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JAN 2012 / # 1

OS

U !

THE SPIRIT OF FULL CONTACT KARATE

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OSU! MAGAZINE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

5Shihan John Lehner - American Knockdown

Karate LegendBy Nilo Rivera

8Sensei And Senpaiby Rob Redmond

11Four Minutes Of Hell - Tabata Intervals

by Patty Pittman

13Ethics In Kyokushinby Willen Brunekreef

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OSU! MAGAZINE: THE SPIRIT OF FULL CONTACT KARATE

OSU! It’s finally done.

To my Knockdown/Full Contact Karate family I would like to introduce to the world,

OSU! MAGAZINE

The mission of OSU! Magazine is to bring together a unity within the Knockdown karate

Community rather than separation.  To do this OSU! Magazine will be a politic free magazine

that promotes the art of Knockdown karate. OSU! Magazine separates itself from all

organizations so that anyone that wants to contribute to the advancements of this publication

can do so without any ties to any organization. So much has been said and done in the past to

taint the history and legacy of Knockdown karate it is time for complete healing. Knockdown

karate by far is the strongest karate. I believe that we must maintain not only strong bodies,

but also strong heart, forgiving and compassionate. One of Sosai’s goals was to attain world

peace through Kyokushinkai. Remember we can agree to disagree. But don't let what we

disagree divide us any longer. I want to make this magazine your magazine. So email me let me

know what you what to see in OSU! Please share your comments. Thank you to those who help

push this publication.

Arigatou gozaimasu

ありがとうございます

Duval Hamilton, Publisher

OSU!

5]

SHIH

AN JO

HN LE

HNER

AMERICAN KNOCKDOWN KARATE LEGEND

6]

I joined Kyokushinkai I-Kan in 1968. I had

a neighbor named Bill Damari who worked at

IBM and trained in Kyokushinkai at the Saizen

Dojo in Binghamton, New York under Sensei

Robert Downey, 4th Dan (RIP). Sempai Damari

(RIP), who weighed 230 pounds, dared me to

come with him to train one night at the Saizen

Dojo. I went and trained for two hours, even

doing kumite on that first night. I immediately fell

in love with this powerful style of Karate.

I trained at all the classes I could get and

fought in many tournaments in Manhattan,

Brooklyn, Connecticut, and Syracuse. After 5

years, in 1973, I was awarded my Sho-Dan by

Tadashi Nakamura, who along with Shigeru

Oyama, brought Kyokushin Karate to the United

States in the 1960’s.

One of the highlights of my early career

was meeting Mas Oyama in 1975. Sensei

Downey was friends with Master Oyama. He

invited me and my Kohai Bobby Wright (now

head of North American Kyokushin Karate under

Shihan Henioh) to a big feast in downtown

Manhattan with Mas Oyama, Shigeru Oyama,

and Seije Kanamura.

Seije Kanamura awarded me my Ni-Dan a

year later, in 1976.

I have been a part of the World Oyama

Karate organization, headed by Shigeru Oyama

and Yasuhiko Oyama, since the time of its split

from the Kyokushin Organization in 1992. All of

my further Dans (3-6) were awarded by Shigeru

Oyama within this organization.

When I started at age 28, I was 5’ 10” and

220 pounds of muscle. 43 years later, at 71, I’m

a leaner 177 pounds, still flexible enough to do

the splits, and still training 3 times a week.

Incidentally, after reading Chuck Norris’s

biography, I found we are the same age, same

height, and same weight, but I am better

looking. He has more money.

What you feel karatedo is truly about or

its essence ?. I believe the essence of karatedo

is to improve you first physically, then mentally

(both through sweat), and then spiritually.

I remember a brochure that Soshu Shigeru

Oyama made for summer camp at Brodie

Mountain. The brochure was beautiful, and

across the cover it said “Discover Yourself!

Come to summer camp!” That quote captures

the essence of our art in another way. I never

forgot it. (In fact, I put “Discover Yourself” on my

license plate holder.)

After many years and much training, you

can achieve an effortless practice (known in

Chinese as “wu-wei”), in which techniques flow

naturally from one another.

There are many practices in which such a

state can be achieved, but karatedo is a warrior

way of achieving this. One needs to follow his or

her heart. I am a warrior at heart. I like fighting,

but I temper the white heat with Bushido and

the code of Chivalry. Loyalty is very important to

me – to my art and to my family. This is my way

of life.

What karatedo has done for you or how

it changed you ?

Karatedo has made me mentally stronger

and more focused, and has kept me physically

strong and healthy.

