"Do mu kyoku" - No Limitation For Life

Our "Fun" Tournament

2011-04-15T13:39:00.002-04:00

It's almost here. Martial Madness 2011. The last couple of months have been spent pouring over the results of last year's tournament in an attempt to once again make this year even better. Setting up new divisions to make sure there isn't 20 kids competing against each other and organizing times more efficiently so competitors aren't called to two rings at once. We hope each year brings a better, more organized, more fun tournament. Ah - a fun tournament. I've said over and over again lately that this is a fun tournament. But what exactly do I mean by that? I thought I should probably clarify. What I DON'T mean is that everyone competes with an I-don't-care-if-I-win-or-lose attitude. That is never the case when it comes to karate competitions. We are all after that 1st place trophy. And we should be - it's training for that top spot that spurs us on, making us better. What I DO mean is that we invite the most supportive, friendly clubs who genuinely love the martial arts. We hope each year that competitors meet new people and make new friends. You love the martial arts - so isn't it awesome to hang out with others who share that love? You will never hear anyone (coach or parent) screaming at a competitor for not performing as well as they should have. The only screaming you will hear on April 30th will be shouts of encouragement. We are all there because we want to win, but when we don't, we know to congratulate those who did win, show good sportsmanship and we look to find ways to be better for next time. So don't show up on April 30th just to be there. Come to compete! Come to try your best! And most of all, come to have fun!

Tournament Time!

2011-02-25T14:54:00.002-05:00

It's been a really long time since I've felt I had anything to say that couldn't have been summed up in my last blog. I feel that the most important part of the martial arts is trying your best. No matter what, if you've tried your hardest, there is nothing more you can do. There is nothing more that anyone else can ask of you. It's that simple.
The longer you are in the martial arts, the fewer and far between your gradings will be. (Some people will undoubtedly be very thankful for this!) So keeping yourself motivated in between gradings can sometimes be a challenge. One way to keep your training fresh is to train for tournaments.
Tournaments prove to be a challenge in many ways. Sometimes the challenge lies in the opponents you face, but more often, the challenge you face is inside yourself. I can already feel myself getting nervous about my next tournament even as I write this!
I thought about blogging today about ways to beat those nerves but I don't think I am quite qualified yet to give advice in that area. However, if anyone out there has advice on that topic, please email me right away! :)
No, my mission today is to congratulate the students who compete at the tournaments. Those who step onto the mats or into the ring with their hearts pounding and their legs shaking. Those grapplers who know exactly how long a minute and a half is (it's really long! just ask them!), those kata competitors who can barely remember their names and those who spar, even though their next competitor might be ten feet tall.
But they do it anyway.
They don't just talk about who they could beat or how many medals they could win if they felt like competing. They are the ones who are out there trying their best, no matter what the outcome will be. And they deserve so much respect for doing that.
If you leave a tournament this year without the trophy or medal you had hoped to win, just remember something: you are winning - you beat the nerves, the fear and all of those people who were too nervous to compete. And that in itself, is a huge accomplishment.
Good luck to everyone who will compete in upcoming tournaments!
Just take a deep breath, you can do it!

Trying Your Best - Are You Really?

2010-06-08T14:11:00.004-04:00

Trying your best. That means different things to different people. For some, trying their best on a test means answering every question, for others it might mean studying hard the night before, but for some - and this is probably very few, I'll admit - it meant going home every night from school and reviewing the notes, making up sample questions and tests, practicing and reviewing often so that when the final exam came, there was no question that would stump them.

Obviously, what we define "our best" to be, can be very different.

How hard we try usually is determined by what we want from our end results.

That person who studied every day for a final exam that was still months away was obviously looking to achieve a very high mark whereas the student who didn't study is more likely just hoping to pass.

When it comes to karate, trying your best differs from one person to another as well. What is it that you want to get out of your training? Do you train hard when you want to grade and then slack off all the rest of the time? Or are you always trying your best?

You can't expect to become the next Karate Kid if you are not trying your best. What you put into your karate training is what you'll get out of it. Therefore, if you thought that by the time you reached green belt, you would be proficient at round house kicks and you find you're not, or that your kata would feel stronger and more balanced and it's not, or that you would have finally wrapped your head around the Japanese terminology, and you haven't; take a look at how hard you are trying.

If the only time you think about karate is during class, your progress will not be as fast as someone who spends their spare time at home reading their handbook or practicing kata.

If you want to be the best, then you have to try your best. It won't happen any other way.

It really is that simple.

Training

2010-05-30T07:20:00.002-04:00

Another tournament year has started for Karate Ontario, with the first Grand Prix tournament taking place next Sunday June 6th at Humber College in Toronto.

Which means there is not a lot of time for dusting off the required kata, polishing some new ones and getting back into training every day for it. Although sometimes it is VERY hard to find the time, it is so worth it, as training with a specific goal in mind (whether it's a tournament or a grading) has always been the most fun for me.

So off I go to SMA in Kingston, where I spend some time working with my team (Hi Michelle! Hi Katrina!) or alone under the constant direction of Shihan Patry. Three hours of continous work, paying attention to the tiniest detail and correcting constantly; there is so much to learn (and so much to fix!). But after every class, I leave feeling very excited and inspired about my training.

And everyone needs that.

We get very comfortable in our own clubs with our own Senseis. We really need to get out and see what other schools and other Senseis have to offer. Whether it's one seminar or a day full of them (Capital Conquest or Kingston Kicks, for example), you need to experience more than just what is at home in your own club. It will jump start your training and it is so much fun. People do martial arts these days because they love it. Going to an event where you are surrounded by other people who are all there because they share a love for the same thing - it's amazing!

