Wado Ryu in Adelaide, South Australia
What is
Wado Ryu
Wado Ryu means the school of the “way of harmony”.
The founder of the style, Master Hironori Otsuka, said that:
The path of martial arts is the path for peace. By mastering the path
of martial arts, which is that path of peace and desiring the path of peace
consequently, is indeed the true path of the martial arts. The essence of the
path of martial arts lies in the peace and happiness of all human beings.
Wado Ryu is often thought of a being one of the major
schools of karate but it is actually a blend of Okinawan karate and Japanese jujutsu.
The karate element is mainly derived from Shotokan karate. Hironori Otsuka
was one of the principal students of Gichin Funakoshi (the founder of
Shotokan); but he also trained with Kenwa Mabuni (the founder of Shito Ryu),
and with Chōki Motobu.
However, before commencing his karate training, Ōtsuka was already
a master of Shindō Yōshin-ryū jujutsu.
Syllabus
To stay as close as possible to the traditional form of Wado
Ryu, the syllabus prepared by and used by Professor Tatsuo Suzuki (Hironori Otsuka's most senior student) in the
United Kingdom in the 1980's will be employed and includes:
- · Basic techniques
- · Combinations of techniques
- · Kata (being predefined movements that cover martial principals and techniques)
- The kata covered will be the five Pinan katas as well as Kushanku, Naihanchi, Seisan, Bassai, and Chinto
- · Kihon Gumite (basic sparring techniques)
- · Ohyo Gumite (semi-free sparring techniques)
- · Ji Yu Kumite (free sparring).
- The late great Sensei Tatsuo Suzuki said that:
- Free sparring could be said to be the essence of perfect skill in Karate. Therefore, it is not only useless for beginners to practice it, but also dangerous. It is wrong that some beginners practice free sparing without first acquiring the essential basic techniques. As a Japanese proverb says, ‘The longest way round is the shortest way home’. If you hurry in training you will not make progress beyond a certain limit.
- Defence against knife attack
Here is a clip of Sensei Suzuki giving a demonstration:
For further
information contact: wadoryuadelaide@yahoo.com
