Chief Instructor and Head of the Comox Valley Wado-Kai
Sensei : Bob Harlock - 5th Dan
(250) 339-0957

Comox Valley Wado-Kai Karate Club was established in 1993 by sensei Bob Harlock. The Comox Valley Wado-Kai is a member of the Toronto Wado-Kai, which was founded over 30 years ago by Sensei Dave Manara, 8th degree. Sensei Manara has set strict guidelines in Kata, safety, honour and respect, for other in the sport. The Comox club follows these guidelines with a decisive precision.

The main focus of training in the Comox Wado-Kai is three fold.

KATA: A sequence of techniques done in a certain order against imaginary opponents. We also train with a variety of drills to enhance hips, power and flow.

KIHON KIMUTE: A series of self-defense techniques against punches, kicks and other attacks, executed once the attacker invades your space. These techniques are always done with a partner, usually in line attack style. Also, a series of easy to learn, yet effective, self-defense techniques to combat, chokes, grabs, headlocks etc.

SPARRING & SPARRING TECHNIQUES: This consists of many techniques from sparring stance along with sparring drills, with or without a partner. These drills all combine to enhance the flow, timing and distance, creating a precise and safe environment when free sparring.

Bob Harlock, 5th Degree: Head of the Comox Valley Wado-Kai Sensei Bob Harlock has studied karate for almost 25 years. After studying with a Shotokan style for a few years where he received his brown belt back in the late sixties, he took some time off to raise a family. In January of 1983 Bob joined the Oshawa Wado Kai in Ontario, under the tutelage of Sensei Jose-Carlos Garcia, where in June 1989 he received his 2nd degree in Wado. He studied with Sensei Garcia now a 6th degree and Sensei Dave Manara 8th degree, until 1992, when he retired from General Motors and moved to Comox, British Columbia. There in September of 1993 he founded the Comox Valley Wado Kai karate club, which to date has produced 20 black belts. Since then; in 2000 Sensei Bob received his 4th degree in Wado and in 1998 was certified in Shindo. Sensei Bob has also studied in Jujutsu where he received his brown belt and has trained using the six foot Bo in Kobudo and Bo-Jutsu, and is also a training instructor holding a certification in level one and levels two in the Underwood system of Defendo.

José-Carlos García, 6th Degree: Head of the Oshawa Wado-Kai Sensei José-Carlos García has studied karate for over 23 years and Tae Kwon Do for almost 4 years. In 2001, he received his 6th degree in Wado. He also holds the rank of 5th degree in Shindo. Sensei García was born in Madrid, Spain and in the early 70's he started his Wado training as student of Sensei Manara. Today Sensei Garcia resides in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada where he continues instructing and he has graded over 1,882 students and over 82 have achieved the rank of various Black Belt degrees. Sensei García continues traveling to receive training from Sensei Manara and Sensei Shintani. Sensei Garcia is presently a Member of the Senior Dan Council for the Toronto Wado-Kai. He is a recipient of the 1988 DKI and 1991 TWK appreciation awards.

Dave Manara, 9th Degree: Head of the Toronto Wado-Kai Sensei Dave Manara has studied karate in Canada and Japan since 1964 and holds an internationally-recognized 9th degree black belt in both Karate and Shindo. He is a respected member of the karate community and has received a sports Canada award, the highest honor given in amateur sport. He has been called on by the Supreme Court to give testimony on karate and serves as head official for C.T.V.'s "Wide World of Sports" karate tournament. He has trained over 200 black belts and temporary black belts since he began teaching in 1969. Dave graduated from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in 1974 with a diploma in Industrial engineering. Since then he has worked for an international electronics manufacturer, where he has held positions of increasing authority and is now Manufacturing Manager.

Masaru Shintani (b1927-2000), 9th Degree: Head for North America Sensei Shintani is a direct student of Sensei Ohtsuka. He is the highest ranking 9th degree black belt in Japanese karate in North America. Sensei Shintani has studied karate for over 45 years. He also holds ranks in Judo (3rd degree), Aikido (1st degree), and Kendo (1st degree). He was first exposed to karate by a man named Kitagawa while living in a Japanese-Canadian internment camp in British Columbia during the Second World War. In the mid-1950's, while competing in and eventually winning the championship in large All Japan Karate Federation tournaments in Tokyo, Sensei Shintani met and began to train under Sensei Ohtsuka. During the 1970's, Sensei Ohtsuka placed Sensei Shintani in sole charge of the teaching of Wado kai in North America. The Shintani Karate Federation of Wado Kai, centered in his home in Hamilton, Ontartio, is presently one of the largest martial arts organization under a single style in North America. Sensei Shintani has approximately 14,000 students in his organization and has graded over 1200 black belts. Sensei Masaru Shintani passed away on Sunday May 7th, 2000 in Kapuskasing, Ontario.

