CLASS SCHEDULE
Summer is over, school is pretty much in session and this month we move back to the regular schedule for adult classes. Remember….Adult Novice classes are Monday and Wednesdays from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
TEAM/MUSICAL KATA AND WEAPONS CLASSES
Starting Wednesday, September 4th there will be two new classes. On Mondays from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm there will be a class for those interested in competing in Team Kata and Musical Kata at tournaments. If you want to try your hand at team kata find a partner or two and come on out. This class is for the serious competitors. This class is open to all ages and ranks. You must be willing to work hard and stay on top of your basics.
Also in September on Wednesdays from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm we will start a formal weapons class. This class is for purple belts and over. Being the appropriate rank is not enough! You must have sound basics!!! A weapon is an extension of your hands. If you struggle maintaining your basics within your empty hand kata, this class is not for you. This is an “Add On” program which will be an upgrade to your current monthly tuition. It will cost an additional $10.00 per month.
Mr. Williams, Chief Instructor
TOURNAMENTS
DAVE ESTES KARATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Saturday August 24th
El Dorado, Kansas
Damian Hurt 7-8 Novice
1st Place Kata
2nd Place Sparring
Lazarus Garcia 9-10 Intermediate
2nd Place Kata
2nd Place Sparring
BELT TESTS PROMOTIONS
Brown Belts
Nolan Clarke
Tatyana Huhn
Shalee Mog
Tate Sazama
Black Belts
Lisa Johnson
Kathy Marquez
MARTIAL ARTS EXHIBITION
We have been invited to Burton, Kansas to perform an exhibition of martial arts at their Fall Festival on Saturday, September 28th. If you are interested in helping with this event let Mr. Williams know. This will be from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm. The first half an hour will be the exhibition. The second half will involve the advanced students putting on interactive workshops for the adults and kids.
THE FOUR E’s
What would life be like if a person practices The Four E’s? What changes could they make in someone’s life, and in theirs? What would it take from each of us to make an effort to take this form of actions to a level, which can embrace life, peace, strength, humility, confidence, and other vibrant attributes in one’s life? How would you see yourself administering The Four E’s? These simple E’s can gender success or failure, just depending upon how one perceives them and activates them. Where would you place yourself in applying The Four E’s? You are probably by now wondering what the heck are these actions or behaviors called The Four E’s. Aren’t you? Well, here they are. The Four E’s have been ‘pet peas’ of mine for many years, and I stand by the ‘power’ of the Four E’s. My perspective of the utility of these E’s daily toward mankind makes me feel good, even in a dismal society, which does not have the sensitivity to care in helping others. When and wherever, I can, I try to Encourage; an individual to be positive and to look forward. Also, I try to Empower, a person by sharing knowledge. And, if I do my job well enough, I try to Energize the individual with the various modalities practiced in the Martial Arts for health, humility, peace, and self defense. Lastly, I try to Enable an individual with the tools to think, act, and perform beyond what they thought they could. Think about it? Can you use the Four E’s? Your feedback is welcomed at www.youngsankarate.com on the feedback tab.
H. James Young, Chief Instructor, Young San Karate.
WHAT IS A BLACK BELT?
In the martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence and expertise. Rank and belts are not equivalent between arts, styles, or even within some organizations. In some arts, a black belt is expected in three years, while in others ten years may be common. Testing for black belt is commonly more rigorous and more centralized than for lower belts. A black belt commonly indicates the wearer is competent in a style's basic technique and principles. Since in many styles a black belt takes approximately three to six years of training to achieve, a good way to look at it is entering your college years. The student has a good understanding of concepts and the ability to use their skills and tools but has not yet perfected them. In this analogy an associate’s degree would be second degree, fourth degree a bachelors and fifth degree starting your masters with seventh degree starting your doctorate program.
Another way to describe this links to the terms used in Japanese arts; shodan (for a first degree black belt), means literally the first/beginning step, and the next grades, nidan and sandan are each numbered as "ni" is two and "san" is three, meaning second step, third step, etc. The shodan black belt is not the end of training but rather as a beginning to advanced learning. The student now "knows how to listen" and may thus begin the journey of listening to learn. You learn how to do what you have already learned better, take ownership and make specific moves and kata your own.
T. L. Williams, Chief Instructor
