Episode 20 - Interview with Nakamura Tetsuji

Last episode we talked about Goju-ryu, IOGKF and its current chief instructor - Nakamura Tetsuji sensei. That episode (like most of this podcast) was in Hebrew, but you can read most of what we talked about here.

Nakamura sensei was gracious enough to let us interview him during his stay in Israel for a gasshuku.

This is what we asked him:

1:47 - How important is to be familiar with Okinawan culture for the understanding of Karate?

2:44 - What can you tell us about the history of Karate and connection to Chinese martial arts?

4:23 - What is your opinion about changing and creating new Kata(s)?

6:00 - How do you see your role as chief instructor of IOGKF?

7:30 - What should we take from modern sports and sports science? What should we leave at its traditional way?

8:50 - Do you start at some point inventing new drills and understanding? At what point?

10:50 - Do you feel you need to adjust the way you teach in Western countries as opposed to Japan?

13:05 - How is teaching a large group of students different from teaching in your dojo?

14:25 - When you teach at your own dojo, how do you teach principles without explaining too much?

16:20 - What is your training regime?

17:50 - Did your training regime change since becoming chief instructor?

18:20 - How about Higaonna sensei's training regime?

21:25 - What kept you going in the first six months in Okinawa - training by yourself without knowing what will happen?

24:30 - What was the point when you decided to commit your life to karate?

27:10 - Are there two separate paths - for amateurs and for professionals?

28:45 - How do you deal with the fact that some black belts are more gifted and have a better technique than others?

31:00 - Finale remarks by Nakamura sensei.

Many thanks to all of the listeners who posted questions. We tried to ask them all, but there were just too many!

Hello to all of our new, English speaking listeners. Most of our episodes are in Hebrew, but every now and then we will have an English episode, so stay tuned.

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