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2009 North America Black Belt Gasshuku Feedback
Nakamura
Sensei & Villa Sensei,
Thank you
very much for
your time and instruction as you both hosted
the recent 11/20-22/09 IOGKF_USA Yudansha Gasshuku in
Burlington, Canada. This was an excellent event with
its new format of focusing on the complete Training
Curriculum from 10th Kyu to Shodan, with in depth teaching
in details of Kihon Waza and Kata. Another great part
of this gasshuku
was the "Question and Answer Session" with
all the instructors, who asked Nakamura Sensei numerous and
varied questions regarding all aspects of karate and in such
detail that everyone could only laugh when he jokingly
answered one question with "place your hand to the left by
30.36549362 centimeters!" This "drill down" on details was
excellent and helped all instructors to become consistent
with a new, higher standard. This gasshuku met and exceeded
the needs of the instructors across IOGKF North America. The
other senior instructors, Han Sensei and Allen Sensei, also
were greatly appreciated. Everyone enjoyed Mike Han's
energetic training sessions, "human kongoken" drill, and his
pushing big Sam Larioza around to demonstrate that technique
is more important than strength or size. Although Allen
Sensei arrived at the gasshuku in an arm sling ("but you
should see the other guys" who jumped him), he quickly shed
the sling to get down to business for intense training.
Everyone appreciated the "new and creative training drills"
that Allen Sensei always comes up with to challenge our
skills -- it is funny to watch the "three stooges affect"
when participants are learning these new drills.
Nakamura Sensei -- As always, we have appreciated your
leadership, instruction, sense of humor, and focus on the
development of karate family relationships through social
interaction. We have made tremendous progress under your
leadership. The Friendship Dinner was great with excellent
food and encouraging words for the organization. As IOGKF
North America Chief Instructor (Canada, USA, and Mexico),
you have done a great service for the IOGKF-USA over the
past few years to help unify and heal a nation through
Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate. Your personal sacrifices and those
of your family and dojo staff are greatly appreciated.
Villa Sensei -- That IOGKF-USA is fortunate to have a new
Country Chief Instructor like you, who has understood and
protected traditional IOGKF karate and the organization over
the past 20 years. For your "new term" starting in January
2010, we have had a great start at this Yudansha Gasshuku in
Canada with your "inauguration speech" at the Friendship
Dinner, and the Regional Coordinators, Dojo Head
Instructors, and other Black Belts will fully support you as
we begin a new era of continued IOGKF-USA progress. Thank
you for accepting this great responsibility. Just let us
know what we can do to help you in the future.
Domo Arigato Gozaimashita,
Michael Gardner, U.S. Shobukan, Virginia, USA
Onegaishimasu Sensei,
Some feedback on this excellent North American
Gasshuku:
My first gasshuku with the IOGKF was the
Canadian black belt gasshuku in the fall of 2007 at Shudokan
dojo. At the time, I was considering leaving the
unaffiliated dojo that I was training at, and by the end of
the gasshuku i knew that I needed to join the IOGKF. I
realized that my katas were crappy. I had no understanding
of body dynamics as related to karate. I also knew that I
wanted Nakamura Sensei as my sensei. His wealth of martial
arts skill, his artistry in kata, his leadership qualities,
his teaching ability, his sense of humour (often
self-deprecating), his humbleness and his belief that the
IOGKF is a family, convinced me. I went to that first
gasshuku feeling discouraged about my karate and left it
feeling very inspired. I have participated in six gasshukus
during the past two years and have been further inspired
each time.
This recent North American black belt gasshuku
was an opportunity for everyone to get to know the US
regional chief instructors and national head instructor
better. Because of its many dojos and thousands of
participants, the US is a huge part of IOGKF. I found the
sessions led by the chief instructors very clear and very
useful training. I appreciated the instructors' attention to
detail. I gained many training ideas to bring back to my
little dojo.
I thought that it was very useful to go
through all of the basic requirements for the kyu levels.
The detailed kata sessions were especially
important - stressing body dynamics to create speed, power
and control, and the fine tuning for consistency was
invaluable. It was helpful that we were guided through all
of the katas.
I noticed that a couple of sensei referred
specifically to ways of motivating children in class. Sensei
Chris talked about the stripe system, which I will use in
some form in my dojo. It would be good to have a workshop
some time at a Gasshuku where there was a focus on training
drills that work particularly well with children.
Domo Aritago Gozaimashita, Sensei.
Mac Newton
Toushikan Martial Arts
Qualicum,
British Columbia, Canada
Dear Nakamura Sensei,
Onegaishimasu,
I am responding to your request for comments
from the black belt gasshuku.
This was my first gasshuku since 1993 when I
was 18.
