Jan 26 2024
Considered one of the best Shotokan practitioners of his generation, Toshio Yamada was largely influenced by Taiji Kase and Hirokazu Kanazawa. A quiet man, he was not one to give interviews. He let his teaching and Karate, do his talking. Toshio Yamada was born on 18 April 1950, in Osaka, Japan. Yamada enrolled at Takushoku …
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Jan 24 2024
One of the first non-Japanese Shotokan instructors in the United States, Greer Golden was a great communicator. He was well respected by his students and peers alike. Greer Golden was born on 12 March 1937, in Washington, DC. He and his family moved to southwestern Florida, where he grew up playing in the great outdoors. …
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Jan 17 2024
Technique comes to some students quickly and to others slowly. But, with more training, everything grows. Students must ‘nichi nichi no keko’ – train harder, over and over again. Shiro Asano A no-nonsense karateka and a man of few words, hard training has been a way of life for Shiro Asano. He has always been …
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Jan 15 2024
15 January On 15 January 1963 Akiyoshi (Shokei) Matsui was born in Chiba, Japan. Of Korean heritage, he was named Moon Jang-gyu. Considered by some to be a “Kyokushin Karate genius“, Shokei Matsui was the youngest man to become Kyokushin World Champion. A tough competitor, he won 50 out of 56 fights. He is also …
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Jan 12 2024
Nicknamed the ‘Happy Giant’ because of his easy-going demeanour, Yukichi Tabata stood over 6 ft, which was tall for a Japanese man. A member of the Japanese National Team for many years, he had a reputation for being a very tough fighter. Yukichi Tabata was born in Japan in 1943. After graduating from university in …
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Jan 10 2024
I have to admit, when I felt my strength starting to diminish, I hated it and it was also a motivation for me. I don’t want to show weakness. The difference today is that I am no longer looking for an immediate result. I look for technical progress, hip, mobility, shoulder placement, what location, what …
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Jan 08 2024
8 January On 8 January 1933, a pioneer of Goju-Ryu Karate in America, Chuck Merriman was born in Waterford, Connecticut. For many years Chuck Merriman has been one of the most recognisable faces in Karate. This American Karate pioneer has been featured on the cover of many martial arts publications. He has been instrumental in …
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Jan 05 2024
Training with action and reaction, mostly good kihon too. Jiyu ippon kumite (semi freestyle) teaches good kumite. Also do not forget kata. We must practice everything equally, then kumite will improve for sure. Yoshikazu Sumi Known for his great spirit and sense of humour, Yoshikazu Sumi’s movement has been described as being strong and fluid. …
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Jan 03 2024
It is important to practice kata in the correct way. First, learn the correct steps and movements. Second, learn to apply the correct rhythm to the kata. Third, and most important, is one’s mental control and concentration. Kata is a kind of meditation, to teach oneself to develop absolute self-control. The combination of timing, distance, …
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Jan 01 2024
1 January On 1 January 1913, Genshin Hironishi was born in Kyoto, Japan. Also known as Motonobu Hironishi, he was considered one of Gichin Funakoshi’s favourite students. Together with Shigeru Egami, he was an assistant to Yoshitaka Funakoshi. He was one of the main instructors at the Shoto Kan, Gichin Funakoshi‘a purpose-built dojo. On 1 …
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