STOP PRESS! new C.I.T. and more....

Hi there, Mr Bedford here, just wanting to wish the latest additions to C.I.T. all the best for starting their new 12 month intensive instructor course.

First up, Mr Simon Walker, having recently joined us @ Chuldow C.I.T. he has an extensive knowledge of the Martial Arts and has already acquired many people skills through his job in management and he is a valued addition to the team. Welcome on board Mr Walker.

The newest recruits as of tomorrow (28th Jan) are

Miss Zoe Jarman
Mr Martin Bell
Miss Sophie Deal

Hello and welcome to you guys, congratulations on getting onto C.I.T. the C.I.T. team will see you on Tuesday at your first session!

(of course they dont all realise that at some point they all have to have a HUGE photo taken and put on the wall.....he he he)

Lastly but by no means least, a quite belated welcome to Miss Jenny Ship. She's been with us a fair few months now, but never really got an official welcome, so here it is!

You're one of the C.I.T. team now Jenny, and a valued member of Chuldow, so Hello and welcome.

Next just to recap that the two new Chuldow Academies have been open around 3 weeks now and both are continuing to flourish in both strength and numbers, for more information see the main site (http://www.chuldow.com/) but basically for those that are unaware they are

Chuldow - Sandal
Chuldow - Netherton

We trust you will all join us in wishing the best of luck to these two new Academies and all the best to everyone involved in them.

Ok onto a few upcoming dates in the calendar

Sunday 17th February - Chuldow Kickboxing and Dan Grade Graduations - Chuldow, Smythe Street, Wakefield WF1

Saturday 23rd February - Chuldow Sandal and Chuldow Netherton **1st Graduations** - Chuldow, Smythe Street, Wakefield WF1

Sunday 24th February - Chuldow Karate Graduations - Chuldow, Smythe Street, Wakefield, WF1

And don't forget before any of these we have VALENTINES DAY!! so spread the love people and let that special someone know how you feel for that one day of the year!! Mr Hudson is the LOVE DOCTOR this year and any cards you may want to pass onto that someone special without them knowing its you, just give them to Mr Hudson and tell him their name and he will see that they get it completely anonimously!! GUARANTEED!! What a guy!

ok see you all next post!

Hironori Ohtsuka

This month in 1982 saw the death of Wado Ryu founder and grand master Hironori Ohtsuka. Over 90 years his dedication to martial arts and to the development of Wado Ryu karate was phonomenal. All though the vast majority of todays wado karaeteka never actually trained with him we still draw inspiration from those that have and have past their knowledge down through generations of karateka. Below is a link to some footage of Grand Master Ohtsuka performing kata


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbOxEVrne8U

Master Ohtsuka was born on 1st June 1892 and was later was introduced to martial arts by his uncle who was a Jujitsu instructor. Then in 1897 Ohtsuka started to study Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu under the leadership of Shinzaburo Nakayama Sensei who was 3rd grand master of this style. This style was synonemous with the nature and grace of movement and the versatility and flexilbility of force without damage. These elements play a major part in todays Wado karate, where techniques can use your opponents body and direction to play as much a part of defeating your enemy as your own.

Ohtsuka carried on this study whilst at University as well as study of other styles of Jujitsu. He developed the techniques of his existing style and combined them with others he lernt. As a result of his hard work and dedication on 1st June 1920 Ohtsuka was awarded the highest degree in Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu, allowing hime to suceed his masters position and become the 4th Grand Master of the style.

Then in 1922 at a sports festival in Tokyo Ohtsuka witnessed a demonstartion in Okinawan karate by Gichin Funakoshi Sensei. Ohtsuka was impressed by what he saw and visited Funakoshi many times to discuss techniques and other aspects of karate. Funakoshi was impressed by Ohtsukas enthusiasm and detemination to understand Karate and agreed to teach him all he knew. Within the space of a year Ohtsuka studied all the kata that Funakoshi had brought from Okinawa, but Ohtsuka found some moves and techniques difficult to understand and apply, which led him to practice kata with Mabuni Sensei (the founder of Shito Ryu Karate).

By 1925 Ohtsuka was chief instructor of Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu and was Funakoshi's assistant instructor at his dojo. By 1929 Ohtsuka started to feel that attack and defence was, in the true spirit of Budo, missing from Okinawan karate, which mainly concetrated on kata up until then. So to this end Ohtsuka had been debeloping Yakusoko Kumite to compensate for this. He thought that there was a need for a more fluid type of karate, so he decided to leave Funakoshi and concentrate on founding and developing his new style 'Wado Ryu'.

In 1934 not only was Ohtsuka's son born but also Wado Ryu was officially recognised as an independant style. Over the years Wado Ryu has grown from strength to strength, 1944 Ohtsuka was appointed Japans Chief Karate Instructor.

In the 1963 at the request of Master Ohtsuka a team of 3 of his top students went to America and Europe to spread Wado Ryu, which became recognised world wide for its merits.

In 1972 Ohtsuka Sensei was awarded a title never before awarded to a karate master, the president of the International martial arts federation, who was amember of the royal familt, presented Ohtsuka with the title "Meijin" - the first excellent martial arts instructor in Karate (10th Dan) it was the greatest title possible to be bestowed on him.

In Jan 1982 Grand Master Hironori Ohtsuka passed away, but his spirit and teachings go on in all who follow his path and the way of Wado Ryu.


OSU


I'm sure you will agree that the Grand Masters dedication to martial arts is inspiriational. Below is another link to Ohtsuka performinf Tanto Dori, enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY8K_IYLbZ8