The Zimbabwe Karate Union (ZKU) full-contact knockdown technical director, Tendayi Marange, left the country Wednesday for a week-long training camp in Fukushima, Japan.

ZKU president, Lucky Munkondya, said the instructor's week-long attachment will benefit local karate.

The course would be conducted by Kancho (Head of Style) Hatsuo Royama and other renowned world chief instructors. The focus will basically be on refereeing, judging and kobudo (weapons).

There are three competition areas in karate -- Tameshiwara (breaking of boards and bricks) kata (fighting forms) and kumite (real fighting).

In kobudo (weapons) they will be concentrating on the use of karate weapons in fighting.

The weapons include Kama, Nunchaku, Sai, Tonfa and others. In all these areas you need both judges and referees when it comes to competitions.

"Zimbabwe Karate Union will benefit tremendously on the training and experience that Marange will gain and will impart when he comes back. Japan is where karate originated. What he will learn will be the original techniques from the originators of karate," said Munkondya.

"Karate as an institution requires continuous refinement of proficiency as you pursue the path of perfection. In karate you will always strive for perfection," he said.

"Zimbabwe Karate will not leg behind but will always be kept abreast with the global developments of karate. This is also a big boost as we prepare for the Zone 6 championships to be held in Harare on May 28," said Munkhodya.

Source: Xinhua