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WHAT’S BIG IN IOGKF MAGAZINE Message from Sensei Tetsuji Nakamura Page 1 75 years young! Higaonna Sensei turns 75. 50 years in pursuit Sensei Bakkies celebrates The Giants of Traditional Karate Part 2 of an interview with Masters Higaonna & Kyuna Interview with Sensei Ernie Molyneux Plus EGKA 40th Anniversary Women of Karate Sensei Linda achieves 7th Dan & MUCH MORE!! WHAT FREE EXTRAS ARE ONLINE? Everything in this Magazine and with videos and more! Dojo Repsect: A new video of Higaonna Sensei Black Belt Gasshuku with Terauchi Sensei New Video Emerge Video clips to match all major article in this magazine Event Reports and more articles from around the World! At the end of the year, I would like to look back and summarize our organization's activities in 2013. This year was a very memorable year as Higaonna Sensei received the Intangible Cultural Heritage Award from the Okinawan Government. As students, we have known him as the best karate master on the planet. However, it was our great pleasure and honour that the Okinawan Government officially recognized his skill, knowledge and his lifetime work and contribution toward promoting and preserving traditional karate. In March, IOGKF Peru hosted the South American Gasshuku. The event was well attended by South American members. In May, IOGKF Canada hosted MCF in Niagara Falls. This was when Higaonna Sensei's good friend, Choko Kyuna Sensei announced that there will be a big surprise for all IOGKF members, and a week later we found out that Okinawan Government had awarded Higaonna Sensei with the Intangible Cultural Heritage Award. In July, IOGKF Italy hosted the European Gasshuku in Sicily. Higaonna Sensei got ill on the third day of the event, but all other senior instructors finished the event and everybody enjoyed the high quality of teaching. In September, IOGKF Russia hosted the Euro-Asia gasshuku. It was well attended by regional members and the public demonstration at the theatre was a great success. In October, the annual Chief Instructor Gasshuku was held at the Budokan in Okinawa, Japan. During the event, we welcomed Juichi Kokubo Sensei back as the Chief Instructor of IOGKF Peru. In November, the EGKA (England) celebrated its 40th anniversary and many English members and members from surrounding countries attended the event. It was in England where IOGKF International was established in 1979. Also in attendance at the event were Higaonna Sensei's old friends, such as Sensei Terry O'Neil (Shotokan) who invited Higaonna Sensei to England for the first time in 1969. This year I travelled to 17 Gasshuku in 13 countries as the newly appointed world chief instructor. At all events, I was welcomed and I received many positive and encouraging comments. I would like to thank all members for your support and trust in me. At the beginning of our organization, it was Higaonna Sensei who lead the IOGKF with his outstanding skill and charisma. Now we have many skilled and talented instructors in our organization who are committed to following his legacy. There are many senior instructors travelling around the world and teaching seminars. I believe the future of traditional karate is promising in IOGKF. I hope for good health and prosperity in the coming year, 2014, for all of our members and your families. [email protected] IOGKF had a successful year. We welcomed new members from Norway, Paraguay and Tajikistan. Throughout 2013 there were numerous opportunities provided around the world for our members to learn new techniques and to improve on their Okinawan Goju -Ryu knowledge and skills, to meet other karateka. The quality of teaching our masters and senior instructors provide is what makes IOGKF great and each member should strive to take advantage of this. To help you make your plans for next year the gasshuku scheduled for both Higaonna Sensei and Nakamura Sensei are listed under the Events section of the IOGKF website. There are also many other events being offered around the world with other senior instructors. The information for these events is added to the site when the information becomes available; so don’t forget to check the Events site on a regular basis for updates. Remember, these events are for you! They are offered to help preserve traditional Okinawan Goju-Ryu. These events are also a great way to forge new relationships. The fostering of friendships between members of different countries is major part of what makes IOGKF a great organization. [email protected] Thank you: For everyone who has really supported me on this newsletter and in particular this magazine! This edition has been like doing two in one; usually we aim to produce a 26 page magazine, but we’ve had so much support from around the world I am please to present you with a 42 page Monster Edition! I especially want to thank Ciara McGrath from England (EGKA) for all her help on the online newsletter and to Nakamura Sensei for guiding the whole process. Please keep sending you articles and reports through for the newsletter. I also encourage you to send any ideas you may have for uss this can often lead to reality. Sensei Jakob Kold from Denmark suggestedd that maybe we should make a magazine in Higaonna Dojo last year and now we have a 42 page high quality book, that martial artist from across the globe are now reading and getting involoved in! Next year there are many major Gasshuku’s across the world and I encourage everyone to do their best to attend as many events as possible to strength relationships and form new ones within the IOGKF family. Chile, South Africa are both hositng large scale events with Higaonna Sensei that will not disappoint and I personally am really looking forward to coming to Scotland for the European Gasshuku in 2014. If you ideas or article for me I am always happy to discuss them in person at Gasshuku’s or via email, no matter how big or small! April ‘s magazine will see many more new articles included, along with Okinawan feature pieces. I want to wish all of our members the very best for Christmas and a safe, happy and healthy 2014! This deceptively simple symbol has become a focal point for two very important aspects of my life – my martial arts training and my studies in becoming a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner. My teachers gracefully demonstrates the fluidic nature of this symbol in the nuances of the movements throughout our Qi-Gong and Tai-Chi forms. The opening lines of my Traditional Chinese Medicine textbook describes its importance as follows: The concept of Yin-Yang is probably the single most important and distinctive theory of Chinese Medicine. It could be said that all Chinese medical physiology, pathology and treatment can, eventually, be reduced to YinYang. The concept of Yin-Yang is extremely simple, yet very profound. One can seemingly understand it on a rational level, and yet, continually find new expressions of it in clinical practice and, indeed, in life. Maciocia (the author) then goes on to describe the Yin-Yang School (or the Naturalist School), that dates back to the Warring States period (476-221 BC), and how they developed the theory of Yin-Yang to its highest degree. This school was rooted in Taoism which is a philosophy to observe the way of the universe. Everything in existence is balanced with the existence of its opposite in order to achieve unity. The Yin-Yang Model demonstrates this philosophy by contrasting one element against another element thereby defining both. (ex. night and day cannot exist without the other) Further to this, however, is that yin-yang elements exist in a dynamic continuum where they are 1) interdependant, 2) mutually consuming-supportive, 3) oppositional, and are 4) constantly transforming. These are the aspects of the Yin-Yang Model on which this article will focus, and I will share my understanding of them through my martial arts experience. The style of karate that I am practicing is called GojuRyu. ‘Go’ means hard or resilient; ‘Ju’ means soft or yielding. Therefore, Goju-Ryu translates as the HardSoft School. This paradoxical dualism is relevant to both the technical characteristics of the style and to its underlying philosophy. The founder, Grand Master Chojun Miyagi, chose this name as it represented the essence of what he learned and subsequently taught. It came from the third of eight precepts of the classic Chinese writing the Kempo Hakku found in the Bubishi. It states: Ho wa goju wo donto su: The way of inhaling and exhaling is hardness and softness. Though the systemized teaching structure of Goju-Ryu originated in Okinawa, Japan with Miyagi Sensei in the 1930s, its roots came from Miyagi Sensei’s Sensei who studied in China under a Sensei who was also an accomplished Chinese Herbalist. Given that Taoism is a fundamental root philosophy of Classical Chinese Medicine, it makes sense that the teachings that made up the groundwork of Goju-Ryu would have been heavily influenced by Taoism and, namely, the YinYang Model. Some of Miyagi Sensei’s teaching that form the core of Goju-Ryu’s philosophy exemplifies this nicely: ‘As supple as a willow, as solid as Mount Tai.’ It is when the two extremes of hard and soft are wholly united as one body that… the harmony of heaven and earth will evolve; The stronger one becomes, the more that person should express their gentler side; The most important purpose of karate is to develop balance within ourselves so that we may express our true nature and become better human beings; and To achieve harmony… everything must express a balanced nature Verse 8 of the Tao states, ‘One who lives in accordance with nature does not go against the way of things. He moves in harmony with the present moment, always knowing the truth of just what to do.’ Miyagi Sensei’s goals through Goju-Ryu are a clear reflection of this Verse. These goals of Goju-Ryu also show how its practitioners are expected to improve their character by training their minds as well as their bodies. As a starting point, I will assign one’s mind as ‘yin’ and one’s body as ‘yang’ given that the yin aspect of the two elements on the same continuum tend to be of a more receptive nature to its yang element that is relatively more aggressive. This assignment of yin-mind and yang-body is an extrapolation of such common determinations of yin to yang as night to day, winter to summer, and water to fire. The most important kata in Goju-Ryu is Sanchin kata which is a specific sequence of slow yet powerful movements done in a deliberate manner. Its goal is to generate internal power through the muscular system while simultaneously having relaxed breathing and a clear mind. Translated to ‘Three Battle’, Sanchin refers to the balancing of the opposing forces of body and mind to achieve higher spiritual awareness. I have also realized the mutual consumption-supportive and transformational principles of the Yin-Yang Model through Goju-Ryu by first understanding that every yin-element (and yang-element) can are be subdivided into furhter yin-yang elements. Recalling that water is yin relative to fire’s yang energy, water can also be thought of as both yin-ice and yang-steam. ‘As supple as a willow, as solid as Mount Tai’ philosophy can be applied to both the mind and the body thereby creating a yin-yang within the mind and a yin-yang within the body. Martial Arts help to train a person to defend him/herself by being relaxed when confronted so that quick movement of whole body or part of one’s body is possible. Having tight or flexed arm and leg muscles would inhibit avoidance manoeuvres. At the same time, one must keep core muscles active in order to maintain posture and balance. Opposition principle of yin-yang within the yang-body. If avoidance is not possible then the affected muscles need to either become more relaxed (yin) to absorb the attack or rigid enough (yang) to block it. Transitional principle of yin-yang within the yang-body. Countering technique require speed that comes from using one’s body extremities in a whip-like motion. But at the point of execution or contact, one’s body needs to be instantly rigid or the technique would be ineffective. A rope (whip) has no strength if stationary or if pushed upon. So to does the body need to turn from a supple willow to a mountain for that split second of contact then back to a willow. Though the willow could be considered yang to the relatively less mobile mountain, in this context, the immobile mountain is far more energetic and would be the yang element. Making one’s body as rigid as a mountain is the result of numerous chemical reactions causing contractions of almost all the skeletal musculature so that every joint and articulating surface is fixated. Without such rigidity, the delivered technique would be absorbed or nullified within the karateka’s body; the equivalent of using a weapon that is collapsible or has shock absorbers. This rigid yang-state requires a lot of energy and without transitioning back to a yin state, the contracted muscles would fatigue (yangenergy would be consumed), leaving the karateka with less energetic yin-muscle. Mutual consumption principle of yin-yang. Training one’s mind is the other important element of martial arts. One must learn, train, and develop techniques that are repeated so often that they become automatic. This mental process requires much effort and would result in reversing the previous yin-yang labels to yang-mind to a relatively yin-body. Once automatic, however, those techniques can be delivered reflexively instead of consciously so the mind would now be back in a yin-state. From that point, new techniques can be learned and developed, repeating the cycle. Mutually supportive and transitional principles of yin-yang. Having a yang-active mind during a confrontation (eg. thinking along the lines of ‘if he throws this type of punch then I will block in this fashion then counter with this tech nique…’) would render that person fixed on one course of action. If anything other than the anticipated attack occurs, that person now has to first break his/her train of thought and then think of what to do, all the while probably getting hit for being too slow. Keeping a clear mind that can reflexively respond is the product of a very relaxed yin mind that came from the consumption of a yang state of training. The last correlation that I would like to share is evident at the closing ceremony of every Goju-Ryu class with the recital of the Dojo Kun. Composed of 5 ways to improve one’s character, one of the Dojo Kun translates to ‘Train your mind and body, strive to reach the essence of Goju-Ryu.’ The essence of Goju-Ryu lie within the spiritual or meditative side of training in which one tries to be in balance with one’s own nature and the nature of the universe. The Yin-Yang Model provides a framework that illustrates how this goal is obtainable by balancing opposing elements that are independent, transitional and mutually consuming and supportive within a person. My karate training makes it easy to appreciate the advantages of utilizes such dichotomous elements in order to defend myself; being able to transition between a hard (resilient) and soft (yielding) body and a hard (active) and soft (receptive) mind. Practicing Sanchin kata, where this paradox is the focus, is the way that I best internalize the Naturalists School’s requirments for applying the Yin-Yang Model. The Yin-Yang of GojuRyu. TRANSLATED BY: SENSEI TETSUJI NAKAMURA INTERVIEW BY: SENSEI DAVID LAMBERT KYUNA SENSEI: It’s hard to say which is more important. However with traditional Karate it is a way of developing your whole body along with your breathing – which is very important. But it only works if you train properly. The student needs to trust their teacher and be loyal to what they are saying and slowly, step by step, they will be shown more and more detail. For example when you punch Makiwara or you break a board, you use two knuckles, but eventually you will be shown that outside you would strike only with the first knuckle. It’s a progress system which develops both. My teacher was Aizo Shimabukuro Sensei and he had a Dojo after World War II. He had so many years of experience teaching Karate, but now in Okinawa there are only two of his students that have their own Dojo’s, Shimabukuro Sensei’s son and I. So the traditional way is hard, but the finished product is high quality and develops both attributes. KYUNA SENSEI: Oyo Bunkai is ok to practice, as long as you keep it close to the basic movements of the Kata. If you stray too far away from the Kata and get too fancy, there is a very real danger of changing the Kata itself. People begin to think that if the Bunkai is like this, then the Kata must be done that way too. So that’s the key with Oyo Bunkai, don’t get too fancy and keep it close to the original Kata movement. Also Kata is designed to be used against multiple opponents. In many Kata movements you may be blocking or striking forward with one hand, but also to the side or behind with another hand. If you practice the Kata correctly and don’t change the movement, the correct defence should emerge when you are attacked. That is true bunkai, Oyo Bunkai is a natural variation on these. You have to followed the Kata movement first and then the self defence movement will come from this. KYUNA SENSEI: This is the main reason we formed the Okinawa Traditional Karate-do Development Association six years ago as we felt that it was a necessity for Okinawan traditional culture to survive. The association is going to establish who the carrier or the real master of each traditional Karate style and we want people to come and study properly under these Masters and understand the spirit and mental philosophy of each style. This is a key part in keeping traditional Karate alive and well. KYUNA SENSEI: For Shorin-ryu it would be Naifanchi Kata. To practice Naifanchi you only need a small, straight line space – it doesn’t need a lot of room. You should also practice basic punching in the air. It has to be Sanchin. You can definitely practice Sanchin in only 10 minutes. Sanchin gives you breathing power, physical power and mental power and even 5 or 10 minutes each day will be beneficial. Then practice basic punching, kicking and blocking techniques. Anywhere, any time! Everywhere is a Dojo. Today my hotel room is my Dojo! [laughs] Chojun Miyagi Sensei said one of the best things about Karate is that you don’t need too much space or too much time and you can do it anytime. Morning, afternoon, evening, any time is a good time. You can be asleep and train inside you mind! [laughs] KYUNA SENSEI: Judo, Kendo, Sumo, etc, you need a partner to practice, but the beauty of Karate-do is that you can do it by yourself, anytime of the day or night. HIGAONNA SENSEI: The most important part is that you continue. You fight the battle against yourself. You don’t need a partner, the best enemy is yourself. Thank you to Master Higaonna & Master Kyuna for taking the time to share their wisdom with Karate-ka around the world A TRIBUTE FOR THE 75th BIRTHDAY OF OUR SENSEI September 2013 marked the 50 years milestone of non-stop Karate Do practice for the Chief Instructor of South Africa, Sensei Bakkies Laubscher. To commemorate this milestone, an International three day Gasshuku with his teacher and mentor for 47 of those years, Sensei Morio Higaonna, will be held in his hometown of Stellenbosch on 1, 2 and 3 May 2014 – kicking off with a Welcome Party on 30th April 2014. The Gasshuku will include separate training sessions for members of all grades including juniors of all ages, similar to the 2010 'Ubuntu' event. This will be an opportunity for all IOGKF members to experience the best tuition in Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate by the current top teachers worldwide. Make sure you do not miss this opportunity! His career briefly: Sensei Bakkies started off in the Kyokushin style, end of 1963, then changed to Shotokan (JKA) mid 1964 and became a Black Belt in July1965, at the time, possibly the youngest senior (adult) Black Belt worldwide in JKA. To put this in perspective, in the same year he won the Cape Province Grand Champion title (best in Kata and Fighting) in the open senior division - there were no weight categories! At the end of 1966 he changed to Goju Ryu when it was introduced in South Africa and has followed his teacher and mentor, Higaonna Morio Sensei ever since. He is currently Higaonna Sensei's most senior student worldwide and has taught Goju Ryu in 25 countries to date! He considers himself blessed in the sense that he always had exceptional teachers throughout his career in all three disciplines, for example, Sensei’s Kase and Shirai in JKA, with of course the ultimate being Sensei Higaonna Morio - his personal mentor and teacher for the past 47 years. His philosophy remains that it is not the style of Karate, but the Teacher that will ensure progress. He considers friendships amongst sincere Karate Ka as another blessing. No matter what style or school, good Karate Ka always respect each other. Sensei Bakkies represented the South African All Styles Karate team in two World Championships. In 1972 in Paris, France, he advanced to the quarter finals in the individual fighting division - there was no kata division at this tournament and no weight or age categories - just one big open Kumite division. In the 1975 World Championships in Long Beach, USA, he only took part in the team event, the South African team losing narrowly to England, the eventual World Champions, with the English team featuring well known Karate Ka such as Terry O'Neill, Tickey Donovan and Brian Fitkin. After his sporting career he decided that Karate was a Martial Art and that the way sport karate was headed, together with commercial exploitation, would lead to the disapearance of lethal fighting skills, traditional 'mind forging' training intensity, intrinsic values and personal development. Traditional Karate was the only true pursuit to preserve the essence of the Art! For the sake of short term objectives for juniors and young people, he devised the current tournament system used by IOGKFSA to preserve interest and motivation in younger members until such time as a student reaches 'Karate maturity' and realizes the real nature of the Art lies in one's own ability and growth as a person and not in achievements. 