KDA Today Spring 2018 Karate Do Academy, Westlake, Ohio Karatedo.net

From Sensei Jim.........

"I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I

understand" ...Confusius

The two fundamental parts of learning anything are

emulation and repetition. Emulation is just a fancy

word for watching something done correctly and

copying the procedure. Done over and over

(repetition) will cement those correct procedures in

your mind and motor skills. There are no short cuts to

this process and there is no need to try to reinvent the

wheel. Regarding martial arts, these skills have been

practiced, perfected, and passed on for centuries.

Now we, as karateka, have but to accept and

incorporate these skills as our own.

When we are in class, our goal is to watch and listen

and absorb as much information as possible. That

means we must be prepared to do so. Students must

show up for class on time, alert, and in the right

frame of mind. Because there is usually much activity

in the dojo at all learning levels, it is easy to become

distracted and miss out on your instruction. Focus on

the task at hand and what you are being told. In our

school, we will practice with "imaginary opponents".

The purpose is to first get a grasp on the series of

movements before trying to apply them to actual

opponent. Once this has been done to the instructors

satisfaction, you will repeat the movements several

times in class alone or perhaps with a partner.

Following this, the skills must be repeated on a daily

schedule of practice. Dedicated students must be self

motivated to become proficient at martial arts and to

progress. As I put it simply at the end of class on

occasion "No practice, no get better". Where you

practice is where you learn and our assumption at

KDA is that you have come here to learn this

wonderful art. So hear, see, but most of all do! And

do and do and do.....! It is up to you!

A class note: After several months of consideration

and meeting with Senseis Chris and Randy, we have

decided to raise the minimum age of class enrollment

to 7 years. In order to understand the concepts and

perform the basic movements of karatedo, we feel

this is the youngest age a student can begin. So this

will be our school policy going forward. All those

students currently enrolled less than 7 will, of course,

continue to be welcome at KDA and we will do our

best to help them learn.

See you in the dojo.....Kiai!!!

Promotions for January/February 2018:

Eliot - Orange Belt

Reza - Orange Belt

Yazin - Orange Belt

Jim- Orange Belt

Ryan - Orange Belt

Julia - Orange Belt

David - Yellow Belt

Suzi- Yellow Belt

Jacob - Green Belt

Anne - Blue Belt

Patti- Purple Belt

Nolie - Blue Belt

Johnny - Purple Belt

Gianna - Purple Belt

Gavin - Purple Belt

Andrew - Brown 3

Seamus - Brown 3

Hi, I’m Anne. I’ve been doing karate for

almost four years and I’m a blue belt. In that time

I’ve tested multiple times, which is why I’m going to

explain three important things to do while preparing

for a test.

1. Make flash cards - One of the most difficult

things about testing is memorizing

Japanese. This is why I suggest making flash

cards as one of the most effective ways to

prepare for this part of a test. Also, there is an

app called ‘Quizlet’, which is and online way

to memorize Japanese terms.

2. Practice with a friend - Practicing with a

friend is one of the best things to do while

preparing for a test. If you don’t know how to

do or pronounce something, then ask your

friend. Also, two people are benefiting.

3. Double check your belt requirements - This

sounds quite obvious, but double checking

your belt requirements is actually very

overlooked. On multiple occasions I have not

known a requirement while testing, not

because I forgot the term, but because I didn’t

know that I had to memorize it. This is why I

highly recommend double checking your belt

requirements before testing.

By,

Anne

The Road to Purple Belt by Dylan

The road to purple belt requires hard work

and dedication. Looking back to white belt, I

remember it took effort. Unlike most, the Japanese

was not the hardest part for me. It was performing

the stances well enough to give me the necessary

power. At that point, Taihokyu was the hardest

requirement I had done. The pretest and test were

challenging, but no more than I was expecting.

Going on to the orange belt, the new escapes and

remembering the grab break in Pinan 1 were the most

difficult. After the basics of this belt, I took a six

month hiatus, but always practiced. When I came

back, a short time later I was ready to test. This time,

there was an added challenge trying to remember the

introduction to the judges. However, I still earned

my yellow belt. With this came the temptation of

distraction. When I received yellow belt, I was now

‘the new yellow belt’ and was with more experienced

yellow belts. With this, it was laxer, and more

socializing occurred. Try as I might, I got lured into

the trap and did this too. I struggled to learn the

necessary requirements. Come testing time, I had

unreasonable expectations for myself. I tried, and

failed, to get my green belt. I was frustrated with

this, but kept on trying. Six months later, I easily

earned my green belt.