I really enjoyed the training and learned some
key points to ensure that we are teaching Goju Ryu as it was
traditionally taught and envisioned. The opportunity to ask
the questions, and for you and the other instructors to take
the time to explain and further demonstrate allowed for
clarity in the kata and kihon.
We already had practice in Texas last evening
and have begun implementing the minor corrections that we
noticed were needed. We look forward to further trainings
with the ability to have this type of question, explanation
and demonstration. I have been told that most gasshukus are
not in this format, and that is okay. However, if there is
at least once a year where a gasshuku of this type is
available, then it would be great for the instructors!
Thank you for the hospitality that you, the
Canadians and all other attendees provided. I have made it a
point to begin attending as much training as possible to
further my knowledge in Goju ryu as well as to continue its
traditional roots.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
J.R. Mendoza
USA
Sensei
The North American Black Belt Gasshuku was a
wonderful experience. The weekend went by all too quickly.
You and your staff keep topping yourself with each event.
As always the best part of the gasshuku was seeing old
friends and meeting new ones.
I have had the great fortune of having
attended every previous Canadian Black Belt gasshuku. The
annual event has really grown over the years but the quality
to the instruction has always been extraordinary. These are
the only training events that I have ever been to that have
such high levels of detail into the katas. I cannot imagine
teaching kata to anyone without this knowledge. I would
most highly recommend these high level gasshukus to everyone
whether they teach or not.
I also feel lucky to have a dojo so close to
Burlington. You and your students have always shown us the
friendship and hospitality that is consistent with true
karatedo. I like the direction we are going in which is to
have a closer relationship – “IOGKF- North America”.
We, as the IOGKF-USA, have come a long way in
the last couple of years but we have a long way to go. I
think that I speak for everyone in the U.S. when I say thank
you for all that you have done for us. The sacrifices you
made to your time and family (let alone the added stress)
were high. I am looking forward to Sensei Gene Villa taking
the helm and guiding us to the where the U.S. can be. He
will have a challenging journey ahead and cannot succeed by
himself. He has our dojo’s full support.
We are looking forward to seeing you at the
next event,
Sam Larioza
Ohana Dojo, Michigan, USA
Onegaishimasu, Sensei,
Thank you once again for another great event. It was the
first time we hosted a North American Gasshuku and it was a
great one. I was very impressed with the amount of questions
so many different instructors had, especially about Kyu
level kata such as Saifa, it goes to show that we are
fostering Higaonna Sensei's teaching and it is definitely a
step on the right direction.
Due to the popularity that MMA is having it is definitely
affecting some dojos when it comes to studentship numbers.
However, the vast knowledge that exists within our style is
second to none and I am sure that having you as our
instructor in North America, we will over come the
adversities.
It was very nice to spend time with new old friends and
meeting new ones, now my focus is on continuing to train
hard and include the new knowledge you passed on to us
during the gasshuku, it is just becoming for interesting to
learn the inner part of kata and to realize how effective a
human body can move utilizing little energy (IOGKF is a
Green Karate).
I am already looking forward to the gasshuku in the spring.
Regards,
Genaro Liriano
Naha Dojo, Toronto, Canada
Dear Sensei,
Rainer and I just returned home and we would like to say the
Gasshuku was excellent! Rainer was thrilled he passed his
San Dan grading and we both felt we learned so much. The
whole experience was informative and enjoyable.
Thank you and everyone involved for all your efforts.
Sincerely,
Eileen and Rainer
Sensei,
It was a great gasshuku! I learned a lot.
Your presentation of power generation based on rib
compression was a very clear description of a difficult
concept. I now have something to work on in my own practice
that will keep me busy for a long time to come. Also, the
combination of different instructors was also a very helpful
way to run the event.
Thanks for making my trip up to Canada time
well spent.
Jeff Mann
Onegaishimasu Sensei
I would like to thank you for the Gasshuku on the weekend,
as it was my first experience with all Yudanshaw training I
was very proud to be part of such a kind and experienced
group of IOGKF members. The depth of information and
knowledge that we -as your students- have access to
never ceases to amaze me. I hope to grow as a Karate-ka,
while helping my students grow as well...this is made
possible through events like this Gasshuku.
Domo Arligato Gosimasu!
Shawn Fisk
Traditional Goju-Ryu Karate
Onegaishimasu Sensei
What a fantastic weekend of training. This was
a highly organized gasshuku. Dissection of kata and taking
us back to basics thus enabling us to build on our
foundation was a great way to do this Gasshuku. We found it
very informative. TRAINING WAS PHENOMENAL, GRADING was
stressful. However, we still found time to have fun and
strengthen our family relations. This is what we do as part
of IOGKF, TRAIN HARD AND MAINTAIN RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER.
By the way, we still hurt. We can't wait for next year; it
is filled with educational opportunities.
Domo Arigato Gozaimashita.
Tirrell and Tyrone Hill
Ishigogyu Martial Arts
Canada
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