Kata Clinic with international Kata Judges, a greate success!

Families in Alaska benefited greatly from the expertise of international Kata judges Sensei Mike Purcell and Sensei Delynn Purcell. Over a 3 day period students from 6 years old to 74 studied the Nage no Kata (forms of throwing) and the Goshin Jutsu no Kata (forms of self-defense) under the direction of both Sensei Purcell's. While all the moves in these Kata are pre-arranged forms, they are not for the faint of heart.

Nage no Kata (forms of throwing)
The Nage no Kata, the forms of throwing, consists of 15 throws that are considered representative of the 67 throwing techniques of Kodokan Judo. In this Kata the defender throws the attacker full force to the mat, once to the right and once to the left for each throw. The attacker is attacking with various strikes and grabs, and the defender is defending these with Judo throws. The person playing the attacker must be skilled in proper falling techniques before learning this Kata. The throws are broken up into five sets of three throws each. The first set covers throws that predominantly use the hands. The second set consists of throws which incorporate using the hip as a fulcrum to tip the attacker over in order to assist the throw. In the third set the defender uses their legs to sweep the legs of the attacker to complete the throw. The fourth and fifth sets are sacrifice throws where the defender throws himself to the ground, and utilizes the momentum of their fall to throw the attacker to the ground.

Goshin Jutsu no Kata (forms of self-defense)
While the Nage no Kata practices using throwing techniques in defense, the Goshin Jutsu no Kata (forms of self-defense) was created in 1956 with the explicit purpose teaching self-defense. It consists of 21 techniques against unarmed and armed attacks. It is divided into two unarmed sets and three sets with weapons. The first seven techniques are against grabs and holds. The next five are against attacks from strikes and kicks. Then there are defenses against three attacks with a knife, three with a stick and three with a gun. The techniques here cannot be used in free exercise practice or in competition, only in kata. Never-the-less, as one practices this kata, the attack speed increases and one's reflexes and reactions sharpen to meet the attack. Eventually, this kata can be practiced at full speed by very skilled practitioners, as each defense is intended to physically disable the attacker.

Clinic Instructors
Mike Purcell is a Kodokan Rokudan with more than forty years teaching experience at Universities and community programs throughout the West. He is currently the Chairman of the Northwest Judo Yudanshakai Board of Examiners, a member of the USJF Promotion Committee, and Secretary of the National Board of Examiners. The Head Instructor of Columbia Judo Dojo in Kennewick, WA, Mike has created a program well-known for its expertise in kata, producing Pan American Medalists, National Champions, and World Master's Grand Champions. A Class A judge in all seven Kodokan kata, he has been an invited clinician at the National Kata Clinic and performs clinics throughout the Northwest region.

Delynn Purcell is the 2002 World Master's Grand Champion in kata, and based on her National Championships and other medals, has represented the United States medaling several times in the Pan American Championships. She has also passed the Ju no Kata examination at Kodokan. A godan, Delynn has been practicing judo for over twenty years and is the Assistant Head Instructor at Columbia Judo Dojo. A Class A judge in all seven kata, and National Clinician, she is currently the Secretary of the USA Judo Kata Operations Committee.

Hector Mendez is a Nidan at Columbia Judo Dojo. A practitioner of iado, akijutsu, and other martial arts, he brings a strong budo presence to the mat and has medaled several times at the Fukuda Kata Championships. An outstanding kata partner, he assisted in the 2009 National Kata Clinic and various clinics throughout the Northwest.