Aim for Shodan

Last weekend was the first I ever competed in a full contact tournament despite training for almost 7 years. This is mainly due to the fact that there has not been any formal competition since I started learning Kyokushin which was mainly due to the soured relationship between Sensei Wally and Sempai Bernard. That was rectified and for the first time in nearly a decade, the two hosted a tournament as a symbol of their reconciliation. It was a must attend and compete event for me. I did not do well in kumité and injured my big toe seconds into the fight. Of course, that is the only injury I had besides a few small bruises. However, I did bag a gold in my division for kata which is extra special because this is the first time that kata has been introduced into our competitions. The loss in kumité has fired me to train harder and try better in the Nationals which is coming up in September. The results of the tournament can be found on the PNG Warrior blog (http://papuaniuginiwa...

Hello and welcome 2015! I hope you enjoyed the festive break. So it looks like my karate calendar is pretty filled up for this year with tournaments already lined up in January and March, and a grading yet to be announced. It has been announced that the PNG Open Karate Titles will be held on January 24 & 25 and then in March the 1st Kyokushin Weight Category Championships. This will be followed by a grading for our seniors. I believe Sempai Bernard and Sensei Wally (probably with Shihan Cameron) will be grading Sempai Brian and Karl to Shodan level. I might be grading for my 4th kyu (I’m not sure yet). All in all, it seems the year will be hectic for us. Osu!

Image via pixgood.com Kyokushin karate classes were formally closed by Sempai Bernard Soari yesterday. He informed us that we would resume on January 12, 2015 and also advised us to minimize meat and sugar intake. Next year will be a big year for us with a national tournament planned and shodan grading for our senior students. The tentative date for the tournament is in March. However, it all depends on the venue and other factors. I'll keep you update if there are any changes. Dates for the grading have not been announced yet but I believe two of our senior students will be testing for the black belts. Anyway, I don’t have much to update but all I can say is ‘ Merry Christmas and have a Safe and Happy New year! Osu!

This was at the Boroko dojo back in 2008. I guess you could say it was either fate that led me to Kyokushin Karate back in 2007. I had just joined the public service workforce and was getting paid double the salary from my previous and short, I might add, (1 month) job – and with less expenses than I have now - it became a recipe for disaster. By the middle of the year, clubbing had become a regular habit which led me into a number of rather embarrassing and scandalous situations. Anyway, after spending a Friday night in the police cells one time, I got the sudden urge to change. I knew if it continued I would get into much deeper trouble. Unfortunately, this was easier said (and thought) than done. For the next few weekends, I stayed at home, rarely venturing out on a Friday night. However, it got to a point that I became restless so I needed to find something to do. One Monday afternoon, while taking a stroll through Boroko, I saw a flyer advertising the opening of a ...

Over the years I've learnt a great deal about karate and kata especially. As a beginner in 2007, I did not understand the philosophy behind kata . However, as time went by I started to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for it. Kata is defined by Wikipedia as “ …detailed choreographed patterns of movements practiced either solo or in pairs. ” Sosai Oyama doing kata However, for a karateka, it is more complex than just a set of choreographed movements. In each kata is the knowledge of karate passed from generations of practitioners. They hold the fighting techniques the ancient masters have developed and used. Katas are more or less condensed versions of fighting techniques. I've noted that the simplest kata can hold some of the most effective combat skills, and a single movement can have multiple applications (bunkai). The understanding of these movements drives the practitioner to understanding the number of applications that can be used. A karatek...

Parking receipt. Yesterday, I did not attend regular dojo training. I had been caught up in some technical issues with my tablet SIM at the Vodafone-BeMobile kiosk and wasted precious time. After more than 45 minutes I had lost my patience and felt like scream (or punching) the young lady who was trying to help me. At the end of the day it was simply too late to go. When I was home I had time to reflect on what had happened and how I had nearly lost my composure. Before I started learning karate, I was a bit violent, and somewhere inside it is still there. In fact, all humans have a tendency towards violence. However, through rigorous training and meditation, karatekas (and martial artists) learn to tame or contain the beast. In Kyokushin, we recite the dojo kun (oath) after class to remind ourselves of goals of self-betterment. As a senior student, leading the recital is my responsibility, and I kind of feel down that I almost forgot the oaths. Kyokushin kanji Kyokushin...

Image via www.dragonballclub.net Yesterday, we had a kanpai ; a practice that is strong in Kyokushin karate. It is the only time when shihans , senseis and sempais allow kohais (juniors) to consume alcohol. Kanpai, like Sayonara, is an essential component of karate. It is when the rivalry ends and the friendship begins. Unfortunately, I've noticed that the practice is strong in Papua New Guinea (PNG). We had a couple of beers and shared pizza while talking about the recent PNG Games that we attended as officials and athletes. It was post-mortem and a bonding session rolled into one. Sempai Bernard Soari told us about the kanpai they used to have after international tournaments. He regaled us with stories of how uchi-deshis could not refuse food or drink from their seniors or how they used to have eating competitions after the world tournaments – the rest of the world versus the Japanese. The other sempais, Samson and Sailas, also thanked the athletes and students ...