Seminar with Ushiro Sensei (Ushiro Karatedo) 10-24 & 10-25

Seminar with Kenji Ushiro, 8th Dan, Kyoshi of Ushiro Karetedo

Kenji Ushiro Sensei teaches a style of Okinawan Karate called Ushiro Karatedo. Ushiro Sensei is an 8th dan Kyoshi of Ushiro Karetedo and 7th dan Kyoshi of Iaido, All-Japan Kendo Federation. His teacher, Nikichi Zaha, learned Okinawan karate from his own father, who was the direct student of Sokon Matsumura, as well as from his elder brother, Jiro Zaha, one of the top students of Chosin Chibana. Matsumura and Chibana were pivotal figures in the development of modern Okinawan karate. Zaha Sensei learned from many famous kareteka such as Shinpei Tawada.

Ushiro Sensei's mastery of ki, as expressed through his karate, is at a level rarely seen in the world of martial arts. He is a highly sought-after instructor in Japan and author of several books on martial arts. His second book, Karate and Ki, has recently been released in an English version (reading this book before the seminar is strongly recommended).

Ushiro Sensei will be teaching the second of two seminars in New York in 2009. This will be your final opportunity to train with Ushiro Sensei in the United States this year. This seminar is a rare opportunity for any style of martial artist to work on increasing the ability to generate and use internal power in the execution of an art. Registration for this event is mandatory and training spaces for this event are expected to fill-up quickly.

Where: Aikido Arts of Shin-Budo Kai
185 Adams Street
Bedford Hills, New York 10507
Http://www.aasbk.com
Sensei@aasbk.com
914 - 242 - 3636

When: Saturday, October 24, 2009: 9am. - Noon & 2:30pm. - 4:30pm.
Sunday, October 25, 2009: 9am. - Noon & 2:30pm. - 4:30pm.

Costs: Both days: $250 ($200 if registration and payment received before 9/1/09).
One day: $150 ($125 if registration and payment received before 9/1/09).
* ASK ABOUT GROUP DISCOUNTS!*

Accommodations: Arrangements will be made with the Holiday Inn in Mount Kisco, New York to provide the best prices possible for rooms. There is a limited availability of attendees being hosted at no charge by my students. These arrangement must be made directly with Marc Abrams Sensei well in advance of the seminar dates.

*Preference will be given to both day participants so as to allow for continuity in the training experience*

I would like to extend my thanks to everybody across this country, Canada and Japan who attended this seminar. Without question, this was the finest and most profound seminar to date. Ushiro Sensei was very pleased by the high number of returnees to this regular event. He was happy to see positive changes in the level of returnees and was motivated by this observation to begin teaching us the true foundations of Shindoryu.

The entire weekend was focused on the introduction to Sanchin and Naifanchin kata. He taught us these katas with the grounding points of our how we use our vision/sight, how we maintain our posture and how we breathe. He taught how proper kata movement was a fundamental base from which kumite should be based upon. His clear and concise instructions allowed everybody to walk away from the seminar with clear goals and paths in order to proceed with this type of training.

Ushiro Sensei has re-affirmed his commitment to building Shindoryu in America. Next year's seminar dates are:

1) May 15 & 16, 2010
2 October 23 & 24, 2010

I hope that attendees can return again next year, bringing along friends, family, students and teachers. We will try and arrange informal practices between now and May so that we can share our progress and insights as we continue on this path.

Cordially,

Marc Abrams

Marc,

It was a very good experience indeed on and off the mat. I agree that Ushiro Sensei did a great job in ensuring that we walked away with a decent understanding of Sanchin and Naifanchin kata, enough were I beleive we have the ability to practice them on our own.

His emphasis on connecting the movements of the kata with breathing and sight/vision were key and he did an outstanding job in ensuring that we can apply this I believe.

I am planning now to be at the next one and highly recommend this seminar to anyone that is looking to expand there understanding of budo!

Thank you for affording us all this special opportunity, it is alot of work to bring a Shihan of his caliber over to the US with an entourage of ushideschi! It just doesn't happen overnight and not without a lot of hard work and effort.

The fact that he has committed already to dates next year says alot about you and your dojo!

one more thing....

On another thread we are discussing that seminars should be more than just watching a three ringed circus of cool stuff.

I think what was really great about this seminar is the fact that you left there with some good "take aways". If you can't at least do sanchin kata decently, then something is wrong.

Ushiro Sensei did a wonderful job explaining the kata and emphasizing how and why you do it the way you do it. For folks looking for things to incorporate into their own practice that will improve their ability to learn aiki...there was alot presented by Ushiro Sensei with structure that will allow you to train solo in a standardized way that can be replicated over and over again until you meet up with a group again in the future for improvement.

When you go to seminars, this is what is important once you leave...being able to replicate the conditions without constant guidance.

Video footage of the Seminar from AIki News.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng5eiuW3TnI