SENSEI FRANK WOON-A-TAI
A career karate instructor; Frank Woon- A- Tai received most of his training out side Japan, under the
tutelage of senior Japanese instructors of the old Japan Karate Association (JKA) .Born in 1950 he began
training at the age of fourteen. Widely respected by students and colleagues, the sixth Dan belongs to that
distinguished small group of non-Japanese instructors who began to teach traditional karate in their home
countries during the sixties and seventies. Known for his smooth form, cat-like quickness, and explosive
power, Frank Woon-A- Tai first gained international prominence when he won the Pan American kata
championship in 1978.
Since then, the chairman and technical director of the newly re-organized Japan Karate Association World
Federation (JKA WF) of Canada has turned out many champions, world-class competitors and high-ranking
students of his own. Mr. Woon-A- Tai's karate odyssey started when, as a youngster growing up in
Georgetown, Guyana, a visiting karate instructor introduced him to Shotokan. He was hooked right away.
Captivated by its beguiling simplicity and deadly effectiveness, young Woon-A- Tai dropped judo, which he
was studying, to pursue karate. At the time, however, karate was new in the west, and qualified instructors
were hard to find. The lack of available instruction did not deter the new convert. Instead, it intensified his
insatiable demand for technical expertise.
From that early chance encounter, karate became his life, his lifelong passion.
By another fortuitous turn of event a few years later, Frank Woon-A- Tai discovered the Japan Karate
Association. When Masatoshi Nakayama, the late chief instructor of the JKA, published his opus, Dynamic
Karate, a lavishly illustrated textbook, he could not have imagined the impact it would make on one person,
living half-a-world away. When Woon-A- Tai got hold of the book, he was blown away by it. Before the days
of VCRs, nothing quite compared with it as a teaching resource. Even today, Master Nakayama's work
remains one of the finest in its field. Crammed with information drawn from the author's vast experience,
the manual serves as a textbook and a work of reference.
Woon-A- Tai pored over the pages, soaking up everything. He "oohed" and "aahed" at the pictures of JKA
senior instructors in action; he marveled at their artistry, the precision of their timing, their intensity, and
the power of their techniques. He studied the high-speed pictures, which showed the power and full range
of motion of their kicks and punches. Page after page, karate came to life right before his eyes. Woon-A- Tai
couldn't get enough of it. He wanted more. Inspired by Master Nakayama, he headed for England to train
with Keinosuke Enoeda, one of the fiercest of JKA Instructors. It was an eye- opening experience. Finally
Woon-A- Tai saw for himself what authentic karate was really like. He saw up close the sophisticated
techniques and training methods of the JKA. His short stay convinced him all the more to throw in his lot
with the JKA.
"It was a totally new feeling,’ he says about his time in England." The use of the hips, the technical
knowledge... when I got back to Georgetown I made plans to go to Japan." One year later, Mr. Woon-A- Tai
realized his dream. It took three days to get to Tokyo. When he arrived, he went straight from the airport to
JKA headquarters. There, he had the privilege of studying with some of the finest instructors in the world.
What a thrill! Starting over as a white belt, he trained four times a day: classes for foreigners, open classes
and special training every day. He worked, and worked and worked some more. The training, as he recalls,
was strenuous, and the intensity, well, that was something else. 'It was completely different from anything I
had imagined. Very traditional and very tough." It suited him fine, thank you.
A young Frank Woon-A- Tai ( first dan) stands
proudly with Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki (sixth dan).
"No smiles, or jokes, or fooling around. You had to be serious."
This approach to budo (traditional martial arts) training, of going all out without thought of material gain
(profit, trophies, rank, etc.), is what the Japanese call mushotoku. Training with true sincerity fosters-not
just confidence but something stronger-inner strength, an indomitable spirit that is not easily shaken. By
the end of his stay, Frank Woon-A- Tai earned his shodan.
When he returned to Guyana, Mr. Woon-A- Tai cemented his association with the JKA. He contacted
Teruyuki Okazaki, a ninth dan, one of the JKA’s most senior instructors, who resides in the United States.
The association continues down to today. It is a relationship that he cherishes. Mr. Woon-A- Tai has great
respect for Master Okazaki, whom he calls his instructor He even named his son Ken Teruyuki after him.
"I've trained with many great instructors," says Mr. Woon-A- Tai. "Everything I learned about kata comes
from Master Nakayama. Kumite from Master Nishiyama. Basics and philosophy comes from Mr. Okazaki. And
karate protocol from Mr. Yaguchi." "But Mr. Okazaki's teaching is still the best," he states categorically. "He
was the first coach of the JKA instructor program. He coached Mr. [Takayuki] Mikami (eighth dan) and Mr.
Kanazawa (eighth dan) and Mr. Yaguchi."
