A Snapshot in Time...
Why Are So Many ‘Fringe’ Wado Clubs Teaching Wado So Differently?
A Snapshot in Time...
As you may know, we all learn from our own personal experiences (or most of us do). In the world of Wado one of my most proudest and memorable moments, would be my training with the original Wado Founder, Ohtsuka Hironori Meijin. From my earliest days of Wado and martial-arts I wrote down everything, and during one of Ohtsuka Meijin’s visits, in 1976, this was no exception; after all I was ‘recording’ Wado history. As everyone back then would remember we were treated to some very illuminating experiences. My perspective of the Nagashizuki principles were stood on it’s head, whilst Ohtsuka Meijin explained how do practice the technique correctly (rear-foot pivoting not front-foot, etc.). The principle movements of Kihon-gumite were ’changed’ forever from that day (hip not foot). However, as we all knew, Wado was still changing and Ohtsuka Meijin showed us things that he had perfected at that time, and many things were quite different to some of aspects that we were originally taught. In fact techniques were certainly different prior and also after that year, which summed up the regular changes in our ‘old’ Wado - the founder was still developing. The important thing is that we all learned our techniques correctly ‘1st hand’ from the Master, even though he may have changed them subsequently. But what we have is a ‘snapshot’ in Wado history, which will never be forgotten by me - and will not change from that time. The Wado I learned from the Founder will never be changed. Additionally, the Wado I learned from my earliest instructors will also never be forgotten.
I have a responsibility to promote this Wado to all our members, without change or modification. Students who stand before me at gradings MUST also reflect this correct Wado without personal deviation or modification. If someone does not perform the Wado that is promoted within British Wadokai then they will suffer the circumstances, for they are performing BWK Wado incorrectly and would therefore be penalised and marked accordingly.
The Sanbon-gumite taught (in 1976) by Ohtsuka Meijin differs from the Sanbon-gumite taught within the Wado Renmei of Ohtsuka Meijin’s son, (Jiro) Ohtsuka Hironori Saiko-Shihan, and the JKF-Wadokai today, it has also differed slightly from the Sanbon-gumite that was taught by Suzuki Hanshi in the early 1960’s. However, Suzuki Hanshi IS a direct product of Ohtsuka Meijin so most (if not all) of the influences must have come from the founder in the first place.
The British Wadokai Standardisation Courses are the windows to this ‘snapshot Wado’, which is why it is so vitally important that everyone attends; and if people want to change this then they must obviously have to leave the British Wadokai, for it then becomes something that isn’t British Wadokai. Every Instructor that runs his own Dojo within British Wadokai has a responsibility to his own students and MUST try and attend these courses, how else are we to maintain our correct Wado?
Every Japanese instructor that has had an influence on me, has their Wado promoted correctly as it was taught originally by them. If I train with them subsequently, and they change it, then I would obviously change with them - but it would have to be from my own personal experience from the original source, and not 2nd Hand from someone else. For example, I still train in the ‘original’ Suparinpei that was taught to me by Hakoishi Sensei, even though I have heard reports that he has changed it since.
Whilst training with Suzuki Hanshi, he modified certain aspects of his Ohyo-gumite, as he was also developing along the way. When I left the UKKW that knowledge remained intact as it was, unchanged from that point.
I feel I do not have the right to change Ohtsuka Meijin’s original teaching to me, as much as I have the right to change Suzuki Hanshi’s last influence on me. I have a life’s responsibility to those who originally taught me those techniques and to ensure clarity with maintaining the correctness of what they wish to impart and express.
The responsibility is now with us all, within British Wadokai, to embrace and treat the original Wado as it deserves, it needs to be embraced in its purest form; as it becomes more precious as it gets older by each year. Soon, without our help, it will all too soon be forgotten and lost within the turmoil of modern Wado we all too often see today. Don’t put too much salt on our Wado soup.
Gary E Swift Kyoshi.
A Snapshot in Time...
As you may know, we all learn from our own personal experiences (or most of us do). In the world of Wado one of my most proudest and memorable moments, would be my training with the original Wado Founder, Ohtsuka Hironori Meijin. From my earliest days of Wado and martial-arts I wrote down everything, and during one of Ohtsuka Meijin’s visits, in 1976, this was no exception; after all I was ‘recording’ Wado history. As everyone back then would remember we were treated to some very illuminating experiences. My perspective of the Nagashizuki principles were stood on it’s head, whilst Ohtsuka Meijin explained how do practice the technique correctly (rear-foot pivoting not front-foot, etc.). The principle movements of Kihon-gumite were ’changed’ forever from that day (hip not foot). However, as we all knew, Wado was still changing and Ohtsuka Meijin showed us things that he had perfected at that time, and many things were quite different to some of aspects that we were originally taught. In fact techniques were certainly different prior and also after that year, which summed up the regular changes in our ‘old’ Wado - the founder was still developing. The important thing is that we all learned our techniques correctly ‘1st hand’ from the Master, even though he may have changed them subsequently. But what we have is a ‘snapshot’ in Wado history, which will never be forgotten by me - and will not change from that time. The Wado I learned from the Founder will never be changed. Additionally, the Wado I learned from my earliest instructors will also never be forgotten.
I have a responsibility to promote this Wado to all our members, without change or modification. Students who stand before me at gradings MUST also reflect this correct Wado without personal deviation or modification. If someone does not perform the Wado that is promoted within British Wadokai then they will suffer the circumstances, for they are performing BWK Wado incorrectly and would therefore be penalised and marked accordingly.
The Sanbon-gumite taught (in 1976) by Ohtsuka Meijin differs from the Sanbon-gumite taught within the Wado Renmei of Ohtsuka Meijin’s son, (Jiro) Ohtsuka Hironori Saiko-Shihan, and the JKF-Wadokai today, it has also differed slightly from the Sanbon-gumite that was taught by Suzuki Hanshi in the early 1960’s. However, Suzuki Hanshi IS a direct product of Ohtsuka Meijin so most (if not all) of the influences must have come from the founder in the first place.
The British Wadokai Standardisation Courses are the windows to this ‘snapshot Wado’, which is why it is so vitally important that everyone attends; and if people want to change this then they must obviously have to leave the British Wadokai, for it then becomes something that isn’t British Wadokai. Every Instructor that runs his own Dojo within British Wadokai has a responsibility to his own students and MUST try and attend these courses, how else are we to maintain our correct Wado?
Every Japanese instructor that has had an influence on me, has their Wado promoted correctly as it was taught originally by them. If I train with them subsequently, and they change it, then I would obviously change with them - but it would have to be from my own personal experience from the original source, and not 2nd Hand from someone else. For example, I still train in the ‘original’ Suparinpei that was taught to me by Hakoishi Sensei, even though I have heard reports that he has changed it since.
Whilst training with Suzuki Hanshi, he modified certain aspects of his Ohyo-gumite, as he was also developing along the way. When I left the UKKW that knowledge remained intact as it was, unchanged from that point.
I feel I do not have the right to change Ohtsuka Meijin’s original teaching to me, as much as I have the right to change Suzuki Hanshi’s last influence on me. I have a life’s responsibility to those who originally taught me those techniques and to ensure clarity with maintaining the correctness of what they wish to impart and express.
The responsibility is now with us all, within British Wadokai, to embrace and treat the original Wado as it deserves, it needs to be embraced in its purest form; as it becomes more precious as it gets older by each year. Soon, without our help, it will all too soon be forgotten and lost within the turmoil of modern Wado we all too often see today. Don’t put too much salt on our Wado soup.
Gary E Swift Kyoshi.