'Not what you have achieved, but what you have become!' During his journey, he has met and befriended some of the famous names in the Martial Arts, one who made a lasting impression being the leading western authority on Budo, the late Don Dreager. FOR MORE INFO ON NEXT YEARS CELEBRATIONS & EARLY BIRD RATES: The last few months has seen IOGKF International achieve many milestones. Higaonna Sensei is turning 75 years old, Sensei Bakkies has reached 50 years of training and IOGKF England (EGKA) is celebrating its 40th Anniversary. However in October 2013, another ground breaking milestone was achieved, when Sensei Linda Marchant became the first female in the entire history of the IOGKF to obtain the rank of 7th Dan; an achievement not only for Goju-ryu, but martials arts everywhere. Everything from major newspapers in the United Kingdom, social media sites and even martial arts magazines like this one have celebrated her accomplishment. Sensei Linda stood tall and performed everything that her male counterparts were also required pass to succeed in their gradings. Her constant training and determination has lead to her becoming one of IOGKF International’s most popular characters and has forged a path for women within Karate’s history books. But it hasn’t always been like this. Women’s involvement in martial arts, Karate in particular, has only come about in the last 50 or so years. Now with so many talented and inspiring female martial artists across the globe today, it is difficult to fathom that until recently it was a man’s world – full stop. To understand this we need to look back to a different time. Until World War II and the American involvement in the battle of Okinawa, Karate wasn’t a household word. Prior to this, the culture of Japan ran along the lines stated in the famous James Bond movie ‘you only live twice’ “In Japan Men come first, Women come second”. The women of the family were responsible for the cooking, cleaning and caring for the children. A harsh sounding reality, but on the western side of the globe, a women’s role was basically playing out the same way. According to all historical records available today, Chojun Miyagi Sensei (the founder of Goju-ryu Karate-ka) did have female children, but none of them were ever taught or permitted to train. Miyagi Sensei’s wife, Makoto Miyagi, was a great support to her husband and would often socialise with students before and after training took place at her home, but never actually trained in Karate. As the war ended, the Americans returned home and many soldiers took with them, the art of Karate. It rapidly became popular throughout America and the rest of the western world and competition fighting drew much attention. Oknawan instructors such as Kyuna Choko Sensei (Shorin Ryu Master) visited America in the 1970’s to teach and popularize Karate. By coincidence it was around this time that the ‘second wave’ of the women’s equal rights revolution began to run its course in the west and spread across to the east where Japan adopted similar principles. Although it is not known who was the first ever female Karate-ka, there have certainly been notable exponents across the globe who have made a name for themselves in amongst the ranks of the world best. Its seems strange to think that even 50 years ago there were no female Dojo instructors, black belts or even beginners! It is not until you think like this that you can fully appreciate and understand the magnitude of the journey of incredible women like Sensei Linda Marchant and other countless females involved in Karate across the world. Each Karate-ka has their own story and each one has been an integral part to changing the belief that Karate was only a man’s world, when today we know that it is certainly not. IOGKF International has many, many outstanding female martial artists across the globe and Sensei Linda Marchant is the fantastic role model to which they can aspire too. IOGKF International proudly shares a summary of Sensei Linda’s personal journey as a tribute to her achievement. Born on the Isle of Wight, at the age of 10 her mother took her to Judo classes in hopes to tame her energetic nature. After 8 years she began training in Wado-ryu Karate as a more traditional training approach appealed to her. Sports of any kind attracted Sensei Linda and while playing rep hockey in London, she decided the facilities in the capital where going to help her achieve the next level. She found Goju-ryu and trained with Sensei George Andrews and combined with her other activities was exercising up to three times per day. She went on to win National, European and International championships. Two days before her 5th Dan grading Sensei Linda snapped her Achilles tendon, but this wouldn’t stop her determination and she recovered to become the IOGKF’s leading female exponent and in 2013 achieved 7th Dan Black Belt, the first women to ever do so. Now a senior instructor in the EGKA, Sensei Linda has become a role model for both male and female members world wide. By: Alessandro Romagnoli - IOGKF Italy The European Gasshuku 2013 was hosted in Italy, in the beautiful and picturesque city of Catania, Sicily. For IOGKF Italy it has been an honor and a joy to be able to organize this important event. Under the guidance of Paolo Taigō Spongia Sensei, our entire community has been able to participate and share the many responsibilities that constitute the Gasshuku. A special merit we owe, no doubt, to Beppe Manzari Sensei, the real director of the organizational machine: from the reception of the many guests who came from different parts of the world to the extraordinary sensitivity with which he has been able to find solutions for any kind of trouble any similar event entails - as you can imagine. For all of us a good example of patience, dedication and efficiency. For me, who could follow from the "inside" the administrative aspects of the reception and registration of the numerous students and teachers arrived in Italy for the meeting of the great IOGKF family, it is also important to emphasize the big commitment exerted by the young people from our federation who responded enthusiastically whenever asked to perform important duties, so that everything could be efficient and in order. Finally, thanks to all guests for being so kind to understand and excuse some of our difficulties or unintentional mishap, and for helping us to overcome unexpected troubles: this, I think, is an essential element of the spirit that animates the whole IOGKF community, from north to south, from east to west . Many people among those who, like me, usually participate in international gasshukus, have often been wondering and discussing with each other, what is the special ingredient, or even the "secret", that makes this international meetings such a formidable moment. Over the years, my perception of this “something” has changed within myself and I think it is the same for many other practitioners. There is undoubtedly a social and emotional element that emerges from meeting with other practitioners. The pleasure of workingout hard and together, under the kind gaze of so many experienced teachers, gives participants new invigorating energy and, of course, provides many ideas and insights to work on for a full year. And this already would be enough. In addition, the possibility of sharing moments of pleasant informality is not to be underestimated – indeed, the rest of our life is also made up of convivial moments, a day at the beach, a nice meal together and a good pint of beer. But the fact that this happens at the end of a day spent working-out together, punctuated by the same rhythms, gives these simple moments a special aura. A new focus and a necessary bath in humility. A separate mention is to be given to the study that each one of us has the opportunity to carry out through the careful observation of a "giant" such as Higaonna Sensei. Indeed, this topic deserves the writing of a book in itself. I do not want to refer to the technical aspects, stubborn, of an inspirational father, who clearly shows to have an enviable physical and mental shape and a "heart" that even the best young athletes struggle to achieve. At the height of optimal or adverse conditions, this man seems to tap into something that is not of this world. I hope that with this statement I do not seem exaggerated or insane. I'm not talking about magic. Nor is adulation moving my fingers on the keyboard as I write. I allude to that part of our experience that cannot be reported by words, by a thought that observes from the "outside”. It is therefore hard for me to find adequate words. We are in the presence of a testimony. A concrete body that has made himself available to be forged by an extraordinary practice over time. And time is the practice itself. We’re no longer dealing with a person with a name and surname. Here is where I find the very heart of this practice. Seeking to grasp, through his example, what this man sees, and trying to put myself in that position in order to see something that won’t be the same but will, given my own experience, provide the key to my practice. I would even go as far as to say that this clearly indicates to me that beyond the experience of each individual karateka karate does not exist. There’s no doubt that the organisation can and must protect even the smallest aspects of this treasure, but the gust of wind that moves our karategi is the “something” whose presence can be perceived even though its form cannot be touched. Sensei Higaonna is a true master in this sense, because to my eyes he is capable of disappearing into the sweat of his exertion, without leaving a trace. This is also an enormous act of love towards his students, by ensuring that they can’t fall into the illusion of assuming that it is enough to be able to call oneself a student of a great master. Because at that precise moment, nothing would remain but the dust of a “great master that wasn’t there”. JULY 28th Aug 1st 2014 EUROPEAN GASSHUKU HAVE YOU MADE YOUR PLANS? The incredible video library website by Sensei Ernie Molynuex (IOGKF 8th Dan) & Sensei Roy Flatt (IOGKF 7th Dan). FREE ONLINE PREVIEWS AVAILABLE This Gasshuku had a special feel about it from the moment the idea was conceived, a feeling born of historic prestige and achievement. 