Summer Camp '96

Summer of the Tiger, Dragon & Crane Martial Arts Festival
An ongoing schedule of events for the 1996 camp,
focusing on the new seminars to be offered and old favorites.

[Click here to fill out a camp application for the '96 Martial Arts Festival]

Group Seisan: 1993 Summer Camp

Kanmei Uechi teaching Seisan: 1993

Kanmei Uechi teaching the fine points of Sanchin arm positioning. 1993 Camp.

Art Rabesa demonstrating his "explosive" power principals.

A letter concerning the talents of Master Rick Clark:

I attended a vital point seminar of Rick Clark's Sat. Dec. 10th in Port Washington Wi. It was well worth attending and I learned a lot.

Master Clark stressed the importance of looking at your katas and techniques from a different perspective. To be flexible in your interpretation of the individual movements and their applications in regards to vital points. Once you know where the points are and the angle of attack needed to hit them, kata movements take on new meaning. I have a lot of work ahead of me breaking down my katas and studing their moves in light of this information.

Master Clark is very knowledgable in this area and puts on a highly informative seminar. He has a very relaxed manner and uses humor to help ease the slight discomfort you feel from having your vital points struck. :^) His session was well run. He was always in control. He allows time to try techniques to make sure you are doing it correctly, answers your questions. Provides time for your points to recover by covering locking, control, and take down techniques, as well as history and theory.

I had never been to this school before and knew no one there. I obtained the time and location from the cyberdojo. I was made to feel very welcome by both Master Clark and the host Tom Hollrith. My style of karate Uechi-ryu, was not their style, (Tom Hollrith Il-Yo Taekwondo/Judo, Rick Clark everything :^)) it didn't matter, we were all there to learn.

I liked the seminar, I learned very much. I would attend another. I give it my highest recomendation. I thank Rick Clark for taking the time to teach these techniques. I also thank Tom Hollrith's Il-Yo Taekwondo Ltd. for hosting the seminar and allowing me to attend.

All of the above comments are IMOHO (in my own humble opinion).

Thanks, Jerry Becker beckerg@vms.csd.mu.edu

Dear Mattson Sensei,

Once again I'd like to say that it was a pleasure and honor to meet with you and share some time talking about Okinawa and it's Marital Arts. You are a very well known and popular figure in the Uechi History, both in America and Okinawa.

I am now in Denver, Colorado and have been very busy with my Kobudo Seminars. I have four more seminars before I end up in San Francisco and head for China. Hope the squabble with Taiwan is over by then.

I will be back in the states by July to Continue my seminars. I will be in the Boston area on my way to Puerto Rico in August. It will be a great privilege to demonstrate our Okinawan Kobudo at your Summer Camp. Thank you very much, again, for the invitation. I have discussed it with the club at UMass and New York and I'm sure we could put on a good show for you and have lots of fun. I'll call you when I reach San Francisco and confirm with you.

What I have enclosed is some information so that you will be more familiar with me and what I do. I hope its useful.

Well, I'm looking forward to seeing you again. I hope I will return from China with something to share with you. Until then, all the best.

Sincerely,
Kimo Wall

A Brief History of Kodokan

Kimo Wall sensei began studying Okinawa Gojo-ryu karate in 1949 and Kobudo (the ancient weapons art of Okinawa) in 1956, in Hawaii. In 1961, Kimo sensei joined the Marine Corps and, while stationed in Okinawa, he trained karate and Kobudo in Higa Seiko sensei's dojo, where Matayoshi Shinho sensei taught Kobudo Kimo sensei became a friend of both families . . a sincere and lasting friendship that continues to this day. It was also at this time that, in addition to studying karate with Higa sensei, Kimo sensei was able to train under Matayoshi sensei and Kina Seiko sensei, both of whom had been students of Miyagi Chojun sensei.

In the 1970's after leaving the Marine Corps, Kimo sensei established his own school, Kodokan. To honor Matayoshi sensei, who had been his most influential and respected teacher, Kimo sensei asked and received permission to use the name Kodokan, the name of Matayoshi sensei's school in Okinawa. It was at this time also the Kimo sensei established karate and Kobudo dojos in Puerto Rico, New York, Guatemala, and California, all the while maintaining strong ties and regular contact with his Okinawan teachers. Many of Kimo sensei's students from the 1970's have now established dojos of their own.

