Practical Karate, Again

From all the people I have encountered in my Martial Arts life I need to make special mention to my good friend Huanghai because he really shaped the way I train and the way I see Martial Arts. I met him during Kyokushin practice, in Tangshou Dojo, Shenyang. He had been training with Royama Sensei in Kyokushinkan in Japan for a number of years. He also got to brown belt in Aikikai in the mean time. In that picture we are at the Huochetou Academy before class. We are both wearing our Yuzenkai patches, he is helping me since the beginning with the management of the China Branch . I was teaching Karate there and he was teaching Taekwondo. This is his ad at the door of  Hunnan Wushu club. Yes, he is a fourth Dan in Taekwondo, that he got in the Kukiwon while he was living in Korea. He also got a blue belt in BJJ recently and re-tested for his Karate nidan in the Chinese Karate Association last week. Oh, yeah. He also boxes and referees fights. Yes, also i...

As Miyagi Sensei said: Sanchin and Naihanchi are the most important kata in Karate. Here he is, alongside Funakoshi, Toyama and Kee (Tang Shou Do): Check my bunkai and let me know what you think: Naihanchi bunkai Whole book here PS: My bad. That is not Miyagi Chojun but Miyagi Tokumasa, a Shorin Ryu practitioner. I just got an email from Omoto Kanunori Shihan, my Kancho, informing me. Thank you! @practicalkarateagain in Facebook josep_cla in Instagram josep_cla@hotmail.com

You maybe got stuck trying to figure out how does a particular move works?  Yes, I've been there... Multiple times... Daily, actually... Maybe you don't have access to a super old Sensei with all the ancient knowledge (not all of us have) but you surely can figure it out if you do some research. Yes, research . Find something, try it, try it under pressure, test it in sparring. If it works, here it is! A bunkai that works. Because if you can not make it happen when you are stressed (or scared, or hurt) then it's useless. It may be as historically correct as possible but if it does not work for you when you need it then it is just History, not Martial Arts. There are many resources out there for us to take draw inspiration from: videos, books, Internet, other Arts... Here is some unusual bunkai exploration by Coach Ramsey Dewey from Shanghai (you can spot me in a couple clips): Is he right? Well... probably NOT. And with this I don...

I have been training my 10th Dan four years old daughter since she was born, but still having difficulties with her technique. She is more of a grappler I guess. Now, imagine teaching a class with 20 of them, different ages, sizes, interests, skills, developments...  Teaching Martial arts to children is a hard job. I used to do it, and it was fun, but not easy if you care about their martial development. Here, with her and my new Cleto Reyes. A bit tight, but great. @practicalkarateagain in Facebook josep_cla in Instagram josep_cla@hotmail.com

It wasn't penalty: it was mikazuki geri . @practicalkarateagain in Facebook Josep_cla in Instagram Josep_cla@hotmail.com

I just discovered the fantastic channel of my former MMA Coach in JX Fight Club in Shanghai, Ramsey Dewey. Fantastic guy, really knowledgeable, great fighter. I want to introduce his Youtube channel to all you by picking up a philosophical video about how to step into a fight if you are scared. Still applies to self-defense. Please, subscribe to his channel and enjoy his technique videos too!! Update (see him fight): @practicalkarateagain in Facebook josep_cla in Instagram josep_cla@hotmail.com