Negativity breeds negativity. Surround yourself with positive people who love life and you will find it easy to laugh and enjoy yourself. That is what we are all about. Life can be incredibly hectic and stressful. Let's get together to enjoy the martial arts and leave all the negativity behind. Let's get inspired to train harder and to be the best martial artists we can be - and let's have a blast doing it. A HUGE thank you to all of the people in my life who make my training so much fun. You guys are AWESOME!!!

xoxo

Inspired!

2010-05-02T15:12:00.002-04:00

Wow! There is nothing like being at a huge martial arts event to feel even more inspired about your own training and teaching. The World Kobudo Federation's World Convention was filled with great seminars, awesome events and tons of martial arts friends. What a great place to be!
A hotel filled with people who all share an incredible love of the martial arts, it would be hard not to get excited. The Iceman Kickboxing Gala was filled with incredible fights, including three Canadian Amateur Kickboxing Championship fights. The Team Tournament Saturday morning ran very smoothly, with awesome demonstrations of skill in grappling, sport jiu jitsu, kata and weapons.
Kyoshi Therien asked Sensei Nicki Greenstreet and myself to be scorekeepers at Shihan Norm's Sport Jiu Jitsu table during the Team Tournament. This gave us front row seats for the fights, including our own Matt Belleperche's Team Canada team. I got to meet Matt's teammates the night before and they are all great guys. Matt, Mike, Chris, Graham and Ryan all did well (everyone won their first round fights and all of the second round fights except for one - and that was due to an injury). Their coach, Fletcher Falls from Shihan Robert Krantz's Milton Jiu Jitsu club, was an excellent coach. Team Canada definitely showed great team work.
What a fantastic weekend!

Road to Success

2010-03-10T13:27:00.002-05:00

There is a grading at the club tonight. 27 people will be asked to show their techniques, katas, bunkai, self defense, sparring and breakfalls. But most of all, what we will ask them to show (sometimes we'll even demand it) is their heart.
Gradings are never easy. You will be exhausted and frustrated. You will feel picked on and picked apart. And there are two ways in which you can choose to deal with it. The first way is to dig down deep, to develop your no-quit attitude and push through whatever pain ails you most (whether it's your knees or your brain!), the second way to deal with it is much easier: you can quit. We strongly suggest you choose the first way.
Life is a lot like a karate grading. You see people everyday who choose the second way. People who hate their job, hate their life and are basically miserable. And hopefully you see some people who also choose the first way (maybe you are one!). These people pursue their dreams no matter how many obstacles are in their way. Success isn't easy. If it was, the taste wouldn't be so sweet. Sometimes pursuing your dreams is incredibly hard. Some days you'll wonder if it's even worth it. Some days that second way will look pretty good.
Whenever times get tough and reaching for your dream leaves you frustrated and exhausted, always remember that the best success stories had tales of incredible hardship that came first. We never hear of success stories that go "Yeah, life was pretty good and then I became successful and it was great!". Success stories are always more like "I had pretty much hit rock bottom, I was out of money, didn't know how I'd make rent next month...thank God I didn't give up though or I don't know what would have happened. Look at me now! All of my hard work was worth it."
When we reach our goals, we're going to have one hell of a tale to tell. And that's the way it should be. :)
Now....back to tonight's grading. Every good grading also has a tale to tell. Let's make this grading one we'll all want to hear over and over again.
Good luck everyone.

Karate Training in 2010

2010-01-23T19:02:00.004-05:00

Karate is a dynamic art. Being such, people are able to study the art of karate for their entire lives and still feel as though they've only scratched the surface. The many facets keep us intrigued and the constant need to reach for our own improvement keeps us both humble and working hard.

Obviously, people take up karate these days for different reasons than for what it was originally intended. We are not training our Little Warriors to prepare them for an actual battle (just imaginary ones!) and therefore the training is much different these days. People start karate for many different reasons. Some people are trying to lose weight, gain coordination, make friends, learn self defense etc. Some are just trying on something new to see if it fits. Some (like myself) saw people doing kata and drills and thought "You know what? I think I might be able to do that."

Because of the different reasons people train, karate has changed. We are no longer humiliated on the floor for not knowing something, we are encouraged and given a chance to try without fear. Our goal is to give people a place they can come, regardless of age or ability, and learn about the dynamic art of karate. While there, they will find friends and many, many laughs. They will work hard and form a bond with others on the floor next to them. They will leave each night knowing that their karate training is helping their body and their mind. They will leave feeling that they are part of something bigger. Karate, to an observer, is obviously very physical. But to those who know, to those who train, they know it is so much more. We learn to look after each other, to stand up for those who need help and to be the best person we can be. As Kyoshi Sailly said (but more eloquently and with his wonderful accent) at today's seminar at SMA in Kingston "We are not just karateka on the training mat, we are karateka off as well - remember that."

We are not helping to prepare people for battle; we are helping each other prepare for life.

New year and lots more fun to be had!

2010-01-15T12:50:00.001-05:00

2010 was already packed full of events before the new year even started. Trying to stay ahead of it all is, at the worst- tiring, and at the best- tons of fun. We are heavy into the planning for our first big event - our tournament. Martial Madness 2010 Tournament will take place on Sat. Feb 20th at the St. John Catholic High School and it promises to be a very exciting day.
We've made some changes to this year's tournament. We've divided the day into morning and afternoon divisions (under 13 compete in the morning and over 14 compete in the afternoon). This should help our younger competitors as they will be finished competing earlier in the day now. The divisions this year include: kata, team kata, sparring, and self defense. We are also offering divisions in grappling for those under 13 and sport jiu-jitsu for those over 14 years of age. And our biggest tournament news - We have TROPHIES this year. They are really nice (and huge!) and we can't wait to start handing them out!
We are also looking forward this year to another Family Night. Tentatively scheduled for the last Wednesday night in March, get your minds working! We are hoping this year's family night will out-do last year's and that will be very difficult. Demonstations of kata, self defense, weapons, board breaking and more....this is your chance to shine for family and friends!
So, as this year gets off to a busy start, take some time to sit and make some new goals for this year. And then let us know what they are! We are always willing to help in any way we can. Remember, karate is not just about making us better fighters, it's about making us better people!