Ohtsuka Hironori (b1892-1982), 10th Degree: Wado-Ryu Founder Founder of the Wado style, Sensei Ohtsuka began martial arts training at six in Shindo Yoshin-ryu jujutsu, a traditional Japanese martial art from which modern judo was derived. By 1921, at the relatively young age of 29, he was awarded the coveted menkyo-kaiden, designating him the successor as master of this style. A year later he began karate training under Gichin Funakoshi, the man who introduced karate to Japan from Okinawa. He became one of Funakoshi's senior students but eventually travelled to Okinawa to learn more deeply of karate from the masters who had instructed Funakoshi. It was his belief that Funakoshi had over-simplified and over-modified several karate techniques and katas in the interests of teaching large groups of beginners. Sensei Ohtsuka combined his new knowledge of karate with several of his own adaptations from Japanese Bushido (the Way of the Warrior) martial arts to form Wado karate. Sensei Ohtsuka founded Wado karate in 1939, which has become one the four major styles of Japanese karate, the others being: Shotokan, Shito, and Goju. In the same year, Sensei Ohtsuka organized the All Japanese Katate-do Federation, Wado-Kai, which serves as the worldwide sanctioning body for Wado karate and it's affiliates. As early as 1934 he had developed rules and regulations for competitive free sparring to be incorporated into his system, the first karate style to do so. These rules have been wholly or patially adopted by virtually all modern martial arts competitions. In 1972, Sensei Ohtsuka recieved the highest Japanese decoration from the Emperor for his contribution to karate as well as being designated the head of all martial arts systems within the All Japan Karate-do Federation.

What is Karate? Karate was originally developed as the ultimate form of unarmed self-defence. Through the years it has transformed into a popular sport that can be practiced on your own or with a group. It can be as competitive as you want or strictly for self-appreciation. Some aspects can be practiced in a very limited area. Various types of equipment are available but are a necessity. The benefits of Karate are numerous. It is an excellent form of physical conditioning, which helps develop speed and endurance as well as balance, co-ordination, and flexibility. Many students train in Karate as a supplement to other activities, such as sports that are seasonal in nature. If personal growth is desired, Karate can be a means of gaining self understanding, of establishing contact with one's own body, and ultimately, it can become, for the dedicated student an art form through which one can express his or her own individuality. It should be noted that the breaking of boards, bricks, or tiles is not a part of the traditional Karate and that, except for demonstration purposes, this type of sensationalism is not practiced in the club. Karate provides the exercises essential for the strengthening of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. What is Wado-Kai? Wado is a Japanese karate style founded in 1939 by Hironori Ohtsuka. Wado kai or ryu, meaning the "way of peace and harmony", is one of the four major styles of karate in Japan and perhaps the purest form of karate-do (the way of the empty hands). What is Shindo? Sensei Masaru Shintani is the founder of the Shintani Karate Shindo Federation of North America. Sensei Masaru Shintani developed Shindo from the hanbo (3 foot staff) jutsu techniques of his samarai ancestors, the Matsumoto clan of Japan. Shindo is now a modern martial art practiced around the world. It was primarily developed as for defensive tactics for law enforcement agencies but has been adopted by various traditional martial artists. The Shindo stick is 1.25" diameter, 3 feet long with rounded ends. It is made from either oak (preferably) or maple and is normally painted black. Sensei Shintani has now certified over 1200 black belts in Shindo. Shindo is a stick form utilizing striking techniques, thrusting techniques, blocking techniques, as well as locking or control techniques. As with all good martial arts kihon (basic) drills are practiced regularly as well as kihon kumite (pre-arranged sparring) drills, kata and jiyu kumite (free sparring). A specially designed foam covered Shindo stick is utilized for both kihon kumite and jiyu kumite. For safety, head protection is also used for these drills. A hockey helmet with appropriate faceguard is acceptable.

Women in Karate Women are especially encouraged to participate. All women should know what to do if attacked. It takes several years of serious and consistent training to learn how to adequately defend oneself and it is foolish to believe that a few tricks learned from a self-defence book or in a crash course is enough. While women receive the same training as men, they are not expected to possess the same strength. Physical strength, though helpful, is not a critical factor in learning Karate. Indeed, women may find themselves progressing faster in some areas than the male students. In addition to the self-defence aspect, Karate is an excellent form of weight control and figure training. Unlike many other sports, Karate helps to tone muscles, rather than develop them. However, this is not the most important feature Karate can offer. Recently, women have become more aware of, and concerned about their health. Karate provides the exercises essential for the strengthening of the body systems which most determine one's state of health; the cardio-vascular and respiratory systems.

Children in Karate Through karate children learn to respect others while at the same time they build self confidence that helps them to cope at home and in school. Children are very different to teach from adults and putting them apart from adult classes, they can get the attention they need. Children are very active and playful. They have that need to learn, to discover, to experiment. From the various exercises combined with games they improve their co-ordination, their balance and their attention span. Students will be able to participate in non-contact tournaments.

Comox Valley Wado-Kay History

1993	Comox Valley Wado-Kai Karate Club was established.

1994	Comox Valley Wado-Kai Karate Club moved to the Masonic Church Hall St. in Comox.

1998	On October 24th, Sensei José-Carlos Garcia visits the Comox Valley Wado-Kai. (See the Pictures)

2000	On September 25th, Sensei Dave Manara visits the Comox Valley Wado-Kai. (See the Pictures)

2002	Comox Valley Wado-Kai Karate Club moved to the Comox Indian Band Hall on Comox Road halfway between Comox and Courtenay.