When I started practicing karate, I saw

phenomenal things, such as Shigeru Oyama

catching a sword at full speed, and Tadashi

Nakamura doing a beautiful Kanku kata and

then fighting 60 of us at a clinic for the Saizen

Dojo. Talk about wu-wei effortless action -- I

saw it in person. I wanted to be a Black Belt.

The models we had then were the epitome of

the art. Soshu Shigeru Oyama’s moves in kata

and fighting remain imprinted on me to this day.

There is no explaining this, but you see and feel

it.

I coveted the Black Belt, but I failed my first

Sho-dan test. This was really hard. It made me

humble, but it also made me more determined

than ever to succeed. I spent the next 6 months

re-dedicating myself to improving, then took the

test again and passed. This was one of the first

times I focused on an ambitious goal and

achieved it.

I can’t fail to mention how karate has also

allowed me to stay physically healthy over my

entire life. Up until the age of 70, I never missed

more than a handful of classes. And I’ve never

been content to “coach” from the sidelines. If I

ask my students to do something, I do it too. I

refuse to lower my expectations and ask less of

myself, and this keeps me strong.

How you feel being a Karateka in

general and after so many years. I still try to

approach the art as a white belt. “Beginners

mind” stays with me forever. Compared to when

I first started karate, I am more tranquil now. The

bloodlust has somewhat left me. (Though you

may want to check with my wife on that one.)

Today there is less pride and more humility.

Leading a class today after so many years is

pure pleasure, without hesitation or struggle. My

greatest reward is watching my students

develop as Karateka and as people.

My overall feelings of/on Knockdown!

Knockdown is the ring of fire -- just you and

your opponent, alone -- a test of indomitable

spirit. Being a natural fighter in many ways, I

loved competition, from being a champion

sprinter to a successful Martial Artist. I have

participated in many tournaments, both open

and closed to our style. I always felt, as Soshu

Shigeru Oyama said to me, “I want action not

talk”. I think Knockdown cuts through the veil of

favoritism, poor judging, and plain luck. There is

a loser and winner, mostly clear-cut, and at

times with a clean knockout. I always get a

queasy feeling in my stomach when a match is

left up to a decision call. I have seen some bad

calls, very questionable over the decades. Not

everyone is or will be a knockdown fighter, but

the knockdown system is there, offering a

chance to prove oneself in the ring. I normally

leave it up to the student. I do not believe in

coercing anyone to enter competition. We

sometimes forget this art is lethal. To me this is

not a game. A dojo needs to maintain

awareness of the “lethality” of the art.

I do think that hard styles have at times put

brute force over spiritual needs. I appreciate a

balance between the spiritual and the physical.

We’ve had tremendous examples of both in

teachers such as Tadashi Nakamura, with his

emphasis on the Zen of Karate, and Shigeru

Oyama, with his tremendous fighting prowess.

Dominance in the arena of public opinion

seems to be the goal of some styles. But

bloodlust leaves us as we get older. At a certain

age we realize that there is more to the art than

pure pugilism. I always said that if fighting is all

you want, become a boxer. Taking one fighter to

the top is not my way of teaching. I try to take all

of my students to their maximum potential both

in fighting and in the more spiritual aspects of

the art.

7]

Hopes, desires, about karatedo in

general, especially for the knockdown styles.

After over four decades, there are still charlatans

out there. Self-proclaimed masters -- and they

know who they are. I was fortunate to train with

three of the world’s best masters: Shigeru

Oyama, Yasuhiko Oyama, and Tadashi

Nakamura. I think that Genjōkōan Karate and

World Oyama Karate both have a very nice

traditional balance that we should adhere to --

the balance of warrior spirit imbued with Zen,

and a philosophy that tempers the bloodlust that

exists in all fighters.

However, it seems the quest for fame and

glory goes on. I have seen some needless

exploitation of individuals. Martial arts as

entertainment, and domination in the public

arena seems to be the goal of many styles. In

that environment, you devote all of your time to

competition, letting slide the true meaning of

Budo. I do not like dojos training for

tournaments only. I never trained extra for

tournaments. Championship was never my goal.

I would like to see us keep it real, I am not

saying we all need to be monks. I hope in the

future, dojos focus on balance -- Kihon, Kata,

Kumite, Zen and the beginner’s mind.

What I want for karate in the future is

pretty much what I have always strived for in the

past. Soshu Shigeru Oyama used to say to us,

“When you build a building you must start with a

good level foundation, or the building will start

to lean. The same is true for building your

karate. If you don’t start with good basics, you

will end up crooked.” The same can be said for

building a dojo. It must be on a sound basis of

respect, discipline, protocol, and dedication.

