Karate Tournament Results
Saturday, March 8th, 2014 Results
Everette Gould
Adult Novice Kata 1st Place
Adult Novice Kumite 1st Place
JoLea Wheeler
Musical Kata 1st Place
Youth Intermediate Kata 1st
Youth Intermediate Kumite 2nd Place
Natalie Williams
Adult Intermediate Kata 1st Place
Adult Intermediate Kumite 1st Place
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Saturday, March 1, 2014
March 2014 Newletter
YOUTH GATHERING FOR SPARRING & JUDGING
On Tuesday, February 18th there was a gathering of Mr. Pina, Mr. Caldwell and Mr. Williams’ students. The purpose was for the youth ages 12 and under to get in some sparring time and the adult brown and black belts to get some experience judging and refereeing matches. The school was packed and the kids appeared to have a good time. The brown and black belts had a chance to work on some new skills that will need to be practiced often. We plan on having the next gathering in a few months with the focus on musical, team and individual kata.
FUNDRAISER
This month we will be doing a fundraiser to raise funds for martial arts window graphics. Our goal is $2500.00 dollars. There will be incentives prizes for the most orders sold to the top three sellers. We will be doing cookie dough, boxed cookies and candles from “Celebrating Home”. These graphics will keep the school cooler in the summer months while giving us some added advertisement from drive by traffic. There will be more information in the coming weeks.
TOURNAMENTS
Mickey Gomez Wichita Open
Saturday, March 8th, 2014
Army National Guard Armory
3617 South Seneca
Wichita, Kansas
CONTACT: 316-838-8210
Seibukan Karate Invitational
Saturday, March 22nd, 2014
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
600 North Greenwich Road
Wichita, Kansas
CONTACT: 316-516-4101 Ksseibukan1@yahoo.com
St Jude Hospital Benefit Tournament
Saturday, March 29th 2014
Christ the King Church
25th and Wanamaker
Topeka, Kansas
CONTACT: Pam Johansen 785-844-0050
WOMEN’S SELF DEFENSE
Each April, OVC, the Office for Victims of Crime helps lead communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) by promoting victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. This year, NCVRW will be observed April 6–12, 2014 and the theme is "30 Years: Restoring the Balance of Justice." We will be having one of our two free workshops for Women’s Self Defense. This class will be Saturday, April 12th from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm. This workshop is open to ladies ages 13 and over.
KANSAS SUNFLOWER STATE GAMES
The Sunflower State Games is the largest amateur multi sport event in Kansas conducted annually three weekends in July. The martial arts games are tentatively the second weekend of July. This year we plan to have as many of our students attend as possible. Start warming up at local area tournaments now so we can all make the trip to Topeka in July.
--Mr. Williams, Chief Instructor
PROMOTIONS
Saturday, February 22, 2014
GOLD BELT
Grady Allen
Jr.GOLD BELT
Caedan Griffith
Dylan Kiatoukashy
Brandon Kiatoukashy
Charlie Miller
Dominic Rivera
WHAT IS KARATE
Essentially the art of Karate is the art of self-defense. Karate is designed for protective reasons and should never be used to attack an opponent. One stroke of Karate properly delivered, will kill a horse or bull. But the guiding principle of Karate never allows you to hurt others unless you are attacked. The great ancient masters of Karate, Meijin and Tatsujin, were never known to use it violently throughout their lives. Karate should not be violent; it should deny violence. The guiding principle, “there is no forestalling in the art of Karate”. The complete meaning of this idea of Karate is a little difficult to convey.
Most people believe that when you are involved in a fight, standing on the defensive after he starts attacking you, the chance of winning is assured chiefly to the one who first started to strike. This is a common belief. It is not so believed in Karate. The moment you strike the opponent is the moment the opponent strikes you. This is a very delicate point which must be understood by any successful exponent of Karate.
There is a secret principle of Japanese Kendo (fencing) called Aiuchi. The usual interpretation of this principle is that you kill the opponent at the moment he kills you. Aiuchi, literally means to smash the opponent’s bone just before he strikes your skin. There is another secret called Go no Sen. This means ‘Defensive is Offensive’, which means, you strike your opponent the moment you perceive the movement of his sword.
The ken (fist) of Karate and Ken (sword) of Kendo are completely in accord with each other in principle, which, you can interpret you will never be defeated if you attack the opponent as he is about to strike you or the moment he shows a movement to strike you. If, you want to learn Karate, understanding of the secret of ‘no forestalling’ is an important concept.
Another ‘secret principle’ of Kendo says, “Serenity is the greatest human quality for which we can strive.” The old masters had learned the art of Chinese Hsing-I (karate) and Ch’an (Zen), which developed them to believe they could do anything if they willed it, and only acted with self-confidence.
Man’s mental power is great; his body supported by this great power is mysterious beyond solution by science. The essence of Karate is nothing else than a training of mind over body. This is why Karate, is capable of such power, should not be used wrongly or violently. The art of Karate seeks for something deeper than simple physical cultivation.
