Spring Training

Spring is here! And among other things it means that it is time to wake up and push forward with our training. Spring is that special time of year where you naturally feel more energized as the days become longer and warmer, but the hot and humid days of summer are still months away.  We have some fun events coming up at the dojo:

Sensei Phil is testing for his second degree black belt on March 31 at 10:00 AM. Make sure you are there and prepared to participate.

The Outdoor Seigan continues! With things like sunlight and above freezing temperatures, training outside this time of year is enjoyable. Come to practice Thursdays ready to venture out onto the hill.

Advanced Breaking Seminar for brown and black belts is on Friday the 23rd. Sign up for an opportunity to break boards, bricks, and ice!

Think about any possible seminars you would be interested in having. Contact any of the black belts about ideas or interests you have.

Along with all this, take some time to look over your testing requirements. Work on conquering your goals in the martial arts. That might mean achieving your next belt rank, attending more classes, or getting better at a specific facet of your training. Whatever your goals are, focus and use this time to train hard and experience the necessary mental and physical growth required to achieve them.

Photo By: Dan Hucko

Best Belt Rank?

What was your favorite belt rank (other than black belt)? And Why?

Green was my favorite. Green belt is the rank you first get to start using weapons and throws. You also get to be considered one of the "upper belts." Testing for my green belt was also an intense and challenging experience.

Add your thoughts in the comments!

You Know You're a Martial Artist When...

Post By: S Lee

Are you guilty of any of these?

You know you're a martial artist when...

*You use various kicks and strikes to turn light switches on and off
*You refuse to wear certain pants because you can't kick in them
*Trying out a new pair of shoes means practicing sweeps and circle stepping in them
*You bow when entering or leaving a room
*Find yourself practicing ken-jutsu techniques with kitchen knives
*Open and close doors using spinning kicks
*You never lean against walls or stand with your arms crossed or hands in your pockets
*You groan and correct the techniques used in martial art movies
*Find yourself practicing stances while waiting in line
*You imagine yourself hip-throwing any brisk moving individual that passes by you in the Wegmans parking lot
*You bow when introduced to someone new
*Cannot help but take inventory of possible weapons at restaurants and bars
*Practice bo techniques with any long and cylindrical object: yard sticks, broom handles, walking sticks, rakes, snow shovels, etc.
*Have your favorite weapon next to your bed
*Have at least one weapon in each room of your home
*Know exactly what weapon you are going for should your home be invaded
*Insist that various friends and family members grab you and try to hang on while you escape and put them into painful locks and chokes
*Take note whenever you see someone who isn't centered
*You angrily chastise the victims in slasher movies for not using proper self defense
*You respond with "OSU" when given direct instructions from a boss or spouse
*You have or have thought about dive rolling over various objects
*Cannot walk by fellow martial artists without throwing mock punches and kicks at them
*You KIAI instead of swear when you slam your hand in the door
*Cannot walk by wood tables or pieces of concrete without pondering the best technique you could use to break them
*Have a hard time shaking someone's hand without turning it into Kansetsu Waza
*You can recite complete lines from Enter the Dragon, Kill Bill, or Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
*You can add onto this list...

Photo By: S Ken Smith 

Board Breaking

Post By: S Lee

Board breaking is one of those iconic karate things that new students are often in awe over. It is a showy and strong example of sheer power as a hand or leg blasts through wood or even concrete like it was nothing. Reserved for seminars and belt testing, board breaking is also a "special" activity we don't get to do at every practice.

While breaking boards looks impressive, you may find that it is not at all as difficult as you first imagined. Some power, speed, and muscle are needed, however, most of the ability to break a board comes from your mind. Staying focused and hitting through the board, as opposed to ending your strike on contact will determine the likelihood of your success. Mentally, you have to imagine that you are going to explode through that wood board. Being afraid or timid will likely result in failure. Send your energy past the board and into the holders, as if the wooden separation isn't even there.  

That being said, there are other nuances to board breaking. Your Sensei will help you and explain what you exactly need to do. Listen to them! Some techniques are more difficult than others, and if a Sensei suggests trying something else, there is a good reason for it. There are many different techniques to use, including kicks and upper body strikes. It is best that you pick something you are familiar with, especially if it is your first time breaking.

There are different ways to go about breaking your 4 boards. Some students will go through them one by one, choosing one technique at a time to focus on. You pick your technique and find someone to hold your boards. After performing a few practice strikes, you then launch your technique and break. More advanced students, typically green belt and above, will do a series break. This is where you select at least two techniques to do in a sequence without a break in-between. After finding your holders, position them where you want. It might be with them standing across from each other or in a circle around you. Practice your entire sequence a few times. As soon as you are ready, break your boards in the order of your sequence. Another option is to break multiple boards at once. Pick a technique that is very strong for you, like an elbow strike. The holders will keep at least two boards steady, giving you a chance to break both boards at the same time with just one strike.

Enjoy board breaking! This is a fun way to challenge your mind and body. Those boards won't stand a chance this seminar!

This comic used to hang in the Kung-Fu studio. It always made me smile!

Photo By: Ken Smith 

   

Outdoor Seigan

Post By: S Lee

During the Thursday class we have been challenging ourselves by having part of practice outside. The idea is to continue to do this, despite whatever weather conditions might arise. Though we have not been purposely adding time to our half hour challenge, it has been naturally happening. The first time out there we lasted half an hour, while last class we spent about forty-five minutes training outdoors. So why would anyone insist on this?

There are a number of reasons why outdoor training is beneficial. First, we did not pick the Thursday self defense class randomly. Using techniques on uneven ground, sometimes slippery ground, against people wearing layers of clothing, adds some needed realism to self defense. Chances are if you are ever attacked in real life, you may have to face these conditions. Even throwing a simple and normally powerful elbow strike is difficult if you slide on a patch of ice (which I found out last week.) It makes you realize that things like head kicks or spinning kicks are maybe not as good for self defense as you once thought. Plus, with the noise of the passing traffic it is almost impossible to hear your attacker approaching. This drastically cuts down on the time you have to react with something that makes sense.

Toughness is an element that is necessary in nearly every sport, and certainly in the martial arts. Forcing yourself to train in less than ideal conditions helps develop this inner sense of strength. It shows you that you can go outside in the rain or snow, do what you have to, and return relatively unscathed. I think anyone who has experienced this will agree that it feels good running up that hill. It feels good throwing your techniques and working through circle attacks as the wind rushes at you. There is a certain amount of satisfaction when you throw your wet and mud-stained uniform in the wash.

Personally, staying focused outside is the toughest thing for me. The rushing cars, occasional jogger, dog walkers, and the huge glowing Tim Horton's sign are all major distractions. Staying focused through kata and basics is even more difficult with all these other things going on.

I strongly urge people to join us outside. It is excellent training and you will feel good about it. Oxyclean and Tide are great at getting mud out of white uniforms.  

Photo By: Ken Smith

Famous People Who Are Also Martial Artists

This is a fun blog post!

Here is a list of 10 famous people who have trained in the martial arts:

Sean Connery: Kyokushin, also trained under Steven Seagal

Vladimir Putin: Judo Master

Bill Clinton: Taekwondo

Paul Walker: Brazilian Jujitsu

Criss Angel: Karate, Kung-Fu, Taekwondo

Theodore Roosevelt: Judo, Jujitsu

Madonna: Karate

Courtney Cox: Karate

Lucy Liu: Escrima, Silat

Abraham Lincoln: Wrestling

So keep training, who knows it may help you win the next election or land that movie role! Add any others you can think of in the comments.