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Shihan Lowe's last Hawaiian Kyokushin Seminar
In August 2002, Shihan Lowe held the last of his popular and internationally renowned Goshin Jitsu (self defense) seminars from his Hawaiian headquarters. Shihan Lowes Hawaii dojo was the first dojo established outside Japan by Sosai Mas Oyama.
Picture above: Students Practicing Kata at Shihan Lowes Hawaiian Seminar
Students were in attendance from all over the world to take part in what was also a celebration of Shihan Lowe’s 50 years of Kyokushin training.
Students were treated to a smorgasbord
of training ranging from traditional Kyokushin Goshin Jitsu techniques, Tensho
Kata Bunkai (applications), newly developed close quarter self defense
applications and the reintroduction of some old Kyokushin Kata: Passai Dai, Nai
Han Chi # 1,2,and 3. At the conclusion of the Seminar Shihan
Lowe announced his intentions to pass the torch to one of his students. I had the opportunity of speaking with
Shihan Lowe and most of the Shihan (supreme teacher)
in attendance. I asked each visiting Shihan why they came to Hawaii, what they
got from the seminar and what the highlight of the seminar were for them. The
following interviews discuses the seminar from their perspectives. Shihan
McCallum, 6th Dan, New Zealand Branch Chief I came to Hawaii because I promised
Shihan Lowe I would attend his last Hawaii Seminar. In Kyokushin, a promise is a
promise, if you say you’re going to do something – you follow through. Everything Shihan demonstrates I can take back to my own dojo and branch, Shihan Lowes seminars gives me a grounding to take his teachings even further. Shihan provides the fundamentals; from there you can take the techniques onto another level; you experiment with them and develop alternative ways to apply them, for this gift from Shihan Lowe I am eternally grateful. Attending Shihan Lowe’s seminars also offers me an opportunity to re evaluate my own skills and techniques, you never stop learning.
Picture above: Shihan McCallum (middle) demonstrating that youth is no match for precision and timing
The
highlight of any trip where there’s a meeting of many Kyokushin people from
different parts of the world is the ability to share ideas and experiences. Most
importantly meeting these people allows you to include them as part of your
Kyokushin family; it’s a chance to catch up with the older members and meet
the newer members of the Kyokushin family.
Picture left: Sensei Steve Takiwa training in self defense techniques against a head punch
Steve
Takiwa 4th Dan, New Zealand Branch Chief I
came to Hawaii because it was Shihan Lowe’s last Hawaii seminar, I felt it
important that I attend the last one. I’ve
learned a lot; over the past four days I’ve learned three Kata, and a lot of
Goshin Jitsu (self defense). It was great to train with other Kyokushin
practitioners from all over the world, Sensei
Ralph Burd 3rd Dan, Melbourne Branch Chief This is Shihan Lowe’s 50th
year seminar of Kyokushin training, Shihan Lowes first seminar which I think was
11 years ago was a life changing event for me. I was very lucky to come here for
that first time, I was exposed to a different area of Kyokushin that had long
been forgotten. I have been returning regularly to continue learning under
Shihan Lowe. Shihan
Lowe started these seminars because Sosai asked him to bring back the original
self-defense aspect of the art. Many people are not aware that after the success
of Kyokushin’s first world tournament everyone became focused on Kumite
(fighting), this is when less emphasis was placed on the self defense aspect of
Kyokushin.
