GKA Newsletter

Editor: Can you please tell us about yourself and your experience in martial arts?

My earliest recollection was around 14 years of age, I bought Mas Oyama's book "Vital Karate" and went straight to "breaking bricks" in the school yard. The bricks were for building the new school annex. Very soon, I got sick of the sore hands and feet from the breaking, which is probably why I did not join a proper class until about 7 years later.
One night I tagged along to a karate class with some uni mates who were training and joined straight away.
A few weeks later I changed to a dojo closer to home and found out half the students in this class where members of the "Hell's Angels" bikies. For some crazy reason I stayed. It was an experience and considering, I got off lightly over those years: with only one black eye, a kick in the nuts, a cut lip and I learnt lots of diplomacy skills.
Some years later I received Nidan grading from a visiting Japanese instructor. By this time I was affiliated as an instructor with another Goju organisation. This school had some interesting students including one future cop killer. Being the "new kid on the block", every time I went to instructors' training someone was trying to knock my block off. So I though I'd better get out of here... the Hell's Angels were gentlemen compared to these blokes.
In 1983 my wife and I were on holidays in Melbourne when I found out about Goju Kensha. I remember first ringing Sensei Jim Sumarac. It was Xmas holidays and I don't think he was keen on seeing some karate bum from Sydney. But I was a little persistent and he agreed to a meet. Then when I did meet with him I immediately got the impression that here was a person with an understanding and feel for the martial arts and one who wanted to share that knowledge. His family was also very friendly and hospitable. So that's the story.

Editor: Can you please briefly cover one or two of you most poignant or memorable experiences in your martial arts career?

In my first meeting with Sensei Jim. I remember first talking to him before he actually showed me any of his karate. He was saying how different Goju Kensha was from other goju styles. I thought, well how different could it be? I had been around and had seen most of the goju schools in Sydney and they all looked pretty similar. There was really only some small differences in the kata as far as I knew. Well, after that first lesson, he made me realise that something had been missing in my learning especially in the bunkai. Thinking back now, I probably knew but it needed Sensei to bring it to the surface and to actually show me. He also introduced me to Tai Chi, Bagua and HsingI. Funny, I use to think Tai Chi was only for old farts but now realise the benefits that these arts can give to all martial artists. The first time I saw Ohtsuka sensei in Sydney was in 1986. Sensei Jim had organised for him to come up after visiting Melbourne with his instructor Sensei Morita as well as some of the Melbourne members and do a weekend seminar on Karunfa kata. I remember the first day he walked into the hall while everybody was already waiting inside. From the onset he seemed to have such presence. Like Toshiro Mifune in those samurai movies. I was taken back when he did not take off his sneakers at the door. And the first thing was to appologise for keeping them on because he had a foot injury and in any case it was not an Australian custom. That made me feel comfortable.... first time a Japanese instructor tried to win my respect through politeness. His instruction, over the two days on the kata and bunkai was outstanding, and to this very day I sense his influence whenever I perform that kata. Wont mention how I smashed my brother's car while Otsuka sensei was watching!!!! Must have really impressed him.

Editor: The HQ of our organisation is in Victoria. You are based in NSW and, I guess, seen as the representative of our organisation in Sydney. Can you describe some of the challenges involved?

Purely on the martial arts aspect the challenge is positive. The style is so rich in knowledge that as a teacher and student there is always something new to learn and to strive for. It is a pleasure and a privilege to be teaching & practicing Goju Kensha. Finding the hours in the day when you are juggling work, family and personal training with teaching and administration, now that is the challenge.

We are not a big group but we are close knit. At the moment there is only one school. Maybe in a few years some students will want to open new classes.

Editor: Do you have any advice for those who feel isolated at times, either because of their location or because of their situation in life at the time?

Suprisingly I've never really felt isolated. Sensei has been very helpful and makes himself readily available . We keep in contact fairly regularly and he gives me plenty to work on. I should add that I have also received help from his students over the years. Of course you have to put in the effort. I recall the early visits to Sensei James, we would leave Sydney around 8pm Friday and arrive at sensei's Saturday morning. Train for about 6hrs in total on Saturday and a couple of hours on Sunday morning then leave around noon for home. On the drive back to Sydney we would stop on the side of the Hume Hwy for a break and to refresh what sensei had taught us that weekend. Imagine what people driving past thought watching us practice on the side of the highway. Didn't have a movie camera then so we had to make certain we remembered everything. Then back to work on Monday. Thinking back now, I must have been nut case!

