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 

Getting Hit Too Hard in Sparring

Post By: S Lee

You're in the middle of a sparring match and your partner starts striking you harder than you are comfortable with. Maybe a punch penetrated your guard and got you hard in the gut, or even gave you a black eye. Or maybe the strike didn't get in, but you are afraid of getting hurt if it does. Either way, you are concerned and in the middle of a very uncomfortable situation.

There are a few ways of dealing with this. First, remember where you are. Karate and sparring in particular are combative. Striking and getting hit are major components, and they are not always a bad thing. Surviving a hard sparring match relatively unscathed shows that you can handle the ordeal. It also teaches you that bloody noses, black eyes, and rough throws to the ground while painful do heal. They are survivable. You learn how much punishment a body can take without being incapacitated. This is extremely important when applied in self defense.

That being said, we do not want our students to all end up in the hospital. If you feel like your sparring match is out of control, then you should say something. Politely ask your sparring partner to ease up or slow down. Stop the match if you have to. Make sure he or she knows that you are serious and not joking around. Also check yourself. I have found over the years that most people return the amount of speed and power they feel that they themselves are receiving. It could be that you don't realize how strong or fast you are going, and that your partner is simply returning that pace. Once both of you are aware and have reset the match, see if things improve. If they do not and you still feel threatened, get the attention of a Sensei. Sensei can intervene and make sure the situation is handled. However, make sure you flag us down and actually have our attention. While we are very aware of our surroundings we are not omnipotent, and we may not realize what is going on right away unless you tell us.

Another option is to wear sparring gear. Gear protects you as well as your sparring partner, and if you want to hit harder without the lasting damage this is a great option. If your partner is punching or kicking too hard bare-knuckle, ask them to put gear on. Those inches of foam padding make a difference, and that might be all you need to make the sparring match civil. This is often a double-edged sword. If you are wearing gear, your partner may take that as a green light to hit you harder. I will often request gear if I want to have an intense match, but I'm concerned that my partner may do lasting damage without it.

Lastly, access what it is that you are specifically worried about. If you have an old injury that could be made worse, such as a bad knee, there are ways to protect it. You can request that your sparring partner avoid take-downs. If you were hit in the temple too hard once and are fearful of experiencing that again, talk to a Sensei. We can help you adjust your guard and give you other strategies to better protect yourself.  

The worst thing you can do is avoid sparring altogether or to avoid specific people. It is perfectly fine to take a break in order to recover, but you must get back to it. Overcoming fear is a huge learning experience in the martial arts. By avoiding you are not learning anything. When I think of the people I used to be afraid of I realize that these are the individuals who have taught me the most. If I had avoided them the first time they had hit me too hard, I would have missed out on some truly valuable lessons. In fact, some of the people I used to be afraid of as a yellow belt eventually turned into my favorite instructors.

If your sparring match is out of control, stand up for yourself. You can also ask an instructor for assistance. Try suggesting sparring gear as well. Never avoid the situation, and instead look for learning opportunities. Get the most out of sparring by being assertive and by working at your own pace.

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 

   

Solitary Training

Post By: S Lee

We are all happy to get to practice and see a group of people ready to work hard! Their energy helps keep us going. Seeing people you enjoy working with is always a bonus as well. However, solitary training is also valuable.

Training by yourself can seem boring at first. You also may worry about practicing things incorrectly. But the benefits of this kind of practice outweigh the potential risks. Going through techniques on your own can give you insight you would not normally have gained working in  group. Your focus becomes internalized, forcing you to examine yourself more than you would in a class full of people. As we progress, this is also how we develop our own art, as opposed to doing a kata or technique a certain way because we were told to do so. This might mean seeing other possible applications of the techniques, such as transforming a simple side-block reverse punch combination into an arm break in Seisan Kata. Solitary training is also when you have an opportunity to be experimental. You can freely play around with weapons, techniques, and drills without worrying about possibly messing up and being embarrassed. I spent a week drilling the "suicide" nunchaku move by myself before attempting it in front of other people, not wanting them to see me bash myself in the head with the things. Committing to a seigan is a great outlet for solitary training. Unless you are able to make it to the dojo every single day for classes, you will end up doing some of your training alone.

Lone training can help you develop into a stronger martial artist. Overcome any trepidation you may have about practicing techniques incorrectly. Working on your own is an excellent opportunity to really examine yourself.

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

Warming-Up Before Practice Starts

Post by: S Lee

You bow in, enter the dojo, bow to the shrine, and see that you have a good ten minutes before practice starts. Now what? Lately we have been going over some good ways to warm-up on your own when you get to the dojo a little bit early.

Range of motion exercises are a good way to start, but they shouldn't be done for more than a couple minutes. Muscles are like taffy, when they are warm they are stretchy and flexible. However, when they are cold they are susceptible to injury. Therefore, it is best to start warming up those muscles before you start stretching or doing strenuous activity like punching and kicking the bags. Here are some ideas:

-Knees to chest
-Jumping jacks
-Light jog, incorporating upper body movement
-Light shadow boxing
-Jump rope
-Kata
-Tai Sabaki

After a few minutes of warming up with one of these activities, your muscles should start feeling warm and loose. Depending on how warmed up you are, you may feel like stretching at this point. Another option is to start practicing techniques. Bag work, push-ups, sit-ups, weapons kata, rolls, and other techniques can be practiced for the last few minutes before class starts.

There are some things you should NOT be doing:

-Talking about non-martial arts stuff
-Sitting down to stretch
-Staring into oblivion

It is important to get the most out of every class you attend. This is true for everyone, but even more so for people looking to test. One of the things black belts look for in potential testers is their readiness and enthusiasm. This is also your chance to work that new part of your kata or to go over your offensive sparring combinations without a Sensei scrutinizing your techniques.

Keep these things in mind when arriving to practice early. Have any other ideas for warm-ups? Add them in the comments!

Photo By: Ken Smith

Photos!

Here are some photos from over the years at our dojo:

Photo By: Ken Smith 

Photo By: Lee Phelan

Photo By: Ken Smith

Photo By: Lee Phelan

Photo By: Ken Smith

Photo By: Deena Hucko

Photo By: Kathleen Vona

Photo By: Dan Hucko

Photo By: Ken Smith

Photo By: Ken Smith