40 years is worth celebrating for any organisation but for the EGKA the journey has been very special, a journey inspired and led by some of the finest martial artists past and present. A total of 462 individual Karate-ka registered for the Gasshuku Including representatives from Denmark, Spain, Iceland, Scotland, France & Belgium. On the English Goju-Ryu Karate Association (EGKA) webpage set up for the Gasshuku Sensei Ernie voiced his thoughts It seems a life time ago when Sensei James Rousseau formed what was to become the EGKA in1973, and it is a testament to all the people over the last four decades who have contributed so much to make the Association the success we all enjoy today. I hope you will join me in Liverpool to enjoy what promises to be a very special long weekend of celebrations and training. Training will be led by Sensei Higaonna, assisted by Senseis Tetsuji Nakamura, Roy Flatt, Paul Nolan and myself. It was also good to see a number of other students from other associations and styles, all-in-all though the turn-out not necessarily a surprise given the list high calibre of the instructors that Sensei Ernie explained above. Pre-Gasshuku For those of us lucky enough to attend the Thursday evening class held at Sensei Roy’s Childwall dojo, which was graced with the presence of both Sensei Nakamura and Sensei Ernie. With the class split into seniors and juniors with Sensei Ernie taking the Seniors for the first half whilst Sensei Nakamura took the junior grades and then swapped around for the second half. The time just vanished as Sensei Ernie led the class through kumite drills followed by Sensei Nakamura leading the Seniors through Sepai kata, emphasising the use of both Go and Ju techniques. During the spring Gasshuku Sensei Nakamura left people in awe of his ability, impeccable technique delivered with a power and a grace that pushed that boundaries of what appears possible. Yet during his appearance in Liverpool for the Anniversary Gasshuku, Sensei Nakamura left a lasting impression showing that his command of Goju Ryu has visibly grown beyond even what we witnessed in the Spring. They say a good teacher teaches but a great teacher inspires, given the heritage of IOGKF, the ability to deliver such inspiration has to be an essential requirement, one that Sensei Nakamura is clearly in command of. The future of the IOGKF is certainly in safe hands. Friday Friday evening was reserved for Dan grades only and was led by Saiko Shihan Morio Higaonna. Participants all turned up in good time eager for the commencement of this special Gasshuku and the opportunity to train with one of the worlds leading karate masters. It was great to see so many people in attendance and also to reconnect with so many friends from various Gasshuku’s around the world. The session ran from 18:00 to 21:00 hours and commenced with the unique IOGKF Junbi Undo (preparation exercises) with emphasis placed on correct performance with Sensei Higaonna providing detailed explanations on correct posture, breathing, timing and the use of the hips. Sensei Higaonna led from the front inspiring students not only with his exemplary technique but also with a speed, power and spirit that belies his age and reinforces his status as one of the foremost Karate Masters of our time. During this part of the session Sensei explained that Junbi Undo is a fundamental part of Goju Ryu karate, that whilst the routine was designed to warm up and prepare the mind and body for Karate practice, the techniques themselves are part and parcel of the system and need to be executed with exactly the same gusto and attention to detail as that required in any other Karate technique. Following the Junbi Undo Sensei Higaonna then led the Dan grades through kihon (basics), with particular emphasis on a spirited delivery of basic tsuki (punching) and uke (blocking) techniques with speed and power. Particular emphasis was given to the importance of relaxation in delivering fast technique, culminating in continuos relaxed fura-tsuki’s (short punches) and age-tsuki’s. The final part of the evening was dedicated to the practice of Sanchin kata where Sensei Higaonna demonstrated correct movement and breathing. Sensei emphasised the importance of keeping the feet in full contact with the floor throughout the Kata and the need to keep elbows tightly in position to protect the ganka. Sensei Higaonna made particular emphasis to the importance of correct posture then went on to explain 3 types of breathing - tandem, chest and stomach and their relevance both during and post performance of Sanchin kata. Like all good things in life the evening flew, culminating with a hearty applause from a hall fall of hot, sweaty and happy karateka. Saturday A junior session was held between 10:15 to 11:15 hours on the Saturday morning and was carefully co-ordinated to ensure the continued smooth running of the weekend. The Saturday adult/cadet session commenced at 12:00 hours and ran through to 16:00. This time Sensei Ernie led the Gasshuku through Junbi Undo before handing over to Sensei Higaonna for a session on Kihon (basics). The front line was made up of senior IOGKF grades with over half the line made up from 6th and 7th Dan’s from all over Europe including Sensei Luis Nunes (Chief Instructor, Spain), Sensei Torben Svendsen (Denmark), Sensei Linda Marchant (London) who has recently returned from gaining her 7th Dan at the Okinawa Chief Instructors Gasshuku, Sensei Peter Galer (Birkenhead), Sensei Steve Gouldson (Shinzato), Sensei Mike Draper (Liverpool), Sensei Steve Hallam (12 Quays), Sensei Nigel Thomas (London), Sensei Neville Kinghorn (London), Sensei Felix Nelson (London). The seniors spread out amongst the hall to provide further help and inspiration for the lower grades. Sensei Higaonna continued the themes from the previous evening, giving all the Dan grades the opportunity to practice and consolidate on the lessons learned from Friday. Following approximately an hour the kihon session a short break was introduced prior to the Gasshuku being split into groups according to grade. Then as the weekend progressed the Gasshuku instructors took turns with each of the groups. For 4th Dan and above the first session was led by Sensei Ernie who led the group through the finer points of Seisan kata. Sensei Ernie broke the kata down into sections, emphasising the key points in the execution of the techniques in each through explanation and demonstration then drilling these in to the group through repeated practice. Following the Kata Sensei Ernie then took the class through the kihon bunkai (basic applications) of Sepei. Sensei Ernie ramped up the pace of the Bunkai and built the applications up to achieve a more fluid transition through the correct sequence of the Bunkai, reflecting the style of Bunkai delivery that Sensei Ernie has now built into the grading syllabus. For the Bunkai I was partnered off with Sensei Tony Smith from Herefordshire. It was a pleasure to train with Sensei Tony again, the last time I partnered him was during the 2004 Budosai in Okinawa bringing back some great memories. Unfortunately time was against us and despite the pace driven by Sensei Ernie we ran out of time before we could complete the full sequence of all of the Kihon Bunkai. The final session on Saturday for 4th Dan and above was taken by Sensei Roy who continued the kata and bunkai theme with Kururunfa. This time I partnered someone I’d not met before, Sensei Klaus from Denmark. Sensei Klaus was excellent to train with and very much reinforced what I’d come to expect from Danish IOGKF, excellent technique, fast, powerful and a great attitude. It was a real pleasure to partner Klaus as we tore into the bunkai with gusto. Once again the training time flew by and the session came to an end. All in all a great day of training surrounded by like-minded Karate-ka who exemplify the IOGKF family. Saturday Night Some of the Karateka headed off to the heart of a city on Saturday night to take advantage of the many fine restaurants, bars and clubs. But for those of us fortunate enough to have and invitation to the Instructors dinner we made our way to the Palm Sugar Lounge at the the top of Liverpool One (the new city centre shopping centre). Palm Sugar is one of Liverpool’s top restaurants offering Thai food in luxurious and exotic surroundings. The instructors were treated to an excellent performance by international opera singer Natsuko Mineghishi accompanied by Haruna Takebe on piano. This was a special gift from Sensei Higaonna who had flown Natsuko all the way from Australia and Haruna from Spain in order to deliver a unique performance to mark the 40th Anniversary of the EGKA. Classic Italian and Japanese operatic songs followed by local classics including the Beatles ‘Norweigan Wood’ & the Liverpool Football Club anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. Following this the guests were led to their tables to enjoy a first class Thai banquet, before finishing back in the bar area for a few well deserved drinks to round off the evening. Sunday: The Sunday session commenced with Sensei Roy leading the Gasshuku through Junbi Undo, again with the senior grades spreading out amongst the hall to assist participants where required. This led on to the Kihon session with Sensei Higaonna issuing those familiar phrases ‘Moichido!’ and ‘Challenge yourself!’