Tag: WKF

Thomas ‘LaPuppet’ Caroll

If someone confronts me on the street, I will run like hell and hope he doesn’t catch me; if he does, he is in trouble. Thomas LaPuppet Known as the “Gentleman of Karate“, Thomas LaPuppet was a pioneer of American karate. A ferocious competitor, he was nicknamed “La Puppet (The Puppet)” for his ability to …

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Doug James

I see kata as something for developing the individual and that if that person performs the moves in a certain way and is happy, providing it is within the overall guidelines of the kata I see nothing wrong with some deviation. Doug James Considered one of the cornerstones of British Karate, Doug James has been …

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Geoff Thompson

No true champion likes losing. We’re in the job of winning. Geoff Thompson Standing at an imposing 6ft 6in, Geoff Thompson is a multiple heavyweight kumite World Champion. Alongside Vic Charles and Jerome Atkinson, he took competitive Karate to the next level with his power and athletic ability. During the 1980s he was the face of Sport …

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This week in history (24 February – 1 March)

24 February On 24 February 1941, Shotokan master, Masahiko Tanaka, was born in Tokyo, Japan. Known for his great skill in kumite, Tanaka, a long-time member of the JKA, won the 1st and 2nd IAKF World Karate Championships held in Los Angeles and Bremen. He also won the JKA All-Japan Individual kumite on two occasions. On …

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This week in history (23 December – 29 December)

23 December On 23 December 1911 Kenko Nakaima was born. He was the grandson of Norisato Nakaima, founder of the Okinawan family karate style, Ryuei-Ryu. Kenko Nakaima, the third headmaster of the style, is credited with opening it to non-family members. One of his top students was Tsuguo Sakumoto, a three-time WKF Kata World Champion. …

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This week in history (9 December – 15 December)

10 December On 10 December 1933 Shotokan master Takayuki Mikami was born in Nigata Prefecture Japan. He was the first professional Karate instructor to be sent by the JKA to teach Karate full-time in another country. Mikami arrived in Tokyo in 1952  to study Japanese Literature at Hosei University. Being a farm boy in a …

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This week in history (18 November – 24 November)

18 November On 18 November 2004 the 17th World Karate Championships were held at the Monterrey Arena, Monterrey, Mexico. Goju-ryu practitioner Atsuko Wakai from Japan, won her fourth consecutive Word individual kata title. She is one of the most successful tournament competitors, having also won titles at the World Games, Asian Games and All-Japan Karate-do …

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This week in history (17 December – 23 December)

On 19 December 1963 Vernon Bell received a letter from Masatomo Takagi, the General Manager of the Japan Karate Association (JKA), requesting that the British Karate Federation (BKF) officially act as the authorized representative of the JKA in Britain. Earlier that year Bell had received a letter from Takagi indicating that Tetsuji Murakami (Yoseikan Karate), …

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On this day….(March 14)

On this day, 14th March 1946, Michael Billman, a high ranking karate administrator, was born in the East End of London. At school, Billman had been a keen rugby player having trials with the Saracens Rugby Club. On leaving school he took up amateur boxing. In 1969 he began his karate training at a club run …

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Luis Maria Sanz De La Hoz

It’s fundamental to study and practise bunkai, it’s the only way of expressing the meaning of the techniques in a kata, otherwise, they are just movements without a meaning. Luis Maria Sanz De La Hoz Described as “the last link between traditional and competitive Karate” Luis Maria Sanz holds a notable place in karate, being …

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