tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73614434256387824192024-03-14T10:01:42.196+00:00My journey to black belt....walk with me and talk with me as I follow the budo path - SueCSue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.comBlogger280125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-47389392271619728662015-02-14T18:53:00.001+00:002015-08-25T12:58:48.933+01:00Farewell!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I haven't posted to this blog for about 1 year now and felt that I shouldn't just leave without saying goodbye.<br />
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I have been busy training to be an artist (a childhood dream) and I have just set up a small creative business. This is why I haven't had time to write this blog.<br />
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However, I am still actively training in karate - it's business as usual in that respect - and I haven't lost any enthusiasm for the art. On the contrary, I am busy training towards my 3rd dan in about 18 months time. I still read any comments that are left on my posts and leave answers for most of them, so if my posts still interest you please keep reading them and I will reply.<br />
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I would like to thank everyone who has supported this blog over the 6 years I have been writing it - it has been fun communicating with you and I will still be popping over to read your blogs from time to time.<br />
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Best wishes<br />
<br />
Sue.<br />
<br />
P.S If you are interested in seeing my art here's my new FaceBook site: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/suewharton.artist">www.facebook.com/suewharton.artist</a><br />
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-10520793427154164852013-12-02T11:52:00.001+00:002013-12-02T11:52:36.130+00:00Something to say! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sorry I haven’t been blogging for a while. It’s partly
because we have had some illness in the family, partly because of college
commitments and partly because I haven’t had anything interesting to blog about
recently – with over 200 posts under my belt it’s getting harder to find new
things to talk about!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, I finally have something to tell you – I've passed
my Nidan grading! It took place on Saturday 30<sup>th</sup> November, an
all-day affair over at the SKK Judo centre near Manchester. It was a bit hit or
miss whether I would actually take the grading because of the family illness
problems, my husband (and grading partner) had an operation on his ear only 5
weeks before the grading date but fortunately was sufficiently fit to still
partner me, so it was all systems go on Saturday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was a tough grading! I had decided that I was only going
to attempt it once so it was a bit of a ‘do or die’ situation. I definitely
pushed myself harder than I did for shodan and the grading panel pushed me
really hard – I think they really wanted to see if I had the strength and
stamina to keep going when I was clearly exhausted. This is when you realise
that it’s your mental strength that is being tested and not just your technical
ability. I was the only candidate (out of 10) grading for nidan so I had to do
several sections on my own which the grading officers decided to put back to
back, so I was on the mats continuously for 4 pretty rigorous sections of the
syllabus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I made a few small mistakes. A wobble in one of my kata, a
small mistake in one of my bunkai, a complete transposition of technique in 2
of my ippon kumite i.e. I started with my first technique and finished with my
second and then had to do the same with my second ippon (start with the second
and finish with the first) so that I didn’t repeat myself. I don’t think they
noticed that mistake! I also felt that one of my kicking combinations wasn’t
great either. Apart from that I did my bloody best and if I didn’t pass then
there was no way I would ever be capable of doing so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I would have been relieved to have just scraped a pass. I
would have been happy to have equalled my score for shodan. So I was
ecstatically happy to have scored several marks higher than I did for shodan!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The grading panel were right to have advised me not to grade
last June. I wasn’t ready. This last 6 months have allowed me to correct all
the problems I had following the last pre-dan and improve quite a lot. So I am
now glad that I waited. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m so glad that it’s all over now and I can just get back
to ordinary training and not be so syllabus focused. We have a lot of new and
interesting changes coming up next year on our curriculum and so next year
should be an exciting time in our club…</span></div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-322774200232126472013-10-04T12:29:00.000+01:002013-10-04T12:37:09.010+01:00Martial Art or Self-Defence?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Is there a difference between learning a martial art and
learning self-defence? </div>
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No! You all cry, by learning a martial art you are learning
self-defence, they are (or should be) the same thing.</div>
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But are they, really?</div>
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I don’t think they are the same thing, not exactly; they are
overlapping but serve slightly different purposes. Let me explain….</div>
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I think that the difference between learning a martial art
and learning self-defence is a difference in purpose, focus and mindset. </div>
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Learning karate as a martial art is about preservation of
the art for future generations. The purpose is one of ensuring all aspects of
the system are conserved and passed on in their entirety to the student, warts
and all. The focus is on the art, not the student. The mindset is to explore
the secrets of the kata. Exploration of kata will reveal many techniques that
have no place in the modern world of self-defence, techniques that are illegal and
excessive and would have you in the dock if you were to use them to defend
yourself, such as neck breaks. </div>
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One hundred and fifty years or so ago in Okinawa the death
of an opponent during a confrontation did not necessarily result in
imprisonment. The karate master Chotoku Kyan was said to have caused the death
of a rival, Chokuho Agena, following a disagreement, by jumping onto him from a
tree and breaking his neck.* Today this would be classed as murder but back
then this just resulted in a feud between their families that lasted for years.</div>
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Social, legal and political systems have changed over the
years but a martial art remains pretty much the same – a snapshot of an older
time, preserved for historical reference. The kata are like historical
documents, revealing the fighting techniques of a previous age. It takes many,
many years to learn a martial art.</div>
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I am making it sound as if martial arts are irrelevant to a
modern age of self-defence. Of course they are not. There is much in these
ancient fighting systems that are still relevant to us – the skill is in
picking out these techniques and strategies and re-packaging them for today’s
students. </div>
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This brings me to self-defence. Where the purpose of learning
a martial art is about preservation of the art, the purpose of learning
self-defence is about preservation of the individual, i.e. teaching students
how to defend themselves. The mindset is different. The instructor’s role is
now about selecting appropriate techniques from the repository of ancient ones
that are suitable for the type of students he/she is teaching. The focus is on
the student, not the art. </div>
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This is the basis of good Reality Based Self-Defence systems
(RBSD) and short self-defence courses aimed at particular groups of people such
as women or University students. With RBSD the instructor will have developed
his system by selecting a subset of techniques probably from a range of
different martial arts and re-packaging them. He will have selected techniques
based on what he thinks works best from his own experience or the experience of
others and with a knowledge of how violence plays out in the real world and the
risks his client group face. I doubt the students would be taught how to snap
someone’s neck. The result should be that the students learn to defend themselves
adequately in a relatively short period of time. </div>
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However, these RBSD systems have their limitations. They
will contain instructor bias – the instructor will have chosen only those
techniques which he feels are appropriate and will ignore those he doesn’t
like. We all have different preferences and thus each RBSD system will be a
slightly different microcosm of martial arts based self-defence centred on the
instructor’s world view. Techniques that may suit some student’s better will
have been lost or ignored and some student’s may find that they trail from one
school to another trying to find something suitable.</div>
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Going back to martial arts systems, the problem for the
student looking to learn self-defence is the opposite. They are being taught
everything - relevant and irrelevant for a modern world, often spending lots of
time analysing kata moves that reveal only past fighting glories and could not
be used today. Amongst this are the highly useful and relevant techniques. Students
are often left to pick their own way through this plethora of kata moves,
identifying what is useful and legal and what should be consigned to history. </div>
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So, is it possible to become proficient at personal
self-defence when you are in the environment of learning a martial art?</div>
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Well, yes but it relies on two things: a willingness of the
student to study and learn about the nature of violence, the law as it relates
to self-defence and to think intelligently about the aspects of the art that
are relevant to them personally for their own self-protection. Secondly, an
instructor who is clear in his/her own mind when he/she is teaching the ancient
art (focus on art) and when he/she is teaching relevant self-defence (focus on
student). This may prove a longer and more tortuous way of learning
self-defence but the student may learn many other useful things along the way which
relate to personal development of a more ethereal nature (mind/body unity,
character development, a sense of spirituality and controlling one’s own mind and body better). These are things that won’t be learnt in the more pragmatic
environment of a RBSD system. </div>
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I think it is important that we continue to have clubs that
focus on teaching martial arts as art, to preserve the ancient fighting systems
in their entirety and to further the historical research into the meaning of
the kata. This is as much an intellectual pursuit as a practical one and suits
many people. </div>
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However, some people have a real need to learn self-defence,
either because of personal risky lifestyles or because they work in an environment
where they may need to confront an aggressor such as in the police force,
prison services or the military. These people may need more targeted training
than a martial art can offer and are probably better off accessing a RBSD club
or a targeted self-defence course. </div>
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<br /></div>
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These are my personal views; I think that martial art and
self-defence are not entirely interchangeable. What do you think and why? </div>
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* ref: Okinawa No Bushi No Te by Ronald L. Lindsey. Page 79.</div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-13683300582148375322013-08-22T17:58:00.003+01:002013-08-22T18:04:07.441+01:00End of summer training.....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We’re getting towards the end of summer training now – just one
more week to go…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Summer training was a concept my instructor introduced to
our club a few years ago to help deal with the drop in student numbers over the
summer holiday period. Basically, the
junior and senior classes are merged into one all summer. For the senior students
this means starting classes an hour earlier than usual and for junior students
its means they get 1.5 hour classes instead of just 1 hour.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />There are obviously pros and cons to merging the classes
this way. Sensei has to design lessons that suit the entire spectrum of
students from white to black belts and from 6 year olds to middle-aged people.
This is almost an impossible task and there are generally winners and losers. The
main winners are probably the mid-graders, particularly the older children and
adults as the classes are pitched much more to their level. The main losers are
probably those at the extremes of the class – the youngest lower grades and the
older senior grades.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />It has been a challenge for sensei to get the right balance
for these classes to ensure everyone gets something out of them. In previous
years (in my opinion) the balance has been too much in favour of the children
with lots of drills, sparring and games to keep the kids interested. However,
this year sensei managed to pick a formula that has worked better for adults
too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
We have spent the entire summer focussing on basic kihon and
its relationship to the pinan katas, including bunkai. All of us benefit from
really drilling the kihon and I mean <i>really
</i>drilling the kihon – until you’re dripping with sweat and your legs feel
like lead! Our younger or more junior members are particularly benefiting from
this as there is plenty of scope for improvement in their basics but we more senior students are also getting some
insights into how to improve our body alignment and correct some simple
mistakes or bad habits in our execution of kihon. I particularly appreciate the opportunity to
do this as I was pulled up on some fundamental errors in my basic kihon at my
pre-dan course a couple of months ago. I’ve particularly been working on my
spinal alignment and hip positioning over the summer and it’s all starting to
feel much more natural now to tuck my pelvis under more during stance
transitions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />We have also spent every lesson going through all the pinan
kata in detail to improve both our performance of the kata but also the
understanding of the applications of the kata in the form of ‘pinan drills’. This
has been particularly suitable for the more senior students who value the opportunity
to work on applications and benefit the most from doing so.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />The classes have been very physically demanding all summer. The warm-ups have been more like demanding
work-outs and some of us oldies could have done with a warm-up before the warm-up!
We have then gone straight into a demanding kihon session for about 20 minutes
before being allowed a drink – and it’s been unusually hot weather here for a
change. Then we’ve done all the kata several times each which, as you know, can
be a workout in itself. This high-paced, physically demanding karate has suited
the teenagers and older children best, though having said that the only
students who have had to sit down because they felt ill have been teenage boys.
We oldies stoically endure the discomfort so as not to be upstaged by some
young pretenders (but we’ve been quietly feeling like death inside).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As Abraham Lincoln
said:</span> <span style="font-weight: normal;">“You can
please some of the people some of the time all of the people some of the time
some of the people all of the time but you can never please all of the people
all of the time.” This has been true of
these summer classes. On a personal level I am fairly easy to please most of
the time so although these summer classes have been a bit of a beasting, on the
whole I have enjoyed them and have got a lot out of them. Other students have
found them less enjoyable and some students have avoided them altogether. I
have missed not being able to work on the stuff that is more relevant to my
forthcoming dan grading so I have had to work on that on my own at home but the
classes are not all about me and I know that I will be getting plenty of
attention as the grading draws closer.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> <o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">We have one more week of the summer classes and
then we will be back to our usual schedule and hopefully back to more
application based karate and less fitness based karate. The kids and junior grades will have gained a
lot from working with the seniors and will have gleamed some insight into what
to expect as they move up the ranks but will ultimately be better off returning
to their normal classes where the pace is a little easier for little ones.
