It is a little known fact that the legendary Founder of Kyokushin Karate, Sosai (Grandmaster) Oyama admitted to only one single defeat in his entire life as a Karateka.
The man is whom the martial arts world call the "God Hand" or the "God of Karate".
He is a man who easily sliced through bottle-necks, broke rocks with his knife hand, killled bulls with a single blow, defeated hundereds of martial art masters & professional fighters, boxers, wrestlers all over Japan & the whole world.
Yet in his biography this invincible Karateka revealed that he could not beat one frail old man - an old man who practices "Taijiquan", the art of the Grand Ultimates.
According to his own narration, after he defeated the formidable Muaythai figher "Black Cobra" in Thailand, he travelled to Hong Kong to meet a certain Mr Chen, a man rumoured to be a great Taiji master.
He knew in his heart that Chinese Martial Science is the source of all Karate, & he regarded this trip as a return to the source, his challenge to the fountain-head.
His first impression of Mr Chen was quite bad.
As it turned out, Mr Chen was a frail old man who looked more suitable for an old folks home rather than teaching the famous chinese martial art there.
After the usual pleasantries, Oyama asked to leave, thinking that this old man would never accept his challenge to Taiji.
But to his amazement, Mr Chen took the initiative & asked Oyama to spar with him.
Seeing doubt in his eyes, Mr Chen said,"Are you not here to find out what is Taiji? Here is your chance."
So Oyama accepted, thinking that he could finish off this old man soon enough.
But he was very wrong.
The long duel that followed was like a classic battle between the snake & the crane.
Mr Chen was able to neutralize all the Karate attacks he could deliver, using smooth circular, arc-like movement & techniques.
On the other hand, when Mr Chen counter-attacked, it was with a force that could not have come from a man his age.
It was all Oyama could do to evade them, using linear, sometimes awkward movements.
Eventually, seeing no sign of fatigue in the old man, & having exhausted all his techniques, Oyama gave up, admitting that he could not beat Mr Chen.
Mr Chen laughed & thanked Oyama for giving him such a great workout, inviting him to stay for a few days to learn more.
Oyama asked to be left alone for a short while to contemplate this defeat.
Later, when one of Mr Chen's students came to invite him for tea, he was quite surprised to see tears rolling down Oyama's cheeks.
In his own words, Oyama said,"These tears are not tears shed for losing; they are tears of appreciation.
Appreciation that my Karate still has an infinite amount of space to grow.
It is a space that is opened up by none other than the chinese martial art called Taiji".
After that he stayed with Mr Chen for a period, learning the principles of Taiji.
Being the genius that he is, he managed to grasp them quickly, & was able to defeat Mr Chen's most senior student at the end of this period of study.
From then on, after his return to Japan, Kyokushin Karate was known to reveal a certain Taiji flavour in its form & techniques.
After his passing in 1994, however, these Taiji principles were lost in Kyokushin.
The student who was able to learn them the most was Ashihara, one of his most gifted students.
But due to some problems he left Kyokushin to form his own "Fighting Karate" in 1980.
Ashihara died earlier than Oyama by 2 years.
The only person left now who still uses these Taiji principles in his Karate is Ninomiya, who also left Kyokushin to form his own style, known as "Enshin Karate", the Heart of the Circle. It is better known as "Sabaki".
Ninomiya learned under both Oyama & Ashihara.
He is currently teaching in the United States & organises the Sabaki Challenge yearly.
Lichaam, denken en gevoel zijn één in gedachten en vorm ,
zo loop je de taichi vorm, zoals innerlijke kracht verborgen in een krachtige storm.
Taiji kan één maken in het gevecht tussen lichaam en geest ,
en weer harmonie brengen in dat wat ooit was geweest.
_Indomaster tai chi_ :
Wat is Taichi?
Tai chi chuan, letterlijk "Supreme Ultimate fist", is een eeuwen-oude Chinese discipline voor
gezondheid, ontspanning, meditatie, zelfverdediging en karaktertraining. "Een Gedachte die vorm krijgt, Meditatie in beweging".
Tai Chi chuan benadrukt ontspanning en kalmte in plaats van kracht
Om deze reden kan het door iedereen worden beoefend ongeacht leeftijd of lichamelijke gesteldheid.
De oefening is langzaam en vloeiend met ronde bewegingen.
Tai Chi Chuan is een helende oefening vanwege zijn reputatie om verlichting te geven aan vele
lichamelijke klachten zoals stress, spijsverteringsproblemen, arthritis, hartklachten, huidproblemen, astma en slapeloosheid.
Het verbetert de bloedcirculatie , balans en helpt om het zenuwstelsel te ontspannen en veerkrachtiger te maken. De uitstrekkende circulaire bewegingen maken het lichaam soepeler, de spieren veerkrachtiger en ontwikkelen een ontspannen lichaamshouding met goede balans.
Als zelfverdediging maakt Tai Chi gebruik van meegevende bewegingen om
een agressieve kracht te neutralizeren, onder controle te brengen en terug te sturen
naar de aanvaller om deze zo uit balans te brengen.
Deze eenvoudige bewegingen worden aangeleerd in de 'Handen Duwen' 'Tui Shou' oefeningen waarbij beide partners op gevoel leren te vertrouwen en handelen.
Indomaster verzorgt taichi, meditatie, chikung, pushing hands en zelfverdedigings lessen in Den Haag, Delft en omgeving.
De taichi-leerling/e wordt persoonlijk begeleidt en de lessen zijn aangepast aan leeftijd,fysieke gesteldheid en motivatie van de taichi-leerling/e.
