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28/01/07
Kata Course with a Champion
Sunday 28th’s kata
course for Instructors with Jonathan Mottram, “12 times English Champion”,
safely fulfilled all expectations, if not exceeded them. Lasting for two
hours, the class’ versions of Jion and Kanku Dai were dissembled and
brought up to scratch, hopefully adding insights into kata as a whole
whilst coming conveniently not too long before the much awaited MSKF
Championships. Many thanks must go to Sensei Mike Judd, for arranging the
day, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed, and learnt from- as proved when
Jonathan was instructing, or demonstrating- the dojo has never been so
quiet! One thing Mr Mottram mentioned was how he never switches off from
thinking about karate, or how to improve his technique and get his point
across, and that a good karateka acts like this- I’m sure various spare
chairs around Staffordshire were used as impromptu karate aides as soon as
everyone got home!
As Sensei Paul Smith pointed out,
Jonathan’s sharpness was obvious, increasing the effect of the kata and
also adding realism. It was something he picked up on himself; not only
the speed of techniques is important, but feeling is essential to good
katas, and this was evidential in his demonstrations, inspiring the class
at the end to give it a go themselves with Kanku Dai. Various training
techniques were called upon, with partner work included, lightening the
atmosphere and allowing the class to put what they had seen into action.
Certainly sharpness increased amongst the ‘student’ Instructors
present when threatened with their partner (or supposed mate) slapping
them if they didn’t move quickly enough! Hopefully, activities like
these will be incorporated into usual training sessions, especially
children’s classes, allowing them an effective but entertaining way of
speeding up and staying focused!
Another important aspect of the
course was the emphasis Jonathan gave on completing the technique
together, i.e. not landing the foot eons after the block or strike has
been executed. Hikate was given a prominent position in this section, with
the importance of involving the hips in a technique shown; the benefits
this can give suddenly became apparent! The class’s yokogeris were given
a thorough seeing to, with a clever activity preventing the student from
leaning back or forth too much, whilst having to lift their leg up before
firing their kick, and bringing it down the same way getting great
results! Some students really excelled at this, and the beauty is other
katas such as Hiean Yon Dan and Sochin include the sequence, so the class
has ample opportunity to use what it has with any luck learnt.
Overall, the time for once really
did fly by, and the succinct, accurate but above all interesting lesson
from a real life kata champion ended on perhaps the best possible high
note- a rousing performance of Unsu. This course left all who went with
much to ponder, but certainly a view of just how easy it is to turn a good
kata into a fantastic one, and a fantastic kata into a winning standard.
Jonathan led a brilliant session, so recognition must be given for letting
us at MSKF have a taster into kata at its highest level-next year can’t
come quick enough!
Yours Emma.
Paul Smith
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