Likewise the seniors should all be a lot fitter and sharper with their basics
and understanding of the pinan katas but will be grateful to return to their
usual training patterns. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Does the style of your training change over the
summer months? What do you think about it?</span></span></span><br />
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-90579761975839632602013-07-26T16:29:00.000+01:002013-07-26T16:35:26.370+01:00Some eclectic karate musings....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Sorry I haven’t blogged in a while, it’s just been a busy
time with<b> holidays</b> (had a week in Malta – very nice, and a weekend visiting a
vineyard – yes we can make wine here); <b>decorating</b> (new bathroom and decorating
my son’s bedroom); <b>gardening</b> to catch up on now that summer has finally arrived
(and is about to disappear again); weekend <b>visitors</b> and various other things.</div>
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In karate terms: my husband passed his<b> 2<sup>nd</sup> dan</b> for
which I partnered him; I’ve just finished <b>teaching</b> my after-school karate
classes for the summer and I’ve been <b>covering</b> some club classes while my
instructor has been on holiday. </div>
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So, this post is an eclectic mix of thoughts that I have
mulled over in my mind over the last couple of months…..</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->I’ve had a hard time shaking off the
disappointment I felt at not dan grading with my husband in June. It’s silly, I
know, but I’ve experienced a whole roller coaster of emotions about it over the
last few weeks from disappointment to anger to resignation back to anger. It’s
ridiculous I should have felt like this. My head told me to wait until November
but my heart wanted to do it in June. Attending the grading with my husband was
a really hard day emotionally, particularly at the beginning when everyone
started warming up and again at the end when certificates were presented. A
lesson in humility I suppose. During the actual grading I was okay and I just
got on with supporting my husband who did a really good grading. I’m on a more
even keel again now and looking towards my own 2<sup>nd</sup> dan grading in
November.</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Why do students find it so hard to learn
stances? I’ve been doing a lot of teaching recently and I’m always constantly
amazed at how sloppy many students are with stances. You can tell them until
you are blue in the face to ‘bend the front knee (in zenkutsu dachi)’, or ‘bend
the back leg’ (in neko ashi dachi) and they still don’t do it – even at brown
belt! When you watch them do kata above the waist they are looking pretty good
but watch their legs and there is hardly any attempt to use the proper stances
at all. I’ve tried getting them to do a basic kata such as pinan nidan with
their arms behind their backs so that they just have to concentrate on their
legs but they still just walk through the pattern with hardly any discernible
stances! Do you have any effective ways to teach stances?</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->I think I have found the source of my leaning
problem in karate. This problem raised its ugly head again during my pre-dan
(it has plagued me for years!). However, my husband seems to have pinpointed
the subtle thing that I am doing wrong and I am practising hard now to correct
it. It appears that when I am transitioning between stances during kihon
combinations or kata I am slightly hyper-extending my back and pushing my hips
forward. You would think that this would make me lean backwards but it actually
results in me leaning forward slightly when I change stance. I also think it
makes my stance transitions slower because my weight is not correctly balanced
between my feet and there is a slight pause before I can move. My husband said
that I need to tuck my pelvis under more to straighten my spine (like you do in
sanchin dachi). When I try doing this in zenkutsu dachi I can get my hip back
more and step forward more quickly because my weight is more evenly balanced. I
also don’t lean as I step forward. I am now practising to make this feel a more
natural movement and hopefully some of my other problems may disappear at the
same time i.e. leading slightly with the hand rather than the foot and
occasionally losing balance.</div>
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As you can see my karate seems like a
series of highs and lows at the moment, but that’s par for the course isn’t it.?We’re on a long journey, not in a race. It’s normal to have training plateaus,
move forward, slide back again, have Eureka moments or discover small flaws in
technique that are holding you back. Keeping going is the most important thing
and not letting disappointments blow you of course. </div>
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So I am keeping going – I have started
training daily, i.e. a little and often strategy. I find training about 7.15 in
the morning the best time for me. If I’m not in the gym by 8.00am then in my
heart of hearts I know it will not happen! The day will take over and I won’t
get around to it, so I’m trying to be very disciplined with myself. I’m
determined to crack the problems that plague my karate and stopped me from
grading last month.</div>
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The biggest battle we all face really is the
one inside ourselves isn’t it?</div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-57736901172099659652013-06-28T12:32:00.000+01:002013-06-28T12:43:25.493+01:00Karate punching is like swimming...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcReuiOhMjS3djqBbKpOL_kuXqkGWNxQwH3ZZkor9yYxJW5r39-Qkw" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcReuiOhMjS3djqBbKpOL_kuXqkGWNxQwH3ZZkor9yYxJW5r39-Qkw" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from:<br />
<a href="https://www.boundless.com/physics/the-laws-of-motion/newton-s-laws/the-third-law-symmetry-in-forces/">https://www.boundless.com/<br />physics/the-laws-of-motion/<br />newton-s-laws/<br />the-third-law-symmetry-in-forces/</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How many times has your sensei told you that the power of
your punch should originate from the ground? That you draw power from the
ground and then transmit it up your legs, through the hips and torso and down
your arm. You believe him/her because you respect them, they have years more
experience than you and they can punch harder than you (and you should believe
them because it’s basically true) but you can’t quite get your head around why
it should be true.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Drawing power from the ground gives karate a mystical,
magical quality as if Mother Nature herself is giving you some ‘power assist’.
If, like me, you tend to prefer more rational explanations then it’s easy to
think that drawing energy from the ground sounds like twaddle. But it isn't twaddle; it can be explained by
the laws of physics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have recently been privileged to have a sneak preview of <a href="http://kojutsukan.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">John Cole’s </a>excellent book chapter on forces called ‘Push and pull explains all
techniques’. I don’t want to pre-empt anything John has to say on this topic
before his book is published but suffice to say he mentions Newton’s third law
of motion which states: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. If we apply this law to people then basically,
when you apply a force to an object it responds by applying and equal amount of
force back to you. You transmit some of your energy into the object (e.g. by
pushing it), the object transmits an equal amount of energy back into you. What happens to that energy once it comes back
to you depends on several factors: if you happen to be the smaller, lighter
object then you will probably move; if you are not able to move freely, you’re
restrained in some way, or the returned energy is being transmitted to a small
surface area (e.g. you pricked your finger on a needle) then the energy may
cause injury to you instead or alternatively you may be able to utilise the
returned energy in some other way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my title I said that karate punching is like swimming.
More specifically ‘drawing energy from the ground’ is analogous to pushing
yourself away from the side of the swimming pool to gain momentum. If you can
swim then you will know from experience that it is quicker to get some speed up
if you push yourself away from the side of the pool with your feet than to just
start swimming from a standing start. Why is this? Newton’s third law of motion
explains it…..you push against the wall of the pool, transmitting energy into
it and the pool wall ‘pushes’ an equal amount of energy back to you in the
opposite direction. Since you are in a horizontal position in the pool (and you
are weightless in water) the effect of receiving the energy back is to propel you
in a forward direction. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A karate punch works on the same principle. If you take a
firm stance and push down into the ground with your feet, transmitting energy into it, the
ground responds by pushing an equal amount of energy back into you. Since you
are in a vertical position the energy is transmitted upwards (opposite to the
direction you pushed in). Though you are lighter than the ground below you the
effects of gravity pressing down on you make it unlikely that you will respond
by launching upwards (unless the ground below you was a trampoline!) The
received energy doesn't normally injure you either because it is spread over
the relatively large surface area of your feet (It might hurt more if you just
pushed the ground with the top of your big toe) Instead, you are in a position
to utilise that returning energy to enhance your punch. How you achieve that is worthy of a blog or
two of its own; suffice to say that with the correct sequence of muscular contraction
and relaxation, starting with the lower legs, upper legs, hips, torso,
shoulders and finally the arm and fist the energy can be transferred from
muscle group to muscle group until it finally leaves your fist! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This won’t happen by chance though – only through training
and practice can you learn to utilise the energy that you received via Newton’s
third law of motion by pushing into the ground first. Without training this
energy will just dissipate from your feet or half way up your legs and be
wasted. The harder you push into the
ground the more energy you’ll get back (the harder you throw a ball at a wall
the further and faster it comes back to you; the harder you push off the pool
side the further and faster you’ll glide through the water). Punching is only different because we are
complex beings and we have to train to learn how to utilise that energy
effectively.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The point of this blog post was not to explain the whole
physics of punching but to give the scientific explanation (in layman’s terms)
of why sensei is right when he says you must draw your punching power from the
ground. Do I make sense?</span></div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-13402579226165151132013-06-05T12:37:00.000+01:002013-06-05T12:38:19.724+01:00A blog worth reading...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBi1W4AOlIxm6uSE2_iiA94XNX5-DURHBeoLkMvcO0pS2PMxNLJKhlh__VdBi_JkrRy03IP1b37gAwDisFCyYXVyI4VeW8AEngYJ37IgbMT5gAYKGHZaRwYdCq08hDnQdFtI1hnwcmHPGt/s250/InvictaTypeCOL.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBi1W4AOlIxm6uSE2_iiA94XNX5-DURHBeoLkMvcO0pS2PMxNLJKhlh__VdBi_JkrRy03IP1b37gAwDisFCyYXVyI4VeW8AEngYJ37IgbMT5gAYKGHZaRwYdCq08hDnQdFtI1hnwcmHPGt/s250/InvictaTypeCOL.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just wanted to bring your attention to a new blog that I have been following on women's self-defence. As I have mentioned in previous posts I don't think that martial arts training easily meets the self-defence needs of women and traditional martial arts generally fail to address avoidance and awareness training (the <a href="http://kojutsukan.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/karate-kids-get-lesson-in-fighting-back.html" target="_blank">pre-event phase</a>) in any detail at all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://invictaselfdefense.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Invicta Self-defence blog</a> is written by <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.1875px;">Alexis Fabricius who has been training in martial arts for the past eighteen years, and owns a women's self-defense company in Toronto, called Invicta Self-Defense. She has black belts in karate and kung-fu, as well as a strong background in jiu-jitsu and kickboxing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her blog started in March and has so far covered topics regarding safety when on a night out, safety in parking lots, body language, intuition, sexual violence and some simple escapes from grabs. She writes in a very informed, easy to read style. I would advise any female reader (and male for that matter!) who is interested in understanding more about avoidance and awareness strategies to book mark this blog. </span><br />
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-48132252661637013862013-05-20T11:29:00.000+01:002013-05-20T11:30:58.181+01:00Pre-dan for Nidan<!-- AddThis Button BEGIN -->
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On Saturday I had my pre-dan course. This is an
assessment of your ability to meet the standard for the dan grading a few weeks
later. Like I mentioned in a previous blog, I was expecting to grade for nidan
at the end of June.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, the verdict of the grading panel at the end of
the course was that I was ‘borderline’ and they have left it up to me to decide
whether I want to give it a try or postpone until the next dan grading session
in November. My husband (and martial arts partner) has been given the all clear
to grade for nidan in June.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Prior to the pre-dan course I would have imagined this
scenario of whether to press on regardless so that we can grade together or
grade on separate occasions would have been quite a dilemma for me. As it
happened the decision seemed very clear cut. Before I had even left the
changing rooms I had decided that I would postpone my grading until November
and concentrate on helping my husband to pass his in June.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We have graded together on every occasion since white
belt, which, if you include our kobudo gradings amounts to 17 gradings; but it
was inevitable that at some point our grading schedules would part
company. I have done well to keep up with him this long but this time I just
can’t keep up, I’m not ready for nidan grading yet and he is. My husband has
four years more experience in martial arts than me, he did jujitsu before
karate and holds a black belt in that art as well, and this experience
massively influences his ability to do karate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t want to hold him back and I don’t want to risk
failure for myself so it makes sense for us to grade separately this time. I
would hate to be one of those <i>passed it
by the skin of her teeth or pulled it off on the day </i>people. It’s just not
budo. I want to feel comfortable in my skin with nidan so I need to be patient and
wait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are advantages for both of us in grading separately.
