Feeding Crane Seminar

Hello Mattson sensei,
Its been a long time since we have communicated, and you may not remember me. My name is Fred Lohse, and I am a student of Kimo Wall's. A number of years ago Kimo sensei brought Liu Chang'i, the head of the Liu family Feeding Crane system, to one of your summer camps. This year he is bringing him back to the US, and I will be hosting a seminar with him in Boston. It is actually the weekend before your summer camp on the Cape this year- July 18&19. Liu sifu will be doing a 2 day seminar covering some of the basic forms of his system, applications, and the power development drills that put so much "oomph" behind his technique. I don't know if any of your students in the area would be interested, but if so I would be happy to pass on the info for the seminar, or if you have any suggestions for folks to contact in the area, I would be more than happy to get the information to them directly. Since its the week before your annual event, the timing might not be good, but Liu sifu's system and personal skills are excellent, and very interesting to those of us who practice the Okinawan arts, and folks may be interested in a martial-arts dedicated July!
In any case, I hope you are well and enjoying Florida. Take care, and do let me know if you or any of your students would be interested in attending, or in more information.
Thank you for your time.
yours,
Fred Lohse
Kodokan Boston
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Hi Fred:
I don't often go to my gmail account and I didn't see this email until today.

If you send me the information, I'll post it on my website. Most Uechi practitioners visit the website at least once a week.

Best,
George
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Hello Mattson sensei,

Good to hear from you. I hope you are doing well. Thanks for the quick reply. Sorry about the delay on my end- I had to finish getting the registration form done, schedule finalized, and so on.

Thanks very much for offering to put this info on your website. I've attached a Word document with the seminar information, and a registration form. I hope that folks will be interested. I know you have seen Liu sifu in action- his power is incredible, and the way he moves definitely speaks to a connection to the Okinawan arts.

Right now, I've limited the seminar to 25 people, and we have about 15 spots filled. However, if we get a good response, I'm going to rent a larger space, so if folks are interested, do get in touch with me as soon as possible.

Let me know if there is any more information I can get to you, or any questions I can answer.

Meanwhile, take care, and enjoy the start of summer.

cheers,

Fred

Note: e-mail Fred (fwliii@comcast.net) for an application.

Interest in IUKF "Titles"

Dear Sensei Mattson,

I enjoy your newsletters very much and I have a couple of questions for you if you don't mind. We are setting up standards for titled instructors (Renshi, Kyoshi, Shihan) for our organization and I would be very interested in the standards you use in your organization. Would it be possible for you to send me these standards? Also, how do I go about ordering your pending new book? I have greatly enjoyed your other books and I'm sure this one will be terrific as well.

Take care and kindest regards. By the way, I don't know if you remember it or not but I had written you when your pet died a while back that I had an elderly pit bull myself. Sadly, she died a couple of months ago. It was very hard and she is greatly missed.

Take care.

John Shipes

OSMKKF US Director


Hi John:

Thanks for the note and kind words.

IUKF has a “titles” committee that works with students who have been recommended for their different “masters” degrees. In a sense, we have patterned our “titles” on the advance degree programs in universities. . . with the exception that all our “titles” relate to the betterment of our Uechi-ryu.

The Shihan title relates to the teaching of our art and is predicated on a person’s ability to teach. Usually, this means an extensive “apprentice” program followed by an “internship” supervised by the individual’s teacher.

The titles of Renshi, Kyoshi and Hanshi are basically honorary award, given to senior practitioners based on work or services that have measurably helped the Uechi-ryu community. This can take the form of a teaching method, thesis on an important subject or other “life experiences” accomplishments the individual has performed. The Titles Committee’s job is to help the candidate determine which avenue to take in presenting existing work or future work in a form that will be acceptable to the committee. Once this requirement has been completed, the committee submits the name to the board of directors and the title is awarded at SummerFest.

There are minimum rank and years studying as well as minimum age requirements involved.

Hope this helps.

Best,

George Mattson

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