I returned to class last night after being off for a week with the flu. It felt good being active again, but it’s incredible how quickly we lose gains when away. After only one week I could already feel a decrease in stamina, strength, etc.
Sensei Steve Fogarasi, IFK Canada Representative
The class last night focused on kihon, and I loved it. It forces concentration on the small details, and I love working on those parts. I’m not sure why, but there is something inside me to want to perfect kata and kihon. There is just something about seeing perfectly executed kata and basics that excites me, as much as watching kumite.
Sensei Fogarasi made comments about the importance of kihon and I know there are those who dread the basics, but I agree with him that they are the foundation of everything we do. The building blocks of everything else.
Though we all make jokes about it, we all remember The Karate Kid, specifically when Mr. Miyagi instructs Daniel-san to wash his cars and “wax on/wax off”. Pushing Daniel-san to the brink of utter frustration. Mr. Miyagi finally shows the value of basic training and fundamentals, by demonstrating to Daniel-san the instinctual movement that has been drilled. It also showed the commitment, which was expected by instructors years ago.
As much as we laugh, we know that this is the type of commitment, which makes a great karate-ka. It is the foundation of all. Through practice and hard work, we continue to build upon the foundation, to build the structure of our house, our karate.
Hanshi Steve Arneil
I recently saw an interview with Hajime Kazumi , conducted by Nicholas Pettas for the program Samurai Spirit. Kazumi has become one of my favourite karate-ka, for numerous reasons. He won the All Japan an incredible 5 times! A record that still stands. So I was shocked to hear in this interview that he believes that karate is all about kata.
Sensei Steve Fogarasi, IFK Canada Representative
In my dojo, every step, stance and hand movement is critiqued, and last night I loved learning a kata that I didn’t know before. Getting lost within the turns, looking to the higher ranks to find my place and keep up.
There is something about the energy of kata. You feel grounded and powerful. I get lost in it sometimes, and forget about time. It becomes meditative. I stop and realize I’ve been going over and over one small section, without realizing it. It can become exasperating when you work on one aspect, but continue to make mistakes.
Such as being in the right angle and position when blocking. Exasperated, but driven to perfect it, knowing there is no perfection.
For me, kihon and kata are the soul of karate, and I feel blessed to be at a dojo where the instructor values and puts so much emphasis on these aspects as well.
Comments 5
I just love reading and watching videos of karate. I live for this art. I feel it inside of every fiber of my being. To be honest, I don’t think I’d be able to put into words how karate is everything good for me. I agree with you that the base of karate lies in kihon and kata. It is in everything we do.
I’m 22 years old and when I was around 8 or 9 years old, my mom signed me up to learn Kyokushin karate. My brother stopped training, but I continued. We had the kihon written on plates hanging on our walls so we wouldn’t forget it. Sometimes we would practice it. One thing that bugs me is that I have extreme troubles remembering names of techniques. I can do the techniques though. Sadly, her school closed. She was a very good teacher and focused on perfecting our basic techniques. I tried another dojo, but didn’t like how my sensei taught us the art. I took a break for a couple of years. The heart wasn’t in it anymore.
A couple of months ago, I decided that I wanted to go back to train. I felt like something was missing in my life. This time, I joined Shinkyokushin. Since I knew Kyokushin, the transition was easy. Some of the techniques are different considering the person at the head of the organization is different. This dojo makes me feel like home. We don’t do the whole kihon, but we do practice our basic techniques every time I train. We also do some kata. I did them today and took the time to ask questions at the end of the class to perfect my techniques.
I agree with you that there is something special about perfecting techniques even though we know we’ll never be perfect. It’s just the intention of becoming a better person every time we train. Not just inside the dojo, but also in our personal lives. Some people say karate is a sport, I say it is a way of living my life.
Thank you for taking the time to write this blog.
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Thank you.
I grew up in London UK. Studied Kyokushinkai Karate, for seven year’s. Taught at several London Dojos.’
In 1968 Mas Oyama came to London visiting Steve Arniel and Bob Bolton, both my instructors. I made Shodan, during that visit. Moved to Nassau Bahamas in 1971 and durring 1974 met an Isshin-Ryu, Okinawan Karate practitioner from America, we became best friend’s, and one year later I moved to the US, to study his style with him and his instructor in Miami. My friend is still my teacher and we both ‘practise’ daily… (we live in different town’s) we to continue to train, there is no reason to stop… it’s been over 50 year’s for us now. We do it for our continued good health and improvement of Kata, ‘yes’ it is ‘the’ most important thing we can practice, always with feeling. Meditation in motion, mind like water.
Thank you for this article.
~ Robert.
Robert, thank you for taking the time to read my blog and leaving your comment. It’s inspirational to me that you have been studying for over 50 years. Very impressive. It is an honour that someone with your experience has time to share. I also value your last comment very much. Meditation in motion, mind like water. Osu!