The inspiration thread: The Self-Isolation training of Sosai Mas Oyama

[_Simon_]

Nice thread Simon. I’m working from home so that is a change for me. Not having space to practice kata is my biggest challenge at the moment. I set up my old bag and have brought out my old gear so I can lift as well as run at home. I do miss the space of the dojo and the routine of teaching. Miss a lot of the people as well but it is what it is.

One side benefit of the quarantining is that I can now do something everyday as opposed to my time being split with other responsibilities.

Nice videos on the conditioning and combinations. Keep it up but as you know you need to build up over time if you want to condition those areas properly.

Kyokushin 1054 the best way to inspire and motivate people is to lead by example as you no doubt already know. Videos are a good way to show people what you can do but training with them is best way for them to see what you can really do. Nice to see another Kyokushin practitioner here, Osu.

Ah yeah for sure... has affected everyone hey, getting used to doing things differently has been the challenge. Yeah I don't have enough room to do kata either, but recently realised that I have my whole backyard! I did that the other day and filmed a few which I will post. The ground isn't really steady and even so not ideal but makes for an interesting challenge.

And yeah definitely, I haven't done much of that sort of conditioning for awhile so I will definitely have to build up. Or may even just do it every now and then as more of a psycho-somatic reminder of impact conditioning. Just to get the feeling of it again, but I rather enjoy that!

Hope you and your family are keeping well mate, stay safe, osu.

 

[_Simon_]

Just did my first live online session... with Hanshi John Taylor! What an honour... I'd never trained with him before (never was able to make it up to the National camps), but got an invite to this as I was still on the mailing list.

He is truly a legend in Kyokushin so I considered it such a joy to train with him and all the others who jumped on, albeit long distance and online haha. Did an hour of mainly kihon, some traditional moving combinations, and solo kumite drills.

I might do one live session a week, will look around and see who else is doing them.

 

[_Simon_]

Ah totally forgot to post this, last Saturday I stayed up and did another live online video karate session, this time livestreaming with Dublin, Ireland! Their 3pm was my 12am... haha. A midnight session!

It was with the HDKI guys, and it was AMAZING, really enjoyed it, and didn't care that much that I was exhausted the next day from quite a late session haha. Technology just blows me away... highly recommend it if you get a chance!

Oh and... staying up tonight for another one . Starts in 30 minutes!

 

[_Simon_]

Thought this was a very informative vid relating to training at home. He covers beginners, intermediates and seniors, and it's not just another vid about what drills to do, but more of an overall look at how to go about it.

One idea I liked was he said that for most black belt gradings you write a thesis or essay, so he suggested you do that, not necessarily what you've been told about your art and so on, but your view or perspective of the art. What you add to it, take away, your understanding and your flavour of it. I never really thought about free writing about my training etc... might actually do that.

It's a good channel I've enjoyed a few of his vids.

 

[_Simon_]

Hey guys, coming up (8th-10th of May) is a Karate Boot Camp running over 2 and a bit days which I am very excited about, I will certainly be attending! It'll be like a worldwide camp, and I do miss the camps. I'll have to alter the schedule a little for myself due to time difference, but will still be able to attend most live sessions, even the ones that occur at 11pm for me hehe. But nooo to the 2am ones! I'll do those the morning of the next day.

Link is:
Karate@Home Boot Camp #2

And this page is an AMAZING resource too, every day they post live training sessions for free with instructors from all over the world, such an amazing thing to see, the karate world coming together to train! Primarily Shotokan, but free to anyone, such a wonderful movement.

It's called Karate at Home, very cool!

Karate at Home

Hope to train with some of you at the camp, osu!

 

[_Simon_]

OH and if anyone else has any other resources, free live training etc, feel free to share them. I'd love to even have a look at stuff outside my base style, what a time to explore!

And hoping that you're all doing okay too... this time has been easier for some, and much much more difficult for others. Hope you can find some solace, peace and stability in your training.

 

[_Simon_]

Still training, probably more than I ever have before.

Got a few online sessions lined up this week, geez, busy busy!

But my next sessions on my own I'm going to explore some tournament training, and almost act as though I'm entering a tournament. I'm going to do point-sparring style (working on speed, agility, endurance, strategy, combos, target/accuracy training), and knockdown style training (heaps of bagwork, footwork drills around bag, power and explosiveness, conditioning, body impact).

I'm takin' out those trophies just you watch... you can't hold me back!

Have. I. Gone. Insane.

XD

 

[dvcochran]

Still training, probably more than I ever have before.

Got a few online sessions lined up this week, geez, busy busy!

But my next sessions on my own I'm going to explore some tournament training, and almost act as though I'm entering a tournament. I'm going to do point-sparring style (working on speed, agility, endurance, strategy, combos, target/accuracy training), and knockdown style training (heaps of bagwork, footwork drills around bag, power and explosiveness, conditioning, body impact).

I'm takin' out those trophies just you watch... you can't hold me back!

Have. I. Gone. Insane.

XD

Go get 'em! Best of luck.