It is doubly exhausting to both grade yourself and be a grading partner for
someone else at the same time. You have to remember their techniques (which may
be different to your own) so that you can remember what kind of attacks they
want from you at different times during the grading. It will be easier on both
of us if we only have to concentrate on one role at a time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I can now focus on helping my husband to finish his
preparations for his grading and make sure I am fully familiar with his
techniques so that I can be a good partner for him. I know he will return the
favour for me in my preparations for November. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So I soldier on! I will have to do another pre-dan
assessment in October which I won’t particularly look forward to (they don’t
tend to be very positive experiences for me) but hopefully I will get the all clear
next time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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This work is licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/" rel="license">Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales License</a>.Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-48808297435188238462013-05-10T11:43:00.000+01:002013-05-10T11:44:43.323+01:00A kid's sparring alternative...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kid’s love sparring don’t they? Their faces light up
when they are told to get their sparring mitts on and they run off
enthusiastically to fetch them out of their bags. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Though </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">I'm</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> not a huge fan of sports karate for adults I
do think it’s a great exercise for kids. It develops fitness, courage, reaction
times, and a sense of strategy. It also toughens them up a bit and teaches them
to show a bit of humility whether they win or lose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So it is with some sadness that I can’t introduce the
kids to sparring in my after-school class. Why? Because they have no sparring
mitts! These are kids doing a 6 week introductory course in karate, wearing
just their P.E. kits. No gi, no belt, no kit!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To give them a taste of the thrill of sparring I’ve had
to be a little inventive. I take in as many belts as I can find (all my old
coloured belts, my kobudo club belts and any other spares I can put my hands
on) and teach the kids how to tie them on. Then I have cut up several old white
belts into strips of about 10 inches long and give them one each to tuck into
the front of their belts – this tab becomes the target.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We then do a bit of ‘shadow sparring’ to learn how to
move around in sport karate and practice a couple of basic block/punch
combinations against imaginary opponents. I then pair them up and get them to
use the same technique of moving in to their partner to do a reverse punch but
instead of punching (no mitts remember) they pull out their partner’s white
tab. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After they’ve each had a few goes at moving in to pull
out the tab of an unresisting partner they move on to doing it in a more
competitive way with both partners trying to get each other’s tabs. This starts
to re-create the energy and flow of a real sparring bout with the kids learning
to move around each other, guard their own tab and moving in to grab their partner’s
tab.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once they’ve got the hang of it we have a mini
competition which helps to teach them the basic rules and etiquette of a
sparring match. I divide them into two groups and sit each group either side of
the sparring area. I then call up one from each group (matched for size and
age) to compete whilst everyone else watches. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I act as referee and get them to stand opposite each
other, bow, get into fighting stance and then at my command (hajime) they start
to ‘spar’. A point is scored when one of them pulls out the other’s tab and the
match is stopped (yame), the kids are put back to their starting position and
the point awarded (ippon). They then bow to each other and off they go again.
We carry on like this for a set period (usually a minute) and the winner is the
one with the most points. At the end the opponents are brought back to starting
positions and the winner announced (kachi). All the kids get a chance to have a
go at this ‘shia kumite’. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alternatives include ‘best of three’ points to win or winner
is first to score a point. There are rules about staying in the area and
penalties and warnings for bad or dangerous behaviour (not that this needs to
be invoked very often!).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The kids really enjoy this opportunity to have a go at ‘sparring’
in this way and seem to get a lot out of it. I have found it a useful way to
simulate sport kumite when sparring mitts are not available and many of the
same skills can be learnt and practiced in a safe way. I haven’t yet introduced
any kicks into this style of sparring but there is no reason not to use
roundhouse kicks because our real kumite sessions in the club involve only
touch contact anyway and we don’t wear any protective body gear.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hopefully if some of these kids enjoy my karate
sessions enough to make them want to join the main club they will be able to
hit the ground running a little when introduced to real sparring with mitts!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-1441285681198192762013-04-21T13:00:00.001+01:002013-04-21T17:24:01.992+01:00Should nidan grading feel less stressful than shodan grading?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Why does training for nidan feel so different to
training for shodan? I am currently training in preparation for taking my nidan
grading in June. Strangely it feels a much more low-key event than my shodan
grading nearly two years ago…<i>yes, it
really was nearly two years ago, how time flies!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I keep trying to put my finger on why it feels so
different. By different I mean that I don’t feel the need to put together a
week by week training programme for 6 months like I did for my shodan grading
(remember my <a href="http://www.countdowntoshodan.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Countdown to Shodan blog</a>?); neither do I feel so stressed or
compelled to train every spare minute. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Don’t get me wrong, I’m training hard and taking it
very seriously – I want to pass after all, but it doesn’t seem like quite the
big deal that shodan grading did. In fact, I think I made some mistakes with my
shodan preparations that I don’t want to repeat this time around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I think I had placed shodan on a very high pedestal and
made it into a much bigger deal than it really was, this is what made it such a
stressful time in the months leading up to the grading. I also think that I
over-trained a little resulting in a thigh injury and a bit of mental
exhaustion.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, for nidan preparations I have a different approach,
different because <i>I </i>am different
compared to two years ago…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am more relaxed than for shodan grading – nidan is
not on some high pedestal, it will not be earth shatteringly terrible to fail,
I’ll just try again. In fact, if I don’t feel ready to take it in June I will
postpone until the next round in December. Please note that relaxed doesn’t
mean laid-back it just means that I’m not so frazzled by the task!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I understand my abilities/weaknesses better and have a
clearer understanding of what the grading panel will expect of me. This means
that I can target my training better to improve my weaknesses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I understand a lot more than two years ago and seem to
learn new things a bit more quickly – <i>I
have a greater understanding of the underlying principles that govern all
techniques and so I’m more able to apply them to new situations. </i>I think
this is the result of all the teaching practice I’ve had since my shodan
grading, teaching really tightens up your own understanding of what you are
doing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I trust in my regular training more to get me through.
Obviously I’m doing some training at home as well as in class since we are
expected at this level to work out our own ippon kumite, goshin waza and bunkai
applications – sensei will help and guide as necessary but he won’t spoon feed
us at this level. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For shodan grading I worked on a general fitness
programme as well as practicing the karate itself. This time I am only training
in karate. Why? Because I have come to believe that extreme fitness is not
required for the grading. The level of fitness that I already possess gets me
through some pretty demanding karate sessions without too much trouble. I think
that maintaining the fitness I already have is important but trying to up it
for the grading may be counter-productive and risk injury. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nidan grading is not an extreme sport; it is merely a
demanding demonstration of martial arts skills – the stuff I do week in, week
out. If my current fitness level sustains me through these lessons then it
should sustain me through the grading. Extreme fitness is not sustainable in
the long term so it seems slightly ridiculous to need extreme fitness to pass a
grading when you don’t need it for regular classes. I don’t see why a grading
should require something that normal classes don’t. <i>This is the way I’m thinking at the moment…<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So far preparations are going okay, I’m not there yet
but I’m feeling fairly confident that I will be by June. I attended a black
belt course this weekend and have the pre-dan course in May, then it will be
decided whether I am ready for this grading or not. If I get the green light to
go for it then sensei will be turning up the pressure in class to get me
mentally and physically ready. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are a nidan did you find the thought of nidan
grading less stressful than shodan grading? Do you think I’m in for a shock in
June?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-46293863802953094832013-04-03T11:23:00.000+01:002013-04-03T11:24:49.488+01:00Why do we.........observe reishiki?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In general terms reishiki refers to the demonstration of
good etiquette or ‘correct behaviours’ in a traditional martial art dojo or
club. This can be anything from knowing the correct way to enter or leave the
training area, how to address your sensei, knowing where and how to stand in
line, to showing good manners and respect to your fellow students. Each club
will have its own variation on reishiki but at the heart of all reishiki is the
concept of <i>respect (for your club, for
your sensei and for each other).<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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In more specific terms reishiki refers to the opening and
closing ceremonies that most traditional martial art clubs observe and this is
the definition of reishiki that I want to discuss in this post. The word
reishiki is made up of rei (bow or respect) and shiki (ceremony) and is all
about setting the right tone for the class and preparing the students mentally
for the training ahead. I have been involved in seminars or classes where
reishiki has consisted of nothing more than a quick standing bow to sensei at the
beginning and ending of class to a rather elaborate and prolonged standing ,
walking, kneeling, presenting the sword, bowing, more standing, walking
backwards, more kneeling, bowing, standing etc. etc .etc - like a rather
complicated and precisely executed kata. I had the feeling my head would be cut
off if I got it wrong! </div>
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<br /></div>
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These, of course, are two extremes of the bowing
ceremony. A ceremony that is too short
does not adequately prepare the students mentally for the training to come. One
that is too complicated is just unnecessary and time consuming (in my opinion).
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">So, what should a
reishiki ceremony help the student to achieve? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we enter a dojo or training hall we are entering a
world that is different to the one outside. Our roles and responsibilities
inside the dojo are often very different to the ones we have outside. You may
be very senior in your career and be in charge of many staff but in the dojo
you may be the new white belt. On the other hand you may be an unskilled manual
worker outside but a senior black belt inside the dojo. It is important to be
able to leave your external roles and responsibilities outside the dojo and
assume your ‘internal’ ones. A reishiki ceremony is one way of helping you to
make this separation of external and internal roles. The wearing of a gi is
another. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Participating in a martial art requires us to learn about
and practice violence towards other human beings. Though the mindset of the
martial artist should be purely about defending oneself, the techniques often needed
to do that are inherently dangerous and violent. It is imperative that training
is done is a controlled and mutually respectful environment that is free from
ego and machismo. Reishiki helps to create this respectful environment.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When practising a martial art we are benefiting from the
skill and teachings of our martial arts forebears, people who devoted most of
their time to developing and perfecting techniques and encoding them in ways
that we can remember today. Reishiki is a way in which we remember and honour
the founders of our system and also honour the sensei that teaches us that
system today.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">How does reishiki
achieve these things?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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A typical reishiki ceremony:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Sensei gives the following commands: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Seiretsu</b>.
The students are called to line up in grade order. This is the time when you
have to address your position in the dojo and let go of external roles which
become unimportant in this context. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Seiza. </b> The students sit in a formal kneeling
position. In some clubs the students may be sitting opposite the shomen or
shinzen (shrine). In clubs that meet in a school gym or other temporary ‘dojo’
the students may face a symbolic shomen i.e. face a direction that sensei
points to. Other clubs may miss this stage out altogether and just face sensei.
