Total Karate

Bad Techniques!

2012-01-20T17:32:00.000-08:00

Learn well!

2011 in Training

2012-01-20T09:16:00.000-08:00

So that was 2011. Might be a bit late for an annual review, but we're well and truly into 2012 it might be worth taking a brief pause to reflect.

The club has seen a number of changes... some leavers (ah, college and uni...), some new faces arrived and a few of the old guard still doing their thing.

The kids' class is doing well. There's a solid collection of regulars all trying their best. Standards are definitely on the up. The new syllabus has helped, along with some "new thinking" when it comes to working with the kids. Keep them busy, keep it dynamic and don't make it impossible for them to learn (or for instructors to instruct!)

The children's display in the town centre during the summer went down really well. Feedback was very positive, and I hope we can do more of that in 2012.

In the seniors I think we've "found our feet" (in more ways than one!) But I think having a definite purpose to training is a big plus point. No more trying to please everyone at the same time. People either like what we do or they don't. Which is good.

We have a new association membership, good insurance coverage and backing. I hope it goes well, I must admit I am a bit adverse to big groups, rules and regulations, and paperwork. There's much to be said for going independant and that's fine as long as you're honest about who you are and what you do.

Ahh, that's all for now. Back to training.

Getting my act together

2011-08-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

Been so busy with the club, and that other stuff we call life; I realised I was starting to lose direction in my training. Fortunately I caught it in time, my efforts are refocused and I've started writing out training goals again. It's been a long time since I've done that.

Working those basics is always a good start. Plus I want to improve my fitness levels, I think next year is going to be busy, karate-wise.

New Club Website

2011-06-20T17:25:00.001-07:00

Our club has a new website. Visit us at:

www.barrowkarate.org.uk

Desert Island Karate

2011-05-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

Imagine being stranded on a desert island. A nice one with lots of edible fruit, coconuts and fresh water. No work, no hassle, no facebook, no twitter, no door-to-door salespeople (mostly).

Exotic beaches, deep blue sea, crystal clear nights, long hot sunny days.

I know some people who would spend their entire lives there, and they'd love it. They'd pack up and go right now if they could.

How would that appeal to you?

After six months.... after one year.... a decade....

All alone ruling over your island kingdom!

How soon would the boredom set in? Or, indeed, insanity? How long would it take for you to want to leave that place forever? To return to daily life, to people, a place where you can make mistakes (and grow old disgracefully!)

Hold on, isn't this a Karate blog? What's all this desert island stuff? Well... in your training.... don't get stuck on that desert island!

Written and Verbal Tests in Karate

2011-04-27T14:34:00.001-07:00

Bit of a strange one this. Some grading requirements ask students to answer general knowledge questions about karate, or for Black Belt grades - write an essay or complete a written test.

Not sure if I like this.

We're here to learn karate, an activity which is done by, er, being active and doing things. What does answering general knowledge questions have to do with developing skills in the art? Fair enough for people going for instructors' qualifications or some formally recognised qualification (in the UK there are NVQs, national vocational qualifications - these are attained by putting together a portfolio of evidence demonstrating knowledge and doing something).

But I don't think there is much value in giving black belt candidates 20 questions. After 3-5 years of training (at least!) you'd think they would know something about their style in question. I wonder if anyone has ever failed to get a Dan grade because they didn't write their essay?

And who marks these exam papers and essays? Are the people setting them qualified educationalists? What is the nature of these questions - I bet they are easy to answer if you have a web connection and google. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the people setting the questions used google to get their answers too....

I can't imagine footballers/cricketers/baseball players/race horses/etc having to complete a written exam so they can get to play in the first team or whatever.

Written exams in karate? No thanks.

(PS. I have an NVQ Level 3 in Management and team leadership. How very nice.)

After-Training Chillout Tunes

2011-03-18T13:46:00.000-07:00

When I'm not training/working/annoying the kids/eating/sleeping/etc I like to mess about making tunes.

Here's some evening chillout for you :)

http://ambientzoo.bandcamp.com/

New Wado Forum

2011-03-13T04:18:00.000-07:00

A new forum for Wadoka has been set up. Check it out at www.allwado.com

Erle Montaigue

2011-01-28T15:31:00.000-08:00

Just heard that Erle Montaigue passed away this week. How sad, he was certainly an inspiration in my early training years. His articles in 'Fighting Arts International' were always something to look forward to.

www.taijiworld.com

Senior Class

2011-01-15T02:01:00.000-08:00

A quick mention for our senior class!

Try our Senior Group at Greengate School

Our adult Karate sessions focus on traditional Wado Ryu Karate, Push Hands training and Pad Work. Train in a friendly environment and develop your skills at your pace. We do not practice sport karate, our classes are suitable for all age groups.

Please see club details at this link. Get in touch or drop in to the club for a chat and watch a session. You can also have a free taster training session.

"At 53 I needed to get fitter and went to Shoshin for their free introductory session. The hourly sessions are fun, friendly and tailor-made to build individual fitness and skill levels. I would highly recommend it to anyone."

-- Gary from Barrow

Every Little Thing Matters

2011-01-14T08:29:00.000-08:00

This is an interesting book I recently came across. Every Little Thing Matters (By Stephen Oakes) is a book about the human energy field, how to heal it and how to use it. Sounds like the sort of thing many martial artists would be interested in.

The book describes the Human Energy Field (HEF) in layman's terms, and how energy works in life. Part two discusses applications of energy work in a number of areas such as career, abundance, relationships and diet.

Written with humour and from direct experience (the author has 20 years' experience in healing, energy work and reiki) it is easy to read and understand - the experience was more akin to chatting to a mate down the pub than being lectured at from some 'guru'. And unlike many other books on similar subjects it has immediate applications you can use straight away.

It's a great book for anyone interested in internal energy. If you like the works of Stuart Wilde, Dr Wayne Dyer, et al then I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Recommended!

Here's a link for UK/Europe people:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Every-Little-Thing-Matters-Stephen/dp/1846944236/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295023128&sr=8-1

And if you're in the US:

http://www.amazon.com/Every-Little-Thing-Matters-Stephen/dp/1846944236/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1295023422&sr=8-3

Empty Mind Films

2010-11-06T02:29:00.001-07:00

Just discovered Empty Mind films, if you like Asian culture and martial arts then check them out.

http://www.emptymindfilms.com/

Summer Training

2010-08-13T01:07:00.001-07:00

Half way through the summer holidays already! Turnout has been really good too, and the summer training schedule is going well.

We've had a good mix of training during classes; it's a chance for the seniors to sharpen up their basics, and the juniors have been working on all kinds of pairs work. The junior group is coming along very nicely.

Martial Training Scam Alert

2010-07-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

There seems to be an email scam going around. I received an email a few weeks ago from someone claiming to want dance lessons, then today I received this:

Hello,

My name is Howard Paul. I want to book training services for a group of six who shall be on vacation to your country

for 5weeks.We want an intensive training sessions with you. Their stay will last from the last week of August to

September,2010.They are all beginners and six in number .What can you offer? Can I know your qualification and

service rate ?

Do you have a training facility where you conduct classes? if not,we can arrange one for the classes
I would love to know the possibility of working with you during this period.Kindly get back to me with your

proposals so that we can make booking asap.

Best regards.
Howard paul
BCSSA,Egerton Training Ground,
Mereheath Lane,
Knutsford,
Cheshire, WA16 6SL

Yes, its a scam. Delete it!

Some amendments to the syllabus

2010-06-09T15:27:00.000-07:00

I'm working on some amendments to our syllabus. I'm stretching things out a little bit so the middle grades only need to study the one kata each. This will put more focus onto each kata instead of trying to learn two at once. I believe the pinans are often bypassed in favour of flashier kata. I think this is a mistake.

Previously some of our mid grades had two new pinan kata to learn. I thought it was a bit of a squeeze and didn't allow a more in-depth study of the kata.

Some of the basics have been jiggled around a bit too. Now they are more closely tied to their associated kata. No techniques have been removed, they've just been swapped about a little. I'll post a copy when it's finalised.

Passai is off the shodan requirement list, and is added to the "additional kata" section. Shodan now requires Seishan and Chinto.

Wado Ryu Techniques

2010-06-05T03:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, I've been watching some very good wado videos. This one here contains a number of techniques in response to a single handed push or shove. What got me thinking about this was how easy it is that we can become obsessed with application this, application that, bunkai here and everywhere.... as if the art in itself has nothing to offer.

Of course in wado we have kaisetsu, but that's for another post!

I think the point I'm making is that often we don't see the wood for the trees. If we focus on the fundamentals of our arts, and the principles which power them, there is no need to dress things up with exotica.

