THE FAMILY
As a result of the current lockdown, for better or worse the whole family have been stuck at home together and will remain so until this Sunday. With the kids disgruntled with their homeschooling, and the missus working hard away in the living room, I told them to have a break and watch the Olympics with me. Well today happened to be the first day of the Women's Kata and Kumite events. I thought, why not - sit back and enjoy a glass of wine while spectating world class athletes do their thing.
I'll share my opinions and miscellaneous in Part 2 - but after listening to the family's comments while watching everything, just thought I had to share some :) In no particular order :
Do you have to scream that loud in kata?
Geeees, how long was that kiai Dad...?
I don't think the commentators really know what they're are talking about, and that English accent.......
What's she waiting for?
Haay Dad, why do they always stop after a punch?
The commentator's Japanese pronunciation is worse than mine..
Why are they bouncing so much?
Why don't they just hit each other?
The majority of the above that relate to actual karate is exactly what I tell the kids NOT to do, so it must have been confusing for them to see one thing, while I tell them to do another. In a way, I do think it was a positive for them to understand and see the clear difference between sports karate and budo karate.
THE COMMENTATORS
By the end of the day, I was exhausted from having listened to what the commentators were saying but thought quite a few remarks were worthy of taking notes of. Anyway, here were some that caught my attention.
Note: I'm sure you can replay everything on the net so go and listen/watch for it yourselves.
1) "All of these kata origins lead back to masters such as Yamaguchi, ......"
(The TV copped a good red wine spraying - these newly Olympic recognised-pulled- from-the-sky katas that seemed to be popular today is a time for another discussion, oh and katas that lead back to masters such as....... oh dear me...)
2) "Karate provides self-discipline and ..... "
(Wish it provided me self-discipline all those years ago...I still don't and can't offer it)
3) "It's important that she performs that punch and block clearly... "
(Gotta get them points)
4) "From competitor, to the transitions of higher rank, to becoming a referee - that takes a lifetime of..........."
(Yep, study karate a lifetime so I can achieve a higher rank and become a ref!)
5) "That kiai says it all.... brilliant... That kiai says I'm the double world champion."
(So the louder and longer the kiai, the better chance I have of winning gold? Thanks for the tip champ!)
6) The level of complexity has taken that next step....
(Regardless of what style or kata, I honestly don't think any are physically that complex compared to an art such as WUSHU or Shaolin Kung-fu..... just my thoughts.....)
Ok ladies and gents, I'll leave you with a few pics from a few days ago. The two OGKK vice-presidents were helping out with the Spanish competitors in the Olympics.....
All photos courtesy of Gojun Kan Onaga.
