HIS Karate-Do

Throughout his life, Asai Sensei studied and became proficient in many different martial arts.  Over time, as masters often do, he developed his own personal budo, or perhaps better described as bujutsu – focused on the most effective techniques to use in combat situations.  Meanwhile, as Chief Instructor of the JKA, he continued to teach the core Shotokan syllabus occasionally adding in certain techniques of his own, especially with advanced students. I think that you’ll find the video below interesting.  Andre Bertel a Shotokan instructor from New Zealand.  He gives seminars around the world and is a gifted karateka who is devoted to sharing the art.  If you watched the previous Asai Sensei video, I think that you’ll see his distinct influence on this young man.  Asai spent a lot of time conducting one-on-one training with Andre, sharing his particular flavor of budo.  Remember, these are controlled strikes and kicks, however the uke (the guy on the receiving end) needs to be ready and in good shape. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1rlSCxI7nU

While watching Asai Sensei and his amazing demonstration of waza in my last note, I was reminded of another master whose movements I admired many decades ago.  No, he wasn’t another karate sensei – he was a long-time instructor in a certain flavor of Aikido.  Previously, I’ve shared links to video of Aikido Founder Ueshiba and one of his top disciples, Tohei Sensei.  They taught what could be called more classical Aikido, which was what I trained in as a teenager.  However, we young students were aware of another Aikido system with a reputation for being a faster, more dynamic version of the art that included atemi (striking technique).  The creator and chief instructor were one of the Founder’s earliest and highest-ranking disciples, Gozo Shioda. His movements (spinning, ducking low, side-stepping) during the randori (multiple-attacker drills) were quick, spontaneous, and often initiated with a strike to the opponent’s neck or temple.  Some of you may note a similarity to Asai Sensei’s movements.  There was a sense of realism in Shioda Sensei’s form of Aikido.  He was also an alumnus of Takushoku University where so many of the JKA pioneers matriculated.  At the very least, you might enjoy the rousing soundtrack [...]

Well, I’ve now been working from home for a month.  This is also the longest I’ve been away from the dojo in over thirty years.  Anyways, I pray that everyone is doing well, staying healthy and safe.  We’re all probably spending more time than ever on our televisions, iPhones, iPads, and computers, eh?  So here’s a short (12 minute) video of my karate idol, the late Tetsuhiko Asai.  If you take a few minutes to watch it, I suspect everyone will learn at least one new thing about the art and perhaps gain some appreciation for his amazing abilities and teaching personality.  In my last note, I mentioned that Mori Sensei always emphasized basics, basics, basics.  Asai Sensei’s teaching style would seamlessly demonstrate the different layers of meaning hidden in every basic move. We are so fortunate that both masters were the teachers of our sensei, Kenneth Funakoshi. This video of Asai Sensei was taken in 1997 (he was around 62 then) of a seminar he gave in Russia.  In the first several exchanges, you get a chance to see how quick he was and the excellent timing and control he possessed.  Although the basis of his techniques came from [...]