Seminar Report
Shotokan Karate-do with Sensei Dave Hazard, 7th Dan

Profile: Sensei Dave Hazard, 7th Dan.

Sensei Dave Hazard was one of the few students at the very beginning of British Karate. Like many of his contemporaries his first encounter with the Martial Arts was via Judo, which he practiced for three years before coming across Karate at the Blackfriars Club in London in 1969. Lessons there were taught by Sensei Keinosuke Enoeda, Sensei Kanazawa, Sensei Kato and Sensei Takahashi. Among Dave's contemporaries were the likes of Terry O'Neill, Bob Rhodes, Bob Poynton, Billy Higgins and Steve Cattle. In 1972 Dave was awarded his Shodan by Sensei Enoeda and he followed this with years of successes at the regular KUGB Championships.

In 1977 Dave decided to widen his Karate education by travelling to Japan and there he was afforded the rare privilege of an invitation into the notorious Japanese Karate Association Instructors' Class. These classes were taught by such renowned Karate names as Sensei's Shoji, Ueki and Kanazawa. Most notably though, and most often the classes were taken by Master Nakayama himself - student of Master Funakoshi, the 'Father of Modern Day Karate'. Dave recalls - "he could look at you and instantly reel off four or five things that could improve your whole technique. He instinctively knew what you were doing wrong and could tell you precisely what corrections you needed to make."

Dave returned to England and was something of a Ronin for a while, until in 1984 he joined forces with Sensei Mick Dewey who had formed SEKU, the South of England Karate Union. Acting as a Grading Examiner and Technical Director to SEKU, Dave also ran a dojo in Brighton and kept up his regular training with Sensei Enoeda in London as well as teaching across England and Scotland, Canada, the United States and Europe. Many Karate Associations appreciate Dave's skills and technical excellence. At present he is Chief Grading Examiner for the Highland Karate Association, Technical Advisor to the Karate Union of Wales and the Federation of Shotokan Karate as well as being a former assistant Kata Coach (with Sensei Ticky Donovan OBE) for the English Karate Governing Body.

In 1993 Dave co-authored the book 'Fundamental Karate' with Sensei Aidan Trimble of the FSK and since then Dave and Aidan have produced instructional Karate DVD's along the same lines. In 2003 Dave set up the Academy of Shotokan Karate that has a growing membership throughout England with the addition of a group of Canadian and Irish clubs that Dave visits on a regular basis. 2007 saw the release of Born Fighter, an exciting book highlighting scenes from Sensei Hazard's life which was written by Dave himself along with respected writer and Martial Artist Chris Parker.

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I can always remember my old instructor talking with his senior grades about other Shotokan stylist that they had trained with over the years, other (senior) graded instructors that were universally considered as the best and most respected Karateka in the UK. Listening to the stories of these British Karateka that had started training in Shotokan Karate from the moment it had landed on British soil, those that had been pounding the dojo floors in the 1960's and 70's, those that had travelled and lived in Japan training alongside the then Japanese masters and those that were now considered true top-class Karateka by the Japanese themselves.

The stories that some of my seniors used to come out with about the ferociousness of these British Karateka, the way they recounted the speed, tenaciousness, and strict adherence to perfection that they had witnessed. Andy Sherry, Terry O'Neill, Bob Poynton, Billy Higgins, Bob Rhodes, Frank Brennan, Dave Hazard and Ronnie Christopher were all names I had heard (and many more). It wasn't until I'd reached maybe 6th Kyu and started buying John Cheetham's 'Shotokan Karate Magazine' and, the now famed, 'Terry O'Neill's Fighting Arts International' magazine that I began putting faces to these legendary names.

I was told by my instructor to train with a handful a Karateka in this country, those that had something special and a certain aura about them. Enoeda Sensei, Andy Sherry, Terry O'Neill, Frank Brennan and DAVE HAZARD.

I first trained with Sensei Dave Hazard about ten years ago when he was invited down to teach at Cambridge University. That first session blew me away. If I remember rightly we did a combination that involved a series of elbows all in a more 'applied' manner, what stuck with me the most though was Sensei Hazard's ability to mix a certain light-hearted delivery of content with some devastating demonstrations of his ability in what he was teaching.

On Wednesday 29th April 2009 members of the Tokon Academy had the distinct pleasure of feeling this ability when they had the chance to train with Sensei Hazard themselves. 52 people attended both sessions in all travelling across from Tring, Bedford, St. Albans, Great Barford, Biggleswade, Sandy and even Ripon, North Yorkshire and they were not disappointed.

Beginners- Intermediates class

When the juniors from the first class started arriving they weren't their usual selves. They had heard me banging on about this guy called Dave Hazard and he was apparently coming to teach them on Wednesday night, blah, blah, blah. I had drummed into them over the last six weeks how important it was to train with such instructors if they were to improve as Karateka. Over these last few weeks many of them had gone into a kind of transfixed state - 'Oh, here he goes again' would be the look I'd get. However, on the night, some had spotted sensei's car in the car park, some had seen him in the changing room and some had bumped into him on the stairs. 'Oh dear, he is actually here!' was the look I was getting now.

The junior grades did the academy proud, the youngest of which concentrated fully for the whole session as Sensei Hazard took us through various exercises to understand the most basic of Kumite drills (Sanbon/Go hon Kumite). The order of the session dealt with correct breathing and the understanding that this must work correctly with the applied technique if all is to be done correctly. After correcting our body mechanics and making sure the retreating step was done right distancing was addressed with three variations for the Kumite drill. All involved different types of stepping to increase the stress or urgency of the drill being practiced.

Advanced class

My body felt shattered from the first session and when Sensei announced to me he was looking to run through a series of kicking exercises my legs gave up! What followed was truly superb. Utilising Tai Sabaki (body evasions) movements for Mae Geri, Yoko Geri, Mawashi Geri and Ushiro Geri (front, side, round and back kick) we were all drilled up and down the dojo in these various techniques before finally marrying them together using our partner as a target.

When you reach a certain level in any martial art you would imagine that you have a very good fundamental understanding (at least) of the techniques you have practiced for 15 - 20 years. I pride myself in being able to throw a good, technically sound kick. How wrong was I? Sensei Hazard's kicking ability is brilliant. Whilst he maintains that it is down to knee lift, rotation or balance on his supporting leg and understanding of linear motion you cannot deny that he kicks better that any Karateka half his age - Sensei's Uke can attest to how good he is and most winced during some demonstrations.

Whenever I write a brief seminar report I try not to get into a narrative of what went on during the session, primarily as it gets boring for most to sit and read through a step-by-step account, second each and every attendee took something different away from the session and with that it is much more a personal account and finally, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE YOURSELF!

All I will say is that Sensei Hazard's class was awesome, not one person left Wednesday night's class simply blown away with how good he was. I am very proud that the Tokon Academy can now add Sensei Hazard to the growing list of fantastic martial artists we have had in for seminars and I am looking forward immensely to the next scheduled evening.

Thank you to Sensei Dave Hazard for such a great seminar, Ade for being there to take the kicks, Steve Costin for the pictures and everyone that made the effort to support our evening.

Ossu!

Kindest regards,
David Webb
Head Coach
The Tokon Academy
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