<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Mokuso.</b> The students close their eyes
and observe a few moments of meditation. The idea of this is to let the
students clear their minds of distracting (outside) thoughts and prepare for
the training ahead. <i>See <a href="http://kickasssuec.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/why-do-weperform-mokuso.html" target="_blank">‘Why do we…….perform mokuso’</a></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Mokuso yame. </b>The students stop
meditating and open their eyes.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
The senior student (or a student chosen by
sensei) will then give the commands: <b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>a.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Shomen ni rei. </b>The students bow to the
shomen in order to remember and show respect to their founder. In clubs where there is no longer any
connection or communication with their Japanese origins this step may be
omitted altogether.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>b.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Sensei ni rei. </b>The students bow to sensei to show their
respect to him/her and show that they are ready to listen and learn.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>c.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Otaga ni rei. </b>The students and sensei
bow to each other in a mutual display of respect and courtesy. Remember, in
martial arts bowing is about showing respect not subservience. <b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
At this point the students may say words
such as <i>onegaishimasu or osu (note that
osu is a contraction of the word <b>o</b>negaishima<b>su</b>).</i> This basically means "please let me train with
you." It's an entreaty often used in asking the other person to teach you,
and that you are ready to accept the other person's teaching.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Sensei then gives the following commands:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>5.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Kiritsu. </b>The students stand up with
feet together and arms by their side.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b>6.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Rei. </b>The students perform a small
standing bow to end the ceremony.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
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The whole ceremony is then repeated at the end of the lesson
with the gesture <i>Arigatou gazaimashita</i>
which means thank you.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Though each class begins and ends with reishiki it must be
remembered that good manners, courtesy and respect must permeate throughout the
class. This keeps the class civilised, controlled and safe at all times and
keeps big egos in check.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Do you have any particular reishiki rules or behaviours to
share?</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-5661638564862266442013-03-20T12:10:00.000+00:002013-03-20T13:49:51.302+00:00Like a light switch...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKHUqICmBljk4Q3VMxVmspEa1fsRtdxlwGkWvxv_ZdqeGKL8fWFlA0ozL93vE13o2sVTG7ao9_xcO-HnXHXlZM_XXUjnuK_cD9IEhXAatoPW-rosgAAGyNYM1v1D3fTO-q6QD5QJSZQvP/s1600/MC910216361%5B1%5D.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKHUqICmBljk4Q3VMxVmspEa1fsRtdxlwGkWvxv_ZdqeGKL8fWFlA0ozL93vE13o2sVTG7ao9_xcO-HnXHXlZM_XXUjnuK_cD9IEhXAatoPW-rosgAAGyNYM1v1D3fTO-q6QD5QJSZQvP/s320/MC910216361%5B1%5D.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I've</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> always been fascinated by how the brain works and
how we can try to get the best out of our brains, or more specifically: how we
can get the best out of our minds. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In recent years science has revealed that our brains
are much more pliable and adaptable than previously thought and the more
understanding we have of the neurophysiology of the brain the more ways we can
develop to manipulate that physiology or: <i>train
the brain.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Last week I started reading a book called </span><i style="line-height: 115%;">The Willpower Instinct</i><span style="line-height: 115%;"> by Kelly McGonigal,
Ph.D which is based on her very successful course at Stanford University called
‘The science of willpower’. In this book she relates the biological basis of
willpower to the scientifically validated methods of improving willpower – </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">i.e.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> how to train the brain to have more willpower.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last week I also watched a science program on TV by the
Horizon team called ‘The Creative brain – how insight works.’ The program
followed several different groups of psychologists and neuroscientists around
the world who are researching into the science of creativity. The advent of MRI
scanning has revolutionised the study of the active brain enabling the
understanding of human behaviour in relation to creativity to make great leaps
forward. The program not only revealed what is happening in the brain when we
have those ‘Eureka’ moments when our brains take a big creative leap forward
but also how to manipulate those processes to make those moments more likely to
happen – in other words, how to train the brain to become more creative.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Training the brain to enhance the processes that
naturally occur in them is something that we already do in martial arts isn’t
it? I was struck by how similar some of the strategies Dr. McGonigal advocates
in her book to enhance willpower are things that martial artists interested in
the more esoteric aspects of their art have been doing for centuries, they just
haven’t understood the scientific basis of why they work! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.whatayear.org/images/prefrontal_cortex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://www.whatayear.org/images/prefrontal_cortex.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the book Dr. McGonigal advocates breath control to activate
the pre-frontal cortex (the seat of willpower) and enhance heart rate
variability which shifts the body and brain from a state of stress to one of
self-control. The breath should be slowed down to about 4 – 6 breaths per
minute for a few minutes. This apparently is very effective if you do it just
before you face a willpower challenge – i.e. when deciding whether to eat that
cream cake or whether to go to the gym after work for instance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In martial arts terms we use breath control during the
execution of kata and other techniques. Is this to enable us to maintain a high
level of self-control and focus during the technique? After all, the self-control we need during
martial arts training is also a pre-frontal cortex activity. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://cdn1.collective-evolution.com/assets/uploads/2012/08/meditation.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://cdn1.collective-evolution.com/assets/uploads/2012/08/meditation.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dr. McGonigal also advocates meditation as a means of
enhancing self-control and willpower. <i>Seems
like martial artists were first there with this one as well</i>. Science has
shown that five minutes of meditation based on breath focus reduces stress and
teaches the mind how to handle both inner distractions (cravings, worries,
desires) and outer temptations (sounds, sights and smells). It is a powerful
brain training exercise. Studies have shown that people who learn to meditate
for 10 minutes a day become more focused on their daily tasks throughout the
day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m only part way through this book at the moment but I’m
hoping it’ll reveal even more useful insights into how the mind reacts to willpower
challenges and tips on how to improve self-control. By the way Dr McGonigal
lists a huge range of scientific references to support her claims. Why not read
the book yourself?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Interestingly the science programme on the creative
brain also talked about the pre-frontal cortex – except in the complete
opposite terms. To be more creative you have to switch off the pre-frontal
cortex as it exerts too much control over your thinking – it makes you
analytical rather than creative and inhibits you from thinking outside the box.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Creative thinking, particularly <i>insight, </i>i.e. those moments when the answer to the problem just
pops into your head from nowhere (seemingly) resides in the right side of the
brain. In tests, when people were given clues to a puzzle they were far more
likely to get a ‘Eureka’ moment with the answer if the clues were presented to
the left visual field rather than the right (information from the left visual
field is processed by the right side of the brain). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Furthermore, MRI scanning of the brain during problem
solving has shown that insight is not an instantaneous thing. In the seconds
before the answer pops into the conscious brain there is rapid firing of alpha
waves in the visual cortex (temporarily shutting it down) followed by a burst
of gamma waves in the right side of the brain near the temporal lobe – then the
idea pops into consciousness and you experience your Eureka moment. In fact the
subconscious brain has been collating information about the problem from
several areas of the brain, this is why it shuts off the visual cortex to avoid
distractions from the outside world and down regulates the pre-frontal cortex
(to stop you from consciously controlling the process and thus slowing it
down). Fascinating isn’t it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://instructionaldesignfusions.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/divergent-convergent2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="182" src="http://instructionaldesignfusions.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/divergent-convergent2.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Apparently if you are too intelligent and controlling
with your thoughts i.e. over analytical about problems you tend to have more
ordered pathways in the brain and are less able to think divergently about
problems. Less intelligent people tend to have more scattered pathways in the
brain and are better at divergent thinking and more likely to have moments of
creative insights. Remember, sophisticated MRI scanning and imaging during
psychological and problem solving tests has concluded these findings – don’t
just take my word for it, watch the programme on BBC I-player if you can. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It appears that our brains work faster when we are not consciously
controlling them. In martial arts we already intuitively know that don’t we? We
know that in a fight we should let the training take over and just react –
muscle memory will do the rest- right? If we over-analyse a situation and try
and make lots of conscious decisions about which technique to choose we become
too slow and hesitant and will probably lose the fight. We need to switch off
the pre-frontal cortex in order to fight effectively. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To illustrate that fact for a moment: in the creative
brain programme they had a seriously good improvised jazz musician improvise a piece
of music whilst his brain was scanned in an MRI scanner. Remember he was making
this music up as he went along and it was good and it was fast. Many areas of
his brain were lit up – except the pre-frontal cortex which he had almost
completely switched off. His fingers just did the talking over those keys, no
conscious brain allowed!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Where does all this leave us in martial arts? You need
your pre-frontal cortex switched on to train so that you can stay focused, in
control and build up that muscle memory (which resides in the brain remember!).
However, to fight, you need to switch the pre-frontal cortex off and let the
sub-conscious brain take over. Martial arts are as much about brain training as
body training – this is why we ignore the more esoteric aspects of our art at
our peril. It’s not enough to just learn techniques – we have to understand how
our brains work and train them too. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We need to learn how to switch our pre-frontal cortex
on and off, like a light switch…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">References: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Willpower-Instinct-Self-Control-Works-Matters/dp/1583334386/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363778872&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Willpower Instinct</a> – how self-control
works, why it matters, and what you can do to get more of it. Kelly McGonigal,
Ph.D<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Horizon: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01rbynt/Horizon_20132014_The_Creative_Brain_How_Insight_Works/" target="_blank">The Creative Brain – how insight works.</a>
Available on BBC i-player. </span></span></div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-91343325891089520792013-03-01T11:52:00.000+00:002013-03-01T11:53:41.998+00:00One body, two minds.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We often talk about the practice of budo but what exactly is
budo and what is its purpose? My current understanding of budo is this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the heart of budo is the premise that the biggest battle
we face in our lives is not with the enemy outside but that which resides
within ourselves – the ego. Through hard physical training we come to know our
true selves and become more able to defeat the ego. The reduction or control of
ego is essential to allow our true selves to be nurtured and developed. This
developing of the true self allows us to reach our full potential in our daily
lives: at work, home, relationships, friendships and other activities we are
involved in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ego is an interesting concept; it
has several definitions related to the human psyche and I think that only one
of them is relevant to the subject of budo. Ego is defined as: <i><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The self,
especially as distinct from the world and other selves. </span></i><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Clearly budo is
not about trying to lose one’s sense of self. Ego is also defined as: <i>an <b>a</b></i></span><b><i>ppropriate </i></b><i>pride in
oneself; self-esteem</i>. We can all
agree that self-esteem is important to our sense of self-worth and happiness
and an <i>appropriate </i>level of pride in
oneself keeps us clean and sociable, provides a desire to keep healthy and gives
us motivation to do things well. So budo is not about ridding ourselves of this
type of ego either. Thus it must be about the third definition: <i><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">An exaggerated sense of self-importance; conceit.</span></i><i> </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, some ego is necessary for normal human functioning and
good mental and physical health but a surfeit of ego tips over into
self-importance, conceit and perhaps an unwarranted sense of entitlement – this
is what the budo practitioner is trying to rid themselves of. But why? What’s wrong with egotism? We need to
answer this question because if you don’t see a problem with excess pride,
vanity or an exaggerated sense of self-worth or entitlement then you’re not
ready to take on the challenges of budo. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Excess ego damages both yourself and others. It damages
others because ego is inherently selfish; the egotist puts his/her needs before
others. The need to acquire wealth and status may be overwhelming and the
egotist may become ready to lie, cheat or just display shear ruthlessness to
get what they want (or think they deserve) in life. The egotist may neglect
family and relationships in pursuit of personal goals leaving a trail of
unhappiness behind him/her. The egotist
may also think nothing wrong with acquiring a surfeit of the world’s resources
(property, money, land etc) without concern for how this may affect other
people. In essence the egotist’s sense of entitlement can impact negatively on
other people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ego is also damaging to the self because it limits the
opportunity for real self-development – development of the true self. Ego lets
the true self hide behind bluster and boasting; it stops you from learning new
things because you already think you know them; it makes you compete with
people in environments where you should be cooperating (e.g. work colleagues or
even with your neighbours – <i>got to have a
better car on the drive than they do?</i>) While your ego is busy controlling
your behaviour your true self is just languishing in the background, unloved
and un-nurtured. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How do we tell the difference between what is ego and what
is truly us? Well, one tell-tale sign is the way we focus on tasks. Ego tends
to be driven by outcomes – reaching the goal is more important than how we get
there. You got the big car, big house, pots of money, pile of trophies or whatever
it is you wanted and you didn’t really care what you had to do, or who you hurt
to get it – that’s ego. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the other hand the true self is driven by process – the need
to do a good job regardless of reward. You do your job to the best of your
ability because that is what you expect of yourself and that is what you
contracted to do with your employer – seeing your company thrive or your
clients happy with your service is its own reward. Working hard at your
relationships – each partner giving selflessly to the other (and therefore each
partner also receiving) builds a strong, happy environment in which both
partners can thrive. Training hard in the dojo for the pleasure and challenge
of getting better and better, revealing the courage, persistence, determination
and focus needed to improve will lead to its own intrinsic rewards. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you focus on the process the outcomes will reach
themselves but more importantly your true self will have developed as you strive
to learn the skills needed to do your job well, showed compassion, trust and
integrity in your relationships and revealed the positive aspects of your
character through hard physical training.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Does this mean that every man or woman who has a fast car,
big house, well paid job or lots of trophies is an egotist? Of course not, many
altruistic people who have worked hard to develop themselves and do an
excellent job, showed honesty and integrity in all they do have been rewarded
with good salaries that can buy some of the luxuries of life. Many of these
people give back to society through philanthropic acts of generosity. For these
people the process of how they lived and developed themselves was more
important than achieving outcomes – the outcomes just followed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Budo teaches you to focus on the process of training rather
than the outcomes. Your ego wants the outcome (black belt, trophy, fame,
recognition, money); your true-self wants simply to be the best it can in your
chosen martial art and in every aspect of your life. If positive outcomes follow then great but
your true-self should not desire the outcome at any cost!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There isn’t room in your body for both the inflated ego and
