Seminar in Warsaw, Poland - a Success

Warsaw, Poland - Thoughts of this ancient city bring to mind legions of communist soldiers marching the streets and visions of war. A city literally destroyed by the Nazis in World War II, rebuilt by Stalin in his image of architectural idealism. A nation long known for producing some of the most gallant and fierce warriors over the millennia. With the fall of the communist empire near a decade ago much has changed in this city in the past 10 years. My last visit to Warsaw was in 1997 and free enterprise was just emerging with small businesses springing up, a nation struggling to survive on it's own. Today much has changed. Free enterprise is flourishing and the infrastructure has vastly improved in the past 5 years and Warsaw is now a thriving cosmopolitan metropolis that rivals any of its European counterparts. Some things have remained the same over the millennia; their people are as warm and friendly as ever, and their warriors are as fierce as they were in ancient times. This was more than apparent at the 3 day karate seminar taught by Soke Kubota, Shihan Rod Kuratomi, and Shihan-Dai David White this past April 12-14th, 2002. The trip was made possible by the good graces of our IKA Poland organization under the guidance of Shihan Tom Piotrkowicz. The trip was such a successful one that Soke felt we should chronicle the events of the trip so that all of the IKA around the world can read about the strengths of our karate brothers and sisters abroad.

Soke, Shihan Rod, and Shihan Dai David departed Los Angeles on Thursday April 11th after meeting at the airport at 6:00 am. The group was to connect to Warsaw via Chicago O'Hare airport. After a 4-hour flight the group arrived in Chicago.

While waiting to board the LOTT (Polish Airlines) the announcer asked that Soke Kubota and Rod Kuratomi report to the counter immediately. We were trying to anticipate what the problem was because the airlines never call unless the news is bad. Low and behold the airport employee said that he had been instructed by his manager to put us in row 1 of the airplane in First Class! Alright! We thank Shihan Tom for making this possible. On long international flights, the extra space and amenities in first class are a godsend. Our seats were adjacent to the doors to the cockpit in the first row of the plane. We found out that Shihan Tom in part was able to secure this upgrade by having Soke and Rod protect the cockpit of the plane. What better way to protect the pilots than by having the top karate master in the front row!

After a 10-hour flight, the group arrived in Warsaw on 9:30 am Friday. The day was started with a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Sports and Education for the country of Poland, Mr. Wieslaw Wilczynski. We also met with the Chairman of the National Ministry of Education and Sport, Dr. Mieczyslaw Bigoszewski. The meeting was to discuss our opinions of martial arts in Poland and our opinions of the quality of karate in Poland and how to improve the instruction. It was discussed as to how training in kata and emphasizing the "art" of karate instead of just fighting or sport could keep the athlete participating in karate for the rest of their lives creating good citizens in the process. Soke emphasized how too much emphasis on fighting or sport makes for a short martial arts career. The chairman said that martial arts were very much supported by the government in order that the young people of Poland can put their energy into something positive instead of getting involved with crime. The group in the end was presented with beautiful picture books about the country of Poland.

That evening began the first of 7 classes that were taught. Friday evening started with a kobudo class in the use of the "jo" (4 foot staff). Attending the seminars were people from several of the cities of Poland and also from the country of Belarus, Ukraine, and France. The class was 80+ people and the group was taught the kata "Ken Shin Ryu". It was quickly learned by the attendees and we were much impressed by the great enthusiasm of the Polish people and the tremendous effort they put into their training. They demonstrated very strong sprit and showed very good respect. The seminar closed with kata demonstrations by Shihan Rod using the cane and the jo.

The rest of the evening was spent tasting one of Poland's greatest commodities: its vodka! In Poland, vodka is best when it is freezer temperature and served in a ice-cold miniature stemmed cordial glasses. So smooth….