Wado Ryu Demonstration

2010-06-05T02:59:00.000-07:00

This is a nice video. A demonstration of a variety of wado ryu karate techniques. Brings a tear to your eye!

Late For Class

2010-05-26T15:04:00.000-07:00

There's an interesting conversation over at Iain Abernethy's forum (here) on the subject of being late for class.

Sometimes it is inevitable that you just can't get to the dojo on time, whether its heavy traffic, domestic issues or hassle from work. But when it is a regular occurance something must be amiss....

To me, training is a discipline. It is good discipline to turn up on time. It's good etiquette too. Not only that, but the first 10 minutes of class is potentially the most important. You might miss an announcement, and you're almost certain to miss the warm up.

Warming up gets you into the right frame of mind as well as adjusting physically to the coming session. Good warmup exercises are a vital part of training. There's no point turning up late and then rushing through a couple of exercises in the hurry to join in. (Imagine what its like in tai chi where they do chi kung exercises to warm up!)

There is another problem that interruptions cause distractions for the whole class. The energy of people training together is broken which takes something away from the group / tribal ethic of what's going on.

It might not be important to some, but you also miss the formal bows at the start of class. Again this is a symbol of group togetherness and acts as a mental trigger to help get you in the right frame of mind. Martial arts are not the same as messing about down the gym (I mean the leisure centre/treadmill-type gym, not boxing/martial arts gym!)

New Site

2010-05-08T03:32:00.000-07:00

If you're into "spiritual matters" or you're a fan of Stuart Wilde, check out our new community at: http://fringedwellers.spruz.com

This replaces the old Ning site that closed due to ning shutting down free sites.

Meibukan Magazine

2010-05-07T16:35:00.000-07:00

This website hosts a free online martial arts magazine (PDF format). I think it looks pretty interesting and I'm sure people who stop by here will be interested too!

Here's the link:

http://www.meibukanmagazine.org/

Kata Bunkai Tips

2010-05-03T05:27:00.000-07:00

Some bits and pieces I've picked up over the years, from different sources. You've probably heard of many of these before. Use them as guides for considering your own kata bunkai.

Don't study movements as techniques as though they look like stills in a picture book
Consider each part of each movement, how you got there and where it takes you
There's a clue in the timing of the movement
Consider the same movement against a wrist grab, arm grab, lapel grab then a punch
Ask yourself "What is this movement trying to teach me?"
It's not ALL about pressure points or grappling. Consider that the simplest ideas are sound
A defensive movement in one direction might be "hiding" an offensive movement in the other (consider if your opponent is behind you)
Angles and directions are telling you something
Concurrent techniques don't have to be applied concurrently. Experiment changing the order around
Some applications might involve more than one attacker
Why does your style of karate have a particular variation in the kata? Why is that?
What are the key principles of the system you study?
Understand the principle of folding
Are your underlying skills sufficient to make your applications work under pressure?
The outward appearance of a kata might remain the same, but there are many ways of feeling the kata. How does that affect your interpretations?
Beginnings and Endings of kata are important.

Finally... if you see "bunkai" on youtube that features one person surrounded by a bunch of others in karate stances, don't bother watching!

Pinan Shodan Example Bunkai

2010-04-11T15:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a Pinan Shodan bunkai video. I'd say the explanations of some of the movements here are quite sound.

Some Local Karate History

2010-04-08T15:39:00.000-07:00

I was chatting to a chap tonight after training. He brought along some photos from the early 1970s, back when karate first came to our part of the world.

There were photos taken in the same hall that we train in today! There's always been a tradition of karate at Greengate Street (well, since karate came to Barrow, anyway!) and it was interesting to see those old photos taken just a few feet from where we were standing.

I didn't realise that at the time the "big name" Japanese karatemen (as karate people were known!) came to Barrow to conduct training. One of the photos was like a who's who of wado instructors.... Suzuki, Shiomitsu, Fuji, Ishikawa and Takamizawa were in it.

A couple of our youngsters felt inspired by these photos, and thought it strange that after all that time, there was that connection to early British karate in our little backwater.

I was a pupil at Greengate Street in the latter half of the Seventies, strange how things come around. Like pieces of a metaphysical jigsaw coming together. Either that or Barrow (being at the end of a 30 mile cul-de-sac) is a bit... insular... and everyone knows everybody else's business!

Still, it was good to take a look back in time. I was just a toddler back in '71 - the same age as my youngest daughter now. And here we are training in the same hall keeping the tradition alive. And long may it continue!

Erle Montaigue

2010-04-07T01:55:00.000-07:00

Nice to see Erle is still training :)

Easter Training

2010-04-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

No training on Monday, it's bank holiday. Club reopens on Thursday.

Karate Sales Letter - a Response

2010-03-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

I received a sales letter for a karate club today. Apparently it's doing the rounds of the schools (I hope our host school doesn't allow it to circulate!) I have some concerns about the nature of these sales pitches.

The letter opens with a line to grab parents' attention (classic sales method). It asks questions about their children coping with being bullied, and the dangers of abduction. From the outset the letter is using fear to sell the classes.

The letter also points out that schools and parents might have difficulties "developing" children's potential. Excuse me?! Are these people telling me I'm incapable of looking after my own children? And the education system (our children's school) can't develop them either?

The club is offering a "program" (computer software?!) to develop children's potential. I'm always interested in how this works in a karate club, because I have a professional interest in developing people. Do they run workshops, or roleplaying situations, or what? Are the people who put the programme together qualified to do so? What is their educational background? Have they worked in academia? Do they provide counselling?

Why is it that other clubs - sports, dancing, etc - don't need to offer "life skills"? What is it about these karate classes that enable kids to cope with the "pressures" of daily life?

The letter goes on to state that they have proven successes in competition. If you're going to do karate, they reason, shouldn't you train with people who can take you to the top?

Well, that all depends on the aims of the club, the student, and the teachers. If you're a competitive sports club - that's a fair comment. But what about purely traditional martial arts like Aikido or Tai Chi? What about self-defence oriented schools? What's their measure?

But now I'm confused.... self defence, international competition, and Tony Robbins for kids? They must be good!!

Next comes the money-shot. Free uniforms, and free "consultations" (eh?) There's family discounts too.... but no price list.

Questions to ask instructors when enrolling at a new school.....

Instructor credentials?
Are they qualified to deliver what they say?
How are their various programmes implemented?
Are you contracted for minimum membership?
How much does it cost?
Are there any hidden fees? (Grades, badges, belts, certificates, "mandatory courses", etc)?
What is the student-teacher ratio in terms of numbers?

Make sure you watch a number of classes before signing up. Better still, shop around and look for different schools. Don't just go by the numbers game, or by convenience. If they won't let you watch, walk away. If they can't answer those questions, walk away.

Finally check out the "vibe" of the club or school. Go with your instincts.

Caveat Emptor!

I don't see this kind of pitch as a threat to my own training, or my own group; and I don't see it as a threat to the other traditional clubs in the area.

We're not in the "selling" game. Our numbers come from word of mouth, positive thoughts, and a good energy in class. Our syllabus is robust, and the methods used to implement it in the kids' (and adult) classes work. We don't need to "teach discipline" because the classes are appropriately structured for the experience and age groups of the students. Our classes are small, we're not a business; so, as long as costs are covered we do OK.

I am thankful not to be a fulltime instructor!

Warriors Escrima

2010-03-21T04:28:00.001-07:00

Some nice escrima footage. This is a great art and works well alongside karate. Grab yourself an escrima stick and study your kata movements, it opens up some interesting avenues!

I like the fluidity and form of this art. The empty-hand techniques sit well with karate especially if you study open-hand and circular techniques (think sanchin/tensho and similar).

New Writings

2010-03-21T04:26:00.000-07:00

Nothing to do with martial arts, but if you're a computer music fan and you use linux check out my new blog thing.... http://www.tuxaudio.blogspot.com/

Push Hands Training

2010-03-15T17:18:00.000-07:00

We've had a couple of push hands sessions which went down well with the seniors, including some beginners. We've been focussing on single push hands which is the first push hands exercise in our syllabus.

It trains stances, distance, body awareness, and develops sensitivity. It shows you how to operate the lower body and upper body in opposite directions, and shows the relationships between upper and lower. It's a good exercise for developing the body skills necessary to learn how to punch effectively.

We had a play with some applications too, showing how you can take the training method in different directions. Useful for close-in work, receiving and locking.

In order to be effective at push hands, students need to be properly relaxed. By the end of the first session everyone was certainly relaxed! Anyway, we have some interesting methods which can be used to encourage students to relax :) Push hands isn't necessarily an "easy" night's training. Tee hee...

Single push hands training continues...

System Upgrades

2010-03-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

I've been upgrading my computer system and playing with my new Linux Mint 8.0 set up so I haven't done any writing recently. But its back to business-as-usual now so I'll try to get some articles up and running shortly.

