Saturday February 19th

Didn’t sleep well last night… It was 11pm when I got to bed and it must have been 2:30am by the time I slept!  This resulted in me deciding not to go to the morning training session.  The internet has been down in the place where I’m staying all day which is a bit of a nuisance… therefore I’m writing this off line!

So I went to the dojo for 4pm training and I was expecting Nagaki Sensei and Maikita Sensei to be teaching but when I arrived I found out that it was Inada Sensei who was at the dojo.  Saturday training is usually a very mixed ability class with a few kids and tends to be a little bit easier going… Not today!  Inada Sensei drilled us hard…  Kihon drills up and down the dojo for about 25 minutes… Inada Sensei had the shinai (wooden stick) out and he wasn’t afraid to hit people with it if they weren’t doing the techniques properly..!  It seemed to me that Inada Sensei was on some sort of a mission or something this evening…  We also did our “tokui kata” (choice kata) – four rounds… I did Gojushiho-sho today… Felt good… Long kata though!

After a quick water break we put on our kumite mitts and Inada Sensei said that we would have three minute long rounds of jiyu kumite (free sparring/fighting).  I paired off with one of the senior brown belts first.  I gradually warmed into it and was feeling pretty sharp and was trying out a few of the techniques that Kanayama Sensei taught last night…  I particularly like pulling my front leg back to the center and releasing my other leg with mae-geri as an attack is coming in… Difficult to do but when you get the timing right it certainly feels good!  After this three minute round, Inada Sensei invited me down beside him and told me to spar with the young blackbelt (Yu) that I spoke about in yesterdays blog…  Yu is a excellent, sharp young lad but unfortunately for him he got me on a good day and I wasn’t going to hold back in front of Inada Sensei…  I brought him to the floor on one occasion and Inada Sensei called “yame” (stop) after I timed a perfect one of those mae-geri techniques (described earlier)… Yu was pretty winded after it and I made sure that I asked him if he was okay… 

After this round Inada Sensei invited one of the purple belts down to spar with me in front of him… Tako-san is his name… a young 4^th year medical student but a pretty strong fighter… He was trying his best to come at me but I just sussed him out for about the first 30 seconds… After this I let fly into him and unfortunately for the guy he just wasn’t able for it… He would periodically try to defend with some wild punches but I was very much on top of him and I was conscious not to slack off as Inada Sensei was glued to the two of us…  It got to the stage where this guy was struggling to block me and I was just hoping that Inada Sensei would call a halt to it… I looked at him and he signalled that I had to keep going… So I continued to literally “beat” him around the place… 20 seconds later I looked at Inada Sensei and again he signalled with his fist to the floor… So I swept the guy down to the floor and “finished” him with a couple of punches… That was the end of the fight… I felt sorry for this guy… I didn’t want it to finish like that… I then had one more three minute round with one of the purple belt kids…  This was my recovery period…

After the kumite finished up Inada Sensei called me over with Tako-san…  Basically Inada Sensei asked me if I would like to go to a championships tomorrow… It is the Kanto prefecture championships… I was shocked but immediately said “yes” (I’ll write about why I responded like this on another day)… Tako-san translated and explained that he would meet me at Sinjuku station tomorrow morning and from there we will travel to meet Inada Sensei and then we will drive to the championships… So I’m a little bit in the dark about more details… It all happened so quick… I now have an idea why Inada Sensei drilled us so hard… 

So it was a bit of a rush to get back to Nippori for Angelo and Michiko’s party at 6pm.  This was a very nice occasion which took place at a Swiss restaurant (about a 3 minute walk from where I’m staying).   There were a lot of people there from the dojo – regular members in addition to Ishimine Sesnei, Yamaguchi Sensei, Inada Sensei and Kai Sensei.  Lots of nice food and drinks and plenty of chats with everybody!  Michiko was wearing a very nice “kimono” (traditional Japanese type of dress).  There was a guy there playing traditional Swiss music which was pretty special!  Overall it was a very enjoyable evening and great to be able to socialise with the karate people outside of the dojo!

I’m a bit anxious now about the competition tomorrow.  Early start… Up at 4.45am!  Hope I can sleep!       