--H. James Young, Chief Instructor-Young San Karate
BELT RANK
What does belt rank mean and stand for? Belt rank means nothing more than what the martial arts school you study at appoints it to mean. It's an external indicator to you and the school of where you practice that there is an opportunity for advancement. The belt rank system was introduced as a step-up level system to signal a student’s progress in the study of the art.
Today’s system of belt colors, like the one used here at American Karate, is based on 18-20 steps. Ten for the Minor preparatory grades 10th Kyu through 1st Kyu and a further eight to ten for the Major grades 1st Dan through 10th Dan also referred to as degrees. The color of a student’s belt indicates their rank and in theory, their ability. Each step forward represents a further accumulation of skills and knowledge. Belt colors generally get darker through each level towards Black Belt. This may be symbolic of a time when a plain white cloth or belt was used to tie a plain white jacket, similar to a short bath robe, for practice. If a student trained often enough, the white belt would eventually darken. This appears to be the reason for the Black Belt as we know it today which symbolizes the most advanced martial arts level. Belts are used to indicate when a student has been promoted to the next level. Improved techniques and deeper knowledge of the 3 elements of Kihon (basics), Kata (form) and Kumite (sparring) needs to be shown before the next Karate level can be awarded.
Twenty years ago there were only five belts to get to black belt in our school. Because the legal understanding and nature of my profession in the criminal justice field, I do not believe in promoting students to Black Belt under the age of 16. A that time I instituted additional belts referred to as junior level belts for the youth students under thirteen. This was so they could advance over time and not be held back forever. The truth of the matter is that I had students back then between twelve and sixteen that I could have promoted to Black Belt and not lost any sleep over it! Today…the work ethic and desire to excel to be better than they were is just not there. School teachers are seeing it, coaches are seeing it and employers are seeing it. I need all of these belts today just to keep our youth motivated. If they are not achieving something on somewhat of a regular basis they lose interest and drop out.
--T. L. Williams, Chief Instructor
On Tuesday, February 18th there was a gathering of Mr. Pina, Mr. Caldwell and Mr. Williams’ students. The purpose was for the youth ages 12 and under to get in some sparring time and the adult brown and black belts to get some experience judging and refereeing matches. The school was packed and the kids appeared to have a good time. The brown and black belts had a chance to work on some new skills that will need to be practiced often. We plan on having the next gathering in a few months with the focus on musical, team and individual kata.
FUNDRAISER
This month we will be doing a fundraiser to raise funds for martial arts window graphics. Our goal is $2500.00 dollars. There will be incentives prizes for the most orders sold to the top three sellers. We will be doing cookie dough, boxed cookies and candles from “Celebrating Home”. These graphics will keep the school cooler in the summer months while giving us some added advertisement from drive by traffic. There will be more information in the coming weeks.
TOURNAMENTS
Mickey Gomez Wichita Open
Saturday, March 8th, 2014
Army National Guard Armory
3617 South Seneca
Wichita, Kansas
CONTACT: 316-838-8210
Seibukan Karate Invitational
Saturday, March 22nd, 2014
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
600 North Greenwich Road
Wichita, Kansas
CONTACT: 316-516-4101 Ksseibukan1@yahoo.com
St Jude Hospital Benefit Tournament
Saturday, March 29th 2014
Christ the King Church
25th and Wanamaker
Topeka, Kansas
CONTACT: Pam Johansen 785-844-0050
WOMEN’S SELF DEFENSE
Each April, OVC, the Office for Victims of Crime helps lead communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) by promoting victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. This year, NCVRW will be observed April 6–12, 2014 and the theme is "30 Years: Restoring the Balance of Justice." We will be having one of our two free workshops for Women’s Self Defense. This class will be Saturday, April 12th from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm. This workshop is open to ladies ages 13 and over.
KANSAS SUNFLOWER STATE GAMES
The Sunflower State Games is the largest amateur multi sport event in Kansas conducted annually three weekends in July. The martial arts games are tentatively the second weekend of July. This year we plan to have as many of our students attend as possible. Start warming up at local area tournaments now so we can all make the trip to Topeka in July.
--Mr. Williams, Chief Instructor
PROMOTIONS
Saturday, February 22, 2014
GOLD BELT
Grady Allen
Jr.GOLD BELT
Caedan Griffith
Dylan Kiatoukashy
Brandon Kiatoukashy
Charlie Miller
Dominic Rivera
WHAT IS KARATE
Essentially the art of Karate is the art of self-defense. Karate is designed for protective reasons and should never be used to attack an opponent. One stroke of Karate properly delivered, will kill a horse or bull. But the guiding principle of Karate never allows you to hurt others unless you are attacked. The great ancient masters of Karate, Meijin and Tatsujin, were never known to use it violently throughout their lives. Karate should not be violent; it should deny violence. The guiding principle, “there is no forestalling in the art of Karate”. The complete meaning of this idea of Karate is a little difficult to convey.
Most people believe that when you are involved in a fight, standing on the defensive after he starts attacking you, the chance of winning is assured chiefly to the one who first started to strike. This is a common belief. It is not so believed in Karate. The moment you strike the opponent is the moment the opponent strikes you. This is a very delicate point which must be understood by any successful exponent of Karate.