 

[_Simon_]

Go get 'em! Best of luck.

XD

I COULD NOT BE MORE READY

 

[_Simon_]

@dvcochran @skribs

Just for something different, I did a free Aus TKD Zoom session, it was awesome! Not only that, it was with an Olympic athlete! She qualified and competed in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics, the class was SO intense and exhausting, but was such a blast.

Have SUCH immense respect for TKD practitioners and especially elite tournament fighters... the control and intricacy of technique, and level of conditioning and training is so intense and next level.

Wanted to step out and try something different, good fun!

 

[dvcochran]

@dvcochran @skribs

Just for something different, I did a free Aus TKD Zoom session, it was awesome! Not only that, it was with an Olympic athlete! She qualified and competed in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics, the class was SO intense and exhausting, but was such a blast.

Have SUCH immense respect for TKD practitioners and especially elite tournament fighters... the control and intricacy of technique, and level of conditioning and training is so intense and next level.

Wanted to step out and try something different, good fun!

Good times. I am glad you enjoyed the session.
FWIW, a purely Olympic focused session is only a part of the whole TKD pie. I do think the kind of session you attended would be a more cardio intense workout.

 

[_Simon_]

Good times. I am glad you enjoyed the session.
FWIW, a purely Olympic focused session is only a part of the whole TKD pie. I do think the kind of session you attended would be a more cardio intense workout.

Oh absolutely, yeah was very aware that it would be focusing fairly solely on tournament-style drills etc which I've experienced is only a small section. Was very cool to experience the sort of training you would undergo in that style of preparation!

 

[_Simon_]

It looks like alot of places are wrapping up online/zoom training, have been keeping tabs on a few dojos and most are returning to normal classes (well, slightly restricted with current health guidelines) from about June 22nd (restrictions are easing more).

Have been training alot via online, and with alot of different groups and styles, Kyokushin, Enshin, Shotokan, Goju Ryu, Taekwondo; trained with people from all over the world, and pioneers and masters that I may have never had the chance to train with.

Still blown away by that... people I have read about and looked up to for years, and here they were on my screens, saying when I logged in, "hey Simon how are ya?", and training with them.

I'll never forget the karate boot camp experience... and training for an hour solely on gyaku tsuki (reverse punch), never thought there would be so much to explore in that!

Even seeing the squares on the screen of all the other people you're also training with, we were united in martial arts and training together in the same thing, not mattering where we were, what we looked like, or how skilled we were.

Having truly enjoyed this enriching opportunity... and even though online training is no substitute for in person, I gained so much nourishment and understanding of different approaches in training, different ways of understanding and applying ideas, and training that has changed my own approach, mindset and knowledge base.

Above all it nourished my soul, sparked and fueled my love for martial arts to pursue it further and deeper, and fostered connection with all those training in such difficult circumstances around the world.

Will continue to train at home and in whatever sessions pop up, and gradually return to the dojo that calls... wherever that may be...

 

[_Simon_]

A karate club over here (that was actually my first style) usually organise a trip to Okinawa to train every two years. This one had to be cancelled for obvious reasons, but because Okinawa gets alot of it's income through tourism they've been really hit hard. And dojo owners usually make a living out teaching and have also been struggling.

So what the club is doing is organising Zoom session training seminars with the instructors and all participants pay a small fee to basically help out the instructors. Really nice thing!

I asked them if I could possibly participate or whether it was exclusive to their members, and it was mainly for them but said I was more than welcome, as funds go straight to the instructors to help them out.

So I did one last Sunday, it was awesome! Actually had quite a bit of technical difficulties for almost the first 40 minutes haha, but we ended up training for about 2.5 hours! And a Q+A afterwards.

Have truly trained everywhere now, finally back to the motherland Okinawa XD

 

[Yokozuna514]

What a great experience, Simon. Can you tell me more about who you trained with (instructor) and style ? Sounds like a great experience.

 

[_Simon_]

What a great experience, Simon. Can you tell me more about who you trained with (instructor) and style ? Sounds like a great experience.

Osu it really was!

It was with Kancho James Pankiewicz, the founder of Okinawa's Asato Dojo, and owner-operator of the World famous Dojo Bar. His style I believe is Matsubayashi-Ryu, which I honestly know little to nothing about, except that it may be closer to Okinawan karate than mainland.

But went through some great concepts and drills, centering around uke/receiving and how that translates into kumite. Footwork and movement drills, and redirection etc. Obviously something to get practicing in the dojo with a partner for sure!

Also showed us very unusual techniques, like one-knuckle punch, and the first toe kick. This one I was skeptical about, but demonstrated it on a partner with a bag the difference between this and a normal chusoku kick. I was blown away with how much he penetrated the bag with the toe kick! (Admittedly I feel this one would need a substantial amount of training!)


And they're going to have more planned with different instructors on Okinawa soon too. Next I believe is with Hokama Sensei, 10th Dan in Goju ryu.

 

[_Simon_]

Been doing alot of online training, a month with a Goju ryu dojo I trained in at the start of this year, then a Shotokan dojo I trained in last year, now having a week off and a bit of self training.

