It all began when I got a text from a friend of mine which sounded a bit like "Hey! There will be a Karate Instructor willing coming here on Saturday!" which got me all exited! I then spent 6 hours trying to figure out who and from what Ryuha he is.
Late at night, I got a reply that stated that an instructor named Hisataka Hiroshi will be instructing. Without delay I then googled the name up and trying to find any information about him and whatever information correlated to him.
Well, what I found is rather intriguing: an Okinawan Karate Instructor, holding 6th dan (later I found out, he is actually an 8th) with a surname similar to the founder of the style: Hisataka Kori, I'm guessing he is the grandson (and heard about it too!), but I haven't found any information to verify this.
I tried to contact my karate friends, but all of them are too scared or embarrassed to come. So in the end I text-ed my Aikido buddies, and one of them is excited to come and join.
D-Day, I was a bit late because I am trying to find a gi that wouldn't embarrass me, because almost all my gi are either torn apart or filthy as dump! Hopefully, the shihan is late as well :)
First, training was fun! The conditioning is not as rigorous as I first expected but really have an impact on my muscles (I still have sores now!). I was a bit disappointed at first to see the kihon being exampled. Initially I thought: "The hell?! It isn't karate! How can one generate power with this? And, doesn't it hurt my wrist?". I was soon proved dead wrong! It feels awesome!!! I can feel the power through my fist, it feels even sturdier than the traditional Shotokan-ryu seiken that I've been training for the last 10 years.
But, it still struck me as "odd". Still keeping the notion that this is just a "karate look alike" (sorry).
Next, comes the Human Makiwara practice. The shihan wears a dou bogu, a chest protector often used in Taekwondo and told us to kick him! Wow, it is my chance to prove that the punch is useless! I then have the privilege to punch first. Contrary to my believes, the power generated is beyond my expectations, plus, with little recoil! Wow! How shocked was I?! I then have the next 15 punches enjoying my self.
The session ended with kumite drill training. When I was just enjoying my self. Then came the next disappointment. Yakusoku Kumite, or partnered pre arranged kumite. It is not the pre arranged part that I am disappointed with. It is the kihon involved in it. It feels like a dance mixed with some silat! Not like any karate I have encountered so far.
Then came kata. Adding to my disappointment, the kata is "messy", judged with Shotokan standards. It is sloppy, not choreographed enough, it is like a child trying to make a kata!
But, that all changed when I did enough repetitions. It all made sense! The timing, ma ai, everything, I felt enlightened. That one experience changed my whole view of the style(I still didn't quite understand the reason behind the stances though!). Thus, my interest in the style grew, and to my surprise, me and my friend were asked if to take the mudansha test the very next day! I felt so happy that I dreamt of it!
Overall, I am looking forward for my training, the young white belt spark in me lit again. I have never felt so dumb, humiliated, and this excited in a veeery long time. I hope this marks the start of a new exciting journey to understand my self and the universe.
Karate-Do is a lifetime study (Kenwa Mabuni). That is why I will forever learn ways to improve, not karate, but my self, my karate. Thank you Hisataka shihan, thank you Agung sensei for showing a new path to take. OSH!
First, training was fun! The conditioning is not as rigorous as I first expected but really have an impact on my muscles (I still have sores now!). I was a bit disappointed at first to see the kihon being exampled. Initially I thought: "The hell?! It isn't karate! How can one generate power with this? And, doesn't it hurt my wrist?". I was soon proved dead wrong! It feels awesome!!! I can feel the power through my fist, it feels even sturdier than the traditional Shotokan-ryu seiken that I've been training for the last 10 years.
But, it still struck me as "odd". Still keeping the notion that this is just a "karate look alike" (sorry).
Next, comes the Human Makiwara practice. The shihan wears a dou bogu, a chest protector often used in Taekwondo and told us to kick him! Wow, it is my chance to prove that the punch is useless! I then have the privilege to punch first. Contrary to my believes, the power generated is beyond my expectations, plus, with little recoil! Wow! How shocked was I?! I then have the next 15 punches enjoying my self.
The session ended with kumite drill training. When I was just enjoying my self. Then came the next disappointment. Yakusoku Kumite, or partnered pre arranged kumite. It is not the pre arranged part that I am disappointed with. It is the kihon involved in it. It feels like a dance mixed with some silat! Not like any karate I have encountered so far.
Then came kata. Adding to my disappointment, the kata is "messy", judged with Shotokan standards. It is sloppy, not choreographed enough, it is like a child trying to make a kata!
Overall, I am looking forward for my training, the young white belt spark in me lit again. I have never felt so dumb, humiliated, and this excited in a veeery long time. I hope this marks the start of a new exciting journey to understand my self and the universe.
Karate-Do is a lifetime study (Kenwa Mabuni). That is why I will forever learn ways to improve, not karate, but my self, my karate. Thank you Hisataka shihan, thank you Agung sensei for showing a new path to take. OSH!
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