IKA / IMA & Graham Slater ARTICLES 2
Australiasian Fighting Arts magazine Vol 17 No 2
Slater of Shotokai joins Oz Karate Exports
From Shotokai Karate Australia
SHOTOKAI KARATE Australian Chief Instructor, Sensei Graham Slater (4th Dan) recently completed a very successful teaching and training tour to England and Thailand , joining the steadily growing band of Australian and New Zealand Martial Arts instructors whose knowledge and skills are in demand overseas.
In England, Graham's first stop was Trowbridge, in the Wilkshire region, where he was to teach many seminars. Trowbridge is the home base of Graham's cousin Andrew Wright, whom he introduced to Karate some seven years ago in 1986. Andrew was prompted to start some form of self defence by a severe beating by a sadistic attacker. And it was not as easy for Andrew to practice Karate as for some, because he suffers from cerebral palsy.
(Cerebral palsy is one type of disability which comes under the 'general' terminology of 'spastic', and is a result of damage to the brain due to a lack of oxygen during or after birth, or damage resulting from ,over zealous' use of forceps during delivery. The effects of this disability are that the motor and co-ordination control areas do not function correctly, which makes walking' balance, speech, hand/eye coordination and other functions slightly more difficult than normal and, in some cases, impossible. As with any disability there are also varying degrees of severity, ranging from 'hardly noticeable' to 'completely invalid'.
Where a person without disability would think nothing of standing on one leg, a person with this disability would, in most cases, have difficulty just standing, let alone performing anything complex. In spite of this disability, however, Andrew has achieved his Black Belt. In fact, he was graded by Japanese Sensei(s) to Nidan, and will shortly be testing for his Sandan. Andrew is presently running four dojo(s) in the Wilkshire region, with around 150 students. Graham Slater's visit to the region was to help develop the students and exchange ideas and techniques.
Part of Graham's teaching program was to cover Shotokai's eyes-closed practice, knife defenses, and power without effort. These elements were added to Andrew's extensive teaching process. After a week of virtually non-stop teaching, Graham was picked up by his Liverpool students Chris and Phil Berry, of Bootle (Liverpool), who were students of Graham in Australia about four years ago. Both Black Belts, Chris and Phil run the now official branch of Graham Slater's Shotokai Karate there, with around 25 students at the Bootle Stadium class. With additional support and interest from Graham, they are now looking to expand and open more dojo's.
Graham's program for the Liverpool students was very much street-orientated, as the instructors all work the doors of some pretty tough downtowns pubs and clubs. Covering knife defenses, locks and holds, pressure-points, close quarter fighting, attack anticipation, Ki development and kata, all helped improve the chances of survival.
"It was pleasing to report that my techniques were working well in the pubs and clubs, my students being able to more readily diffuse and control situations", Graham said.
Then, from Liverpool, it was off to Nottingham to meet with Sensei Vince Morris. Vince, a specialist in Kyusho Jutsu and Tuite (see separate report this issue) met with Graham and Phil to discuss Martial Arts in general, Vince's specialties in particular, and his Australian seminar teaching tour.
Upon leaving England it was off to hot and smokey Bangkok for a few days, to explore the training methods and ways of Muay Thai boxing. Graham had the opportunity to get ringside at one of the Muay Thai boxing stadiums, where the hard-fighting Thai's give it their all for hard earned bart (Thai currency).
Impact Australia magazine November 1994
International Karate do Alliance
The International Karate do Alliance or the IKA as it is referred to came about some two years ago from the work of Sensei Graham Slater.
The IKA, is a special interest involved in the technical, historical and spiritual side of karate and other arts.
In this short time the group has spread to all states and into England , Japan and, most recently, Indonesia . The group is structured with Senseis Slater (chairman), Maekawa (technical adviser, Japan ), Wright (president UK ) and brothers Chris and Phil Berry as vice presidents.
Sensei Slater had previously formed a group called the 'Circle of Knowledge' which brought martial artists together. The IKA has just superseded it. The group's members are all instructors and try to meet every two or so months for several hours of physical training and discussions.
A theme is chosen (sparring drills, bag work, forms and their application etc) and various instructors volunteer to teach their particular aspect, thus sharing their knowledge. Each instructor would firstly demonstrate their routine then we would all practice it for 15 to 20 minutes. The next instructor would take his turn on the same theme. At the end of a relaxed and open session we would sit down over refreshments and discuss in more detail the day's activities.
The group isn't about making money or calling itself the best at this or that, its direction is plain and simple. Through written, verbal and personal contact (distance permitting) the IKA informs and invites its members to various activities It exchanges historical, technical and philosophical data with its members. The group is not political, and each member remains independent to run their own dojos without intervention
If a member needs help to see bow he or she can be promoted to a higher dan grade, they can seek advice, and a panel may be formed to grade such people.
The main concept is getting martial artists to physically train together and exchange ideas. Each meeting has been a credit to its participants for treating each other as equals in spite of grade. This breaks down the ego barriers and makes for the best learning environment.
This year the IKA has been involved in sponsoring various overseas instructors to teach its members and other groups. Senseis Maekawa, Kaneko and Nakayama from the Shotokai were the first group to teach in January. Next was Shintaido instructor Sensei Shirai, and then from England came Sensei Morris, a specialist in Kyusho Jitsu and Tuite. Sensei Morris will be back in Australia in December for more seminars. With its contacts, the IKA will seek out specialised instructors at the request of its members for various seminars.
A newsletter is brought out four times a year to keep members informed of various activities and up and coming events. Historical, technical and philosophical data is also published to aid its members spread far apart unable to attend some of the seminars and other activities.
Next year makes for the IKA's greatest event for all members across the globe for an Asian tour. A 14-day training trip to Indonesia and Japan visiting various disciplines will make for a highly educational tour. For interested parties wishing to join either or both the IKA or the tour.
Back to Articles
More stories to come shortly....