There is a secret principle of Japanese Kendo (fencing) called Aiuchi. The usual interpretation of this principle is that you kill the opponent at the moment he kills you. Aiuchi, literally means to smash the opponent’s bone just before he strikes your skin. There is another secret called Go no Sen. This means ‘Defensive is Offensive’, which means, you strike your opponent the moment you perceive the movement of his sword.
The ken (fist) of Karate and Ken (sword) of Kendo are completely in accord with each other in principle, which, you can interpret you will never be defeated if you attack the opponent as he is about to strike you or the moment he shows a movement to strike you. If, you want to learn Karate, understanding of the secret of ‘no forestalling’ is an important concept.
Another ‘secret principle’ of Kendo says, “Serenity is the greatest human quality for which we can strive.” The old masters had learned the art of Chinese Hsing-I (karate) and Ch’an (Zen), which developed them to believe they could do anything if they willed it, and only acted with self-confidence.
Man’s mental power is great; his body supported by this great power is mysterious beyond solution by science. The essence of Karate is nothing else than a training of mind over body. This is why Karate, is capable of such power, should not be used wrongly or violently. The art of Karate seeks for something deeper than simple physical cultivation.
--H. James Young, Chief Instructor-Young San Karate
BELT RANK
What does belt rank mean and stand for? Belt rank means nothing more than what the martial arts school you study at appoints it to mean. It's an external indicator to you and the school of where you practice that there is an opportunity for advancement. The belt rank system was introduced as a step-up level system to signal a student’s progress in the study of the art.
Today’s system of belt colors, like the one used here at American Karate, is based on 18-20 steps. Ten for the Minor preparatory grades 10th Kyu through 1st Kyu and a further eight to ten for the Major grades 1st Dan through 10th Dan also referred to as degrees. The color of a student’s belt indicates their rank and in theory, their ability. Each step forward represents a further accumulation of skills and knowledge. Belt colors generally get darker through each level towards Black Belt. This may be symbolic of a time when a plain white cloth or belt was used to tie a plain white jacket, similar to a short bath robe, for practice. If a student trained often enough, the white belt would eventually darken. This appears to be the reason for the Black Belt as we know it today which symbolizes the most advanced martial arts level. Belts are used to indicate when a student has been promoted to the next level. Improved techniques and deeper knowledge of the 3 elements of Kihon (basics), Kata (form) and Kumite (sparring) needs to be shown before the next Karate level can be awarded.
Twenty years ago there were only five belts to get to black belt in our school. Because the legal understanding and nature of my profession in the criminal justice field, I do not believe in promoting students to Black Belt under the age of 16. A that time I instituted additional belts referred to as junior level belts for the youth students under thirteen. This was so they could advance over time and not be held back forever. The truth of the matter is that I had students back then between twelve and sixteen that I could have promoted to Black Belt and not lost any sleep over it! Today…the work ethic and desire to excel to be better than they were is just not there. School teachers are seeing it, coaches are seeing it and employers are seeing it. I need all of these belts today just to keep our youth motivated. If they are not achieving something on somewhat of a regular basis they lose interest and drop out.
--T. L. Williams, Chief Instructor
Saturday, February 22, 2014
PROMOTIONS
Saturday, February 22, 2014
GOLD BELT
Grady Allen
Jr.GOLD BELT
Caedan Griffith
Dylan Kiatoukashy
Brandon Kiatoukashy
Charlie Miller
Dominic Rivera
GOLD BELT
Grady Allen
Jr.GOLD BELT
Caedan Griffith
Dylan Kiatoukashy
Brandon Kiatoukashy
Charlie Miller
Dominic Rivera
Saturday, February 1, 2014
February 2014 Newsletter
YOUTH GATHERING FOR SPARRING & JUDGING
On Tuesday, February 18th there will be a gathering of Mr. Pina, Mr. Caldwell and Mr. Williams’ students. The purpose is for the youth ages 12 and under to get in some sparring time and the adult brown and black belts to get some experience judging and refereeing matches. There will be no adult classes that evening. This class will be from 6:00 pm until 7:30 pm. Be sure you have all of your sparring gear including groin protection and shin guards. We look forward to networking like this on a quarterly basis.
TOURNAMENTS
Kent Clayborn’s Brotherhood Tournament
Saturday, February 1st, 2014
117 North Gordy
El Dorado, Kansas
CONTACT: Kent Clayborn 316-321-2380
Mickey Gomez Wichita Open (February) TBA
Wichita, Kansas
CONTACT: 316-838-8210
Seibukan Karate Invitational
Saturday, March 22nd, 2014
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
600 North Greenwich Road
Wichita, Kansas
CONTACT: 316-516-4101 Ksseibukan1@yahoo.com
St Jude Hospital Benefit Tournament
Saturday, March 29th 2014
Christ the King Church
25th and Wanamaker
Topeka, Kansas
CONTACT: Pam Johansen 785-844-0050
KANSAS SUNFLOWER STATE GAMES
The Sunflower State Games is a 501(c) (3) organization dedicated to providing a forum that initiates and encourages camaraderie between different ages, socioeconomic and cultural groups through athletic competition. The event promotes the development of healthy lifestyles and physical fitness for the participants, their families and the communities where they live. The Sunflower State Games is the largest amateur multi sport festival in Kansas conducted annually three weekends in July. The martial arts games are tentatively the second weekend of July. This year we plan to have as many of our students attend as possible. Start warming up at local area tournaments not so we can all make the trip to Topeka.