On Saturday, the schedule was 3 karate waza classes taught from 10 am to 4 pm. The class schedule consisted of one beginner, one intermediate, and one advanced class. Each of the classes was over 100 students and filled one and a half basketball courts with karate students. The sprit of the karate groups was so strong that when they did their kiai the windows rattled. It was an amazing sight to behold. Beginning students were taught the basics of the Gosoku Ryu defense and utilized the block in nihon and sambon waza. Intermediate and advanced classes were taught advanced technique and also some of Soke's famous Kubojitsu (Kubota Jujitsu) and Gyuku te jitsu (the art of reversal and countering an opponent's counter attack). Shihan Tom graciously assisted Soke in demonstrating the techniques to the group saving Shihan Rod and Shihan-Dai David (Thanks Shihan Tom! Osu!). Each class closed with a photo session and with the instructors autographing, belts, karate gi, and photographs.

Dinner closed with Shihan Tom taking the instructors to a nice Italian dinner, thanks Shihan!

On Sunday, the schedule was like the previous day except the emphasis was on kata. The beginning class was taught Kihon Yon no Kata. The intermediate class focused on learning Gosoku Yo Dan. The advanced kata class was treated to learning Soke's latest kata, "Ju San No Tachi Kata". The final name for the kata is still being decided on by Soke but other ideas are "Kubodachi" or "Kime no Kata". It was decided to shorten the name to enable non-Japanese speaking countries to be able to say the name easier. The class quickly learned the kata and broke into groups of 3. Due to the strong movements of the kata and the use of kime breathing it is an ideal kata for use in team kata competition. The groups of 3 then demonstrated their kata in front of the group. After only learning the kata in the past hour their performance was excellent! The classes ended with more Kubojitsu and finished up with more photos and autographs.

Shihan Tom organized a special banquet that evening with about 60 people in attendance. Dinner was held at a restaurant in downtown Warsaw known for not only its fine food but also for being a restaurant frequented by famous actors and actresses of Poland. The group was very impressed by the quality of the food and of course the vodka! Shihan Tom presented to Soke a handsome gift of a miniature suit of armor with great Polish historical significance. Soke said he would forever treasure the armor and display it over his fireplace at home. Shihan Rod was presented with a plaque with a symbol of Poland on it and was given very nice complements by Shihan Tom for his training and budo. Thanks Tom! We also received generous gifts from our IKA instructor in Belarus, Verdernikov Andrei Sergevich. Andrei presented Soke with a keg of beer from his country and a bottle of fine vodka. Shihan Rod and Shihan Dai David each received a bottle of brandy. Needless to say, the keg of beer never made it back home! Thanks Andrei!

The next morning ended our trip with a return to Warsaw International Airport. This time it was Shihan Dai David's turn to guard the cockpit with Soke. He was most appreciative since at well over 6 feet tall (6'4"?) he appreciated the extra legroom in first class. 21 hours later the group was back in Los Angeles. A whirlwind weekend.

We graciously thank Shihan Tom for an excellent job organizing the seminar and for his tremendous hospitality. Everything from the flight, to the hotel and organization of the seminars went flawlessly. The care and attention to detail he put into the planning was very apparent. We thank Shihan Tom for all his work and we all look forward to future trips to Warsaw. Osu Shihan Tom! In addition, we would like to thank all members of the participating organizations and especially those students of IKA Poland whose help made this event possible. We graciously thank you all and look forward to our return to your wonderful country (maybe next week?). Osssu!!!
IKA NEWS - edited by Rod Kuratomi

Takayuki Kubota’s hardcore makiwara training

Traditional Warrior Perhaps the most famous grandmaster in the world known for his "body armor" and incredible breaking ability is soke Takayuki Kubota. The only living soke (creator of a complete Japanese style karate system practiced worldwide), and one of the very few holding the 10th dan (highest attainable rank), Kubota has long been known for pounding his hands and shins with a steel sledge hammer a thousand times a day.

I first became aware of grandmaster Takayuki Kubota in 1963. He was on the cover of a martial arts magazine, smashing his closed fist through the center of a 100-pound block of ice. The cover story described this small (5 feet 4 inches and 135 pounds) civilian warrior being used as a one-man riot control by the Tokyo Police Department. He was also a special instructor to their officers.

In 1964, he relocated his International Karate Association (IKA) to Hollywood, California, under the coaxing of many ranking officers of the Los Angeles Police Department and local karate enthusiasts, and it THE MAKIWARA The makiwara board shown in our illustrations is fairly well standard in most Japanese dojo (training hall). It is usually made of a block of wood covered by a swatch of fire hose, or coarse rope, attached near the top of a tapered (bottom to top) strong, flexible plank of wood. A steel base that is bolted to the concrete floor holds it in place. You can also install a makiwara outside. All you have to do is dig a hole two feet deep and secure the makiwara with cement.