Picture above: Sensei Ralph Burd (right) training in Hawaii Dojo At this seminar we were introduced to
some Kata that have not been part of the syllabus for a long time, I personally
had the opportunity to hone skills previously gained as well as learn new
approaches to self-defense in particular applications which people have become
more focused on since 9/11; self defense situations for use in closed spaces
such as planes. The highlight for the trip for me on a
personal basis was seeing the overwhelming international support of students
attending this seminar. Students came from all over the world in one of the
biggest collection of Kyokushin Karateka you’ll see outside of Japan. It was a
highlight for me to see the respect all these students had for Shihan Lowe and
their enthusiasm for learning this part of our Karate. Nick
Cujic 6th Dan, Branch Chief - Sydney I have been training under Shihan Bobby
Lowe for many years, I consider him a most talented teacher. With this being his
last seminar I wasn’t going to miss it for the world. I always learn a lot
from Shihan Lowe and I have the greatest respect for him. What I gained most from this weekend
was the fact that Shihan Lowe concentrates mostly on the self-defense aspect of
Kyokushin karate. He also taught us the old style Kata that he learned from
Sosai Oyama that has gone out of fashion with many modern instructors. Being
very much a traditionist myself, I think we should follow the old ways and learn
from Shihan Bobby Lowe for as long as we can. Shihan Lowe has been practicing
Karate for as long as I have been alive; I was born in1952 and Shihan has been
practicing Kyokushin since 1952 – my life span is Shihan Lowe’s training
span in Kyokushin, I have a lot to learn from him yet. The highlight of this weekend of course
was to meet with Shihan Lowe and his family but also to meet all the other
families from around the world. Some of these people I have known for more than
20 years, they are like my brothers, we meet each other once or twice a year –
this has been going on for the past 20-30 years. It’s always a pleasure to
meet these guys; it’s like a family reunion. It’s always a highlight seeing
family from Canada, New Zealand, Hawaii, Australia, USA, Japan and so forth. The
family coming together is always a high spot. Leslaw
Samitowski 5th Dan, Branch Chief – Chicago I can’t recall how many Hawaii
Seminars I have attended, I was at Shihan Lowes first seminar and I believe that
this is the best way to learn something you can’t learn anywhere else. Shihan
Lowe is such a great instructor it is always a pleasure to train with him.
Coming to Hawaii is also an opportunity to meet with other Kyokushin people and
talk and share experiences with them. It’s one thing to come to a seminar
and learn self-defense techniques; this of course is a benefit, however the true
value of the Shihan Lowe seminar experience lies in the ability to meet and mix
with people who are more knowledgeable than yourself. This is how I see Shihan
Lowe; he is so knowledgeable and has so much to give to Kyokushin. I have
personally gained a lot from his teachings. Wherever Shihan Lowe travels, I try
to get there also to take advantage of the tremendous learning opportunity. When you come to a seminar like this
you feel like you’re with family, whether it’s in New York, Los Angeles or
Hawaii the most precious experience you can have is the sense that you’re with
family. Also coming here you can learn from a living Kyokushin legend, Shihan
Lowe is our living link to Sosai. Shihan
Andre Gilbert – 6th Dan, Branch Chief East Canada (French) Sixty-two of my students came here
because they wanted to learn directly from Shihan Lowe. In my dojos we teach a
lot of Kihon (Basics) and a little Goshin Jitsu this has been a great
opportunity to learn from such a skilled and talented instructor. All my students know of Shihan Lowe,
training with him has given us the opportunity to learn more about Goshin Jitsu
and in particular the self defense applications of Tensho Kata. Shihan Lowe’s
took the time to show everybody what the applications were; this has been a
tremendous benefit. All my students are either Sensei
(teachers) or Sempai (seniors), so now each can take what they have learned from
this seminar back to their dojo and pass it onto their students. The greatest pleasure for me this
weekend was to have trained with Shihan Lowe. I love learning from him because
he is so knowledgeable. I will be back again perhaps alone to train with Shihan
in his dojo. I also have a big championship in Montreal next year and I hope
Shihan Lowe can attend and take a Goshin Jitsu class again. We were very lucky
to have been able to train with Shihan Lowe over this weekend. Katsuhito
Gorai, 5th Dan - New York Branch Chief, also operates the
International Department for the IKO Headquarters I attended Shihan Lowes seminar on
behalf of IKO Honbu and to also have a meeting with Shihan Lowe who is the
International Committee Chairman. Shihan Lowe is a Goshin Jitsu specialist
expert in self-defense. I gained a great insight into Shihan’s Karate by
attending this seminar particularly in the self-defense aspect. I feel sad that
Shihan Lowe said he wasn’t going to carry on with the Hawaiian camp, I hope
that he decides to continue.
New
Zealand contingent at Shihan Lowe Hawaii Goshin Jitsu seminar From
left to right: Marian Clements, Shihan McCallum, Shane Beales, Shihan Lowe,
Virgil Troy, Sensei Steve Takiwa, Astrid Poole.