Renshi Bruce Brousseau

2009-11-11T13:42:00.003-05:00

It was with much anticipation that we attended Capital Conquest in Orleans this past weekend. We had a huge secret and we didn't have to keep it much longer. Our very own chief instructor was receiving the title of Renshi. Keeping this a secret from him while we organized with students and his family was stressful at best, but it was all worth it. We are unbelievably proud to have him in our club, as our head instructor and as our friend. We couldn't be happier.

Renshi

We've schemed and we've plotted to keep you from knowing.

We've wiped grins from our faces to keep it from showing.

It feels like forever that we've kept you in the dark.

We've been keeping this secret from you since last March!

A title so warranted, we are bursting with pride,

No one's more deserving; it can't be denied.

That a teacher who listens, cares and inspires

would be granted a title that so many admire.

Polished instructor is your new title's definition,

and you are every inch of that we are certain.

Much more that just a teacher, is what we believe,

you've reached a level that few can achieve.

You've taught so many of us to take joy from this path,

you've been there beside us, you've watched as we've passed,

level by level and goal after goal.

But now it's our turn, to take over your role.

To watch you receive a promotion so due,

This title is for us, as well as for you.

We've waited so long, with barely contained glee

To finally be able to call you...Renshi.

Congratulations Renshi Bruce! You are an inspiration to us all!

Good Made Better

2009-11-03T14:24:00.002-05:00

Karate has been known to improve many things. Physical improvements such as balance, co-ordination and strength can be attributed to karate training. We can also thank our karate training for improvements in focus, confidence and awareness. Karate can definitely make good people better.
However, as Sensei Bruce has often told us, "Karate doesn't make a person good. You have to have good qualities already. Karate can also make a bad person more dangerous." And how true these words are.
The reaching and achieving of goals in the way of belts leads to improved confidence. It's easy to feel better about yourself as you see each milestone reached by the colour around your waist. Witnessing the payoff to your hardwork is amazing.
However wonderful it is to have confidence in yourself and your abilities, this is also the time to keep yourself in check. Humility is a huge part of martial arts. To know your abilities and to not display them is the ultimate goal. You shouldn't need to show others how much you know or what you can do. The need to convice others of your worth does not show confidence - it is a display of weakness.
Let's remember to be humble in our karate training. We can't learn while we are talking, so let's listen to all we can and become the best people we can be.

Respect

2009-10-08T13:25:00.003-04:00

If people had to choose something that is lacking in the world these days, most people would agree that there is a lack of RESPECT. The respect that used to be automatically given to people in authority (teachers, police officers, clergy) seems to be gone and without it, the world automatically becomes a scarier place.

Respect is a huge part of the martial arts and it is extremely important that it remains that way. How wonderful it is that there is a place you can go where the longer and harder you train, the more respected you become. That after years of faithfully coming to class and trying your best, you become awarded with one belt after another, as your hardwork and dedication is shown around your waist and in the titles you earn.

In order for this practice to continue, we must not become lazy in the dojo. We must constantly strive to show respect to each other and to the Senseis. We've talked in class lately about what it means to show respect. The Question of the Month for October is "What are 3 ways that we show respect to each other and to the Senseis?" Most students can automatically think of three. Other students may show respect in numerous ways and they may not realize that they are doing it. For anyone who is having trouble coming up with three ways on paper, I've compiled a list for you. (Hint: I've taken most of these out of your handbook under the page titled Karate Etiquette).

Ways we show respect: Bowing (when entering or exiting the dojo; to our partners; after addressing or thanking the Sensei; when stepping on or off the training area), using the titles Sempai or Sensei when addressing someone of senior rank, being on time for class, going behind a class quietly to get to the changerooms, warming up quietly before your class starts, not talking when the Sensei is teaching, putting your hand up when you have a question, arriving with a clean gi, following the rules of no jewellery and no gum in class, sitting properly in class, being a good partner, helping to take care of the dojo (putting your sparring equipment away neatly) and working hard in class (this is our favourite one!).

We train in an atmosphere that is fun and friendly. By giving each other the respect we've earned (and everyone is entitled to respect for simply showing up to class!) we also create an environment that is safe and healthy. Showing kindness and consideration makes us all feel good. Now go put your answer in for the Question of the Month; the prize is a good one!

Happy Anniversary to Us!!!

2009-10-06T14:27:00.003-04:00

October 1st marked the one year anniversary that Mark and I have owned Perth and District Martial Arts. What a year it's been! Looking back over the last year, there have been too many amazing moments to even count. From seminars to gradings to our big tournament, we sweated through many an awesome class, we broke boards, did some weapons training and had (what some people might think) a little too much cake. All of this would never have been possible without the fantastic students and their families.

Running a club has been a lot of work and we've certainly learned a lot over the last year. We've changed and grew with our new responsibilities and we believe we've become better people. Our love for karate has continued to grow and we love getting to share that with so many people on a regular basis. Our goal when we started was to bring as many opportunities to our students as we possibly can and with our new programs, the World Kobudo Federation and our new affiliation with Karate Ontario, I think we are well on our way to achieving our goal.

However, we certainly do not run this club by ourselves. Luckily for us, our instructors are friends that we have trained with for almost ten years. We are so lucky to have each of them and we feel that we really have an amazing team. Sensei Bruce, Sensei Cathy and Sensei Tom have been with us every step of the way and we are incredibly grateful for their support.