Mr. Williams, Chief Instructor
FLEXIBILITY: Mental and Physical
Two recently written articles have caught my attention as I think about entering a new year: one challenges my mental flexibility and the other, a challenge to be physically flexible. The following thoughts are excerpts from those articles.
Mental Flexibility: Change is hard. It is our human nature to resist change because we feel more comfortable with keeping things "the way they have always been." Doing things differently requires effort and it is normal to feel a bit frustrated and out of sorts when attempting to change habits. Being able to "roll with the punches' and adapt to change is helpful in obtaining any type of goal in life. As it relates to wellness, what areas in your life could you change for the better with a little mental flexibility? For example, fill in the blank: just because you always......... (watch too much TV in the evenings, go to bed too late to get adequate sleep, super size it when eating out, snack too much between meals, spend too much money on "wants", find the closest parking spot, dish up 2nd helpings) ....... doesn't mean you can't change and start doing things differently.
Physical Flexibility (from the Mayo Clinic): Although studies about the benefits of stretching are mixed, stretching may help you improve your flexibility, which in turn may improve your athletic performance and decrease your risk of injury. Understand why stretching can help — and how to stretch correctly.
Benefits of stretching
Studies about the benefits of stretching have had mixed results. Some show that stretching helps, while others show that stretching has little if any benefit. The main benefits of stretching are thought to be:
Stretching also increases blood flow to the muscle. And you may come to enjoy the ritual of stretching before — or better yet, after — hitting the trail, ballet floor or soccer field.
Stretching essentials
Before you plunge into stretching, make sure you do it safely and effectively. While you can stretch anytime, anywhere — in your home, at work, in a hotel room or at the park — you want to be sure to use proper technique. Stretching incorrectly can actually do more harm than good.
Use these tips to keep stretching safe:
Don't consider stretching a warm-up. You may hurt yourself if you stretch cold muscles. So before stretching, warm up with light walking, jogging or biking at low intensity for five to 10 minutes. Or better yet, stretch after you exercise when your muscles are warmed up. Also, consider holding off on stretching before an intense activity, such as sprinting or track and field activities. Some research suggests that pre-event stretching before these types of events may actually decrease performance.
Focus on major muscle groups. When you're stretching, focus on your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders. Also stretch muscles and joints that you routinely use at work or play. And make sure that you stretch both sides. For instance, if you stretch your left hamstring, be sure to stretch your right hamstring, too.
Don't bounce. Bouncing as you stretch can cause small tears in the muscle. These tears leave scar tissue as the muscle heals, which tightens the muscle even further, making you less flexible and more prone to pain. So, hold each stretch for about 30 seconds. Repeat each stretch three or four times.
Don't aim for pain. Expect to feel tension while you're stretching, not pain. If it hurts, you've pushed too far. Back off to the point where you don't feel any pain, then hold the stretch.
Make stretches sport specific. Some evidence suggests that it's helpful to do stretches tailored for your sport or activity. If you play soccer, for instance, you're more vulnerable to hamstring strains. So opt for stretches that help your hamstrings.
Keep up with your stretching. Stretching can be time-consuming. But you can achieve the best benefits by stretching regularly, at least two to three times a week. If you don't stretch regularly, you risk losing any benefits that stretching offered. For instance, if stretching helped you increase your range of motion, and you stop stretching, your range of motion may decrease again.
Bring movement into your stretching. Gentle movement can help you be more flexible in specific movements. The gentle movements of tai chi, for instance, may be a good way to stretch. And if you're going to perform a specific activity, such as a front kick in martial arts, do the move slowly and at low intensity at first to get your muscles used to it. Then speed up gradually as your muscles become accustomed to the motion. Know when to exercise caution in some cases, you may need to approach stretching with caution. If you have a chronic condition or an injury, you may need to adjust your stretching techniques. For example, if you already have a strained muscle, stretching it may cause further harm. Also, don't think that because you stretch you can't get injured. Stretching, for instance, won't prevent an overuse injury. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about the best way to stretch if you have any health concerns.
Jean Gaeddert, AKMS Black Belt
On Tuesday, February 18th there will be a gathering of Mr. Pina, Mr. Caldwell and Mr. Williams’ students. The purpose is for the youth ages 12 and under to get in some sparring time and the adult brown and black belts to get some experience judging and refereeing matches. There will be no adult classes that evening. This class will be from 6:00 pm until 7:30 pm. Be sure you have all of your sparring gear including groin protection and shin guards. We look forward to networking like this on a quarterly basis.
