October 2023

 Karatewelt-Reichenbach/Vogtl. e.V.

A well-coordinated coaching team back in Reichenbach

Just one week after our last course, our next one was already waiting in the wings. This time we welcomed well-known friends as trainers, Fritz Oblinger (9th Dan Shotokan, 8th Dan Kyusho), Fiore Tartaglia (7th Dan Shotokan) and Harald Strauß (7th Dan SOK). With three instructors, we also took the opportunity in the planning to divide the participants into three levels - lower, intermediate and dan - in order to better serve the complexity of the individual levels. After more than 100 participants arrived in Reichenbach on the day, our coaches gave a few welcoming words, pointing out the division of the group and explaining the course of the day. Three sessions were planned for each level, one with each guest coach.

Harald took over the Dan group for the first and made them really sweat with a few routine mobilization and strength exercises. He then continued with the kata Tekki Sandan. He focused on the rhythm and understanding of the kata and how it differed technically from its two sister kata. He also had the participants form smaller groups to exchange ideas and thoughts or to look at the different styles of the kata. Meanwhile, Fritz started with the lower level and made them sweat no less. He slowly introduced his group to the topic of bunkai and explained the difference between it and kumite and SV. In order to be able to show everyone something new separately, he showed his group the kata Taikyoku Nidan and also used it as a bunkai template. Fiore, on the other hand, started the training with the intermediate level a little more calmly and tried to lure his group out of the previously ingrained movement patterns and not only trained them to move to the side or diagonally out of the opponent's attack pattern, but also went into the effect of sliding and changing steps and how these can sometimes be enough to get out of the opponent's reach.

After a lunch break, the coaches were able to watch a new group face each other. Harald used playful and coordinative exercises to show the lower level how much energy and range the body can get from rotational movements and later used this basis in more complex technique sequences to continue to utilize the known technique to the full extent of the body. With the intermediate level, Fritz trained the sequence of the kata Gankaku and, similar to the lower level, he went straight into understanding the kata separately with the bunkai. The Dan level practiced complex rotational movements of the hips under the watchful eye of Fiore, which looked simple but were very difficult to imitate. Once the foundation stone had been laid, Fiore continued by mixing defense and attack with the rotational movements and making them effective through rotation alone. For the last change of coach, Harald saw the intermediate level standing in front of him. This group was also able to work up a real sweat with him before the kata Tekki Nidan was on the agenda. After the sequence of the kata and a brief introduction to the application of the techniques, he took the group to task again and showed them relaxation exercises that are good for the body and mind at the end of training or after sport in general. In order not to forget the last and actually first Tekki Kata, Fiore taught the lower level the sequence of the kata. He explained a lot about the background of the Tekki Katas and showed the group the difference based on the kata, what is important for them to learn if they belong to the lower level and which points are more important for the intermediate level. Fritz then sat down with the Dan level and went through the sequence of the kata Gankaku-Sho, which is also known in a slightly different form as Chinto. He always alternated between passages of the kata and its application so as not to overtax the participants, as the kata has some tricky passages to offer.

After 4.5 hours of training, six participants also lined up to achieve the next belt level. After an hour of testing under the watchful eyes of Harald and Fiore, they were able to receive their certificates for their new grades. Congratulations from us! At the end of this day, we are very pleased with the large number of participants and the lively exchange that we were able to experience on Saturday. Many thanks to the trainers for their hard work and flexibility in switching between the groups, and we would also like to thank the participants for coming and hope that everyone had a lot of fun with us. We would also like to say a big thank you to our team in the background who worked hard to ensure that the day ran smoothly.