The ITKF Master’s Course & Technical Qualification Camp and Gasshuku 2011

The ITKF Master’s Course & Technical Qualification Camp and Gasshuku 2011 took place on August 16-21, 2011 at the Japanese Martial Arts and Sports Centre 'Dojo – Stara Wies’ (Poland).

It was the second time the summer edition of the ITKF Master’s Course & Technical Qualification Camp took place in Poland. The seminar gathered 250 participants from 16 countries: Armenia, Austria, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, France, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Tunisia, USA, and Venezuela.

The ITKF Master’s Course & Technical Qualification Camp was conducted by outstanding instructors of traditional karate:  Sensei Richard Jorgensen (Canada) 7 Dan ITKF – President of the Internetional Traditional Karate Federation, Chairman of the ITKF Technical Committee, Pan American Technical Committee and Technical Director, Canadian Traditional Karate Federation, ITKF qualified instructor, judge and examiner; Sensei Wlodzimierz Kwiecinski (Poland) 7 Dan ITKF – Vice-President of the International (ITKF) and the European (ETKF) Traditional Karate Federation, Chairman of the Traditional Karate Federation of Poland, member of the ITKF Technical Committee, ITKF qualified instructor, judge and examiner; Members of the ITKF Technical Committee: Sensei E. Contraelli (Italy) 7 Dan ITKF, Sensei K. Ishiyama (Venezuela) 8 Dan ITKF and Sensei D. Stuparu (Romania) 7 Dan ITKF. Gasshuku instructors were: Sensei Avi Rokah (USA) – long-time student of Sensei Hidetaka Nishiyama. Multiple US champion in kumite and the world champion in team kumite in 1994 (Treviso, Italy); Sensei Wlodzimierz Kwiecinski (Poland) 7 Dan ITKF – Gasshuku coordinator.

This year’s training program included the application of fundamental principles of traditional karate in techniques and interpretations. Participants trained: shikake-waza, amashi-waza, and koroshi-waza techniques, as well as Un-Soku. Sensei Richard Jorgensen focused on the understanding of principles of body dynamics, form, power and transition, while in the interpretation of techniques he dealt with the aspect of sensing the enemy’s intentions with a deeper understanding of maai. Sensei Dan Stuparu focused on the topic of a proper warm up, the basis of training. Sensei Eligio Contarelli, using a combination of techniques, worked on the ability to properly control the movement of body. Sensei Wlodzimierz Kwiecinski conducted dynamic training in the field of muchimi. Special attention was paid to the four basic elements of performance and assessment of kata: dynamism, form, strength, and transmission. In the final stage, judges of traditional karate from all over the world practiced kata judging forms. The course ended with an exam allowing the judges to increase their rank, conducted by the President of ITKF – Richard Jorgensen.

On Saturday, August 20, ITKF Goodwill Karate Tournament was conducted.

The final event of this year’s Gasshuku were the master rank Dan exams, conducted after the last training session on Sunday, August 21.

Results of Dan exams:
Jaroslaw Domrazek (Poland) – 5 Dan
Giedrius Dranevicius (Lithuania) – 5 Dan
Miroslaw Ellwart (Poland) – 5 Dan
Szczepan Thomas (Poland) – 5 Dan
Piotr Kus (Poland) – 2 Dan
Wojciech Dampc (Poland) – 1 Dan
Aleksandra Gorzka (Poland) – 1 Dan
Diana Grab (Poland) – 1 Dan
Artur Loj (Poland) – 1 Dan
Jakub Malicki (Poland) – 1 Dan
Kamil Mendzelewski (Poland) – 1 Dan
Cezary Osiel (Poland) – 1 Dan
Mariusz Pikul (Poland) – 1 Dan
Paulina Skiba (Poland) – 1 Dan
Marcin Sokolinski (Poland) – 1 Dan
Oliwer Sygacz (Poland) – 1 Dan
Mateusz Szelagowski (Poland) – 1 Dan
Bartłomiej Szeliga (Poland) – 1 Dan
Artur Szerafin (Poland) – 1 Dan
Alicja Zalecinska (Poland) – 1 Dan
Dominykas Zibutis (Lithuania) – 1 Dan

Congratulations!