Koryu Uchinadi Seminar – Shidoin David Fernandez

WOW, what a seminar!!!!

Delegates who attended the seminar had the opportunity to enjoy a feast of delightful martial arts principles cooked slowly and presented beautifully with thorough attention to the content and the packaging.

When I first met shidoin David in Ireland in 2016 I connected immediately with him and two things were clear to me from the get go: he’s a top man and a top martial artist. However, I confess that, whilst I knew and felt the excellent person he is, his martial arts knowledge, execution skills and coaching abilities have truly awe me this weekend. He is not good; he is outstanding!

What I witnessed and experienced this weekend was, by any standard, a master class in biomechanics unravelling the core principles of martial arts, in general, and Koryu Uchinadi, in particular.

Sensei David’s pedigree is impressive and his martial art exposure and experiences across a wide range of martial arts is second to none. A true scholar of functional and pragmatic martial arts with very solid scientific background throughout. What else can one wish for?

The sessions were superbly structured, beautifully connected from the warm-up to the advanced flowing exercises; and core principles were well covered to ensure the structure of KU starts resting on solid foundations.

So was sensei David’s commitment to this seminar, he actually brought his senior student and main UKE to work with in order to deliver quality demonstrations and enhanced his explanations. This, in itself, brought the seminar to a completely different level and I reached three immediate conclusions:

• Sensei David’s student, Manuel, is an outstanding KU-ka in his own right and he did an amazing job in the demonstrations and coaching the group.

• Sensei David is an impressive coach. I’ve always said that if you want to measure the quality of an instructor, look at his students.

• Boy, these guys train *HARD*!!!

This seminar was not one of those one-off experiences which is nice to have, but then you go back to carry on doing what you are comfortable with. There were pearls and details that can and will adjust KJG direction of travel, which is something only a few have achieved: Hanshi McCarthy, Kyoshi Paul Enfield and, now, Shidoin David Fernandez.

Delegates were double blessed because senior KU representatives also joined us, Joost Frehe and Andrzej Kazmierczak, as well as two wonderful yudanshas, Edina Imrik and Alan Richardson, making the whole experience so wonderful.

As Hanshi has shared on Facebook many times, “True leaders don’t make followers, make new leaders”. Well, there’s an amazing future in KU if we go by the calibre of the likes of shidoin David. Another testimonial of the IRKRS and Hanshi Patrick McCarthy.

In name of the KJG, thank you very much and hasta pronto, amigo!

Shidoin Fernando Mahamud
4th Dan – Karate Jutsu Gakkai

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