Shiranamikai students enjoyed a special training session with Japan Karate Association England Chief Instructor, Ohta Yoshinobu 7th Dan, this March.
Fundamentals of blocking and counter attacks using hands, elbows and feet underpinned the session while targeting and distance work, timing and shifting was a key focus of partnerwork. Having utilising the three main Shotokan stances of zenkutsu, kokutsu and kiba dachi throughout the lesson, it was fitting that we finished the session with the kata Jion.
Well done to everyone on passing their grading, especially our younger attendees for trying their best.
A big thank you to Ohta Sensei for visiting Shiranamikai on Friday to lead keiko and conduct a kyu grading for our students. We’re incredibly fortunate to have such a high level instructor lead our karate association in the UK, and who takes the time to develop every grade at club level.
Instructors, Hirayama Yuko 7th Dan and Igarashi Tatsuro 3rd Dan from the JKA Tokyo Sohonbu, joined Ohta Yoshinobu 7th Dan for this year’s JKAEngland Winter Gasshuku.
Hirayama Sensei created a buzz with her encouraging lesson delivery and positive, yet demanding, teaching style. She is now well known to students in the UK after several visits. Igarashi Sensei challenged participants with calisthenic exercises combined with karate technique, designed to increase speed and power in delivery.
A black belt dan grading was held the final day of the course. Congratulations to Chantelle on passing her 1st Dan. Well done!
Receiving her JKA 1st Dan certificate signed by Ueki Masaaki, Shuseki Shihan.
Shiranamikai students had a great training session with Ohta Sensei this September. Lots of fundamentals; lots of partner work! It’s amazing where the time goes when training is this good, and so enjoyable!
We enjoyed a session with our association’s chief instructor this month. Through kihon waza and ippon kumite, the emphasis was on muscle elasticity, release of tension and quick reactivation. Katas studied were Heian Sandan, Godan and Tekki, each featuring kiba dachi and drawing from the basics and partner exercises.
At Shiranamikai, we have a ‘training first’ core principle. While competitions offer up an exciting challenge alongside other clubs, gradings are a way in which to assess an individual’s development. Underpinning this is regular, consistent, training and practice for which there is no substitute.
Congratulations to everyone who graded on this occasion.
Spring 2022, and England is hosting the first JKA international training course in three years. Instructors, Sawada Kazuhiro 8th Dan from JKA Belgium, Imamura Tomio 8th Dan and Shimizu Ryosuke 6th Dan from the Tokyo Sohonbu, join Ohta Yoshinobu 7th Dan for this long overdue gasshuku weekend.
A respectable contingent of our karateka neighbours are present, including from Scotland, Norway, Portugal, and Germany, all keen to participate and absorb the experience that these instructors have to offer… Sawada Sensei gives detailed explanations underlined with profound historic references, and uses physical proxies to great effect throughout his partner drills. Imamura Sensei expands upon uchi uke in basic partner work with makiotoshi making for interesting, if challenging, techniques. Shimizu Sensei demonstrates speed, power, and flexibility, leaving no doubt as to why he made such a formidable kumite competitor in the past. But what may have surprised is his exeptional form throughout katas Gankaku and Gojushiho Sho, with dynamic movement and slick direction changes. But that’s what the JKA does best: apportion equal time to kihon, kata and kumite, and where one finds a deficit, they strive to make improvements.
There was a lot to get through. The first 90 minutes of each day would be given over to kihon and kumite, followed by another 90 minutes being reserved for kata, bunkai, and instructor training. A friendly kumite match took place on Saturday, alongside a kyu grading, instructor theory, and referee practical. Sunday saw a dan grading followed by instructor practical exams.
So, a busy weekend with little time for much else. But this was a fantastic course taught by some of the most respected instructors in the world. And it was so good to finally catch up with karate friends after so long.
Congratulations to Alex on passing his 4th Dan! It’s an incredible achievement, and the culmination of 20 years of dedicated training.
Update: It was announced late-May 2022 that Sawada Sensei has been awarded 8th Dan by the JKA Shihankai. A just recognition for a great instructor who has dedicated his life to karate. Read more about Sawada Sensei on his academy’s site…
A great session with Ohta Sensei, our association’s Chief Instructor this March. We had a warm up and grading for our younger members followed by training for all. After a short break, senior grade students studied katas Bassai Dai and Jion before the main exam.
Our association’s Chief Instructor, Ohta Sensei, delivered a special class for Shiranamikai students at the end of 2020.
Adults just missed out on being able to attend in person due to increased tier restrictions that came into force in England on the day. But with Sensei’s keen eye, there was nowhere to hide, even when at an online height of just 10cm!
We had a fantastic, 2-hour karate training session at the weekend with The Japan Karate Association in England’s Chief Instructor, Ohta Yoshinobu Sensei.
Masks were donned, windows opened, hands washed, distance observed, trained hard, gradings passed – congratulations to all!
We enjoyed world-class training at the weekend with Senseis, Imamura Tomio 8th Dan and Kurihara Kazuaki 5th Dan from The Japan Karate Association’s Tokyo HQ and Ohta Yoshinobu 7th Dan, Chief Instructor in England. This was a brilliant, intense, and immensely technical, 3-day course!
Kurihara’s distance-making during his kumite class was a sight to behold – him covering ground with astounding speed and power. The partner changes seemed relentless to some as his drills became ever more challenging.
Ohta’s session couldn’t have been more of a contrast, advocating the feeling and connection of technique through muscle engagement during controlled kihon and kumite. As he explained, many advanced katas contain slow movements so when practising it is vital to consider the point at which you start, transition and finish the techniques.
Imamura‘s lesson featured many close-quarter techniques and reverse hip twists that one encounters throughout kata. Many applications felt awkward at first and somewhat opposed to the expansive style of Shotokan but after practise it felt more positive. Great to explore these movements.
Congratulations to Subhash! After training finished on Sunday there was a black belt examination where he passed Shodan. Very well deserved!
Ohta Sensei’s Birthday There was another cause for celebration on Sunday with it being Ohta Sensei’s 60th birthday! There were two huge cakes organised by the association, along with a gift. It’s difficult to sum up in how high a regard he is held by everybody he teaches but Tony Cronk captured it well when he said, “…without you there would be no association.”
Many happy returns, Ohta Sensei, from everyone at Shiranamikai!