your true self – one of them has to go. Which will you choose? Are you ready for the budo challenge?</span></div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-21842722020365874492013-02-18T15:51:00.000+00:002013-02-27T07:44:47.230+00:00I'm a woman, not a small man!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Do you think that martial arts are institutionally
sexist? </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I'm</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> not saying that they are or that they’re not, </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">I'm</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> just asking the
question. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I sometimes feel like a square peg in a round hole when
it comes to my training and the harder I think about this the squarer becomes
the peg and the rounder becomes the hole! If I don’t think about it then I fit
in perfectly well in my club and don’t perceive there to be any problem at all.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Have I confused you yet? The problem is when I just
concentrate on learning the <i>art</i> of
karate (or jujitsu or kobudo as I have in the past) then it all seems very relevant
to me and I enjoy learning it all. BUT when I think about my own personal <i>self-defence </i>needs I realise that a lot
of what I learn is not terribly relevant to women, or is, at least, not
presented in a way that is relevant to women.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">The self-defence aspect of martial arts is not sexist but it is <b><i>male-centric</i></b>, i.e. it generally
revolves around the needs of men and the self-defence scenarios that they may
encounter. Women are being trained to fight like men. This is not surprising
since martial arts were developed by men to teach men to fight other men. Yes,
I know Wing Chun was allegedly developed by a woman but it still mainly teaches
its practitioners to fight like men. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I suspect most instructors don’t think about it like
this – they treat all their student’s the same (so in that sense it is not
sexist) but they just treat everyone like a man – women are trained as if they
are just small men. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Lots of people tell me that strength is not important
to make a technique work and that most techniques can be adjusted slightly to
help small people make them work on big people. I don’t doubt this (well
sometimes I do) – I have witnessed small (but stocky) women throwing much
bigger partners - </span></span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">in the artificial
environment of the dojo.</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> However would you ever advise a woman to move in
for a hip throw in a real situation in the street? </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Isn't</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> it expecting a lot for
a woman to execute this successfully? </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Doesn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> she put herself at greater risk
moving into position for such a throw? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Perhaps we </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">shouldn't</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> ask </span></span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">can</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> this technique be altered so that a woman can do it but rather </span></span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">should</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> she be taught this technique at
all? Is there something more appropriate to teach her?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Is there any danger in teaching women to defend
themselves like men, particularly if they don’t even realise that is what they
are doing? After all, women will not be attacked like men. Men attack women
differently to the way they attack other men. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Men will often find themselves attacked in a ‘monkey
brain’ scenario – they get into an argument, tempers rise, they square up to
each other, a cascade of hormones is released and a fight kicks off – others may
join in and the ‘multiple attacker’ scenario ensues, often in public (a bar,
football ground or just in the street). The attacker(s) reigns lots of punches
and possibly kicks at the defender who defends his head until he can get some
sort of counter-attack in. The defender may have been verbally ‘provoked’ into
the altercation but he will not have been ‘groomed’. Women don’t generally face
this type of scenario.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Women face a more ‘predator-prey’ situation. There may
or may not be a period of ‘grooming’ before hand, e.g. ‘chatting up’ in the pub
to gain trust, followed by being separated from friends to isolate them. The
attack will then happen privately away from public view, usually by being
grabbed first and verbally threatened with violence if they scream. A woman may
be taken to another place to be raped/murdered. Or the isolation and violence may
occur in her own home by her own partner. These are worse case scenarios for
most women but the ones they fear most.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Of course men and women can face similar attacks too –
road rage/trolley rage attackers, car park assaults/car thefts, random street
attacks by unsupervised psychotic patients etc so I’m not saying there’s no
overlap at all, there clearly is but there are also many differences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Adding to all this, women are also psychologically
different to men. They differ in their experiences of violence growing up (girls
tend to avoid playground fights and are more cooperative and less competitive
with each other) which affects their perception of an attack and their initial
response to it (women can be over-trusting of strangers but experience greater
levels of paralysing fear). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">The physical (generally smaller, weaker stature) and
mental (more trusting but more easily frightened by real violence) differences
of women compared to men make some self-defence techniques less suitable for
women. For example:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Punching. Most women have small fists compared
to most men. However hard they can hit for their size they are unlikely to
inflict any damage on an adrenaline fuelled attacker, they are more likely to
hurt themselves. Women are better to train with open hand techniques striking
soft (vital point) targets of the body and head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Throwing. Like I said before – just because
they can </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">doesn't</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> mean they should. Moving towards an attacker to position for a
throw makes a woman very vulnerable to being grabbed and controlled.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Locks. These can be notoriously difficult
to apply in a ‘fight’ situation anyway and doubly so for small female hands
against the adrenaline fuelled large, strong limbs of an attacker. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Multiple attacker training. Apart from the
very rare situation of ‘gang’ rape (more common in war zones where it is used
as a weapon, but I’m not talking about war) women don’t face multiple attack
scenarios so it is better to focus more on predator-prey situations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">There is a mismatch when women, training in
male-centric environments, are trained to defend themselves like men when they
will be attacked like women. There is a risk that they will be trained in
in-effective strategies for the situations they face. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Do you agree?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Remember - </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I'm</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> a woman, not a small man! (<i>I might have this put on a t-shirt!)</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-30765506719533126732013-02-05T11:39:00.000+00:002013-02-06T10:01:02.945+00:00Taiji seminar revisited...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"><i>Following my last posting on taiji, Joe Harte has kindly written to me and filled in a few gaps in my understanding. I thought I would share them with you. Below is a re-post of part of my original post with Joe's comments inserted in blue type....</i></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe Harte</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Last Saturday my husband and I attended a taiji seminar in Durham with experienced taiji instructor Joe Harte, whom I met and become acquainted with through my activities with the annual Marfest event last year.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">We like to talk about internal and external arts and generally find our own art categorised into one of these groups without fully appreciating why or what it really means. I’m well aware that karate is categorised as an external art yet in karate we talk about (a lot) and practice (to a lesser extent) breath control, mind-body-spirit unity, altered mind states such as mushin (empty mind) and zanshin (aware mind). On the surface these seem like ‘internal’ elements yet karate remains doggedly an external art! Why? And what, therefore, is an internal art?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">[ Internal / external? Originally I’m told the Chinese would refer to arts from outside china as external. But that has changed over the years and now usually is a way of referring to arts that train the mind to use intention, awareness, and energetic responses, sometimes with breath. Few however know or use the stretching muscle to generate power which has far greater potential than using contracting muscle states to develop power. See my teachers recent interview where he discusses what makes an ‘internal’ art: </span><a href="http://www.taichination.com/latest.php?id=117" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">http://www.taichination.com/<wbr></wbr>latest.php?id=117</span></a><span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"> ]</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">These were questions I wanted to answer. Joe had intrigued me with something he said last year along the lines of “…Master Huang changed this form so that on the outside it looked exactly the same but on the inside felt very different….” How can something be changed to look the same on the outside but be very different in the way it<i>feels</i>?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">[ Master Huang 1910-1992 had studied Fujian White Crane from the age of 14 with some of the famous masters of the time. It seems the Yang Fast form died out so later in his life he introduced the Form Er shi Ba from the white crane to the Taiji world. Slowly he changed the emphasis of this fast form over a lifetime of study to internally harmonize with the Taiji principles. So now the Quickfist that we train is externally the same, but internally changed towards that of Taiji]</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">I knew the only way I was going to gain any insight into what an internal art really is was to go and experience it for myself. Having fortuitously met Joe I now had the means and opportunity to do this so I booked us onto the seminar….</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Joe had warned me to dress up warm – several layers, hat, gloves, scarf etc, and wear flat shoes. “You won’t get sweaty in a taiji class,” he warned nor could he guarantee the heating would be on. Like many people I had a mental image of doing forms in a slow, relaxed way. I knew that more than that must be going on but wasn't quite sure what.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">[sorry about the hall heating!]</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">We arrived a bit late due to the adverse weather conditions- the heavens had decided to drop another 3 inches of snow all over Britain on Friday night meaning there had been very little time for the gritters and snow ploughs to get the roads clear. The class was already doing some gentle warm up exercises so we just quietly got ready and joined in at the back.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">The general etiquette and atmosphere in the class was much more relaxed and informal than in a karate class – no waiting to catch sensei’s eye to bow you onto the training area or giving you punishment press-ups because you are late! In fact, no bowing (or press-ups) at all.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">[The relaxed atmosphere is more typical in Taiji classes. Also rather than belts people are recognized by the subtlety of their training, although some Taiji schools use uniforms and belts we don’t. People are more or less free to express themselves allowing to see more of their true nature, whereas strict etiquette or outer rules would potentially block this. Seeing this helps people understand themselves in their effort to slowly change]</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">After the warm up exercises Joe explained that we were going to do Master Huang’s 5 loosening exercises. My interpretation was that these exercises are partly designed to help you relax your body and muscles properly and partly to start you on the path to discovering your ‘deep mind’. Joe talked us through these exercises instructing us on the external movements required and how we were supposed to be thinking and feeling on the inside, teaching us how to listen to our internal senses rather than just relying on our external senses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">We are all familiar with our external senses – sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste but not very familiar at all with our internal ones, which were defined as temperature, pressure, pain, muscle state and joint position. The idea seems to be to try and connect with the part of the unconscious mind that generally controls these senses automatically – the deep mind or Joe sometimes referred to it as the ‘body’s mind’. So as we went through the loosening exercises we were encouraged to think about the pressure experienced on our feet as our weight shifted about or about whether certain muscles were in a state of contraction or relaxation.</span><span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"> [ the shift from external senses to internal ones is not at all easy. As the body moves the superficial mind ‘listens’ more easily to the gross outer movement, this masks the much more subtle internal sensations which are listened to by a deeper part of the mind – this takes long long training – discussed in part in my article Milestones in the Mist <a href="http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/taijiquan/page9.phtml" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.communigate.co.uk/<wbr></wbr>ne/taijiquan/page9.phtml</a> ]</span></div>
<i>See my <a href="http://kickasssuec.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/my-experiences-of-taiji-seminar.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> for the rest of my discussion about this seminar</i><br />
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-43009236792755797422013-01-29T15:48:00.001+00:002013-02-06T10:01:39.676+00:00My experiences of a taiji seminar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Last Saturday my husband and I attended a taiji seminar
in Durham with experienced taiji instructor Joe Harte, whom I met and become
acquainted with through my activities with the annual Marfest event last year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">We like to talk about internal and external arts and generally
find our own art categorised into one of these groups without fully
appreciating why or what it really means. I’m well aware that karate is
categorised as an external art yet in karate we talk about (a lot) and practice
(to a lesser extent) breath control, mind-body-spirit unity, altered mind
states such as mushin (empty mind) and zanshin (aware mind). On the surface
these seem like ‘internal’ elements yet karate remains doggedly an external
art! Why? And what, therefore, is an internal art?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">These were questions I wanted to answer. Joe had
intrigued me with something he said last year along the lines of “…Master Huang
changed this form so that on the outside it looked exactly the same but on the
inside felt very different….” How can something be changed to look the same on
the outside but be very different in the way it <i>feels</i>? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">I knew the only way I was going to gain any insight
into what an internal art really is was to go and experience it for myself. Having
fortuitously met Joe I now had the means and opportunity to do this so I booked
us onto the seminar….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Joe had warned me to dress up warm – several layers,
hat, gloves, scarf etc, and wear flat shoes. “You won’t get sweaty in a taiji
class,” he warned nor could he guarantee the heating would be on. Like many
people I had a mental image of doing forms in a slow, relaxed way. I knew that
more than that must be going on but </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">wasn't</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> quite sure what. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">We arrived a bit late due to the adverse weather
conditions- the heavens had decided to drop another 3 inches of snow all over
Britain on Friday night meaning there had been very little time for the
gritters and snow ploughs to get the roads clear. The class was already doing
some gentle warm up exercises so we just quietly got ready and joined in at the
back. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">The general etiquette and atmosphere in the class was
much more relaxed and informal than in a karate class – no waiting to catch
sensei’s eye to bow you onto the training area or giving you punishment
press-ups because you are late! In fact, no bowing (or press-ups) at all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">After the warm up exercises Joe explained that we were
going to do Master Huang’s 5 loosening exercises. My interpretation was that these
exercises are partly designed to help you relax your body and muscles properly
and partly to start you on the path to discovering your ‘deep mind’. Joe talked
us through these exercises instructing us on the external movements required
and how we were supposed to be thinking and feeling on the inside, teaching us
how to listen to our internal senses rather than just relying on our external
senses.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">We are all familiar with our external senses – sight,
hearing, touch, smell and taste but not very familiar at all with our internal
ones, which were defined as temperature, pressure, pain, muscle state and joint
position. The idea seems to be to try and connect with the part of the
unconscious mind that generally controls these senses automatically – the deep
mind or Joe sometimes referred to it as the ‘body’s mind’. So as we went
through the loosening exercises we were encouraged to think about the pressure
experienced on our feet as our weight shifted about or about whether certain
muscles were in a state of contraction or relaxation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">To aid our understanding we broke off to do a partner
exercise in which one partner took the weight of the others outstretched arm
(stretched out horizontally to the side). You then had to gently lift your arm
a fraction from the partners hold by first contracting the shoulder muscle,