Green belt, being the first higher level belt,

brought its own set of challenges. Although Pinan 2

showed me a new type of kata, moving sideways,

Karaumpha brought the challenge of moving

backwards. This, combined with the takedowns of

the outside series, caused most of the people that

hadn’t quit during yellow belt to now drop

out. However, constant practice and listening to the

Sensei’s comments and critique allowed me to test

for blue belt, which I earned. However, not even

green belt could prepare me for what I was about to

experience.

I came to the advanced class on the weekend

after my test anticipating that more would be

expected, but the sheer level that was now required

shocked me. Running laps, fewer breaks, and the

new and difficult inside series and jump kick series

surprised me. There was also the new and difficult

Chin Na series, a sequence of advanced escapes. I

also found that my power was lacking. I bought a

heavy bag, which helped me to increase my power.

I hope this article provides encouragement

and support to other students to continue the path of

learning, step by step. I hope to earn my purple belt

in May.

Kiai!

Dylan

We have received huge benefits from studying KDA

Kajukenpo. One of the most important of these has

been the development of persistence while working

repeatedly on the hardest challenges. For us, this has

included learning the correct techniques for blocks,

punches, kicks and falls, as well as the need to

remember self-defense series and katas. This isn't

always easy to do at the end of a long school day or

on a Saturday morning!

But because of the hard work on these challenges,

we've experienced increased muscle flexibility, core

strength, mental focus and confidence. We've

witnessed our own progress toward higher skill levels

while working on belt objectives and enjoying

learning escapes and some Japanese as well! Most

importantly, this is a commitment to continuous

learning and improvement that we work on as a

family, in the company of friends old and new, and

under the instruction of our fabulous senseis.

We feel very lucky to be part of this group and are

looking forward to learning (and eventually,

contributing) even more in the future!

Reza

My name is Anabelle. I am 7 years old and I am an

orange belt in karatedo. My sensei names are sensei

Jim and sensei Randy. I like karate because it gets me

more stronger and I do a lot of exercises. My favorite

moves are round house kick, spin kick and lunge

punch. My favorite kata is pinan 1. I really like how

they teach us the moves and learning new things. I

practice a lot at home by looking at the recordings

my dad takes and practicing the Japanese terms with

index cards. After I learn all my moves and Japanese

words I can take the test for my yellow belt and I am

so excited, I can't wait.

There are many different things to learn in karate,

such as escapes, self-defense series, sparring, and

falls. However, katas are, arguably, one of the most

important. Not only are they a chance to work

together many different techniques, but, for each new

belt level, most new techniques are based on those in

katas. The three key elements of a successful kata

are:

1. Stances, which form the foundation on which

the rest of the kata will be built.

2. Powerful strikes. A strike isn’t a strike unless

maximum power is being thrown into it. If it’s

not powerful enough for a fight, then it’s not

powerful enough for a demonstration of a

kata.

3. Pacing. The ideal kata should not be too slow.

However, that does not mean that you should

not take the time to emphasize each strike and

block. Speed isn’t the same thing as power.

Seamus

Bob’s Corner

Dojo Etiquette

Karate begins and ends with courtesy and respect. Etiquette in the dojo is an important aspect of karate

training as it is an outward expression of your martial arts awareness. By observing good dojo etiquette, you will be demonstrating proper understanding of your relationships with other students and the martial aspects of karate training.

Before Class:

1. Always be physically clean. Pay particular attention to your hands and feet. Avoid wearing strong cologne or perfume.

2. Make your body safe for training. Remove any chewing gum or other loose objects from your mouth. Keep your fingernails and toenails trimmed short. Remove any jewelry, particularly earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and rings. Socks are not recommended, but karate shoes (no street shoes) may be worn.

3. Make certain that your gi (uniform) is clean and wear it neatly. Wear the jacket with the left flap on the outside and tie the belt in a proper square knot. Karate pants are required, and a gi top is always appropriate. T-shirts are acceptable on hot days or under your gi top, but should never hang out below your jacket.

4. As you enter the dojo, acknowledge your arrival with a bow towards the front part of the dojo or toward the Sensei.

5. Come to class prepared to focus, listen, and learn. It is critical to enter into training with the proper frame of mind.

