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- A modern karate club of today, in other words spacious enough to include competition karate, as well as the traditional Japanese Karate, that is both tradition, motion and elite.
- Karate now-a-days, it should be clear that it only is not about:
"Either - Or" ... - But the ability to do both. - "Tradition must be an inspiration - Not a limitation"
- Our style is Shotokan Karate and we would like to highlight a very high quality in all we do. Basically, we look for inspiration in the original karate, which was trained by master Gichin Funakoshi in Okinawa and passed through Sensei Masatoshi Nakayama, also the founder of SKIF: Soke Hirokazu Kanasawa.
-But...-We are also a top modern and progressive club that follows the development of the modern WKF Karate.
For me it is important to preserve the original principles of karate. The majority of modern karate fighters are too focused on competition karate. They are experiencing difficulty in understanding the importance of training basic Karate through Kihon and Kata. That is why I basically work with two karate forms: "Solid form" and the "Free Form"
- The "Solid Form"
I see as traditional Shotokan karate, which is the basis for building the individual student's development within our style Shotokan karate. Traditional karate is based on the notion of the "Perfect punch" or "One Blow, One Kill" - The final fight / battle is defined as a 100% perfectly executed technique strong enough knock out an attacking opponent.
The structure of each contestant has to start as a white belt with a tough basic training, which contains the fundamental principles founded in Kihon and Kata. Such attacks can not, in my view, be built solely by training the free form "Sport Karate", but is built up with a systematic basis Kihon, which helps to build a strong foundation in the pupil, and at the same time coaches and clarifies its "Timing" and “Kime”.
The perfect timing of the completion of a technique with full “Kime” can only be achieved through basic training and many repetitions. The end of the sole technique, such as a blow to the head, can only be practiced precise and controlled by the base training concept and “Kime”. When the student has achieved this skill, it will be fairly easy to determine a punch, so it stopped "Sun dome" Skin touch, or a full contact blow.
Our Kata training helps the student to improve their technique in solid form, changing of direction, rotations and improved balance. Kata gives more value for students if they early on train the corresponding “Bunkai” for each kata. Kata training can also make sense for the students by trying out each technique on a strike pad. This type of training provides both meaning and training for the pupil performing kata, and the person holding the “Strike pad”.
To build up the battle-related training in our system we start with “Gohon Kumite”, continues in “Sanbon” and “Kihon Ippon Kumite” where distance "Maae", timing and power are very important for the performance of both attack and defence.
The free Kumite-form begins at the training of “Jiyu-Ippon Kumite” which attacked significantly more powerful from a relaxed but proper position. This Kumite-form contains importance of block, direction change (Tai Sabaki), contraindications and personal safety - move the body away from the attack direction and have an overview of the battle.
- The Free Form:
Sport Karate, the free Kumite today has several forms. The form used by most is the WKF (World Karate Federation) who have done a lot to make Karate more audience friendly and worked to get karate on the Olympic program (IOC)
This kumite-form appeals to today's youth Karate fighters, so they start on this form very early in their "Karate-life." This undoubtedly helps to keep young people in the Karate clubs.
However, the free form, can also destroy their perception of karate. They often lose interest in the importance of Kihon training, which gives them control of the body and the ability and agility to create powerful Karate techniques. On the positive side sports-kumite is where we learn to be relaxed, agile, smooth and swift in movements.
This corrects the free form, as the traditional karate easily become the "Staccato like" and seems a little stiff in the movements. I often see students who come from very traditional clubs having huge problems with creating explosive techniques and that they do not master the "Flow" in their technique and movements.
It develops student in the correct way to train both “Solid” and “Free form”, so that the student masters the casual movements, while full control is obtained through basic training with proper form and powerful “Kime”.
The benefit provides a good effect, so you reach classic karate pupil and the elite competitor. Maintaining the youth in a sports environment, while you have the traditional karate is a common denominator and creates unity. Another advantage is that when the pupil is too old for competition-related training, they have something to fall back on (“Back to basic”) and can lead the traditional karate on through instructor work in our Shotokan system.
- Conclusion:
For me, modern karate, is the right combination of "Solid form and the free form" - Many people will achieve great benefits from this combination as it combines sport and tradition in the perfect way. This way karate becomes dynamic and constantly evolving, both as a sport and as karate tradition.
This is written with the greatest respect for Karate and the “Karate-Do”
Erling Marcussen | Chief Director & Founder of Bushi Karate & Combat Sport
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