Our Dojo started in a living room, till one of

the students got side kicked out the picture

window. Then it was time to move to the barn.

We had 3-hour training sessions, including

barefoot runs up a steep hill on a gravel road,

with fighting at the top. Then we’d head back

down to train some more on the dirt floor of the

barn. We had students from all walks of life,

from good homes and bad, musicians,

engineers, a blacksmith. I think your future

depends on that basic foundation that Soshu

Shigeru Oyama talked about. All my students

could fight, do kata, and do basics. We had

about 30 people. Most made Sho-dan.

It’s your history that lays the groundwork

for the future. The new leaders in my Dojo are

Sensei Motoi Fukinishi our branch chief

(awarded 3rd Dan by on Soshu Shigeru Oyama)

and Sempai Jared Ramsey our international

champion (awarded 1st Dan by Saiko Shihan Y.

Oyama). They are the product of hard core

training. But that training did not just churn out

replicas and stress brute force over the spiritual

aspects. It combined physical discipline with

traditional means of spiritual development.

Across the board all out students are formidable

opponents, but are great parents and good

people. All of them, not just one or two special

fighters, but the whole Dojo wins inside and

outside the Dojo, even in their daily lives. I have

to tell you a story. At an invitational tournament

in 1981, five of my Brown Belts competed in

team kumite against five Black Belts and won.

This is a great example of strength across the

Dojo. No one person was the hero, all were

phenomenal in their own right.

OSU! Respectfully, Shihan John 6th Dan

World Oyama Karate.

Interview conducted by

Nilo Rivera, Chief Instructor

Genjokoan Karate Organization

8]

9]

Sensei and Senpai

In bringing Karate to the United States, the Japanese have brought with them some Japanese terminology to use to refer to some of the more common techniques, practices, and even people that you will encounter in a karate dojo. Perhaps one of the most frequently used “Karate words” out there other than the word Karate itself is the word “sensei,” which is generally used to mean “teacher.” The Japanese append this title at the end of someone’s name when they are addressing them or speaking about them.

For example, I studied Karate under Katayama-sensei. I do not say “Sensei Katayama,” because the Japanese put titles after names. The Japanese speak names as family name first, given name next, and any title follows after that. Calling me “Sensei Rob” is backwards. It should be “Rob Sensei,” though I do not ask that anyone ever refer to me in that way. Here at home, “Rob” will be fine, thank you. Sensei is also a spoken title for another person. For example, I would never print business cards in Japan that said, “Rob-sensei” on them, because I would be referring to myself using an honorific expression, and in the Japanese language, that is considered very rude. Instead, I would refer to myself as “Rob” on my business card, and under that, as a title, I might put the name of the Karate club that I teach at. I could also use the word “kyoshi” toward myself, because it is a generic word meaning “teacher.”

The word sensei is composed of two characters. The first is SEN, which means before or ahead. The next character is SEI, which means to be born or to be alive. Literally, sensei means that someone is born before us or lives ahead of us.

I think a better literal translation than teacher would be the word “mentor.” Sensei refers to a particular person as an expression of respect. Kyoshi is a job. To refer to yourself as sensei is incorrect in terms of politeness, and to refer to your teacher at school by their name followed by kyoshi is not customary either. Literally thousands of people around the world who are not Japanese make themselves uniforms, patches, t-shirts, business cards, yellow pages ads, and web pages where they refer to themselves as sensei in a way that no Japanese would ever let himself be caught doing. I guess this is what happens when bits of a foreign language are used in a practice of a sport from a foreign country. Just as the Japanese call a home run a “homah,” we run around calling ourselves sensei inappropriately. How much you care about that is probably dependent upon how much you care about using the word authentically as they do in Japan. Sensei is usually translated to mean “teacher,” but it can be used also toward a doctor, lawyer, teacher, professor, or scientist as a way of saying “sir” very politely. In fact, some Japanese use the word to refer to male senior citizens when they are being very polite.

In the Karate club I was a member of in Nagoya, our members used the word sensei toward our teacher, Mr. Katayama. We also used the word toward other members of the club who were significantly more senior than we were. For example, in our club, my teacher called me by my first name. Those a little higher than me called me Rob-san, which means “Mr. Rob.” My peers called me Rob, and those who were newer to karate called me “Rob-sensei.” To understand this usage, it is necessary to understand the Japanese concept of in-group and out-group.