Learning Styles

2010-02-26T08:39:00.000-08:00

People learn in different ways, and how they learn is called their learning style. There are a number of ways in which learning styles can be identified, and there are different categories depending on who you read about.

An individual's learning style is very useful to know about, because then you can adopt your coaching or teaching to fit the student's way of working. For example, someone who has strong visual perception might not be good at receiving verbal instruction. They're better off with a diagram.

In the Dojo you can improve the way a student learns if you understand learning styles.

A Visual student will learn quicker by watching a demonstration of a technique.
An auditory student will be more responsive to the details you talk about.
A kinaesthetic student works on feel, so they might pick up something better if you use them as uke or if you guide them through a technique using touch.

Interestingly, in the Chinese martial arts in particular touch is an important training skill for fine-tuning a student's posture. Push hands training is also very hands-on.

There are other ways of using learning styles. Are you active or reflective, for instance? An active person would rather get on with it and analyse things later; while a reflective students prefers to mull things over first.

A logical or sequential learner likes to follow a step-by-step approach, while an intuitive or global learner prefers to see an overview of the whole picture and learning it in smaller chunks. They may appear to flit around randomly, but their approach is more like completing a jigsaw puzzle than following a recipe.

It's worth getting into learning styles. There are plenty of online questionnaires and quizzes you can try to determine how you learn. Useful for both students and instructors. Here's a few links to get you started:

http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm
http://www.businessballs.com/vaklearningstylestest.htm
http://www.learning-styles-online.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles

I did some learning style work as part of my management qualification at work. My sensory learning style is quite balanced with a slight bias towards Visual. In another test I was strongly intuitive/global learning style - the complete opposite of my visual-logical team members!!

It'll be interesting to apply some of these ideas into the Karate classes and I encourage my students to have a go at one or two quizzes.

"Training for Enjoyment"

2010-02-15T14:42:00.001-08:00

I came across this timely article:

http://themartialarchive.com/Chinese-Arts/Training-for-Enjoyment.html

The basic idea of the story can apply to all martial arts. Whatever happened to simply being, and just doing your martial art? In the karate world a lot of people worry about politics, the demise of tradition, being beaten up by cage fighters, or what the "bunkai" is to every tiny movement. It's enough to stress you out!

(So don't listen!)

Just Training

2010-02-10T14:10:00.000-08:00

I read a great article in Martial Arts Illustrated magazine. It was a column written by veteran martial artists and writer, Chris Parker (who used to write for Fighting Arts International back in the day.

In the article he wrote about his 35 years' training, and how it was unlikely that he'd win a cage fight with an MMA student. Which is fine, because he has no plans to get into the cage!

Over the years it's easy to be taking in by trends, and its easy to look for everything that's "missing" in your art. Students' minds develop extremely unlikely scenarios in which their martial arts skills could never work. They worry because their karate (or whatever) could never beat Chuck Liddell or someone of that standing.

Crazy!

What's wrong with just enjoying your martial art because you like doing it. It's a social activity, or a means of exploring another culture, or you enjoy the challenges of your training. Maybe you're over 35 years old and don't really care about competitions, and you're not all that worried about being attacked by a team of ninjas lurking around the corner.

If you enjoy your karate for whatever reason there is absolutelyno need to justify it to yourself, or others - especially the keyboard tigers who populate the forums these days. So you're not into kyusho, grappling, bunkai, "street effective", or whatever. So you're just a person who enjoys traditional karate for its own sake.

As long as you're honest with your training it doesn't matter. Good training is healthy, interesting, and it gets you away from the TV. Offload all those mental hangups about your training and just get on with it.

I have to say its been a long time since I've enjoyed my own training so much. It's been a good year so far. Don't give up!

Kiba Dachi or Shiko Dachi?

2010-02-06T06:26:00.000-08:00

Feet apart, bend your knees and sink your weight down through the legs and connect to the floor pressing the soles of your feet down.

Feet forward, or slightly turned inwards, and you have horse stance, or kiba dachi. Turn the feet out 30 to 45 degrees from the front and you have shiko dachi - straddle stance, or wrestling stance.

I noticed some old footage of Ohtsuka doing his pinan kata almost exclusively in shiko dachi rather than the "usual" kiba dachi. Not only that, there's no mention of the traditional kiba dachi in his book.

Further research suggests that in wado ryu there is no real distinction between the two - both terms apply to the same stance, so it seems kiba dachi/shiko dachi are interchangeable. In all cases the feet-outward approach is used.

So it seems that traditional wado uses only what we usually call shiko dachi, but the term kiba dachi is also used. Certainly the feet-outward stance is more "wado" feeling than feet-forward.

Let's bring in another stance, this time naihanchi-dachi. In many styles naihanchi kata is done from horse stance (look at Shotokan's tekki kata). However the correct approach is to use a higher stance with feet forward (or slightly turned inward - not too much). Naihanchi stance looks more horse-like than kiba dachi. Imagine standing on your horse, knees gripping the horse's flanks while you aim a shot with your bow and arrow, or wield your naginata!

The feet outward stance of shikodachi is preferred because it allows quicker movement, which is in keeping with the wado ethos. Even in naihanchi stance the feet shouldn't be turned too far inward.

Haiku

2010-01-30T12:46:00.000-08:00

In my usual informal style....

Seeking the Way -
Great Lion, illuminated;
Grandmother Moon.

The Path of Martial Arts

2010-01-27T12:43:00.000-08:00

Ohtsuka wrote that the aim of martial arts is to achieve peace through harmony.

Martial arts are not merely sports, although competition can be an important part of your life especially if you're young. It can be a good motivator and is a chance to use up some of that boundless energy young people have. But there comes a time when sport is not enough. Either you're not so fit as you used to be, or there's no real challenge or enjoyment any more.

Not everyone wants to compete. Most people want "fitness" and "self defence". Both, I think stem from fear. Seeking fitness is a fear of death, self defence is the fear of fear.

There's nothing wrong with acquiring such skills. Physical exercise is a positive experience and, as one of my students put it, it's an insurance policy for the future. Self defence skills are very useful too of course, but if that's what you're into be careful.

Many karateka become obsessed with finding effective techniques, making up all kinds of scare stories and scenarios to (theoretically) test themselves. The ongoing quest for "bunkai" stems from this, along with perhaps justifying practices they don't really have a full understanding of.

As we develop and mature in martial arts we become better people. Our fears and shadows are conquered and we no longer have a need to study self defence. Martial arts training takes on a new significance, whether it's art for art's sake, or a more profound journey into self-discovery.

Through physical practice, mental stimulation and introspection we can reveal the Budo Way, not as a means of competition, or feeding our ego-fears, but as a path to attaining inner peace in a world filled with chaos and darkness.

I guess Ohtsuka was right, wasn't he?

Ni Sei Shi

2010-01-27T12:41:00.000-08:00

Wado Ryu Ni Sei Shi. Some subtle differences between later versions which look more like Shotokan's Nijushiho. The final technique at the end looks like a very painful wrist hold!

Ohtsuka Demonstrating Wado Ryu

2010-01-20T14:18:00.000-08:00

Three Strategies in Wado Ryu

2010-01-20T13:46:00.000-08:00

Wado Ryu, as we have seen, contains a number of methods of movement, and ways of attacking using those methods. Three strategies you will hear about are Nagasu, Noru and Inasu.

Nagasu
Body evasion techniques. The classic example is Nagashizuki, where you slide slightly forward then pivot to evade a straight punch. You can apply this to the inside or outside. Ippon Kumite Jodan 3 demonstrates this.

Noru
Blending with the attacker's movement. For example, in soto uke (outer "block") we receive the attacker's strike and redirect it off-centre and allowing it to continue in the same forward direction. This is different to standing there smashing your forearm into his!

This is a good example of the phrase "use your opponent's force against him". It can be seen in Ippon Kumite Maegeri.

Inasu
This one is all about counter-attacking just as your opponent begins to attack. For example in Kihon Kumite 1 you receive the first punch, then "feel" the second punch coming in (from your partner's body movement). As soon as you register this you move in, twist and hit left.

Okinawan Shogen Ryu

2010-01-15T09:10:00.000-08:00

There's more videos of this group on Youtube.

Dojo Etiquette

2010-01-13T13:56:00.001-08:00

Why have dojo etiquette? It's a topic often debated in karate circles. Is it merely a novelty item, a foreign cultural habit, or does it serve a real purpose?

