Nakayama

Nakayama was the head of the Japan Karate Association for several decades. JKA used to be the world's largest Karate organization. Maybe it still is.

It was my honour to train in classes lead by him. Once was at the San Diego Summer Camp, the the other was during his 1986 visit to BC.

He has since passed on, and the association has suffered many subsequent fractures.

I swear the Star Wars character Yoda was based on him, but he wasn't green. Short, cute, and very stiff from injuries suffered in a near-fatal skiing accident, he was totally unimposing.

One thing I remember he had us try, was to stand still until an attacking punch reached to within inches of one's face. We were to then pivot so that the passing fist passed harmlessly a micron or two to one side. Little Yoda could do it easily. I didn't see anybody else even get close to success. Through his translator he told us that we were all pivoting too soon. "Let the full-speed punch get closer before you move."

Then in English he chanted "wait wait wait go". We screwed it up. "Wait wait wait go". I understood what was required, but just couldn't do what Yoda could. That little guy was fast. He also gave no clue as to when he was going to move, or which way he was going to pivot. He used several different attackers to demonstrate. The attacking fist always looked like it was touching his cheek, and I suppose it was. That was part of what he wanted us to do. "Wait wait wait go". We were, however, able to make him smile.