6. If class has not yet begun, you may begin stretching or warming up on your own.

Beginning of Class:

1. Bow to the Sensei as an indication of your readiness to begin practice. Listen to the announcements.

During Class:

1. Put your best effort forward during the warm-up exercises.

2. Try not to be late for class. If you are late, wait until the instructor acknowledges you and invites you to join in. Thank the instructor with a bow and join the class. If you have missed the warm ups, take time to stretch out at the back of the room. Then approach any group of students and ask to join them. Be quick and quiet - take your place as soon as possible.

3. When the instructor determines that it is time to stop or change techniques, the instructor will clap or announce it verbally. Do not continue conversation/ practice after the instructor has announced the change. At that time, bow to your partner and move on to the next activity as instructed.

4. If the instructor stops to provide clarification concerning a technique, listen attentively.

5. Should you need to fix your gi during class, first bow to your partner to indicate the interruption in practice. Then step out while straightening your gi. When you are finished, return and bow to your partner to indicate your readiness to continue.

6. Once class has started, never leave or re-enter the dojo without asking the instructor. To avoid leaving during class, use the facilities before class. If it is truly an emergency, you may ask to step out.

7. During breaks, students are expected to manage themselves as if they were still in formal class, no roughhousing, running, or playing is acceptable. Bow as you leave and re-enter.

8. When walking through the dojo, walk around groups of people to avoid interrupting their class.

9. Always report any injury to the instructor. 10. There is no shame in having to stop to catch your

breath. Your partner can join another pair until you are ready to continue.

11. Speaking while the Sensei is talking or demonstrating is considered very rude. Fidgeting is also rude, and is not tolerated. An obnoxious yawn can quickly earn pushups or some other form of discipline.

12. Any time your Sensei or a higher rank offers to help you, always accept and listen closely with enthusiasm and proper respect. The higher ranks are always willing to help, do not be afraid to ask.

13. If there is ever a discrepancy over the proper technique, take the issue to a black belt and do not argue.

14. No slouching, leaning on walls, or sitting is allowed during class. Poor posture shows lack of enthusiasm to learn.

15. A loud kiai is the perfect display of powerful spirit. The choice of sound and/or word is yours. Don't be afraid to kiai loudly as this displays good spirit and will motivate everyone in the class, but never do it half-heartedly. When counting, count in whatever language you feel comfortable with, but make sure the counts are short, sharp, and spirited.

16. Do not argue or try to excuse yourself for a mistake or a deficiency that the senior student tells you about. Karate is not about being embarrassed about your mistakes - rather about taking pride in your achievements. Take in all that you are being told, practice it on your own, then return with more questions if you have them. More often, you will find that everything makes sense once you put effort into it!

17. Respect the upper ranks. They have put in the time and effort to learn martial arts. Respect them and they will be respectful towards you.

End of Class:

1. At the end of class, straighten your gi and line up in an orderly row as at the beginning of class. Bow to the instructor as the instructor bows to you.

2. After class is ended, bid farewell to your practice partners with a bow and thanks.

3. Bow as you leave the dojo.

Testing Procedures:

1. Though you chose when to pretest, the instructor has the right to allow you to test when s/he feels you are ready. If you are told you should wait until the next testing session, take this answer as words of encouragement to work harder to prepare for the next testing date.

2. During a test, students must refrain from speaking unless asked a question by the instructor.

3. NEVER ask when you will be promoted, this is extremely rude and can only add time to the length of your next promotion.

Observers / Parents:

1. Do not interrupt class to chat. Do not correct your child/friend. This is the instructor’s job, who is in charge of the class and will correct the students. This allows you to focus your attention on learning.

2. Keep distractions (phone calls, conversation) quiet and to a minimum. This includes small children.

3. Though all students are welcome, children must know left from right and be able to pay attention throughout class.

.

Our Staff Seamus - Editor-in-Chief

Sensei Jim - Contributing Writer

Sensei Randy - Contributing Writer/Photographer

Sensei Sandy - Contributing Writer

Sensei Kelsey - Photographer

Sensei Chris - Contributing Writer

Sensei Jerry - Photographer

James – Photographer

Anne- Contributing Writer

Dylan- Contributing Writer

Reza-Contributing Writer

Annabelle- Contributing Writer