Karate World-Reichenbach/Vogtl. e.V
Just one week after our last seminar, our next one was already in the starting blocks. This time we welcomed old friends as trainers: Fritz Oblinger (9th Dan Shotokan, 8th Dan Kyusho), Fiore Tartaglia (7th Dan Shotokan), and Harald Strauß (7th Dan SOK). With three trainers, we also took the opportunity during the planning phase to divide the participants into three levels: lower, intermediate, and dan, so that we could better accommodate the complexity of each level. After over 100 participants arrived in Reichenbach that day, our trainers offered a few welcoming words, reminding us again of the group split and explaining the course of the day. Three units were planned for each level, one with each guest trainer.
Harald took over the Dan group for the time being and got them sweating hard with a few routine mobilization and strength exercises. Then it was on to the kata Tekki Sandan. He focused on the rhythm and understanding of the kata and how it differed technically from its two sister katas. He also had the participants form smaller groups to exchange ideas and thoughts or to look at the different styles of kata. Meanwhile, Fritz started with the lower level and made them sweat just as much. He slowly introduced his group to the topic of Bunkai, explaining to them the difference between Kumite and Self-Defense. In order to be able to show everyone something new on the topic separately, he showed his group the kata Taikyoku Nidan and used the kata 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. He not only trained them to move sideways or diagonally out of the opponent's attack pattern, but also discussed the effect of sliding and alternating steps and how these can sometimes be enough to get out of the opponent's range.
After a lunch break, the trainers faced a new group. Harald showed the lower level students how much energy and range the body can gain from rotational movements using playful and coordination exercises. He then built on this foundation in more complex technical sequences to continue utilizing the familiar techniques to their full extent. Fritz trained the intermediate level students in the sequence of the kata Gankaku and, similarly to the lower level students, he used the bunkai to specifically address the understanding of the kata. The Dan level trained complex rotational movements of the hips under Fiore's supervision. These movements looked simple but were very difficult to imitate. Once the foundation had been laid, Fiore followed up by mixing defense and attack through rotational movements, making them effective through rotation alone. At the final trainer change, Harald saw the intermediate level students standing in front of him. This group also got to work on their sweating before the kata Tekki Nidan was on the agenda. After explaining the kata sequence and a simple introduction to the application of the techniques, he took the group back to heart and showed them loosening exercises which are good for the body and mind at the end of training or generally after sport. So as not to forget the last and actually first Tekki Kata, Fiore taught the lower level the kata sequence. He explained a lot about the background of the Tekki Katas and showed the group the differences using the kata, what is important for them to learn if they are in the lower level and which points are more important for the intermediate level. Finally, Fritz 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 constantly alternated between passages of the kata and their application so as not to overwhelm the participants, as the kata contains some tricky passages.
After 4.5 hours of training, six participants lined up to achieve the next belt level. After an hour of testing under the watchful eyes of Harald and Fiore, they were then able to receive their certificates for their new grading. From us: Congratulations! At the end of this day, we are very pleased with the large number of participants and the lively exchange that we experienced on Saturday. Many thanks to the trainers for their enthusiastic commitment and their 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. Also, a big thank you to our team in the background, who diligently ensured that the day ran smoothly.
