“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence”
AKMS BLACK BELTS AT SUNSHINE MEADOWS
Martial Arts training is deeper than mere self defense although you may become prepared to defend your family in the training. After the age of thirty the changes of ageing; loss of muscle mass and strength, brittle bones and tighter joints are inevitable. Since these changes are exactly the same as the deterioration you suffer from an inactive lifestyle, if you do not exercise into your forties and fifties you are in effect doubling these detrimental body changes. This greatly impacts your quality of life during retirement. it is never too late to gain the benefits of exercise whether you are looking for muscle tone, muscle building (size) or joint loosening. Emotional benefits of starting an active lifestyle at any age include feeling better from the release of stress and tension, decrease in depression and increase in self confidence. Osteoporosis (brittle bones) and balance problems also decrease. In January Mr. Williams took a team of black belts to Sunshine Meadows Retirement Community in Buhler. They spent about thirty minutes taking the community participants through basic blocks and strikes in an effort to show them the benefits of keeping physically active.
WOMEN’S SELF DEFENSE
Every year in April, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) helps lead communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW), which will be observed on April 10–16. This year's theme Serving Victims, Building Trust, Restoring Hope underscores the importance of early intervention and victim services in establishing trust with victims, which in turn begins to restore their hope for healing and recovery. In support of Crime Victims Week, American Karate will be hosting the first self defense workshop for women this year. This year’s workshop will be Saturday, April 16th from 9:30 am until 2:30 pm open to women and young ladies 13 and over.
TOURNAMENTS
MICKEY GOMEZ’S WICHITA OPEN
Saturday, February 27th, 2016
Army Natl Guard Armory
3617 South Seneca
Wichita, Kansas
CONTACT: Mickey Gomez 316-838-8210
AMERICAN SPORT KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Saturday, March 5th, 2016
Trailridge Middle School
7500 Quivira
Lenexa, Kansas
CONTACT: Dave Clifton dclifton@askc.us
ST. JUDE BENEFIT TOURNAMENT
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Christ the King Church
25th & Wanamaker
Topeka, Kansas
CONTACT: Pam Johansen 785-844-0050
DAVE ESTES KARATE TOURNAMENT
Saturday, March 26th, 2016
4H Building
200 North Griffith
El Dorado, Kansas
CONTACT: Dave Estes 316-320-5425
OKLAHOMA SPRING BREAK KARATE CHALLENGE
Saturday, March 26th, 2016
Cushing High School
700 East Walnut
Cushing, Oklahoma
CONTACT: Bryan Boles 918-953-9118
MATT LEBEAU MEMORIAL KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Saturday, April 30th, 2016
Memorial Road Church of Christ
2221 East Memorial Road
Edmond, Oklahoma
CONTACT: Johnny Whatley 405-330-1996
GLORY DAYS
The other day I was walking the nature trails at Sand Hills State Park. It is good for my body and more importantly my soul. While enjoying everything about the trail and being alive, Bruce Springsteen’s song Glory Days, popped into my mind. At first I found it
slightly annoying, but then I just went with the thoughts to see where I ended up; this is the result of my mental wanderings. As a “maturing” martial artist it is easy to reflect on the Glory Days, days when spin kicks were easy, competitions/fighting were exciting, and pain went away within the next day, or two; the risk is to believe the Glory Days are behind us. Rather, I propose that each day we can execute a kick, hit on target, react with an effective self-defense technique, or stick our kata, it is a Glory Day. Over the years we have demanded much from our bodies and our minds; both have responded with strength, recall, and focus; today they still work hard to do what we ask. Even though it may not be with quite the same finesse as in the past, the body and mind do what they cannot to fail us; failure is not an option, restructuring our execution of techniques is, that is a Glory Day. Over the years we, as maturing martial artists, have learned much we can share with those who are coming through the ranks. When the light bulb goes off in the heads of our junior students, it is a Glory Day. It is a Glory Day when the lessons we have learned through martial arts aid us in those difficult, challenging, and tragic times in our lives, when we don’t think we can go forward, but we must with our heads up and our eyes clear. It is a Glory Day when as senior students we learn new kata, or we have our own light bulb moment. Each day that I can get out of bed, attempt to do better than I did the day before, and continue the Bushido way of honor, integrity, loyalty, and courage, well it’s a Glory Day…. Glory Day…. Glory Day.
Marcia Dillon, 5th Dan
MARTIAL ARTS…GIVE YOURSELF AN EDGE
The martial arts are not a cure all for everything that could possibly happen to you. But children are being bullied, home grown and planted terrorist are terrorizing our homeland and we as Americans are being killed and still subject to harm when we travel abroad. One thing the martial arts can do is give you an edge. That edge could be something as simple as knowing and understanding your environment, knowing when and where to exit your personal and work environment or knowing when or where to hide or barricade yourself. This thought process could also work in our schools. These are all primary to the physical aspects of martial arts training. The physical side of the martial arts gives you tools to protect yourself or others. The world is changing and as it continues to change negatively we continue to travel across the nation or abroad with the thought process that, “Things always happen to someone else but they can never happen to me”. Bad things happen to good people. Those that we look to for protection can’t always be where we need them to be so why not give yourself an edge? Try martial arts.
Mr. Williams, Chief Instructor
American Karate & Martial Science
MR. WILLIAMS TO UNDERGOE SURGICAL PROCEDURE
Sometime in late March Mr. Williams will be undergoing total hip replacement surgery. He will be out for several weeks while classes will be continued by his black belts. The aerobic kickboxing boot camp will also continue to meet on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon with Christiana Wise covering the class.
