Ko Sutemi Seiei Kan

[Navarre]

I've had a few students and senseis attend the Irish Cup. They had a great time.

I'd recommend going if you get the chance. Tournament stuff aside, it would be a great chance to have a new experience.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

It's not so much the chance that hinders...it's the $$$. We're a single income household with 3 kids. Going to Taiwan or Ireland is still dream-level stuff.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

I took my new bo into class last night. It recieved Sensei's approval as it is a traditional, solid, hefty bo.

He began to teach me Bo Ich. I had some questions and we worked on it a bit; then, upon saying, 'That kata's kind of boring', he began to teach me Shishi no kun dai.

In the research I've done, I see that the kata was developed by Taira Shinken, a student of Funakoshi Sensei, and, in Issinryu, it is an advanced kata.

Anyone else have experience with this kata?

 

[Navarre]

Anyone else have experience with this kata?

No, afraid not. Is this an "official" Ko Sutemi bo kata or simply borrowed in?

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

No, afraid not. Is this an "official" Ko Sutemi bo kata or simply borrowed in?

Given what I've read about it, so far, definitely borrowed.

 

[Navarre]

I have a pretty nice bo kata that we've incorporated. Maybe I can get a vid for you.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

That'd be cool Thanks! Last night, one of our bbs whipped through Bo Ich and, so, I am practicing that as well, thanks to your other vid; which, by the way, is still right on.

 

[Navarre]

thanks to your other vid; which, by the way, is still right on.

Really? I'm almost surprised. lol

As I mentioned way back, the vid was only a walk-through to look at a few moves. The techniques, particularly the footwork wasn't tight in the vid I made.

Still, I'm glad to see Bo Ichi (as I remember it) resembles the official version more than, say, a flag routine from the high school band camp.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

If the bo positions and moves are correct, cleaning up the footwork will be a breeze. I need to look closer at it and see if I can discern the grip changes that occur.

 

[Navarre]

Bo Ichi doesn't have any grip changes. (yawn)

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

Then, it's just me; because, my hands keep getting tangled up.

 

[Navarre]

Grip the bo in front of you, holding it parallel to the ground. Both hands are in the standard position: shoulder-width apart with thumbs toward each other on the inside gripping the bo.

Other than the bow-in/bow-out where you release the bo with your left hand while bowing, your hands don't move. At least this is how I know it to be.

...

...

oh sorry, I nodded off there while thinking about this fascinating weapon kata.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

Ok, got it. I transcribed the video and practiced it over the las couple evenings. Yes, it is kind of dull; but, nonetheless, I have to crawl before I can leap tall buildings.

Competition this Sunday. I'll use this bo kata as well as Fugyugata Ni and sparring to be entered in all three areas and compete for Grand Champion.

 

[Navarre]

Good luck, Egg! As always I'm sure you'll have fun.

I think it's fine to know a more advanced bo kata. However for the competition I wouldn't say it would help you.

I always look for the same 5 elements in a kata: Power, Focus, Concentration, Balance, and Form. This would apply to Bo Ichi or some Matrix/Uber-Jedi kata.

The very nature of a more advanced kata means it's harder to get all 5 elements incorporated properly. Therefore, I've had to score some beginners lower for a more advanced kata than for, say, Bo Ichi.

I appreciate their determination but also consider it may be only ego. Either the kata performance is good or it's not. In that respect Bo Ichi is a great place to start.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

I'm as guilty as the next person of wanting to do the really cool stuff ASAP; but, honestly, if I maintain a sense of wonder no matter where my training is, I will be happy and feel cool.

When the time is right for me, I'll be doing the Matrix/Uber-Jedi kata and hanging in the air like Trinity. In the meantime, I'm Ichi all over and that's good, too.

 

[Navarre]

Yep, I agree. Eh, you should work all your katas consistently anyway.

So, the first bo kata you learned should pretty much always be the one you've done the most. My sensei, at 3rd degree black, won the Men's Black Belt Weapon Division against 9 competitors using Bo Ichi.

He wanted to show that it was the person who makes the kata, not the other way around. he was right.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

Last night's class was amazing!

Typically, I'm in a class with several many kids. Lately, though, Sensei's split the Thursday class into kids and big kids Last night, we had the addition of four karateka from a nearby Shotokan dojo. 2 adult BB, 1 junior BB and a young red.

As we were all adult, or mid to late teens in the class, we warmed up as we do normally; then paired off and worked on techniques. This may not sound strange to many of you; but, with all the little ones, class tends to be mostly basics and kata with sparring. Doing techniques was both strenuous and educational. I felt I recieved a lot more from class than usual.

I was fortunate enough to pair with a Shotokan BB about my age and build and learned quite a bit as I got pummeled. I am hoping this trend continues.

The Sensei of the visiting school also invited me (us) to visit his dojo, which I will do.

Man, I hurt today. That is good

 

[Randy Strausbaugh]

By the way, my infosource told me today that he was mistaken about the locale of the proposed upcoming tourney. It's supposed to be in Thailand, not Taiwan.
Sorry for passing bad info.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

Oh...I can't go there, either

 

[twendkata71]

First of all, Ko Sutemi Seiei Kan is not an off shoot of Shotokan,even though there are many elements of Shotokan that have been added over the years. It is an offshoot of the Koei kan style. Which Soke Madden Studied in Japan. Not Okinawa. During the 1950's and 60's.
Also with so many style being part of the organization, these styles have been blended in to develop the style further. I have been in the Ko Sutemi Seiei kan system for 25 years. I have been a student of Soke Madden for 17 years. Now, The original style that Ko Sutemi seiei kan comes,(Koeikan) comes from Okinawa originally. the Founder of Koei kan (Eizo Onishi) was a student of Kanken Toyama,from Okinawa. Soke Madden studied with Onishi directly and later with other masters in the Koeikan style. Then went his separate way for one reason or another in the late 60's Yes,at Soke Maddens dojo they do focus a lot on sport competition,but not all of the time. And many of us teaching the style teach karatedo as the total package. (self defense,kata,competition,research,etc.).
As far as Soke Maddens Jujitsu goes. His father was a merchant marine in the 20's and 30's and that is where while in Asian ports he studied Jujitsu from different teachers , Japanese and other. Before WWII broke out. He started teaching his son in 1942,along with boxing. Later on Soke Madden while in Japan studying karate do,was able to work on his Jujitsu training further and expand on what his father had started teaching him.
If you have any doubts of his qualifications. Visist his dojo. All of his certifications in karatedo and jujitsu,up to 8th dan were international organizations and Japanese organizations. Later after many years of being the same rank. He was given his 9th and later 10th dans from a group of his master students as well as several international organizations. He is in his 70's and fits the guidelines. He also has a 6th dan in Judo from the USJA. If you have anymore questions about the Ko Sutemi Seiei kan please feel free to ask.