TOURNAMENTS
Kent Clayborn’s Brotherhood Tournament
Saturday, February 1st, 2014
117 North Gordy
El Dorado, Kansas
CONTACT: Kent Clayborn 316-321-2380
Mickey Gomez Wichita Open (February) TBA
Wichita, Kansas
CONTACT: 316-838-8210
Seibukan Karate Invitational
Saturday, March 22nd, 2014
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
600 North Greenwich Road
Wichita, Kansas
CONTACT: 316-516-4101 Ksseibukan1@yahoo.com
St Jude Hospital Benefit Tournament
Saturday, March 29th 2014
Christ the King Church
25th and Wanamaker
Topeka, Kansas
CONTACT: Pam Johansen 785-844-0050
KANSAS SUNFLOWER STATE GAMES
The Sunflower State Games is a 501(c) (3) organization dedicated to providing a forum that initiates and encourages camaraderie between different ages, socioeconomic and cultural groups through athletic competition. The event promotes the development of healthy lifestyles and physical fitness for the participants, their families and the communities where they live. The Sunflower State Games is the largest amateur multi sport festival in Kansas conducted annually three weekends in July. The martial arts games are tentatively the second weekend of July. This year we plan to have as many of our students attend as possible. Start warming up at local area tournaments not so we can all make the trip to Topeka.
Mr. Williams, Chief Instructor
FLEXIBILITY: Mental and Physical
Two recently written articles have caught my attention as I think about entering a new year: one challenges my mental flexibility and the other, a challenge to be physically flexible. The following thoughts are excerpts from those articles.
Mental Flexibility: Change is hard. It is our human nature to resist change because we feel more comfortable with keeping things "the way they have always been." Doing things differently requires effort and it is normal to feel a bit frustrated and out of sorts when attempting to change habits. Being able to "roll with the punches' and adapt to change is helpful in obtaining any type of goal in life. As it relates to wellness, what areas in your life could you change for the better with a little mental flexibility? For example, fill in the blank: just because you always......... (watch too much TV in the evenings, go to bed too late to get adequate sleep, super size it when eating out, snack too much between meals, spend too much money on "wants", find the closest parking spot, dish up 2nd helpings) ....... doesn't mean you can't change and start doing things differently.
Physical Flexibility (from the Mayo Clinic): Although studies about the benefits of stretching are mixed, stretching may help you improve your flexibility, which in turn may improve your athletic performance and decrease your risk of injury. Understand why stretching can help — and how to stretch correctly.
Benefits of stretching
Studies about the benefits of stretching have had mixed results. Some show that stretching helps, while others show that stretching has little if any benefit. The main benefits of stretching are thought to be:
- Improving athletic performance
- Decreasing the risk of activity-based injuries
Stretching also increases blood flow to the muscle. And you may come to enjoy the ritual of stretching before — or better yet, after — hitting the trail, ballet floor or soccer field.
Stretching essentials
Before you plunge into stretching, make sure you do it safely and effectively. While you can stretch anytime, anywhere — in your home, at work, in a hotel room or at the park — you want to be sure to use proper technique. Stretching incorrectly can actually do more harm than good.
Use these tips to keep stretching safe:
Don't consider stretching a warm-up. You may hurt yourself if you stretch cold muscles. So before stretching, warm up with light walking, jogging or biking at low intensity for five to 10 minutes. Or better yet, stretch after you exercise when your muscles are warmed up. Also, consider holding off on stretching before an intense activity, such as sprinting or track and field activities. Some research suggests that pre-event stretching before these types of events may actually decrease performance.
Focus on major muscle groups. When you're stretching, focus on your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders. Also stretch muscles and joints that you routinely use at work or play. And make sure that you stretch both sides. For instance, if you stretch your left hamstring, be sure to stretch your right hamstring, too.
Don't bounce. Bouncing as you stretch can cause small tears in the muscle. These tears leave scar tissue as the muscle heals, which tightens the muscle even further, making you less flexible and more prone to pain. So, hold each stretch for about 30 seconds. Repeat each stretch three or four times.
Don't aim for pain. Expect to feel tension while you're stretching, not pain. If it hurts, you've pushed too far. Back off to the point where you don't feel any pain, then hold the stretch.
Make stretches sport specific. Some evidence suggests that it's helpful to do stretches tailored for your sport or activity. If you play soccer, for instance, you're more vulnerable to hamstring strains. So opt for stretches that help your hamstrings.
Keep up with your stretching. Stretching can be time-consuming. But you can achieve the best benefits by stretching regularly, at least two to three times a week. If you don't stretch regularly, you risk losing any benefits that stretching offered. For instance, if stretching helped you increase your range of motion, and you stop stretching, your range of motion may decrease again.
Bring movement into your stretching. Gentle movement can help you be more flexible in specific movements. The gentle movements of tai chi, for instance, may be a good way to stretch. And if you're going to perform a specific activity, such as a front kick in martial arts, do the move slowly and at low intensity at first to get your muscles used to it. Then speed up gradually as your muscles become accustomed to the motion. Know when to exercise caution in some cases, you may need to approach stretching with caution. If you have a chronic condition or an injury, you may need to adjust your stretching techniques. For example, if you already have a strained muscle, stretching it may cause further harm. Also, don't think that because you stretch you can't get injured. Stretching, for instance, won't prevent an overuse injury. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about the best way to stretch if you have any health concerns.