Friday February 18th

Yesterday I noticed that there was a water leak in my apartment and it got progressively worse last night with the end result that I had to move to a different apartment bright and early this morning..  This wasn't a problem really and I like the new apartment... it's much brighter and a bit more spacious I think.  This building where the apartments are is pretty old... like a lot of buildings in Tokyo actually! But it's situated in a really nice neighbourhood and it only takes me 20 minutes for me to travel from the door of my to the dojo.

I only trained for one hour this evening.. This was for two reasons..  I want to get to bed earlier tonight as I'm having a little bit of trouble getting to sleep at night and I'm also going to train tomorrow for three hours.. 2 hours in the morning and 1 hour in the evening before Angelo and Michiko's wedding party which is on at 6pm.  That's the plan anyway.. I might be cutting it tight with the party if I train from 4-5pm.. We'll see!

Kanayama Sensei and Makita Sensei were in the dojo tonight.  Kanayama Sensei taught the 6-7pm class and there were only five of us training.  After a high tempo warm-up with Kanayama Sensei which involved a lot of bouncing and squatting, we did a quite a few kumite (fighting) based training drills..  Practicing timing when changing between stances.. gyaku-zuki, kizami zuki and also a couple of very nice techniques involving mae-geri... The main focus was on the timing elemnet and commiting to techniques.  We finished off the class with kata.. Jion and Gojushiho-Dai.. Kanayama Sensei and Makita Sensei took us individually in turns and they analysed their kata and gave us feedback... I felt good in myself doing the kata and Makita Sensei pointed out a couple of things to me in relation to expanding my preparation and execution of manji-kamai in Jion.  It was a very nice class and both Sensei's appeared in very good form... A bit of a "Friday Feeling" I think!

I just want to write a little bit on gaijin (foreigners) coming to the dojo.  Michiko (who I often write about) started training as a beginner at the Hombu Dojo when she started University in Tokyo.  I asked her once if she realised straight away how important the dojo she selected was.. She said that she quickly realised it when she saw foreign people travelling from all over the world to train there for a week or so at a time and how much they were in awe of the place and the instructors..  She also mentioned to me that when foreigners visit that it energises the regular members and motivates them to train harder.. A typical example is one of the kids in the dojo... I'm not sure of his name but he seems to train 3/4 days a week.. about 15 or 16 years old and his karate is excellent.. world kata champion in his category in Okinawa 2007... I was training with him tonight doing the kumite drills and just attacking oi-zuki while he was either doing a punching or kicking technique in defence...  Kanayama Sensei was keeping a close eye on the two of us and as I was feeling pretty good in myself with no excessive pools of sweat under my feet...! I constantly let fly into him with oi-zuki.. all with good control of course...  But he was not able to deal with the pace of my attack or the distance I was able to close him down in... Realising he was struggling somewhat Kanayama Sensei was encouraging him to lift his knee up higher and to commit to his counter attack on me etc..  He got a little bit better but it was obviously a good learning experience for him and I know from my observations of him within the dojo that he will be keen to improve after this experience.  So I think there is a mutual benefit for both gaijin (foreigners) and Japanese to train together in the Hombu Dojo... So it's probably a good thing to change the variables!

Every evening I make sure that I arrive at the dojo around 30 mins before training.  I do this for two reasons.. I don't want to be late and I like observing the different Sensei's as they teach the 5-6pm kids classes..  These observations that I make while I'm stretching while waiting for the 6pm class and the observations I make of the differerent instructors while I'm training really fascinate me.  Okay I'm in awe of the instructors technical ability but then again I can say the same about Scott Sensei and Alan Sensei back home..  However, there is something beyond this that makes everything click and I think that all of the instructors in the Hombu Dojo possess this and that Scott Sensei and Alan Sensei possess the same thing also..  I'm not sure what that is but I know it goes a lot deeper than technical ability and knowledge...I think it takes a certain type of person to "fit in" within the JKS...  Identifying these characteristics will be one of my objectives over the next few weeks... I'm going to analsyse all the Sensei's in the dojo and I'll integrate my experiences with Scott Sensei and Alan Sensei into it as well and we'll see what I come up with..  I'll write about Kanayama Sensei on a couple of occasions next week and hopefully I'll get through all the Sensei's before I head home and we'll see what "trends" I come up with..  Actually that reminds me that I should be looking at "trends" in my PhD thesis at the moment as well... That will be done too :)     

Thursday February 17th

Yesterday was a pretty difficult day for me as you know.. I feel a lot better in myself today and to be honest it's mainly due to the large amount of responses and messages I received from so many people since yesterday.. So, thank you everybody and I'll get back to you all soon.  You'd be surprised how a short message or a phone call gives you a boost and shows that everybody is behind you even if they are on the other side of the world!  Thanks again.

