SHO REI SHOBU KAN

In This Issue

Midwestern Seminar

Thoughts for Kata

Practice

Shihan’s Corner

A Trip Back in Time

Upcoming Events

2017 Midwestern Seminar

Midwestern Seminar - 2017 The date was August 26th, and Lincoln Dojo was the place to be. Once again, Shihan and the Lincoln gang hosted the best seminar that I have attended in a very long time. It was a good sized crowd and everyone had a chance to work on something that they needed or wanted. It is not unusual to separate the group into breakout sessions, but each session is sometimes a bit short to get the full benefit. Not so at this seminar! This time the breakout groups were allowed a great deal of time. This allowed each instructor the time to finish what was started. For example: Saifa Bunkai takes a while to teach when starting with a group that is new to it. Because of the extra amount of time allowed us, we not only got though it, but some even both ways. Good call Shi-han!

However, the absolute highlight of the seminar was when Shihan made the time to work with each member of the seminar individually! Not only did he do this… but he spent a great deal of time on each person individually. (Of course some of us needed more “fixing” than others). From what I understand, it has been a while since he as done this, and it was definitely a treat for everyone involved.

Please join me in congratulating the following individuals who were tested and pro-moted during the seminar:

Brody Hilton: Shodan Jr.

Andrew C. Shepherd: Shodan

Zachary J. Pihl: Shodan

Travis Tomaszkiewicz: Yondan

Deanna Williams: Yodan

Sho Rei Shobu Kan - Fall 2017 Issue #3

“Kata has two pur-

poses: The practice

of budo and a means

of physical condition-

ing.”

Seikichi Toguchi - Advanced

Techniques of Shore-Kan Karate

2017 Midwestern Seminar

Oh no…. I just heard him say “I’m going to push your buttons.” Where’s the Advil...

The amount of “one on one” time spent by Shihan and the Senior Staff

was unparalleled at this seminar. This enabled the instructors the time

to impart more detailed instruction, and the students the time to better

assimilate (and retain) that knowledge.

M I D W E S t E R n

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2017

Some Thoughts on Kata Practice

Shihan teaches that "Kata is our textbook." The implication is that one learns karate techniques, tactics,

strategies, and philosophies from the kata. "Karate is Kata; Kata is Karate."

With this emphasis on kata in mind, how should we approach our kata training? "The answers are on the floor." This teaches that not only must we perform the kata ourselves but that we must in doing so find our own answers, develop our own karate. Not only are our teachers unwilling to reveal everything to us, but they are unable to. They can only guide us. Their answers and teachings mean noth-ing if we do not follow their lead and train. "Practice! Practice! Practice!"

Goju-ryu training involves considerable repetition. Many students find this boring or monotonous. This is a mistake in the approach to repetitious practice. It is up to us to perform repetitive training in a fashion that is neither boring or monotonous. Repetition is use-less unless the student is striving to improve with each repetition.

Doing Hookyu Kata #1 one hundred times the same way, becoming tired, sloppy and careless, does nothing to develop one's ka-rate. To do a kata over and over, to polish it, to learn karate from it takes extra effort. One must deliberately try to learn from the repeti-tion of the form. The following are some ideas to help one train kata and to learn from kata:

1. Do kata with the eyes closed. Work on balance and stances.

2. Break the kata down into small sections. Repeat these.

a. Exaggerate these movements.

b. Minimize the movements (make them smaller, tighter, faster)

3. Do kata very slowly. Think of doing the kata as in Tai Chi.

Emphasize stance, posture and balance.

4. Practice only the foot work.

5. Practice only the hand motions.

6. Use only the left hand.

7. Use only the right hand.

8. Practice at normal speed but without power. Make each move flow from the one before it. Use good definition but never allow the motion to stop.

9. Concentrate on different aspects of technique: Stance, hip movement, transitions, balance, power, speed, posture, breathing, timing, focus, etc. Only work on one of these per repetition.

10. Practice the kata as fast as possible.

11. Practice each move several times before moving on.

12. Think up drills to help with problem areas.

13. Think about each move being a block or defense.

14. Think about each move being a strike or offensive technique

15. Think about each move being addressed to someone in front of you, even on movements which are turns.

Have fun with your kata. Play with your kata. It has been given to you to help your development. Enjoy.

Jeff Cooper Sensei .

