REPORT: Japan Karate Association Shotokan Karate-Do International 2008 Summer Seminar

Japan Karate Association Shotokan Karate-Do International 2008 Summer Seminar
July 30-Aug 3, 2008

Camp Instructors:

• Mr. Masataka Mori, 8th Dan, Chief Instructor
• Mr. Daniel Lautier, 7th Dan, Chief Instructor, JKA France
• Mr. Yoshinobu Ohta, 6th Dan, Chief Instructor, JKA England
• Mr. Koichiro Okuma, 5th Dan, Headquarter Instructor, JKA Japan

This summer camp, as always, combined hard training with international camaraderie.

Members came from all around the world: Haiti, England, Columbia, Venezuela, Canada, France, and Egypt. Training sessions were three hours per day with extra instruction for instructors, judges and examiners.

Senseis Mori, Lautier, Ohta, and Okuma took turns instructing black belts, brown belts, and white and green belts separately. Each sensei utilized the high turnout of roughly 120 participants to do group drills of blocking, counter attacks, and speed training.

Highlights include Mr. Lautier’s challenging kihon combinations, Mr. Ohta’s superb explanation of Unsu, and Mr. Okuma’s inspiring explanations of karate biomechanics. Last, but not least, Mr. Mori made time each day to mentor each student going for dan grading.

Students endeavored through very hot training conditions and clearly became stronger from this camp.