The respect is mutual. In Master Okazaki's estimation Mr. Woon-A- Tai is one of the best non- Japanese
instructors around. Each year, Master Okazaki invites Mr. Woon-A- Tai to teach at his summer camp, along
side some of the finest master instructors in the JKA. The quality of karate in Canada, Master Okazaki
notes, continue to improve under Mr. Woon-A- Tai's direction. The eighth dan urges students to follow Mr.
Woon-A- Tai's coaching and to always listen to what he says Mr. Woon-A- Tai's association with Mr. Okazaki
an the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF), has been extremely fruitful over the years. In Mr.
Woon-A- Tai, the ISKF gained a first-rate instructor, a staunch supporter of the JKA, and most of all, a man
of integrity. As an instructor, Mr. Woon-A- Tai 's personality and expertise combine to make him a gifted
teacher. He has the ability to work with others, because of his willingness to listen.
According to Saskatchewan’s Del Phillips, Mr. Woon-A- Tai's greatest attribute is patience. He understands
people and is able to bring the best out of them. "He devotes so much time and effort to karate and
probably doesn't get enough credit for it. We need more people of his caliber,' says Mr. Phillips.
In 1976, Mr. Woon-A- Tai accepted the position of chief instructor in Jamaica. During his tenure "things
really took off." Mr. Woon-A- Tai caught the imagination of the Jamaican students.
According to Gary Thrnbull, 6th dan, the present chief instructor, his "first impression' " of Mr. Woon-A- Tai.
"was the pure power of his techniques."
By the time he moved to Canada in 1980, Mr. Woon-A- Tai had left his mark in the Caribbean. Other
countries in the region saw the improvements in Jamaica and were eager for his expertise. Gary Thrnbull
speaks fondly of Mr. Woon-A- Tai's contribution: "Our [current tournament] kata selections are influenced
by Mr. Woon-A- Tai. His concept was to keep with one kata long enough to perfect it, and be able to show it
in competition. "Until then we picked from the 15 [ core Shotokan kata] .Mr. Woon-A- Tai expanded that to
the more advanced kata. Coming to Canada meant starting over again. He had to build a membership in
Toronto from scratch. During his nineteen years here, Mr. Woon-A- Tai has worked hard to promote
JKA/ISKF karate across the country. To improve the caliber of karate, he has brought in a number of high-
ranking instructors from Japan to teach at special clinics and at his annual summer camp. As chairman of
the JKA World Federation of Canada (formerly ISKF Canada), Mr. Woon-A- Tai has to perform administrative
duties. However, his first love is still teaching, which he continues to do throughout Eastern Canada and
the Caribbean.
"Hard training is a must" he says. "It is a necessary part of training to know your limits and to go beyond
that "I've had great success not only in Canada but in Jamaica and Guyana, where I employed the same
teaching method, stressing kata "Maybe too much," he admits.
"I have a personal preference for kata. I believe strongly in kata training. "Kata is very technical. You have
to control your body, then, according to Master Nakayama, you can control your opponent.'
Skeptics have questioned his emphasis on kata training. They dismiss the value of punching air as a means
of developing fighting skill. However, Mr. Woon-A- Tai is quick to point out: "Our students have had great
success in sparring. The record speaks for itself. [It's] a matter of understanding: kata is kumite, fighting
against multiple opponents. If you can master kata, you can easily master kumite."
Indeed the record speaks for itself. The list of Canadian national and international champions he has
trained is long and ever growing. He is especially high on the current crop of international competitors. He
believes they have the potential to become world champions in the not- too-distant future.
However, as Mr. Woon-A- Tai has said on many occasions, karate is for everyone, not just
the young and the athletic. Unlike competitive sport, which places a premium on winning, karate as a
martial art places overriding importance on participation: the pursuit of developing one's full physical and
mental potential.
What does Mr. Woon-A- Tai look for in a student? Size? Strength? Speed? Co-ordination? Aggressiveness,
perhaps? Nope. None of the above. It's attitude. He likes students who come with an open mind, who are
willing to learn. Karate study, as he points out, has no end. It's just like any kind of education. Just because
someone has finished school doesn't mean the person knows everything there is to know. Learning
continues over the course of a lifetime.
Mr. Woon-A- Tai knows the value of students who are genuinely interested in learning something. They
tend to stay with karate through thick and thin. Many of his students have come up through the ranks to
become instructors. A glance at the list of his Ontario instructors shows most have been training for at
least 10 years.