. As this Sunday is a special day in the United Kingdom where we remember those who have lost their lives in wars fighting for their country. On this day it is customary to hold a moment of silence at 11:00 hours and so Sensei Ernie brought the Gasshuku to a pause to pay our respects. Following the minute’s silence there was the a short break before we moved back into our groups. For 4th Dan and above we moved to Sensei Paul’s group and commenced an excellent matt work session where we partnered off to run through a variety of practical self-defence situations. Again I was fortunate to partner off with Sensei Klaus from Denmark we soon built up a hard sweat working through numerous sequences often ending in throws or take-downs. Sensei Paul encouraged everyone to utilise their experience as senior grades by responding naturally and pragmatically to improvise on the basic technique. The final session for our group was with Sensei Higaonna who led the group through Suparinpei, the longest and most senior kata in the Goju Ryu system. Sensei initially took the group through the entire kata, scrutinising our performance and then breaking it down section by section. Each section was repeated many times, ‘Moichido… Moichido’ giving students an opportunity to practice and embed the points covered by Sensei Higaonna. Sensei reinforced aspects from Sanchin kata that bear relevance to Suparinpei, such as maintaining good posture and keeping the feet flush to the floor whilst stepping. He also emphasised points arounds speed, timing and use of the tandem in various parts of the form. At the close of training the attendee’s were treated to a superb demonstration. It commenced with a unique performance by Natsuko Mineghishi, combining her talents in both karate and singing with an operatic take on four Shotokan kata, narrated by Shotokan legend Sensei Terry O’Neill. This was followed by IOGKF Chief Instructor Sensei Tetsuji Nakamura who demonstrated an exemplary performance of Suparenpei, the most advanced Kata of the Goju Ryu school of Karate. Next, IOGKF Vice Chief Instructor and Chief Instructor of the EGKA Sensei Ernie Molyneux performed Sanchin, the fundamental kata of Goju Ryu, whilst being tested by IOGKF Saiko Shihan Morio Higaonna in what can only be described as a masters demonstration of both the kata and the shime (testing). S e n s e i Higaonna then moved on to an impressive demonstrate Kakie (Goju style pushing hands), the power and grace in which Sensei Higaonna applied a combination of locks and strikes exerting total control and judging by the odd facial expression, a modicum of pain to his partner. A demonstration all the more impressive when you realise the quality of his partner, Sensei Torben Svensen, 6th Dan, IOGKF from Denmark. The demonstration concluded with a demonstration of something that Sensei Higaonna has become famous for, conditioning against a rock . The rock was supplied by Sensei Peter Galer (6th Dan EGKA, Birkenhead Dojo), and bravely held in place by Sensei Luis Nunes (IOGKF Chief Instructor for Spain) and Sensei Mike Smith (4th Dan EGKA, Hooton Dojo) as Sensei Higaonna enthusiastically pummelled the rock with a multitude of strikes from the Goju Ryu syllabus Sunday Night The Gasshuku was formally closed in the traditional manner with a Sayonara Party held at the Alicia Hotel on Aigburth Drive in Liverpool. The party was well attended and the Alicia put on a fine spread of plentiful food, which was well received by Karateka having built a good appetite from the previous 3 days of hard training. People relaxed and enjoyed the evening which included a slideshow of photographs reflecting the lifetime of the EGKA, bringing back memories of youth, and courtesy of moustaches and afro’s, a dab of fashion trends through the decades. Sensei Ernie was presented with a large birthday cake to mark the 40 years of the EGKA and the celebrations went on long into the evening as people reflected on a superb Gasshuku and on the great achievement of EGKA, here’s looking forward to the next 40 and may it continue to grow from strength to strength! From start to finish the event ran smoothly and was clearly seen as a great success by all who attended. A big thank you to all of the Gasshuku instructors to Sensei Ernie, Sensei Roy and Sensei Paul from EGKA and especially to Sensei Higaonna and Sensei Nakamura who travelled from Okinawa and Canada respectively, to provide first class instruction and inspiration to all the participants. The final word must be to congratulate Sensei Ernie and Sensei Roy both organising an excellent Gasshuku and on their leadership and commitment that has built the EGKA into the great organisation that it is today! Article & Photos By: Guy Keen - EGKA Letters to the Editor is one of our newest edition to IOGKF Magazine. This section gives you, the reader, the opportunity to respond to the articles we publish. You can have your say and share your thoughts on anything printed. All you have to do is email your letter to the IOGKF International Editor at: [email protected] Be sure to include your name, grade, age, member country and the title of the article you wish to respond too. Please check with your chief Instructor or senior Dojo instructor to gain permission before responding. We asked our Facebook group members for their Sensei or other great teachers best training quotes or philosophies! “Pain is weakness leaving the body” -Unknown From: Soren Ravn Larsen - Denmark (when applying a wrist lock) “90 degrees + 90 degrees = Pain” - Sensei Joe Roses From: David Lambert - Australia “One day of practice is like one day of clean living. It doesn’t do you any good.” - Lombardi From: Bernie Morrison - Australia “Hard training, easy combat. Easy Training, Hard Combat.” - Marshal Suvorov From: Bernie Morrison - Australia Sensei Ernie Molyneux is an 8th Dan Black Belt & IOGKF World Vice-Chief Instructor. He is head instructor for England (EGKA) and has over 40 years of martial arts experience. A European & World Tournamanet Champion, along with frequent trips to the Higaonna Karate Dojo in Okinawa has given him a unique and rare perspective on all things Gojuryu. His popularity as an guest has seen him visit many nations & develop a very high skill level. For those who do not understand the magnitude of Higaonna Sensei’s achievements, what can you tell us? SENSEI ERNIE: Well for starters Higaonna Sensei has been recognised as a living cultural treasure for his contributions towards martial arts or Karate basically. If you are talking rank wise, Sensei has graded from white belt to 3rd Dan when he was 19 after many of training. As for when the IOGKF started, I believe Sensei was a 7th Dan. He was this rank when he first came to England for EGKA in 1977 and Chinen Sensei was 6th Dan. This was the first time I’d seen and trained with Higaonna Sensei, but we in England has been training with Chinen Sensei since 1972. But Higaonna Sensei had actually been to England in 1973. He was with Terry O’Neil and Gary Spires, and I can’t quite remember, but Bakkies Sensei might have also been with them. Either way, they stopped into Liverpool on their way to the world Karate championships in Paris. As for the IOGKF itself it was formed in Poole in England in 1979, but as for the countries affiliated with Higaonna Sensei prior to this South Africa had been following him since 1969 and England was from around 1977. But people from our Dojo’s in England were going over to England to train with Higaonna Sensei at the Yoyogi Dojo even before that. English guys like Graham Ravey and Steve Bellamay were there for extended periods. But even pushing grades aside, being at such a high level and in such high demand for so long is a true testament to Higaonna Sensei. Now, some 35 plus years later, Higaonna Sensei has stepped back from the role of World Chief Instructor and promoted Sensei Tetsuji Nakamura as his replacement. Can you explain the significance of this move? SENSEI ERNIE: I think it was a really wise move, personally. If look at a lot of the other really big Karate associations, across a variety of styles too, once the figure head either passes away or retires completely there tends to be suddenly be too many chiefs and everyone wants to be in charge. So basically what Higaonna Sensei had done has had a look at where he is in life and has decided to appoint Nakamura Sensei, obviously for his youth and technical abilities. Higaonna Sensei has then asked seniors like Bakkies Sensei, Terauchi Sensei, Sensei Henrik and I to support Nakamura Sensei in his journey to become the world chief instructor. Even though his current title is World Chief Instructor, he knows himself he still has some way to go. And Nakamura Sensei is actually very, very open minded in that respect and he will take on board advice from the other seniors and I. Our next step is to try and push him more to the forefront now. For example, we really want to see him out the front with him. Higaonna Sensei at the big Gasshuku’s. When Higaonna Sensei kneels down, we think Nakamura Sensei should be out the front there with him. When Higaonna Sensei formed the IOGKF, he still had possibly up to ten seniors to him in Okinawa. Master such as Kina Sensei and even Miyazato Sensei at the time, and of course Anichi Miyagi Sensei and Shuichi Aragaki Sensei were all his seniors and were listed as such, but Higaonna Sensei was the chief instructor because he was obviously the most active out of everyone This is exactly the same with us currently seniors and Nakamura Sensei. Where do you see the IOGKF heading in this new era? Is it along the same path or in a new direction? SENSEI ERNIE: I think it’s our job as chief instructors and more so us as executive committee members and seniors of IOGKF to basically continue to steer the Federation on its current path. We have many, many good senior instructors in many, many countries and I think what we need to do is make sure that we are all heading in the same direction. Personally I think we need to have tournaments of one form or another, because otherwise we’re going to lose too many youngsters. I think we need to have some kind of Iri Kumi competition or something along those lines, and then we get together and have a World tournaments every set amount of years. The countries themselves would have to push the tournaments, not necessarily to have fighters travel to different countries or in open tournaments, but just so it gives the youth a want to compete. If they want to compete in point sparring competitions or other comps, that’s fine. In England we have members who want to do both, but unfortunately because we do practice traditional Karate and we have