In recent years I have lightened up on etiquette, but now (as I grow older and wiser!) I can see the benefits of doing it. Here are some ideas:

It meets people's expectations to see bowing and so-on
If students leave town to continue training they need to know about it
It provides a common framework for behaviour
It can contribute to a safe learning environment
It's part of the "whole package". There are lessons on awareness and historical context to be learned
It's good manners - Karate begins and ends with courtesy
It gives students a sense of belonging
Training becomes a "special" experience (see my post on sacredness here)

Excessive etiquette or mindless bowing and grunting isn't too effective. It is often used as empty posturing by those who wish to show off. Many clubs in the West have such rules as "always refer to your instructors as Sensei outside the dojo", which I find a bit odd.

In our club we bow to training partners when we pair up, and at the conclusion of training. We bow upon entry and exit to the dojo, and we bow when doing a formal demonstration, such as kata, gradings, and when engaging in kumite.

At the start and end of class we line up in grade order and perform a simple ceremony which consists of sitting into seiza, then making a single seated bow. We say "Dojo Rei" as it applies to all of us training together for mutual benefit, and it pays respects to the Dojo and those who have gone before.

I understand if people don't engage in this type of etiquette, and that's OK. Different people have different motivations and in some situations you might assume such activities are not required. I used to think that way, but now I believe the positives outweigh the negatives.

Kuzushi

2010-01-13T13:48:00.000-08:00

Kuzushi has a basic strategy in Wado Ryu. It means to unbalance your opponent to place him in a weak position. If you're out of balance you're going to have a hard time fighting back!

There are many techniques that aid this. Common ones would be foot sweeps, leg traps, low kicks, trips, throws, control of joints and so on. Once your opponent if off-balance you are now open to use any number of techniques to defeat him.

These techniques appear in kata in the form of stances, changes in angle, stepping and sliding movements, as well as some of the hand/arm positions. The trick is to maintain a good posture to generate the power necessary to unbalance your opponent.

It's not just a physical technique though. Thinking about strategy again, you can use the idea to mentally disarm your opponent. This again gives you an advantage. You can achieve this by use of a Kiai, body language, feints, etc. In the street you might need to verbally disarm an attacker, or out-posture him.

Physical methods of distracting your opponent (other than the use of feints) also include breaking up the rhythm, or by limiting his sight, or taking the wind from his sails!

Think about your kata, pairs work drills, and any situational information you may know. There are plenty of opportunities for practice with a partner (in Wado Ryu, for instance, have a look at the Kihon Kumite). Pre-arranged drills, freeflowing drills and sparring all contribute to developing this skill.

Gayatri Mantra

2010-01-10T14:54:00.000-08:00

Is the spiritual path part an essential part of training? If you're a pragmatic type, or a competitor then the answer is probably "no". Also, historically, Okinawan karate developed as a fighting art, not a means to salvation.

However if you follow a spiritual path then everything you do - eating, drinking, washing dishes, sweeping leaves - it's all sacred. Yes, even your training. Anything can be spiritual if you wish it to be. If martial arts aren't spiritual to you then they are not. If you think they are, then they are! How this manifests is in your approach to training, and especially your conduct and etiquette in class.

I would like to post this video of the Gayatri Mantri for the spiritual scamps out there. This version of the chant is very soothing.

What is Wado Ryu Karate? (Part 4)

2010-01-10T06:38:00.000-08:00

This little series of articles has presented a very brief overview of Wado, and hopefully it will give you a bit of its flavour. Wado is indeed a unique art with its own distinct philosophy. As I wrote in Part 1, wado is not simply shotokan with high stances and boring kata!

Of course if you wish to really understand wado ryu then you must do some training in it. Find a good teacher and put a few years aside for study :)

There are some excellent articles about Wado Ryu on the net, and I've posted a few in recent blogs. If you read everything I've written in the last week there should be plenty of research material for you to gain an understanding of the art.

In the meantime I would like to present the following links because I think they are worth studying in depth:

http://www.wadoryu.org.uk/commentary.html - The Writings of Hironori Ohtsuka
http://www.wadoryu.org.uk/ohtsuka.html - About the Founder
http://www.wadoryu.org.uk/budo.html - Wado Ryu and Japanese Budo (martial arts)
http://www.wadoryu.org.uk/philosophy.html - Wado Ryu philosophy

Finally there's an in-depth article on Naihanchi kata here:
http://www.wadoryu.org.uk/naihanchi.html

All of these articles are available at:
http://www.wadoryu.org.uk/index.html

What is Wado Ryu Karate? (Part 3)

2010-01-10T06:12:00.000-08:00

Continuing our theme of "what is Wado Ryu?"

"Ten, Chi, Jin, No Ri-Do Ni Wasuru" -- Hironori Ohtsuka
-- Heaven, Earth and Humanity. Reason and Truth. Peace and Harmony

There is a discussion on the Wado Ryu poem here:
http://www.nihon-hungary.eu/wado-ryu/en/index.php

“When you practice Wado Ryu as a martial art, it not only means committing yourself to the way of Wado Ryu, but also committing yourself to a certain way of life, which includes hard training, overcoming obstacles in life and finding the way to lead a healthy and meaningful existence in the time you have on this planet. Through this way of life, you can reach the centre of WA and lead a life of wholeness.”
-- Hironori Ohtsuka

"Every day happy day, happy day every day."
-- Shiomitsu Sensei

"Ohtsuka Sensei says that if Wado Karate was a soup, then the Karate part of Wado would just be like a pinch of salt!" -- Iwasaki Sensei

"In Budo there is Judo, kendo and karate. But our karate is unique because it is a combination of Okinawan karate and the jujitsu that Otsuka Sensei learned. So it is very different from Shotokan, Goju, or Shitoryu. It has its own unique beauty."
-- Takashima Sensei

What is Wado Ryu Karate? (Part 2)

2010-01-10T05:53:00.000-08:00

Wado Ryu is based around nine core kata and ten kihon kumite pairs works. The nine kata are:

Pinan Nidan, Shodan, Sandan, Yodan, Godan
Naihanchi
Kushanku
Seishan
Chinto

Over the years additional kata have been added to the syllabus, and one or two have been taken out. But the above kata represent the complete art.

Wado is a blend of Karate and classical Jujutsu, not merely in the techniques, but in the principles of the arts. How we move, perform techniques, attack and defend all have a unique flavour. The ideas are not unique to Wado of course (all styles know about body movement for example), but in Wado it is an essential part of training. There are some basic techniques that are unique to Wado.

In an interview, Iwasaki Sensei said:

I believe that the most important principle of Wado-Ryu is to 'disconnect your power'. It is essential to take off your power before the technique is completed. that is why Wado Kata has real power, it is not just a dance like some Kata competitors make it today. In Wado, you do not hold on to the Kime. This is called 'Nuki', and it is very difficult to master. You must not have any tension at all. You can see it in other Japanese Martial-Arts such as Kendo and Jujitsu, even in Aikido which has very sophisticated Tai-Sabaki techniques even though many western practitioners make 'Mudan-Ugoki' too which means they continue to hold on to power too long after it is necessary! this is what makes Wado so very different from Shotokan or Goju or any other Karate style. When it is not understood, you think it looks weak, but an experienced eye can see what it is. You should withdraw all power from your techniques before they are complete. The technique must move from power to no power very quickly. Thats why older peoples Kendo or the Grandmaster's Karate is so special to see. But it is not really possible to master until about 5th dan. Watch western boxing, they do not hold on to any power at all! Unfortunately, some Wado teachers did not understand this principle and so went their own way. It looks like Wado on the outside but inside it is not Wado principle. In Japanese Martial Arts, there is never any unnecessary tension.

He discusses other principles of Wado too. You can read the full interview here:
http://www.wadoworld.com/articles/iwasaki/iwasaki.html

Many of the movements in Wado are similar to Japanese sword fighting (that's the Jujutsu side of the style). Basic ideas include Nagasu, Noru and Taisabaki. There is an excellent article on these subjects here:

http://www.bournemouthwadoryu.co.uk/fundamentals/

In Part 3 I will post some quotes/comments about the nature of Wado Ryu.

What is Wado Ryu Karate? (Part 1)

2010-01-10T05:35:00.000-08:00

The style of Karate that we practice at our club is Wado Ryu, one of the "big four" styles of Karate in the UK (the others being Shotokan, Goju Ryu and Shito Ryu).

Wado Ryu is not simply Shotokan with high stances and boring kata. Let's get that out of the way first! Wado is a blend of Okinawan (Shuri-te) Karate and classical Japanese martial arts (Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu). The system was founded by Hirononri Ohtsuka.

You can read an interesting article about the history and development of Wado here:
http://www.wadokai-southwest.co.uk/kyokai_karate_club_founder_history.htm

The name Wado Ryu means the "Way of Peace/Harmony School".

The term Wa means Peace or Harmony. It can also refer to an old name for Japan, hence Wado could also be known as the Japanese Way. It is the first style of Karate that was developed in Japan.

