The Bubishi Karate Do Organization, Inc. (Not-For-Profit) New York, USA, 1995
Editor: Katherine Loukopoulos Email: kloukopoulos2001@yahoo.com
Issue # 31 May 2015 Š 2015 Katherine Loukopoulos
The Cover Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, and often extended to refer to the clock and the clock tower. Address: Westminster, London SW1A 0AA, United Kingdom Opened: 1859 Height: 316' (96 m) Architectural style: Gothic Revival architecture Architect: Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin Source: Wikipedia
Editorial Something to think about… When we enter the dojo we leave our shoes outside with the points pointing out towards the door. This gesture indicates that along with our shoes we leave out our egos, our problems and our triumphs. We leave out who we are, and who we think that we are. Ill intentions and negative vibes are all pointing to the dojo exit. We enter the dojo pure and free of all conceptions and ornamentations. We bow to those already in the dojo and we proceed to change into our white karate gi. Our white karate gi also has the significance of purity; that is, white being the color worn by priestesses in the not so long ago Japan. Now we are ready to learn. WRONG! As soon as we step on the training floor we look to see what still needs to done. Are the mirrors cleaned? Has the floor been wiped? Are there any empty water bottles lying around in hard to see places? Pick them up and throw them out! A dojo is a place of enlightenment. It is the place where we build our character and hone our technical skills. A dojo is not a Sports Club or a Health Center where we can stop when we feel tired, come and go as we please, and offer little or no assistance to our Sempai or Kohai. A dojo is a community where everybody works. A dojo is an excellent place where we learn humility. We are not mere ‘copy cats’ of Japanese behavior. In that we fail completely if we do not feel the essence of ‘REI’. Most karateka offer ‘Rei’ and mouth lots of ‘OSS’; however, one only needs to see how they walk and talk to easily ascertain lack of humility. People who lack humility tend to anger easier and angry people tend to make poor decisions. The Sensei of the dojo is not there to cater to students’ needs. The Sensei takes the students and pounds them through rigorous physical training to reach their maximum capacity and subsequently, to surpass it.
If there is lack of humility, it is better for the Sensei to ask the student to leave; or, the Sensei simply to walk away. One reason why a Sensei is well advanced in age and with decades of experience under his belt, it is because he is responsible for what the students become as human beings. A Sensei cannot teach effectively someone who is not humble. It is like an artist who tries to draw on thin air. Next time when we go to the dojo let’s give a little more attention to what needs to be done. It matters little if you do more than other students. We don’t compare ourselves to other students’ contributions as each one of us is responsible for our own personal martial arts character development. We need to do our part every time we enter the dojo regardless of how we feel and if we are in the mood for cleaning or not.
Our Friends Abroad… St. Pölten, Austria – Round II
Surprised when Manfred Tiefenbach Sensei and his family waited for me by the luggage section in order to greet me… Mar 5th
Heartfelt reception by Kristin Wieninger’s Super Mom Ms. Sommer, and Erhard Kellner Sensei of ZentaiRyu Hak at Vienna’s Airport. Mar 5th
Dedicated three hours on how the hip rotates in just one technique‌ they got it! Mar 6th
I work for Chinese food and everybody knows it!
Commemorated seven hours training with Shushi no Kun Dai! Mar 7th
Champions in the making…
Rehearsal for our 2nd YouTube Video Clip… it’s a secret… we’ll finish it in December!
Simply wonderful
Practicing Kumi Bo is part of the curriculum‌
When I am not looking… this is what they do…
Having fun it’s in the plan…
Received a special gift… it’s called Waldviertler Mohnzelten and it is made out of potatoes and poppy seeds…
Looks like this and it’s delicious!
Everyone gives me chocolate! Left to right: Robert Goslbauer Sensei, (me), Gunther Prisching and Nathalie Prisching
After seven hours of hard work we also had time for a group photo‌ March 8th
Thank you Kellner Sensei! 38 participants from 13 karate clubs participated in 17 hours of intensive training with the Bo! 24 participants tested and passed to Roku Kyu! Congratulations! Peter Revucky, Maximilan Baumann, Marcus Michalitsch, Sascha Steinkrauss,Rudolf Zampa, Michael Mitterbock, Roland Hosele, Verena Kofinger, Stefan Trumpf, Gunther Prisching, Nathalie Prisching, Walter Hofstatter, Andrea Bucher, Daniel Fiala, Monika Hipsch, Deborah Horlein, Karl Horlein, Andreas Huber, Nadine Kramer, Victoria Ott, Sebastian Schuster, Elisabeth Thajer, Philipp Mayer and Josef Renz. Three participants tested and passed to Go Kyu! Congratulations! Michael Kompek, Stefan Haiden and Kristin Wieninger.
17 hours of intensive training comes to an end with a grand dinner, diplomas and certificates!
Am I really that short?
BANZAI! Rudolf Zampa Sensei opened his own Jundokan Goju Ryu Karate Do Dojo!
AUSTRIAN KOBUDO KATA CHAMPIONSHIPS 2015 Men: Michael KOMPEK & Women: Kristin WIENINGER – Gold Medalists
Stefan Haiden during competition‌
AUSTRIAN KOBUDO KATA CHAMPIONSHIPS 2015 Men: Bronze Medalist
Jindokai Dallington at Northampton, United Kingdom
Ying met Yang when Stephen Chan Sensei picked me up from London’s Airport! Apr 3rd
Left to right: Steve Taplin Sensei, Ranka Primorac Sensei and Jindokai Mastermind, Stephen Chan Sensei struck a pose in front of Dallington Fitness Leisure & Wellbeing Club where Dan Promotions and Bo Seminars would take place on Apr 4th & 5th!