The Japanese generally view the world through the filter of whether or not someone is a member of their immediate in-group or whether or not they are an outsider. Depending on context, a typical Japanese person sees the world radiating outward from them in even increasing and sometimes overlapping circles of in-group and out-group. One’s closest in-group is the immediate family. When speaking to one another within this primary in-group, the Japanese are particularly forgetful of their famous politeness. When a stranger knocks at the door of the house, the same Japanese who speak so bluntly to one another will adopt a very polite, formal level of speech.

This linguistic ability of the Japanese language allows for no mistake between the two of them that they are not a member of the in-group. Because of this, the Japanese will speak of their family members without using -san (Mr., Mrs, Ms.) at the end and instead will only speak the name to the out-group person. This a way of claiming that person as a member of one’s in-group. Likewise, when speaking of someone who works within your company to someone from another company, the in-group/out-group thing comes into play again, and the -san or title is dropped from the names of the people within your own company that you speak of. When turning to speak directly to them, the titles and suffixes re-appear as if by magic. It is the magic of Japanese levels of intimacy being defined clearly and literally through language.

10]

Sensei and Senpai

Likewise, the word sensei appears and disappears using rules probably out of the scope of this article. But, for me to call my teacher Katayama to you is probably correct, while I called him only “Sensei” to his face, and refer to him as “Katayama-Sensei” with my peers from the Atsuta Karate Club. Accidentally dropping the suffix from a name when speaking to peers is a particularly mild and yet scolded offense in Japan, so remembering these rules while speaking Japanese becomes an interesting exercise in something akin to solving a crossword puzzle while drawing a family tree.

I once had the dubious distinction at

my office in Japan of speaking with my

colleague Eiko referring to our boss by his

family name only. The look I received was

one of amusement, shock, and then I

received a firm lesson in discipline about

using -san at the end of our boss’s name

when speaking to one another. When

speaking to those who called on the

phone, I did not use the -san. When

speaking to his wife, she did not use the -

san. It all depended on which of us was

closest to him as to who dropped the

honorific suffix from his name. What a

nightmare! I could never keep it straight,

and it was hard enough trying to speak

and listen to Japanese everyday as it was

with everyone around me speaking with

this dialect or that one muddled by varying

degrees of accents. I sometimes just used

the suffixes all the time out of laziness.

Another word that I have run into

repeatedly during my karate experience is

the word “senpai.” Senpai is composed of

the same character SEN and the character

HAI, which can also be pronounced

tomogara, meaning “comrade.”

Linguistically, a senpai is someone who is

a colleague and yet senior to you. But do

the Japanese use it that way?

My experience in our karate club is

that no one was ever called “senpai.” We

just didn’t use it. I think one reason is that

we were from all different backgrounds,

and none of us was sure who was senior

to who. Yoshigai, Masako, and myself were

the three highest ranking members of the

club, but most of the people we outranked

were older than we were. We all referred to

Yoshigai as Yoshigai-Sensei, since he was

middle aged and clearly superior in ability

than the rest of us. No one ever called

anyone senpai, that I can remember.

I was beginning to think that the

Japanese did not even use this word until I

saw a sign at the national tournament

which said, “Go Yoshimoto Senpai!”

Apparently in the university clubs, where

everyone is about the same age, but very

clearly stratified between classes (seniors,

juniors, sophomores, & freshmen), using

the word senpai makes sense. Often it is

used within universities anyway, as

freshmen often refer to seniors as

“senpai.” In the West, the word senpai has

become a sort of station or office,

something akin to being an executive

officer. I have seen clubs which actually

treat the top member spot as an appointed

post with the title of senpai. That’s not

really how the word works in Japan, at

least not in my experience.

Also, like sensei, the word senpai is an

honorific word used toward or about

another person, never toward oneself.

Therefore, embroidering the word senpai

on your uniform or gym bag would, in

Japan anyway, be considered rude. How

much this bothers you is probably again

dependent upon how authentic you want

your gym bag to be. If you receive a gift

from friends that has Senpai Joe

embroidered on it, what are you going to

do? Throw it back in their faces and yell,

“You morons! Senpai comes after the

name, and I cannot carry a bag like this, it

would be considered rude in Japan!” So,

maybe you don’t care except for trivia’s

sake. Besides, your Japanese friends, if

you ever have any, probably would not

care very much anyway.