There's an article about Wa here:
http://www.orientaloutpost.com/shufa.php?q=harmony

Ohtsuka wrote that:

"The fundamental meaning and original aims of martial-arts is the promotion of Peace. To bring peace to society and to guard against it's loss so that human beings can enjoy a happy life. We must strive for peace in a world where it is increasingly difficult to achieve. We must not simply rely on God's mercy to achieve it but must strive as individuals, with all our will, to attain it. Immense spiritual and physical power is required so we will not surrender to the difficulties and barriers which lie before us on this journey The hard training in martial-arts aims to foster this dauntless, indefatigable strength which is why the beauty of martial-arts training is beyond the vicissitudes of mundane affairs."

You can read a letter he wrote here:
http://www.useasternwado.com/OpenLetter.htm

Therefore, the purpose of training in martial arts is to develop discipline and promote peace, both inner peace and within society as a whole.

In Part 2 I'll discuss some of the basic characteristics of Wado Ryu.

Ten No Kata

2010-01-09T09:17:00.000-08:00

Ten No Kata was developed by Funakoshi Sensei. It contains fundamental techniques that can be practiced by anyone in a little space, and is especially suited to beginners. It is a popular starter kata in Shotokan. On the face of it, it doesn't seem to be a kata, more a sequence of basics (no, wait - there is a difference!) The kata can be trained alone, or with a partner as a sequence of ippon kumite.

Whilst the kata doesn't form part of our syllabus (or wado in general...) it is an interesting idea, and it doesn't take much effort to use this idea to formulate your own sequences. That way you can train in basic techniques without needing lots of space. You can create sequences on the spot - there's no need to remember them, just use it as an exercise in its own right. Very useful for warming up, or as a training aid for investigating the more subtle movements of basic technique.

Here's a video of Ten No Kata. The name, by the way means Kata of the Universe, or Kata of Heaven (Ten means heaven).

Training Monday 11th January Cancelled

2010-01-09T03:02:00.000-08:00

Training on Monday is cancelled due to conditions around the school.

We're hoping to re-open on Thursday 14th January.

Our Syllabus

2010-01-09T02:49:00.000-08:00

I spent a lot of time last year looking at our syllabus, and after a lot of experimentation we've come up with something that works for us.

The idea of a syllabus (or grading syllabus) is to offer some structure and guidelines for training and progression. It is not a complete list of every single technique, idea, movement, combination etc etc etc - because there are unlimited variations of all movements!

Our grading syllabus contains a few key techniques for each grade which students would be expected to know. It is a guide to where they should be focussing their training. It is not a black-and-white list of every possible technique. Therefore our syllabus might look a bit lacking compared to some "big list" syllabuses I've seen on the internet.

For example, in wado ryu the progression of basics is quite logical. We've also incorporated a small number of combinations that are reflective of the art. I've removed a lot of combinations because karate is not a memory test, and there's no need to just pile on endless more techniques.

By all means practice variations and themes, but there's no need to be graded on everything.

The new syllabus reference sheet will be available shortly. For now, here's a list of kata that we have:

Core Kata
Pinan Nidan, Shodan, Sandan, Yodan, Godan
Sanchin
Tensho
Naihanchi
Kushanku
Chinto
Seishan
Passai

Additional Kata
Niseishi
Wanshu
Rohai
Jitte
Jion
Ji'in

Information About Wado Ryu Karate

2010-01-09T01:26:00.000-08:00

Here are some general links about Wado Ryu Karate:

http://www.wado-ryu-karate.com/

http://www.wadoworld.com/index.html

http://www.wado-ryu.org/main/index.asp

http://www.wadokai.org/index.html

Basic Information About Karate

2010-01-09T01:24:00.001-08:00

Here are some links containing some basic/generic information about karate:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karate

http://www.karatethejapaneseway.com/karate_underground/index.php

http://www.karateforums.com/

http://www.all-karate.com/

Japanese Karate Terminology

2010-01-09T01:19:00.000-08:00

Here are some sites containing Japanese karate terms...

http://www.cope.co.za/karate/terms.htm

http://web.mit.edu/~isshinryu/www/vocab.html

Serious Training

2010-01-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I read articles about how it is to train "seriously".

I learned that serious people are out of balance. They are grumpy, miserable sorts - the kind that rise to the top in political groups, or get jobs that involve wearing suits. I learned that serious people are doomed.

I understand what writers are trying to say, though. More descriptive words to describe training might include "sincere", "integrity", "focused", "with intent", "with spirit", or "honest".

Scary words huh?

I like the bit about being sincere in training. It can be a tall order sometimes. But I'm working on it.

What is Total Karate for?

2010-01-03T07:59:00.001-08:00

The purpose of this blog is to write down some thoughts regarding my own training, and to share resources with the people I train with. If anyone else finds it useful then that is great too. If you don't like it, don't read it. Simple.

The Journey

2010-01-03T07:51:00.001-08:00

Last year was interesting. Although we had some good training, with hindsight it wasn't the best. I've had a lot to think about and changes to make, which is why I took a time-out from all this stuff.

I need to clear out my junk, physically and internally.

Often, martial arts are compared to a journey. My own training has certainly been a journey, I've seen all sorts of things, some good, some bad, some indifferrent.

But, like many journeys sometimes you call it a day, and its time to come home. With regard to my training I realised I had a yearning to come home, to understand what my training was all about and what I need it for.

I once heard some sound advice. "Stick to your chosen art, stay away from the hype and the trends. Work your traditional art for long enough and the treasures will be revealed".

I finally understood that advice. Not an intellectual understanding, but a deeper feeling.

My training became jaded. The club suffered for it. At one point I was chasing multiple rabbits and catching nothing. Too much choice is a hindrance, and you spend all the time looking for the Next Big Thing instead of concentrating on what you have got. If you think it's bad enough in martial arts, take a look at the music gear world...!

The last 10 years has been a wonderful journey. Positive or negative doesn't matter, it's the experience that counts. But now I'm back home, I know what I want and it's time to go training.

Blog is Dead, Long Live the Blog!

2009-10-13T13:49:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite done with the internet!

My new website is a single place where I can post photos, tunes, blogs etc on a variety of subjects. There will be some karate discussion up there, but it won't be an exclusive karate site. I hope that's a good compromise!

Here's the link:

http://virb.com/sji

Coming Soon

2009-10-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

New website coming soon.

More details shortly.

Time to Call It A Day

2009-10-10T15:26:00.000-07:00

It's been fun. Thank you for reading and for the comments over the last few years, but it's time to finish now.

Time to focus on more important things. Time to gather in energy reserves to meet the challenges that are coming.

The website will remain open as a reference.

The club is continuing as usual, I'm just not writing articles any more. If you wish to know about our club please visit http://barrow-karate.blogspot.com

Goodbye and Good Luck with your training.

No training until 5th October

2009-09-23T13:38:00.001-07:00

Message for club members.

The next training session will be Monday 5th October 2009. I'm going to be out of circulation for a week or so, I'll be back posting soon :)

Aerobic conditioning

2009-09-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

OK let's lighten up. This is harder than it looks.....

Add it to your cardio routine.

Ugh! McDojo Recruitment Season!

2009-09-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

It's the time of year when the sales and marketing people at the local McDojo gear up for their new intake. Why is it that high-price, high-membership turnaround, low quality clubs attract many people (sometimes hundreds!) only to put them off martial arts for good?

At the same time traditional dojos struggle to find new students. There's the competition from the snake oil peddlers (McDojos) and also places like gyms that offer physical training without thinking about it, where they have aerobic kickboxing and suchlike (so people can play at martial arts without getting bruised or having to bother learning real skills).

There are two McDojos in our part of the world. One is high profile (instant "market") and the other is run by... well, I won't say anything here.

Traditional clubs (by which I mean places like Muay Thai and MMA gyms as well as traditional karate, kung fu etc) rely on a handful of senior grades to keep the place going, as well as the regulars and those who only train in the short term (fair enough if you decide martial arts isn't for you).

The best way to gain new members is word of mouth. A club is only as good as the instructors and students, and simply putting some effort into training and telling people about the place can work wonders. Now, I'm not talking about constantly yakking at people like some network marketing wannabe (or McDojo salesperson!), just being enthusiastic is enough.

Traditional clubs will endure; full time dojos will do well because they are professionally run and are ethical. McDojos will come and go - they tend not to have too many hardcore members anyway. So really, they are not that much of a threat. They tend to attract students who'd rather buy a belt than earn it, leaving the rest of the clubs to work with people who care.

And that's the difference. If you care about your club it is bound to be a success.

I'd rather have a dozen decent students (who can cover hall rental costs) than have 800 low quality students who are only there for a quick fix. Less marketing and business = more training time!

