Hello from France

[gojira]

Hi everybody,

My name is Jack and I live in France, near Paris (actually I'm working in Paris in a biotechnology company as computational chemist).
I discovered okinawa karate in 2006 (before I used to practice japanese martial arts: judo, tai-jutsu) thanks to a friend who practiced goju-ryu. I practiced with him two year, learning few kata (sanchin, gekisai ichi/ni, saifa) and he introduced me to the okinawa world. Than I discovered Uechi-ryu which was a great discovery.
Afterwards my friend, who used to go to okinawa almost each year, changed his practice from goju-ryu to konan-ryu after a regular training under Shimabukuro Tsuneo in Okinawa. So I followed him and now I training konan-ryu under teaching, and I'm also part of the uechi-ryu team of Shimabukuro Yukinobu sensei, 9 dan Uechi-ryu Shubukan. So I'm quite beginner eventhough I had a few seminar of practice.

I'm quite open-minded and follow many seminar of other school of martial arts, I tried White Crane Boxing of sifu Dong Mu Yao, White Crane Boxing of Dr Yang Jwing Min, Qwankido, Kyusho-jutsu from Dillman, Pantazi and Leeroy Roder, and so on...

I find that uechi ryu (and/or konan-ryu) are very practical schools of fighting arts, and awesome for self-defense. I'm very interested in all the opening those school allowed during the practice of kitae-waza, muchimi, renzoku, and of course the kata.

I have never been to Okinawa, but I have been to Tokyo and met there a great sensei who left me a powerful impression. Shimoji Yasuo sensei is really wonderful, powerful and very nice to welcome me in his dojo.

I always had a very good impression of the sensei I met in France during Uechi-ryu seminar: Shimoji Yasuo sensei, Uechi Kansho and Kanyu sensei, but also in Germany when I met Hokama Tetsuhiro sensei. Their practice is incredible and I realize the long way they have done to achieve their goals.

I also enjoy reading book and article of famous researchers as Mario McKenna, Patrick McCarthy and for course for Uechi-ryu: Georges Mattson and some of his followers (really like the article about fajing in Uechiryu and Drills in Uechi-ryu).

I'm glad to be here to be able to learn more about the richness of Uechi-ryû, and to learn more about its origin with tiger boxing, dragon boxing and white crane boxing from Fujian.

I beg your pardon if you feel my english is rude or impolite, I don't want to be disrespectful but I haven't used english for a long time... I need to get back to english seriously, but it's difficult with family life + training + job + japanese learning...

I look forward to read your interesting discussion and learn more from your background and experience.

In fact I'm just a beginner who want to deepest his knowledge about Uechi-ryû, its practice and history. I hope to learn a lot from you.

Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.

Friendly

Jack

edit: gojira is because I'm a big fan of the japanese movies of gojira (also known as godzilla)

[CANDANeh]

A sincere welcome.
I assure you your contributions will be greatly appreciated. I sense a smile on some of the moderators faces.
A very well spoken gentleman.

[gmattson]

Lots of great threads and posts to discover. Feel free to post on any forum. We are all honored to have you participating in our Uechi-ryu forums.

[Van Canna]

A sincere welcome.
I assure you your contributions will be greatly appreciated. I sense a smile on some of the moderators faces.
A very well spoken gentleman.

I second that Welcome Jack.

[chef]

Hey, Jack, welcome! Hop on and have some fun...lots of sharing and learning on this great forum.



Regards,
Vicki