http://www.hathagojuryukaratedo.freeservers.com/photo3.html
As with other outside links, I encourage parents to read the outside website before sharing with their kids. As you know, I teach students of a very wide range of age, ability level, etc.
Sensei Opalenik's Digital Dojo |
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Below is an article on a Goju Ryu website which has brief overviews of the kata taught in both Goju and Shorin Ryu systems. It contains information ranging from the translation of the actual name of the kata, to the history of who created it and when.
http://www.hathagojuryukaratedo.freeservers.com/photo3.html As with other outside links, I encourage parents to read the outside website before sharing with their kids. As you know, I teach students of a very wide range of age, ability level, etc.
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People decide to begin training in karate for several reasons. It is important to think about what you are training for and why both as you begin your training, and as you mature as a martial artist and those reasons may be changing.
Many people begin karate in their youth to avoid being bullied. I have heard this both in modern times and I have even read that was the reason Kyan Sensei's father had Master Kyan begin training. Being able to protect one's self and being able to protect loved ones in one of the most prominent reasons to train in karate over the years. If this is the case, remember this in your training. Ask questions that relate to these types of situations so that you can utilize your training. Many other people train in karate because they want to get/stay in shape. This is also a very wise choice since unlike many sports, karate practitioners can continue training well into their twilight years. Karate also is adjustable to your body type. It's not like some sports where you're either built for it or you aren't. If you look at Osensei's teachers, you'll notice that while they were all very healthy and in shape, they also all had very different builds. If this is your primary reason for training, make sure that you are including enough physicality and hojo undo in your daily training. Some students take up karate because they want to win trophies in tournament situations. While this isn't what our particular style was designed for (our style existed years before the first tournament), practitioners of Shobayashi Ryu have long been great competitors in tournament play (see Tammy Marino, Joe Lewis, etc.) Hopefully all karate-ka have this on their list of reasons to train: It's fun! Enjoy yourself as you train. Have fun with it and enjoy the connections you make with your dojo brothers and sisters. http://breakingmuscle.com/family-kids/7-reasons-why-your-child-should-practice-martial-arts
Above is a link. "7 Reasons for Your Child To Start Martial Arts." I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but I thought you would be interested. This past Friday a karate family organized a small get-together for the students of the Cheshire karate classes. This was great for many reasons.
It gave the students and their families a chance to interact outside the context of a karate class. Too often we see dojo brothers and sisters never get to know each other outside of class. It even follows traditions of Osensei. It was common for students training at Osensei's home dojo to stay after a training session for a healthy dinner. A big thanks to all of the families that contributed by either hosting, bringing food, or in any other way. Wearing our protective gear for sparring and some bagwork is important. It allows us to train with a more realistic intensity and power while minimizing the risk of injury.
A common question is, "How much gear do I need?" The answer is different for everyone, but here are a few things to think about. What are the requirements for what I want to do? Your dojo has certain gear requirements, and if you want to participate in tournaments you need to follow their regulations as well. Some people wear dojo regulation gear regularly and then add to it for tournaments. I recommend wearing the same gear all the time so that your body is used to moving effectively while wearing it. How easily to I bruise? The most common sparring injury is a simple bruise. Anything more serious than that is extremely rare. That being said, if you bruise easily you may want to wear some extra padding so that you can continue to train hard each week. Wearing less gear does not make you look more tough! There's nothing wrong with wearing a little extra padding. In fact, it's the smart thing to do. Actually wearing a little extra gear (such as shin and/or forearm pads) is what you want if you plan to be tough. Wearing enough protection means that you can train harder without hurting yourself or others. Many of the people who follow this "less gear = more tough" mentality are extremely ineffective at an early age because their laundry list of injuries has finally caught up with them. Don't overdo it. More and more types of protective gear are being invented each year. They have enough of it where you can look like the above pictured injury proof marshmallow person. This may be appealing especially if you bruise easily, but imagine trying to move quickly while wearing all that. Make sure your gear doesn't slow you down. Parenting.com did an article on the benefits of martial arts for kids and families. I thought that readers may find it helpful/interesting.
http://www.parenting.com/article/karate-kids-the-benefits-of-martial-arts In previous posts I've listed a few karate-related books that I've read and have found to be valuable components of my own training.