UK Karate Instructors to go on government vetting database

2009-09-11T06:23:00.000-07:00

Anyone working with young people (under 18s) must be registered on a new government database designed to "protect" children from paedophiles. There's a £5000 fine for failing to register. Clubs can also be fined £5000 for using unvetted instructors.

Here's the story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8249020.stm

This has implications for karate clubs all over the UK of course. You might have a couple of brown belts who "help out" with the kids' class before their own training session, or you might have senior grades training with younger people. In future they will have to be registered on the database.

No database can protect children. First and foremost it is parents' responsibility to protect their children, then those who work with youngsters have a duty of care. This is just plain common sense and good ethics, but now you have to "prove" you're "safe" by being on a database.

It's yet another government revenue generating scheme and further interference into our lives disguised with good intentions. Being checked out as OK to work with kids is one thing, but keeping another massive database? As someone who develops large-scale databases for a living I know they are good tools, but they are not the answer to life's problems.

The system comes into force in October, and people need to be registered by November 2010 before they are committing the crime of not being vetted.

Bunkai Difficulties?

2009-09-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

Are you studying bunkai, and getting yourself lost?

Tip: don't do bunkai!

Another tip... watch aikido videos :) These techniques are uncannily familiar...

Irimi Nage is a favourite of mine.

Basic Wrist/Arm holds

2009-09-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

Some aikido for you. But these techniques can easily be found within basic karate kata. In aikido each of the following holds can be executed with different variations, so these are just basic examples of each technique.

They are somewhat painful to Uke :)

Ikkyo

Nikyo (my favourite trick here is to compress the forearm by pushing the wrist and elbow together as though plaing a concertina. Do this after getting the basic twist)

Sankyo

Kote Gaeshi (Wrist Turnout)

Only One Kata

2009-09-05T01:45:00.001-07:00

If you had to choose just one kata for training what would it be? What would be the reasons for your choice?

It could be a favourite kata, or one that develops specific skills, or perhaps a kata that encompasses many ideas. Some katas are for specific training, while others are more geared to demonstrating a full system.

Kushanku would be a good candidate for a "single kata". It pretty much wraps up wado ryu in one nice package :)

Some would argue the only kata you need it a tai chi form. The bagua 8 palm changes is another interesting system!

Sanchin and tensho go very nicely together. Now, how about if both these forms were wrapped up into a single kata - that would be something! (Does such a form already exist?) In wado ryu, seishan is the equivalent to sanchin, so that might be a good candidate for covering all the basics.

Interesting article about kata from an Aikido perspective

2009-09-05T01:44:00.001-07:00

Worth reading.

http://www.aikiweb.com/training/skoss2.html

Chito Ryu Karate

2009-09-05T01:27:00.000-07:00

Now this is an interesting style. I've read about Sensei Chitose in the past -fascinating stuff. Here's some more information on Chito Ryu...

http://chitoryu.com/Chito-Ryu%20Style.htm

And some videos...

Staying Healthy

2009-09-05T01:06:00.000-07:00

Important information below
As a follow up to recent posts about conditioning training...

There's a difference between "health" and "fitness". Health refers to our overall physical and mental condition, our wellbeing, and our ability to go about the day without suffering from ailments. Good health means our minds and bodies are working in harmony, operating at optimum parameters as they say on Star Trek.

Fitness is specific, is in fit-for-purpose. You can be a highly trained athlete capable of putting yourself through extreme physical endurance and pressue, but if your immune system is weakened through improper training and diet then your health may suffer.

So the trick is to train smart, and remember that rest is as important as action. And stay healthy! That's why people refer to "health and fitness". You can have one without the other, although it has to be said that fitness works best if you're healthy in the first place!

Here's a health tip: get some Vitamin D inside you (note that I am not issuing medical advice, it's just a tip. Do some research of your own).

The best source of Vitamin D is from sunlight, so catch some rays before autumn/winter sets in (northern hemisphere!) The next best thing is to take cod liver oil (or capsules). There's some information on vitamin D at this site: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp

Vitamin D does an excellent job of protecting you from the Flu Virus - including swine flu. It is far more effective than any untested, potentially dangerous vaccine (why are governments so keen for everyone to have the vaccines? I smell a very nasty rat...)

Here's some information for you:

http://www.medicalvoices.org/
http://www.theflucase.com/

Also very well worth checking out is this information on Colloidal Silver

http://www.regenerativenutrition.com/content.asp?id=61
http://www.colloidalsilveronline.co.uk/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6srMG_2-aY

In your research you'll probably come across colloidal-silver detractors. These people are the same ones who want you to have untested, unproven vaccines. As always, trust your instincts, educate yourself and understand that the "experts" often have their own agenda.

Get fit, stay healthy and enjoy your training.

Hojo Undo

2009-09-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

Hojo Undo means "supplementary training". I've posted a few ideas recently on supplementary training for your martial arts. It could include weights, running, swimming, weapons training, yoga and other exercises to increase strength, stamina and flexibility.

Traditionally Hojo Undo means training with Makiwara (striking post), Nigiri Game (gripping jars - old school powerballs!!), as well as sand bags and stones for striking into.

Traditional Hojo Undo can often be found in Okinawan styles, but if this kind of training is your thing why not incorporate it into what you do? We used to do some many years ago. We built our own exercise equipment - Nigiri Game can be made from candy jars filled with sand, stones or grit, for example.

There's some good photos of equipment here
http://www.okinawagoju.com/okinawagoju/ph_hojoundo_equipment.htm

And there's some ideas on making your own at this link:
http://www.otgka.co.uk/supplementary.htm

Powerballs!

2009-09-04T13:48:00.000-07:00

OK, calm down. Powerball is an exercise tool for developing grip and arm strength. Here's a video if you've never seen them....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5cM84qSj5o (embedding is disabled...)

Basically, it's a gyroscope and the idea is to spin it up and rotate your wrist. It's amazing how much force these things can generate. They are excellent for improving your grip and forearm strength (and that means you can improve your grappling and punching skills).

I found that engaging the whole body using the powerball gives you a good workout. Try using one in sanchin stance for instance. Keep your arms and shoulders aligned and relaxed. Stay rooted down through your legs and feet.

Useful thing to try.

(Tip: you can start them up without using a length of cord. Once you get the hang of it, it's much better to use).

Barrow-in-Furness Karate

2009-08-28T00:50:00.000-07:00

Do you live in or around Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England?

Shoshin Karate Club is looking for new members who are interested in learning Karate. Please leave a comment here if or email stephen dot irwin at bt internet dot com for details.

There's no training on Monday 31st August (Bank Holiday Monday). Training on Thursday 3rd September begins at 6:30pm, and after that we should be back to normal hours.

Every Monday and Thursday
Juniors from 6:30pm (ages 6 - 12)
Seniors from 7:20opm (ages 13+)

Greengate Junior School
Greengate Street
Barrow-in-Furness

More info: http://barrow-karate.blogspot.com

Training and Conditioning: Abs and Core Muscles

2009-08-23T15:51:00.000-07:00

Here's some more training articles focusing on core strength training and abdominal workouts...

http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/abdominal.html

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/abdominalcorestrength1/a/NewCore.htm

The second link has plenty of further links for you to research.

Training and Conditioning: Sit-ups

2009-08-23T15:32:00.001-07:00

Here's another a posting on conditioning training. This time we'll take a look at sit-ups. There's a good video on Youtube on the subject, try this:

How about going for a Two Hundred sit-ups challenge? There's a website here if you're interested in that! http://www.twohundredsitups.com/ Just remember to have a specific target for your exercise, don't simply exercise for the sake of being good at doing sit-ups!

The US army has a minimum sit-up requirement for different age groups enlisting. Check out their chart at http://www.army.com/enlist/sit-ups.html It's probably a good first target to aim to complete the minimum requirement for your age if you haven't done sit-ups before. (Actually those charts are pretty useful, check out the push-ups chart too!)

There are other charts for the British Army if you wish to study those. They can be found at:
http://www.hmforces.co.uk/content/Army_basic_training

What's happening?

2009-08-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Still here, haven't gone away... I've been enjoying some summer training (keeps me out of the rain!!!) Classes are continuing during the holidays and we're doing OK with numbers. We have one or two very dedicated students and they are the ones who make it all worthwhile. (You know who you are, I won't mention names, and one of you will probably blush if I did ;) )

I've been playing with some sticks with a couple of the lads, and we're having great fun with that. We're using escrima sticks because they are convenient and using them with kata "bunkai" has been very interesting (I'll post some info soon). Plus the circular flowing movements of the stick work are very beneficial for our karate.

Also coming up will be some more information on conditioning.... sit-ups, core training and some traditional methods for conditioning which you might find useful.

