Tag Archives for " Shotokan "
December 31, 2012
Save the Date – Sunday May 12th 2013
Please contact:
Sensei Bernardo Mercado
Fremont Shotokan Karate
December 31, 2012
Tekki Keypoint 3
What I am doing here is not an instruction. Or the answering board to your questions. I am providing this space so that the readers can exchange the ideas. I only wish to provide you the basic concepts from which you need to build your understanding.
We have already established that there are several levels of interpretation and applications. If the application works then basically that bunkai can be considered as "applicable" or "realistic". If it does not work then it means either the interpretation or application is incorrect or you do not know how to apply it.
There are two fundamental concepts we must know about Tekki bunkai.
#1: It teaches many short distance fighting techniques such as tsukami uke, kagi zuki, ashi uke or knee kicks (blocking with knee or leg) with nami gaeshi, unpi uchi, jodan nagashi uke, tate uraken uchi, hold breaks (first move of Nidan), throws (kagi zuki in Shodan, 2nd and 3rd moves of Nidan), gedan zuki, joint attacks and arm twisting waza, etc.
#2: Fundamentally, your imaginary opponent is in front of you and not necessarily to your side. This does not mean that you are to fight using kiba dachi exposing your front (groin and mid section) to your opponent which is unwise and unrealistic. Look at Funakoshi photo in my earlier posting where he is doing morote ude uke to his right side but in a beautiful kiba dachi. Scroll the photo so that his lower body below the belt is hidden and see only his upper body above the belt. Doesn't it look like he would be in his right zenkutsu dachi? In bunkai you will do this technique in zenkutsu, but in Tekki kata you practice from kiba dachi (for the purposes I had described). My opinion is that this kata was not designed as a fighting method with your back against the wall or in a narrow corridor. It was designed to teach a fight method with the limited hip rotation that means short distance fighting. How clever those Okinawan masters were!!
December 15, 2012
Little Karate Joke
A little Karate Joke:
Helga's mom brought her to her first Karate competition. Noting that the organizers seemed a little shorthanded she approached the table. "Good morning," she said to the Director, "you look a little shorthanded. Anything I can do to help?" "Well it just so happens we're short a fighter for the under 90 kg division," the director replied. "Sorry," Helga's mom said, "I don't know a thing about Karate." "That's OK" said the director. "We need referees, too."
November 15, 2012
Book Shotokan Myths
About the Author
Yokota Sensei has extensive martial arts experience. Not only does he have over 46 years of Shotokan Karate experience, he has also studied other styles of karate such as Goju-Ryu and Kyokushinkai, as well as Judo and Ki; his Kobudo weapons experience includes Nunchaku and Sai. Yokota Sensei started studying the martial arts in 1960 at the age of 13 when he joined the Judo club at the Hyogo Prefecture Police station. Yokota Sensei then switched his martial arts training to karate in 1964 when he joined the JKA dojo in Kobe Japan. In the 70's, Yokota Sensei became a full time instructor at the ISKF Philadelphia dojo where he taught and competed. He returned to Japan and completed his instructor's training in 1983 under the late Master Jun Sugano, 9th dan, JKA Vice Chairman. Yokota Sensei was the champion of Hyogo Prefecture Championship in 1981 and 1982, and he represented Hyogo prefecture at the JKA All National Championship in Tokyo during those years. Yokota Sensei attained all his dan ranks up to Go-dan from JKA. After switching to JKS, the late Master Tetsuhiko Asai granted him Roku-dan. Sensei Yokota received his Nana-dan and Hachi-dan from WJKA (World Japan Karate Association). The WUKO (World Unite Karate Organization) also recently granted him Hachi-dan. He holds the positions of Technical Director and Shihankai member at WJKA. He is the Chief Instructor at Byakkokan Dojo in San Jose California and his passion is to propagate Asai-ryu Shotokan karate-do.
available now by Amazon
July 25, 2012
Manaus Brazil CKIB National Karate Tournament July 2012
A big Karate event with more than 500 contestants.
A big event with more than 500 contestants
June 5, 2012
The Netherlands Seminar of April 2012
It was a wonderful one week in the Netherlands. Classes almost every night. I loved it. Maybe the practitioners there got tired of seeing me. Well, they have to see me again in November. lol
April 23, 2012
Karate Styles, History, & VIP’s.
History, Styles, & VIPs
Karate History & Federations
Karate Styles
VIPs
JKA Instructors & Instructor Program Graduates