So... rather than telling you all the factual information about training this evening.. I'm going to tell a slightly different story.  Kagawa Sensei was not in the dojo again tonight for some reason, so it was Yamaguchi Sensei and Matsue Sensei who taught..  To be honest, I've got to the stage where I'm finding it hard to rate how difficult or intense training is..  Admittedly, I always feel wrecked after training but this is a good feeling!  I don't really suffer from muscle soreness the morning after training and my recovery time in between drills in the dojo is pretty quick.. So fitness is not a problem.. my major problem at this stage is the constant dripping of sweat from my chin and nose onto the dojo floor during training and the slippery conditions that this creates..! I still feel that I have a couple of gears to move up in the sharpness side though!

After Yamaguchi Sensei's class tonight from 6-7pm some people stayed on for the next class and there were also a number of "fresh" newcomers.. One guy in particular stood out to me.. It was my first time seeing him at the dojo... a brown belt.. early to mid twenties maybe and I don't mean this in a bad way but... he looked like an "ordinary" to me... probably a college student who by chance could manage to come to the dojo tonight.  So Matsue Sensei started the class and it was tough going alright... constant muscle training drills... pushups, situps, squats, other abdominal exercises with punches and kicks thrown in again... For the guy that I have mentioned this class was probably brutally hard...

As we were going through the drills we all had our turn counting from 1-10 and this guy who was training beside me kept missing his turn to count.. It was obvious at this stage that he was suffering..  Matsue Sensei appeared to make a little bit of light humour about the guy missing the count and finding the going tough..  After around 40 minutes of constant drills without a break we were invited to take a water break.  When I went into the changing room to get my water bottle, the guy that I'm referring to was thrown in a heap on the floor gasping for air... I said "otsu-kara-sama-deshita" to him (which basically means; "well done.. it was hard work") but took no more notice.  After this 1 minute break we went back on to the dojo floor for kumite (fighting).  The guy evenetually came out but it became apparent very quickly that he wasn't able to stand up or even keep his eyes open.  Matsue Sensei and Yamaguchi Sensei spotted this straight away and got him to sit down in the corner.  20 minutes later he was still in a bad way.. looked extremely uncomfortable and couldn't even sit straight.. Yamaguchi Sensei took the last part of the class and we practiced Bassai-Dai but everybody seemed to be concerned for this guy.  When class finsihed up we cleaned the dojo floor but there was a noticeable sense of shock and worry for the guy.  Yamaguchi Sensei eventually put him into a wheelchair and he was taken to the hospital.  Matsue Sensei went with him.  I hope he'll be okay. 

This just brings me to the whole point of the intensity of training at the Hombu Dojo... Okay, I train there everyday for 2-3 hours a day... This is probably extreme for the "ordinary" person but I'm here in Tokyo for this purpose only... It must be difficult for a guy like a referred to in this post, who is obviously an "ordinary" person and has another life outside of the dojo where he is either working in a specific job which he is probably very good at or he is studying in university for his chosen profession.  The profession of the Sensei's in the dojo is full-time karate.. And it is also my full-time "profession" until May...  So you probably realise at this stage that the training at the Hombu Dojo here in Tokyo is extremely intensive...  It's not to be underestimated, especially by the "ordinary" person..

Finally, I can't help but wonder if there was another Sensei teaching.. would he have spotted that this guy was in trouble at an earlier stage and told him to rest... Matsue Sensei is pretty full-on when it comes to this type of intensive training and admirably he does everything with the students and trains as hard as everyone else while he's teaching.. Then again Kanayama Sensei does the same but... he has brought a towel over to me on several occasions when he has seen that I'm training hard but that I need to wipe to wet patch that forms under my feet when I train...  for me this is something special.

