The 2013 JKA/AF National Camp was hosted in New Orleans by Sensei Takayuki Mikami (9th Dan) with guest instructor Sensei Tatsuya Naka (7th Dan) from the JKA headquarters in Japan. It was a fun three days of training with most classes opened by Sensei Mikami and then continued by Sensei Naka.
Sensei Naka is a great communicator, brilliant technician and dedicated teacher, and his enthusiasm was contagious. Everyone really appreciated his classes. We learned about (and practiced) hip vibration, rotation, counter-rotation; about body positioning and forming correct alignment; about concentration (he had some exercises that were mind twisters); about speed and directness of motions; about kata interpretation; and much more. The camp also included testing for judge certification, which Sensei Naka used as an opportunity to provide further insight and teaching on judging.
The last day of the camp was black belt testing. Sensei Khim passed Godan (5th degree), Mathew passed Sandan (3rd degree) & Philip Hu passed Shodan (1st degree).
