What is the purpose of kata? Many students ask this question. A kata is a series of linked techniques in which a number of different things are accomplished. Here are some points to consider: Kata are designed to stimulate your reflexes and to strengthen the body. Each kata works different muscles and puts the body…
Our organization, the Ryusei Karate-Do Federation, is now simply called Ryusei Karate-Do. (So the style and the association have the same name.) This means, for example, the Ryusei Karate-Do Federation Canada has become Ryusei Karate-Do Canada. Why the change? Last fall, Sakamoto-Sensei had a split with some of the Ryusei sensei in Japan. From Sakamoto-Sensei’s point of…
It is our aim, in the United States, to diligently study Ryusei Karate in 2003. To make this goal possible, we plan to keep a close working relationship with Ryusei Karate-Do Canada. And, of course, we must stay in contact with Sakamoto-Sensei, who is the overall head (Saiko Shihan) of the new Ryusei Karate-Do organization,…
Over the last year, Ryusei Karate-Do Canada has seen some remarkable growth. Until January, our organization had only one dojo with a few members, Barrie Ryusei Karate. Then in January 2002, Peter Zehr and Matthew Mannerow, who used to belong to the Canadian Chito-Ryu association, joined Ryusei Karate-Do. Peter Zehr 4th dan, is the sensei of Matthew Mannerow,…
With the coming of winter, Ryusei karateka in both Japan and North America went a little nuts. We started going outside to test our spirit and bodies with “snow training.” The madness started in November when Ryusei yudansha in Ontario, Canada, took to backyard training with the first snowfall. We were one-upped by Jean Lauzon…
What I recall about my early training with Ken Sakamoto is how serious, almost obsessive, he was about practice. The year was 1979 and the 29-year-old was a direct disciple of Tsuyoshi Chitose, the 10th-dan master and founder of Chito-Ryu karate. When I would wake to train at the 6 a.m. class, in the little…