Kyoshi's Weekly Technique Bulletin 03/30/98

K Y O S H I ' S
T E C H N I Q U E
O F T H E W E E K
MARCH 30, 1998

Concentrated
Destructive Power

The technique is the single atemi-waza breaking technique,concentrated destructive power. The technique varies according to the strengths or weaknesses of the individual. It may be a punch or it may be a technique from any of the kata. We hone and develop all the techniques in our training. We employ only one at any given moment. At a demonstration we break with our favorite technique, only one brick (or one stack) at a time. In the kata or in a life/death situation we win with one strike. We donot, as in a boxing match, employ jabs, have a strategy to endure rounds, with rules, referees, judges and time outs. We do not as in baseball, go for a bunt or a sacrifice hit to move a player forward on base. We go for boxing's knock-out punch or baseball's homerun in every life/death situation. We prepare for that one atemi-waza attitude in every move of every kata and in every training session. In practice we execute full committment to the move at hand. We develop our own favorite technique according to our body types, attributes and developed skill. We become home run hitters, just as every athlete in every endeavor develops the individualized knock-out punch or particular winning skill. This applies even more so in karate. In training we avoid combinations. We rarely practice combinations of two techniques and even more rarely triple combinations and never more than three technique combinations. We predominantly practice one move at a time. Even in a double technique, each technique is executed to win.This is most effectively developed with one technique practice while incorporating proper principals of movement. Arigato, Kyoshi.

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ROBERT SCAGLIONE, Kyoshi, began his karate training 30 years ago in 1967. This is his 25th anniversary as a Blackbelt under Grand Master Ansei Ueshiro-Hanshi of the Shorin-Ryu Karate U.S.A. system. Kyoshi Scaglione is the Chief Administrator of the original style in the United States. He has traveled with Hanshi throughout the U.S.A. and as his representative worldwide. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1938, Kyoshi served in the U.S. Navy and in 1961 became a NYC Police Officer. He voluntarily worked exclusively in high crime/ high hazard areas during his entire 20 year tenure with the NYPD. He served in many assignments in all five boroughs of New York City including uniformed street cop, undercover officer and as a Detective in the elite Special Investigating Unit featured in the film "The French Connection." He led the NYPD in felony arrests many times and has numerous awards, citations and letters of commendation from Police Department officials, Federal Agencies, District Attorneys, Grand jurors and the civilian community. He retired from police service in 1981 in order to devote himself full time to the art of karate.

Kyoshi began his karate training in the NYPD. He continued his training under Sensei Terry Maccarrone-Shihan of the Hegashi Karate Dojo on Long Island, New York. He was Senior Instructor at the St. James Dojo for five years. Hanshi Ueshiro, wanting a dojo in Manhattan, asked Kyoshi to open a dojo in New York City. He founded the NYC dojo in 1977, which became the headquarters of Shorin-Ryu Karate USA several years later. After ten years, in 1987, Kyoshi relocated to Merritt Island, Florida and founded the Okinawan Karate Dojo leaving his senior student David Baker, San Dan to continue operation of the NYC dojo.

Over 125 students began their training directly under Kyoshi Scaglione and have attained blackbelt level. He continues to work closely with all his blackbelts, including the ten who have opened dojo on the mainland US, Hawaii, and in Israel. Among his students are many professionals, doctors, lawyers, military officers, police officers, business executives, artists, writers, housewives, students and children.

Kyoshi is the co-author with artist Bill Cummins, Ni Dan of "The Shorin-Ryu Karate Question and Answer Book" and has written another entitled "Building Warrior Spirit." His student David Seeger, Yon Dan, an Emmy Award winner, has produced several karate videos with Kyoshi. Kyoshi is the Editor-at-large of this 30th Anniversary journal. He has written and assisted his students in writing newspaper and magazine articles, film scripts on varied subjects, novels, and stage plays. He has appeared on national T.V. and radio, in stage productions, and at Universities and schools giving karate demonstrations and lectures on self-defense and assault prevention. Kyoshi's four sons, Sal, Robert Jr., Dion, and Shane are all Ni Dan blackbelts.