Owning Your Own Karate

In my last writings I touched on Bunkai, and how as our Knowledge and understanding of our Karate changes and grows, so does the application of what we study. I am continually intrigued reading articles all over the globe telling me to “Own my own Karate”. Hell, I thought I did. Does that mean we have to all see things the same way? Or just to do things our own way?

Neither of these are the case of course, and Im sure that what these ownership statements are getting at is that as Karateka, we should be responsible for our own training and growth in our chosen art.

Many people are happy following their teacher, and learning what they can from him or her. Does that mean that they are not owning their own Karate? Of course it doesn’t, it just means that they have found where they want to be in their art, and are happy there. Now that’s ownership!

Sensei John Jarvis said to me some time ago at a difficult time in my career of Goju. "Find a teacher you can trust, and stick with him” ... wise words indeed, and yes, I did.

As we grow in our art we are encouraged to look deep into our Kata and come to understand and practice the Bunkai within. Now that's where the problem starts, and where egos can get in the way.

We must practice of course, however, as Im sure you all know, if we practice bad techniques, well, we will get very good at them and that’s not what we want at all is it?

Practice your Kihon and grow from there, and you will be surprised where it leads you. The fact is it has to work. What would be the point of it if it didn’t? Find a partner to work with and make sure what you are doing is effective. If you are finding that it isn’t then you may have to adjust it to suit your size or stature. Ask if you're not sure. Im sure you are surrounded by a Dojo full of people who can help you.

The fact that they have decided to turn up in the first place tells me that they have made the choice to “Own their Karate”. It's that simple really.

Do not ever think that you have Bunkai that is “yours”. To do so would be arrogant. So who’s is it I hear you ask ? If I “own my own Karate” then mustn’t my Bunkai be my own? No it mustn’t. No matter what we do or how we apply our Kata, are we really that arrogant to believe that someone else before us has not done the same? It is merely the Bunkai that you prefer to use, that’s all. And you prefer to use it because it works right?

I had a wonderful chat with a good friend today who runs his own Ju-Jitsu club here in Dunedin, and we ended up laughing at each others techniques. Why? Because they were similar, not the opposite as you may think.

At the end of the day there are only so many ways to skin a cat. Maybe he “owns my Karate” or do I “own his Ju-Jitsu”? (stated whilst my tongue was firmly planted in my cheek.)

Mike Dalton

Seeking the True Meaning of Karate in Okinawa

Did you know that karate, arguably the most well known martial art in the world, originated in Okinawa? Me neither. But it turns out the small archipelago beneath mainland Japan is where it all began. It wasn't until the early 20th century that Karate made it to the Japanese mainland.

On a recent visit to Okinawa, I had the chance to meet with a local instructor and do a refresher of my rusty karate skills. Kevin Chaplin, a Brit now based in Okinawa, was my mentor for a session at Murasaki Mura theme park.

Quizzing him on the difference between traditional Okinawan karate and the modern approach he said:

"True karate has been diluted, changed and adapted. The modern approach is to make money, but you have to balance the money with correct teaching. Karate is an education, not just a combat sport."

Though I learned karate as a teenager, we never once delved into the philosophy behind it. But my story is a common one, according to Kevin, as many karate schools are more concerned with membership and increased revenues than teaching the true meaning behind the martial art.

"Traditional training is hard, so many schools just hand out belts to keep people coming back. That’s why sports karate became so popular, there’s money involved. If your students are successful in a competition, you get more students, more money, more recognition… but you sacrifice the true meaning of karate along the way."

"The Okinawan spirit is to 'just get on with it'. That's what's different from some of the other Japanese martial arts, and some of the teachings coming from China. There’s a little more spirituality involved, but the Okinawans are more pragmatic towards it. There’s no shortcut to doing a perfect punch. Just get on with it. If you have to practice 1000 times a day, just do it, whatever it takes, and you'll learn."

Educating tourists on the origins of karate at the Murasaki Mura theme park, as well continually improving his own skills with a local sensei, Kevin views karate as character building.

"As a karate practitioner you always talk about your mind, your body and your spirit - the three together. Karate has that built in, you go in there with the mindset to do it and improve."

"When I teach the kids, I just try and keep that in mind. Teaching them to clean the dojo, show respect to each other. We always talk about who is that best, but you’re always teaching everyone to improve."

"If one kids really sharp, really fast, a great fighter… but the kid who was really nervous and crying the first day, three months later he’s facing up to the strong kid. That’s the biggest success. The kid who’s always winning, that’s fine, but the biggest success is the kid that grew in some way."

After having only a brief training session with Kevin, my karate skills are still as rusty as ever. I’m not about to go back to training, but I have developed more of an appreciation and understanding of the history behind the martial art.

