Forceful Karate Blows

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31363, 8 May 1967, Page 1

Forceful Karate Blows

Karate exponents showed how they could shatter five layers of stacked concrete tiles, river stones and double layers of timber slabs with hand strikes during demonstrations at the national championships of the Kyokushinkai Karate Association at Cowles Stadium on Saturday evening.

The force of the strikes was so intense that three assistants had to hold the layers of timber slabs for the strikers. The demonstration was one of the most exciting displays of breaking techniques seen in New Zealand, said the national president of the Kyokushinkai Karate Association, Mr D. Hollaway. The reserves of the whole body are concen-

trated into the instant the blow strikes.

About two barrow loads of broken tiles and slabs were removed after the demonstration which was given by representatives of the Canterbury, Wellington and Invercargill branches of the association.

Three members of the Christchurch branch of the association showed outstanding skill in breaking techniques. I. Staples shattered a stack of five concrete tiles with a downward blow of the side of the clenched fist. R. Tulloch broke through a stack of three tiles with a blow of the fist, using the knuckles of the first and second fingers. W. Wendelken broke a fiat river stone more than an inch thick and about eight inches long with a blow from the side of his hand. The Kyokushinkai Karate teaching is that of a celebrated Japanese Karate

master, Oyama, who is noted for his capacity to kill bulls with strikes of the hand. Oyama holds a world record for breaking 30 concrete tiles with a strike of the hand, according to Mr Holloway, who studied Karate under Oyama in Japan in 1964.

A feature of the display on Saturday was a demonstration of unarmed combat by Mr H. Fekkers, a highly-ranked jujitsu exponent. He avoided attacks by two assailants who were armed with a butcher’s cleaver, a sword, a knife, and a club. When two attacked together he threw them simultaneously out of the contest area.

Later teams from each branch demonstrated katas which are combinations of blocks and strikes merged into a rythmic pattern of movement. Mrs I. Bryson showed how effectively a woman can dispose of unwanted attentions by means of judo throws. r

One of the most lively displays was that of two boys and two girls, aged about nine. The children showed remarkable mastery of technique and evidently much enjoyed it. They demonstrated how to throw an adult with judo technique. Mr Holloway later gave displays of advanced striking and blocking in rythmic patterns and a display of third Dan black belt attack and defence routine.

Mr Holloway said the karate method of fighting was developed In the 14th century by the people of Okinawa. They had been invaded both by the Japanese and the Chinese and were forbidden to carry weapons. They developed karate as a method of defence.

Karate, in an earlier form known as kempo, existed in India more than 2000 years ago. It later spread in various forms to Korea, China and Japan.