September 30th 2012

From Sensei Kevin ReymondShihan, Ueshiro Downtown Shorin Ryu Karate Dojo
Under the direction of Hanshi Robert Scaglione

The Basics

Hanshi often says that everything we need to know about karate can be found in fukyugata ich and the other basic katas. The concepts of stepping first, chambering the fist back in the pocket, keeping our eyes up, getting rooted, engaging the hip, executing a proper technique and hitting our target are as fundamental to fukyugata ich as they are to kusanku and all the kata in between. For example, if a student performs the opening down block in fukyugata ich with a stance that is on a "tight rope" then those stances most likely will be on a "tight rope" in fukyugata san, pinan shodan and so forth. As we all know, our practice of Shorin Ryu Karate is a lifetime marathon and accordingly we should embrace the basics of fukyugata ich through san, and the rest of our kata will improve.

Arigato

Sensei Kevin Reymond