written by sensei Brian George (3rd Dan)
VOLUME 2: Issue 1 Issue 2 Issue 3 Issue 4 Issue 5 Issue 6 Issue 7 Issue 8 Issue 9
ISSUE 3
Newsletter date September 2000
FUNAKOSHI:
Rather than physical technique, mental technique!
This was just another way of saying that the, "technique doses not make the person but the person makes the technique. Based on this principle if a person does not not perfect each and every technique he/she learns there efforts will be fruitless as nothing will work as they were intended too.
The best way to practice your technique is through your Kata, but but saying that if a person does not learn their kata properly how can they ever learn a technique to it's full potential.
As Gichin Funakoshi was delving into history of the Zen philosophers he came across one called Master Takuan (1573-1645) and in his teachings was this advice. Master Takuanhad given this advice to a swordsman named Yagyu Munenori (1571-1646). He had said if you allow your mind to settle anywhere you lose the ability to respond. Ther for an open and free-ranging, nonstoping mind is the most beneficial one. Thus if you keep an open mind with your everyday training you will in time be able to understand everything you learn through the techniques you are shown and have a vast repertoire to draw on in any circumstance that comes your way in everyday life.
There are many ways to train in martial arts but the basic foundation of the style that you practice must not change from the old methods that Funakoshi Sensei finly tuned. Sensei spent many years to develop the style of shotokan. Every technique was tested to be as versatie and practical as possible. These techniques show themselves through the now 26 kata that we have in Shotokan. When you train you shold try to understand the importance of Kata training. The understanding of the kata that you perform is of great importance because of the content of each kata.
If you take your kata serious it will be of grat benefit to you in your basic training and we all know how we hate basic training hence the expression (boring basics). Please try to take this area of your training serious aas the benefits are or can be overwhelming.