Jean Gaeddert, AKMS Black Belt
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
January 2014 Newsletter
HOLIDAY SCHOOL CLOSINGS
American Karate will be closed for the holiday season Wednesday, Christmas day until Monday January 6th. We wish all of our students and parents, friends and families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We hope that you come back with renewed goals and prepared to study and train harder than the year before.
AKMS BLACK BELTS DOWN BUT NOT OUT
Cristine Warring had surgery on her foot from a bone that had been free floating around her ankle for many years. She made it through well and will be recuperating and doing therapy for the next nine months. Kathy Marquez took a fall during a run which resulted in a torn rotator cuff and bicep. She will be recuperating and doing therapy for several months as well. We are happy to hear that they both made it through their surgeries and look forward to their return to class. In the mean time…..DON’T PUSH IT, Do what the therapist says.
YOUTH CLASSES COMBINED
During the month of January the Youth Novice and Intermediate classes will be open. It is my hopes that between the novice youth and their parents they will develop some goals. Karate can be fun and karate can be tedious but if they experience the more advanced students doing advanced kata, team and musical kata as well as weapons, they will understand the need for practice outside of the class room. Monday and Wednesday classes are from 6:30pm to 7:30pm.
GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR
2013 is over! Now is the time to reflect on your resolutions and accomplishments over the last twelve months. Did you accomplish a higher level of fitness or flexibility? Did you earn additional stripes or belt rank? Where did you excel? Where did you fall short? Goal setting is a powerful tool for thinking about your martial future, and for motivating yourself to turn your vision of this future into reality. The process of setting goals helps you choose where you want to go with your martial arts journey. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you will know where you have to concentrate your efforts. Setting goals gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation. It focuses your attainment of knowledge, and helps you to organize your time and your resources so that you can make the very most of your journey. By setting clearly defined goals you can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals, and you'll see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless chore. You will also raise your self-confidence.
You can set your goals on a number of levels:
Thomas Williams, Instructor AKMS
GOING THE DISTANCE
A new book is coming out in January. It is entitled “What Makes Olga Run? The Mystery of the 90-Something Track Star and What She Can Teach Us About Living Longer.” While that might not be an appealing title to some, it certainly caught my attention!
The book offers six (6) lessons on living longer and staying sharp from the perspective of this nonagenarian track star. The following are her smart habits for a long, healthy life:
Jean Gaeddert, AKMS Black Belt
URBAN SELFDEFENSE (A Definition) Part II of II
Also, where the time permitted me to react in a manner aligned with the situation at hand, I am sure my instigator couldn’t imagine what next was about to happen, when I unleashed a full dose of controlled rage upon them.
Daily in my walk of life, I put on the ‘Whole Coat of Armor of God’, as my belief, as it provides my foundation for my existence. I don’t knock those who do believe or not believe in God, which is their chose alone. Everyone is entitle to believe as their wish, and is not my place to ridicule them about it. However, should they become interested to know about my Savior, then I am more than willing to share this with them.
It is always my desire to make the right decision about anything, and take responsibility for my actions, whether they be, right or not so accurate. As, I have commanded thousands of soldiers, my instructions to them is to make a prudent decision about a situation. If, it’s right, then we move forward. Should the decision not be so accurate, and then we would make our apologies and corrections and move on, because people sometimes get it ‘not as accurate’ as others would desire it. There are mitigating circumstances to every situation, and I have had my share. We are human, and do not always get it right, which is the nature of being human. Also, it takes too much energy to hold grudges; you lose valuable time and relationships, etc. I experienced this with my earthly Dad. However, we made amends before he past.
I have had the privilege and opportunity to be part of; some great and some more challenging experiences. Plus, I have endeavored to learn from all experiences from everyone and everything. I will share a few of those noteworthy experiences in the explanations below. In my Women’s Conditioning Class was to teach the spouses of top CEO’s in physical conditioning and make the experience beneficial. I interviewed each participant to determine their training goals, physical and emotional limitations. Doing classes, I would observe each student to insure she was performing the techniques correctly and if they could not perform a particular technique, an alternative one was demonstrated. Doing my tenure as Assistant Director at the Ella Austin Outpatient Hospital in San Antonio, Texas; my front desk staff or receptionists were at times confronted with upset patients. I instructed the receptionist to do two things for loud and unruly patients who made them uncomfortable while attempting to help them. On a subconscious level, the mind will take in everything, and process it whether the individual is aware of it or not. My receptionist were instructed (if, they felt threaten) to take their car keys and place one of the keys between the fingers while talking to the patient. This reaction will create a reaction in the patient’s mind, on a subconscious level that they may be in ‘harms way’ with their behavior, and should calm down.
The other point of instruction to my receptionist when upon encountering a loud and rude individual, while they were attempting to answer their concerns, and the patient couldn’t hear the receptionist over the shouting is to ‘whisper’ what she was attempting to communicate to the patient. Two things will happen; one the patient will continue his/her very loud shouting and not listen to her, then the receptionist has no other course of action, except to call security to handle the matter. Or, secondly, the patient will pause for a moment to hear her ‘whisper’ of instructions. This is the opportunity to take control of the situation, and answer the patient’s initial inquiry. Subconsciously, the patient didn’t know he/she had been controlled with the ‘whisper’ method. Continue to use the ‘whisper’ method should the patient resume their shouting or contact security or a supervisor.
