While I don't write regularly, I still train at least semi-regularly. Right now I'm training two days a week, plus weekends have been very full in the past month with seminars and tournaments.
Qualifying Tournament
Last weekend we had a qualifying tournament for kyu ranks/colored belts to secure their spot in our Provincial tournament coming up at the end of April, and we had 8 or so of the students competing. I believe everyone got at least one medal, and most qualified for the next tournament in each event they went into, as well.
It's sure fun to watch students develop throughout the years, and tournament time seems to be concentrated into a mode of "super fun". Nowhere (except perhaps during testing) will a student be more focused or do a more powerful kata than when competing in tournament, and of course, nowhere else will they get the chance to pit their fighting skills against their peers in quite the same way. Sure, we practice kumite in class, but without the control of the whole 'match' situation and the adrenaline that comes along with the event, it's not the same.
One of our teenaged brown belts recently turned 15 and because there weren't enough competitors in the 14-17 age bracket, got tossed into the adult category. Wow, did he ever shine! Being a tall guy all his life, until he turned 14 he had been pitted up against people so much shorter than him that he could never really get "in" to the whole fighting process. This time he was against people BIGGER than him... people who could take a few whacks - and he dished a few out, that's for sure! I know he took a few good smacks as well, but all in all he came out of his two fights very happy with how it went. A couple of us black belts said some nice things to him about it all and he blushed and got all shy about it - it was obvious how much fun he had and how happy he was with his own performance, but also obvious that he's a very shy and quiet guy.
Preparing For Testing
As usual in a kyu-rank club, there's a handful of people who are gearing up to test for their next rank over the next month or two.
We've got a "young adult" student (over 18, under 22) with a bit of a learning disability who joined in September and has VERY recently figured out the last wee bit he needs to figure out in order to successfully grade for his yellow belt (8th kyu). I was really happy to see him doing all of his turns correctly last night when I got a chance to stand back and watch him go through Heian Shodan. This guy's two brothers have trained for over a year each and in January his father joined in as well, so we regularly have three or four people from that family training at any class we have. They all focus mentally very well and have very strong techniques and put maximum effort into learning and performing. I love those kinds of families!
We have a couple yellow and orange belts who are likely going to test for their next rank come the end of March, as well.
Last night's senior class was all about the three 5th kyu purple belts and getting them geared up for the next testing as well. We worked on Heian Godan and each of the three students got a lot of individual attention from our 5th dan instructor, and each 5th kyu also got a chance to help correct the other 5th kyus, as yet another way to demonstrate their level of understanding of what they were working on as a group. It worked well, everyone demonstrated solid understanding even if they couldn't get their bodies to obey the mental knowledge. (welcome to purple belt, that's normal)
My Own Training
My training these days is mainly about keeping at it and trying to be relaxed as much as possible while doing it. I got my 1st dan/Shodan in April of 2005 and am planning to gear up for a December 2007 or February 2008 testing for 2nd dan/Nidan. In the mean time I keep training, keep officiating, keep instructing when the senior black belts can't be around. And of course, I'll compete in the upcoming Provincials and Nationals competitions cuz they're fun, too!
How's your training coming along?
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
A New Year in Karate
The new year has begun, as has the new session at our Kyu rank karate club. As for the Instructors club, it just continues going as usual, with no new students.
Our first class at the Kyu club was on Saturday the 7th. It was a small class (about 20 people, when normally we have 30-40) but the first class is always very introductory anyway, since there's always at least one or two new people.
This time there were two new people - one adult male and another male who appeared to be around 11-12 years of age. (unrelated) The adult male thought I looked familiar but couldn't place where he might have seen me. At any rate, I'm hoping there are a few more new people at Tuesday's class, although I guess it doesn't really matter because we still have a few white belts left who started earlier than January.
We've certainly got a whack of yellow belts in our club now - testing in December promoted about 8 of them from white to yellow. It's been a long time since we've put much effort into working on Heian Nidan, it'll be nice to start getting into that after so much work on Heian Shodan.
And the best thing about karate being back in session is that our head instructor is back in "karate action" and back instructing. I definitely enjoyed the instruction from the assistant instructor and enjoyed the instruction opportunities I've been allowed over the last 4 months but it's really nice to see Sensei back, too. His style of teaching is quite different than most of the rest of us, and it's HIS style I want to emulate because I see how well it works in terms of helping people see the good that's already inside of them.
The last few months without Sensei there, the rest of us have been trying to reign three "overactive" kids in and we've implemented various changes in how the class runs in order to do that. I do believe the kids are improving, but I know that having Sensei there will quicken the process because he's got a way with kids. It's like we prepared the kids for the fact that they're not going to get away with fooling around, and now Sensei is there to back us up and also stroke the egos of the kids in just the right way that they respond positively and respectfully.
It's that ego stroking I've got to learn how to do. It's that ego stroking that is sorely missed in many of the clubs I visit. Most of the Sensei's just lecture and give instruction. Our Sensei brings individuals up and gives an individual specific attention that also teaches the rest of us something general about karate and physical errors.
Tonight is our next class, I'm looking forward to it. Nice to start to see my Sensei again on a regular basis. :)
Our first class at the Kyu club was on Saturday the 7th. It was a small class (about 20 people, when normally we have 30-40) but the first class is always very introductory anyway, since there's always at least one or two new people.
This time there were two new people - one adult male and another male who appeared to be around 11-12 years of age. (unrelated) The adult male thought I looked familiar but couldn't place where he might have seen me. At any rate, I'm hoping there are a few more new people at Tuesday's class, although I guess it doesn't really matter because we still have a few white belts left who started earlier than January.
We've certainly got a whack of yellow belts in our club now - testing in December promoted about 8 of them from white to yellow. It's been a long time since we've put much effort into working on Heian Nidan, it'll be nice to start getting into that after so much work on Heian Shodan.
And the best thing about karate being back in session is that our head instructor is back in "karate action" and back instructing. I definitely enjoyed the instruction from the assistant instructor and enjoyed the instruction opportunities I've been allowed over the last 4 months but it's really nice to see Sensei back, too. His style of teaching is quite different than most of the rest of us, and it's HIS style I want to emulate because I see how well it works in terms of helping people see the good that's already inside of them.
The last few months without Sensei there, the rest of us have been trying to reign three "overactive" kids in and we've implemented various changes in how the class runs in order to do that. I do believe the kids are improving, but I know that having Sensei there will quicken the process because he's got a way with kids. It's like we prepared the kids for the fact that they're not going to get away with fooling around, and now Sensei is there to back us up and also stroke the egos of the kids in just the right way that they respond positively and respectfully.
It's that ego stroking I've got to learn how to do. It's that ego stroking that is sorely missed in many of the clubs I visit. Most of the Sensei's just lecture and give instruction. Our Sensei brings individuals up and gives an individual specific attention that also teaches the rest of us something general about karate and physical errors.
Tonight is our next class, I'm looking forward to it. Nice to start to see my Sensei again on a regular basis. :)
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