The makiwara is used to toughen the striking points of the knuckles (seiken), elbows (empe), back knuckles (uraken), back of open hand (haisho), thumb joint (haito), tips of extended fingers (nukite), heel of open hand (shote, harete or pesho) and the famous karate chop (shuto). The more spartan can also toughen their shins and feet by striking them on the makiwara.

The makiwara is used to toughen the striking points of the knuckles (seiken), elbows (empe), back knuckles (uraken), back of open hand (haisho), thumb joint (haito), tips of extended fingers (nukite), heel of open hand (shote, harete or pesho) and the famous karate chop (shuto). The more spartan can also toughen their shins and feet by striking them on the makiwara.

Technically, makiwara training is not included in the IKA's training regimen. However, occasionally students will work on it a little after a demonstration. The general rank and file of public students can more than accomplish their goals in conditioning and self-defense techniques without having to endure the pain and some disfigurement inherent in serious makiwara work. Needless to say, the more dedicated IKA warriors spend hours of their own time honing their physical weapons by pursuing Kubota's personal training techniques.

TRADITIONAL BEGINNINGS

When he was a youngster, about five, Kubota developed some training techniques that he would carry into adulthood. He started with striking a bag of sand with his bare hands and feet. He later switched to a bag of rice and graduated to a bucket full of loose rice, jabbing his open bare hands into the abrasive grains. These drills, of course, create calluses and durable skin.

When he was a teen in Tokyo, Kubota-san used to take nightly walks, just for more exercise. Kubota recalls that there was one long fence with tall, thick, bamboo poles about every four feet. He would do a few shutos on each as he passed, then he would stop at a steel light pole and punch it several times with his bare fists. One night, when he was 15, he started slamming into the steel pole and, due to the vibration of his many poundings, the screws in the arm holding the light had come loose, causing the whole thing to start sparking and fall to the ground. He jumped out of the way. Seeing the loose live wires jumping around sparking, he figured he should beat a hasty retreat.

Eventually, he built his own makiwara board and would practice each of his strikes a thousand times a day. Later, he began to pound his hands, knuckles, shins and feet with a steel sledge hammer. When he was away from home, he carried a flat stone in the palm of one hand and continuously pounded his other fist.

To maintain and build power in his strikes and kicks, he still incorporates the traditional training into his routine, but he points out the necessity to strengthen the wrists, joints and muscles - not just the surfaces of his weapons. A hundred push-ups on the first two knuckles of each hand, followed by an equal amount on the extended fingertips, the four folded knuckles, down to just the first folded knuckle on each hand is a good start. This can be done daily. Follow that by standing on your folded-under toes and jumping up and down a few times, and you're on your way.

Knowing that none of these exercises are easy to do, soke suggests you start the push-ups on your knees - instead of full extension with a straight back and legs. Also, do only 10 at a time. You can work up to the 100 at your own pace. As far as the folded toes are concerned, you might want to hang from an overhead bar and gingerly put your weight on your folded toes.

PROPER MECHANICS

To derive the most benefit out of the makiwara drills, Kubota stresses the importance of striking the training device properly. First, get in your stance. When making full contact with the covered block, stop; then, using your hip, push. He says that it's important for the body part you're conditioning to be flexible because you do not want to destroy your bones and cartilage. This [technique] also helps in the power development as well. He cautions against too-powerful strikes with joints such as the elbow and knee, as it will build up fluids and lead to arthritic problems. And he reiterates frequently how important it is to scrub up after each workout to protect against infections.

LONG-TERM EFFECTS

Many of you are probably thinking, "What effect does this kind of self punishment have on you in later life?" Kubota says that everyone is different and his or her bodies will respond differently. Most people who take proper care while working out and make sure they don't expose themselves to infection, should not have any trouble later, he says.

As for himself, in his mid-60s, having practiced hard body conditioning since he was five, every bit of him is totally flexible. His fingers, which when extended can break through a two-foot stack of roofing tiles, give him great relaxation and pleasure playing his prized guitar. I, myself, have trained on the makiwara for more than 36 years, and I have no noticeable repercussions (although I still can't play the guitar).

