Instructor - Gasshuku 2004 in Hasselt

Report: Gerhard Scheuriker
Photos: Sachiko Kase, Patrick & Jessika Axheden

Deutsche Übersetzung (hier klicken)

 

Like every year the students of Sensei Kase met the gasshuku to practice with each other. There were about 60 Kase students from Belgium, Germany, England, Scottland, France, Greece, Netherlands, Ireland, Jugoslavia, Cambodia, Portugal, Sweden and Spain.

At the beginning of the stage Sensei Dirk Heene welcomed everybody to the stage. As the years before, the organisation in Hasselt was excellent. This year the turn to teach was on the other members of the shihankai, Dirk supported them by translating the information from English to French or Flams. With enthusiasm the instructors teaching at this Gasshuku demonstrated their understanding and their main points of Kase-Karate.

Sensei Velibor Dimitrijevic conducted the first training on Saturday morning. The training started with some breathing exercises which are also found at Tai-Chi. After that we did some Kihon in 6 different directions, where the emphasis was on breathing, turning on the heels, and rooting to the floor. First we did this combination with tsukis, than with kicking and blocking techniques. In my opinion the methodical built up of the training of Sensei Velibor was very good.

At the break Sachiko Kase informed us about the health development of her father, and I think the following words we have to take into account: "Be patient and keep on practicing until I come back, show your solidarity and support for the academy"

It was really good that Sachiko took her time to introduce herself to use and to explain what the intention of Amicale Kase is.

The afternoon session was conducted by Sensei Pascal Lecourt. Out of his Kihon combination he build up a nice kumite combination with alternating attack and defence technique, using open hand techniques to block kicks and executing as well open hand counter techniques.

First different shorter combinations were practiced with partner and after that you had to react, depending on the kamae situation and distance. I got even more difficult through adding full speed and power to the excercises.

Sensei Pascal Lecourt and Christian demonstrated impressively how difficult kumite situation can work in a stressful condition. I think to reach a higher level of karate we have to do more of this situational exercises were you have to decide on the situation, the reaction of your opponent to the right move or technique.

At the second day Sensei Pascal Petrella explained his point of view how breathing and technique should work together. After a theoretical basis for inhaling – applying kime, and exhaling – applying kime were explained. Sensei Petrella started with the first exercises. The exercise was Ten-No-Kata-Omote to get a deeper understanding of how to apply tanden power after inhaling and exhaling. After that we did some closed hand kumite were Sensei Pascal impressively demonstrated how exhaling or inhaling can move a technique. He said: ”With every karate move you have to exhale or inhale. The breath is moving the technique. The speed of every technique depends on the speed of breathing. When you execute a block, the beginning of the block movement should be fast, all muscles must be relaxed, shoulders down and you exhale or inhale. In the moment you touch your opponent, you immediately have to root your body, the same time you exhale or inhale as fast as possible, and use the generated tanden power to deflect the block. This is atobaya”.

It was a real challenge for me to execute a strong breathing in the moment of contact with my partner and not earlierand we need a lot more practice to master this challenge.

In the second training on Sunday Mike Fedyck did some kihon combination related to ten-no-kata. Based on the Kihon combinations a sparing was build up. I basicly like the way of executing long kihon combinations with attack and blocking techniques where you need a lot of concentration, reaction, and coordination of movement.

With new impressions I am able to continue my way. I am very glad that I have joined that stage.

Gerhard Scheuriker

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