Sensei Didier Lupo is an appreciated character here in Desio. The seminar Acqua&Vento 2021 will be his fifth appointment with us in six years.
During our last meeting in 2020 (there’d have been another lockdown within few days), sitting in front of an ice cream, he said:
«Even for us it ain’t been easy […] The whole Marseille was like a ghost city: you could hear the sirens, some delivery-trucks, but no more. None of my guys could come to the dojo, so for few weeks I was completely alone».
Well, Lupo-sensei is used to train alone (nearly) every single day, before classes, but «having nobody to pratice with for weeks was… alienating».
Nonetheless, suddenly having a lot of spare time improved his… mindfulness. Inside the whole dojo there were just Lupo-sensei and the dummy-bob. The punching-ball stoically lets itself strike hard and perfectly reacts to blows, that’s true, but only with difficulties it can carry on a conversation or answer a question. Thus you must cope with yourself to get an answer. Sensei Lupo focused on the dynamics, silently: he re-discovered and re-designed many movements he hardly thought of earlier, concentrating on himself and on fundamentals, from a totally different point of view.
Let’s name it “Lockdown Perspective”!
This is one of the aspects we like about sensei Lupo; the one with he gained respect and prestige, both national and international. Something that has little to share with titles or medals (or grades), believe me.
Because sensei Lupo could boast many acknowledgments, but he… doesn’t like to!
Born in Marseille (France) in 1965, Didier first got on the tatami when he was 9, as many others following the wave of martial arts’ movies.
Differently from many others, though, his enthusiasm never ceased. He tells he never saw himself as a “natural skilled” or even “born to”. All the contrary!
Hours and hours spent on repeating (and repeating) the same techniques are his secret. As well as his dedication towards karate, which allowed him, when 17, to be part of the French national team, until reaching the top of Europe in 1983, 1986 and 1989.
«Le travail et la patience», often says sensei Lupo. And this is his brand, the kind of karate he decided to teach, through a very accurate study of the technique, made of small steps which harmonize each other in a chain. A method – luckily – that is quite familiar for us (we talked about it here, for instance).
Once he was… too old for competitions (mainly kumite matches), and left his official dues, sensei Lupo sided to his traditional teaching a more… technological version, by tailoring in the years several instructional videos.
His own methodology focused on katas, by analyzing their smallest details, finalizing to a bunkai which must be practical, synthetic and successful.
A fractal research, since katas make up a gold mine that can be probed almost unlimitedly.
To make acquaintance and experiment his teaching, take advantage of “Acqua&Vento” seminar, on 18-19 September.
Rumor has it that, for this event, our nice French sensei will work on a very befitting kata: 水手 (suishu), that is “hands of water”. Will it be true?
Come and find out!
