n Sunday 19th March, six CFTS dan grades made the short trip to the JKR Yamazaki Dojo to
train under Sensei Simon Oliver again.
The theme for the lesson was bunkai, oyo, henka and the kata focus was on Tekki Nidan.
Sensei began by explaining what the terms bunkai, oyo and henka meant:
Bunkai - breakdown and analysis
Oyo - application
Henka - personalising the application
After an energetic warm up, Sensei took us through some details on how in Japan he was
taught kumite and how they started before making a gedan barai to announce the attack.
We looked at the opening technique of the kata using an attack from the periphery and turning
into them to start our use of the kata. Sensei took time to explain that the original version of the
kata was taught with the hands open to start the kata and that Itosu Sensei was the one that
closed them. This sequence was then built on with close quarters attacks.
Other sequences of the kata were looked at and built upon in a similar fashion before we did
some whole group training to pressure test what we had done.
The two hours flew by and the session was brought to a close with a group photo. As before,
Sensei drew on his experience of training with various Japanese Sensei, especially Konishi
Sensei and his stories of Funakoshi Sensei. There was humour, historical knowledge and above
all much to take away.
I look forward to the next visit to train with Sensei Oliver and would like to personally thank him
for his time outside of the dojo in responding to messages to support and further my knowledge
and development as a karateka.
Sensei Dan Young