then the upper arm muscles to lift the elbow and finally the lower arm muscles
to lift the wrist and hand. Then you had to relax the muscles in the same order
– shoulder, upper arm then lower arm, resting your arm back onto the partners
hold. If you had managed to completely relax the arm it should feel heavy to
the person holding it and if they withdrew their hold then your arm should drop
under its own weight. When I held my partner’s arm in a relaxed state it felt
like a bar of lead. When he held mine and gently withdrew his hold my arm stubbornly
remained in a horizontal position even though I thought I was relaxing it. </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I'm</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> clearly not in communication with this internal sense!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Joe said it takes years of training to even begin to
get in touch with deep mind and exert some control over it so I </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">shouldn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> be
too surprised I </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">couldn't</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">’ do it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Joe then introduced us to the idea of the ‘vertical
circle’, which is an important concept in taiji. This idea refers to subtle lifting
and sinking of the body as you cycle through a movement. We first met the concept
during one of the loosening exercises and then again when we were doing one of
the forms and then again during a push-hands exercise. Experiencing the
vertical circle seem to involve standing in a fairly relaxed posture with one
foot forward and the weight mainly on the back foot. You then imagined your
mind moving upwards and forwards in an arc resulting in a gentle shifting of
your weight slightly upwards and onto your front foot. You then moved your mind
down below the ground bringing more weight to bear on the front leg. Your mind
then comes up again (still following the arc of the circle), shifting your
weight to your back foot again. It was important to ensure you were ‘opening
your lower back’ to straighten the spine (like in sanchin dache), open up the
hips and drop the shoulder. Your mind then returned to your head bringing you
back to a more neutral stance to complete the circle. I may have got the
details of that a little wrong but that was the gist of it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">This vertical circle seemed a very important technique
to help train the deep mind and to generate internal power. We did another exercise
with a partner in which one partner just stood sideways on to the other with
their arms folded across their chest. The other partner then touched them on
their arm (from the side) with both hands (as if to push) and went through the
movements of the vertical circle before releasing the energy as a push. I seem
to remember the mantra for this being: touch, connect, merge and follow. The ‘pushing
arms’ stay relaxed and the power comes more from the body so that the ‘pushed’
person is not shoved by the use of bicep power. Using the core muscles in this
way should result in a stronger push. Being a karateka I found it hard not to
shove even though I know that’s not the best way to move a heavy object, even
in karate. In fact, this exercise reminded me of the wave form pushing exercise
we do in karate - I’m not brilliant at that either!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">We spent a short time on a pushing-hands technique,
designed to increase your sensitivity to your partner’s movements but much of
the rest of the seminar was spent focussing on forms, a short form in the
morning and a fast ‘quick fist’ form in the afternoon. Taiji forms differ immensely
from karate kata in being much longer and more fluid. I found them very
complicated to follow and won’t even pretend that I remember any part of them!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Taiji is not physically demanding in the way karate is
but my word is it mentally demanding. This searching within yourself to find
your deep mind is difficult but fascinating and ultimately deeply relaxing. I’m
starting to understand what is meant by ‘internal’ arts now and it is quite
different to what I expected. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">I can see why karate is definitely an external art. Even
the journey to self-improvement of the budoka involves only really improving
the ‘superficial’ or conscious mind through the development of character and
your relationship with the outside world. The internal arts follow a much more
inward journey which requires you to learn to put aside your superficial mind
in order to find your deep mind. It seems that the external and internal
martial artists are on very different paths – probably ones that cannot merge
very easily, if at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">If you want to find out more about the style of taiji
that I experienced then follow these links:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">An interview with Joe Harte: <a href="http://talesofbraveulysses.com/?p=126">http://talesofbraveulysses.com/?p=126</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">An interview with Patrick Kelly (Joe’s
teacher): <a href="http://www.gekko-taichi-berlin.de/html/interview_patrick_kelly_en.html">http://www.gekko-taichi-berlin.de/html/interview_patrick_kelly_en.html</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Joe’s website: <a href="http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/taijiquan/index.phtml">http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/taijiquan/index.phtml</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Patrick Kelly’s website:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.patrickkellytaiji.com/">http://www.patrickkellytaiji.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 7.1pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Patrick
Kelly trained directly with Master Huang. Here’s a link to an interview with
Master Huang who died in 1992: <a href="http://www.patrickkellytaiji.com/TEACHERS/huangxingxian.html">http://www.patrickkellytaiji.com/TEACHERS/huangxingxian.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 7.1pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-6368800298543037182013-01-21T14:46:00.000+00:002013-02-06T10:03:59.636+00:00Seipai in the snow!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I don't know about you but we've had a lot of snow this last few days (about 6 inches). It has bought the usual travel chaos and school closures but it has also created a beautiful winter wonderland!<br />
<br />
My sensei texted me this morning to say that class tonight has been cancelled because the school where we train is shut. I texted back (half jokingly, half meaning it) that we should do training in the snow. He replied that he thought that was a cool idea and he was up for it. So I sent him a challenge that I would practice Seipai outside in my back garden if he would do something too. He texted back that he was going to do some kobudo practice outside.<br />
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Well you can't renege on a challenge with your sensei can you?<br />
<br />
So I put my coat on and some boots and went into my back garden to practice Seipai. My son took these photos of me:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZWerY3Ls7CdlPYvUGERauPeJ_Jh3GnkKsmAY2fgvJ-2yPHDJQcc6hJ4Q4kfo5yG3PdbwdgErbMGFeu99lbGh47b9L3T7xFItTS0cvflgmVbUbyF9ET0O7HgVvN_XquhVspdML_XFx9ms/s1600/IMG_4496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZWerY3Ls7CdlPYvUGERauPeJ_Jh3GnkKsmAY2fgvJ-2yPHDJQcc6hJ4Q4kfo5yG3PdbwdgErbMGFeu99lbGh47b9L3T7xFItTS0cvflgmVbUbyF9ET0O7HgVvN_XquhVspdML_XFx9ms/s320/IMG_4496.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hope the neighbours weren't watching!</div>
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It's a lot harder doing kata in boots in several inches of snow and outdoor clothes make it difficult to be snappy with your moves. However, it was very invigorating and enjoyable out in the fresh air. I went through the kata about 6 times which got me pretty warmed up despite the 0 degrees temperature today! </div>
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I think I should do this more often, it adds a new dimension to training. </div>
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And just to show that my sensei kept his half of the bargain (though I expect he was planning to train outside all along anyway, he's pretty hardcore) here's the photo he sent me:</div>
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Okay, now I'm challenging you to train outside in the snow and post the evidence! </div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-10587247133765192362013-01-15T16:32:00.000+00:002013-02-06T10:03:45.154+00:00When is a dojo not a dojo?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll74/akkshindojo/HPIM0714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll74/akkshindojo/HPIM0714.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traditional dojo environment</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">……when it’s a club. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I used to think that a dojo was simply the place where you
did your training, whether that is a dedicated traditional dojo, a school gym,
purpose built training centre or your own basement or garage. However, it seems
that a dojo is much more than just the place you train.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Michael Clarke’s book, ‘Shin Gi Tai’ ,he makes a definite
distinction between a karate dojo and a karate club. He describes a club as a
commercially based entity in which students pay fees and in return receive instruction
in karate to a single set syllabus from which they can be awarded ascending ranks
in the shape of coloured belts as they rise up the system. They can also
participate in sport karate, enter competitions and collect trophies. A club
may be affiliated to a higher organisation which may be the only place where a
student’s black belt is recognized. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the other hand Michael Clarke describes a dojo as a place
where you learn budo. He states that the
main way in which a dojo is distinctive from a club has<i>...<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">”little to do with the
architecture of the place or the way people dress for training; the distinction
has everything to do with the nature of the struggle going on inside each
individual.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Budo karate involves training body, mind and spirit. It is
more than just learning to do karate techniques (however well you learn to do
them). It is much more about learning to understand yourself. In Michael Clarke’s words<i>…”Without a spirited assault on your ego, the true value of karate will
remain forever beyond your reach”. </i>A “spirited assault” involves a lot of
hard, physical training, self examination and reflection as well as personal
reading and research. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Budo karate is individual karate, even if done in a group.
Students, who will most likely have been handpicked by the Sensei based on
their suitability for budo training, will not necessarily all follow the same
training programme. Training will be tailored to their individual requirements
and suitability (as determined by the Sensei, not the student). This is not
possible with large classes of students so karate dojo typically have only a
few students. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another main difference is that in a dojo the student is
expected to take full responsibility for their own training. By that I mean
they have the responsibility to turn up on time, observe the etiquette required
of them, train hard, do their own research etc. The onus is on them to make
progress. Any student not doing this will be asked to leave. It would be rare for a ‘club’ student to be
asked to leave for not trying hard enough or because they fail to make progress
or show any understanding of what they are doing – providing they keep paying their
fees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By the criteria described above it is clear that I belong to
a karate club not a dojo. Is that a problem? Is it still possible to practice
budo karate in a club environment?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It would be wrong to automatically assume that all dojos are
somehow superior to all clubs. There will be good and bad dojos and good and
bad clubs and it will be better to be in a good club than a bad dojo. According
to Michael Clarke even Okinawa has ‘bad’ dojos set up to exploit Westerners
searching for the authentic karate experience.
Getting good advice about where to go is essential to avoid this pitfall
if you’re planning a trip there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A good instructor in a karate club will take an individual
interest in your training and progress if you show yourself to be keen and hard
working. This will be subtle rather than
overt: a willingness to chat with you after class, lending you a
book or DVD, encouraging you to attend special seminars or classes, asking you
for help with teaching or a grading session (this shows he/she trusts you). A
positive and close relationship can develop between student and sensei in just
the same way that it does in a traditional karate dojo – if you are a committed
student.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also think that it is possible to practice budo karate
even if you are in a large commercial club – as long as you know what the
practice of budo really entails and are prepared to tread this path alone.
After all the practice of budo is an individual and lonely path by definition
so it shouldn’t matter too much what environment you train in. Most good clubs
will provide hard physical training and good instructors will drive you to do
your best but it’s up to you whether you do so. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every dojo will have good students (they would be asked to
leave if they weren’t good) but clubs have to cope with good and not so good
students (this is actually an advantage of clubs – they are inclusive and often
see ‘poor’ students evolve and mature into ‘good’ students given enough time
and encouragement). I see no reason why
a dedicated student in a club environment can’t achieve the same level of skill,
understanding and knowledge about karate (and themselves) as a student fortunate enough to
belong to one of the rare dojos dotted around the world. The path may be less clear and contain more
obstacles to circumnavigate and the student may have to look further and wider
than their own club for guidance but for a dedicated student this is not an impossibility.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Club or dojo? How much does it really matter for the
committed student of budo karate?</span></div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-71921874276982247412013-01-04T11:32:00.003+00:002013-02-06T10:05:07.776+00:00Sport kumite – what does it teach you?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Sport kumite is a modern 20<sup>th</sup> century Japanese
addition to the original Okinawan karate. For those that choose to follow a
very classical <i>budo</i> Way of karate the
sport version represents anathema to them; to others the sport version <i>is</i> karate. After all why learn all those
techniques if you have no arena to test them in?</div>
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For me personally I tend to swing hot and cold on the
validity and worthiness of doing sport kumite. I have no interest in competing
and I have philosophical objections to teaching people to ‘fight’ rather than
to learn to defend themselves (more on this later). However, sport kumite is a
part of our syllabus and I think there are some benefits to be gained from
doing it. </div>
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There are many versions of kumite in karate so I’ll just
define what I mean by sport kumite: I’m talking about minimal contact point
sparring with only sparring mitts and mouth guard for protection. The aim is to
score points by landing a punch or kick
on one of the target areas i.e. the abdomen, head or between the shoulder
blades (kicks only) whilst preventing your opponent from scoring against you. Sweeps
are allowed and points can be scored by punching the opponent when on the
ground. My analysis of sport kumite
refers only to this type of sparring so if you are use to a more hard core
full-contact version then your list of strengths and weaknesses may be
different to mine.</div>
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The problems with sport kumite:</div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->It can teach a ‘fighting’ mindset rather than a
‘self-defence’ mindset. Fighting requires two people to consent to the ‘fight’.
Both are trying to ‘win’ the bout by attacking the other person. Self-defence
requires a mindset that wants to avoid fighting and does only what is necessary
to avoid, prevent, de-escalate, control or escape a violent situation. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->It can cause confusion to the student if both
classical and sport kumite are being taught side by side. I found this very
confusing when I was in the junior kyu grades.
Until I understood that two different types of karate were being taught
I didn’t understand why in one part of the lesson I needed to keep my feet
planted firmly on the floor and punch from the hip and then later on I had to
be up on my toes moving around and punching quickly without pulling back to the
hip first! I cope with it now by
completely compartmentalising these two different versions of karate as if they
were two different arts.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->It does not provide an arena for testing out
skills and techniques (other than sport karate skills and techniques). It bears no resemblance to how an encounter
in real life may pan out, mainly because of the rules designed to maintain the
safety of the competitors which means that most of the effective techniques are
taken out. </div>
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However, though I don’t feel that sport karate bears any
resemblance to a real situation and has many negative aspects that doesn’t mean
that there is nothing positive and useful to be learnt from it either. I’m
always the optimist and generally look for positive things to take away from any
aspect of my training.</div>
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The benefits of sport karate:</div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->For many people facing an opponent in a sparring
bout is the first time they’ve ever been in a ‘fight’ and had to find their
courage to defend themselves. Not everyone who does martial arts has a history
of getting into street fights or bar brawls as a youth or has worked as a
bouncer or in the security sector. Sport kumite is as close as they’ve ever been
to a real fight. It can take some people a while to find their courage to spar
effectively with an opponent. Finding this courage is essential if you are to
have the confidence to defend yourself in a real situation one day.</div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->In sport kumite, despite the relatively safe
environment and limited number of techniques in use, the fight is still
unpredictable and has a random element to it. This teaches you to be very aware
and focused for the whole of the fight. It teaches you to react quickly and
anticipate your opponent’s next move. It teaches you to look for opportunities
to strike and to recognise telegraphing by your opponent and capitalise on it.
You have to keep your mind empty of extraneous distracting thoughts, stay in
the moment and control your aggression so that you don’t lose control of the
fight. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Sport kumite also teaches you to take a punch.
