Bangor Shotokan Karate Club

A warm night, for a change this summer.

The traditional fighting arts are dying in this modern age. The eighties seemed to be the busiest period for Karate.
Bangor Shotokan Karate club had over 200 members.

Jokes aside, yes the Martial Arts are difficult to stay with.Pain, maximum efforts and hardships are to be endured, the rewards sometimes impossible to appreciate or even see.
It is just a small percentage who start a Martial Art and see it through an entire lifetime but for those people it is worthwhile, whatever that means to them.

Early morning training session today, thanks guys for coming down.
Jion, Jitte and Ji'in were the Kata of choice.

Some styles may have this sort of issue.I am thankful that we can question methods, training practices , whatever.

All Tekki Kata to start tonight, then all other JKA Kata to finish.Good spirit .

From 2014, Sensei Pat, one of the finest Karateka I have met.

Star Wars fans will understand..

Looking through old magazines, I feel this period was the JKA's best time, when the finest Sensei gathered to teach in the UK.

Okay, joking aside, training without a Gi, in normal clothing can be an eye opener.That crack of a canvas Gi , or the slapping of your hand on the Hikite can give a false feeling of strength in your techniques.
Of course wearing a Gi is the standard way, but we don't need to play dress up to get our training done.

Jitte tonight.

It may be health reasons, but more likely a lack of personal training and persistence.

Last night's training, with the guys in Holywood.
JKA Karate, Shotokan has few variations, and many breakaway groups.
Nakayama Sensei has left a style that has changed very little, no matter what new banner it flies under.

The over 50s club.
Kihon, Ippon Kumite and some Kata, Jiin and Bassao Sho .

Scott Langley Sensei today, Lisburn Dojo hosted the event.Great to see a few old friends.

Bangor Shotokan Karate Club updated their address.

No excuses.

We gotta laugh..

My first kuro Obi, a gift from my teacher, thirty one years ago.It has the late Enoeda Sensei's name and JKA on the other end , the teacher and association that graded me.I could never throw this away.

A warm night, lots covered.

Quite hot tonight,various Hiji Ate techniques,some light kicking, Gojushiho Sho and Gojushiho Dai , Wankan and some Ippon Kumite.

Shotokan is difficult.

Satin,silk, cotton, black, nothing matters but training.

Free movement can be reduced by too much emphasis on form.