Tonight's Lesson Plan

Back to 2 Nights per Week

Beginning in September, we will be training 2 nights/week.
The new hours are:

• Wednesday, 6:00 - 7:30
• Friday, 6:00 - 7:30

Special Training and Promotions - June 2011

Thanks to everyone who participated in the June 18, 2011 special training!

Training While on Vacation

Training while on vacation...is it worth it?

For some people, vacation is down time--kick back in the hotel room...watch the tube (what are we going to call it now that there is no longer a tube involved?) Some like to visit all the tourist attractions; the zoo, the theme park, the mall, etc. Others like to sit on the beach and tan or take a hike to a waterfall. I personally like to do all of these things.

I also like to train while I'm on vacation.

You may ask; "You're on vacation, why would you want to train?" It's a valid question.

Here are some of my reasons:

• If I'm staying in a hotel, there's most likely a great full length mirror to practice in front of. With a mirror I can practice and get instant input on my technique.
• Many hotels have exercise facilities. These make great places to train while on vacation. I like to choose a time when not too many people are there so I don't have to engage in conversation about mixed martial arts, Bruce Lee, Karate Kid, or answer that age old rhetorical question; "Have you ever had to use it"?
• When I'm on vacation, I actually have less distractions and more down time.  These make for great times to try out the latest koshi principle while the family debates their attire for the day.
• Often, there is a Dojo nearby where I'm vacationing.  With a little research and advance planning, I can often find someone to train with. 
• Usually, my vacations include an outdoor component. Since I love the outdoors, training next to a lake, on the beach, or in the woods is a great way for me to enjoy nature and train at the same time.  This also has the added bonus of providing me different kinds of terrain and obstacles.  Trees make excellent training partners, too! Again, I try to find an inconspicuous time and place to avoid observers.

So, is it worth it to train when you're on vacation? You decide :)

So Many Things to Practice!

It seems that there are just so many things to practice in order to have a meaningful karate training experience.

First there's the stance. The stance is important. Shorin Ryu kata contain a variety of stances. There's the natural stance, the front stance, the squat stance, the naihanchi stance, the cat stance, the cross-legged stance, standing on one leg, etc.  They're hard to learn, and it takes years of practice till they feel "comfortable".

Next there's blocks. So many blocks.  High block. Middle block. Striking block. Low block. Knifehand block. Reinforced block...etc. They're hard to learn, and it takes years of practice till they feel "comfortable".

On to strikes...lots of strikes...Lunge punch, reverse punch,  spear hand, hammerfist, one-nuckle, knifehand, elbow strikes, knee strikes, kicks, etc. They're hard to learn, and it takes years of practice till they feel "comfortable".

Anyway, I could go on forever like this.  It takes years of practice until just about any technique feels "comfortable".

Guess I better go practice!