August 2021 archive

This week in history (30 August – 5 September)

30 August On 30 August 1931 Shotokan Karate master Hiroshi Shōji, was born in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Appearing in Volume 4 of Masatoshi Nakayama‘s Best Karate series, he was known for his sharp quick movements and exceptional tai-sabaki. At the 1st JKA All-Japan Karate Championships in 1957, Shoji became the first All-Japan Kata Champion. He …

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Dirk Heene

The road to perfection cannot be travelled in one lifetime. Dirk Heene A long-time student of Shotokan’s, Taiji Kase, Dirk Heene has done a lot to promote the teachings of Kase. Dirk Heene was born on 24 January 1948, in Aalst, East Flanders Province of Belgium. His father was a mining engineer. When he was …

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Bill Hayes

In my opinion, one of the greatest mistakes in our training is not tailoring kata as time goes by. Bill Hayes A pioneer of Okinawan Shobayashi Shorin-Ryu Karate in the United States, Bill Hayes is a leader of men. As a US Marine, he served in the Vietnam War. As one of Eizo Shimabukuro’s most …

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This week in history (23 August – 29 August)

23 August On 23 July 2011, Steve Arneil was awarded his 10th Dan. 24 August On 24 August 2000 Andy Hug died from breathing difficulties and multiple organ failure. He was only 35 years old. His death was reported on all the major news channels in Japan. He was survived by his wife Ilona and …

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Robert Fusaro

You have to constantly assume a novice’s mind if you want to keep learning and growing. Robert Fusaro One of the pioneers of Shotokan Karate in the United States, Robert Fusaro was known for the elegance and simplicity of his teaching. Interested in teaching the traditional aspects of Karate, he opened the first Karate school …

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Maynard Miner

One thing I have noticed is that some people always want to learn more things instead of polishing what they already have. Maynard Miner A pioneer of Shotokan Karate in the United States, Maynard Miner helped lay the foundations of Shotokan Karate in the US. His many students include the likes of George Cofield, John …

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This week in history (16 August – 22 August)

16 August On 16 August 1940, Kiyoshi Yamazaki was born in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. His father was a Kendo master, who taught his Kiyoshi Yamasaki and his brother, martial arts from an early age. A student of one of the greatest Karate Masters of the 20th century in Yasuhiro Konishi, Kiyoshi Yamazaki has endeavoured to …

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Nicholas Pettas

The most important thing I learned as a dormitory student at the Kyokushinkaikan, the headquarters of Kyokushin, was to be courageous in the face of any obstacle, the spirit of never giving up, and the motivation to want to succeed in everything you do in life. Nicholas Pettas Sometimes known as the ‘Blue-eyed Samurai‘, Nicholas …

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Cathy Cline

There may be some missing pieces of the puzzle, but those ‘missing pieces‘ are what makes Karate eternally interesting. Even after training for decades, a true martial artist continues to learn, continues to experience epiphanies that make training more meaningful. Cathy Cline The highest-ranked woman in the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF), Cathy Cline was …

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This week in history (9 August – 15 August)

9 August On 9 August 1945, the United States of America dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. This was three days after they dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. Hiroshi Shirai and his family survived the dropping of the bomb. On 9 August 1975, the film ‘Karate Bullfighter‘ …

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