I'm inviting all readers to either post in the comments section or email me with a review of a martial-arts related book that you have found enjoyable and/or useful in your training. If you wish, I'll repost your comments/emails as guest-posts on the blog. One benefit to karate that you may not think of when you sign up is the effect it will have on your decision making in times of crisis. Because of training in a true warrior mindset, and frequently participating in simulated attack scenarios karate-ka are more well prepared for a variety of situations.
I'll use a simple comparison; one that just happened to me this evening. You're driving on the highway. Suddenly a deer darts out of the woods and in front of your car. How do you react? From what I've read and from my own experience, I've observed that there are two general types of reactions that people have. Some people freeze up. Others are able to use the adrenaline to act and think at incredible speeds to get themselves out of a dangerous situation. When the deer ran in front of my car all of the following thoughts went through my mind in less than five seconds. "Oh no! A deer! Can I avoid it completely? No. How can I minimize danger to myself and if possible, the deer? Swerve right. How far can I swerve without crashing the car into the woods? About 30 degrees. I need to slow down. How hard can I hit the brakes without losing traction? Light but firm pressure. I now need to swerve left to compensate and not end up crashing into a tree. Are there cars behind me or in the other lane? No. How sharp can I turn without flipping the car at this speed? About 50 degrees. I need to stop the car and put it in park." Wow! That's a lot of decision making for just a few short seconds. Many things that I've learned and developed in my karate training helped me to deal with that situation. Here's just a short list of some of them... Handling an adrenaline rush. Keeping a clear head in a stressful situation. Awareness of one's surroundings. Spatial awareness. Understanding of movement, velocity, impact, etc. Quick decision making skills. A desire to keep one's self, as well as everyone else around as safe as possible. Thanks karate! *Note* These benefits apply to everything from handling an argument, to making quick decisions in the workplace, to being able to think clearly enough to defend one's self in a conflict. If you stick around in the martial arts world long enough, you'll see many instructors. Some good. Others bad.
Not every martial arts school requires that you learn to effectively teach karate as you move along. Some people become black belts and are suddenly saddled with this responsibility. This is an article with two purposes. It is a collection of tidbits of advice for people who want to be as effective an instructor as possible. It is also a guide for students and their parents of what to look for in an instructor. LEAD BY EXAMPLE. Don't ask students to do anything that you aren't going to do yourself. Doing what you're asking of them will not only show a good example, but it also will keep you from asking too much of students. CONSIDER WHAT YOUR STUDENTS NEED. Teaching point sparring only because that happens to be your favorite is doing a disservice to the students. You should choose the activity you're doing with students based on what they need to learn. For beginning instructors this could be difficult. In this case, just plan a diverse set of training activities. If you're covering a bit of everything, nobody will be missing out a great deal. CONTINUE TO IMPROVE YOUR OWN TRAINING. Too many instructors out there make it to blackbelt and their own training tapers off. If you let your own training end (when it's really just beginning), then you'll be showing your students that your teachings have a glass ceiling that they will one day encounter. MORE ON THIS IN PART 2 *Disclaimer* These It is quite common for karate-ka to set up a home dojo. This is true for students as well as the Grandmaster.
It's not vital to have a professional looking dojo at home in order to train. The important thing is having a comfortable place to train that is readily accessible to you. During nice weather this can be as simple as stepping out into your yard. If you want a more developed home dojo here are some things to think about. The floor. This is often overlooked, but think about it. You're walking around barefoot, sitting on the floor, and sometimes kneeling during training. If the floor is too rough you will be risking injury and at the very least shredding your gi. Some things to consider when choosing flooring wold be a very thin carpet, or jigsaw floor matting. Targets. While practicing your techniques on the air can be extremely valuable, it's also important to develop striking power by actually hitting a target. There are a few to choose from and I'll write some of the benefits of each. A standing heavybag is good for powerful striking and it's portable since once you drain the water, they're quite light. A hanging heavybag is good because it moves as you strike it much like an actual opponent. The drawback to a hanging heavybag is that it has to be integrated into your ceiling which can be disruptive. Space. You will need enough room to train effectively. If you're always half worried about bumping into a wall, focus will be difficult to develop. |