Shihan
Corrigal, 6th Dan – Western Canadian Branch Chief In Canada we have a really large
organisation, for 20 years Shihan Lowe has been coming to Western Canada, he’s
been a very big supporter and a huge influence on the organisation. I think its
part of the Kyokushin way to respect our most senior Kyokushin student; I would
travel anywhere just to train with him. I’m very fortunate to have traveled
and trained with Shihan on many occasions. I came here especially for his type
of training; it’s the old style of Kyokushin. Kyokushin now is different from
when Sosai started but Shihan Lowe provides a bridge to the past and it’s
really important that we understand that and make sure the tradition and bridge
to the past is carried on. The
thing that I always get first and foremost from these seminars is camaraderie
and friendship, I spoke to you in New Zealand and I just reread the article you
wrote and the bottom line was “family”. I was 10,000 miles away from home in
New Zealand, now I’m 5,000 miles away from home here in Hawaii and the feeling
of family is the same.
Picture above: Author taking instruction for Canadian Branch Chief Shihan Stuart Corrigal
Virgil: Shihan Corrigal, at the end of the Seminar Shihan Lowe publicly stated that it was the last Hawaii seminar and that he was passing the torch to you. What are your thoughts on this statement?
Well, I don’t know whether I’m
worthy of that. Shihan has been a very strong influence in our Canadian
organisation and the way we train and the standards we have. I’m a little bit
in awe and overwhelmed that Shihan Lowe would make that statement in front of
everybody. I know his feelings because I have a very close and personal rapport
with him. I hope that in some sense that I can carry it on. I am
going to do whatever I can to continue this legacy; I think it’s really
important. I have the utmost respect for Shihan Lowe. In 1984-5 I went to
Yugawara camp, there were six branch chiefs there with Sosai, and we trained for
five days straight, two to three times a day. I think on the third or fourth day
of training we did all Goshin Jitsu (self defense) training. The link was
immediate because Sosai did everything that Shihan Lowe has been teaching for
years and it was lost because the organisation went to tournament fighting. I
know what Shihan Lowe does, talks about and teaches, is a direct link to Sosai.
If we’re all here to follow Kyokushin and our vision or image of Kyokushin is
Sosai Oyama, Goshin Jitsu is the direct link. For Shihan Lowe to say in front of everybody that he’s going to pass the torch, how can I respond to that, you can’t, I don’t know what to say. All I can say is if you come to anyplace that I am, that’s the way we are going to train. And I’m going to make sure the tradition is continued. I know that over a thousand active students in Canada are training that way, and we’re going to continue to train that way. Hopefully I can live up to Shihan Lowe’s expectations. Virgil: Shihan Lowe, what are your thoughts and feelings of your last Goshin Jitsu seminar here in Hawaii?
I was surprised at the turnout, and I
am very satisfied with the training. Whatever I tried to teach, everybody was
able to perform the techniques. Hopefully we will all be training together
again, probably in New Zealand or Australia.
Picture above: Author with Shihan Lowe, Ala Moana Beach, Hawaii
Virgil: Shihan Lowe, you declared this was your last seminar in Hawaii, what does this mean about your future?
This is my last Hawaiian seminar, I
will continue to go abroad to continue to teach Mas Oyama’s Kyokushin
techniques for self defense and hopefully, if life is good, I will be able to
continue this for many more years to come. Virgil: Shihan, you announced that you were passing the touch to Shihan Corrigal, what are your thoughts regarding this?
Shihan Corrigal is a very good prodigy,
he has been with me on Seminars, officiating tournaments I think he is a really
great Karate practitioner and hopefully in the years to come he will be able to
replace me as Chairman in various areas that are under my jurisdiction. Virgil:
Any last words Shihan? The training this weekend was
exceptional. I have never planned a seminar where I have to say I am going to do
this Wednesday, I’m going to do this Thursday or Friday. Sosai said, “If you
have to plan the events for each day then you shouldn’t be teaching” and I
have tried to follow that concept. Osu!
Shihan, Thank you for your time.
Picture above: Group photo of students at Shihan Lowes last Hawiaan seminar About
the interviewer:
Virgil Troy is Dojo Head of the Napier and Hastings Kyokushin Karate Clubs under Shihan Bob McCallum of the International Karate Organization, Kyokushinkaikan. Virgil works as a Management and Training Consultant in the fields of Management, Customer Service and Marketing. Virgil can be contacted on (06) 834 1996, PO Box 264, Napier or by email at karate@sti.co.nz. For more information on Kyokushin in New Zealand go to www.sti.co.nz/karate, or www.kyokushin.org.nz |
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