Even in the light weight version of kumite that we do a punch can land a bit
harder than intended and wind you or land on your nose which is very painful. A
kick can catch you in the ribs. When this happens you have to learn to carry on
despite the pain. This comes as a shock to newcomers whose instinct is often to
stop once they are hurt or stop if they have hurt their opponent. However,
unless the injury is quite serious the referee won’t stop the fight so you have
to learn to just carry on. You can’t afford to just stop defending yourself in
a real fight when you feel pain – your attacker will just carry on.</div>
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In conclusion:</div>
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I think that when one is engaged in sport kumite it is important
to recognise it for what it is – sport. A real violent encounter in the real
world will not resemble a sparring round in the arena and so sport kumite
cannot entirely prepare you for this event (neither can any other form of
martial sport e.g. boxing, wrestling, MMA etc.). However kumite does teach some
skills that are essential to good self-defence – good speed and reaction times,
anticipation, focus, defending your head, carrying on after being hit etc. In
fact one could question how these skills could be learnt without the random
element that kumite provides. </div>
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Never the less, sport kumite is an incomplete
package, it leaves out the techniques that are essential to controlling and/or
restraining an attacker – slaps, eye rakes, vital point strikes, locks, throws,
joint breaks etc. It also focuses your attention on violence and attacking
rather than avoidance and escape which would be the self-defence strategies of
choice. </div>
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Though sport kumite offers something useful to the martial
artist it is important to be mindful of its limitations as well. What do you
think about sport kumite in karate?</div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-4920948341119943372012-12-01T15:13:00.001+00:002013-02-06T10:05:45.451+00:00Seipai - not just a Goju Ryu kata<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One of my current kata is the Naha-te derived kata, Seipai. This kata is generally a staple of the Goju Ryu stylists and remains remarkably unaltered across all Gojo ryu schools. However, it is also a kata that was taught by Kenwa Mabuni in his Shito Ryu style and is still taught in many branch styles of Shito Ryu, including Shukokai. In our system of Shukokai karate this kata is first introduced once 1st dan is achieved.<br />
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There is little to found on the history and origins of this kata other than the kanji for Seipai apparently translates to the number 18 if you use the Okinawan dialect. However, the kanji for Sei can also mean 'controlling'. The kata is generally attributed to Kanryo Higaonna who is said to have brought the kata back from Fuzhou district in China. However there is no evidence to support this. It is also thought that seipai may have its origins in the Dragon style of Shaolin kung fu.<br />
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Wherever Seipai has it's origins it is typically a Naha-te style kata, with it's fairly slow tempo and rooted stances, particularly the use of sanchin dachi and shiko dachi. There are also lots of circular arm movements, again typical of the Naha-te style. This kata pairs well with Seienchin kata and anyone who has learnt both kata will notice that they have a similar 'feel' to them.<br />
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I love these Naha-te kata and wish we had more of them in our syllabus. They make a nice counter-balance to the faster, more explosive linear katas of the Shuri-te style. I actually found the embusen to Seipai difficult to learn as there are lots of changes of direction and it can be easy to lose sight of where the 'front' is when you are first learning this kata. However, now that I've got the hang of it it is one of my favourite kata and there's some pretty interesting bunkai to learn too.<br />
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Here's a video of Seipai:<br />
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-13355312761086574532012-11-13T12:43:00.000+00:002013-02-06T10:06:17.233+00:00My top ten posts...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I wondered if you might be interested to know what my
top ten blog posts of all time were? ‘Of
all time’ goes back to when this blog started in February 2009. In that time I
have published 260 posts (including this one) but certain ones remain popular
even though they may have been written months or even years ago. In fact five of my all time top ten posts are
still currently in my ‘this week’ top ten as well, so clearly those subjects
grabbed you for some reason. So here’s
my top ten, in reverse order:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">10.
<a href="http://kickasssuec.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/martial-arts-balancing-act.html" target="_blank">Martial arts – a balancing act</a> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Published 14<sup>th</sup>
Janurary 2011)<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In this post I discussed my own problems with
maintaining balance sometimes and looked at the physiology behind balance. I
then looked at how these balance principles apply to martial arts and what you
can do to improve your own balance issues. I’m still very mindful of these
balance principles when I am doing karate and my balance is much improved now -always
room for improvement though ;-)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">9.
<a href="http://kickasssuec.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/muscle-memory-its-all-in-mind.html" target="_blank">Muscle Memory – it’s all in the mind! </a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Published 3<sup>rd</sup>
February 2011)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This post was designed to dispel a few myths about
muscle memory. I wrote about disliking the term ‘muscle memory’ preferring the
more accurate term ‘motor memory’. I then tried to explain the best I could the
physiology behind motor memory and how we produce motor maps in our brains that
help us to unconsciously execute complex motor movements such as martial arts
moves. My main point was to explain that the muscle/motor memory resides in the
brain not the muscles!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">8.
<a href="http://kickasssuec.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/six-things-im-looking-forward-to-post.html" target="_blank">Six things I’m looking forward to post black belt</a> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Published
27<sup>th</sup> January 2011)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I wrote this post 6 months before I took my black belt
grading as part of my black belt preparations. I was aware from other bloggers
that many people suffer the ‘black belt blues’ after achieving there shodan
grading and I wanted to avoid this. I felt that having some kind of plan or
post black belt objectives to think about may help to prevent that ‘anti-climax’
feeling that some people get. All I can say is 17 months after achieving my
black belt I have not at any time felt like giving up or felt rudderless or
directionless in any way – and yes, I have been enjoying those 6 things I wrote
about in this post. A good job really
because the prospect of Nidan grading is raising its head at me in 7 months
time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">7.
<a href="http://kickasssuec.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/teaching-karate-to-young-children.html" target="_blank">Teaching karate to young children.</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Published 6<sup>th</sup>
July 2010)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Wow! Has a lot of water gone under the bridge since I
wrote this post. Back then I was a brown belt student helping out in class to
gain teaching experience for when I could take my instructor’s certificate post
black belt. I now have many hours of teaching experience with kids in after
school karate clubs. I still find it rewarding and sometimes frustrating and I’m
still always looking for new ideas to motivate and teach kids – it’s all
definitely a challenge still!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">6.
<a href="http://kickasssuec.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/how-much-did-your-black-belt-cost.html" target="_blank">How much did your black belt cost?</a> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Published 19<sup>th</sup>
April 2012 – still in this week’s top ten) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I wrote this post after reading about how some martial
arts schools really exploit their students and overcharge them or tie them into
extortionate contracts. I decided to work out how much it had actually cost to
get from white belt to black belt in terms of class fees, licence fees, grading
fees, equipment, course etc. I calculated that it had cost me £1577 over 4
years to get my black belt or £7.58 per week! I concluded that this was good
value for money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">5.
<a href="http://kickasssuec.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/black-belt-grading-observers-view.html" target="_blank">The black belt grading – an observer’s view.</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Published 30<sup>th</sup>
November 2010)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Six months before I took my own black belt grading I
partnered one of our teenage girls for hers. This gave me an opportunity to
have a sneak preview of what to expect for my grading <i>– there’s always method in my madness!</i> I wrote a report about the
day which has proven to be very popular.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">4.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b><a href="http://kickasssuec.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/while-back-april-09-i-wrote-post-called.html" target="_blank">Barefoot care.</a></b> (Published 21<sup>st</sup>
September 2010 – still in this week’s top ten)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I wrote this foot care guide because I was getting
problems with my own feet – mainly cramps, blisters and cracked skin on my the
underside of my toes from friction on the hard training floor. I presume this
post is so popular because it appeals to people, other than martial artists who
also train barefoot or just suffer from foot problems in general. I must
confess that I don’t do everything that I mention in the guide but I think my
feet are a little stronger now, though I still get the occasional blister!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">3.
<a href="http://kickasssuec.blogspot.co.uk/2009/07/why-do-wesit-in-seiza.html" target="_blank">Why do we…. sit in Seiza?</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Published 14<sup>th</sup> July 2009 –
still in this week’s top ten)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This was one of 8 ‘Why do we……’ articles that I wrote
and has proven to be the most popular. I was fascinated with the traditions and
rituals that surround traditional martial arts and decided to try and research
the origins and meanings of them. I still really value the opening and closing
seated bow ceremonies that we practice in our club and teach it to all my
children’s after school clubs. All the
kids seem to like it too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2.
<a href="http://www.kickasssuec.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/ikebana-and-martial-arts-shared.html" target="_blank">Ikebana and Martial Arts – a shared philosophy</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">.
(Published 3<sup>rd</sup> December 2009 – still in this week’s top ten)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As part of my learning to understand budo I went
through a phase of learning about other Japanese Ways including Ikebana
(Japanese flower arranging or <i>The Way of
flowers</i>). Reading about Ikebana I was amazed at how similar the philosophy
was to that of budo and so wrote a post about the subject. It is still very
popular and remains in my weekly top ten posts every week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Okay, so now for my top post of all time. I can’t, in
fact, take the credit for this post because it was actually written by several
of my readers – I just edited and compiled the information you gave me – so give
yourselves a bit pat on the back because you hold the number one position in my
top ten posts of all time:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">1.
<a href="http://kickasssuec.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/world-guide-to-passing-your-black-belt.html" target="_blank">The World Guide to Passing Your Black Belt Test.</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
(Published 16<sup>th</sup> November 2010 – still in this week’s top ten)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This guide resulted from me asking my readers for any
tips they had that would help me to prepare for my black belt test. I was so
overwhelmed with the response that I got that I decided to compile all the tips
into a guide that others could also use giving credit (and a link) to every
contributor. It has been phenomenally popular, receiving at least 1000 more
hits that the number 2 post! I sincerely hope that all the contributors to this
guide who received a link to their own blog/website continue to get as much
traffic via this post as I receive from it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Well that’s it; my top ten posts of all time. I hope
you enjoyed reading it and a big thank you to all of you who continue to read
this blog and especially those who take the time and trouble to leave me a
comment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Happy blogging!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">SueC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-36826980024842478262012-10-30T13:10:00.001+00:002013-02-06T10:07:43.052+00:00Some thoughts on stances...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhld1vkdQYZUCAl8lgt_om6CpdFJpWINuniaD9tHES9Ibo5aj7iZ6cCHBUJdTIV75XCsKn3HbhSIClCKrtZuXW8YKxcbvgbLnQJpXDre1x_bmZS6sBI4cdFxWpitP_-Tf3JmF31fD41ZEs/s1600/cat+stance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhld1vkdQYZUCAl8lgt_om6CpdFJpWINuniaD9tHES9Ibo5aj7iZ6cCHBUJdTIV75XCsKn3HbhSIClCKrtZuXW8YKxcbvgbLnQJpXDre1x_bmZS6sBI4cdFxWpitP_-Tf3JmF31fD41ZEs/s200/cat+stance.jpg" width="154" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neko Ashi Dachi<br />
(Cat stance)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ve been thinking a lot about stances recently. I like
to see good stances: correct feet positioning, strong bend of the correct knee
(or knees), correct weight distribution, good back posture, head held up
looking forward etc. Good stances look strong and stable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Beginners find stances difficult to master; they
generally lean too much with their upper torso, don’t bend their knees enough,
have their feet in a line, have incorrect weight distribution or look down at
the floor. I’ve been there; it’s hard to get it right or for it to feel
natural. It takes a long time and a lot of practice to get stances right and
even longer to get the transitions from stance to stance smooth and quick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A lot of people would argue that stances are for
beginners or that they slow you down or are just too unnatural to be useful in
real self-defence situations. I would beg to differ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Stances are an essential part of achieving economy of
movement when doing self-defence. Economy of movement is essential if you are
to move swiftly around your opponent, getting yourself into advantageous positions
to apply a technique, unbalance them or evade a strike. Good footwork is
essential to achieving this; if you teeter around your opponent with lots of
small steps, getting your legs crossed and generally wrong footing yourself you
are likely to come a cropper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Good use of stances helps you to:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">…Shift your weight smoothly and quickly from one leg to
the other as required.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">…Maintain your own balance and stability by keeping
your centre of gravity low but your posture upright.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">…Unbalance your opponent either by directly using the
stance to destabilise a balance point e.g. placing your knee directly behind
theirs using a zenkutsu dachi (forward stance) or shiko dachi (sumo or horse
stance) or more indirectly by using weight transference e.g. grabbing them and
stepping back into a kokutsu dachi (back stance) or neko ashi dachi (cat
stance).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">…Quickly put yourself in the most advantageous and
stable position to execute a restraint, takedown or throw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">…Move out of the way quickly and effortlessly if
required.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwsuAE0XaHNxGqpH5lEc5lTyPbQUWjjxbz7aK6VSY4W_FSCJERwR3Raa3hGeTQDnpA6TeyXUZK213RyiJl_CFbtpZlfhajcahgyQZ5vtAu1CezlrCtI9JwxdmsZU6bGEO3yWqANHBR-A/s1600/zenkutsudachi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwsuAE0XaHNxGqpH5lEc5lTyPbQUWjjxbz7aK6VSY4W_FSCJERwR3Raa3hGeTQDnpA6TeyXUZK213RyiJl_CFbtpZlfhajcahgyQZ5vtAu1CezlrCtI9JwxdmsZU6bGEO3yWqANHBR-A/s200/zenkutsudachi.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zenkutsu Dachi<br />
(Forward stance)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Karate pays a lot of attention to stances. Most
karateka will have spent many hours of their training going up and down the
dojo in shiko dachi or neko ashi dashi with sensei picking up on the smallest
postural transgression –“bend your knee more”, “stick your bottom in”, “turn
your back foot in more”, “turn your back foot out more”, “put your weight back
more”, “put your weight forward more”…….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It can all seem so picky sometimes and people will
question the wisdom of needing to be so precise with your footwork and
postures. After all, if you are attacked would it matter if you weren’t in the
perfect cat stance? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, yes it would matter if cat stance was integral to
the technique you were trying to execute on your assailant. If your technique
depended on you suddenly shifting your weight backwards, pulling your opponent
off balance whilst allowing your front foot to follow through quickly with a
swift snap kick and then be able to spring forward off the back leg to land a
punch; then being able to instantly get into a perfect cat stance may be
crucial. Failure to achieve it may leave you unable to pull your opponent off
balance and with too much weight on your front leg you won’t be able to kick
effectively either and if your back leg is too straight you may not be able to
spring forward for that punch – that could all lead to disaster! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Stances are more than just good footwork, they involve
the whole body. Good upright posture is crucial to a good stance. Without good
posture you cannot engage the core muscles properly and without the core
muscles engaged you cannot get any power in your strikes. Also, with poor, bent
over posture you are liable to lose your own balance and be easily pulled over
by your opponent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Stances aren’t always an integral part of a technique;
sometimes the situation may require you to be lighter and quicker on your feet.