Training times changed for summer holidays

2009-07-27T15:43:00.000-07:00

As from this Thursday 30th July our club training for seniors will be from 6:30pm to 7:30pm at the usual venue. Training will continue every Monday and Thursday except August Bank Holiday Monday (31st August). We'll go back to our usual training time from 7th September.

Anyone from Barrow-in-Furness area or South Cumbria (England) who wishes to train with us please leave a comment and I'll get back to you.

Dan Anderson demonstrating bunkai and body structure

2009-07-17T14:49:00.000-07:00

The first part of this video is some footage of Dan with Iain Abernethy training in the back yard. The second half is some seminar footage, definitely worth checking out.

Press Ups / Push Ups part 2

2009-07-17T13:04:00.000-07:00

In a recent post I illustrated some push up movements. I wish to follow that up with a few notes and ideas...

Try push ups on your knuckles (if you're age 18+, but not recommended for under 16s). Only the first two knuckles should make contact with the floor. Your fists should follow the direction you are facing, i.e. if you are kneeling down with your hands in front of you then your fists are vertical and your elbows are tucked in.

Speaking of elbows...

Notice in the video how everyone had their elbows sticking out? Not a good position for punching, is it? When you do a straight punch the elbows should stay pointing to the floor, and rotate from the forearm to maintain a good structure in the arm and shoulder alignment.

Do your push ups the same way. When you bend your arms make sure the elbows are pressed in towards your sides, not sticking outwards. This is a better position for strengthing your punches. You'll notice at first that this type of push up is more difficult.

Now try small sets (2-3, increasing the numbers up to say, 10) - this time do each push up in rapid succession, as fast as you can. Have a couple of seconds rest in the ready position between sets.

Another idea is to bend your arms to lower yourself slowly then extend your arms rapidly.

Finally, have a clear goal for the exercise. Don't just do push ups to get good at push ups! Remember this is a supplementary exercise for your karate!

Conditioning / Supplementary Training - Push Ups (Press Ups) 1

2009-07-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

I'm going to do a few posts about supplementary training which may interest some readers. First of all the dreaded push up! (Some people call them press ups, I might use the phrase interchangeably, but it's the same thing).

First the basics:

Now some variations:

"Muay Thai" Pushups:

I've got more to post on the subject of push ups and karate training, so watch this space.

Summer Training (Again!)

2009-07-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again....

There's no training next week (July 13th to July 17th) because the school hall is being used. We are training as usual the week after (first session Monday 20th).

Saturdays at St Matthews hall are unaffected, we'll be training as usual if you wish to come and do some extra training (current club members only, must be at least red belt).

We are training all through the school holidays except August Bank Holiday (31st August) so if you're bored, come and give us a try!

Please email stephen dot irwin at bt internet **d.o.t. co.m** if you would like class details.

Alternatively visit http://barrow-karate.blogspot.com

Instructors - Things to Avoid in Class!

2009-07-04T09:03:00.000-07:00

Here we go then...

(Students - how many of these do you recognise?!)

Things to avoid:

When you are demonstrating a technique with a partner, slap your thigh and point as a prompt to attack.
Say "No, hit me with a RIGHT" when uke smacks you with a left hook
Put your co-operative partner on the floor then walk round in circles disdainfully as though your spectacular move was nothing special (coz it wasn't!)
When your bunkai goes wrong say "Here's an alternative solution" to cover your incompetence
Point at a student's legs and scream "STANCE!" until they correct themselves
Nod your head and say "Yeah?" after demonstrating a technique
Insist on speaking Japanese to everyone
Every time you make a point say "Oss?" and look at the brown belts (they are supposed to "Oss" back at you. If they don't, say "Oss?" louder until they do)
When grading kids only ever double-grade the ones with hot moms (or dads, I suppose!)
Grunt a lot whilst demoing your kata
Spar with people who will beat you
Make youtube videos of your bunkai

What else can you think about?!

Oh yeah, avoid blogs...

Reality Based Combat!

2009-06-28T09:53:00.001-07:00

Very funny video if you come from the North of England (if you don't come from the North of England, and one or two people don't - I'm sure this character might be familiar in your own dialect!)

Fight or Forms?

2009-06-27T02:36:00.000-07:00

Here's a great article, very thought-provoking indeed.

http://stevemorris.livejournal.com/25983.html

I've had some interesting experiences recently especially in the kids' class. Children don't have pre-conditions or habits to get in the way, they just get on with their training. We have some new lads in the kids class who have excellent skills, naturally. In fact in certain areas (movement, hitting pads, etc...) they outshine the more established students.

Same thing's happening in gradings. It is very difficult to do kata work sometimes, even with students who are very good technically. I'm moving more and more into freestyle work in the junior class (getting rid of a whole load of pre-arranged ippon kumite...); because the spontaneous training progresses them better than pre-arranged training. And again, it's the higher graded students who are struggling to do be spontaneous.

Karate shouldn't be a memory test. That was one of the immediate differences I found between karate and taekwondo - in TKD the only things we had to memorise were patterns (kata). There was no little orange "syllabus book" which listed the techniques and pre-arranged drills we had to perform to get the next belt.

The comments in the article linked to above require due consideration, I think. The next question then, would be "what am I going to do about it?"

Natural Power

2009-06-22T15:48:00.000-07:00

Our "Little One" is 8 months old now! (Which is why my blogging activities are a little quiet at the moment!!) Sophie is "ground mobile" and getting into everything.

You'd be surprised at how energy-sapping chasing babies gets. They have natural grace and power, unhindered by habits and excess tension. Studying the movements of babies is a great way to learn more about human movement because their movements are pure. There's no mental battle between their inner selves ("you can do it!" "No you can't you're useless"... and all the rest of it).

Babies are soft, pliable and very robust. Power and energy are working at optimum efficiency and everything "just works". If only I could remember how to do that!

Grading Successes

2009-06-22T15:46:00.000-07:00

We've got some new blue belts in the club!

Well done to all who passed tonight - Sally, Anna, Ben, Robert, Ian, Clinton. And Daniel for receiving his Orange belt.

Just a couple of grades to finish off next week...

Some more footage of Hironori Ohtsuka (Wado Ryu)

2009-06-22T15:43:00.000-07:00

Some bits of kata...

It's all in the detail

2009-06-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

We were doing Pinan Nidan tonight in preparation for a forthcoming grading. At the end of class we decided to have a bit of fun and do some "bunkai".

Nothing too taxing, it wasn't even realistic, but it did illustrate a point (pun not intended!)

A partner grabs both your wrists (your arms are held low). The first movement of Pinan Nidan (the Wado version, anyway) involves a pivot to the side, drawing the hands in and separating them. It works a treat to break this grip. (There's a link to the kata below if you're not familiar with it).

But the students were struggling. It should have been easy, but they were missing a small part of the movement.

"Do as the kata does!" I suggested...

But they still failed to break the grip easily.

They missed out on some fine detail, such as when you bring the arms in together there is a rotation of the forearms and wrists. It might seem inconsequential in the performance of the kata, but this was the key to the interpretation we were looking at.

The subtle wrist movement causes your partner's forearms and wrists to twist out of place. The position of your elbows and forearms adds pressure to the "grabber" which can quite easily upset their balance and really take them out of structure. Now it's a simple matter of separating the hands to complete the technique and counter.

OK, I did say it wasn't realistic, but I hope you spotted the tale here. I was once told that "there is an application for every inch of every kata". Now, I don't expect to spend the next 30 years analysing every minutae of every kata, that would be crazy.

But by understanding the mechanics and principles of what's going on we can gain clarity.

As Bruce Lee pointed out, martial arts isn't about adding more and more, it's about chipping away to get less and less.

In real kata there are no wasted movements. That's why I don't like the flashy laser-and-dry-ice brigade. That's good entertainment, gymnastics, and whatever, but it sure ain't karate!

Next time you're struggling with some movement, don't throw it away without first checking that you're "doing as the kata does"

Here's a video of Pinan Nidan. Unfortunately I don't have any graphics or video of the "bunkai" I wrote about here. Maybe I'll get some photos done soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nitlHYGQ9Mc

Gradings again

2009-06-11T15:16:00.000-07:00

The seniors are grading next week. We're doing the rounds of the blue belts and the orange belts in a couple of weeks time.

We've had some very good training over the last few sessions (despite 90% of the club going off to Germany on a school exchange programme!)

Training recently has been distinctly "old school" in the sense of "traditional" basics, pairs work and kata. We do like to work with pads, bunkai, push hands and all of that, but without a good foundation in basics there's little point in training. All arts have their basics and they must be worked upon with due diligence.

It's interesting how well the standard of basic training has improved over a short number of intense training sessions. Understanding applications, working with power and movement on the pads, and studying "technical" karate is great, but sometimes you just have to get down to some good old fashioned dojo pounding!

