WSKF-SA Black Belt Training – March 2024

02 Mar

Photo credits: Karate in Focus

The monthly Black Belt trainings of 2024 got underway on the morning of 2 March 2024 at the Karate Vaal Dojo in Vereeniging. Visiting this dojo is like “coming home” – our host, Martin Pretorius sensei and his team always extend the warmest, most sincere welcomes. Karateka form across Gauteng attended the training and we were thrilled to welcome karate family from Reitz in the Free State in our midst (Rikus Wiehmann sensei, Annchen Wiehmann sensei and students form Komodo Dragons Shotokan Karate).

 

 

 

 

 

Attendees were privileged to receive training from the indomitable Mike Dukas Shihan. The theme for the session became clear with the very first question posed to karateka:

“If you cannot perform certain body movements, how can you execute karate techniques that require those body dynamics?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consistent, systematic training in the art of Karate affords the practitioner various benefits, of which training the body and mind as weapons for self-defence is implicit. Like any weapon, these weapons (the karateka’s body and mind) also require honing, cleaning, strengthening and “proper storage”. When a weapon is marred by impurities, such impurities must be removed in an appropriate manner to ensure the longevity of the weapon. Our bodies and minds are no different and the traditional practice of karate employs various means to “remove impurities”, and to strengthen and sharpen the body and the mind…

 

The foundation of a karateka’s abilities rest on the pillars of Kihon (basics), Kata (set form) and Kumite (sparring). The adage “that a building is only as strong as it’s foundations” is well-known. Perhaps a caveat to this should be “that the strength of a foundation is determined by the quality of the materials from which it is constructed”. Therefore, the emphasis of training was a sobering call to order:


BASICS before BASICS


 

In the words of Muhammad Ali:

“The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights…”

The first part of the session was dedicated to meticulous repetition of footwork, weight distribution and -transfer, hip rotation, arm and hand movement and limb synchronisation that all form an integral part of the most elementary karate techniques.

   

With a mere 6 weeks before the much-anticipated country visit of WSKF’s World Chief Instructor (Hitoshi Kasuya Sensei, 9th Dan), specific emphasis was placed in the second section on WSKF spinning techniques, that are uniquely part of the WSKF approach to karate.

 

A select group of karateka will attempt their Dan gradings during Kasuya Sensei’s visit. This training session provided opportunity for these students to showcase their progress and readiness in the third session. Mike Shihan’s laser-sharp discernment offered these students very specific corrections that would address the root of the training challenges they face. Those in attendance, who will not be grading in April, had similar opportunity to soak up all the advice for the betterment of their karate abilities.  

 




 

 

The final section consisted of detailed instruction and methodical practice of the katas Gojushiho Dai, Bassai Dai and Jion.  The importance of suppleness for contraction and expansion of muscle groups was demonstrated, as well as how a lack of suppleness inhibits effective movement and technique delivery, and ultimately one’s ability to defend against and attack…                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


“Do not forget the employment of withdrawal of power, the extension or contraction of the body, the swift or leisurely application of technique.”
一、常に思念工夫せよ
Hitotsu, chikara no kyōjaku, karada no shinshuku, waza no kankyū o wasuruna

Gichin Funakoshi (1938). The Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate. ISBN 978-4-7700-2796-2

 


The next Black Belt Training opportunity is scheduled for the first week of April, when we will gather in the beautiful town of Potchefstroom to visit our host, Steyn Dojo. We look forward to train with you then!


 

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