Suffolk Kyokushin Karate

udges qualification and frequently travels to various European tournaments. Sensei Brett was recently Team Captain for the England Squad at the 2014 European Karate Championships in Sosnowiec, Poland. About Kyokushin Karate:

The International Karate Organization and the Kyokushinkaikan follow the Karate way of building character and training the mind and body to contribute to society, based on Sosai Mas Oyama's Kyokushin spirit “Keep your head low (modesty), eyes high (ambition), mouth shut (serenity); base yourself on filial piety and benefit others.”

We in Kyokushin Karate-Do do not promote or practice discrimination or prejudice based on ethnicity, race, nationality, politics, philosophy, religion, sex or age and recognize that everyone has the same rights. Our greatest pursuit is to reach for the goal of international friendship and world peace. The founder of Kyokushinkai karate was Masutatsu Oyama. Born in 1923 in south Korea, 'Mas' Oyama studied Chinese Kempo from the age of nine. After moving to Japan at the age of tweleve where he mastered Judo and became a pupil of Gichin Funakoshi. In 1947 Mas Oyama won the All Japan Karate Championship and it was at this point that he decided to devote the rest of his life to sharing his knowledge of karate. As a result the next year of his life was spent living alone in the mountains and temples where he spent his days practicing karate and meditating on Zen precepts in the pursuit of enlightenment. His training routines were extremely rigourous and resulted in him being able to break trees and rocks with his bare hands. Upon returning to society, Mas Oyama preseded to travel the world and demonstrate his karate skill. Mas Oyama's reputation began to spread around the world and people wanted to learn his style of karate. Today, Kyokushinkai dojos can be found in over 123 counties around the globe. Honbu, situated in Tokyo, Japan is the world headquarters for the I.K.O International Karate Organisation and is headed by Kancho Matsui, the successor to Sosai Mas Oyama. The World Open Knockdown Karate Tournament is held every 4 years in Japan where fighters from all over three days to win the ultimate prize – World Champion. Progression of Learning:

1: Position – Stance
2: Balance – Control of position
3: Co-ordination – Control of balance and position in technique
4: Form – Performing 1-3 correctly
5: Speed – Increase the time rate of performance without loss of form
6: Power – Strengthening the technique
7: Reflex – The technique becomes a natural movement

It is essential that progression is not rushed, but developed at each stage. The Meaning of OSU:

OSU means patience, respect and appreciation. In order to develop a strong body and spirit it is necessary to undergo rigorous training. This is very demanding because you push yourself to what you believe to be your very limit and you want to stop and give up. When you reach this point you must fight yourself and your weaknesses and you must win. To do this you must learn to persevere but, above all, you must learn to be patient – this is OSU. The Dojo Kun:

• We will train our hearts and bodies for a firm unshaking spirit.
• We will pursue the true meaning of the martial way, so that in time our senses may be alert.
• With true vigor, we will seek to cultivate a spirit of self denial.
• We will observe the rules of courtesy, respect our superiors, and refrain from violence.
• We will follow our religious principles, and never forget the true virtue of humility.
• We will look upwards to wisdom and strength, not seeking other desires.
• All our lives, through the discipline of karate, we will seek to fulfill the true meaning of the Kyokushin way.