Evasion may be more important than getting a technique on your opponent. The art
of tai sabaki (body movement) is an exercise in good stance work, except this
time the stances are higher and lighter allowing quicker movements. Tai sabaki
still involves attention to posture, feet positioning, weight transference and
good transitioning so it is still stance work even if you don’t choose to call
it that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN97JOugcQXqzKMsJ2ksR2WOJ3qtf7Ugr19lBEnLBOnyqkGIjhjq4b-EX2kWioHs_WAO_WAVKSBEyt592_X9KA3_6_7uTKHeScHar0A_LG7rb4QafnCpahngB7XOHeZ-RdnJxoGJSFh1c/s1600/shiko+dachi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN97JOugcQXqzKMsJ2ksR2WOJ3qtf7Ugr19lBEnLBOnyqkGIjhjq4b-EX2kWioHs_WAO_WAVKSBEyt592_X9KA3_6_7uTKHeScHar0A_LG7rb4QafnCpahngB7XOHeZ-RdnJxoGJSFh1c/s200/shiko+dachi.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shiko Dachi<br />
(Horse or sumo stance)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I really feel that we neglect stance training at our
peril. Without good stances our techniques will be weak and our movements clumsy.
When you watch a senior black belt in action the thing that really stands out
more than anything else is the way they move – it is precise and effortless.
This is because of their use of stances; they always put their feet in exactly
the right place with their weight distributed correctly and their posture
upright and it all flows so smoothly and naturally. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So if your own or your student’s stances are poor and
their movements clumsy get back to some formal stance training – up and down
the dojo until their thighs ache; you’re actually doing them a big favour….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-65566712044956410552012-10-19T17:19:00.000+01:002013-02-06T10:08:54.106+00:00Do our training behaviours in the dojo reflect our behaviour in everyday life?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I read a <a href="http://blog.shawngray.name/2011/06/24/receiving-vs-avoiding-blocking-in-martial-arts/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">blog article</a> recently that suggested that the
way we respond to our training partners in the dojo reflected the way we
behaved towards others in our everyday lives. Here’s a quote from the article:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“<span style="background: white;">It’s interesting to train with people in the dojo – in
time you can see the connection between their style of body movement (“</span></span></i><em><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">taijutsu</span></em><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“) and their personal style of interacting with others
outside the dojo. Those who engage with you as a training partner, giving you a
realistic attack, going neither limp nor overly tense and rigid the instant
that you start applying the technique, are often the ones that you will see
actively engaging outside of the dojo as well, taking on responsibilities, not
shying from making decisions and commitments. On the other hand, dojo training
partners who try to thwart you by not letting you apply the technique
correctly, jumping away unrealistically early, falling over when you didn’t do
anything, flinching away when you haven’t done anything, quitting their own
technique before it’s complete – these people are often the ones outside of the
dojo who are afraid of commitment, flaky, indecisive, escapist, melodramatic or
passive-aggressive.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is an interesting idea; let’s face it we’d all
like to think of ourselves as the former person rather than the latter; though
I suspect the degree of correlation between ‘dojo Joe’ and ‘everyday-life Joe’
is probably not as consistent as this author suggests. Or is it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We like to argue about whether martial arts training
reveals character or develops it. The idea purported above suggests that
character is revealed in the dojo rather than developed: the person who can’t
commit to things in everyday life won’t commit to a technique in the dojo (e.g.
won’t attack properly or won’t commit to being thrown); the person who is
indecisive in life will also be indecisive in the dojo (e.g. hesitates to
choose an appropriate technique) whereas the person who in life is confident
and self-disciplined will bring those same qualities to the dojo (e.g. will
work hard, focus well and defend and attack with confidence).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Is it that straight forward? Is it possible that some
people may be very confident, successful and committed in their everyday lives
but be a little fearful and reticent in the dojo – afraid of hurting themselves
or others? Or, be rather timid and under-achieving in their private lives but
come alive in the dojo because they are comfortable with the people they mix
with there? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If it’s true that people bring the same characteristics
to the dojo that they display in everyday life then is it possible that those
characteristics can be changed/developed in the dojo and then transferred back
to everyday life? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have more questions than answers here but my own
personal viewpoint is that to a great extent people do display similar
characteristics inside the dojo as they do outside. I know that I am pretty
much the same person inside the dojo as outside and I don’t feel my fundamental
character has changed much over the last 5 years that I have been doing martial
arts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What do you think? Does the way we train in the dojo
reflect the way we behave outside in our everyday lives?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-30425916342200129262012-10-10T16:06:00.000+01:002013-02-06T10:10:19.307+00:00What exactly should a warm-up be?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The warm up is such a fundamental part of exercising
that I think it is easy to overlook the exact purpose of doing it or what exercises
constitute the best warm up activity. I even have my doubts as to whether a
warm up is really necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Last week we started the class with breakfalls. No
warm-up. I was dubious about the wisdom of this at first, thinking that we
might get some injuries but I actually enjoyed breakfalling from cold – it warmed
me up much more quickly than a usual warm-up and I felt ready for action all
session. No one suffered any injuries or pulls. So did the breakfalling
constitute the warm-up?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Last night I arrived late for class and the other
students had already done their warm-up. I arrived just as the class was about
to start a round of breakfalls, so I just did them – from cold again. They went
well and I felt fine – <i>I felt warmed up
and ready for action. </i>So does this mean that breakfalling was my warm up
again?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Usually our warm-up consists of either running around
the hall for a couple of minutes or jogging on the spot, star jumps, press-ups,
burpees, sit-ups and straight leg raises followed by a few dynamic stretches.
This lasts between 5-10 minutes. Occasionally we warm-up with some fast kihon
moves or sparring moves followed by stretching. When I used to do my kobudo
classes the warm-up was similar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When my husband used to belong to a jujitsu club the
warm-up lasted for 45 minutes and consisted of many static stretches as well as
a cardio-vascular warm-up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Whichever way I have been asked to warm up I have not
suffered any injuries as a result of <i>not
warming up sufficiently. </i>However, I usually feel more ready for action if I
have ‘warmed-up’ doing the activity I am participating in (i.e. karate
moves/breakfalling) than if I have warmed up doing ‘warm-up exercises’ (i.e. running,
star-jumps, press-ups, stretching etc). This begs the question – what’s the
purpose of the warm-up?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My understanding of this question is that the warm-up
is designed to prepare the body for action by increasing the heart rate and
warming up the muscles. Well, I don’t need special exercises to increase my
heart rate – just doing karate does that. Also, my muscles are at a constant 37
degrees centigrade whether I’m exercising or not – it’s called body temperature.
So perhaps I’m trying to increase blood flow to the muscles rather than
increase their temperature…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Doesn’t it make more sense to increase the blood flow
to the muscles you’re actually going to use rather than a random selection of
them? I mean, if I’m going to punch and kick doesn’t it make sense to warm up
my punching and kicking muscles? I don’t need to isolate them out with special
exercises I just need to start punching and kicking – <i>but more slowly and carefully until the blood flow has increased. </i>If
the session is going to be mainly a throwing one will breakfalls warm me up
better than jogging and press-ups? If I’m doing a kata based session then
wouldn’t doing some kata warm me up best?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Runners run best when they warm up by jogging a couple of
rounds of the track. It has been advocated that weight trainers warm up by
lifting the empty bar or going through the range of weight exercises they
propose to do but without the weights first to warm up the correct muscles.
They should then add half the weight they want to lift and repeat the range of
movements before finally getting onto the full weight they intend to work with.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In other words, you warm-up best by getting on with the
activity you intend to be doing but at a slower and gentler pace until your
heart rate has increased and the blood flow to the correct muscles has
increased. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This makes more sense to me. I don’t feel I get any
real benefit from jumping and jogging around doing ‘warm-up’ exercises, despite
what conventional wisdom tells me. I’m
all for starting my karate sessions with a round of breakfalling, kihon, kata
or kumite – starting at a steady pace and increasing the intensity as I <i>warm-up.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What about you? Do you swear by your warm-up routine or
does it just get in the way of doing your main activity?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-65829001799021591002012-09-25T16:47:00.000+01:002013-02-06T10:10:59.559+00:00What kind of self-defence should you teach to children?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have been teaching children’s classes quite a lot
recently. The children range in age from five to teenagers. In my school karate
classes the whole class are complete beginners whereas in the club classes the
children range from white belt to black belt. This is a huge range in maturity and ability
and makes teaching children very challenging. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For most children, particularly the younger or least
experienced ones, it is enough for them to learn how to listen, behave and
follow instructions; gain physical fitness and endurance; develop coordination
and balance, and learn the most basic of karate moves and kata as well as find
their courage with some light sparring skills. So, on top of all that should we
be trying to teach some basic self-defence skills as well or is that expecting too
much?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Can we realistically expect children to be able to
defend themselves physically from a determined attacker (whether that is
another child or an adult) by teaching them some escapes from grabs, strangles
and headlocks; learning blocks and counter-attacks; or doing throws and locks/restraints?
We don’t actually allow children to put locks on fully or grab another child
near the throat anyway for obvious safety reasons so the idea that a child may
actually be able to use these techniques effectively seems implausible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My experience of teaching children suggests that they
have neither the strength and coordination or understanding to effectively
learn any physical self-defence techniques. In my opinion, most children are
not capable of learning effective self-defence until at least in their early to
mid teens; before that they are merely walking through some routines they have
learnt by rote. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The problem is, to teach effective self-defence
requires a certain degree of realism in both the attack and defence. This is
neither possible nor desirable with children. As instructors we cannot order a
child to try and hit or grab another child roughly and the child (as a minor)
cannot give consent to allow this to happen to them. <i>As adults we freely consent to both uke and tori roles and the inherent
risks of injury that this entails – children cannot consent in this way.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Since we can neither teach physical self-defence skills
to children in any realistic way and most children are not physically or
mentally mature enough to learn them anyway, what is the point of taking children
through the motions of learning such techniques? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You may argue that it is worth teaching children the
basics of these self-defence techniques in the safe and unthreatening way that we
do it because it helps them to develop some muscle memory and ways of moving
that will make it easier for them to learn the techniques more realistically
when they are older. Perhaps that is sufficient justification for doing it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, are there better ways of teaching children to
protect themselves from harm? In my opinion <i>most</i>
children could protect themselves from <i>most</i>
harmful situations by learning about awareness and avoidance – ‘stranger danger
knowledge’; knowing safe places to walk and play; crossing roads safely;
learning to deal with playground situations non-confrontationally;
anti-bullying tactics etc etc…. Most of these situations are dealt with by
schools and parents anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, if a children’s martial art class isn’t dealing
with awareness/avoidance strategies and doesn’t teach physical self-defence
what should it be teaching? Well, in my opinion, there is much that a martial
arts class can teach to children that is valuable: physical skills of balance,
coordination, flexibility, and fitness; mental skills of self-discipline, perseverance,
courage, respect and determination; social skills such as cooperation,
friendship and compassion and sporting skills such as following rules, testing
oneself in competition and learning to win and lose with good grace. These can
all be learnt through the medium of some basic martial arts moves/techniques. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All we can hope is that we can maintain the child’s
interest in martial arts long enough for them to grow up so that they can then
learn to effectively defend themselves physically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What do you think is the aim of a children’s martial
art class? In your opinion what self-defence skills do children need?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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