some much to cover like Kata, Kakies, Bunkai, etc, Kumite is not really the main objective. So unless you get someone who is very, very talented you won’t get someone who will win these open competitions. So I think that’s another step to strengthen IOGKF in the junior ranks. Do you think because of this, IOGKF needs its own set of tournament rules? I don’t think it is so much the rules. In the past we’ve had lots of seniors who are high level referees in their own country and they’ve actually helped us in formulating sets of rules. But it’s not so much the rules themselves, it’s getting the referees to all be on the same page and use the rules in exactly the same way. Generally what happens is what one referee deems as too much contact, another referee will think that’s ok. What one referee will accept as contact, another referee won’t and that’s basically what it is like in different parts of the world. We have some countries where they like to have a higher level of contact and other countries that think there shouldn’t be any contact at all. What we actually need to do is try and even it out a little bit and find a happy medium between the two, because when we have a world tournament, we’re going to have good fighters disqualified, not through any fault of their own, but because they’ve just been used to making heavier contact or they get hurt because they’re not used to having any contact. The bottom line is if you haven’t got an even playing field, you can’t really have a fair tournament. As for teaching, say you have a students who come into the Dojo young and is quite tournament orientated and trains like that for years and then suddenly becomes to get board, how do you steer them towards traditional Karate? Well if they do start to become board with the tournament side of things, you really should have make sure that they actually have a real love for training itself. You know they really have to have a thirst for knowledge and you create this by not feeding them too much too early. I am not saying you should keep people in the dark by not showing them your Kata and things like that, I think that would also be the wrong approach. But you can only fill a glass so far before its starts dripping over the side and losing things, so you need to find a good balance and only give them so much at a time. However, if you do have someone like that who is very talented and board of tournament Karate, you can ask them to start helping with teaching. Because sometimes instructing can also give you a greater insight into Kata, different combinations and techniques and it will help to give you a better understanding and depth of knowledge of the actual style itself. So each situation is different. Now IOGKF International is such a big organization and there are so many talented senior instructors amongst its ranks, do you think member countries should bring a variety of guests to their shores, or just try and stick with one visiting instructor? I think if you are looking at Kata, each country needs to look to Higaonna Sensei and then of course to Nakamura Sensei, because obviously Nakamura Sensei has modelled himself on Higaonna Sensei’s technique. So I think if they want to learn the Kata’s they really need to go to Okinawa. We have such a variety of instructors with such a wide range of abilities that I think it is good to do a rotation of guest instructors. In England and also Denmark for example, we always rotate the guest instructors. For lower grades its a big deal if one instructor teaches the Kata with their hand here and another with their hand there. But for seniors its different attitude, they take into account peoples body shapes. Like I’m not six foot six inches tall and because they’re really tall they might not be able to do a good Shiko Dachi or vice versa. I think though as you get a little more mature its important just to accept little things like that and get on with it and don’t make a big deal about something if it is slightly different. The truth is, none of us are like Higaonna Sensei or even like how Higaonna Sensei was when we first started training, but all we can do is strive to reach the goal of the level of perfection he has in his technique. With training, how do you get the most improvement? Is it attending big Gasshuku’s or training in Okinawa or just Dojo training? For me personally, on most big Gasshuku’s I’m usually teaching, but there is generally training in the mornings with Higaonna Sensei for black belts before the Gasshuku starts. Whether we’re covering Sanchin or senior Kata, whatever it is, I always find I pick something up. Even if it is only one thing in one Kata I always make a note of it and when I go back home I think to myself I need to sort that out. Obviously I get more if I personally go to Japan and train with Sensei, because it’s me on the floor putting that many more hours of my own training in. But I do also really enjoy training with my own students. I train with them every day and some of them are very, very dedicated. Whether we’re doing fitness training, bag work, fighting, Kata, Bunkai, Kakie and other different aspects I enjoy that side of training too. In the day time, I train for me and at night I try to teach and those who join me during the day, they basically have to just go along with me. Well speaking of your own time during the day, are you training then and do you have a certain routine? Yes I do. Generally I try and work it so say on a Monday morning I would just go to like a regular gym and do some cardio training and some weight training and maybe do some bag work of Kata afterwards. Then Monday night I would teach at the Dojo, which is a senior class, but depending on what we are doing, I’ll try and get involved with the training too. On Tuesday mornings its the same thing again and some of my students might come and train with me and I’ll just do my general fitness routine for between 40 minutes to an hour and then do Karate based training for an hour or even longer if I have something coming up like a big Gasshuku or I’m off to teach somewhere. It’s basically the same routine day to day it’s just the training that varies. But I try to keep it so that my level doesn’t drop, so I never have to struggle to get back to fitness, unless I have an injury. I always try to keep myself at a reasonable fitness level. Then on Tuesday nights I teach a beginners class. There are some black belts there, but they are generally the ones how are back after having some time off and are getting geared up to return to the senior classes On Wednesday morning, sometimes I go to a boxing gym and I’ll do basically pad work, bag work, sparring, etc for a couple of hours. Thursday mornings I train again and I basically follow the same day to day routine again and again. As for the weekends, if I’m not teaching somewhere, I’ll train again on Saturday and Sunday. This is usually once, sometimes twice just depends on family commitments. If there’s nothing going on or my wife is away, I’ll go a couple of times. You were talking about black belts who have had time off coming back to training. World wide there seems to be a lot of people who used to train coming back into the organisation. Do you think chasing up the people who have stopped for a while due to family or other commitments is something member countries should be doing? Yes I do. What generally happens is when someone has a week of the instructor tends to notice and if it becomes a fortnight you think ‘I wonder where they’ve gone’? If it gets to a month and you don’t contact them, you can actually lose them. What you should do as an instructor, after a fortnight or so is get in contact with them and just ask how they are, say I haven’t seen you for a while, hope to see you soon, I hope everything is ok. You don’t have to be pushy and say where are you, it’s certainly not that type of thing. A lot of people do martial arts or Karate as a hobby and they don’t what to be pushed. If you ring up saying, ‘where are you? Why aren’t you at the Dojo?’ then it becomes like they feel like they have to turn up. You should never make it like that. But having said that it is a two way street. If you have people showing up every blue moon, they can’t expect to be graded. It’s a bit like a double edged sword if you will. With people who are going to have a bit of a lay off or a break because they’re getting married or they’re off to university, whatever it is, if they do decide to come back, you should provide for them to train. I know that in the past, even in my own Dojo, people have come back after a long layoff and a lot of the other black belts think that is open season on them. This is no good, because they won’t go back. It can also lead to an animosity feeling in the Dojo or almost like there are two groups which isn’t how it should be. You can try to avoid it, but unfortunately it’s not always that easy, all you can do is try and make it friendly for everybody. From the 12th to 15th September 2013, in Moscow the most important event for all karateka in Russia was held. The Euro-Asian Gashshuku under the guidance of Morio Higaonna Sensei, with Tetsuji Nakamura Sensei, Masakazu Kuramoto Sensei and Ernie Molyneux Sensei was set to be an event to remember. On the 12th of September Morio Higaonna Sensei, Ernie Sensei, Nakamura Sensei and Kuramoto Sensei visited IOGKF Russia Honbu Dojo – “Higaonna Dojo”,which was opened in 2011 by leader of IOGKF Russia, Sensei Bogdan Kurilko. All of the senior level instructors were impressed by the new home of Russian IOGKF. On this day training was for 3rd Dan and above. The next day, in a modern sports complex in the south-west of Moscow, we began basic training. All participants were divided into four groups according to the colour of their belts. Within four hours of training each group had time to practice with three of the four Teachers. As a result, through the Gashuku, each participant received a wealth of knowledge and experience. The seminar was attended by representatives of not only Russian Goju Ryu, but also representatives of Kiekushinkay, Shito Ryu, Shotokan, Kosiki and Ruei Ryu Karate. The seminar was attended by 180 participants from 17 cities of Russia and 11 countries: England, Denmark, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, UAE, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. It is very difficult to describe the feelings of a unique karate festival like this one. One word that comes to mind is Great! During the breaks between trainings Morio Higaonna Sensei, Nakamura