EASY TO LAUGH

Takayuki Kubota's entire life has been a true dichotomy. Raised during wartime with America, and trained to hate Americans, he has yet probably done more in training Americans to defend themselves than anyone else. He was even the personal bodyguard to an American Ambassador to Japan. He's known as one of the most invincible fighting men of all time and CFW Enterprises called him "Karate's Most Dangerous Man." Yet, he is as loving and friendly to kids as a wet pup, as well as head of the largest, family-oriented, brotherhood dedicated associations in the world.

Tenth dan, soke Takayuki Kubota is almost as famous for his friendliness and sense-of-humor as he is for being the man of steel. But, what the heck? If you don't have anyone, or anything to fear, it's got to be easy to laugh.

About the writer: Hank Hamilton is a sixth-degree black belt in karate, a screenwriter, talent manager and movie actor who has trained personally with Takayuki Kubota since 1965. IKA has mushroomed since then (there are IKA dojo across the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, and in 52 countries worldwide). Gosoku-ryu, the karate style soke Kubota created (and for which he received his "soke" title from the Japanese Ministry of Education), has become the fastest growing and most popular form of Japanese karate in the world. "Go" means strong, "soku" means fast, and it is a true blending of many soft Chinese techniques with the bone-jarring power of the Japanese styles, plus a lot of jiu-jitsu, aikido and sheer originality thrown in.

Takayuki Kubota's hardcore makiwara training

By Hank Hamilton

Takayuki "TAK" Kubota - The Master of Inner and Outer Strength

Takayuki Kubota is one of the most famous and respected karate masters in the United States. Born on September 20, 1934 on the Japanese island of Kyushu, he demonstrated and performed his breathtaking strength and conditioning exercises at Ed Parker's Long Beach International Championships in 1966.

In addition to teaching his very aggressive style of gosoku ryu karate, Sensei Kubota has been acknowledged as the most active and innovative karate instructor in the field of law enforcement techniques. Although his hair has grayed some since his memorable Long Beach demonstration in the mid-60s, he still leads his classes with the same intensity and dedication as he did then. As famous for his work in motion pictures, as for his karate expertise, his resume includes appearances in films such as the classic Tora, Tora, Tora, and The Killer Elite.

Someone said once that if you threw all the top masters in the world into one room and had them fight, Kubota would be the one who walked out. Enough said.

Why do you have so many foreign students train in your Glendale dojo?
 I guess it almost became a tradition. They are students of other top instructors in different karate styles such as shotokan, goju ryu, shito ryu, etcetera, in their own countries. I think they are attracted by the versatility of what I teach. I honestly don't know the main reason, thought. The only thing I do is provide them with the best training and welcome them. I believe in many ways this is great. You can find students here from France, Italy, Hong Kong, Mexico, Korea, and more - it's like visiting the United Nations!

When did you start training?
During World Word Two, many Okinawans came to my home in Kyusho and my family helped some of them. Two of these men were experts in to-de (it was not called karate in Okinawa at that time) and taught to the townspeople in return for their assistance. Their names were Terada and Tokunaga. When I was only four years old, my father began to teach me the very basics of karate do - kihon, kata and a lot of makiwara training. My training was very hard; everything evolved around the number 500: 500 kicks, 500 punches, 500 stance changes, 500 hits to the makiwara, and 500 minutes of kata. Everyday was very much the same. My father was teaching me karate to fight to kill, not for self-improvement or sport but for war. We had no gi’s to wear after the war, but it didn’t matter, we just trained very, very hard for real fighting. That is the way karate was taught in those days. Later on, I moved onto Master Kanken Toyama's dojo. Toyama Shihan was a direct student of Yasutsune Itosu and Kanryo Higaonna.

Do you think all those students from other styles come to you in order to overcome the flaws in their own systems?
I don't know. It is true that some styles have weak points and when the student reaches the black belt level he might see those so he decides to go out and train in a different style. Some styles are very strong but they are weak in defense. Other are very fast but lack stamina.

