JKS Spring Seminar

Once again, the annual spring technical seminar has come around lead by Masao Kagawa Shihan (9^th Dan) down at the Djanogly centre Nottingham. Departing from York at roughly 8am three cars loaded, eager and ready for a hard days training set forth; in one we had Mike Sensei driving with the company of Jim and Brenda Sensei, Paul and Elizabeth another with Ian Sensei and Olivia and the final was myself (Ben), Dael, Lucy and Romie. After a rather wet but smooth flowing drive down to Nottingham we all arrived promptly by 10am with time before training to meet and greet with friendly faces from across the country. Slowly the hall filled up with more and more karateka until it was packed beyond a usual course.

Not a moment late we were called to line up for introductions to the course by Alan Campbell Sensei (7^th Dan) and introduction to Kagawa Shihan, we began with some heavy warm-ups to get the blood pumping and loosen us up a bit (and we needed it for what came next).  We began with what you would assume was a simple task to just punch choku-tsuki jodan and chudan relaxed and with control (trying to be relaxed is very hard) and then we moved on to kicking maegeri chudan with the same control.  All demonstrated with extreme control and precision by Kagawa Shihan as he made it look as easy as it sounds. Then we practised mawashi-geri and yoko-geri kekomi with our partners as a target, and then bent over as an obstacle for us to kick over to allow us to target over their back with our kicks.

The Haxby contingent (with the exception of Paul B)
with Kagawa Shihan

Following this practice of control and relaxing we moved on to demonstrating what we had learnt by doing basic Kihon Ippon Kumite (one step sparring) Jodan, Chudan, Mae-geri, Yoko-geri, Mawashi-geri and Ushiro-geri. After running through this a couple times, we were called around to watch and listen to Kagawa Shihan explain what he was more looking for in the form of Kaishi Ippon Kumite (reaction sparring) where he explained that as we stand together we look into the eyes of our opponent and as he phrased it, read their minds as to where our opponent would be attacking, stating that against a black belt this is easy because they think about how to attack, where a Kyu grade simply throws themselves in making it harder to read. After watching his demonstration, we moved on to putting it in to practice, to begin with we only attacked jodan and chudan oi-tsuki, so we could get a feel, after ten attacks from each side we moved on to attempt it with both mawashi-geri and Ushiro mawashi-geri. To round off the lesson of control and relaxation within karate Kagawa Shihan did one last demonstration where we chose a rather tall karateka to come out and just stand in stance with a roll of tape sat on his head, stating beforehand if he kicks him he is very sorry. With perfect control Kagawa missed his first kick just catching the side of his partners head, next he easily placed his foot about a foot over the target and finally he caught the tape and sent it sailing through the air towards the end of the hall. 

After a short 2-minute water break we got straight back in to training and ready for some kata practise, where we went through Junro Shodan, Nidan and Sandan and thanks to Mike and Paul Sensei we were slightly ahead with having recently been through the Junro katas at the dojo. We focused on trying to perform the katas as Asai Sensei had envisioned them when he created them, to be free flowing and smooth rather than the standard Shotokan kata, which tends to be more rigid. 

A well earned lunch break

After a quick lunch break and a catch-up with everyone from all ends off the hall on how the training was going we got back to training. The last session was focused around Kagawa Shihan’s favourite kata Bassai Dai, where he explained that everyone should choose their favourite kata based on how if fits to you, both in body and mind, because if the kata feels right to you in every aspect of your karate then it will always be performed effortlessly and with full feeling. After several practice runs (and being corrected by Jim Sensei and a couple others further up the line for where we were in the kata) and some in depth practice of certain moves and transitions between them it was time to preform what we had learnt. Sending everyone to one side the kyu grades were called up first, followed Shodan to Sandan for a very strong performance of the kata and finally Yondan up performed in front of everybody and quite honestly showed how to perform a kata the way it was intended to be.

After a short stop the Sandan and Yondan gradings took place and powerful performance were had by everybody, some exceptional kata was performed and staying true to what was said in the last lesson, bassai dai was chosen by Kagawa Shihan for every grading. The level of kumite was top notch as everyone wasn’t battling to beat their opponents but battling to attain their next Dan grade, the next step in their karate journey. A huge congratulation to Matt and Steve Sensei from Selby on both passing their Sandan.

Kagawa Shihan with the JKS England Senior Instructors

And after a long hard and warm days training with the most exceptional instruction we departed for home not without taking a small detour for a well-deserved ice-cream en-route. I think I speak for us all when I say good day was had by all.

Osu

Ben

visit www.haxbykarate.co.uk to find out more about our Club. For more information email info@haxbykarate.co.uk