Now....back to our anniverary. We thought it only seemed fitting to celebrate with a party. We took over Alley Cats Bowling Alley for three hours and while some of us proved that we can do more than just karate, others had a great time alternating between which gutter we threw our ball down. We topped off the party with a gift for the students: 8 student's names were chosen from a jar to get their "Revenge on the Sensei" by throwing a pie into the face of their chosen Sensei. This (we're not sure why) was a HUGE hit with the students. Well, I have to admit, when it wasn't me sitting in the dreaded chair, was laughing as loud as everyone else. I hope the students got their fill of revenge because it might not come around again for a long, long time. At least until we all get the remainder of whip cream out of our noses and ears. :)

Thank you once again to all of the people who make Perth and District Martial Arts such an amazing place to be. We are very grateful to you all. xoxo

Goals

2009-07-13T13:48:00.003-04:00

For many of us, goals are an important part of life. For me especially, goals make my life more meaningful. It's how I measure how well I'm doing in this crazy adventure, because sometimes life gets to be so much fun that I forget there are other things I want to accomplish, do (or buy!) later on and only by laying the foundation for some of those things now, will I have a shooting chance of accomplishing them.

We all have many goals, and even if they are not written down and strategically planned out, they still take time and energy and perseverence. A goal that many of us share is to raise our children to be kind, caring, responsible adults. That one takes years to accomplish and more than a little time and energy! (And from what I'm discovering, it never actually ends.)
Karate is no different.

We have many different goals in karate. Your most pressing goal might be to achieve your next belt, but you may have many other goals as well: to learn your next kata, to make your roundhouse kick higher or to clean up your breakfall. There are so many facets to karate that we can have many different goals at the same time.

Summer usually brings with it many activities that take our time away from the dojo. Vacations, cottages, friends coming to visit...it makes it hard to stay focused on our goals at the club. But that's okay. Another great thing about karate is that by simply attending class two or three (or four!) times per week and without even consciously working towards our own goals, we will still make progress to achieve them. Our next kata will be learned, our roundhouse kick will gain more snap and we will become a better partner.

Karate, it's been said many times, is a journey. But I think that it is more like an old friend. A friend you've had since childhood understands that sometimes they will not be your main focus, but that doesn't make them less important or less of a friend. Karate is the same way: sometimes my training feels incredibly intense and focused and other times it simply feels like a good way to exercise with friends. As my goals are realized and my focus changes direction, I can rest assured that just taking classes will help me retain what I've learned and possibly help me to find my next goal. So even if your heading off to class and your mind seems stuck on the bbq or your vacation next month, don't worry. Karate will still be there and it will be willing to meet you head-on when your training becomes focused again and you strive to punch harder, kick higher and retain more each class......you know, when your company has gone home, you're back from vacation and you've had your fill from the bbq. Happy summer everyone!

Where does the time go?!?

2009-06-15T14:09:00.002-04:00

Well, another couple of months have passed. With the number of events that have been going on lately, it's no wonder that we lose track of time.
We've had two black belt gradings lately, a club grading, a number of tournaments and seminars, and basically a whole lot of fun. Now summer's almost here (only seven days of school left for the elementary kids as I write this) and it's time to play.
We started off with a Hide N' Seek night at the Nitschmann's which was tons of fun. We had a great bonfire, roasted marshmallows and played hide n' seek in the dark! Wanna feel invisible? Just hold really still and watch people walk right past you on the path! Then try your luck running to home base, knowing full well it will be well guarded. Or you could try Tori's technique of crawling on your belly all the way there - she wasn't detected at all until someone tripped on her!
We plan on starting up ball hockey soon, that's always a lot of fun. What a workout! And the trash talk ....and the nick names....well, you have to see it to believe it!
Time to head outside with families to enjoy the summer air (well, somedays) and enjoy our karate training without worrying about snow covered roads to get there!
For all of our students who will be away this summer: Play safe and we'll see you back in September!

Family Night 2009

2009-03-26T09:24:00.002-04:00

Wow! Last night was our first Family Night at PDMA. This was a night for us to invite in all of our friends and family so that they can see a small portion of what we've learned. We had over 25 students put on demonstrations (some put on more than one!). We had a great selection of kata, self defense, board breaking, all with great technique and purpose. It was especially nice to see we weren't lacking in the humour department with some of the demonstrations being extremely funny while also showing amazing karate skills. This just proves once again what a fantastic group we have, the energy is so positive.
It's hard to pick out a couple to talk about as everyone did so well. Sensei Tom's 6-board break was definitely a highlight of the night, however. Sempai Gail and Sempai Tyler (mother and son team) performed a super fight scene after hurling insults at each other that had us cringing. Terrible that a fight over proper technique in their kata could escalate to that! :)
Dave and Ben (father and son team) performed katas using swords and then kalis. This had more than a few people gasping in awe. It was incredibly well done. We loved the humour that they incorporated into the second part. The Little Warriors even braved the crowd showing off their skills in technique, pad work, sparring and kata. They finished their performance with board breaking.
The last performance will not be easily forgotten as Sensei Bruce showed that at Fourth Degree Black Belt, it was time to put his skills to the test. Coming out of the dressing room, with the soundtrack to Rocky playing, he warmed up for the test amid cheers from the crowd. A huge bag, which was easily 6 feet tall, was then placed over him. In his attempt to fight his way out of a paper bag, there were many tries to break the bag, cheers of encouragement from the crowd and a thorough wet-down of the bag by Sensei Mark (a wet paper bag might be easier) . He did emerge victorious from the bag, blood stained and worn out, but was revived quickly when the music started up again. An amazing performance that had us laughing so hard our cheeks were hurting.
A big "thank you" goes to everyone for coming out to Family Night and to our students who showed courage by getting up in front of so many people and for performing as well as you did. We appreciate the effort you put into your performances and we are already looking forward to next year's Family Night!

