Just a reminder that there are no karate classes scheduled during the school break.
Regular classes will resume next Tuesday, January 6, 2015.
See you at the dojo!
Month: December 2014
Merry Christmas!
Wishing everyone the very merriest Christmas and all the best in the New Year!!
See you at the dojo!
Some Pics from the grading
In case you were wondering…
… what a kata looks like written down… Here are the written steps to Pinan Shodan. If you’ve never had someone show you how to perform Pinan Shodan… good luck with this!!
PINAN SHODAN
- Look left. Step out to your left into hidari kokutsu dachi (left back stance), while performing a hidari tettsui otoshi-uke (left hammer downward block). By dropping into the low back stance, one adds acceleration to the downward blocking technique.
- Step into migi zenkutsu dachi (right forward stance), and perform a migi jun-zuki (right lunge punch). The unwinding of the body from the back stance into forward stance accelerates the lunge punch.
- Retract the right leg and turn to the right 180 degrees ending up in migi zenkutsu dachi, and perform a migi gandan barai. The downward block is accelerated by the forceful and fluid twisting of the hips from the previous stance.
- Draw the right foot in a half step and turn the hips to the left such that you are now in shizen hontai (normal natural stance) about 45-90 degrees to the left of your zenkutsu dachi, and pull your right fist into kamae. Perform migi age-zuki (right rising punch) then execute migi tettsui otoshi-uke (right hammer downward block), twisting the upper part of the body to the right about 30-45 degrees in order to add more power to the tettsui. The feet however remain in shizen hontai and the knees bend into each other slightly to allow the upper portion of the body to turn with more power, while the feet remain stationary. The idea here is that you are blocking two consecutive punches from your opponent; one that is at the jodan level, and the second to the chudan level.
- Step to the right into hidari zenkutsu dachi (left forward stance) while performing hidari jun-zuki (left lunge punch).
- Turn 90 degrees to the left into hidari zenkutsu dachi and perform hidari gandan barai.
- Step into migi zenkutsu dachi and perform a migi age-uke (right upward block).
- Step into hidari zenkutsu dachi and perform a hidari age-uke (left upward block).
- Step into migi zenkutsu dachi and perform a migi age-uke.KIAI.
- Turn 225 degrees to the left into hidari zenkutsu dachi and perform hidari gandan barai.
- Step into migi zenkutsu dachi and perform migi jun-zuki.
- Turn 90 degrees to the right into migi zenkutsu dachi and perform migi gandan barai.
- Step into hidari zenkutsu dachi and perform hidari jun-zuki.
- Turn 45 degrees to the left into hidari zenkutsu dachi and perform hidari gandan barai.
- Step forward into migi zenkutsu dachi and perform migi jun-zuki.
- Step forward into hidari zenkutsu dachi and perform hidari jun-zuki.
- Step forward into migi zenkutsu dachi and perform migi jun-zuki.KIAI.
- Turn 225 degrees to the left into hidari nekoashi dachi (left cat stance), while blocking with the migi teisho uke (right palmer block). Place the left hand (palm up) over the right hand (palm down) in preparation for the nukite (spear hand) strike. This is an intermediate stance and should be immediately followed by the next stance.
- Step forward and twist the hips into kiba dachi (straddle stance), while performing a hidari nukite (left spear hand). A kiba dachi is also referred to as shikoashi (side viewing).
- Step forward with the right, passing through migi nekoashi dachi (right cat stance), into migi juji dachi (right cross stance), while placing the right hand (palm up) over the left hand (palm down) in preparation for the nukite strike. This is an intermediate stance and should be immediately followed by the next stance.
- Twist the hips into kiba dachi, while performing a migi nukite (right spear hand thrust).
- Turn 90 degrees to the right into migi nekoashi dachi, while blocking with the hidari teisho uke (left palmer block). Place the right hand (palm up) over the left hand (palm down) in preparation for the nukite strike. As before, this is an intermediate stance.
- Step forward and twist the hips into kiba dachi, while performing a migi nukite.
- Step forward with the left, passing through hidari nekoashi dachi, into hidari juji dachi (left cross stance), while placing the left hand (palm up) over the right hand (palm down) in preparation for the nukite strike. This is an intermediate stance and should be immediately followed by the next stance.
- Twist the hips into kiba dachi, while performing a hidari nukite.Yame.
New Words of Wisdom
Check out these new Words of Wisdom.
“Pain: It’s all in your head… Or gut, mouth, arm. Depends on where you were hit last!” – Zagger
Read more on our Words of Wisdom page.
CONGRATULATIONS!
… to everyone who participated in the grading last night!
Everyone worked really hard and the senseis were impressed with the hard work shown on the floor.
A special thank you to Sensei Darren who joined us from Calgary to lead our grading! It is always nice to see Sensei Darren in our dojo. He was also very pleased with the effort shown by our karateka during the grading. We wish him a safe trip back to Calgary today.
Last night was the final class of 2014 for our club. As we follow the same holidays as the school, we will return to regular classes on Tuesday, January 6, 2015.
Have a very Merry Christmas and the very best in the New Year!
See you at the dojo.
GRADING today!
The grading is tonight at the dojo.
Just for Kicks please be there by 5:45 to begin the grading at 6:00 pm.
Jr/Adult group please be ready to begin your grading at 7:30 pm.
For those of you new to the grading process, here are a few tips:
You are being graded from the moment you step onto the training floor to take your position. The speed with which you take your place and your behaviour while doing so are considered part of your grading.
Unless told to do so by the instructing sensei, you should not break your position/stance. “Maintenance of Stance” is a component of the grading. Hold your stance/position until the sensei instructs you to relax or change stances.
If you leave the floor, for any reason, your grading is over. Karateka (students) are reminded to use the washroom before the grading begins as permission to leave the floor during the grading process will NOT be granted.
Grading participants are reminded that no jewelry is permitted on the training floor. Finger and toe nails should be clipped.
Belts must be tied.
Participants should not be talking during the grading.
Observers are asked to remain quiet during the grading. It is important that participants hear the instructor clearly. Any distractions around the dojo can have an adverse affect on the grading outcome.
Good luck, everyone!
See you at the dojo.
GRADING Tomorrow!
Just a reminder to everyone that the grading is TOMORROW EVENING! Be sure to arrive early and do your own warm up so we can begin on time.
Just For Kicks – arrive by 5:45 – Grading begins at 6:00 pm.
Jr/Adult – Grading begins at 7:30 pm. Be sure to arrive early.
See you at the dojo.
GRADING this coming Tuesday!!
All students are reminded about the grading that is being held this coming Tuesday, December 16, 2014.
The Just for Kicks class should arrive at the dojo by 5:45 pm and the grading will begin promptly at 6:00 pm.
The Jr/Adult class should arrive by 7:15 pm (or earlier) and warm up so the grading can begin promptly at 7:30 and end by 9:00.
There is a special surprise in store for us at this grading as well!!
See you at the dojo!!
New Harmonizer available now
The Harmonizer is the national publication of the Shintani Wado Kai Karate Federation. In it you will find many interesting articles on karate techniques, Federation events/info, and stories of Shintani tournaments and events.
This issue is the inaugural issue of the newly formed Harmonizer committee. The new committee consists of members from across Canada and includes our own Sensei Kevin! Congratulations to Sensei for being selected to the committee.
Click the link and check out their first issue. Check out some previous issues as well for articles of interest and to see the changes the new committee has made. If you have any suggestions for articles, please let Sensei Kevin know and he’ll share them with the committee. Or write an article yourself and you may find it published in The Harmonizer! The next issue comes out in February.
Moose Mountain Karate 