A little interview to Sensei Fiore Tartaglia

On my Instagram account I follow many martial artists but I must confess that one of my favorite accounts is that of Sensei Fiore Tartaglia. Not only because he is obviously a great martial artist, but also because of the way he transmits his teachings on any platform, like his YouTube channel, his website, his apps, his books and his drawings! Such a neat way to show every detail of the techniques.

For those who do not know who he is, I give you a brief summary before entering the matter with the interview:

Sensei Fiore Tartaglia is 6th Dan in Shotokan style, he was born in Italy in 1958, he began to practice Karate at the age of 16. Also a Judo practitioner, founding a Karate and Judo dojo with 2 friends. Then he moved to Germany, where he currently resides. And do you remember that I told you about your drawings? As he is a graphic designer, this talent is reflected in them.

Now, let's start with the interview:

• When did you start training Karate? Had you trained another martial art before?

I started when I was 16. For several months I practiced ju jiutsu first.

• What did you like most about Karate?

First the skill of the dosing techniques. You can make your opponent understand that it is better not to fight by hitting without too much force. If you can't avoid it in extreme cases, you can also end a fight with a single punch.

But the most fascinating thing remains the integration of mental education into everyday life.

• Who was your teacher and greatest influence? What did you learn from him?

Silvano Baldi, internationally successful fighter. With him I learned determination.

• Did you think of any time leaving Karate or take a break?

No!

• How many years have been you teaching Karate and how did your teaching evolve over time?

I have practically been teaching for more than four decades. My teaching developed over time, giving more and more importance to technical subtleties, some of which are not immediately visible, and to care for the mental attitude for the development of personality.

• What is the essentials of Karate for you?

The list is long, practically nothing should be overlooked, otherwise, learning becomes partial. To synthesize it is necessary to take care of the love for details (the small one) to achieve the desired results (the big one).

• After all these years in Karate. What would you recommend to a beginner?

To immediately start executing the correct techniques, it is also said that the body is not yet able to coordinate. All of this slowly, speed comes later. A technique learned from mistakes (because you are just a white belt) is memorized by the body and performed for years. Removing the defect later is much more difficult.

• Thank you very much Sensei, would you like to add something else?

Thank you for the interesting questions you asked me and my best wishes along your karate route.