Just humming along...

2009-03-11T13:30:00.003-04:00

Everything at PDMA has been just humming along nicely. We had quite a few people grade in February (Congratulations to Samantha, Andy, Chris, Dana, Silas, Dave, Kalil and Melissa in our regular class and congratulations to Lincoln, Davidson, Angus, Aydan, Lilli, Annaka, Julianne, Blake, Baraka and Dylan in our Little Warriors Class). Everyone did extremely well - all of the hard work and preparation paid off!
Coming up in March is our Family Night. A chance to show your stuff to family and friends! This will be a night to remember as everyone has something special planned. This is our chance to take what we learn in class and really start to play around. There will be an interesting presentation from the PDMA Demo Team (involving a frog), some board breaking demonstrations and an interesting challenge for Sensei Bruce. Don't miss it!
We are hard at work on preparations for our tournament in April as well. Saturday April 18th is the date, it will be held at St. John's Elementary School. We are having divisions in kata, team kata, sparring, grappling and self defense. Don't forget about the Red Man! If you are looking for something to do between your divisions, go pound out some aggression on the Red Man. (Sorry Andy!)
Spring is always a very busy time for karate. Let's all have some fun and enjoy this wonderful art that brings us together with amazing people!

Too busy having too much fun!

2009-01-22T07:10:00.002-05:00

Wow! Time passes so quickly when you are busy! I am very grateful that I can say our busy schedule has kept me from blogging and it wasn't because there was nothing to blog about!
Christmas season went extremely well. We started the season off with an awesome Christmas party on Dec 6th. We had a great slideshow presentation, trophy presentations (Congratulations to Michaella and Silas for Most Dedicated Student, to Deborah for Most Improved and to Andy for Best Etiquette) as well as the winners announced for our Sensei Baby Picture Match Up (Congratulations to Samantha, Rachel and Hanna - the only ones who guessed every picture correctly). The kids did a gift exchange and then they tore apart a beautiful pinata (it took them about 10 minutes to break it - it took me a week to make it!). Now, the food......we have some truly amazing members and the spread we had was fantastic. Thanks so much to everyone who came, it was a great time and a fabulous way to get the Christmas season off to a wonderful start!
We didn't cancel many classes around Christmas. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve were the only two nights we missed and we were quite pleased with the attendance on the nights around Christmas. We have some very dedicated students!
We certainly didn't slow things down in January. We started the New Year off at the Perth Legion on the morning of Jan 1st to watch one of our members, Andy Streekstra, bring in the New Year by jumping into the Tay River. We all agreed that Andy is the bravest person we know.
A new year always brings about the desire to do better and to incorporate changes into our lives that will make this year the best one yet. We hope to make this a great year for the club. All in all, this will be a year for great training, having fun and making new friends!

Wow!

2008-11-20T13:09:00.002-05:00

Last night we held our November Grading. We had 16 people grading; from yellow up to brown with two stripes. And I have to say...I was very nervous. And judging by the level of energy in the club from about 5:30 to 6pm, I would say I was not the only one. You could feel, without a doubt, the nervousness, anticipation and excitement.

Working with almost every student individually over the last month, I was pretty much positive that I knew what they would do well at and where their weaknesses were. But last night I was blown away. When the grading started at 6pm and the drills were being called hard and fast, everyone moved as one. The concentration and focus were clearly visible. We could see their hard work and preparation paying off.

Going through a grading takes courage. It is definitely a nerve-wracking experience. It's never easy to get up in front of everyone and have your skills and knowledge put to the test. Not to mention that the Senseis, who are normally so free with their words of encouragement and smiles, are up at the front with serious expressions and clipboards with grading papers, watching your every move. We know how hard gradings are. We've all been through them. And we also know, that unless we push you until you start to push back, you will never feel as though you truly earned your belt. That feeling of accomplishment will not come unless you know in your heart that you did your best. It's our job to help you do that.

It was a long and intense grading and we were pleased to see that everyone was up to the challenge. There were no belts or stripes simply just handed out last night, they were all earned. Everyone should feel extremely proud of themselves today as we are all very proud of you! We can't wait to see all of the new colours out on the floor.

A quote that I always felt was especially applicable to gradings says "Do it trembling if you must, but do it." We might have seen a little bit of trembling last night, but you guys definitely did it. Good job!

Almost Ready!

2008-11-13T18:25:00.002-05:00

Our November grading is coming up and after last night's classes I am thrilled to say that everyone is very prepared and looking really good! We started doing individual pretests about a month ago to get a feel for where everyone was in their training. It was very important to us that people not only have their time in (and required number of classes) but they know their stuff as well. And there is a lot they need to know.
We've adapted our belt requirements to include breakfalls, takedowns, throws, knowledge and bunkai. It is a lot more to ask, but we feel sure that by including these techniques into our gradings we will be helping people to become better martial artists.
So...the pretests. We pretested people a month ago to find out what they knew and what they still needed to work on. We've spent the last month incorporating techniques into classes that aren't done often enough (so our pretests told us) and we pretested all of our grading candidates again last night. The students blew us away! They were so eager to show how much more they knew that they were almost shaking. I'm sure they have been working on their list of requirements at home as well, their preparation is very obvious. We are very proud of them and we are sure that next week's grading (which Sensei Mark has assured everyone numerous times will NOT be a cakewalk) will be awesome. We hope everyone comes out and pours their heart and sweat into the grading and we will be even more proud when we get to tie new belts on everyone! Good luck next week to: Eldon, James, Michaella, Nicholas, Rachel, Cassie, Eric, Ben, Korry, Jonathon and Oliver!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2008-11-02T12:04:00.003-05:00

I have to admit, October got a little crazy. We had a ton of stuff planned and with the exception of Saunders Farm getting cancelled (darn rain!) everything went off without a hitch. We had so much fun and we are looking forward to another month of hard training and hard playing as well.

