22.7.2012 / Okinawa karate seminar8 coments

Inspiration from Okinawa

I am deeply loyal to Taekwon-do, but for good Taekwon-do there have to be broad overview. So I joined open seminar of Okinawan karate to got i
nspired. After all General Choi created Taekwon-do regarding his experiences with Karate (eventhough it was Shotokan style) and Taekkyon, so don´t call me false hearted. Available information about seminar said that it is open for all styles so I anticipated 30 karatekas and 15 people in track suit, final info said that there will be about 30 traditional karatekas and about 20 other styles´ practicioners. My brain had holiday probably, because after entering dojo I´ve remembered that other styles means also other KARATE styles so there were room full of people in kimono and me in dobok. But fear is a path to the dark side, so I did not retreat. To make long story short (what I write in Czech have to be translated...again by me, so it is better to be short ;o) ) I will mention things that made me think and I consider interesting and you may check one video and few photos from afterseminar demonstration.

1. very active and nicely hard warm-up and stretching (jumbi undong), so another validation of my way of warm-up. No long static stretching, but dynamic exercises, often put into short forms with special hard way of breathing (look like yogi´s udžají if you are familiar with it, it is similar to breathing you will see in video in point 2.). Simply you warm-up quickly. And nice 3 version of "press-ups", those with bad luck to train under me will enojoy them soon :o)

2. Big ephasis on posture. Part of their strenghtening and the only kata we practiced on seminar - Sanchin - are focused on this. Experience of Sanchin kata that I´ve practiced with some corrections of high Dans were one of the most interesting part of seminar. Who is interested there is Sanchin kata practiced by one of the well known tradional karatekas of these days Morio Higaonna (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kybxNOlnl20). If you consider this easy, it is not, if you feel the breathing funny, remember our way, it is really hard, if not being so stubborn I would not finish the first kata. Seminar was led by sensei Kató Tomojuki who is one of two (with sensei Higaonna) only students of Mijagi Aniči. Assisted by eight 3.-8. Dan holders with average age about 50 (I think) with smooth and dangerous movements and great power.

3. Traditional conditioning tools they use is chapter for itself, unfortunately I was not present at afternoon training that was focused on this, because one fairy were getting married and I had to see it. But body shape of karatekas in first rows show that they focus on this a lot, with goal of no big swollen muscles, but functional whole body strenght. Nice inspiration.

4. Kató sensei emanate that dangerous calm and compact power like our GM Rhee Ki Ha for exaple. Fact that he move in great manner is supported by what he says and create person worth respect, I remember these 3 sentences: "Unlike sport there is no retirement in martial arts, so practice hard, but wise to be able to continue your training through whole life." „Degrees are the last thing, martial art the most important, number of Dan unimportant." "We have to sharpen our martial skills, but also refine non-figting part of karate and use it in daily life." I believe all of this apply also to Taekwon-Do.

Svíťa (Martin Svitek, III. Dan)