There is another word in Japanese,

kohai, which means someone who is junior

to another person. It is generally

considered abusive in Japan to refer to

someone else as your kohai. Therefore,

only the kohai himself would actually ever

use the word and only about himself, as if

to say, “I am Joe Senpai’s junior.” I never

heard the word even one time during my

two years in Japan. The one time I used it,

the person who heard me say it rolled their

eyes and made a comment about just

relaxing and having a good time. The

Japanese word for someone who is equal

in status is dohai. This is also a word I

never heard uttered in

This all brings up the interesting

question of how seniority is determined in

Japan. A very complex programming

language could be used to determine

whether or not someone is senior to

another person. It might look something

like this:

function who_is_senior()

{ am_i_in_debt_to_you();

what_is_the_context(); compare_age();

compare_business_title(); compare_sex();

compare_wealth(); are_you_japanese(); }

Depending on who is older, has more

status, is male, and has more financial

power, social status is generally

determined amongst Japanese. At least,

this is how I think they did it. The very last

thing that counted for anything in our

karate club was karate rank and ability. The

biggest thing was whether or not a debt

existed, and in Japan, if a teacher teaches,

you are indebted to them even if you pay

for the privelege. In a typical karate club,

the instructor has the highest status, since

all students are indebted to him, at least in

the context of his karate club. Outside of

this context, relationships can change

dramatically.

So, not only do the Japanese have a

complicated system of determining social

status, that system is dynamic and

changes depending on the situation.

11]

Sensei and Senpai

However, if I wanted to be reminded of my

lack of credentials in Japan, all I had to do was

encounter a police officer or any other

government clerk, and I was quickly brought

back to reality.

If I wanted to be reminded of my lack of

credentials in Japan, all I had to do was

encounter a police officer or any other

government clerk, and I was quickly brought

back to reality.

This issue really gets interesting when

considering children taking karate classes. Is a

sixteen year old black belt student the senpai of

a 50 year old white belt? Not from what I

observed. Was I, a 3rd dan from the US anyones

senpai? Not from what I observed. A few people

seemed to adopt me as their senior, but it

seemed more of a token of friendship than my

actually having any involvement in this senpai-

kohai mess. The Japanese use politeness to

deflect young people who presume to have

superior social status, but in reality, age counts

more than beauty or karate rank. In-group/out-

group thinking also counts more.

The Japanese seem to view this Senpai/

Kohai relationship as being one more like

mentoring. The senior is supposed to nurture,

discipline, and support the junior man. The

junior man is expected to support, respect, and

obey the senior. I am not sure it is even possible

for a non-Japanese to experience this in Japan

because, not being Japanese, it is like just

visiting all the time. In the karate club I trained

in, we had no visible, discernable hierarchy.

Katayama Sensei was the teacher, and the rest

of us did what he told us to.

We really did not coach one another unless

asked.

Trying to sort out and consciously obey the

Japanese rules for using various honorific terms

and showing respect and humility is quite

difficult. I have tried and failed so many times

that I ultimately decided to take my instructor’s

advice and simply use polite Japanese all the

time, even toward my friends unless I was giving

a command or making a joke, and I expressed

myself humbly and tried to show respect to

everyone around me. I don’t believe he

recommended this as a lifestyle for me because

he was trying to make me a better person so

much as he was trying to help me fit in and get

along with everyone.

Japanese is a difficult language, but as

difficult as it is, the Japanese are willing to make

allowances and blow off any mistakes you might

make as a visitor to their country. As for what

terms we use when in our countries, I believe

that is up to us. I saw some pretty incredible

attempts to use English in Japan. Some of those

attempts were both bizarre and miserable

failures. But English is not mine, it is merely a

tool that I use. Likewise, Japanese is not some

trademarked lingo that you cannot use as you

see fit. The only question is one of being

authentic – which considering the rules – may

be impossible

Written Rob Redmond

Rob Redmond is a native of the state of

Georgia in the Southeastern United States.

He began Karate training as a child and

eventually found himself the instructor of a

Karate club in 1984. After a two year stay in

Nagoya, Japan (1993-1994) studying with

Katayama Hitoshi in the Atsuta Karate Club,

Rob returned home and combined his

interests in technology and Karate to build

one of the most informative and outspoken

websites on issues surrounding the practice

of Shotokan Karate.

12]

Four Minutes of Hell : Tabata Intervals

There are many names for it. Surge, Burst, HiiT, The Tabata Protocol, and my favorite, Four Minutes of Hell. No matter what you call it, the Tabata method of interval training is the most effective way to train both the aerobic and anaerobic metabolic pathways. It only takes four minutes, but those four minutes are the longest in your life if you do the protocol correctly.

The Tabata Protocol, as near as I can find, was developed by a Japanese Speed Skating coach and later was studied by Dr. Tabata and his team. The researchers found that the athletes who did the routine improved their aerobic capacity by 14% and their anaerobic by 28%. The control group used steady state cardio showed an improved aerobic capacity of 9.4% and nothing for the anaerobic.

The Tabata team also found that the method of training lowered body fat without effecting the muscle size of the athletes. They published their findings in 1996.