There is no substitute for experience, to be sure. But instructors also have to know how to instruct, so that
they can pass on the techniques of the JKA to future generations of karate-ka. The work of a karate master
is never done. After nineteen years, much remains to be accomplished. Having laid the groundwork for JKA
/ISKF karate in Canada, the goal for the new millennium is to make Canada a first-rate karate power.
tutelage of senior Japanese instructors of the old Japan Karate Association (JKA) .Born in 1950 he began
training at the age of fourteen. Widely respected by students and colleagues, the sixth Dan belongs to that
distinguished small group of non-Japanese instructors who began to teach traditional karate in their home
countries during the sixties and seventies. Known for his smooth form, cat-like quickness, and explosive
power, Frank Woon-A- Tai first gained international prominence when he won the Pan American kata
championship in 1978.
Since then, the chairman and technical director of the newly re-organized Japan Karate Association World
Federation (JKA WF) of Canada has turned out many champions, world-class competitors and high-ranking
students of his own. Mr. Woon-A- Tai's karate odyssey started when, as a youngster growing up in
Georgetown, Guyana, a visiting karate instructor introduced him to Shotokan. He was hooked right away.
Captivated by its beguiling simplicity and deadly effectiveness, young Woon-A- Tai dropped judo, which he
was studying, to pursue karate. At the time, however, karate was new in the west, and qualified instructors
were hard to find. The lack of available instruction did not deter the new convert. Instead, it intensified his
insatiable demand for technical expertise.
From that early chance encounter, karate became his life, his lifelong passion.
By another fortuitous turn of event a few years later, Frank Woon-A- Tai discovered the Japan Karate
Association. When Masatoshi Nakayama, the late chief instructor of the JKA, published his opus, Dynamic
Karate, a lavishly illustrated textbook, he could not have imagined the impact it would make on one person,
living half-a-world away. When Woon-A- Tai got hold of the book, he was blown away by it. Before the days
of VCRs, nothing quite compared with it as a teaching resource. Even today, Master Nakayama's work
remains one of the finest in its field. Crammed with information drawn from the author's vast experience,
the manual serves as a textbook and a work of reference.
Woon-A- Tai pored over the pages, soaking up everything. He "oohed" and "aahed" at the pictures of JKA
senior instructors in action; he marveled at their artistry, the precision of their timing, their intensity, and
the power of their techniques. He studied the high-speed pictures, which showed the power and full range
of motion of their kicks and punches. Page after page, karate came to life right before his eyes. Woon-A- Tai
couldn't get enough of it. He wanted more. Inspired by Master Nakayama, he headed for England to train
with Keinosuke Enoeda, one of the fiercest of JKA Instructors. It was an eye- opening experience. Finally
Woon-A- Tai saw for himself what authentic karate was really like. He saw up close the sophisticated
techniques and training methods of the JKA. His short stay convinced him all the more to throw in his lot
with the JKA.
"It was a totally new feeling,’ he says about his time in England." The use of the hips, the technical
knowledge... when I got back to Georgetown I made plans to go to Japan." One year later, Mr. Woon-A- Tai
realized his dream. It took three days to get to Tokyo. When he arrived, he went straight from the airport to
JKA headquarters. There, he had the privilege of studying with some of the finest instructors in the world.
What a thrill! Starting over as a white belt, he trained four times a day: classes for foreigners, open classes
and special training every day. He worked, and worked and worked some more. The training, as he recalls,
was strenuous, and the intensity, well, that was something else. 'It was completely different from anything I
had imagined. Very traditional and very tough." It suited him fine, thank you.
A young Frank Woon-A- Tai ( first dan) stands
proudly with Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki (sixth dan).
"No smiles, or jokes, or fooling around. You had to be serious."
This approach to budo (traditional martial arts) training, of going all out without thought of material gain
(profit, trophies, rank, etc.), is what the Japanese call mushotoku. Training with true sincerity fosters-not
just confidence but something stronger-inner strength, an indomitable spirit that is not easily shaken. By
the end of his stay, Frank Woon-A- Tai earned his shodan.
When he returned to Guyana, Mr. Woon-A- Tai cemented his association with the JKA. He contacted
Teruyuki Okazaki, a ninth dan, one of the JKA’s most senior instructors, who resides in the United States.
The association continues down to today. It is a relationship that he cherishes. Mr. Woon-A- Tai has great
respect for Master Okazaki, whom he calls his instructor He even named his son Ken Teruyuki after him.
"I've trained with many great instructors," says Mr. Woon-A- Tai. "Everything I learned about kata comes
from Master Nakayama. Kumite from Master Nishiyama. Basics and philosophy comes from Mr. Okazaki. And
karate protocol from Mr. Yaguchi." "But Mr. Okazaki's teaching is still the best," he states categorically. "He
was the first coach of the JKA instructor program. He coached Mr. [Takayuki] Mikami (eighth dan) and Mr.
Kanazawa (eighth dan) and Mr. Yaguchi."
