Martial Arts Magazine Australia

by Sensei Don Godwin

How many of us remember our first karate class? Although I can well remember watching one before I joined the club and can picture every detail of the dojo, the first few weeks were a blend of memories.

My best friend had started a month before, and I clearly recall we were standing in my backyard when he asked me to guess what he was doing. Naturally, I had no idea, and when he told me he had taken up karate, I was enthralled. With my mom’s permission, I went along to watch a class and straightaway decided it was for me. To this day, I have never forgotten Mom’s edict – “if you start this, don’t come back to me and say you want to quit.” (Some 25 years later she would ask me when I planned to stop training!)

I would like to say my friend continued with me on the journey, but he stopped shortly afterwards (although we are still friends!) and I settled into training with an Indian boy a few years younger, but far more experienced. Initially I was very tense, and he constantly berated me for jamming rather than deflecting with my blocks. My arms were black with bruises, but amazingly, I continued.

Like almost everyone, when I started, I did not know that there were different styles. My club practised Shukokai, and although Shukokai had been formed in 1949, I believe that my Sensei, Des Botes, and senior students like Sandy McCellan and Graham Campbell had trained in other styles. From what I understand, Sensei Kimura would run a course and entice other stylists to join Shukokai by getting them to hold a pad while he hit it. He amazed everyone with his phenomenal power and drew students in by offering to teach them how to do the same.

Unlike most students, I did not initially have ambitions to be a black belt. I just accepted that there were higher grades: Sandy was a brown belt and Graham was green, and the rest of us, as I recall, were white belts. I had no idea there were such things as gradings, but that was about to change!

Sensei advised us that a Japanese black belt would be ‘in residence’, for around two months. There was a course fee, which may have been quite steep; but I persuaded my parents to let me attend.

The Japanese black belt was none other than Sensei Kimura. The thing that struck me in the first class was the influx of new black belts, and although I didn’t know it at the time, I later discovered they had come up from South Africa specially to train with him.

Prior to the course, my techniques were delivered with an emphasis on power, from a deep stance and a hollow back. (a curve at the base of the spine) Sensei introduced me to the ‘double twist’ – where the hip was pulled back and then thrust forward, propelling the punching hand faster than the muscles in the arm could do on their own. In fact, the arm was relaxed until impact. The stance was slightly higher, and the back foot was turned inwards to 45 degrees.

We did a lot of gykazuki, Sensei’s theory being that indoctrination in one technique would flow to the rest. We were also introduced to the concept that impact = (mass x acceleration)². Meaning that although the weight of the fist was finite, any increase in speed would have an exponential effect.

We also did loads of pad work. Sensei Kimura had brought impact pads with him and each of the visiting black belts and adult students were invited to try out his punch. From the looks on their faces, the impact went straight through. I was relieved to be excused because I was too young. There were also lots of katas, including Tensho (After all, the course was directed at black belt level).

There was a grading at the end of the course. This was before the introduction of the extra grades we have today, so a white belt was 6th kyu. I was going on holiday shortly before the course ended and optimistically thought I might miss the grading (I was terrified), but Sensei arranged a special grading for me and Lionel Marinus (now 9th Dan), who was heading back to Johannesburg. Sensei Lionel was going for 2nd Dan and of course he passed, to great applause from the group. Sensei Kimura then turned to go out, leaving me to think that I had failed. Then he turned round and pointed at me,

“You – Little One,” he said, pause, “5th kyu!” More applause! I was pretty pleased with myself.

Don Godwin (5th Dan Shukokai) instructs in Karrinyup. He has been training with Shukokai for over 50 years and teaching for 40. Shukokai is a fast, practical style and female friendly. Contact Don on 0450 772 846 to arrange 2 weeks free training.