4)Buy the complete collection of Bruce Lee movies and learn to recite all his philosophical quotes and mimic his animals sounds and mannerisms.

James Sumarac, Kyoshi would like to announce that Wu Lin retreat is now open. To celebrate this, last year he held a black belt training camp and grading on the 23 of November.

From left to right, Damien Grzinic, Russell Cooke, Barry Stute, Peter Schang, Cameron Adrain, David Andrews, and Brad Orders.

This sorry looking bunch of karate students successfully graded on that day. We would like to congratulate Brad Orders, Peter Schang, and Cameron Adrain for achieving the level of 2nd Dan (Nidan), and Barry Stute, Damien Grzinic, Russell Cooke and David Andrews for achieving the level of 1st Dan (Shodan). In the dojo, a 2nd Dan is officially referred to as 'di sensei', meaning assistant instructor, even though we generally call them 'sempai' as there is usually a senior instructor present, and a 1st dan is referred to as 'sempai' which means senior grade or can also mean assisting the instructor.

Strength training is too broad an area to discuss in detail in this forum, and I am far from an expert in the field, however masters coaching has taught me how muscular strength affects not only our sport (in this case martial arts), but our every day lives. In this article, I will concentrate on how strength training benefits us in general, and the types of training we can do. Remember, before attempting any exercise regime, consult your professional medical or health advisor.

The purpose of our muscles is to support our skeletal system, and to provide movement, and what many people don't realise, it provides support during movement. A physiotherapist once explained to me, that too many people think of posture as the way we hold ourselves when we are stationary, usually standing or sitting. As much as it is important to sit and stand correctly, posture is also about how we hold ourselves during movement; a vital part of martial arts. How many times has an instructor talked about moving, so we can change direction easily, and yet maintain balance, and ability to generate power. A lot to consider at any point in your technique. This is where posture is all important, and muscular strength in posture really helps this. Yes, strength is also a factor when moving heavy objects, but unless you have to regularly move heavy objects, like a furniture removalist, we do not generally require this sort of strength in our every day lives. Being able to bench press 200 pounds is not what strength training is for and I think proves nothing (in my humble opinion), unless you are a power lifter, however lifting weights can be, and often is, a form of training.

As we do not rely on strength in our modern lifestyles, we really should do something to improve our muscular strength to help prevent lifestyle problems associated with poor posture (poor muscular strength). I find it ironic that I am writing about this, just having suffered a couple of restless nights with a stiff lower back, probably as a result lack of training over the past few weeks, rather than over training or injury. It's funny, people get sore backs or muscles and blame injury or over exercise too often, not lack of exercise or incorrect exercise.

So what can we do to improve muscular strength? I will share with you some things that I do, and other things you can do to help. Remember, before attempting any exercise regime, consult your professional medical or health advisor. First of all, remember to exercise all muscle groups in the body, including groups like forearm muscles that control hand movement, and lower leg muscles that control foot movement. This maintains balance. Remember to do any exercise carefully and warm up and cool down to prevent injury and stress to the body. One group of exercises to perform, are the ones that don't necessarily need special equipment: Pushups, situps, calf raises, squats (even in shiko-dachi), chinups, and many others, some of which you have probably seen in the dojo, including ones with a partner. Another group of exercises which are good, because they isolate each muscle group, are resistive exercises; this is the group weight training falls into. However this group of exercise often requires specialised, and sometimes expensive equipment. We can sometimes compromise and 'ad lib', by using a sand bag, or ankle/wrist weights, but be careful, ask your professional advisor before you ad lib to prevent injury. A couple of things I do on a regular basis are some weight training, and exercises specific to martial arts. Some specific exercises include, squats with hand weights, standing in shiko-dachi and other stances for extended lengths of time, pushups, situps, and variuos others. Strength training exercises usually involves a few sets, with rests in between, of repetative movements until the muscle being exercised fatigues.

Muscular strength is about how well our muscles support our skeletal system during movement, as well was stationary. It helps prevent injury, and if you exercise correctly, you don't have to lose flexability. With our modern lifetstyles, I feel it important to dedicate time to regular strength training. Strength training usually requires several sets of repetative movements until the muscle fatigues.