MONDAY: Sensei Enoeda
An awesome karate master
with a unique charismatic personality. The perfect
controlled power and fluid flexibility of movement
that Sensei Enoeda demonstrates never fails to impress
his students.
Morning
Concentration during this session was on the use of basic hand and
leg techniques in free-style attitude. Progress of the
session taking the class from simple single attacks
to advanced kumite (sparring) movements. Culminating
in free sparring with use of selected hand attacks and
then leg-sweeps.
Afternoon
'Kanku-Sho' was the kata for Monday with
Sensei Enoeda emphasising correctness of movement throughout.
His demonstrations of the required technique make the
movements quite clear for the class. This kata has a
complicated mixture of timing/power/speed/changes of
direction all fused into a beautiful design of technical
precision.
During some
interesting practice in the application of the movements
in 'Kanku-Sho' Sensei Enoeda selected Bob Rhodes (5th
Dan J.K.A.) to demonstrate the section of kata involving
a round-house kick to behind, followed by an evasive
jump and flying back kick. I was chosen to receive this
series of techniques. (For any readers who don't know
Mr. Rhodes, he is built like the proverbial 'brick out-house'
and is a very dynamic karate-ka). Fortunately for me,
Bob is a close friend and my adopted instructor. Unfortunately
for me, Bob forgot this temporarily in the excitement
of the moment and slammed a perfect (his words not mine)
flying back kick into my 'family jewels'. As I stood
staunchly showing no pain, pretending nothing had happened
and wondering if my voice would ever be the same again,
I caught a gleam in Sensei Enoeda's eye. Was it a gleam
of pity? Or a gleam of amusement! Seemingly swayed by
the enthusiasm of my friends in the class, Sensei said,
to Bob, "Again!"
No further
comment, but the tone was set for the week!
******
TUESDAY: Sensei Tanaka
Undoubtedly the main attraction of this year's course (with the
greatest respect to the regular instructors). This sensei
has a fearsome reputation, matched by his brilliant
competitive career (J.K.A. and World Champion) and high
standing as new head of the International Branch of
the J.K.A. Having trained the previous weekend with
Sensei Tanaka I was anticipating a repetition of the
approach he had adopted in Scotland!
Morning
The Tanaka approach in this class revolved
around attentive attitude (Zan-shin) to one's opponent
and fighting position relative to technique, delivery
and evasion, while always maintaining control of "the
action".
The class
was left in no doubt that if Sensei Tanaka "turned-on",
then he would not be a man to cross words with! His
speed of movement and intensity of dynamic, destructive
ability was evident, even from the short time we had
with him.
Sensei Tanaka made use of an interesting variation of open hand defence
and attack strategies combining these with body shifting
and defence from the standing position. This emphasised
the practicability of the techniques and also helped
motivate speed of movement.
Afternoon
Having lulled the class into a false sense
of security the afternoon started as I had dreaded it
might! 'Squat Walking'
back and forth across the dojo followed by multiple
kicks from the squat position. Everyone really enjoyed
this part of the lesson and on the premise that there
is no gain without pain, the whole class gained hugely
from the experience!
As we then
sprang athletically back into line . . . Sensei Tanaka
introduced Kata 'Sochin'. The main thrust of this lesson
was the timing of one's movements in relation to the
overall performance of the kata and how to link the
combinations correctly.
Evening
The Course Disco - a chance to entertain
the instructors by being totally silly and to inflict
large amounts of 'brain damage' on oneself. (I found
myself being unwittingly plied with copious amounts
of social beverage). The Bob Rhodes/Norman Gomersall
floorshow was in action as usual but Sensei Tanaka stole
the show with his hilarious one-man act.
******
WEDNESDAY: Sensei Tabata
A big man with a tremendous pedigree and a deceptive appearance
(don't let the jolly giant appearance fool you!) it's
always a pleasure to train with Sensei Tabata, who is
a real gentleman! (Unfortunately his knee was troubling
him and he was unable to give the class the benefit
of his usual demonstrations.
Morning
Sensei Tabata concentrated this lesson on
"keeping the shoulder down" and made use of
multiple practice of double arm punching followed by
one-arm freestyle with leg sweeps to develop this theme.
Afternoon
The lesson consisted mainly of repetitive
practice of kata 'Bassai-Sho' with the class being divided
into groups of dan grade to perform while the others
watched.
******
THURSDAY: Sensei Ohta
'Master
Enoeda's young and talented 'assistant. This very popular
instructor makes a lot of effort to teach his class
and this, along with his interesting and innovative
ideas made his sessions highly motivative.
During this
three-hour "morning only" session we worked
on control of a fighting line using evasion with varied
defences and attacks.
The Ohta
repetoire ensured that everyone enjoyed an exciting
participation in the kumite part of the session which
was followed, by an equally exciting practice of kata
'Unsu'. As usual Sensei Ohta presented the kata with
excellent demonstrations and we were offered some unusual
Bunkai (applications), including attacks from the kneeling
position against the two, floor-level roundhouse kicks.
******
FRIDAY: Sensei Enoeda
The final session! Sensei Enoeda (as per normal format)
revised all the kata of the week. This we did, relatively
quickly which left one wondering, "What is coming
next?" Well, true to form Sensei Enoeda then led
us through, 'Bassai Dai', 'Kanku-Dai', Jion', 'Enpi'
and 'Hangetsu' and explained the connection between
these Brown Belt kata with 'Bassai Sho; 'Kanku Sho',
'Jiin', 'Gankaku' and 'Sochin'.
I lost track
of the total number of kata performed, but let's just
say that there was not any time wasted during this session.
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Master Tabata is Enoeda Sensei's Seenior Japanese protege and is a regular visitor
on these courses.
Master Tanaka teaches a close-range kicking technique.
Sensei Tanaka has been both J.K.A. National Champion and World
Champion on a number of occasions.
After warming up (nearly killing them) the black belt class
with squat walks at the start of the session, the dynamic
Tanaka Sensei then had them all attempting (and all
failing!) to duplicate the straight arm push-ups that
he performed easily. He then said (just to rub it in) "That is not so hard . . .I believe some people
can even do this with one arm'; Then putting one arm
behind his back and stretching the other one out in
front of him, he dutifully began knocking out repetitions
of this super-difficult feat.
Sensei Ohta taught various applications of the kata movements
during most of his classes.
A brief respite for Tanaka sensei's class. A feature-story and
cover tie-in on this famous karate man.
******
A Tanaka Sensei special: Mr. Ohta is taken up and over
in a Judo kata-garuma (body throw) whilst author Paul
Allen's attack is met with a side thrust kick. Mr. Allen
got a sore chest but poor Ohta hit the turf with such
a wallop, it surprised me that he was able to stand
up!
 Please see: Karate Gallery No.1
(Top left) for a pre-photoshoot set up pic.
******
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