If you seek the true meaning of karate, Okinawa is the place to find it.

Yasuda Tetsunosuke ~ Hanshi 10th Dan

If you happen to meet him at the corner of a street, Mr. Yasuda Tetsunosuke will remind you of a gentleman of old time Okinawa. In the post war Okinawa, he worked on US military facilities before opening his own real estate company named Yasuda Jutaku Co., Ltd that he still runs today. While at a first sight you might not notice it, the life of CEO Yasuda was supported by karate and yoga.

Born in 1926, Yasuda sensei became a student of Miyazato Eichi sensei, a direct student of the founder of Goju-ryu, Miyagi Chojun sensei. As he explains, "The reason why I chose Goju-ryu is because this school had the breathing kata Sanchin and Tensho. This is because I studied the way of breathing through Yoga."

Having encountered psychology at university, Yasuda sensei has always lived a life where severe karate training and Bushido way of thinking are like the two wheels of a bicycle.

Yasuda sensei truly believes that "It is important to face oneself in an honest way. Unfortunately, in the case of many karate people, they are focusing on the outside aspects of karate. That is why when I look at martial arts today, I can not stop thinking that it has gotten out the way of Budo. Ideally, if one practices karate thinking of it as a way to build himself, he will find his Ikigai, his purpose in life". He goes on saying that "Human beings should follow the principles of the Kamikaze units, living as if today was the last day of their life. This concept should prevail for life but also in karate and never be forgotten."

To the question what is the most important thing in karate, Yasuda sensei answers frankly, "Tanden no kyoka and Kiso tanren, respectively the strengthening of the tanden and basic training. I can't conceive that an animal could do something but a man could not!" And at 87, Yasuda sensei, the Saiko Komon or supreme advisor of the Jundokan Sohombu, doesn't only speak about theory but also applies it. Grabbing a 20 kg weight and holding it behind his head, he executes easily some 30 sit-ups. And when finished, he goes back to instructing with a healthy smile on his face...

Interview Conducted by Okinawa Karate News: http://okinawakaratenews.com/eng/hanshi.php#h1

First Impressions of the Jundokan

When you think about the idea of training at the Jundokan Honbu-Dojo in Naha, Okinawa, the birthplace of Goju Ryu Karate, thoughts of brutal conditioning, hours of solid press-ups, and a code of conduct so strict that one false move will have you kicked out, may come to mind. But, in reality, that’s not the case at all. In fact, it couldn’t be further from the truth.

My first trip to Okinawa in October of 2008 started with unsurprising feelings of anxiety towards such prestigious training at a place as historic and world-renowned as the Jundokan. Of course, I too thought along the same lines as those mentioned above; training with the masters of the art- it had to be tough! However, after just one night's worth of training at the Jundokan dojo, I quickly realised I was wrong to feel that way. In fact, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Contrary to popular western ideology, the teaching style at the Jundokan Dojo is not about beating one another until you feel no more pain. Don’t get me wrong, training is serious and requires 100% of your effort and concentration, but those teaching at the Jundokan are accommodating, teaching age-old techniques and ideologies in a manner which is specific to you. A sense of “equality” is created, one sensei even stating to me that it is best to train as “brothers, rather than as teacher and student” (Hisao Sunagawa, 2012). It is a combination of these factors that make the Jundokan Dojo unique like no other.

Upon returning to the Jundokan now in July of 2012, I have quickly come to realise that things have not changed in the slightest. All of those teaching here are exceptionally friendly and welcoming, one sensei having even invited me out for the day where he bought me a drink afterwards. And of course, training itself is no different. One night saw us working over kata and at a stage where my technique differed to those of others around me, a discussion closely ensured. Within long, we were told that in fact I was not wrong, and that the technique could be done both ways depending on the bunkai. Such an accommodating style of teaching is what makes the Jundokan unique; always open to the opinions of others, always looking to learn more from others around them. The idea that “this is the one way to do it- your way is wrong”, simply does not exist, but rather, the concept of accommodation and equality prevails.

Okinawa is a great country, and Naha is a beautiful city filled with interesting and unique things to do during the day, and world-class karate to train in at night. The Jundokan Honbu-Dojo is remarkable place where just one night’s training can change your entire perspective on Karate itself. It is a place that unites people from all across the globe for one single purpose: to train in the traditional art of Goju Ryu Karate-Do. There aren’t many places in the world where you can train with the current masters of Goju Ryu as equals, but the Jundokan strives for just that. There really is nothing else like it, and no better way to learn the art of Goju Ryu.

Blake Turnbull

July 2012, Naha, Okinawa.