Dealing with problems is something no one can avoid for as long as they live on this earth. Whether the problem is big or small, significant or minor, one must attempt to deal with it, peacefully; initially. It is always my intentions to resolve any conflict peacefully by hopefully, providing a win-win situation for the parties involved. I don’t down rate any race of people. This is not my personae. I respect the value of people, because without people we wouldn’t experience emotions, free thoughts/ideas, fun, etc. You can’t do these things with machines. People are our greatest assets. Money, cars, property are all good, but without people, it just wouldn’t be the same type of enjoyment, learning, and fun. Therefore, I deal with people and issues as they present themselves to me, with respect, patience and value. Every problem has a solution, a learning factor/benefit, and requires people to assess it with all of the attributes a human possesses.
In the 911 Terrorist Attacks against the United States, I was commanding a response team in Somerset, PA. My team had to set up a BoO (base of operations) and needed certain materials and equipment to maintain operability and functionality, which we didn’t bring along, and had to procure on the civilian economy. The point I want to make is upon arriving at one of the vendors in the city, the sales person was so frighten about what had happened a few hours ago in their town, she was rattled beyond measure. The fear in her eyes and the lack of certainty in her voice is beyond any description of words for me to convey her feelings. As part of providing emergency management support to the State of Pennsylvania for a mortuary response, I also must provide ‘public affairs’ functions and consolement to the public we serve. My reaction to the sales clerk was to reassure her that everything is fine, currently no other attacks were foreseen, the government had as much of the situation under control as best as possible, and rest assured we would do all in our power to protect, preserve and recover what’s important to her and the community. We were there to help.
I remain to say, that Urban Self Defense can be defined in many ways, but I truly believe, it as a state of MIND. In My Opinion, what do you think? Feedback at www.youngsankarate.com; provide comments on the Feedback page.
H. James Young, Chief Instructor, Young San Karate
American Karate will be closed for the holiday season Wednesday, Christmas day until Monday January 6th. We wish all of our students and parents, friends and families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We hope that you come back with renewed goals and prepared to study and train harder than the year before.
AKMS BLACK BELTS DOWN BUT NOT OUT
Cristine Warring had surgery on her foot from a bone that had been free floating around her ankle for many years. She made it through well and will be recuperating and doing therapy for the next nine months. Kathy Marquez took a fall during a run which resulted in a torn rotator cuff and bicep. She will be recuperating and doing therapy for several months as well. We are happy to hear that they both made it through their surgeries and look forward to their return to class. In the mean time…..DON’T PUSH IT, Do what the therapist says.
YOUTH CLASSES COMBINED
During the month of January the Youth Novice and Intermediate classes will be open. It is my hopes that between the novice youth and their parents they will develop some goals. Karate can be fun and karate can be tedious but if they experience the more advanced students doing advanced kata, team and musical kata as well as weapons, they will understand the need for practice outside of the class room. Monday and Wednesday classes are from 6:30pm to 7:30pm.
GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR
2013 is over! Now is the time to reflect on your resolutions and accomplishments over the last twelve months. Did you accomplish a higher level of fitness or flexibility? Did you earn additional stripes or belt rank? Where did you excel? Where did you fall short? Goal setting is a powerful tool for thinking about your martial future, and for motivating yourself to turn your vision of this future into reality. The process of setting goals helps you choose where you want to go with your martial arts journey. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you will know where you have to concentrate your efforts. Setting goals gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation. It focuses your attainment of knowledge, and helps you to organize your time and your resources so that you can make the very most of your journey. By setting clearly defined goals you can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals, and you'll see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless chore. You will also raise your self-confidence.
You can set your goals on a number of levels:
- First you create your "big picture" of what you want to do with your martial arts journey (over the next 3-5 years), and identify the long term goals that you want to achieve.
- Then, you break these down into the smaller and smaller targets that you must hit to reach your long term goals.
- Finally, once you have your plan, you start working on it to achieve these goals.
Thomas Williams, Instructor AKMS
GOING THE DISTANCE
A new book is coming out in January. It is entitled “What Makes Olga Run? The Mystery of the 90-Something Track Star and What She Can Teach Us About Living Longer.” While that might not be an appealing title to some, it certainly caught my attention!
The book offers six (6) lessons on living longer and staying sharp from the perspective of this nonagenarian track star. The following are her smart habits for a long, healthy life:
- Swap the Sudoku for Sneakers: Increasing evidence suggests that exercise works better than even those brain games touted to boost memory and function.
- Stay On Your Feet: Even a regular morning jog can’t compensate for being inert the other 23 hours of the day, research shows.
- Eat Real Food: Olga eats four to five times a day, and not much in the evenings. She won’t skip meals or scarf fast food. A balanced diet is sufficient.
- Be a Creature of Habit: Under stress, people tend to fall back on routines – whether healthy or unhealthy. Those small familiar actions cue the body that it’s “showtime.” Your muscles have a memory!
- Cultivate a Sense of Progress: We all need the feeling that in some small ways we’re improving – or at least not backsliding. Without those “small wins,” our morale craters. The trick is to reframe progress so that is becomes a relative measure, not an absolute one. In other words, “move the yardstick” as you age.