Aerobic vs Anaerobic

For many years 'aerobic' conditioning as been the word tossed about by trainers and weight loss 'experts' as the main exercise humans should be preforming. It really took off in the 80s with Richard Simmons, Jane Fonda and Jazzercise. Touted as the best way to lose fat and get into shape, people have been duped into spending countless hours running in place on treadmills, or stepping on steps in a synchronized motion.

Don't get me wrong, steady state cardio has it's place. A half hour run once a week helps increase endurance and cardio function. It also improves circulation. I love to jog through the woods or bike riding around a relatively flat roads. You will even see me cruse the beach concrete paths on my inline skates. For 'exercise' though, I keep my treadmill and/or stationary bike employed only once a week for about 30 minutes, hard enough that I can't hold a conversation but I can still breathe.

If I were in a different sport, like a marathon runner, or a triathlete, aerobic conditioning would have more appearance in my workout schedule, but as a fighter, I need to balance out my cardio with anaerobic conditioning.

Just like aerobic is with oxygen, anaerobic is without oxygen. Anaerobic exercise is used by athletes in non-endurance sports to promote strength, speed and power. It also helps cardio function, circulation and endurance, just like steady state aerobics. Unlike aerobics, anaerobic routines signal the body to release HgH, a hormone that promotes fat loss and muscle gain. Another difference between anaerobic and aerobic is that anaerobic is high intensity, aerobic is low to moderate. There is nothing more intense than being in a fight.

The Tabata Method

It is so simple and so quick that at first, you may not believe that it works. However after you try it, so long as you follow the rules, you will leave a puddle of sweat on the floor. Yeah, that's right, sweat puddles after four minutes of effort, not only that, but you will curse me with what little breath you have. All it takes is 20 seconds of maximum effort, 10 seconds of rest. Repeat, repeat, repeat for a total of 8 rounds. Only do this protocol for a maximum of twice per week making sure that the next day is a rest day (flexibility training is okay).

13]

It is all about MAXIMUM effort. I want 20 seconds of everything you got. If you give it all you have, you might only be able to get through 4 or 5 rounds and that is okay. It is not about doing all the rounds, but more about running out of gas. When you completely deplete your oxygen, the muscles get more effective at burning glycogen, which is exactly what you want. So do not pace yourself.

With Tabata, you can choose almost any type of exercise, but it has to be something you can do without thinking about. You just need to pick one exercise per workout. Jumping-jacks, burpees, sprints, stationary bike, stairs, high knees, jump rope, heavy bag punching, box jump, agility ladder, switch kicks, lunges or just about anything. Use your imagination but don’t get too complicated.

This is the time, the only time, to throw form and technique out the window. For that reason, I would stay away from using weights, doing squats and for some people, no heavy bag. “What?” you say, “Why not a heavy bag?”. Well I have noticed that in some of the people I train that fighters focus on technique even when you tell them not too. Non fighters when given a heavy bag and told to go 'balls to the walls', they do. Karate folks tend to throw spinning back fists, and the like and that is not all out. Too much thinking. Also stay way from treadmills because they take too long to speed up and slow down for this workout.

The only other thing you need is a timer. When training others, I use a good old stopwatch. Some people use a personal round timer that you can buy for about $20 US. Another source and it is free, online stopwatch program like http://www.speedbagforum.com/timer.html or download a Tabata round MP3 and toss on your head phones.

References :

PubMed.gov http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8897392?dopt=Abstract Ross Training http://www.rosstraining.com/articles/tabataintervals.html Fox and Haskell Formula http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Exercise_zones.png

Article by Patty PittmanCheck out her blog Kihonwaza.com

14]

About Ethycs in Kyokushin and the

differences in Kyokushin after Mas Oyama

past away. Is Kyokushin still Kyokushin

n?

Kyokushin is divided.

Some people nowadays bent the basics,

syllabus, katas and principles of Kyokushin,

while others still experience and

practice Kyokushin as Kyokushin was mend to

be; with standards as set by founder Mas

Oyama and respecting his Dojo-Kun.

Kyokushin once was standardized

by Mas Oyama, because this was what he had

in mind; Karate as Karate should be. Mas

Oyama’s karate was an eye-opener for

many and those became his students, or

students of his students. In no-time Kyokushin

was not just practiced in Tokyo or Japan, but

worldwide. Kyokushin became a respected style

and was even respectfully named ‘the world’s

strongest Karate’. Organization wise, the

Kyokushin organization also became one of the

world’s strongest.

