New Audiobook!
I recently attended a seminar that featured Sakaida Zenemon sensei, who is the President of the All Japan Battodo Renmei (ZNBDR). I first met Sakaida sensei at a Tai Kai in 2002, back when I started Toyama Ryu. He was with Ueki Seiji sensei, who was the original head of the All Japan Battodo Renmei, and was simply amazing with his skill and technique. Unfortunately, Ueki sensei passed away near the end of 2009. Sakaida sensei took on the role of president and tries to carry the spirit that Ueki Sensei expressed.
When I saw him again after the seminar, he taught and covered the sei-tei (standardized) kata of the All Japan Battodo Renmei that we also use in the US Federation of Battodo. Very refreshing to go over the forms from the head of the organization and keep up to date on changes, if any. Afterward, we went over to Tom Smyth's yard for BBQ and drinks!
While I was at the BBQ, Sakaida sensei wanted to speak to me about training. He said that he was happy because people showed great effort in learning the sei-tei set of kata. He knows that many of us started with Hataya sensei so we had a preference for him. He said that he respects that, be he also told me that you can learn the same kata his way, as well as Hataya sensei's way.
He then told me about the things that he's working on himself in terms of kissaki movement and other things with some hand and facial expressions that were quite entertaining mixed with drinks. What he meant to say about this, is after a certain point in training with your kata, you should be expressing a story. That saying was something I heard from both Sakaida sensei and Hataya sensei themselves. This was a great reminder for me.
The way I think of it, say your friends Charles and Kevin read the same good book for the first time. Since it's their first time, they'll just read it to go through the chapters to the end, but that's how we all read (unless you Wikipedia it). After they read it stringently or excitedly (man must be really good haha), they feel the book is so good that they think to themselves that they want to share that story with me. Charles finds me first and expresses or explains the book to me while recommending it.
Now, Kevin was quite moved by the same book after reading it (while on a cruise!). He enjoyed it a lot as well and wanted to share his thoughts with me also.
So this means that I'm going to hear about the same book, but expressed or shared differently. Highlighting different points, opinions on certain characters, sucky dialogue, moments that made them cry, cost, all those things.
After I hear this, I become interested in reading the same book. It's my first time reading the book myself, but I recognize certain elements. This is happening because I remember certain points better than others, since I heard both opinions on it. "Oh, so this is what they meant!" Then I choose the thoughts I like better.
When I finish the book and then want to share it with someone else, I would share my version, which was influenced by two other versions. So it becomes a new book, in a manner of speaking.
Sakaida Sensei's kata is one of the most stylistic kata. He expresses it in a sort of regal way. Kind of flamboyant but cool. He made very simple kata look so upscale. The way he builds up his transition between cut and stance, he always expressed it like eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyaaaaaaa. Also, many people only see the stylistic expression he shows, but he also shared with me why he does it that way. That's what he taught me loooooooong time ago when I first worked with him. I still do that in class or in my head by habit. He explained that the transition was a great way to pressure the opponent to doubt themselves and that's how you won.
Hataya sensei explained the same idea, but in a different angle of hand movement and a different feel with a different form in stance. Still, though, it was the same idea.
Made me remember when I was trying to develop my own kata. I would do my kata the way I learned it from one teacher, then again the other teacher, and then I didn't even realize my body was taking things from each variation and forming something new. This stance, this movement, this expression or reason, it became my own version of the story...something different and unique. I took a book, and made it into an audiobook. And it's on sale!!
When I saw him again after the seminar, he taught and covered the sei-tei (standardized) kata of the All Japan Battodo Renmei that we also use in the US Federation of Battodo. Very refreshing to go over the forms from the head of the organization and keep up to date on changes, if any. Afterward, we went over to Tom Smyth's yard for BBQ and drinks!
While I was at the BBQ, Sakaida sensei wanted to speak to me about training. He said that he was happy because people showed great effort in learning the sei-tei set of kata. He knows that many of us started with Hataya sensei so we had a preference for him. He said that he respects that, be he also told me that you can learn the same kata his way, as well as Hataya sensei's way.
He then told me about the things that he's working on himself in terms of kissaki movement and other things with some hand and facial expressions that were quite entertaining mixed with drinks. What he meant to say about this, is after a certain point in training with your kata, you should be expressing a story. That saying was something I heard from both Sakaida sensei and Hataya sensei themselves. This was a great reminder for me.
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| ZNTIR 2008 Tai Kai when I still wore glasses.... |
The way I think of it, say your friends Charles and Kevin read the same good book for the first time. Since it's their first time, they'll just read it to go through the chapters to the end, but that's how we all read (unless you Wikipedia it). After they read it stringently or excitedly (man must be really good haha), they feel the book is so good that they think to themselves that they want to share that story with me. Charles finds me first and expresses or explains the book to me while recommending it.
Now, Kevin was quite moved by the same book after reading it (while on a cruise!). He enjoyed it a lot as well and wanted to share his thoughts with me also.
So this means that I'm going to hear about the same book, but expressed or shared differently. Highlighting different points, opinions on certain characters, sucky dialogue, moments that made them cry, cost, all those things.
After I hear this, I become interested in reading the same book. It's my first time reading the book myself, but I recognize certain elements. This is happening because I remember certain points better than others, since I heard both opinions on it. "Oh, so this is what they meant!" Then I choose the thoughts I like better.
When I finish the book and then want to share it with someone else, I would share my version, which was influenced by two other versions. So it becomes a new book, in a manner of speaking.
Sakaida Sensei's kata is one of the most stylistic kata. He expresses it in a sort of regal way. Kind of flamboyant but cool. He made very simple kata look so upscale. The way he builds up his transition between cut and stance, he always expressed it like eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyaaaaaaa. Also, many people only see the stylistic expression he shows, but he also shared with me why he does it that way. That's what he taught me loooooooong time ago when I first worked with him. I still do that in class or in my head by habit. He explained that the transition was a great way to pressure the opponent to doubt themselves and that's how you won.
Hataya sensei explained the same idea, but in a different angle of hand movement and a different feel with a different form in stance. Still, though, it was the same idea.
Made me remember when I was trying to develop my own kata. I would do my kata the way I learned it from one teacher, then again the other teacher, and then I didn't even realize my body was taking things from each variation and forming something new. This stance, this movement, this expression or reason, it became my own version of the story...something different and unique. I took a book, and made it into an audiobook. And it's on sale!!
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