Wednesday February 16th

Today was difficult for me...  I must admit that I was lonesome for home and that I miss my family and friends.  Even though I have met some really nice people that are really good to me since I arrived here.. it's hard to replace home!  I've heard lots of people saying that it is their dream to come to Japan and train full time for a prolonged period of time... It's damn hard let me tell you!  First of all you must integrate into the dojo as quick as possible... become familiar with the etiquette, students and sensei's... and then adapt to the intensity of the training... So far this has been enjoyable and "relatively" okay for me, thankfully.  The hardest part for me is adapting to what happens outside of the dojo.. The population of Tokyo is over 13 million people who rush around the place and the majority live for their job.  Everything is fast paced and totally different to what I'm used to in Ireland.. I'm trying to finish the last phase of my PhD thesis and I miss going out into the back lawn swinging my golf clubs or kicking a ball to re-energise my mind!  I even rang my father today and spoke about possibly coming home 3 or 4 weeks early... May 4th seemed a long way off earlier today!

Anyway... given all my emotional turbulence today... I still managed to automatically pack my dogi into my bag at 5pm to head for training at the Hombu Dojo for 6pm.  This is no problem for me... In fact I really enjoy it and never know what each session will bring..  I'm very fortunate to have no injuries whatsoever and this enables me to try as hard as I possibly can in each session that I train.

Kanayama Sensei took the 6-7pm class today.  Started off practicing oi-zuki.. concentrating on the hikite hand and keeping elbow tucked behind.  Did a lot of straight leg lifts to the front and to the side without dropping the leg and then practiced mae-geri (3 per count from hesoku-dachi) and yoko-geri kekomi slowly (40 times on each leg).  Kanayama Sensei seems to love these slow kicking exercises.  I think he's brilliant and his energy is inspiring.  All of these strengthening, punching and kicking exercises went on for a pretty long time.  We finished the class practicing Junro Shodan and then broke into teams of three and practiced it several times.  This was very different but enjoyable.  The floor was really slippery at this stage.. I was having problems at times with balance.

Yamaguchi Sensei took the 7-8pm class.  Most of the seniors who trained from 6-7pm stayed for this class and we were joined by 4 others.  We started off the class with focus pad work with a partner.. Practicing gyaku-zuki (yori-ashi), oi-zuki and mawashi-geri.  Different combinations.. difficult to keep the legs snappy as we progressed through.  My partner who only came in at 7pm was totally wrecked at this stage!  We then put on our kumite mitts and seven of us lined up attacking the person at the top of the line Jodan, Chudan, Geri and then anything (first time no defence and second time around defender needed to defend and counterattack)..  I really enjoyed this part of the class.  I must admit that I was well able to mix it with the senior members and gave them plenty of it!  But they are really good and relaxed and this helps to let go everything!  All the time Yamaguchi Sensei and Kanayama Sensei were watching on.  We finished the class with Junro Shodan (yet again) but great to get in the practice.

I never got corrected on anything tonight but this means nothing!  I think Kanayama Sensei was probably giving me a break as he knew that I had a "hard" time of it in last evenings sessions.  Yamaguchi Sensei asked me after training when I was leaving.. He said Go-gotsu (May) before I opened my mouth.. So there you go.. Mind made up and no changing flights now!  Plough on!

Tuesday February 15th... Muscle training versus flexibility training

Today's training was hard... very hard..!  Arrived at the dojo expecting that there would be a very small number of students training (as seems to be typical on Tuesday's for some reason) and that Inada Sensei and Matsue Sensei would be teaching.  When I opened the door of the dojo I realised that Kanayama Sensei was teaching.... "Oh no" I said to myself...!  Small amount of people training plus Kanayama Sensei suggested "muscle training"..! 

It was only Urushiro san (a Teikyo University graduate) and I who were training in the 6-7pm class.  And so the "muscle training" commenced!  Kanayama Sensei, Inada Sensei, Urushiro san and I grabbed a towel each and placed it on the dojo floor.  500 repitions of various abdominal strenthening exercises followed by around 200 pushups which were done in sets of 30, 20 and 10.  In between each set we had to keep in pushup position and literally drag ourselves down the dojo floor while keeping our feet on the towel.  Then we got 10kg dumbells and commenced with around 150 squats and 150 lunges while holding the dumbell.  Then quickly changing between left and right side zenkutsu-dachi while still holding the dumbells.  Finished the muscle training by going into kiba dachi and holding arms outstretched while quickly opening and closing fists.. different directions for arms and also different rotations.

