This article was interviewed by GEKKAN - KARATE DO
2000 August Vol. 345 JAPAN
Edited & translated by SSU-USA
To be a karate-ka (instructor, practitioner)
whose philosophy reflects on one's karate
"Being a karate instructor, one has to have one's own philosophy.
This is how I want to be and this is my goal." said Mr. Haruyoshi
Yamada ( The Director of Shukokai Gishin-kan, Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate-do
Union World Chief Instructor 9th Dan) Even in his mid 60s, he said he
is still training among his students. We had the good fortune to have
the opportunity to talk with Mr. Yamada.
As I learned the basics, here I am .
"If I had been taught Judo from the basics when I was a high school
student, I would have been training in Judo today. As time has gone
by, I have come to feel very strongly how important the basics can be,"
said Mr. Yamada, the director of Shukokai Gishinkan in Amagasaki. Mr.
Yamada entered a Judo club when he was a high school student. However,
by a quirk of fate, he had a chance to learn karate from a friend of
his who had been training in karate. "I was a member of the Judo
club in my high school, however, in those days, there were no instructors
and managers in the club, only Senpai (senior students) who taught us.
None of us were able to get the proper training in basics at all. One
day I went to a bookstore to find some Judo books, but by chance I found
a karate book instead, I became interested in karate. However, there
were no karate dojos in my neighborhood at that time. While some of
my friends and I were thinking about opening a 'private karate club,'
we met a person who had been training in Gojyu-ryu karate at college,
we had a chance to learn karate from him. Although he only taught us
a kata called 'San-chin,' basic punches and uke (basic defenses), consequently,
karate was the only one I had learned from the basics.
Without these experiences, I would not have been where I am now. I must
be thankful for this."
In those days, Mr. Yamada's Judo club had the principle, "Strength
is one of techniques and so is kiai (a spirit shout), do not step back."
- and yet the students had never been taught the proper basics in their
trainings. Regardless of this, Mr. Yamada earned his 4th Dan (Black
belt) of Judo, and this led him to become a bonesetter, which he is
at the present. Mr. Yamada said, " I regard 'a thousand punches
and kicks drill' as one of the basics trainings to learn how to be relaxed
during the course. Especially in Shotokan style of karate, they excute
punches and kicks with lower stance. That makes me think this will bring
their basics into effect in the long term. The karate masters with whom
I've ever conversed, whatever their styles are, would say the same thing
without exception, "the basic is important and so is form."
This mentioned basic does not mean 'Uchi komi' about that there are
many people who misunderstand this point."
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