Weekly Update from Wadō-Ryū Benkyō

Saturday Benkyō – 11th April

We began the session with Kihon Keri Waza, focusing on the importance of foot positioning and body organisation. Drawing on principles outlined by Takamizawa Sensei, the emphasis was on avoiding common habits such as dragging the rear foot and ensuring the toes are actively lifted.

A key theme was kicking within movement, allowing the technique to develop naturally rather than as a separate action. Just as important was the return of the kicking foot — bringing it back to a position where it can be used again, or directed appropriately depending on the situation.

Particular attention was given to body position before and after the kick. Rather than rising up artificially at the end of the technique, the aim was to allow the movement to flow directly into the landing position of Tate Seishan Dachi. Maintaining the body in a “kicking position” allows for multiple kicks if required and creates a much smoother and more natural transition forward.

We also looked at Ushiro Geri, where a common issue is over-adjusting the front foot. Instead of stepping too wide or pulling it back, the focus was on maintaining ma-ai and forward intention by rotating on the ball of the front foot, while the rear foot moves quickly into position. This not only improves speed by reducing unnecessary movement, but also helps maintain a consistent central line towards the target.

After kihon, we moved on to Jitte Kata.

Following a brief run-through, we focused on the opening sequence, using jujutsu-based applications to better understand the body mechanics involved. The emphasis was on creating kuzushi through body weight shifting, and using both hands together to break and control a grab.

We then returned to the kata itself, applying the same principles through more traditional karate movement — dropping the body, moving from the centre, and allowing the body to deliver the technique rather than relying on the arms alone.

From Jitte, we moved on to its sister kata, Jion. Again, after a run-through, we explored similar applications, this time blending jujutsu principles with striking, helping to connect the two approaches and complete the picture.

The second half of the session focused on Kihon Kumite Nos. 1, 2, and 3, with particular attention to movement, body control, and managing ma-ai.

To reinforce this, we initially removed the arms entirely and worked only on body movement — ensuring that each action finished in the correct position, with a clear understanding of Taisabaki, Ten-gi, Ten-i, and Ten-tai.

It is easy in Wadō-Ryū to become distracted by what the arms are doing, but in reality very little happens in isolation. By focusing on the body first, we were able to establish correct positioning and movement patterns before reintroducing the arms.

Once the arm movements were added back in, the improvement across the class was very noticeable.

This is a valuable method of training — breaking techniques down, removing unnecessary complexity, and focusing on the essential components of each waza before putting everything back together. Another excellent Benkyō session, and great to welcome visitors training with us again over the weekend.