Jindokai’s Dallington Director, Steve Howe Sensei, did a superb job on keeping us moving…
Left to right: Brian Rogers Sensei, Steve Taplin Sensei, Stephen Chan Sensei and Hutan Ashrafian Sensei were the judges for this prestigious Dan Testing! Apr 4th
Nikos Theodorou gives his best in Seidokan’s Gojushiho…
Congratulations Nikos Theodorou!
BANZAI! Roku Dan!
Here we go… now it’s my part… First, described how the hip works…
And then, we did it!
Everybody likes some fighting!
And… more fighting…
This is much easier than kata‌
Shotokan veterans also got into the action‌
We broke off into teams, and even had a chance to perform‌
We got it together‌
We are most grateful to Steve Howe Sensei who with his students offered us an outstanding event and warm hospitality! Dinner at the Fox & Hounds Restaurant gave me a first experience of English cuisine and loved it! I am most grateful to Stephen Chan Sensei for his invitation to share Shushi no Kun Sho with his students and to witness the Dan Promotions. It was a job well done!
I would like to thank Mr. Peter Evans and his wife Ms. Vicky Harding Was Tobin who came to meet with me, and who stayed both days observing the seminars. I relied on Ms. Vicky for all the photos taken and she sent them all in 19 emails‌ Your kind words and strong encouragement is not forgotten, and your suggestions will be implemented‌
News from our neighborhood…
New Year’s First Training: Anfisa Zaichenkina and Dr. Dimitrios battle with each other in -3 Degrees! Jan 5th
Santa made a last minute stop… Jan 13th Georgios Orditis Sensei has opened the doors of his Soo Bahk Do dojo, and we are able to host events and mutually progress… we are most grateful for his generosity… Location: Al. Asimakopoulou 10, Agios Dimitrios, 17342, Athens, Greece Email: orditisg_sbd@yahoo.gr
Tunfa I - Three hours dedicated to Tunfa basic movement… Dec 14th, 2014
Tunfa I - Studied the Tunfa – PR 24 Connection… Dec 14th, 2014
Tunfa II - We memorized Hamahiga no Tunfa in just three hours! Jan 18th
Surprise! The following members made the first step in Ryu Kyu Kobudo and were awarde Roku Kyu: Georgios Orditis Sensei, Antonis Tzounis, Andriopoulos Stamatis Sensei, Nikolaos Girginoudis, Stergios Stergiou Sensei, Sotiris Kazakis, Pavlos Logothetis, Ioannis Kaloudis, Ioannis Papagiannakopoulos, George Agas, and Vasilis Triantafillos Sensei. Jan 18th
Nikos Girginoudis and Stamatis Andriopoulos Sensei had their first rooftop experience! Feb 6th
Carnival Time in Greece! George Orditis Sensei offered fun and games for the dojo’s young warriors and their friends‌ Feb 20th
Adults had some fun also‌ Feb 20th
Modest Birthday Celebration for Dr. Dimitrios Zaharopoulos‌ Feb 26th
Review + Attention to Detail x 10,000 Reps = Success!
Nikos Theodorou applied his hip! BANZAI!
Three hours of grueling Bo and Tunfa training all in an effort to assist Dr. Zaharopoulos and Ms. Zaichenkina on their test day. Thank you George Orditis Sensei, George Agas, Ioannis Papagiannakopoulos, Nikolaos Girginoudis, Stamatis Andriopoulos Sensei, and Ioannis Kaloudis. A special ‘thank you’ goes to Nikos Theodorou who assisted with today’s event. Although serious looking, we had much fun!
Dr. Dimitrios Zaharopoulos achieved San Kyu in Ryu Kyu Kobudo! Mar 1st
Anfisa Zaichenkina achieved Ni Kyu in Ryu Kyu Kobudo! Mar 1st
John Kaloudis, the youngest member of the group, gets another present‌
Ioannis Samouelian and his partner Spiros Flourakis once again exceeded expectations and entertained us with their duo guitar classical music... amazing talent! Mar 21st
100 Kobudo Kata Challenge was met within three hours with Haku Sho no Kun!
Halfway Point! Only 50 more to go! Mar 29th
We did it! 100 Reps of Haku Sho no Kun! BANZAI! Mar 29th
KUDOS to Mr. Pavlos Logothetis (Shorinji Ryu practitioner) who achieved Shodan in Shotokan with Grivaritis Sensei. April 8th
End of a three hour Kobujutsu Class! This time the eldest member got the gift! Apr 19th
Antonis Tzounis (Uechi Ryu) is busy conducting research in Seoul, Korea until the end of May. Afterwards, he will reward himself with two weeks of pure karate… Where else? Okinawa! Jealous?
Afterthoughts... After a promotion takes place, students do not leave from the dojo. They stay and they take care of what needs to be done. Afterwards, they continue to train. Some students will learn the next kata, if not all, at least some part of the kata. Others will stay to assist those who just passed onto the new grade. On Okinawa, it is unthinkable to take a ‘vacation’ right after a promotion. When a student passes a test and is now on a new grade, there is an unspoken vow that the student will work extra hard with renewed dedication and vigor and will give more than his best effort to surpass himself… how can he possibly take ‘time off’ to rest? When a student takes ‘time off’ from training right after a test, the Okinawan teacher tends to lose heart… I’ve seen it many times… Something to think about…
“You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.” Napoleon Bonaparte