The respect is mutual. In Master Okazaki's estimation Mr. Woon-A- Tai is one of the best non- Japanese
instructors around. Each year, Master Okazaki invites Mr. Woon-A- Tai to teach at his summer camp, along
side some of the finest master instructors in the JKA. The quality of karate in Canada, Master Okazaki
notes, continue to improve under Mr. Woon-A- Tai's direction. The eighth dan urges students to follow Mr.
Woon-A- Tai's coaching and to always listen to what he says Mr. Woon-A- Tai's association with Mr. Okazaki
an the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF), has been extremely fruitful over the years. In Mr.
Woon-A- Tai, the ISKF gained a first-rate instructor, a staunch supporter of the JKA, and most of all, a man
of integrity. As an instructor, Mr. Woon-A- Tai 's personality and expertise combine to make him a gifted
teacher. He has the ability to work with others, because of his willingness to listen.
According to Saskatchewan’s Del Phillips, Mr. Woon-A- Tai's greatest attribute is patience. He understands
people and is able to bring the best out of them. "He devotes so much time and effort to karate and
probably doesn't get enough credit for it. We need more people of his caliber,' says Mr. Phillips.
In 1976, Mr. Woon-A- Tai accepted the position of chief instructor in Jamaica. During his tenure "things
really took off." Mr. Woon-A- Tai caught the imagination of the Jamaican students.
According to Gary Thrnbull, 6th dan, the present chief instructor, his "first impression' " of Mr. Woon-A- Tai.
"was the pure power of his techniques."
By the time he moved to Canada in 1980, Mr. Woon-A- Tai had left his mark in the Caribbean. Other
countries in the region saw the improvements in Jamaica and were eager for his expertise. Gary Thrnbull
speaks fondly of Mr. Woon-A- Tai's contribution: "Our [current tournament] kata selections are influenced
by Mr. Woon-A- Tai. His concept was to keep with one kata long enough to perfect it, and be able to show it
in competition. "Until then we picked from the 15 [ core Shotokan kata] .Mr. Woon-A- Tai expanded that to
the more advanced kata. Coming to Canada meant starting over again. He had to build a membership in
Toronto from scratch. During his nineteen years here, Mr. Woon-A- Tai has worked hard to promote
JKA/ISKF karate across the country. To improve the caliber of karate, he has brought in a number of high-
ranking instructors from Japan to teach at special clinics and at his annual summer camp. As chairman of
the JKA World Federation of Canada (formerly ISKF Canada), Mr. Woon-A- Tai has to perform administrative
duties. However, his first love is still teaching, which he continues to do throughout Eastern Canada and
the Caribbean.
"Hard training is a must" he says. "It is a necessary part of training to know your limits and to go beyond
that "I've had great success not only in Canada but in Jamaica and Guyana, where I employed the same
teaching method, stressing kata "Maybe too much," he admits.
"I have a personal preference for kata. I believe strongly in kata training. "Kata is very technical. You have
to control your body, then, according to Master Nakayama, you can control your opponent.'
Skeptics have questioned his emphasis on kata training. They dismiss the value of punching air as a means
of developing fighting skill. However, Mr. Woon-A- Tai is quick to point out: "Our students have had great
success in sparring. The record speaks for itself. [It's] a matter of understanding: kata is kumite, fighting
against multiple opponents. If you can master kata, you can easily master kumite."
Indeed the record speaks for itself. The list of Canadian national and international champions he has
trained is long and ever growing. He is especially high on the current crop of international competitors. He
believes they have the potential to become world champions in the not- too-distant future.
However, as Mr. Woon-A- Tai has said on many occasions, karate is for everyone, not just
the young and the athletic. Unlike competitive sport, which places a premium on winning, karate as a
martial art places overriding importance on participation: the pursuit of developing one's full physical and
mental potential.
What does Mr. Woon-A- Tai look for in a student? Size? Strength? Speed? Co-ordination? Aggressiveness,
perhaps? Nope. None of the above. It's attitude. He likes students who come with an open mind, who are
willing to learn. Karate study, as he points out, has no end. It's just like any kind of education. Just because
someone has finished school doesn't mean the person knows everything there is to know. Learning
continues over the course of a lifetime.
Mr. Woon-A- Tai knows the value of students who are genuinely interested in learning something. They
tend to stay with karate through thick and thin. Many of his students have come up through the ranks to
become instructors. A glance at the list of his Ontario instructors shows most have been training for at
least 10 years.
There is no substitute for experience, to be sure. But instructors also have to know how to instruct, so that
they can pass on the techniques of the JKA to future generations of karate-ka. The work of a karate master
is never done. After nineteen years, much remains to be accomplished. Having laid the groundwork for JKA
/ISKF karate in Canada, the goal for the new millennium is to make Canada a first-rate karate power.