Sensei, Sensei Ernie and Kuramoto Sensei visited the most famous Russian martial arts school - Sambo 70. Two months before Higaonna Sensei visited, Sambo 70 was visited by President Putin. On September 15th , in the evening , in a large theater, Sensei Bogdan Kurilko organised the first Russian Okinawan martial art festival which involved representatives of Chinese martial arts from the south of China, Russian representatives of Shorin Ryu , Uechi Ryu , Motobu Ryu Udun ti , Ryukyu kobudo, Matayoshi kobudo and Bunbukan kobudo . In the second part of the combat show, over two hours , Goju ryu representatives demonstrated our fighting arts . The most important and long- Sensei Linda Marchant - IOGKF England (EGKA) documented her experience at the Chief Instructors Gasshuku in Okinawa via social media and it has been shared below for IOGKF members... Day one: of the Gasshuku and we are on the 2nd floor of the Budokan. It has the smoothest of floors so there is no excuse for not performing a long suri ashi, so much so that it is now challenging to stop!! The focus today was on sanchin, tensho and kururunfa, with some suri ashi practice, block and attack techniques, then kurarunfa applications. Thanks to Sensei Joe Roses for being a great partner. We also had a short lecture from the physio doctor who also treated some of the participants with great success. They are all now able to move their bodies better and some can sit in nekoashi for the first time in years! I have now registered for my grading so countdown begins in earnest to Friday afternoon. I dont know how many others there will be until tomorrow when registration closes. Day two: and great sessions on Tensho, sepai and Suparimpei today. This is a very Zen Gasshuku as the schedule changes every day so it tests your Zanchin (focus)! I managed to fit in a quick training session tonight just to run through things in Sensei's dojo. Then I met up with Sensei Purvis Mistry from India and had a read of his new book on Sanchin and we had a short study session on it. The book is truly wonderful and interesting and an easy to read for such a technical subject. Then we all met up with Sensei’s Ernie, Roy, Paul, Steve and Reena for dinner and have just finished having had another study session with Sensei’s Roy and Zeenat on the art of cake selection and eating!! Day three: we had a lecture with Minau Sensei on The importance of Nutrition. He advises the Japanese Olympic Committee and the World Cup Soccer team. This was very technical and I took many notes. Then I went home to prepare for the grading. I needed to wash my gi for the next day and have some lunch. I walked to the dojo about 16.20 and waved to Higaonna Sensei on his balcony. I made sure that I was thoroughly warmed up and then we started at 17.00 sharp. The panel consisted of Sensei’s Higaonna, Bakkies, Terauchi, Ernie, Henrik and Nakamura. This is as serious as it gets with over 250 years of experience scrutinizing your every move!!! We all performed all the katas, Sanchin, Tensho, Suparimpei applications and then Chishi, nigiri game, kakie and some verbal questions. I then met up with Sensei Peter Lembke from Germany who was also testing, in Mama sans for a snack! We were then joined by Sensei’s Roy, Paul, Steve and Reena. This was a nice way to finish a busy day!!! Today was the last session and it lived up to all our expectations. First hour Sanchin, then next hour plus, all kata from Gekasai dai ichi to Sanseru. The last section was more body conditioning and ippon kumite. As we were on the Judo tatami, ukemi and take downs were practiced. All washed down with jumping and clapping press ups with a final session of body rolling!! Then we had a short lecture on Higaonna Sensei' s history. His first visit to South Africa in 1972, and stories about Bakkies Sensei, Terauchi Sensei, Uehara Sensei and Kokobo Sensei in Yoyogi dojo, Tokyo. There was even a connection to Bruce Lee! The lecture concluded with Higaonna Sensei and Bakkies Sensei saying that the reason they are still training is the people around them. Higaonna Sensei said that he felt a lot of energy from everyone that inspires him to train hard. I would like to echo those sentiments. have loved every minute of this trip, first class training, all the IOGKF family on form and Okinawa not failing to disappoint. A Report by: Sensei Jorge Rivera & Sensei Manuel Easton IOGKF Chile (Goju Do) Last year coming back from the 2012 Budosai, we knew that we would participate in the “2013 Chief Instructor Gasshuku” (CIG) in Okinawa. We knew it would be a great opportunity to improve our karate, train daily at the honbu dojo and get acquainted with other Chief Instructors from around the world. What we did not know was that this trip would last a whole month. We committed for the 2013 CIG with Sensei Higaonna and Sensei Larsen, during the South American Gasshuku (last April in Lima, Perú). Then during the MCF 2013 (in Canada) Sensei Nakamura confirmed that Sensei Higaonna would be in his Naha Dojo for the whole month of October. It was later in August, when Sensei Nakamura visited Chile, that we finished the last details of our trip to Japan. We left on October 1st, with a long journey ahead of us. We flew west-ward from Chile crossing the date-change line which made us jump 12 hours ahead of our local-time-of-departure. Thirty-six hours later with several stopovers we finally arrived in Okinawa on October 3rd- The jet lag was terrible the first few days. Those 12 hours of time difference, made our bodies want to go to sleep in broad daylight and stay awake at nights! Just a day after we arrived, so did Typhoon “Fitow”. Fortunately it missed Okinawa, but left a whole weekend of pouring rain and strong winds. The weather was still very hot and the humidity off the typhoon´s rain, and it made our first days of training at the Dojo even more unforgettable. Classes at the Dojo were regularly held by Sensei Kuramoto, who was very kind and welcoming with us. Two other karate-ka were also there for regular training: Reena Prasad (England) and Morten Christoffersen (Denmark). We partnered with them for morning sessions when individual training is performed. A lot of the morning hours were spent on supplemental exercises (hojo undo) and practicing Kata. It was during the night sessions when Sensei Higaonna supervised the training. He dedicated long hours to observe and correct our technique (kihon, kata and bunkai), explaining all details. The first gasshuku participants started arriving the following week. The first ones were Sensei Kokubo (Perú), Sensei Linda Marchant (England) and Torben Svendsen and Jakob Kold (Denmark). Other sensei arrived later from Germany, India, Moldova and Russia and we all trained daily at the Dojo. The energy of that group was incredible and really made a difference in our performance, pushing us to train even harder. We shared most of our “free time” with Sensei Kokubo. After the morning training we used to have lunch together and after the night sessions we used to go to a small restaurant for gyozas and something to drink. He turned us into fans of “ikasumi some”: a bowl of noodles darkened with squid ink and chunks of pork and fried squid with garlic, that, plus a side of seaweed soup! When the Gasshuku started on October 16, we had 55 karate-ka. The classes were held at the Budokan from 9 am to 1 pm, led by Sensei Higaonna himself. It’s hard to put into words Sensei´s dedication to teach each one of us and his attention to detail. Also during the Gasshuku there was a grading for higher yudansha grades. As always the results were given at the Sayonara Party. Sensei Veiga and Moreira (from Portugal, students of sensei Monteiro) were awared 6th Dan. Sensei Linda Marchant (England), Sensei Bobby Smith (Bermuda), Sensei Juichi Kokubo (Peru), Sensei Gene Villa (USA) and Sensei Viktor Panasiuk (Moldova), were all promoted to 7th Dan. Congratulations to everyone! In addition to the gasshuku, this year Sensei Higaonna had something else prepared for us. Complementing the technical instruction we had classes at the honbu dojo with Sensei Sugimoto Rendo, specialist in Amagi Thermal Therapy. His instruction was aimed at alleviating tension and healing injuries, to improve our performance and physical power. Sensei Sugimoto treated Sensei Monteiro, who had a muscle injury that prevented him from doing high kicks. After a couple of sessions, he experienced a noticeable improvement in is flexibility. He also treated other karate-ka who showed great results. We also attended a lecture from Maeno Hiroyuki, a nutritionist at the Japan Association of Clinical Nutrition, specializing in high performance athletes. He did a presentation on healthy eating habits and how small diet adjustments could dramatically improve performance, quality of life and slowing the natural aging process. When the Gasshuku was over, we returned to the daily trainings at the honbu. Once again we had the chance to practice under the watchful eye of Higaonna Sensei, sometimes, as the only students in the dojo. What a wonderful and humbling experience! On October 25th, we attended the celebrations of the International Day of Karate, at the Shuri Castle. The most important karate schools in Okinawa and their grand masters performed demonstrations. The IOGKF presented a team of okinawan karateka: Sensei Uehara, Sensei Kuramoto and Sensei Yamashiro did a great exhibition of kata Shisochin. Later that night, it was time for the grand masters demo. Sensei Higaonna´s presentation was superb. His energy and technical ability was observed by many people, who later, recognizing the red and black kenkon in our jackets, approached us to congratulate us for our master! We lived another memorable experience in the streets of Naha. It was the 2013 Otsunahiki at the Naha Prefecture. It is a traditional tug-of-war competition done yearly, Japanese style. The main rope is massive; over 1 meter in diameter with narrower ropes stemming from it, that competitors can pull along with other people (usually 10 per each smaller rope). In our smaller rope we teamed up with Sensei Roberto Gil (Spain) and Sensei Kokubo (the most enthusiastic and serious competitor). We pulled, huffed and puffed for many minutes and even blistered our palms, but we are happy to report that our side (East) won the competition, moving the opposing team about four meters. Without a doubt, our trip to Okinawa was a memorable journey that will surely mark our DO. This experience was not exempt from sacrifices (physical, emotional and also financial), but we