I am pleased to report that it has been a great week of training. While I have been battling a cold, and therefore reluctant to train at the hard-core Purebred gym this week, I have done three Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo Jutsu (KU) and four Hakkoryu sessions. Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo Jutsu is a reproduction of classical Okinawan karate – plus alpha http://www.koryu-uchinadi.com. I will discuss this in more detail in future blogs. Regrettably Saturday marked probably my last training session Jan Spickermann, my KU training partner from Germany, who soon leaves Japan. Thanks Jan, it`s been good fun.

Unfortunately the Omiya Budokan was booked out again, and Jan and I resorted to training outside in the freezing cold. We managed to get through quite a lot of content, practicing the first two stages of uke waza (quadrant drill), all of kansetsu waza (locks) and the standing 2/3rds of shime waza (chokes). This adds up to well over 100 different techniques. KU has a range of drills that catalogue approximately 400 of the techniques a well-rounded martial artist should have been exposed to. These drills are an excellent way to retain a broad library of techniques.

On Friday karate student and large personality Appsy, participated in my embassy KU study group. Appsy is a student of local Goju-ryu karate instructor/historian/researcher/interpreter and good guy Joe Swift. These classes focus on the tegumi and nyumon drills, but also touch upon the auxiliary drills, like the ones mentioned above. My regular training partner enjoyed training with someone new, and I think Appsy enjoyed the session as well. My regular training partner George plans to visit the Mushinkan karate club soon. It would be great to arrange more regular exchange with Mushinkan.

Saturday night and Sunday morning training marked a significant milestone for me. As mentioned in a previous post, I had been having trouble with a certain technique, mune osae dori. I am pleased to say, that with the help of a half dozen shihan, I have managed to figure out my error. I am now confident enough to test for my 3^rd dan in Hakkoryu.

http://shuhari-martialarts.blogspot.com/2011/01/ya-oki-nana-korobi-fall-7-times-get-up.html

Interestingly mune osae dori can be found in the kata Chinte. Many other Hakkoryu techniques can also be found in kata. The first move of Pinan yondan is ayadori, and several can be found in naifanchin shodan. The relationship between jujutsu and karate is becoming much clearer to me and training in these systems is mutually beneficial. I have learned to fight in a much more relaxed fluid state, enabling me to keep up with the young MMA athletes at Purebred, despite advancing age, receding hair and expanding belly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmLQq_q_YMg

For the past couple of weeks, I have been teaching/demonstrating/discussing the similarities between KU/Okinawan karate and jujutsu after Hakkoryu classes. Many of the students and instructors of Hakkoryu have a background in other systems, and those who do not are curious. Hakkoryu frowns upon cross-training, but even the grandmaster`s son has been participating in my mini-lessons.

It wasn’t my intention to teach karate at Hakkoryu. I just want to learn jujutsu. I was honest with the club that I cross-train, and everyone pretty much left it at that, except for one of the young shihan who had been asking me to punch him in the stomach to test his ability to withstand the power. Most of the other shihan would oblige him, but I always declined until a week or two ago. I figured nothing good could come of hitting him, but eventually gave into the pressure. The shihan, doubled a cushion over his stomach and pleaded with me to punch him. I obliged with a half-assed punch, but my relaxed style seemed to intrigue the grandmaster-in-training and the other shihan. Now, as soon as we bow out of a class, I get flooded with karate questions! This has gained me respect within the club and I hope that it may lead to being given permission to teach the two side-by-side in Australia in the future.