To recap: We started off the month on a great training note with Guest Instructors Sensei Steve and Sensei Cam McLellan. We followed that up on October fourth with an incredible first night of PDMA Ball Hockey which led to two more ball hockey nights before we decided last night to call it a season.

We started both of our Demo Teams this month to a fantastic turnout with a lot of enthusiasm. Both the adult and youth Demo Team have something they can already present, with excellent music. Creating demos and learning them turned out to be so much fun. It's hard to put on those serious fighting faces when you are straining not to laugh out loud.

Sensei Niki Greenstreet's class on October 15th was awesome, the kids will love to have her back. It's not too often we can get her, though, as her students are reluctant to have her leave them for a night!

Sensei Bruce, Sensei Mark and I went to Sharbot Lake on October 26th for Sensei Greenstreet's Sandan grading. Sensei's sister, Michelle Greenstreet, was also grading - for Shodan. The grading went very well and we were honoured to have been invited. Sensei Mark, especially, as he was used as Sensei Niki's uke. Now the Sharbot Lake Karate Club boasts TWO Sensei Greenstreets!

We ended the month on a fantastic note with our Haunted Dojo on October 29th. Almost everyone came in costume (which were amazing - you guys never let us down!) and we did a kali stick class. After which, the kalis were used to destroy a pinata. Apparently all of the karate training has made our students into very strong and very accurate strikers as the pinanta lasted only one round through the lineup. Great job guys!

So, as we take a quick look at our November calender, we can see there are more fun things planned. Already we have some excellent classes planned, a Grading on November 19th, lots of specialty classes, Martial Quest on November 22, Sensei Ted Theelen as a guest instructor on November 26th and Sensei Rebekah's Nidan Grading at the end of the month.

Thanks so much for all of the amazing support everyone has shown over the course of our first month. It's going to keep getting better and better!

Fabulous Guest Instructor

2008-10-16T09:11:00.003-04:00

We had Sensei Nicole Greenstreet down to our club last night (Wed Oct 15) to teach. She is the owner of the karate club in Sharbot Lake. Mark and I have gone to her club lots of times to train and to teach and we always have an awesome time. She has amazing students who absolutely love her. Their enthusiasm is very inspirational and we always leave feeling refreshed.

This time, however, she came to us. She did an introductory grappling class for the kids where the focus was on learning to move into various positions smoothly. Her interpretation and method of teaching was amazing. The kids loved the class and were able to follow the instructions well. She ended the hour with belt grappling. This is where you start on your knees facing your partner and the goal is to remove your partner's belt and tie it around their leg before they are able to do the same to you. This was hilarious to watch and judging by the huge smiles and loud laughter from the kids, it was equally enjoyed by them as well.

Sensei Niki brought a couple of her students with her, Daniel and Kyle. They were lots of fun and made for very good ukes. They were able to stay for our adult class after which was great. It was really cool training next to Sensei Niki on the floor again. It's been way too long!

All in all, a great night with great friends and awesome karate. That's what it's all about!

Family Atmosphere

2008-10-07T06:28:00.003-04:00

Karate is an extremely big part of what we do and who we are. For us to be able to share that with our families is very important. Because to them, it's hard to understand our passion towards the martial arts. All they see, at first, is a collection of people who wear funny clothes, speak in a foreign language, shout strange noises and come out of class looking totally beat down and exhausted - but with a big smile on our faces. By involving our families in as much of our karate life as we can, we can show them that we are all regular people who are simply interested in the role that martial arts can play in our lives. But also, that we are out there to make good friends and have fun.

Last Saturday night we had our first PDMA Ball Hockey night. This was our first attempt at bringing our families into our karate life and getting to know everyone better. I've heard people refer to their karate club as their second family, but this doesn't happen over night. It happens because people take the time to get to know one and other and to realize the special gifts that each person has to offer - off of the training mat.

We had a great turnout for our first night. We had mothers and fathers and all ages of kids playing and everyone laughed so hard their cheeks were hurting (at least this warmed us cheerleaders up a little - it was pretty cold). The role of goalie was shared numerous times between all the kids, although nobody could stop the ball like Sempai Gail. The kids looked enormous in all the equipment and they sometimes managed to stop the ball by simply standing there. As Colton remarked after one of his remarkable saves, "Did I stop it?" As people rotated off to take a break and came back on playing for the other team, the hardest part of the night was remembering who was playing for which team. And trying to figure out how mosquitos could possibly survive when we were so cold.

Karate does not need to separate us from our families. By training together or simply playing together, we spend time building relationships and having fun. And these are the memories that will last the longest.

Our next Ball Hockey night is planned for October 18th. Everyone is welcome as we chase the ball, make amazing saves and get to know the wonderful people we train beside on the floor even better.

Team Ryouko Rocks!

2008-09-28T06:56:00.004-04:00

Mark and I had the pleasure of training yesterday for four hours (!) with Team Ryouko. This is a group of extreme martial art/acrobatic/breakdancers from Toronto. You can check them out on YouTube to see what they are all about - their backflips, flying kicks and weapon demos are amazing and extremely intimidating.

We went to Brockville to watch their seminar but decided once we got there to participate. Thank goodness that we did! We did four seminars with them: Acrobatics, Breakdancing, Trick Kicks and Bo Staff. Each one was awesome. These guys were able to completely break the moves down into (somewhat) easily learnable parts so that we could attempt everything.