- Lighten Up: People get stressed out over the smallest things. The fact that Olga doesn’t is as much a matter of choice as temperament. Her response to stressful situations, “Honestly, I don’t have the time!”
Jean Gaeddert, AKMS Black Belt
URBAN SELFDEFENSE (A Definition) Part II of II
Also, where the time permitted me to react in a manner aligned with the situation at hand, I am sure my instigator couldn’t imagine what next was about to happen, when I unleashed a full dose of controlled rage upon them.
Daily in my walk of life, I put on the ‘Whole Coat of Armor of God’, as my belief, as it provides my foundation for my existence. I don’t knock those who do believe or not believe in God, which is their chose alone. Everyone is entitle to believe as their wish, and is not my place to ridicule them about it. However, should they become interested to know about my Savior, then I am more than willing to share this with them.
It is always my desire to make the right decision about anything, and take responsibility for my actions, whether they be, right or not so accurate. As, I have commanded thousands of soldiers, my instructions to them is to make a prudent decision about a situation. If, it’s right, then we move forward. Should the decision not be so accurate, and then we would make our apologies and corrections and move on, because people sometimes get it ‘not as accurate’ as others would desire it. There are mitigating circumstances to every situation, and I have had my share. We are human, and do not always get it right, which is the nature of being human. Also, it takes too much energy to hold grudges; you lose valuable time and relationships, etc. I experienced this with my earthly Dad. However, we made amends before he past.
I have had the privilege and opportunity to be part of; some great and some more challenging experiences. Plus, I have endeavored to learn from all experiences from everyone and everything. I will share a few of those noteworthy experiences in the explanations below. In my Women’s Conditioning Class was to teach the spouses of top CEO’s in physical conditioning and make the experience beneficial. I interviewed each participant to determine their training goals, physical and emotional limitations. Doing classes, I would observe each student to insure she was performing the techniques correctly and if they could not perform a particular technique, an alternative one was demonstrated. Doing my tenure as Assistant Director at the Ella Austin Outpatient Hospital in San Antonio, Texas; my front desk staff or receptionists were at times confronted with upset patients. I instructed the receptionist to do two things for loud and unruly patients who made them uncomfortable while attempting to help them. On a subconscious level, the mind will take in everything, and process it whether the individual is aware of it or not. My receptionist were instructed (if, they felt threaten) to take their car keys and place one of the keys between the fingers while talking to the patient. This reaction will create a reaction in the patient’s mind, on a subconscious level that they may be in ‘harms way’ with their behavior, and should calm down.
The other point of instruction to my receptionist when upon encountering a loud and rude individual, while they were attempting to answer their concerns, and the patient couldn’t hear the receptionist over the shouting is to ‘whisper’ what she was attempting to communicate to the patient. Two things will happen; one the patient will continue his/her very loud shouting and not listen to her, then the receptionist has no other course of action, except to call security to handle the matter. Or, secondly, the patient will pause for a moment to hear her ‘whisper’ of instructions. This is the opportunity to take control of the situation, and answer the patient’s initial inquiry. Subconsciously, the patient didn’t know he/she had been controlled with the ‘whisper’ method. Continue to use the ‘whisper’ method should the patient resume their shouting or contact security or a supervisor.
Dealing with problems is something no one can avoid for as long as they live on this earth. Whether the problem is big or small, significant or minor, one must attempt to deal with it, peacefully; initially. It is always my intentions to resolve any conflict peacefully by hopefully, providing a win-win situation for the parties involved. I don’t down rate any race of people. This is not my personae. I respect the value of people, because without people we wouldn’t experience emotions, free thoughts/ideas, fun, etc. You can’t do these things with machines. People are our greatest assets. Money, cars, property are all good, but without people, it just wouldn’t be the same type of enjoyment, learning, and fun. Therefore, I deal with people and issues as they present themselves to me, with respect, patience and value. Every problem has a solution, a learning factor/benefit, and requires people to assess it with all of the attributes a human possesses.
In the 911 Terrorist Attacks against the United States, I was commanding a response team in Somerset, PA. My team had to set up a BoO (base of operations) and needed certain materials and equipment to maintain operability and functionality, which we didn’t bring along, and had to procure on the civilian economy. The point I want to make is upon arriving at one of the vendors in the city, the sales person was so frighten about what had happened a few hours ago in their town, she was rattled beyond measure. The fear in her eyes and the lack of certainty in her voice is beyond any description of words for me to convey her feelings. As part of providing emergency management support to the State of Pennsylvania for a mortuary response, I also must provide ‘public affairs’ functions and consolement to the public we serve. My reaction to the sales clerk was to reassure her that everything is fine, currently no other attacks were foreseen, the government had as much of the situation under control as best as possible, and rest assured we would do all in our power to protect, preserve and recover what’s important to her and the community. We were there to help.
I remain to say, that Urban Self Defense can be defined in many ways, but I truly believe, it as a state of MIND. In My Opinion, what do you think? Feedback at www.youngsankarate.com; provide comments on the Feedback page.
H. James Young, Chief Instructor, Young San Karate
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