What happened when you moved to Tokyo?
 I began teaching karate a couple of years after I got to Tokyo. At that time there was Mikami of the Japan Karate Association and also Fumio Demura of the shito ryu style. We used to help each other and visit our respective dojos to teach and make technical exchanges. This was all a long time ago, maybe 30 years back!

What style do you teach?
I teach gosoku ryu karate. I like to say that it may not look too classy but it is very effective. I teach how to use power when power is the answer, how to use speed when speed is the answer, and how to use evasion when evasion has to be used. Neither one of those work all the time under all circumstances. You need to have all the physical elements but also intelligence in order to combine then efficiently.

Do you teach karate in the traditional way or have you made some changes?
Of course I made changes. It is not that I have changed the basic techniques but since I have studied different styles I understand their strong and weak points. For instance, some karate styles are very good at offensive maneuvers but they lack an extensive repertoire of defensive actions. In gosoku ryu I have incorporated many different methods.

Your students are very successful in sport karate. Do you teach special techniques for competition?
Yes I do, but they are successful because they train hard and put a lot of time into it. What's funny is that a lot of them are very good at getting disqualified for attacking too hard. Competition techniques don't work in real life and in self-defense situation because the whole environment is different - but being a professional instructor means giving people what they want and need.

Timeline 1934 - Born Kumamoto, Japan, Isle of Kyushu 1939 - Began studying with bamboo yadi, judo, keibo-jutsu (baton), and makiwara. 1947 - Baton Instructor, Tokyo Police Dept. 1950-1959 - Instructor for U.S. Army, Air Force, and Marines in kendo, karate, judo, and giyokute-jitsu. 1960-1963 - Taught pro-wrestling techniques at Haneda dojo. 1964 - Chief Referee at Ed Parker’s International Championships in Long Beach. 1965 - Moved IKA headquarters from Tokyo to Hollywood and began teaching LAPD. 1965-1971 - Opened IKA dojos in nine countries. Began teaching at CSUN. 1972-1977 - Taught FBI Defensive Tactics Instructors, Trained LAPD policewomen in kubotan. 1978 - Inaugural Kubota World Cup Karate Championships. 1979-Present - Ongoing seminars with police departments around the world including SFPD, Seattle PD, many Ohio PDs, and PD in Venezuela, Italy, Mexico, and Poland. 1993 - Opened dojo in Vietnam. 1994 - Received 10th dan, the highest attainable rank in Japanese karate. Movies - To date Kubota has been featured in more than 280 movies and TV shows and over 180 commercials. In the first part of 2001, he well be seen as Admiral Naguma in the multi-million dollar Disney production of Pearl Harbor.

So you try to give each student what they are looking for?
Yes. That's why in my dojo you can see movie stars, film directors, lawyers, undercover agents and even street fighters. I believe that a good instructor has to be able to teach every component of his art at every level. You can´t teach a child in the same way you teach an undercover agent.

Do you think that different karate styles competing against each other will lead karate to a modification of technique?
Eventually. They will have to analyze othersstyles and find their strong and weak points to try overcome them. It will also affect kata performance, since shotokan people might be doing shito ryu or roju ryu kata if the kata their practitioners have selected for competition has its roots in other ryu. Little by little the styles will be modified.

How do you train students for competition?
I take them to as many competitions as possible to match them against different karate styles. I make them train, discover their weak points while they are under pressure and correct them. This is what I call "closing the gaps." Eventually, as they get smarter, all these mistakes will fade away, and they will become instinctive fighters. However, it is very different to be a fighter than a competitor. You have to watch the students in the artificial competition atmosphere. Then, after seeing the weak points they expose during matches, we go back to the dojo and work on producing good competition fighters.

Do you have any favorite techniques?
I like sweeping and counter-punching a lot, but really I don’t prefer any one technique. You need different techniques because people are different - and you need to have tools to deal with different kinds of opponents. This is the reason why it is so important to spar against many different stylists.

Do you have any objection to sport karate?
I don't think there's anything wrong with competition. What I really dislike is that it is very limiting as far as techniques are concerned. And that is bad. I believe that there should be a lot of more techniques and not only gyaku tsuki and mae geri. This is the reason for the poor attendance at karate competition. What do the organizers expect when the techniques are so boring?

