In search of wado ryu.

[oneya]

Not to steal the thunder from AJ's Takahashi thread because his lineage looks interesting and of some substance but it did cause me to go to youtube where I found this.

http://www.youtube.com/user/donatellagiacchetto

It sorta has a wado flavour but I do not recognise the kata or kumite.

oneya

[karateman7]

I'm by no means experienced enough or qualified to comment, but I'll say I really liked it. Seeing the exaggerated stances was a little weird, but everything looked like it was at the very least hard-trained karate.

[Tim49]

It looked interesting and certianly on a different plane than the pinan nidan we were discussing earlier.

I checked it out on Google, it seems to be the brain child of a Mr Gallo in Italy. His lineage seems to suggest that he has been influenced by several lines of thought from various Japanese Wado Sensei dotted across europe, whether these different approaches are compatible I don't know, difficult to tell from a few tiny video clips. On their website they mention the influence of AJ's late departed Sensei. AJ, have you come across Mr Gallo or his students?

Tim

[WadoAJ]

It looked interesting and certianly on a different plane than the pinan nidan we were discussing earlier.

I checked it out on Google, it seems to be the brain child of a Mr Gallo in Italy. His lineage seems to suggest that he has been influenced by several lines of thought from various Japanese Wado Sensei dotted across europe, whether these different approaches are compatible I don't know, difficult to tell from a few tiny video clips. On their website they mention the influence of AJ's late departed Sensei. AJ, have you come across Mr Gallo or his students?

Tim

Hi Tim,

I have not heard of his name. A name frequently mentioned was Mr. Gai, but this was mainly because of politics within WadoKai EU. As for their movement, from what I see here there is nothing that resembles my sensei's teachings. He did used to teach in Italy about annually and he has stayed their for some period but not as extensively as in France and Holland. It is my guess that they have shopped around at some of his seminars.

AJ

[oneya]

So, call me a Neddy Ludd if you like but I cannot see any rhyme or reason for something as meaningless as Zansho Dai or Zansho kumite when the wado ryu seems to have the facility to be all things to all men - and then some left for bubble and squeak ( sorta like Hash Browns for the uninitiated). I can only assume they never really understood why there were only nine wado ryu kata in the Okinawan tradition - and half a dozen or so extra to perfect in their spare time.. And that's without touching the other side of the story..??

oneya

[WadoAJ]

just googled and found their website. I noticed pictures on the topright and recognized my sensei. One time with a "white" belt. Judging the image it must have been in the 90s. the other one with Takashima sensei is shot in ca. 2002 in my guess.

AJ

edit: http://www.pacikarateclub.it/index.htm

[oneya]

I see from their website that from Suzuki onward in the early years..they have had exactly the same Japanese sensei that most of us here have had in the past,

Their only difference seems to be the developments with the Zansho series.

A quote from the website:-

KATA ZANSHO (name that evokes an ancient heroic warrior Japanese) is a kata full of new ideas, movements
technical directions and applications.

ZANSHO KUMITE:

"Exploiting now the principle of evasive action is apply the most classic style with parades applications a bit 'more dynamic than the real ippon kumite original. Through the training of more you learn the basic positions of immediate reaction to counterattack, shortening the time between block and consequent reaction, often taking advantage of the initiative opponent. Throughout the duration of exercise is held in the utmost rigor of classical
performance (mental form, technique, physics). These yakusoku kumite are 14 and should be done in both guards. "


So perhaps a little like the Kumite gata series..?

oneya

[shep]

I didn't like the kata at all. It had all the hallmarks and stances of a Shotokan kata with the performer attempting to take first place in a kata final. The kumite was a bit too staid for my liking.

shep

[oneya]

I didn't like the kata at all. It had all the hallmarks and stances of a Shotokan kata with the performer attempting to take first place in a kata final. The kumite was a bit too staid for my liking.

shep

I agree with you Shep and my comment was only alluding to the development of Zansho apparently being due to the need to add something to wado ryu to fill a gap that only they saw.

oneya

[wadoka]

At first I thought they might have had some contact with Academy courses/groups because of the shuto uke changing to teisho jodan movement, straight from Academy Ippon Kumite 6.

People coming up with more kumite pairworks, fine. But kata, I don't see the point. Just add more kumite pairworks if they rock ya boat.