Take me out to the ball game…
29 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
My cultural inauguration into modern Japanese life continued with my introduction to baseball! My school, Seiritsu, made the best 4 placement out of 150 schools as they lost 2-5 in the ”Tokyo City East Group of schools’ to Teikyo (which wins the group each year). This east-side event was a qualifier for Koshien (summer tournament for prefecture winners from around Japan broadcast on TV) for whichever team wins the group.
The entire school came to support the team, and although the rain dampened the pitch and seating, everyone was in high spirits.
As I said it was my first time watching baseball so I don’t know whether it was a high-scoring game, however it was a very close decider that Seiritz nearly stole back from Teikyo in the last innings. The bases were loaded, one base runner managed to score a run but the other two were run out- had they all made it we would have had the game.
I hope I get to see it again next year, with better results!
Pedro Quickie: another visitor from overseas
25 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Competition, Karate, Training Tags: America, Kumite, Shiramizu, Training, zenkoku taikai
Tonight at Shiramizu we had an American visitor come train with us. His name was Andy and he was on a home-stay programme with one of the families at Shiramizu. He’d done an American amalgamated form of karate for about eight years, but I was still very impressed with the way he picked up the technique names and principles. His kicking technique was solid too!
Afterwards Arakawa Sensei gave Andy a memento present: a group photo and towel. It’s a fantastic idea, and so simple yet very touching.
Today was the deadline for Wadokai national tournament entries, so my money’s in. That’s it- no backing out now! Kata and kumite. Which kata should I do? Let me know please!
I’m a Seoul man (pt.2)…
25 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Travel Tags: Korea, Myeong-Dong, Seoul, Seoul tower
Oops, this kinda fell by the wayside, only a few weeks late anyway…
The second day of my trip was a little rushed because I had to see a lot of places- Starting with Seoul Tower, then marching through the Shopping district of Meyong-dong looking at all the high-street names, then off to the Gyeongbokgung Palace, which was MASSIVE, and a trek back looking at the Parliamentary homes and other areas of interest before reaching the hotel again.
In the evening I wanted to use some wi-fi and get a bit of the international culture of Korea, so I headed for Seoul’s own Gaijin-town, Itaewon. There I sipped Jack Daniels and Coke and chatted with some canadians about what brought them to Korea- oretty mch the same reason that people come to Japan, or at least why they came to Japan while the economy was rising high. It seems like Korea is very much riding the current wave of economic success, while Japan is busy coping with it’s recent recession and disasters.
Anyway, the gallery of my final day in Seoul is below. I’d love to go again, 2 days just isn’t enough.
National Championship countdown
23 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Competition, Karate, Training Tags: Karate, Kata, Kumite, National Championships, Training, Wadokai
According to close sources, research and a bit of personal experience, it takes 12 weeks to be ready for a tournament. Today is the 24th. The wadokai national championships is August 28. Time to get started, I’m already over a week behind!
My ribs have cleared up enough to be doing some non-contact training, although sit-ups are still a problem, but thankfully running and jumping no longer hurts (not just for training, but for the kindergarten class as well!).
Richard has been a goldmine of information and has set me up with a ton of links and advice. Sure, tournament training is nothing new, but each time you start a ‘campaign’ (for a lack of a better word, the train I’m on is too muggy to think this morning), you need to make sure it is more effective than the last; you want to do better than last time, don’t you?
I’ve also attacked this with ideas of my own, and having looked up suitable training, plyometric and core strength training drills as well as diet plans and recommended training guidelines, I’m about ready to draw up my 11-week schedule.
What I’m also hoping to do is report on progress with this blog, saying what I’m having problems with or if I find anything that is particularly effective. And by all means, use the comments to offer advice, even if it’s as simple as ‘eat less pie, you fat biffa’.
Last train
14 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in nonsense, Training, Travel Tags: Erica, Shiramizu, Training, Trains
I can now confirm that the last train home from Wado station to Kasukabe is 23:08.
Last night I trained with Erica after class just to help her with Pinan Nidan. I was taking it extra easy of course because of the ribs. We finished at 10:55- meaning I had to choose between a very painful run to the station or an even more painfully expensive taxi ride home. Well, the run didn’t hurt too much!
Although I’m very wary of not taking away the unique nature of Erica’s internship experience by working with her too much, it certainly helps me compound my knowledge and flat-pack it into teachable sound bites. Plus, the old adage is true: the more you teach, the more you understand.
Richard has also lent me some Karate books to study to make some Japnese sound-bites to teach the high-school kids. This is great as I am sometimes met by the glazed stare of ‘wakaranai’ from the students when I’m trying to get a point across.
The top book features Wadokai top technical committee advisor Hideo Takagi Sensei, so in terms of wadokai style teaching it’s as pure a source as any.
