Covid-19 has brought tragedy and disruption to the world in the last few months.
Nations are adapting their behaviour to the different environment according to their specific circumstances, but in general a large amount of normal activity has been curtailed. One result of this is that our championships, the Kofukan International Cup 2020, due to take place in Denmark on April 4 & 5, had to be cancelled, a great disappointment to us all, and that karate classes, in common with all sorts of gatherings, have not been able to continue, at least not in the same way.
People are very inventive and members have found ways to keep sharing training, by conducting sessions online or sometimes by one-to-one sessions, while observing distancing rules and in accordance with their particular country’s regulations. Social media has been useful in allowing members to be helpful and supportive to each other, and just generally in keeping people as cheerful as possible in trying circumstances.
The last overseas visit that Shihan Tomiyama was able to make before countries began to close their borders to travellers was to Belarus for the weekend of March 14/15. Many seminars due in 2020 have had to be cancelled and it is uncertain when the world will start opening up again. He is looking forward to being able to resume his travels and meet up with old acquaintances again as soon as possible. In the meantime, here are a few stories looking back at easier times, and a pictorial guide to two of the Fighting Combinations taken from Shihan Tomiyama’s most recent book, ‘Essential Basics of Karate in Depth’.
- Editor
