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Hideharu Igaki, a USANKF Kumite Coach, has been teaching his unique flavor of Shito-Ryu Karate in the United States for almost 20 years. Respected among his peers for his fighting ability as well as his judging skills, the fighters who represent the results of his training concepts are appearing more and more in the finals of U.S. and International competition.

This interview between Steven Heyl and Igaki Sensei originally appeared in "DRAGON TIMES" volume 11.

Hideharu Igaki and Yukiyoshi Marutani (Gensei-Ryu) are featured in the "WINNING" series of kumite training videos from Tsunami Productions. "Winning" Videos are available through SELECT outlets of BORDERS Bookstores. Igaki Sensei can be contacted through the Oxnard, California Meibu-Kai Dojo - (805) 487-4865.

"Dragon Times" is published 4 times a year by DRAGON ASSOCIATES, Inc. * P.O. Box 6039 * Thousand Oaks * California 91359

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SH: Sensei, please tell us a little about your martial arts background.

Igaki: I started in Judo when I was around 7. I took it for three years or so. Judo is better suited for the larger competitor, so I switched to Karate at the age of 10.

SH: What style did you study begin learning?

Igaki: Tani Ha Shito Ryu. Mr. Nakahara was my first instructor. After I became a black belt, I began to train at Mr. Fujitani's dojo. Mr. Fujitani is a direct student of Mabuni Kenwa, the founder of Shito Ryu.

SH: You also studied some other martial arts?

Igaki: I have an instructor's rank in Tenshin Koryu Kenpo...a style of ju jitsu. I don't really have enough time to continue my training in that art. I also did kickboxing for a time.

SH: You did some kickboxing?

Igaki: Yes, for four years...I kickboxed professionally. I wanted to work on some different things. I also wanted to see if my karate would "work"...so to speak.

SH: When did you come to the United States?

Igaki: I came to this country in 1979. Like many Japanese my age, the United States is a sort of "dream country"...so different from my homeland. I had an opportunity to come here through the Meibukai to teach karate.

SH: You have had quite an impact here in the US. You count several of the top American fighters among your circle of students.

Igaki: Yes, I have been fortunate to work with some talented young people who want to learn more about kumite. Doug Selchan, Alex Ringler, Kyle Quinn, Dustin Baldis, and Steve Robinson are among the competitors I have worked with.

SH: What is your approach to working with top level athletes?

Igaki: I want to help the athlete become as good as they can be using their talents. I do not want to create "robots" who do only what their coaches or instructors tell them to do.

Each athlete is unique and must be treated accordingly. I try to help them become aware of their strengths and capitalize on them.

Of course, there are some problems common to most of the athletes.

SH: What are you concentrating on now with most of the competitors?

Igaki: We are working on a few things. First, the ability to close the distance to the opponent effectively. Too often, a fighter is slow in shortening the gap between himself and the opponent.

Also, the athlete must be in the proper position once they get to the target. They must be able to score with a powerful technique. To do that, one must make use of their entire body, not just the extremities.

The other situation is that they will leave themselves open for counter attack as they close the distance.

SH: How can these sorts of things be corrected?

Igaki: You need effective footwork and body mechanics. We talk about "controlled off-balance" movements. Anytime a person moves, they are technically off balance. It is just how well they can control that instant that makes the difference between a normal step and falling down. Of course, there are differences between taking an ordinary step and trying to move quickly towards an opponent.

SH: You also talk about being comfortable "in close" with your opponent?

Igaki: Yes, most point fighters are uncomfortable when they are in tight with their opponent. Yet, oftentimes, this is an excellent opportunity to score a good technique. We work mostly on defense at this range. Once the fighter is not concerned so much with being hit...they can begin to see the scoring opportunities.

SH: These things are mentioned in the videos?

Igaki: Yes, these topics are covered in the videos.

SH: The third video in the series is devoted to kicking techniques. Why is that?

Igaki: We did not want to overlook the kicking techniques. They can be very valuable tools in the ring and elsewhere. For competitors , you must at least be familiar with the various kicks as some of the top international competitors like to kick alot.

SH: Can the videos be appreciated by even those karateka who do not compete?

Igaki: Yes, I think so because we demonstrate techniques and movements which can be applied to fighting on all levels...not just in a ring.

SH: How is the American kumite team doing at the international level?

Igaki: In the past, it was as if the American athlete was satisfied with merely getting to the World Championships. They did not place their goal high enough. Now, the athletes realize that they can win and are working accordingly.

There has been a great deal of progress made in the last few years. John Fonseca won a Bronze medal in the Openweight division at the WKF Championships in South Africa. That was the first Kumite medal won by an American in a long time.

SH: Can America expect more medals in the upcoming championships in Brazil?

Igaki: With the proper preparation and coaching, American athletes could very well take at least one gold medal...perhaps more. I also think the team could finish in the top four.