Thoughts on Kata Practice

Shihan’s Corner

Shihan’s Corner The Meaning of Karate Training

By Seikichi Toguchi, submitted by John Roseberry Shihan

Most people simply do not understand the true meaning of training. They simply use the word to suit their own preconceived notions. Now, when one is training oneself, it doesn’t really matter how he defines the word since the only person affected is himself. But when you are training the other people it is very important to clearly under-stand the difference between training someone and abusing him.

Training, in its true sense, is always one with love and respect toward the person you are training. The purpose of training another is to improve and perfect him. Thus training is a relationship of love, with the object being the welfare of the person being trained. If, however, the trainer does not love the trainee, if the relationship be-comes a one-way flow of dominance rather than the two-way flow required by mutual respect, when the object of the relationship is the satisfaction of the ego of the trainer, then it is not training, but abuse. You must always reflect very carefully on the relationship you establish with those you train. Do not angrily say “I always treat them carefully with love! How dare you call it abuse?” Reflect deeply on your own motives. Even if you yourself think you show love, reflect on the fact that if you love is too self-centered it cannot be true love. Unless the purpose of the training is mutually satisfactory and thoughtful relationship between the trainer and the trainee, unless they are bound by mutual trust and affection, there can never be any interchange of love between the two sides. Both sides must rid themselves of their selfishness. This is a point on which instructors must reflect constantly, evermore re-examining themselves. Training is central to the Okinawan conception of karate. In Okinawa, when people seek to judge a karate man, they don’t use terms like strong or weak, proficient technique or poor technique, etc. Instead, in praise of a man, they say that he is trying hard. For example, instead of “That man is a good fighter and strong in his tech-niques”, they would say “that man is trying hard”. If the only criteria for karate is strength or proficiency of tech-nique, the inevitable result would be to hold contests and pit one man against the other to determine who is best. But the Okinawan tradition points in just the opposite direction, away from the satisfaction of ego by domi-nating others in contests, toward the satisfaction of self by training hard. If one is criticized for not training hard enough, he can correct the situation by simply training harder. He does not need to go out and beat someone up or subdue others. That way he improves himself and his character, and does so at no expense to anyone else. When I look at the present condition of the karate world, I wish so many people were not going about foolishly nipping the buds about to flower after so many years of labor. Rather than going about quarrelling and fighting with one another, we should follow the wisdom of the Okinawan people, and seek, like them, to make harmony the basis of our lives. We should cast out this contention for supremacy and not lose sight of the true spirit of karate. We should return to the original forms of self-discipline and let our lives serve as examples of the cor-rect development of Karate-Do.

In Budo

John Roseberry Shihan

Please join me in contributing to our newsletter. As an organization we have too much

knowledge to keep it to ourselves.

- John Roseberry Shihan

A Trip Back in Time

A Trip Back in Time

Thanks and send more!

Just a quick note to thank the folks who have contributed to this newsletter.

So what about the rest of you? Anything from a fleeting thought to a dissertation would be great. Training tips, etc…

Thanks again:

Rod Williams

rcwillia@cox.net

Recognize Anyone?

The “staying power” of the Sho Rei Shobu Kan Organization is truly amazing. This

photo was taken in 1988 (Thank you Sensei Tom Hoile).

Look closely at the faces, and you will see many of these same faces today.

That was 29 years ago!

Contact Us

We need input from the

members of the organiza-

tion. Articles, stories,

calendar updates, photos,

etc.

If you know anyone who

wishes to be added to the

distribution list (or re-

moved) please let me

know.

Thanks again:

Rod Williams

rcwillia@cox.net

(402) 679-4592

Upcoming Events

Northeastern Gasshuku

When: October 27th & 28th

Where: Syracuse, New York

Midwest Convention

When: October 28th

Where: 1811 “N” St.

Lincoln, Nebraska 68508

What’s happening in your Dojo? Got an upcoming event in your Dojo? Maybe something as simple as a Kyu rank

testing, a tournament, or maybe a visiting instructor? Let me know and we’ll list it

here. Thanks again… Rod

Thanks… Thanks so much to Shihan Roseberry, Sensei Jeff Cooper, and Sensei Tom Hoile

for their time and contributions to this newsletter. Please send me notes,

thoughts, articles, events, and especially photos. There is no such thing as too

big or small, we can make it fit. There is way too much talent out there that really

needs to be heard.

Rod

Hombu Dojo

John Roseberry - Shihan

SRSBK Family Martial Arts Center

13478 Naylors Blue Drive

Chester ,VA. 23836

402-890-9988

Sho Rei Shobu Kan - Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate Do

Upcoming Events