After the death of Mas Oyama in 1994, what

once was as a unit, became a divided camp;

resulted in split-up

organizations. Some former students of Mas

Oyama presented themselves as the new

Kyokushin leader, the successor of Mas Oyama.

A new Mas Oyama will never stand up; he was

one of a kind, an unique person, an example for

millions.

No new leader was able to be a leader for

all who served under Mas Oyama. This led

to a fragmentation within Kyokushin. New

organizations were formed, in the first instance,

these were named IKO 1, IKO 2, IKO 3 and so

on.  Meanwhile, some of these

organizations have chosen a new name; like IKO

2 became WKO.

New leaders, once comrades and training

partners, were suddenly facing each other. Also

in the courtroom. The WKO organization under

the leadership of former World Champion Kenji

Midori decided to rename their karate into

Shinkyokushin; Japanese for ‘New Kyokushin’.

Meanwhile is nowadays the ownership of the

first Kyokushin dojo ever, the

official Honbu where Mas Oyama started to

teach under the new name Kyokushin Karate,

after years of wrangling back to the rightful

owners, the heirs Oyama, the Oyama family.

Mas Oyama's daughter Kuristina represents the

original IKO as custodian, protecting the

Kyokushin heritage and legacy.

The Netherlands, where I come from, is a

relatively small country. Also on Kyokushin

field. In spite of all break-ups we often continue

to work together, regardless the organization we

belong to. During seminars, summer camps,

tournaments, you'll always meet old friends and

make some new ones.

Internationally, in some countries, are now also

such attempts. Some examples: The Royama

group organized in October 2009 in Hungary an

open tournament in which all organizations

could take part, Kyokushin, Kyokushin but also

related, such as Ashihara Karate.

In 2011 a large number of international

executives decided to leave the IKO 1 / Matsui

group and founded the Karate World

Federation. Chairman of this organization

became Loek Hollander.

This organization presents itself as an umbrella

organization in which any organization can take

part, while they meanwhile stay independent

and keep their own identity.

Kickboxing, once born from Kyokushin, became

during the years a commercial, or

commercialized, sport. Kyokushin is something

you practice with your heart. Where it is possible

for many Kickboxers to gain money by facing

each other in front of a large audience,

Kyokushin is still remained and known as an

amateur sport. Amateur sport in the sense of

unpaid.

Today's youth, whether or not encouraged by

parents, tend to choose a sport which in later

life money can be earned. Tennis, Golf,

Basketball, Baseball are some

examples. Kyokushin you never practice for

making money. Kyokushin is practiced because

it suits

you, because you like it or you even love it. Kyokushin is often practiced as a hobby, but for several others it

is even a way of life. Some are able to practice Kyokushin on daily base. Others do not or cannot, because they also have a family life, work or their gym offers

Kyokushin only 2 days a week.

The old days

Some may say ’Kyokushin was better in

the old days’. Organization wise, perhaps, but

not everything from the old days is better than

today. Global communication, for a start, is so

much easier nowadays. I remember I wrote

letters to Japan and received answering letters

after a few months. Around 1991 I had my first

fax machine and communication became better.

Today I send my email and sometimes even a

few minutes later I have a mail back. Also

communication with people from all parts of the

world, sharing the same hobby, in this case

Kyokushin, is possible. Even communication

with people we never met in real live. On social

media like Facebook or Cameron Quinn's Budo

Karate Forums for example.

50 or more years ago, people had to visit

Dojos to learn Karate. The dojo was the only

place to learn it all. Then the first Karate

instruction books were published and learning

Karate became easier. A few more years later

we were able to order Karate videotapes. Now

can visit Youtube for the kata or the fight of your

choice. I wonder what the future will bring us to

simplify our trainings. But one thing did not

change yet and that is training itself. And

if someone ever invents something that replaces

training, I still will keep training  Training is too

much fun to be ever replaced by any modern

technology or whatsoever!

Kyokushin degrees

Accepting a degree while you know in your

heart that you do not deserve the grade at all, is

not only deceive others but also yourself.

15]

About Ethics in Kyokushin and the

differences in Kyokushin after Mas Oyama

past away. Is Kyokushin still Kyokushin?

Unfortunately, nowadays we notice that in

some organizations or under some teachers dan

grades are given away to people who do not

deserve those.

I cannot talk for some other countries but I can

give a very sad and recent example from

my country, the Netherlands.

Someone, a very poor skilled

Kyokushin ‘teacher’ was in December

2011 awarded with a 5th dan grade. And

this while only a few years back he

made the switch from Wado Karate (3rd dan)

to Kyokushin, where he also

immediately received 3rd dan and a certificate.

