Category: General

This week in history (24 May – 30 May)

24 May On 24 May 1923, Henri Plee was born in the French city of Arras. Considered the “Father of European Karate”, Plee is a true pioneer. He studied many martial arts with some of the world’s top masters. He held a 10th Dan in Karate, a 5th Dan in Judo, a 3rd Dan in …

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Jim Collins

Kata is very important especially for someone like me who is coaching full-time. I have to be able to offer my students everything. I started to concentrate on my kata to help me teach it and I thoroughly enjoy it and I believe it plays a very important part in your training. Jim Collins The …

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Doug Perry

Karate is a fighting art. You must train with deep seriousness from the first day. Each punch, block, or kick must be delivered with the power of the entire body in unison. No matter how much time you devote to training – months or years – if your training consists of no more than moving …

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Yasunori Ogura

Seek perfection of character. Everything else follows on from that. Yasunori Ogura A stalwart of the JKA, Yasunori Ogura is known for his attention to detail. He is a former kumite and kata champion, who is a senior instructor at the JKA Hombu. Yasunori Ogura was born on 21 January 1958, in Hokkaido, Japan. Growing …

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This week in history (17 May – 23 May)

17 May On 17 May 1969, Keinosuke Enoeda married Reiko Hayashi. Charles Naylor, who would become a stalwart of the KUGB was his best man. The newlyweds settled in Kingston Surrey. 18 May On 18 May 1966, Wayne Otto, a multiple European and World Champion, was born in Hackney, London. Otto is one of the …

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Yoshiji Soeno

Known as the ‘Tiger of Josai‘, Yoshiji Soeno was one of Mas Oyama’s early Kyokushin students. The character, Ryu, from the Street Fighter game, is said to have been based on him. Yoshiji Soeno was born in Tokorozawa, Japan, on 29 September 1947. He was descended from an ancient samurai family on both his father …

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Koichi Sugimura

As your body gets weaker you have got two choices: to accept or to change your philosophy of life. Koichi Sugimura A pioneer of Shotokan Karate in Switzerland, Koichi Sugimura was an advocate of traditional Karate practice, especially through the teachings of Gichin Funakoshi. Koichi Sugimura, the youngest of four children, was born in South …

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This week in history (10 May – 16 May)

10 May On 10 May 1957, the founder of Shotokan Karate, Gichin Funakoshi, was laid to rest at the Zen Sho-ji temple in Kakiu. He was cremated and his ashes laid alongside those of his wife. Funakoshi had died on 26 April, in a Tokyo hospital, surrounded by his close family and his student Shigeru …

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This week in history (2 May – 9 May)

2 May Between 2 – 4 May 1994, the 29th European Karate Championships were held in Birmingham, England. Englishmen Wayne Otto and Tim Stephens won gold and silver, in their respective Kumite events. Teammates Patricia Duggin and Julliet Toney won bronze medals in their respective kumite events. Sari Laine of Finland, who owns the Guinness …

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Akio Minakami

I use natural body movement, breath control, and correct posture so that ki comes out smoothly. So, even with less effort, more power goes out to the target. I relax and use my body. Akio Minakami Carrying on the legacy of Shito-Ryu master, Teruo Hayashi, Akio Minakami, is one of the world’s most respected masters. …

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