Zanshin 05 Kurrajong NSW

Zanshin Seminar - A brief outline

by Marcus Sherwood - Honbu Dojo

This year the Zanshin Seminar was conducted at the "Life Adventure" complex situated in Kurrajong approximately 2 hours north west of Sydney.

The setting was ideal for a Karate seminar. The fresh air and the bush backdrop can only be viewed as inspiring. Although the accommodation was rugged it sufficed for our needs. I won't mention the food!

The set up crew arrived after everybody else and when the Seminar was due to start... misjudging the Friday afternoon Sydney traffic can reek havoc to ones schedule; however, after the small hiccup the seminar opened formally with Sensei Kora introducing Sensei Arie who, with determined silence, started the warm up. This was followed with a combination of basic stances and transitions with emphasis on timing and kime. At 7:45 pm the first dinner crew was rounded up to prepare the dining hall.

After dinner Sensei Arie gave an entertaining talk on kime. What is kime? "Karate" was the reply. Demonstrations were done to show the effect of kime on the body and how its application can ground a practitioner. How we can practice it through constantly focusing on the coordinated tensing of muscle at the moment that it is required - usually the moment of impact.

Saturday morning we explored new combinations of basic foot work (Jun No Shodan), which for high ranks was quite difficult as they had to deconstruct some previously learned techniques. Luna, for a short moment in time, became teacher's pet as she showed that a kyu grade could learn quicker. Miloslav Urosevic discovered the pitfalls of being in the front row as techniques were repeatedly demonstrated on him. Toward the end of the session these new concepts began to sink in; however, it will take some time for them to become fluent.

The morning session ended with kata exercises to free the mind from being too set or rigid.  Heian Nidan was performed routinely (Omote), then starting on the right side (Ura), and finally on the right side but with the foot moving backwards (Ura Go).  Instructors and students were extolled to practice a number of kata in this fashion to prepare the karateka to be able to move in all directions.

Saturday afternoon was set aside for an instructor session where Sensei Arie explained the concept of 'Ten-No Kata'; Kata using basic stances and techniques to establish the level of the Karateka. Ten-No Kata is deliberately simple using established techniques that are well known, allowing the practitioner to focus on timing and kime.

The final Saturday session consisted of an in depth analysis of the bunkai for Sochin. This involved partner work and on completion the ones that had mastered a degree of competency demonstrate the spectacular result that, dare I say, looked like an intense fight scene from a martial arts movie.

Sunday morning we covered Keri Waza (kicking techniques) exploring the various kicks and the different combinations.

At 11:00 am the Dan gradings commenced. All non participants were asked to leave and the room was set up. Dan gradings are very tense affairs and the courage that is often displayed can be quite emotional as applicants run through their routines and combat fatigue; overcome obstacles real and imagined; or fall to the frailties of the mind as they turn the wrong way in a kata that they have performed a million times before. This grading had all that, and as each applicant went to the floor every observer and examiner was willing them to perform in a manner that would ensure their success. The results of the Dan Grading examinations are shown on this website.  Sensei Kora has picked one of the essays for publication (“Interpretation of the 20 precepts” by Alice Sabatelli) and with her permission is posted on this site.

Finally we came to the presentation service where last years Dan gradings were confirmed and this years results announced. The successful examinees this year were: Shodan: Warren Newton, Jason Casson, Milosevic Urosevic, Greg Thomas; Nidan: Alice Sabatelli; Sandan: Mark Brennan, Marcus Sherwood; Yondan: Mark Johnson, Nabil Lakiss; Godan: Yossi Litvin.

Next year’s seminar will be held up at Ballina so please ensure that you organise yourselves early so that you don't miss out.

Thank you to Sensei Yossi, Sensei Kora, Sensei Ron, Sensei Arie, Sempai Alice and to all the others that helped in many ways to organise this event.

Oos.