Anyone aspiring to be a JKA karate black belt (and all who have already achieved this feat) is familiar with the names of the master Japanese instructors who recently visited South Africa ahead of the SA JKA Nationals and Africa Cup Tournament.
Accompanied by Johan La Grange Sensei (7th Dan), the technical director and chief instructor of the South Africa Japan Karate Association (SA JKA), these highly qualified, yet humble instructors, hosted a two-day JKA training seminar with the aim of imparting much-needed information and knowledge to their eager students.
Fifth- and sixth-dan karateka were instructed by Yasunori Ogura Shihan, while fourth-dan and below (up to blue belt) were taught by Koichiro Okuma Shihan.
All four classes of one-and-a-half-hour sessions, spanning over two days, had their emphasis on Kata, which is a sequence of moves found and used in kihon (basic individual- and combination-blocks, attacks, and stances) and kumite (free-fighting).
Okuma Shihan explained: “Without kata, one cannot become an exceptional fighter. Understanding how expansion and contraction, fast and slow, hard and soft, work in combination with and contrast to each other are important factors that contribute to applying these elements to one’s fighting style. These essentials can be found in kata.”
Each session ended with the room buzzing with excitement and the excitement again building up minutes before the next programme.
By partnering up with another, the basics were demonstrated and performed over and over again, allowing karateka to observe and apply these moves with and against an opponent. Learning about Zanchin, a state of awareness and relaxed alertness, enabled karateka who are not yet at the level of a black belt to understand the importance of body posture after a technique is executed.
All who participated in the training agreed that gatherings such as this, with karateka coming from all over South Africa, are not only fun but necessary and fundamental for the stability and growth of the sport of SA JKA Shotokan Karate, which this year boasts its 60th anniversary.
Anyone wanting to join or requesting information regarding classes and fees is welcome to contact Sensei Johan Swart at 083 658 7157.
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