KYOKUSHIN, MAS OYAMA and BLACK BELT
by Alex Kleschelsky, 1st degree black belt
Essay from the Vancouver Cup 2004 program

In 1954 in Tokyo, Japan, Mas Oyama, the founder of Kyokushin, opened his first dojo.  It took ten years before the Tokyo Honbu (head-quarters) was officially opened. Today, the Kyokushinkai-kan is one of the largest karate organizations in the world. But why would Mas Oyama want to make a new style in the first place?  There were other karate styles in Japan at that time, such as Shotokan, Shito-Ryu, Goju-Ryu, etc.  All those styles had one thing in common; they had no or limited contact.  One can be practicing for years without even knowing if he or she is really good in a real fight.  That was one of the reasons why Mas Oyama created a full contact style and called it Kyokushin, which means Ultimate Reality or Ultimate Truth.  Only a real fight can truly show what you are really made of, your strengths and your weaknesses.  Another reason that led to the creation of Kyokushin lies deep in the philosophical aspects of the Samurai Way of Life that Mas Oyama truly believed in.  For him, karate was more than just a sport; it was Bushido, The Way of Warrior, the way of his life.

 

 People join karate for many different reasons.  Some for self-esteem, others because they want to be like their favorite movie heroes.  As for me, I joined Kyokushin because it is one of the most practical styles.  What you learn in class today you can use in a street fight tomorrow in case you have to protect yourself or someone else.   The variety of combinations of punches and low kicks seem to be simple yet effective.

 

 

I've never practiced Kyokushin for the belts.  Tests would come and go, I'd do my best, get my next belt and continue training simply because this is what I liked to do.  But after I got my 1st Kyu, I had to stop and catch my breath.  The next step was a Shodan Black Belt.  I didn't apply for Shodan right away.  Although belts are not my priority, I can't deny that getting a black belt is one of the greatest achievements that one can accomplish in his or her life, especially in Kyokushin Karate, one of the toughest styles in the world.  I took a year break just to comprehend the significance of the event, to make sure that I was not only physically, but most of all mentally ready to go for this test.  Basically, the Black Belt test consists of three parts.  In the winter camp I had a written exam about Kyokushin history, terminology, etc.  Then at the beginning of the summer there was a practical test that included all katas, ido geko, bunkais and lots of sweat.  And finally at the summer camp there was a final part of the test, 10 man kumite.  This part is considered the most challenging.  You have to fight 10 different guys in a row and every one of them tries to get a little piece of you.  Their job is to make you extremely tired, to make you feel literally exhausted so when your body can't take it anymore the only things that keep pushing you forward are your will.  So, actually, this test isn't only about your fighting skills, but to find out your own limits and whether or not you are able to go beyond them.

 

 

After the test, my fellow karateka, Pascal, asked me if I was happy that it was all over.  I honestly answered, "Not really."  He looked puzzled, but at that moment I didn't know how to explain it.  Now, when I look back I think that I felt like a mountain climber who after hard training finally made it to the summit, and standing on the top looking down, he suddenly realizes that this moment of victory is so short and tomorrow it will be gone.  It feels sad until you set your next goal.  We all need those goals to aspire to because it brings more meaning to our lives.

 

Although I was doing my test alone, it wasn't really a single man effort.  It was a team effort.  Using this opportunity, I would like to express my gratitude to Sensei Tats Nakamura.  Thank you, Sensei, for sharing your knowledge and experience with me and for making every training session feel like a ten-man kumite.  Domo, arigato gozai mashita.

 

I also want to say thanks to you guys that trained together with me in Richmond East Dojo.  Michi, Sasaki San, Fraser, John, Haoyin and many others.  Huge thanks to Sempai Joel, your special conditioning training helped me a lot.  Many thanks to Sempai Dean and his students.  Thank you for welcoming me to your dojo. Finally, I would like to say special thanks to my first Sensei in Canada, Shihan Les Banas.  Although we live in different countries now and cannot train together, your dedication to the Kyokushin Way will always be a source of inspiration to me and many of your other students. Osu.

  

　

Alexander Kleschelsky: Working as a machine engineer, Alex teaches and trains two times a week at the Richmond East Dojo. He originally began training in his home country, Russia. In 1993, Alex and his family moved to Vancouver. Shortly after the moving, he joined RED run by Shihan Les Banas at that time. When Alex completed the 10-man Kumite in this summer, his fifteen years of dedication towards training finally earned him Kyokushin's Black Belt. His son, John, inspired by the father's success, has recently joined RED. Currently, Alex puts a lot of efforts in training as well as teaching children's classes to share his knowledge with his kohais.