I'm happy to see the kids' class has progressed well over the last few weeks, and our emphasis on fun and self expression has gone a long way. The children definitely learn quicker by "playing" karate. That's not to say we're just wasting time playing ball games, but our approach to training is changing. We're not slaves to a syllabus book, we have to work with the kids' natural and instinctive ways of moving and training.

They are really putting in the effort with kata and basics as well as pad work, applications and various exercises.

Judo and Karate

2009-05-25T03:38:00.000-07:00

My Brother-in-Law is a judo competitor, in fact he's qualified to fight in this year's British national championships, which is one heck of an achievement. We were recently "talking shop" (as you do!) and he loaned me a book on strangle technique (shimewaza).

I commented how the number of photos look very much like Karate postures taken direct from katas (not advanced ones either, I'm thinking pinans/heians here). He replied that "anyone with a knowledge of Okinawan Karate would find most of those techniques familiar".

Interesting stuff!

And since my art of choice is wado ryu - a combination of Okinawan Karate and Japanese (old school) Jujutsu then there must be certainly some common threads. Indeed, a UK kata bunkai exponent, Iain Abernethy has teamed up with some Judo guys and they are doing seminars on kata bunkai with an element of Judo too.

I really must check out one of those seminars!

So, if you're interested in the bunkai side of things I recommend getting hold of some Judo books or even take lessons. I'll have a look on Youtube for some suitable Judo clips that might help. Watch this space!

Snake Style!

2009-05-21T15:03:00.000-07:00

We were discussing the various animal styles of martial arts after training tonight. We've been doing Chinto kata, which is snake and crane form. I've posted some Crane stuff in the past, so here's some Snake Style!

In the following clip, note the technique at 3:24 - we have exactly the same movement as an interpretation from the first group of movements in Passai kata...

I love this Old Skool stuff too! The old Hong Kong Chop Socky movies -

We did it!

2009-05-10T02:40:00.001-07:00

Yay! The Keswick to Barrow walk is over for another year. The weather conditions were atrocious - we had 40 miles of cold winds, torrential rain and hail storms! But we made it to the end.

Here we go!

2009-05-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

It's the big day tomorrow.... 40 miles and counting....

I have some articles to get posted up on the blog too, as soon as I get some free time.

One Week to Go!

2009-04-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

The Keswick to Barrow walk is upon us again, so quickly! I can't believe 3 months worth of training has just passed by.

Next Saturday (9th May) we embark on a 40 mile charity walk through England's Lake District. It is very mentally gruelling - but this year I know what to expect. We're all looking forward to the challenge (I think!)

Thursday

2009-04-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

Tonight was a good session. The kids were as mad as ever. They created lots of energy which filled the dojo. Training in school halls is always good, there's a bright airy atmosphere to them.

We had a small senior class afterwards. Tonight we worked on some basics and some partner training. We looked at the mechanics of gyakuzuki no tsukkomi (a wado technique): we studied how it can be used to demonstrate various ideas, then we paired up and worked some applications using those ideas. This technique really is classic wado!

The stances appears in our version of Pinan Shodan with a nice soto uke/maegeri/gyakuzuki combination so we expanded on those ideas too.

We've had a few hiccups amongst the seniors recently, it was good to be back on track.

Coaching

2009-04-29T13:44:00.000-07:00

I've just completed a 2-week long "team leader" training course for my job at work. A significant portion of the course was dedicated to coaching skills. Although the course was aimed at our workplace, the principles outlined in the seminars can be applied to all areas of life, including martial arts practice.

In the course we had a look at ego states and transactional analysis, as well as negotiating skills, learning styles and so on. It was a definite eye-opener, and I found many techniques that I can apply direct to my job as well as my karate coaching skills.

One question that crops up on forums relates to the ability of a person to teach martial arts (specifically self protection), if he or she hasn't got "field experience" (i.e. you don't get into fights, you shouldn't be teaching this stuff).

I received my answer to the question during the seminar. We had an exercise in which we paired up with someone from a different part of the business and offer coaching in that person's specialty.

The point of the exercise was to highlight that coaching and teaching are two different skills. The aim of coaching is to help the coachee get the best out of themselves, to help them find their own answers. Teaching or instructing is about passing on information.

So... let's take our karate instructor example...

The person is a black belt who has completed a suitable instructors' certificate with his association. The standard of martial arts is high, and the senior instructors know their stuff when it comes to the street. Therefore the information is sound.

Our new instructor is skilled in passing on those techniques, but doesn't have the ability to share his own direct experiences. This is the difference between an instructor and a teacher. But, our instructor has good coaching skills too, so even without that direct experience he can help his students get the most out of their training.

Boxing, tennis, motor racing, swimming, football - name any sport. The best players all have coaches. The job of the coach isn't to out-play the player at all. The coach is there to provide assistance, support and the necessary skills to take the sports player to the next level.

So, if you are a new black belt or a new instructor don't get hung up on whether you have the "right" to run classes. Provided your teaching material is sound and you have good coaching skills you can "pass on" the information you hold. Of course a good coach will also arrange courses with other more experienced teachers who do have those experiences, so the students get a wide range of different teaching and learning styles.

Don't you just love martial arts on Youtube?

2009-04-25T08:15:00.000-07:00

It's getting increasingly difficult to find good martial arts clips on Youtube. There's a lot of rubbish, silly "debates" in the comment boxes and endless "this style v that style" clips of demonstrations or competitors out of their depth.

Here's a classic example. I bet you know where this is heading straight away... (Yep, it's our old friend the Kiai master, except this time somebody got the title wrong and nailed him incorrectly as aikido. Like I said, it's difficult to get good MA on youtube these days...)

Children not getting enough exercise: report

2009-04-25T01:12:00.000-07:00

A UK report suggests that kids are not getting enough exercise to stay healthy. Here's the article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8015875.stm

Childhood obesity is a growing problem in Britain. Kids don't seem to be as active as they once were. Parents are afraid to let them out to play, plus there's other distractions for the kids too - video games, mobile phones, excessive homework, and so on.

Martial arts are a great activity for children, especially those who don't excel at school sports. I was never much cop at sports in school until my final year, after I started doing Taekwondo. Martial arts offer a good way of helping kids gain confidence.

At the moment I'm reviewing my kids' training syllabus to make it more freestyle-oriented and engaging for them to keep training. It's not a sellout nor is it dumbing down, but you have to tailor your syllabus for the juniors. It isn't enough to remove "dangerous bunkai" (ha!) Children have different needs and need to be coached in a manner suitable for them.

I don't think the lack of choice is a valid excuse for kids not exercising. There are plenty of dojos, dance classes, junior gyms, scouting organisations etc to choose from. Much of the time it's down to parents being too lazy to bother getting their children involved. It's too easy to plug in the playstation and leave 'em to it. (Hey, if your kids are going to have video games at least get them a Nintendo Wii, so they have to move around a bit!)

Social groups like karate clubs offer additional benefits because they offer the social aspects too. Children get to meet kids from a different part of town or a different school, and there's organised training for them. In a good, safe club where instructors have the necessary insurance, and child protection policies you can't go wrong.

Club photos

2009-04-19T08:49:00.001-07:00

Finally! Just a couple of junior pics for now.... (Permission to photograph the kids was granted by the assembled parents)...

These kids are all beginners.

Back to training this week

2009-04-14T16:20:00.001-07:00

Training is back on as normal this Thursday (16th April) after the Easter break. Looking forward to it!

Didn't do a lot of training myself other than a long distance walk, and lots of manual work clearing out the front garden.

Timing

2009-04-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

Timing is a skill that is usually spent developing in sparring. If you have good timing you can pre-empt your opponent's movements, create and break up rhythms and take advantage of sudden opportunities.

In the greater context of things, timing can be about being in the right place at the right time (or wrong place at the wrong time!), knowing when to keep your mouth shut, and not making a nuisance of yourself from an etiquette point of view. In other words, timing comes out of awareness.

You don't have to be the quickest mover all the time. The "fastest" fighter is the one who gets the job done most efficiently. It could be the person's ability to spot a weak point, or using strategy to disrupt the other guy's own timing (by sudden changes in rhythm, grabbing and pulling, even using Kiai...) Having a good sense of timing isn't just about powerful reflexes.

Timing can also be improved by not thinking. Simply allow yourself to happen. The technique will see to itself.

Closely related to timing is your sense of distance, or space. In martial arts the Japanese term Ma-ai is used to describe the spatial difference between two opponents. And although the physical measurement of distance between the two, ma-ai can still be different. It depends on each person's mental state, where they are standing, the length of their arms and legs, and so on.

Training exercises for space and timing include pad work (pad holder changes range and direction), push hands, sparring (in its many forms), and weapon work.