In the early 1980's, Kimo sensei began teaching for the Physical Education department at the University of Massachusetts. . . Now there are Kodokan dojos in Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, California, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, and Japan. Kimo sensei regularly conducts seminars at these dojos and throughout the United States.

Kodokan Kobudo Subjects:

Papohaku sho, Papohaku dai, Choun no kon, Sakugawa no kon, Tsuken no kon, Suishi no kon, Shishi no kon, Sai, Tonfa, Nunchiyaku, Ueku, Kuwa, Kama, Tinbei, Nunti, Chizikun bo, Sansetsukon, Manji sai, Kashaku bo, Tama Tetsu, Tekko, Surachin, Utso bo, Papohaku sho bunkai, Papohaku dai bunkai, Sai-Bo bunkai, Nunchiyaku kumite, Bo-Bo bunkai kumite. Also Hakutsuru, Kakuho, Sochin, Paranku and Naifuanchin.

Dear George,
As you requested, I am giving you a little information regarding my seminar at your '96 camp. I can teach a class in either J.K.D. trapping hands or Filipino Arnis. I would be willing to do a class of each if you'd like. Or a two part, beginner and advanced the next day.

For the J.K.D. trapping hands, I would teach a series of two man exercises that are referred to as Cross-Energy Drills. They teach students to remain loose in techniques while increasing hand speed and coordination. They also help students to understand "trapping range" which is neglected in a lot of dojos.

If you wish to see Arnis as part of the program, I would be inclined to teach the weapons aspect of this art. Either stick or knife, although knife would be my preference. Primarily, understanding how to use the blade and taking this knowledge to empty hand defenses against the weapon.

If you need more information, just call me. I am a black belt in both arts and have advanced level instructor's licenses in each. Feel free to schedule as few or many sessions as you need. I am sure by now you know I fully support you and the organization.

.... Sincerely,
Raffi A. Derderian, Jr.

George:

After all the address changes I hope I have the proper one. My thoughts about doing a presentation for this year's camp are as follows:

There are two areas in which I done some small investigation. I have been working as a law-enforcement trainer for some years now, and I think there is a lot of work to be done on adapting traditional martial arts to the needs of law enforcement. When I began teaching, I was amazed at the low esteem in which cops tended to hold the martial arts. Although they had a constellation of complaints, most of them were a function of "that stuff is too complicated and doesn't work". Well, training is complicated, and does require a committment, and some funds, both of which many police lack, but I have always felt that the underlying problem is a presumption on the part of law enforcement, that martial arts has ceased to concern itself with the practical. (This, by the way is a point of view with which I have some sympathy. This is why I have always resisted tournament competition) Anyway, to get the the meat of the issue, I could easily do a segment on adapting traditional uechi ruy to the needs of law enforcement.

Secondly, and to my mind, a more fertile ground for Summer Camp, is to draw some parallels between aikido technique and uechi ryu. There is enormous compatibility between the two systems, (at least the way Saotome sensei teaches, and the way I have always looked at uechi ryu). In general I find that there is much in aikido which is really atemi (striking) but is hidden to look like a throw, and there is much in uechi-ryu which is really unbalancing and take-downs, but which is disguised to look like a strike. I believe both systems are mature and complete, but quite cryptic. One is almost the compliment of the other.

This latter topic would be my preference, and as I indicated probably the most interesting for most of the students. If this interests you, please let me know. I would consider this a professional obligation between us, however, we can speak more about that if you find my presenting to be worthwhile.

Meanwhile, all the best.

Bob Galeone

Larry Tan will be back this year, teaching seminars on Chinese Martial Arts systems.

The first year Larry attended the camp, (1993), he had to return to New York Sunday morning to help his wife deliver their first child. In spite of abbreviated session, Larry made lots of friends and advocates of his unique "dazzling" hands style. Don't miss his educational and exciting program.

Bob Bethoney teaches a seminar on effective sparring techniques.

Okinawan Traditional Dance and how it relates to the Martial Arts. 1993

Ed Huff and his popular Dan Kumite Seminar.

And the lesson worked! Two camp participants practice the Dan Kumite takedown.

Noah Mandell's very popular seminar on Chinese Medicine.

More Summer Camp Pictures by Clicking Here....

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