants were divided by rank into smaller groups to study various kata. 
I was fortunate enough to be put in the group taught by Iwakawa Sensei, who had us run through every kata from Gekisai Daiichi to Suparinpei, and explained many applications. 
In the wrap-up session in the morning, accurate basics, or kihon, proper breathing and maintaining abdominal tension were stressed as a solid foundation for good kata, while constant and varied practice of applications in realistic situations to deepen understanding was emphasized in the afternoon.

  

General Overview of Goju Ryu Karate

This video shows the history of Gojuryu through demonstrations by Higaona Sensei, displaying many of the warming up, pair-work and training exercises used in the style. The clear explanation in English helps to understanding many key points.

Traditional Karate Belt Tying & Gi Folding Techniques

I have covered the standard way of folding the dogi uniform in a previous post. This video reiterates the process, despite the overly dramatic music at the end, and earlier shows the accepted way to tie a belt or "obi."  

The belt is wrapped round and looped over twice, so to end up with the embroidered belt logo or brand mark on the right, one should start with it on the right side, facing outwards. It isn't difficult to learn, but requires a little practice.

2015 Goju-Kai Kata Seminar

The second "2015 All Japan Karatedo Goju-Kai Association Kanto Regional Kata Seminar" will be held on Sunday, September 13 from 10:00 to 16:00 at the Minami Nagasaki Sports Center in Tokyo. The kata to be taught will be Sanchin, Tensho and the Kaishu kata.  As kata are constantly being modified, it is a good opportunity to learn the latest officially sanctioned way to perform them. The seminar is particularly useful for practitioners who often train unsupervised or without a teacher of sufficient expertise to ensure a correct and thorough understanding of the kata. Applications to take part on the seminar must be made formally through the the Goku-Kai association. The Japanese name of the seminar is:

平成２７年度・剛柔会関東地区本部・第二回形講習会

The Roots of Karate in White Crane

This Chinese documentary with English subtitles explores the roots of karate in the White Crane style of Kung Fu. Just observing some of the techniques and practice methods in the video reveals deep similarities with Gojuryu, which is said to be a combination of White Crane with the original Okinawan "Te" style of fighting. At a very fundamental level, many seemingly different martial arts share the same principles and require the same levels of dedication.