Only short time later, September 2009, this

person was promoted to 4th Dan. Just two

years later, in December 2011, a fifth dan grade

was offered. To answer some of your questions.

NO, this man is no Superman, NO this man

has no hidden talents, NO this man has never

performed at a high level, NO this man has

never took part in any tournament,

100 man kumite, not even in 10 man kumite. NO

he has never taken a dan grade test, NO he

does not master brown belt level katas, NO he

has never participated in any training or

competition or seminars. For most in Kyokushin,

he has been more invisible than a Ninja for

years. Now he is presenting himself as examiner

for people who have to show techniques and

katas he never has showed. Now he is judging

others and katas he can’t perform. He is

someone who in my dojo is not allowed

to wear a brown belt. How is it possible that

such differences are possible. In Holland

we call people like that ‘Kami no obi, or a belt of

paper’.

It is in nobody's interest that the

name Kyokushin on this, and

perhaps countless other ways, is harmed. Giving

away degrees, just like that is Kyokushin

unworthy. Shame on the persons who create

these situations, shame on the persons who

accept grades just like this.

What does this mean for you? Most likely

you earned your degree with blood, sweat and

tears. With organizations handing out

certificates that easy and people accepting a

grade while they know that they do not earn a

grade like this, Kyokushin no longer sticks out

head and shoulders above the rest. Kyokushin

will become just one of the other style groups

each with their own syllabi and priorities as to

attract teachers by promising people degrees or

certificates. There is only one solution.

Kyokushin must become Kyokushin again. With

high standards within every organization. Sector

diversification leads to decline and if there is

anything that we used to learn in Kyokushin

from our teachers: performing and not

compromising.

Nowadays Kyokushin teachers are contacting

other organizations when they have failed for

their grading in their present organization. They

apparently hope to find another organization

with lower grading standards or an organization

that welcomes them with a grade by

joining. That's the wrong mentality. The

challenge within Kyokushin has always been the

hard way. When you notice in your organization

that some people do not pass, you have to

respect this. This means quality control and high

standards. Be proud that you belong to such an

organization and not one wherein anyone after a

certain period gets their degree hand out.

Kyokushin was always known as the elite within

the Karate, like the special forces or Navy Seals

in the army. Respected in the dojo, respected

during tournaments, respected everywhere they

go.

Let old times revive. Let everyone in their

own country try to achieve these goals, let the

strong parties cooperate, let Kyokushin be

Kyokushin again as soon as possible. In my

country, I am together working with others,

creating a National website for quality control

within Kyokushin. On this website we will

publish just the names of real Kyokushin

teachers and quality dojos.

Is this the best method? Perhaps there are more

ways, but we have to start somewhere.

A teacher’s obligation is to produce

students a least the same level; and when

possible even better than he ever was.

A few years back I wrote this; I like to share

this with you all.

OSU

Article Submitted by

Willem Brunekreef

16]

Monthly National Fighters training for Tournament fighters

Mas Oyamas daughter Kuristina visiting Holland; November 2011. From left to right; Willem Brunekreef Shihan, Mrs Kuristina Oyama and Ruud van Buren Sensei.

17]

THIS  IS  KYOKUSHIN  

Kyokushin  For  some,  a  hobby  a-er  school  or  work,

for  others,  ‘a  way  of  life’

Kyokushin  What  this  means  for  you,  is  for  you  alone  to  decide    

Kyokushin    One  <es  a  white  belt,  another  <es  a  black  belt.

Yet  the  truth  of  Kyokushin  lies  within:The  <e  that  counts  is  the  one  that  binds  our  heart  to  Kyokushin

 Kyokushin  

You  reap  what  you  sow;nothing  of  value  is  gained  for  free.

Kyokushin  In  Kyokushin  are  no  Hooligans,  just  friendsWhatever  the  color,  religion  or  race  may  be

We  respect  all:  every  prac<<oner,every  club,  every  school,  because  we  are  Kyokushin

Kyokushin  We  are  Kyokushin,

Not  just  in  the  Dojo,  not  just  in  our  beloved  white  dogi,But  in  heart  and  soul,  in  our  daily  lives.No  one  can  take  that  feeling  away

Kyokushin  I  do  it  my  way,  you  do  it  your  way,  

but  we  both  follow  and  respect  the  Mas  Oyama  way  

Kyokushin  From  Mudansha  to  Sosai,  from  Holland  to  Japan,

we  speak  one  Universal  language,  understood  by  all,the  language  of  respect:  OSU

Willem  Brunekreef

18]

Prepared by MagCloud for Frank van den Dungen. Get more at senseid.magcloud.com.