REPORT: JKA Slovenija Gasshuku with Inokoshi Sensei

In November, JKA Slovenia and Karate Club Shotokan Celje were given the extraordinary opportunity to host the current Japanese kumite champion Sensei Inokoshi (3. DAN, JKA HQ), which is a great and rare honour in the world of JKA karate. Sensei Yusuke Inokoshi conducted four training sessions attended by members of JKA Slovenia, JKA Hungary and a member of JKA Israel. The first two sessions were part of regular practice hours of Karate Club Shotokan Celje, whereas the offical seminar took place on the 14. and 15. November, hosting over 80 karatekas of higher grades.

The central theme of the seminar was »unsoku« or the movement of legs in kumite, which Sensei Inokoshi presented very professionally and systematically. Despite mainly using Japanese, his demonstrations were vivid and understandable, a testament to Sensei's mastery and top form.

Saturday's session was devoted to Jion kata with particular stress on crucial elements (JKA standardization). Unsoku was presented and practiced gradually, first through basic movement (juriashi, kaiashi, tsugiashi) and later upgraded by basic arm and leg tecniques (kizami tsuki, gyako tsuki, mae geri, mawashi geri), where proper timing was especially emphasized by Sensei Inokoshi. The strike is performed in tune with the moving foot and achieves maximum power with the help of the rotation of the hips. Each and every technique must be performed utilizing the power of the entire body. The final drill consisted of a combination of all types of movements, which in order to be performed the Inokoshi way, requires rigorous and unrelenting practice!

The last training session was entirely based on unsoku with interval practice of techniques (10 versus 10), transfer of individual tecniques into kumite (pair work) and randori within a two-meter radius. Main point: one must shorten the time between evading, blocking and counterattacking to a minimum. With this we reached the final goal of the seminar – the practical application of such movement and its effectiveness, so successfully demonstrated by Sensei Inokoshi at the last All Japan Karate Championship tournament. Sensei closed the seminar with Hangetsu kata.

Seminars as this one, are the way forward. If we follow this route, success is inevitable and generations following will be left with genuine karate, based on honour, respect and goodness.

Thank you, Sensei Inokoshi, Sensei Gabrovec and other karatekas who with their contribution made this seminar possible.

Florjan Reiter, JKA Slovenija