Hi everyone.
A few things to cover in this newsletter. Please share with your kids.
I hope everyone is enjoying Karate so far this year. We have new members joining us at both Ipswich and Harrisville dojos this term. Welcome to you all.
PRACTICE.
I’d like to present this translation of a quote from Gichin Funakoshi, often referred to as the father of modern Karate.
“Karate is like boiling water, if you do not heat it constantly, it will cool.”
What does this mean? Basically, if we do not train regularly and with intensity, our gained abilities will decrease. It is common for students to train hard and work on their skills leading up to a grading and then when they get their new belt, they ease off and before long they are back where they started. It takes so much effort to improve but these skills are not permanent. They require constant effort to maintain and even more effort to continue improving. Take kata for example. How long does it take to learn a new kata? If you then don’t practice it for a week or two you will start to forget parts. Now you have to start again just to remember the sequence. Instead you should be practicing it regularly and improving what you already know. Keep the water boiling. Keep your skills sharp. It takes discipline to build a habit of practice but if you can spare a few minutes every day you will benefit. There are many ways to practice at home but kata is specifically designed for solo practice so it’s a great option. Refer to our website for all kata videos to help with home practice. Younger kids may need some encouragement from parents. A good way to get them practicing is to ask them to show you something they did in class.
GRADING.
As always, grading is optional. It can be motivating to have a specific goal to work towards but some may prefer to come to training just for fun and that’s fine. They will still make progress and may choose to grade at a later time.
Those who would like to grade will need to see me in class to register their intention to grade. This will be recorded in a book. This does not guarantee grading. I will give them notes on what is required for their next belt. It is up to the student to ensure they make progress towards these requirements with constant effort in class and practice at home. Once they have shown appropriate progress, they will receive an invitation to the next grading. Not everyone will grade at every grading. The time between gradings will vary depending on individual effort. Practice lots and you will progress faster. Don’t practice and you will be waiting a while. I will be accepting grading registrations from next week.
Black belt is often see as the ultimate goal in Karate and while it is a significant accomplishment, taking many years, there is far more to learn beyond this point. Shodan (the first level of black belt) means first step or beginner level… it is far from mastery.
MOUTH GUARDS.
All brown belts should now have a mouth guard. Please get comfortable wearing these (they feel a bit weird to begin with) and bring them with you to class so we can increase the intensity of your training to get you where you need to be in preparation for black belt.
CYCLONE!
I hope everyone is prepared and stays safe in the upcoming weather. Hopefully classes can continue next week but we will have to wait and see. Access to Harrisville may be difficult for me if flooding occurs. Stay tuned for updates.
Finally, please enjoy the Karate Curlews (bush stone-curlews) who live behind the Ipswich Girl Guides hut. Keep an eye out for them next time you’re there but please give them space.
All the best,
Leif Prime
Enso Karate 