The class concluded with Urushiro san and I practicing mae-geri in sets where we did mae-geri twice before returning leg to the ground.  We also did the same for yoko-geri.  Very very hard under the watchful eyes of both Kanayama Sensei and Inada Sensei.  Kanayama Sensei pointed out to me that I need to snap my leg back more after extending the mae-geri with hiki-ashi while Inada Sensei was concerned about stiffness in my upper body while kicking.  More about this later!

Both Urushiro san and I stayed on for the 7-8pm class and we were joined by two other students.  Inada Sensei took this class.  Practiced a version of gohon kumite but partners kept an increased distance and only acted as a target.  Jodan, chudan, mae-geri, yoko-geri and mawashi-geri.  We then did all Hiean kata's, Tekki Shodan and Bassai Dai.  Inada Senei was constantly watching me and everytime I finished he would call "DI-AR-MADO" and tell me what I need to improve on.  This was both brilliant for me to be getting this attention but hard at the same time..  People think that Hiean kata's are easy but the attention to detail of all the instructors demands perfection in each move and between each moves.  So difficult! 

At the end of class I think it clicked with Inada Sensei why I tend to be a little stiff in my upper body while kicking and why for example I break the centerline of my body (by leaning slightly forward) when pushing into yokogeri-kekomi.  My hips are not flexible enough!  How can I best describe it... If I swing my leg to the front and behind my flexibility is good but if I raise my leg to the side left and right... I am lacking flexibility... We did a couple of stretches before finishing class and I think Inada Sensei used these to diagnose me!

It's funny because this has been playing on my mind for a long time now but particularly since I came to Japan... Even today before training I spent about 45 mins in my apartment trying to work on this flexibility.  This brings me on to the whole outlook on "muscle training" which the Japanese instructors are pretty passionate about.  I weigh around 85kg.. Kicked a lot of football when I was younger... did a lot of running up hills etc... have been practicing karate since I was 10 years old and I consider my hips and legs to be pretty strong but I am not "naturally" flexible.  One thing that strikes me about the Japanese is their flexibility and their form particularly in their stances.  I know that the Japanese are probably so immersed in this "muscle training" because their bodies are different to typical westerners... they don't have the muscle mass or the same frames as we do... and I guess they are trying to bridge this gap... But for me I need to go in the opposite direction... I need to work on my flexibility and make sure that my muscle mass doesn't become so big that everything suffers..  I guess everybody needs to find their own balance..

Finally, I must say that all the instructors have been first class in their reception of me since I arrived and are so willing to correct me during class.  In particular Inada Sensei has probably been the "hardest" on me.. constantly watching me and correcting me but I really appreciate this.             

Monday February 14th

As throughout the world, it is Valentines Day here in Japan as well today.  However, it traditional for women only to give presents to men on this day.  Usually a box of chocolates!  Men return the same action to women on "White Day" which occurs on March 14th.  So there's a useless bit of information for you!

For the first time in a few weeks I felt I did some worthwhile work today on my PhD document.  I must admit that it has been damn hard to get back into the frame of mind for research.  I have a few changes/improvements to make to my thesis and I'm so near to concluding it but it's just very hard to get stuck in!  Anyway, here's hoping that this will be a good week on that front!

Went to the dojo for 6-8pm training.  Nagaki Sensei and Kai Sensei were teaching kids when I arrived.  No sign of Kagawa Sensei.. He usually teaches on Monday.  There were only four of us training in the 6-7pm class.  Nagaki Sensei took this.  Strangely we only practiced kata.  Jo-No kata, all Hiean kata, Jion and Empi.  Nagaki Sensei was correcting my technique from the off.  Not enough expansion in my arms as I prepare and turn for gedan-barai (90 degree and 180 degrees).  He also corrected the path of my uraken in Hiean Sandan.  I also tend to over rotate my blocking elbow after the "stamp downs".  This needs to be smaller and only a deflection. 

