Beginners karate course starts 1st October 2006

We are running a beginners course at Barlby Hilltop School starting on the 1st October 2006. You will get two taster sessions free and then only pay £30 to the end of the year! By this time we hope that you / your children will be able to make an informed decision if Karate is for them.

I spent three years watching my children before I joined in at the age of 38. We have students from 7 to 70 (literally) so it is never too late to start to get a little fitter.

In the first few weeks you/your child will be taught about training etiquette, how to address Sensei etc bad behavior or horseplay is not acceptable. Don't be too alarmed; children often behave better for someone that they are unfamiliar with, than their parents or family. You/they will learn to carry out basic blocks, kicks and punches.

Students should wear loose sports clothing, no jewellery (inc.Earrings) Training suits (Gis) can be bought through the club at a discounted rate. Gis are not essential until you/they join the association at the end of the introduction course. We want people to be sure Karate is for them before Mum spends any money out on a Gi.

We see a lot of students develop in self-confidence, become more disciplined, learn to respect others and enjoy the physical activity, this is all part of martial art training. We are very proud of what our students have achieved (see some of my posts). We can also tailor training to anyones needs and actively encourage those that may need a little extra help.

We hope to see you soon, if you can't make the 1st October just pop down on a subsequent Sunday evening and speak to Sensei Ash or myself.

Quote for today

I came across this quote from Abbe Sensei (Aikidoka), I liked it, so I thought I would share it with you:

"My English is very bad but my shinai speaks fluently"

In our association the shinai has all but disappeared, it is sometimes used directly to the floor to assist karateka in stepping faster, but usually its shear presence in Sensei's hand is enough to provide that little additional effort that Sensei required.

Is the shinai still used at your club? I would be interested in any feedback.

Osu!

Sam gets Green!

Pictured is Sam back in June 05, Sorry Sam I couldn't find a more up to date picture.

Sam is one of the famous four (blog 1st Jan 06) , Thomas, Adam and Daniel all graded to 6thKyu - Green Belt in June. Unfortunately Sam was away on holiday with his parents, despite pleading with them to come back from holiday early so that he could grade, it was not to be.

Sam was desperate to keep up with the others and has been traveling to York on a Wednesday evening to receive additional instruction from Gullen Shihan. To offer Sam some additional support Thomas has also been coming to York, so there are some familiar faces about.

Sensei has spent a lot of time correcting the boys techniques over the last few weeks, this does not mean that there technique was any worse than the other students. Sam and Thomas had made that little extra effort to come and train with Sensei, so Sensei will acknowledge this commitment by passing down his knowledge from 30 years of karate training.

Sam may look like a little angel (he was born on Christmas Eve in 96) but is developing a good Budo Spirit. When we line up in height order he always tries to muscle in the middle somewhere where everyone is at least a head taller. At least you are not the shortest at the club any more Sam.

Sam Grades are as follows:

12thKyu - 25th July 2004, 11th Kyu - 7th November 2004, 10th Kyu - 13th March 05, 9th Kyu - 5th Jun 05, 8th Kyu - 9th October 05, 7th Kyu - 26th February 06, 6th Kyu - 23rd August 06

Sam has made steady progress over the last three years and is not even ten until Christmas. Keep up the good work Sam and you could be the youngest Black Belt the club has ever had.

I was training down the other end of the dojo under the instruction of Sensei Mike Gude while Sam was being graded, so I couldn't follow much of it. He had to do his Kihon and Kata on his own as he was the only one grading to 6th Kyu, for Kumite Shihan asked Lucy to partner him, nearly 15 years and 1 grade Sam's Senior, this gave Sam the opportunity to show what he was made of.

Sam, Gullen Shihan told me afterwards that you had a "good"grading, believe me this is praise indeed from Shihan. Keep up the good work, and a little extra training and you will be ready to grade at the end of November.

York Shotokan Karate Club's New Website

Pictured is Kev and James from York Club back in March 2005, James has just completed the new York website, congratulations!

There were no pictures of James on the site so I thought I would embarrass him and put one of his on this site instead.

I have updated the link in the sidebar to take you straight there, go and have a look or just key in www.yorkshotokankarateclub.co.uk you will never forget that URL will you.

See how relaxed James looks in the picture (not), while he hasn't got much better in the 18 months since the photo, I can't really talk because I still need to work on relaxing, its just when Sensei says speed and power, everything seems to change...don't know why...Adrenaline?

Well done James, every club although run by our Senseis are built on its members, a message to all Karateka, if our clubs are to survive please take an active role whenever you can otherwise your club may be the next to disappear.

The more the students can give the more the Sensei will give back, even your Sensei needs to be motivated and who is in a better position than their students. You don't need to be a senior grade to get involved, just ask your Sensei what you can do to help.

Black and Brown Belt Cse - JKS - Nottingham

I popped down to train with Alan Sensei last Sunday, just for a couple of hours (I need all the extra training I can get).

Although I manage to train three times a week in the York area, I do not have the opportunity of training regularly in dedicated B&B belt sessions. I do feel the need to train outside both the physical and mental comfort zones, if I am ever going to progress.
The session started with a minutes silence for Asai sensei and then we went into some basic blocks.

Alan Sensei's theme was from Asai Sensei's teaching of using the joint as well as the muscle. Sensei was trying to get us to concentrate on a flowing technique. The idea being for the block not to be two moves of preparation and execution but for the preparation to flow straight into the execution. Both arms were swung with no tension in a loose movement, with the feeling that the joint assisted the change of direction at the completion of the backswing.
Each technique was done from Shizen-tai 4 times and on the 5th swing we would step forward or back into stance and complete the technique. This was done for all the basic blocks.

We did some Quad muscle exercise that I don't want to repeat for a while, still feeling the effects today! Old joints on an old bloke!

We also did some movement exercises, moving in a tight group, avoiding collisions, and then progressed to punching and blocking still moving in a very tight area, shifting weight and changing direction constantly.

The last part of the training was non syllabus kata. We did three katas only one that I have done briefly before Joko Issei, one was related to Unsu and one I believe had been taught on the Edinburgh JKS Cse. I'm not going to get into the 26 kata forum again... But here is my final thoughts on it...Honest. Alan Sensei told us not to try and remember the sequence of the kata as we went through them, but try and take away from the session a little of what Asai Sensei was developing in his teaching. Asai Sensei was trying to get us to relax to enable us to move freely, which in the end will allow us to develop speed and power.

I am just under 1.9m and of a heavy build, I need to relax, still haven't got there yet, but still working on it. I did as Sensei asked and concentrated on the turning movements and the shifting of weight rather than having to remember all the moves. I still cant remember three new kata in 30 minutes but I may be a stage nearer to being able to move a little easier.

For a informed comment regarding kata from Langley Sensei go to www.thejks.com/pages/newfangled.asp

Again Sensei thank you for your hospitality, Osu!

Asai Sensei 1935 - 2006

The very sad news has reached us that Sensei passed away on Tuesday afternoon 15th August 2006 following a struggle against prolonged illness.

Our thoughts go to his family at this time.

Osu Sensei!

Sunday - I have just returned from training with Sensei Alan Campbell, Asai Sensei's spirit and his karate will live on in the JKS (and IJKA). I did have the pleasure of training with Asai Sensei very briefly, all to briefly. I leave further comment to those karateka that knew him well.

If you would like to read more about the memories of Asai Sensei from his students worldwide please follow the link http://www.24fightingchickens.com/2006/08/15/asai-of-jks-succumbs-to-cancer/

If you have jumped into the middle of our blog via a search engine you may want to go to our latest post; please follow the link below that will relaunch the blog

SSKC latest post