Not only did we come away with some incredible routines and great tips for making our demos better, but we learned some great new strengthening exercises to incorporate into our classes.

At the end of the seminar Team Ryouko put on a demonstration for us that was fabulous! We are incredibly grateful to Val from Thousand Islands Martial Arts for bringing Team Ryouko to Brockville. We hope they come back again - this is a seminar that we would encourage everyone to go to and one that we will definitely not miss!

Great Friends, Great Day

2008-09-20T20:52:00.002-04:00

Surrounded by great friends, there was no way that today would not have been a success. The tournament was well attended and everyone was in such high spirits that the time flew by. The kids were amazing, everyone did their very best and they received medals that reflected that. I was especially impressed by their etiquette. We had been practicing tournament etiquette for a few weeks now and they remembered every bow and thank you. They waited patiently for their division and they all left with a smile. They beat on the Red Man suit (which turned out to be a black suit, oh well!) with all their hearts and they all earned a first place certificate for doing so!
We were so grateful for all of the help we had. Our judges were fantastic, thank you so much Sensei Bruce, Sensei Niki, Sensei Missy, Sensei Rebekah and Sempai Tyler for handling the kumite ring. Thanks also goes out to Sensei Cathy, Sensei Ingrid and Sempai Lee for judging both the kata divisions and the self defense portions. Our scorekeepers were amazing, even managing to squeeze in a couple of late participants, thank you to Mike and Tom at Ring 1 and Mike and Ralph at Ring 2. A special thank you to our kids who also helped; to Brenden for taking pictures and videotaping and for jumping in to corner judge when needed and to Cassie and Colton for handling the snack table with such efficiency. A HUGE thank you to the Streekstras, Andy and Chris. Andy, who supplied and wore the Red Man Suit (for three hours!!!) and to Chris, who handled the long lineups of eager combattants, while doling out certificates.
This tournament couldn't have happened without all of the help from such great friends. We are grateful for each and everyone of you! Can't wait to do it all again!

The Energy is Coming Back

2008-09-18T13:16:00.002-04:00

The energy in the club felt great last night. The kids are all hyped up about the tournament this Saturday and the adult class by Sensei B had everyone sweating like crazy and smiling the same.
It is so amazing to see the kids coming in asking about extra dojo time to work on stuff. That's the excitement they need and it is what will make them better martial artists. If they just come in twice a week to take their class and leave, never thinking about karate again until they come back a few days later, they will get stale, bored and probably start thinking about quitting. Gradings are few and far between for kids so tournaments, seminars and demonstrations keep them motivated to work hard and learn quickly. It will be amazing to watch them this Saturday and to see their hard work paying off!
The adult class last night was fast paced, focussing on good, strong technique and low stances. A little memory work was involved with doing kata backwards and mirror image which we haven't done in a while. Practicing kata like this is such a challenge for the mind. It can make you extremely frustrated yet it is so much fun! It certainly makes you focus! The drills were awesome and we even had a little bit of bunkai thrown in. It was a super class! I noticed a few people thanking Sensei B for the class and that is very good to do. Especially if you thought it was one of your favourite classes, go and tell the Sensei. It is nice for them to hear and you might find they do more classes like that if they know that everyone enjoyed themselves. Muscles should all be a little sore today, what a great feeling!

A Very Productive Morning

2008-09-13T18:18:00.002-04:00

This morning the focus in class was on preparation for the tournament which is going to happen next Saturday on September 20th. The three hours we trained today was extremely well spent. We worked on self defense, kata, sparring and the etiquette involved in all of it. We worked on what to do if you win and more importantly, what to do if you lose.
The kids were all amazing. They developed incredible self defense sets and they worked on them continually, without fooling around, for hours. They practiced their kata with great focus(they can almost get up in front of everyone without hardly a giggle now). We even have a new student (who has only been taking classes for one week) signed up for both kata and self defense. Very impressive!
When we returned home, Niki and Michelle from the Sharbot Lake Karate Club stopped by with more registrants for the tournament. They will have a lot of kids there. We are filling up the divisions nicely. So far the biggest division is the white/yellow belt division for kids under 9. So anyone in that one had better practice, practice, practice!!!

Now it's my turn

2008-09-08T21:06:00.002-04:00

In preparing for my latest grading I had a huge help. Well, actually, it was a huge help-er. My uke, Veronica, practiced with me for hours on end and basically knew all of my self defense sets, pressure point demonstrations and bunkai just as well as I did. (Somedays she knew them better than me!) Well, now the tables are turned.
Now it is my turn to be an uke. But it's not Veronica who is now throwing me around. It's her younger sister, Rebekah. Gotta love indirect payback.
We have a lot of work to do before she is ready to grade but with all of the stuff still fresh in my mind, I hope to be a big help. And it's kinda nice to be thrown around for a bit. Especially when I look over in the mirror and see that brand new belt around my waist. It's still not quite broken in yet but it shouldn't take long at this rate. Go Rebekah!!

New Belt!

2008-09-04T21:13:00.002-04:00

Last night we received our new belts and certificates. It seemed very surreal. We hadn't been the recipient of a new belt in over four years. Although we've watched many people receive their belts since then, it felt very strange to be on the other side.
I made the mistake of sucking in my stomach to allow Sensei's hands to reach around me better to tie my belt. Of course then it was tied way too tight. Smiling through the pictures was tricky as I was fighting for every breath. I remember back when it felt like I was grading all the time that I would actually stick out my stomach as the belt was being tied on so that it wouldn't be pulled too tight. Ah, the things we forget.
Our new belts are beautiful. Mine is on display right now on the buffet in our dining room. Not exactly an appropriate place but Mark's just happy that I've finally taken it off.

Tournament Time!