are grateful for the opportunity and enthusiastic about the feedback we received. We now have the responsibility and the great mission to transmit our experiences to our own students here in Chile and to do so, we have a team of committed karate-ka that will support that effort. When you look back at 1938 it seems so distant to the younger generation. It was a year that saw much history created in all four corners of the world; in Europe a man by the name of Hitler was beginning to gather a following in Germany, while in Australia the first telephone link to the white house was established. And across the Pacific ocean in America young children got their first at the man of steel when Superman made his first ever comic book appearance. At the same time in Okinawa, a small island 300 miles off the south coast of mainland Japan, a boy was born on Christmas day whose destiny would see him become a Super man in his own right. Morio Higaonna, the legendary 10th Dan Master of the Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate style who is renowned across the world as the foremost authority of the art, has travelled from one side of the globe to the other on his quest to become what many have said to be the Master or Masters. By pushing himself to his physical limits by training his mind and body every day, he was transformed from a young man into the highest level Karate-ka of our age. The man know across the world by hundreds of thousands as ‘Sensei’, has a story like no other and as a tribute to his 75th Birthday IOGKF International shares it with it’s members. Okinawa is a land of good people, beautiful culture and stunning nature. A and that time forgot about, it’s rich heritage with both Japanese and Chinese influences saw the creation of a unique culture to above all preached peace. It was shortly after the birth of Morio Higaonna that Okinawa would face its darkest days, whn World War II brought itself to the island. American Soldiers did battle with the Emperors forces, while U.S. war ships faced imperial Kamikaze aerial attacks. It was a desperate time and realising the danger presented, Master Higaonna’s father, a local policeman, secured passage for he and his family to mainland Japan. Three boats departed Okinawa for the mainland under heavy fire and only the boat to finish its journey was that housing the Higaonna family. When Japan declared defeat and the Higaonna family returned to Okinawa, they were met with devastation and the fact that they were going to have to rebuild their lives from scratch. It was a tough time not only for the Higaonna family, but all Okinawan’s. It was a difficult environment to have to grow up in. Many things today’s youth take for granted, the Okinawan’s did not. Using the bottom half of Coca-Cola can for a drinking glass was just one of the small everyday practices that Higaonna Sensei and his family were faced with during this trying period. It was perhaps these hard early years that began to forge the impenetrable spirit of our Master. There was an interest of martial arts in Higaonna Sensei from a young age and after seeing his father training at home in Karate with friend he was inspired to learn himself. He joined the Karate club training at the Naha commercial High School and worked hard to earn the clubs student Vice-president position. He also struck up a friendship with Tsunetaka Shimabukuro and the two began training Shimabukuro’s front garden regularly. Shimabukaro Sensei taught Higaonna Sensei Seiyunchin Kata and seeing the promise and potential in his friend, suggested that he present himself for training at the famous garden Dojo of Chojun Miyagi Sensei, the founder of the Goju-ryu Karate style . Chojun Miyagi Sensei had passed away a few years earlier, but a number of students were still teaching in his place. A young Morio Higaonna was very nervous and clutching the training fee money his mother had given him tight in his hand, he made his way to the Garden Dojo with Shimabukuro Sensei’s introductions. Once the formalities were over he took his first steps in the Goju-ryu circle to which his mastery would become legend. A man a few years older than he quickly caught his eye. With lightning fast techniques and precise timing, Higaonna Sensei quickly decided this was the man he wanted to learn from. Anichi Miyagi Sensei was only 24 at the time and up until his teachers death, had studied in private under Chojun Miyagi Sensei daily. Anichi Sensei was taught all the Kata and Bunkai by the founder and he understood the principles and teaching methods of the founder better than most. Higaonna Sensei wanted his instruction and it did not take long until his extreme effort and determination stood out and Anichi Sensei quickly picked him up as an outstanding pupil. The two forged a relationship as student and teach and history had begun to written. Higaonna Sensei also came to know Chojun Miyagi Sensei’s wife, as he would often arrive early to clean the Dojo and do chors prior to training. She would often tell him of Chojun Miyagi and the high morals he should adhere by. As time progressed and the popularity and modernisation of Karate began, the senior students of the Dojo decided it was time to move on from the Garden Dojo and set up an indoor location and thus the Jundokan Dojo was built. Anichi Miyagi Sensei was one of these seniors and as a loyal student Higaonna Sensei followed his teacher and continued his training diligently under his instruction. The dawn of graded belt systems was creeping over the Karate landscape and Eiichi Miyazato presented Higaonna Sensei with 3rd Dan Black belt as a reward for his many hours of sweaty and dedicated practice. With so many senior students of Chojun Miyagi all together it wasn’t long until rifts began to form as to should be the Dojo head and to how certain aspects of training should be conducted. With compromising the exact teachings of Chojun Miyagi Sensei not being a option for Anichi Miyagi, he decided to leave the Jundokan and took a job overseas, before eventually settling in Tokyo, before making his way back to Okinawa. Higaonna Sensei himself also left for mainland Japan where he began his studies at Tokyo’s Takushoku University. Yoyogi Dojo quickly became the most famous Karate Dojo in Japan and westerners from all over the world journeyed to Yoyogi to learn from Master Higaonna. The Dojo was very humble, but the training severe. Although the cause of the sweat, blood and tears was intense, visitors saw Higaonna Sensei’s abilities and began to strive to reach his level by following his every instruction. Many western historians were also visiting Dojo’s all over Japan during this time to document and explain martial arts to the people of their homelands. One such person to see Masters of many styles from all over Japan was Don Dreager who commented: Higaonna Sensei’s demand as the world’s top Goju-ryu instructor could not be contained Japan and subsequent trips in the 1970’s to Europe, Oceania and Africa made his following truly International. At the end of that decade in 1979, it was decided that the first ever International Goju-ryu Gasshuku would be held in Poole, England. Higaonna Sensei travelled to the United Kingdom and was joined by his many supporters and newcomers curious to see the Master from the East. During a meeting with the senior members of each country it was agreed that some form of organisation was needed for Higaonna Sensei’s following. With the permission of many of Okinawa’s senior Karate Masters, including Anichi Miyagi Sensei and other students of Chojun Miyagi, Sensei Morio Higaonna became the World Chief Instructor of the International Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate-do Federation or as would come to be known, IOGKF International. Annual European training camps amongst rotating member countries were established and the IOGKF began to grow larger and larger. In 1981 Higaonna Sensei brought the world to Karate. The first IOGKF world Budosai was held during that year and for many of the world’s highest ranked instructors it was their first visit to the birthplace of the art they were so desperate to Master. By the early 1990’s Higaonna Sensei had married his sweet, Alanna and they had moved to her hometown of San Marco’s in California with their son Eric. He established IOGKF world Honbu Dojo there. The presence of such an incredible master became another important turning point in making IOGKF truly International and IOGKF began to grow in North America and Canada. The expansion of these areas eventually lead to the creation of another annual IOGKF event, the Miyagi Chojun Festival (MCF). As time went on, Higaonna Sensei decided that he needed to return to Okinawa to strengthen IOGKF in Karate’s homeland. Before a stay on the mainland of Japan, he returned to Okinawa where he continued teaching at the Higaonna Dojo in Makishi, a short distance from Tsuboya and the Garden Dojo of Goju-ryu style founder Chojun Miyagi. It was the founders wish that his style of Goju-ryu, although an Okinawan art, would become a treasure for the world and that its benefits would extend far across the globe. His untimely death and limited by the capabilities of travel and communication in his time, Chojun Miyagi was prevented from ever seeing this a reality. However today, some 60 years later, the commitment of Master Morio Higaonna now see’s the IOGKF and Goju-ryu Karate-do present in over 55 different countries with over 75,000 members. Higaonna Sensei has taken Goju-ryu to the world and then brought it back home to Okinawa again, rewarded for his efforts by his late teacher, Anichi Miyagi, with the presentation of his 10th Dan Black Belt and 2007 and with the attendance of over 1,000 members at subsequent World Budosai events in 2004, 2008 and 2012. The Master was further recognised for his efforts in 2013 when he was official recognised as a living treasure by the Okinawan government for his contributions to Karate. If you visit the Higaonna Karate Dojo, you will not see these placards hung upon the walls, you will not see award after award. All you will see is Sensei. Training. After 75 years of life and over 55 years of practice Master Morio Higaonna is still trying to reach perfection in his own mind, body and spirit. Still considering himself a student, his mastery continues to inspire this generation and will continue to inspire future ones. IOGKF International congratulates Higaonna Sensei on his 75th Birthday and for being an example for all to strive towards inside and outside of the Dojo.