Nagaki Sensei also pointed out a few things in my Hiean Godan.  For example... after doing the empi in kiba dachi I tend to rotate my hips into shomen as I move in to a supported uchi-uke in koso-dachi.  Rather, I should stay side on.  This is something that was new to me.  I must ask Scott Sensei about it!  Also at the end of Hiean Godan I tend to go from zenkutsu-dachi (with open hands) and then into kokutsu dachi.  Nagaki Sensei pointed out that I should be on the same line - zenkutsu then pulling to kokutsu dachi.  No real problems with Jion...  In Empi I need to work on the knee up and then downwards into koso-dachi.  We also did some exercises that helped with the weight shift from kiba-dachi to kokutsu-dachi.

Kai Sensei took the 7-8pm class.  There were six people training in this.  I was the only person who stayed from the 6-7pm class.  This was a very nice relaxed class.  There was a new beginner in the class and Kai Sensei focused it towards her.  Worked on gyaku-zuki and mae-geri with a partner and a focus pad.  Did a lot of gohon kumite, jiyu ippon kumite (everybody lined up and attack one person at the top of the line) and we also did some nice relaxed jiyu kumite.  We finished the class with JoNo kata.  Even though this is a beginners kata it can become very difficult when trying to apply everything that I am being told and what I am observing!

Stretched for about 10 minutes after class.  I was the only person on the dojo floor when Nagaki Sensei was leaving and I made sure to stand at the door and bow and say arigato gozaimusta as he was leaving.  This is an important part of the dojo etiquette.  Went to Jonathan's for my dinner in Jonathans.  It was snowing pretty heavy outside after training.  Roads and foothpaths were in a bad way! 

I was thinking to myself today that I am in a very priveleged position.  I'm here in Tokyo training hard everyday at the JKS Hombu Dojo with some of the best instructors in the world, I'm taking correction, trying to apply what I'm corrected on and what I observe and hopefully I will end up improving my karate..! Simple but I'm enjoying it!          

Sunday February 13th

Got up early this morning and got prepared for my little adventure to Ginza.  I made sure to take a subway map that Michiko gave me of the tokyo area which also includes land rail-lines and is in both English and Japanese.  Having it in both languages is very useful as a lot of the train stations only have names displayed in Kanji.  You need to check the rail maps before going on a journey in order to see what line to take and how much the fare is.

Got the JR Yamanote line from Nippori to Ueno.  I was able to use my JR rail pass card for this.  When I got to Ueno I found my way with relative ease to the Ginza line which I took as far as Ginza station.  When I came out from the station I wandered down the main shopping street which is called "Chou-dori".  There were many many high end shops on this street and it reminded me of the Magnificent Mile in Chicago!  The main road along this shopping street is closed off on Sundays to traffic and it was strange to see people sitting out on chairs in the middle of the road drinking coffee! 

I found my way into the Abercrombie and Fitch store which was pretty cool..  It is a 10 storey store with loud music, dark interior with brightly light stairways... and some pretty cute Japanese ladies who were either dancing to the music (because they were obviously told to do if they weren't folding clothes) or they willing to help you out with any questions!  Lots of really nice clothes.. but nothing you wouldn't see in any A&F store in the U.S. and there was little or no Japanese influence apart from the people.  It is an unbelieveably impressive store but I was a little disappointed... It would be cool if A&F could have exclusive clothes for the Japanese market.

I did wander into the Adidas store and I did see a lot of cool things here that were exclusive to Japan.. Runners, tracksuits etc.  Will give a shout back there someday.  I didn't realise until I got back to the apartment that there is a Sony Building in Ginza as well that stocks the latest electronic gadgets.  I'll give a call back here the next time.  I'm sure I'll bring Mam and Dad to Ginza for a few hours when they come out.

Got the trains back to Nippori.  No problems and I was happy with my "little adventure".  Once you know the line you need to get in a station and the direction of travel it is hard to get lost!  Spoke on Skype to home (my parents and Nana) and a couple of other friends in the evening time.  Will be up early tomorrow morning to work on my research.  I will train in the evening for two hours.  Kagawa Sensei, Nagaki Sensei and Kai Sensei should be teaching I think.  I trained last Monday morning with Nagaki Sensei and it was really enjoyable but research takes priority tomorrow morning I think.  Mam and Dad will be here 4 weeks tomorrow so looking forward to that!