Do you feel karate will go the same way as judo?
If we keep doing the things this way, for sure. A long time ago they started to create rules for the judo until judo was not a martial art anymore. To prevent this from happening to karate we must have a widening of techniques, and not prohibit so many practical self-defense moves, like judo.

You shocked everybody at Ed Parker's International Karate Championship in 1966 when you beat your own hand with a sledgehammer.
I believe that in order to deliver or take a punch, the practitioner has to be strong. I've always trained like this but I don't push it on anyone else. I will teach it if someone wants to learn, but a lot of it is mental training, too.

How did you get involved with this kind of training?
My teacher told all the students that we must toughen our bodies and make them strong so we could attack anyone. I remember we had no makiwara at all, so we used rocks. I recall hitting one wrong and cutting my hand pretty badly. My teacher came and did what he thought would help me the most - he poured salt in the open cuts!

So you believe in makiwara training?
If you are in a real fight with a big opponent you have to be strong, and you need a lot of power to be able to stop him properly. In the old karate tradition you had to kill him before he killed you. I like that kind of training. I teach two different styles of hitting the makiwara. First you must hit it relaxed and focus on the surface - I call this the "stopping style." The next method is to carry the strike through. You must make the entire body a weapon - even your toes!

What about your special hammer training?
I do special concrete training and hammer training ? I have done this for a long time. I pound my hands, arms and shins with a two-pound hammer - this makes you very strong! Back in Tokyo I was good friends, in my younger days, with Mas Oyama and the famous pro-wrestler Rikadozan. We used to train a lot on the makiwara. In fact, when Master Oyama published his first book, he decided to use my picture - but only my hand. He didn’t want to use my face!

It has a lot to do with mental training?
Yes. I believe it is the best way to train. It makes you tough and allows you to develop the true martial arts spirit. You have to overcome pain and the fear and go beyond the physical. Of course, I use certain criteria to decide whether or not I will teach a student these special methods. They must toughen their bodies and the best way is through these exercises.

How do you start the student into the program?
He starts out slowly and gradually builds up. After a year, the student can punch the makiwara over 1,000 times without a problem. Of course, sometimes we have injures. People don't train like they should and make mistakes such as hitting the object improperly and breaking their bones. Unfortunately, it comes with the training. It happened to me many times.

Do you think these programs are beneficial to the average practitioner?
I don't train so I can go to a tournament and do a show. I do it because I want to train my body so I will be prepared for any confrontation. That's the philosophy of my style. You can hit me any where you want and it will probably hurt you more than it does me. The program prepares you to take on anything. At this point I can block a kendo stick with my forearm and sustain no injury.

What is the most important factor in training students?
There's no simple answer to that. It depends on the student. Some people improve very fast, while others need more time to learn the same material. There are guys that will never become good, but they really enjoy the training because it improves their health and therefore their lives. The bottom line is that you need a good teacher. But be careful, because a good karate man may be not a good karate teacher.

How important is the length of time a person trains?
It is paramount. The student may have timing, speed, technique, et cetera, but after few minutes against a good opponent technique goes out the window. It's only after over ten years of training, when a student's body has absorbed the techniques, and the mind is free to work instinctively on fighting, rather than thinking about every move, that you can really be a karate fighter. It takes ten years to produce a mature karate student.

What would be your message for all karate practitioners?
That they practice the art as a whole through kata, kumite and kihon. Today, many people train kata and kumite as if they were two different things. Actually, kumite starts with kata, and kata starts with kumite. This mindset would vastly improve any students' kumite. I don't mean the kind of kumite you see now, but the kumite using other techniques like enpi (elbow) and hiza (knee).

But that's very dangerous.
Everything is dangerous if you can't control it. That's why you have to study kata for timing and control. Only if we do this will karate grow and avoid the same pitfalls and fate as judo.

Do you like the way karate has developed in the West?
I really like the Japanese karate style, but I also understand that different cultures have different ways of approaching the same subject. It is impossible to regulate the whole karate world but it is not impossible to teach respect to the students - respect and etiquette. Unfortunately, many dojos in the West lack this. This should be preserved and passed down for future generations. Without respect and etiquette, karate is just common street brawling.