2008-09-02T07:15:00.003-04:00

Now that our grading is over and we have relaxed for a few days, Mark and I are heavy into planning a tournament for our club. Tournaments are fun and exciting and for a lot of the students at our club, they will be a brand new experience. We both know that your first tournament is also very stressful. Not knowing what to expect can be very scary. I know that the first tournament I entered I had originally just planned on watching. One of my Senseis told me I should enter and I was very glad that I did.
This tournament will be a small one with only a couple of other clubs coming. It will be a good chance for everyone to try competing and to realize how much fun this part of their training can be. We will also have a few weeks to focus some classes at the club on the proper etiquette for tournaments. (In karate, there is always etiquette to be followed!)
There is still lots of preparation to do and more volunteers to find but we are focused on making this a great experience for everybody!

WE DID IT!!!

2008-08-29T09:24:00.002-04:00

It's over and we did it!!! We successfully completed our Nidan grading on Wednesday night. It was definitely the most stressful grading that we ever did. Everything that we had studied was covered in the grading and our intense preparations definitely paid off.
We started with kata, which we both managed to make minor mistakes in. Not a very good start for me seeing as how kata is normally the one thing I can do reasonably well. My nerves definitely got the better of me. As Sensei Brousseau told me later, I did my first kata so fast he almost thought he could see smoke coming from my heels. Oops.
Everything else seemed to fall into place after that and our kobohs, self defense, pressure points and sparring went well. The bunkai portion, which we had been the most nervous about when we first started preparing for this grading, went really well. We only needed to demonstrate six bunkai from the forty-two that we had learned. Board breaking went really well, too! I was extremely happy that all of my boards broke on the first try. This is the only part of a grading that I don't practice for at home first! Mark's double break with a shuto strike was awesome!
All in all, we were happy with the way the grading went. That nervous feeling is gone and we are super excited to be back in class. Now it is our turn to help others prepare for their next belts.
Although as Mark said to me yesterday, "Better ask Sensei Brousseau for the requirements for Sandan. We've only got three years and it wouldn't hurt to get a start on it." Never ending journey indeed!

Night Before

2008-08-26T21:39:00.002-04:00

Well, we've almost made it. It is the night before. Seeing as how it is 9:40pm we can only hope that by this time tomorrow night the grading will long be over. We both have this constant nervous feeling that won't go away and I woke up this morning with a pounding headache. Mark has one right now. I know we should be in bed early but we are going to go over the bunkai just one more time tonight.
We've had lots of people wish us luck which was really nice. Everyone says they know that we are going to do well, I only wish we knew that, too. It's just too easy to get up in front of everyone and totally forget what you had planned on doing. We know everything inside out and backwards at this point, I only hope that we are able to demonstrate that. I think my biggest fear is that after all of the preparation we have done for this (and it has been A LOT) that we will still do a terrible job and all of the work will have been for nothing. That would be the worst.

Almost There

2008-08-24T20:52:00.002-04:00

It's Sunday night and we are just taking a break from going over everything we need for our grading again. We've worked on all of the bunkai again (all 42!), each of our self defense (10), each of our pressure points (10) and all of the terminology. Today I went and bought the wood we need for our board breaking. I imagine it's not too often that the people at Home Building Centre hear a customer say "Give me the crappiest wood you've got, you know, the stuff that will break in two if you look at it sideways."
We taught Saturday morning at 9am and had a great class. It is a refreshing break to focus on what other people need to learn. It gives us a chance to forget about ourselves and the grading. We have such eager students, we love sharing all of the things we've learned over the years.
After class we went over all of our katas. Over and over again. Fast and slow. There are fourteen kata that we need to know. We both had sore legs for the rest of the weekend.
We have one more chance to work with our ukes Monday night. Tuesday night is a rest night for me, Mark is working (by choice - he needs the distraction). Everything has to be a little slower and with less force now, we can't take the chance that we, or our ukes, might get hurt.
And now back to studying...

The Pressure is On

2008-08-22T12:58:00.003-04:00

It's Friday. I can't make it in to the club tonight although Mark can. Which leaves Saturday and Monday to work on our stuff in the dojo, the rest will have to be done at home. Five more days. Just a sec while I take a deep breath......okay, I feel a little bit better now. (not really though)

We worked on techniques over the phone today on Mark's way to work, that was a little tricky. Should your hand be like this, or like this? Hmmm. No, definitely the first way. ?!?

I need to study my pressure points a little bit more today, we'll work on bunkai after supper tonight and we plan on going through all of our kata tomorrow morning. It's really nice being able to do this together. Although I've noticed that if one of us isn't stressing enough about the grading the other one will usually point out reasons why we should just sit down and cry. I'm not sure that's what "being there for each other" means but we're going to go with that.

I'm working on another article for our club's website and I came across this thought 'Karate-do is the method of developing the mind and body together as one unit'. Let's hope they work together next Wednesday night!

On our way to Nidan

2008-08-21T12:49:00.000-04:00

In less than one week my husband and I will both be grading for our Nidan (second degree) black belt. This has been a long time coming (four years in fact!). Many things have changed since then but we are very excited to be preparing for such an important grading together.

Much of our time now is spent in preparation. Time in the dojo and time at home. Ever done kata while waiting for your coffee in the morning? This is quite typical in our home. Or worked on bunkai at 10pm? Our children don't even look surprised anymore when they come down the stairs to find one of us on the floor in a breakfall position and the other executing a wrist lock. They simply say hi and walk around us to get to the fridge. Except the little one who usually has a hug for whoever is still upright.

The closer the grading gets, the worse our nerves get. And we know that no matter how hard we study and practice, the second the grading starts we will forget almost everything (usually just until the grading ends). :)

Oh, well. As one of the five guiding principles of the Dojo Kun states "Each person must endeavor" and endeavor we will!