Did a really nice traditional 3 K's session. Lots of stationary kihon (which I love and have NEVER found boring!), kata (chose 2x Kyokushin, 2x Shotokan, 2x Goju ryu kata), and kumite was just about 5 minutes of bareknuckle heavy bagwork at the end. Haven't done any bagwork in months, felt good!

How's everyone else's training going? Anyone still home training? May do another month with the Goju guys next week, dojos are still not opened here, and may take a month or two before they are.

 

[Yokozuna514]

Been doing alot of online training, a month with a Goju ryu dojo I trained in at the start of this year, then a Shotokan dojo I trained in last year, now having a week off and a bit of self training.

Did a really nice traditional 3 K's session. Lots of stationary kihon (which I love and have NEVER found boring!), kata (chose 2x Kyokushin, 2x Shotokan, 2x Goju ryu kata), and kumite was just about 5 minutes of bareknuckle heavy bagwork at the end. Haven't done any bagwork in months, felt good!

How's everyone else's training going? Anyone still home training? May do another month with the Goju guys next week, dojos are still not opened here, and may take a month or two before they are.

Good on you for keeping up with the online training (and training period) during the lockdown. Working on the the 3 K's is definitely a good way to keep the spirit of Osu alive. Also nice to hear that you are still exploring options on where to train and that these instructors are open for you to join them for an extended trial session.

I never really stopped training during the Covid lockdown. Of course the training regimen changed as there were no more live classes in the dojo for 6 months but we did have online training (that I joined sporadically) and outdoor training (when I was available). I still had a key to the dojo so I was able to get access to work on kata and kihon. The fitness portion of my schedule changed to different activities from cycling, running, tennis, walking and pretty much whatever else I could think of. I was able to do a lot of these things with my wife so that was an added bonus.

Our dojo opened up a few weeks ago and although there are pretty stringent protocols we have to follow to train indoors again, it was nice to be back to teaching and training with my fellow dojo mates. Training with a mask takes some getting used to but it is better than the alternative. Hopefully we will not get a second spike of Covid and things will not get shut down again but for now we will enjoy the time we have on the floor. Any idea on when dojos will reopen where you are ?

 

[Flying Crane]

Been doing alot of online training, a month with a Goju ryu dojo I trained in at the start of this year, then a Shotokan dojo I trained in last year, now having a week off and a bit of self training.

Did a really nice traditional 3 K's session. Lots of stationary kihon (which I love and have NEVER found boring!), kata (chose 2x Kyokushin, 2x Shotokan, 2x Goju ryu kata), and kumite was just about 5 minutes of bareknuckle heavy bagwork at the end. Haven't done any bagwork in months, felt good!

How's everyone else's training going? Anyone still home training? May do another month with the Goju guys next week, dojos are still not opened here, and may take a month or two before they are.

Overall I’ve been doing a lot of my own training, but i train outside in the yard and that has been very problematic for a few weeks now because the wildfires are giving us some bad air quality. No fires are within about an hour drive so not in immediate danger in that way. But smoke has been bad, we get a couple better days, then air quality drops again as the winds shift and a fire picks up. So that has been disruptive of my training. Not that I have any right to complain, compared to the wildfire problem.

 

[_Simon_]

Good on you for keeping up with the online training (and training period) during the lockdown. Working on the the 3 K's is definitely a good way to keep the spirit of Osu alive. Also nice to hear that you are still exploring options on where to train and that these instructors are open for you to join them for an extended trial session.

I never really stopped training during the Covid lockdown. Of course the training regimen changed as there were no more live classes in the dojo for 6 months but we did have online training (that I joined sporadically) and outdoor training (when I was available). I still had a key to the dojo so I was able to get access to work on kata and kihon. The fitness portion of my schedule changed to different activities from cycling, running, tennis, walking and pretty much whatever else I could think of. I was able to do a lot of these things with my wife so that was an added bonus.

Our dojo opened up a few weeks ago and although there are pretty stringent protocols we have to follow to train indoors again, it was nice to be back to teaching and training with my fellow dojo mates. Training with a mask takes some getting used to but it is better than the alternative. Hopefully we will not get a second spike of Covid and things will not get shut down again but for now we will enjoy the time we have on the floor. Any idea on when dojos will reopen where you are ?

Yeah it really says something nice about those clubs, no lock in contracts to sign up first, but then again I guess it's online training, but certainly very grateful.

That's awesome you've kept up training. And when you said key to the dojo.... oh man that'd be a dream haha...

Oh wow so you guys train with masks... I haven't done that yet but wonder how to do it... if I have to do that with any dojo I join I will certainly do it for sure, but yeah it would make training tricky. It would be so nice training with people again, I've still loved training with others online haha, but can't wait to get back in the dojo.

We've had a very heavy lockdown of late, but restrictions have been eased alot as of today as our average numbers have been really low. There's a whole 4 step roadmap we're going through for everything opening and it will be dependent on many things, but possible around end of October indoor training may restart.