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Being an Uchi Deshi in Melbourne
My name is Mike Noer and I would like to share an incredible experience I have had recently.
Firstly I have to thank Shihan Stuart Corrigal and Sensei Larry Robinson for their support. Last
year I met Sensei Ralph Burd who owns the Young Lions Dojo in Melbourne Australia and is the IKO
Branch Chief there. Now many of you know that Sempai Arthur Leithman is an instructor at this dojo
and I asked him if I should consider going there to visit and train. He and Sensei Ralph both
encouraged me to join them down under so on November 14, 2003 I boarded a plane in Vancouver and
headed for Melbourne. I arrived in Melbourne on November 16 and was met at the airport by Sempai
Arthur. Unfortunately my suitcase didn’t make it to Australia with me and all I had was my karate
equipment. Sempai Arthur took me out shopping for some basic supplies then it was on to the dojo
that was to be my home for the next 3 months. Arthur was a big help to me and I owe him a heartfelt
thanks.
I took a day to recover from my 23 hr. trip and then I started attending classes. I thought that I
would just pick the classes that would but good for me and train what I felt I needed to train. On
the first morning I met a young man from Japan, whom I am now proud to call my friend. “OSU, I am
Kohara” he says and after I tell him my name and who I am he informs me my best is mistaking (in
other words my techniques were just not good enough for him) apparently my best has been wrong for
seven years. Over the next three months I would hear that phrase “Mike you are mistaking ‘many
times. Sempai Kohara is a nidan fresh from Honbu and is very serious about all aspects of Kyokushin
Karate. If you join class you must train hard. After a couple of weeks of classes in which I often
felt totally inept, I was informed by Sensei Ralph that I was expected to join in grading on December
14. I said no but apparently Third Dan Branch Chiefs don’t take no for an answer from 5th kyu’s.
So it began, I am suddenly thrust into training three times a day in order to insure that I won’t
foolish on grading day. Now I am truly Uchi Deshi. The other students were all very supportive of
me and helped me whenever they could or when I asked.
General classes (classes offered to all students) are held every night and some of the students
would train as much as 4 nights a week. These students became good friends and always offered
encouragement when I looked like I might be on my last legs. Training in the morning, afternoon
and evening was difficult to say the least and at times I wondered what I had gotten myself into.
(Just a note, Uchi Deshi would train three times a day 6-7 days a week, all students were welcome
to come and train but usually it was just the Uchi Deshi who were there at the time who would train
morning and afternoon classes.)
Grading day came and I performed well enough, even though I was soundly thumped during my fights
by a brown belt, a Shodan and two Nidans, to earn my green belt. All though I new in my heart that
I needed improvement I accepted my Sempai’s decsion and accepted my belt.
I was now into the routine so I kept up my training 2-3 times a day for the rest of my stay.
Obviously I could go on and on about the things that happened in and out of class, living in the
dormitory with the other Uchi Deshi and instructors was a great experience and an honour for me.
I currently train at the Armstrong Dojo and we train hard, but in Australia I trained and pushed
myself harder than I could have ever imagined and I survived the three month program as an Uchi
Deshi at the Young Lions Dojo that I had set out for myself. This is the essence of the Kyokushin
way.
Oh by the way I had my 59th birthday when I was in Australia.
Thanks to
Sensei Ralph Burd
Sempai Kohara
Sempai Sergei Erchov
Sempai Arthur Leithman
OSU
Mike Noer
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