Shiranamikai was delighted to welcome Imamura Tomio Sensei 7th Dan, from the JKA Tokyo Sohonbu, to our dojo on 19th September for a special training session.
Imamura Sensei is a regular guest instructor at JKA England’s international courses and brings with him a wealth of experience. Having him visit to teach at class-level was an opportunity too good to miss and with Ohta Sensei on hand too, it was priceless.
For course attendees who had a hankering for more training after the end of the gasshuku or those who found the prospect of 3 hours training of the JKA England course a little demanding, this session was spot-on. It was class instruction in body dynamics for karate. Imamura Sensei took care to break down everything he could, in the time allowed, to aid development. It was nothing short of a masterclass.
Imamura Sensei explained directional energy – how to create it, hold onto it, and redirect it. To demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of projecting and holding energy in front stance, he used Ohta Sensei as model: pushing, pulling, stepping on, and climbing up his body frame!
His kumite exercise was defending against mae geri, oi tsuki by using gedan barai, age uke. First with a step, second with a slide. Counter was slide back in gyaku tsuki. Defending against the front kick is very close so you have to block on the way. The punch then comes in very quickly so you need a fast reaction to escape and block before closing the distance back down for the counter.
We finished up the training with Heian Sandan, Godan and Bassai Dai and, like with the rest of the lesson, he had a close eye on everything we were doing, correcting us as we were counted through each move.
In Sensei’s closing words, he asked that we practise what we covered in class. And of the details that one can habitually forget, Sensei stressed it is important to remember them all.
This was a superb lesson and we are all grateful for Imamura Sensei for taking the time to visit.
