Quoting "brian.lyall" <brian.lyall@...>:

> Hi to you all.
>
> May I ask please what the role of various Wado specific Kumite/Gumite
> plays within your clubs and personal experience? I'm specifically
> interested in set pattern Kumite, as opposed to Jiyu Kumite.
>
> I'd also like to know the historical importance of them, again within a
> Wado context.
>
> I'm becoming a little more familiar with Kihon Kumite, which appears to
> be standardised across many Wado organisations. But what of Ippon,
> Sanbon and Ohyo Kumite? This seems a little looser between
> organisations, clubs and countries.
>
> While my question is based somewhat on wanting to learn as much about
> Wado as is possible, there is also a syllabus element. Any thoughts on
> how Kumite contributes to building up an individuals skills over time
> is also appreciated.
>

Hi Brian,
You ask a couple of really big questions.

A long time ago the karate historian Brian Noble wrote in an article that
perhaps the true 'kata' of Wado were the kumite, while this perhaps has a grain
of truth in it, I think it is an over-simplification and underplays the
importance of kata within the Wado system. The kumite perhaps reveal elements
of the practicalities of the Wado system in a more overt way and although
formalised they they contain some real hands-on experiences.

Ohtsuka Sensei devised, revised and re-thought his kumite over his long
lifetime and introduced some excellent rules of logic for us all to follow.

You say the Kihon Gumite are standardised - I beg to differ. I can spot a Wado
Kai Kihon, a Wado Kyokusai Kihon and a Wado Renmei Kihon Gumite, they all have
their differences, not criticising it, it was inevitable there would be
differences.

Since the formulation of Ohtsuka Sensei's original Kumite Gata, Kihon Gumite,
Idori, Tanto Dori, Shinken Shirahadori other Sensei have added their own
extrapolations to construct their own syllabus - their objectives are to make
Wado logic accessible to their students in the best way possible. It's a
triumph of human design and a credit to their ingenuity and high level of
understanding.

As to your last question; the kumite drills are very, very important to
understanding Wado.

Tim Shaw
Essex UK
www.shikukai.co.uk

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