02/Feb/12
Have you ever asked yourself that question when an instructor shows you a new form? Admittedly some of the moves of kata are pretty strange. “When would I ever use that?” you find yourself asking. The whole art and science of determining the practical application of martial techniques is called, in Japanese, “Bunkai.” Many martial artists have no clue what some of those esoteric moves really are. Fortunately we have arranged to have one of the world’s foremost experts on Bunkai coming to teach at our March 31st seminars and awards banquet. Tony Annesi was here several years ago and he was such a hit that we decided to have him back. I know you are going to really enjoy and benefit from his expertise in this area.
This year I am inviting any member of the American Karate Black Belt Association to come and join us. You may know that I am the Chairman of the High-Dan Board of that association as well as the AKATO (and of the GMAU, by the way). Why do I keep saying yes? Well, I know. Its because these are all organizations close to my heart.
Anyway, please put March 31 on your calendar. And if you are an AKATO instructor I will be needing your submissions for Student of the Year and the Tenets Awards soon. This is going to be a great day.
30/Dec/11
Since, we, as martial arts instructors, often serve as role models for kids, and sometimes even parents, I wanted to share this with you. Maybe it will help as you make your New Year’s resolutions.
How to raise a Delinquent
1. When he is a toddler give him whatever he wants when he cries for it so he will grow up to believe the best way to get what he wants is to demand it.
2. When he picks up bad words and hits his brother, laugh at him. This will make him think it is not only OK but even cute to misbehave.
3. Avoid the use of the word “wrong,” believing it might develop a guilt complex. Later, when he is caught stealing he will think society is against him and he is being unfairly persecuted.
4. Believing that denial leads to frustration, give him loads of presents that he’ll just forget days after Christmas or his birthday. And buy him stuff at the store whenever he asks for it too. He’ll come to believe he is owed whatever he desires.
5. When he doesn’t pick up after himself go ahead and do it for him. That way he will be experienced in thrusting responsibility onto others.
6. Speaking of responsibility, take his side against neighbors, teachers, even the police.
7. Let him watch R-rated movies with you thinking he won’t understand. He can more quickly learn about bad words, treating women as objects and violence as a way to get what he wants.
8. When you say, “You’re going to get a spanking (sent to you room, timeout, etc),” don’t follow-up. That way he’ll learn that consequences seldom follow bad behavior. Oh, and start putting some money aside now in a fund for bail money when he’s a teenager.
9. Quarrel frequently in front of him. He’ll learn that is the best way to deal with conflict and so he won’t be too shocked when you get a divorce later.
10. Finally, don’t take him to church saying you want him to decide for himself if there is a higher moral authority later in life. The best conversions happen in prison anyway.
Culled from The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart, Charles Swindoll, and Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, Paul Lee Tan.
14/Dec/11
From an interview with Keith D. Yates by Blue Snake Books
In the introduction of your book you explain, “American karate and American tae kwon do aren’t really so much styles of martial arts as much as ways of approaching the martial arts.” Can you please expand on this?
America has been called a “melting pot,” and that is certainly true when it comes to taking activities and sports from other cultures and stripping them down to the essentials. Because Americans don’t have the prejudices that someone from a certain country might have concerning their martial arts we can pick the techniques that work best for us. Bruce Lee, ironically not American born, was the man who popularized this approach in the United States.
You use the term “traditional” to refer to martial arts practice that places the emphasis on the “self-defense and character building aspects” and you use the term “modern” to refer to martial arts as sports, those geared toward “tournaments and competition techniques.” Are both found equally in America? Do you believe either one to be superior?
Well, I think it boils down to what you want out of your training. If you want to add another sport to your lifestyle, if you like competition and the spoils that come with winning them then you’ll enjoy the more modern approach. If you are interested in things like getting into better shape, improving your self confidence and self discipline, then you’ll probably be drawn to a more traditional approach to the martial arts. Having said this I doubt you will find many schools in North America that totally ignore one or the other of these aspects. It’s more a matter of degree. I will say that the more traditional the approach, the longer the students probably stay with it (I’m talking decades here). You probably won’t want to be competing in tournaments into middle age.
Your book addresses the martial arts of karate and tae kwon do and you, like many tae kwon do specialists, use these two terms interchangeably. You also explain that karate is the general term for “any striking martial art.” Will you please clarify any important differences in the history or practices of karate versus tae kwon do?
The term karate (empty hand) came into practice in the 1920s. The term tae kwon do (way of kicking and punching) was coined in 1955. So both are fairly modern names. Karate became popularized in America after servicemen returned from World War II. When I was growing up in the 1950s and ’60s, we read tales of “karate experts” in comic books and saw them on TV (“I Love Lucy” and “Dick Van Dyke” to name a couple). So when the new Korean martial art of tae kwon do was introduced into this country, the first teachers used the term “karate” because it was already in common usage (and, of course, early tae kwon do WAS karate—read the book).
By 1988, when tae kwon do was introduced into the Olympics, the art had enough of a following that the term was recognizable by most Americans. So most of the Olympic style practitioners (call them the Korean Kuki schools) hate using the word karate. And if your karate school proudly traces its lineage directly back to Japan proper you, no doubt, refuse to use the term tae kwon do. Still, there are hundreds of thousands of Americans who just call what they do American karate no matter the origin of their systems (remember the “melting pot”).
25/Sep/11
With our annual tournament schedule for October 29, the question might arise. What good are tournaments anyway? There is over-emphasis on winning, angry parents (and competitors), bad sportsmanship, and the list continues. Well, I think the good things outweigh the bad. Certainly if you place too much emphasis on winning then the vast majority of competitors will be sorely disappointed. After all only one person can win the first-place trophy in any given division. But if you go in with the attitude of doing your best and learning something positive (even if it is to block your groin next time) then you will have accomplished a lot. I try to tell that to my students and to their parents. Prepare to do your best and then actually do it. That is no guarantee that you’ll win but it is a guarantee that you can be proud of your effort both in the ring and for all those hours of practice that led up to that two minutes.
But having said that, I am not a believer in rewarding everyone equally. You know, the little soccer tournaments where they don’t even keep score and everyone gets an equal sized trophy. Life has winners and losers and you need to be equipped to face that reality. The majority of the time hard work does pay off but sometimes, just sometimes, the other guy gets in a lucky punch or kick. You have to be prepared to accept that and to keep training and not give up. Incidentally, while we aren’t going to give everyone a trophy we ARE going to give tournament patches out to the first 101 entrants.
So when you enter our tournament this year (download a flyer off the home page if you haven’t already) go in with the attitude that it is going to be fun, it is going to be a learning experience, and perhaps, you’ll have a first place trophy or even two to put on your shelf at home.