SENSEI ROBERTO DI BLASIO’S BIOGRAPHY

President of ISKO

(Italian Shinkyokushinkai Karate Organization)

Shinkyokushinkai Italy Branch Chief & Representative

 

I was born on 2 April, 1961 in San Benedetto del Tronto, a charming town on the coast of Marche region.

I start martial arts in November 1970 practicing Judo with Master TOMMASO SPINELLI from the Sports Center of FFOO (State Police).

Master Spinelli was among the first students of the great Japanese Master Ken Otani - 8th dan at that time - the latter arrived in Italy in the '60s.

Nearly 4 years later, in 1971, I discovered Karate, I started to practice it together with Judo, dividing in the best way my enthusiasm for both arts.

I took part in many Judo competitions, including two finals of the Italian championship FILPJ (the current Olympic federation, FIJLKAM), and in many regional and inter-regional tournaments.

In 1978 I was chosen to be part of the regional Judo team.

Unfortunately, a serious accident on the tatami forced me to decrease my Judo training and investing all my energy into Karate.

In the late 70s I became a student of Master FRANCO PALESTINI, just discharged from Karate Sports Centre Carabinieri in Rome. He carried an experience acquired from the Masters Iwao YOSHIOKA from Kushinkai and AUGUSTO BASILE.

In 1980, when I enrolled at the University, I spent long periods in Turin, Rome and Florence, where I practiced with the Masters ULDERICO FASSIONE and UGO NIEDDU, DONATI, YAMADA, BASILE and TEUTONICO.

In 1984 I was chosen to be part of FIK national representative, Master Basile's team.

I competed with FIK in many international competitions: Switzerland, France, Austria, Spain, Andorra and countless national competitions.

I fought with all the organizations of the time (FIK&DA current FIJLKAM, MAC ITALY, AKI, AKS, FIAM, FIK...).

I should remember that the rules of fighting at the time were very different from today: full contact was allowed, and KO - to the trunk - was tolerated and used to confer victory by ippon.

Hitting the face with kicks and punches often meant breaking teeth, or applying some stitches.

Being a friend of Master Riccardo Bergamini (now Kickbxoing national coach, FIKB / CONI) I tried my hand at Full Contact competitions.

So in my athletic life, which lasted about 20 years, I took part in many competitions in the region, in Italy and abroad, in many specialties: Judo, Karate and Full Contact.

I got to know and train with great Masters. Among these, the Masters Kase, Tamano, Yamada, Valera, Mochizuki, Yoshioka, Nambu, Higa and many others.

But numbers and locations are not important, it's everything that this store of experiences has given me, it made me grow and mature, and mainly it's what the people I met transmitted to me, their way of being, of standing, of fighting, their "essence. "

Their Energy!

According to me, my curiosity and my desire to discover were essential, and they led me - and still lead me - to search, to try, to compete and thereby to increase my interest in Martial Arts.

In my continuing research, I was able to get close to "original" Karate, the Okinawan Karate Do, knowing both Okinawa Goju Ryu and Shorin Ryu with the eminent OSCAR HIGA Hanshi, 9th dan.

The latter, besides being a living "treasure", is probably among the best technicians I've ever met in my martial experience.

I practiced Enshin Karate in Britain during 2003 and 2004 with the excellent sensei GARY CHAMBERLAIN, it's Shihan YUKO NINOMYA's innovative and revolutionary idea.

With the latter I had chance to increase my knowledge about his style of full contact Karate, during my visits to Britain.

I traveled a lot and I'm still travelling.

I had the opportunity to train several times in Hungary, Poland where I go often and in Russia, in shihan BORIS BELOV's Dojo in Kazan, Branch Chief Russia IKO Tezuka Kyokushinkai Group.

With IBK (International Budo Kai), headed by the brothers GERARD and NICO GORDEAU, I shared some Kyokushinkai exciting experiences in Hungary and in Holland.

During the summer stage in Budapest, after a long training week, I have been examined by IBK Board headed by Shihan Nico and Shihan Gerard Gordeau, Shihan Tom Eikmans, Shihan Frans van Wijngaarden, the excellent Hungarian technical Shihan Istvan Adamy, Shihan Jan de Jong, Russian Shihan Andrey Anufriev and Iranian Shihan Jahanbakhsh Moradi.

After Kihon, Kata and Kumite tests I received the rank of Nidan (2th dan) in Kyokushinkai.

I have been with two of my students at the Hungarian camp, as you can see from the pictures, 350 karateka from all over Europe, Russia, Iran and Central Asia.

After such Kyokushinkai experiences (the first dates back to the 80s in Holland with the Italian team of FIK) there was the meeting in 2005 with Shihan Tsuttomo Wakiuchi, head of IKO Matsui Group in Italy.

My students and I tried some experiences that will remain forever in our hearts with him and his organization.

Among the various satisfactions, I proudly recall the three Italian titles, and several placings in the Italian Championships, Italian Cup and the many tournaments won in Kata and Kumite tests.

Moreover the good results, always positive, in passing grade tests where Shihan Wakiuchi has always praised our work, always giving positive outcomes on the assignment of a higher grade.

We have been in AIKK in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. I have been authorized by Shihan Wakiuchi to teach Kyokushinkai and to be the technical manager of my schools.

Curious and always looking for innovation I have always been interested in enhancing and expanding my experiences.

In 2009 I was asked to represent Italy by the Technical Committee of EKO (European Kyokushinkai Organization), European member of WKO (World Karate Organization).

As usual, I had to sustain a "trial" period in which, besides having commitments and obligations with WKO technicians, my skills were observed and evaluated.

At the joint EKO/WKO meeting held in June 2010, it was resolved that the undersigned could honorably represent WKO in Italy.

The WKO Board on 25th April, 2011, officially decided to appoint me as Branch Chief and Representative (Area Leader and Representative of Italy) of prestigious WKO.

I'm still supported by EKO/WKO Board in keeping a technical education worthy of my responsibility.

The Shinkyokushinkai technical program is the same all over the world, so it's necessary to be updated and to deal with the directives of Japanese Technical Commission.

We are currently developing a twinning with Bulgarian Branch and it will be formalized soon. In addition to the joint visit in Bulgaria Hombu Dojo in Italy that we are building a beautiful relationship that transcends the Kyokushin. In addition to the joint visits both in Hombu Dojo in Bulgaria and in Italy, we are building up a beautiful relationship that transcends Kyokushin.

After more than 40 years of practice, I am aware that my journey is not finished yet, rather it's renewed every day.

A continuous "challenge", but in a more positive meaning of the word, led by the humility of having always want to start all over again all the times it happened to me, wearing my white belt.

I can end my presentation now, and I'm opening Dojo's doors where I passionately practice every day.

I'm waiting for you to harmoniously practice, to share my experiences with you and to learn from you what you want to transmit me, to walk together a stretch of "Road".

 

 "...lower your head, lift up you eyes, close your lips and open your mind"

(Sosai Masutatsu Oyama)

 

Traslator: Davide Domani