Shotokan Karate Blogs » Kata http://www.myshotokan.com/blog Personal and Dojo Shotokan Karate Blogs Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:39:03 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Muscle Gain Truth and Karate Training http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/muscle-gain-truth-and-karate-training/ http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/muscle-gain-truth-and-karate-training/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:29:17 +0000 MyShotokan http://myshotokan.wordpress.com/?p=71 ]]>

Greetings Everyone,

I hope you are in good health and your training has been enthusiastic!

The website MyShotokan.com has remained unchanged over the past couple years, and yet it continues to grow in membership day after day!

The website currently has over 13,000 members, with 8 to 15 new people registering each day.

The MyShotokan.com website was created at the peak of my training career, And yet, almost twenty years of training Shotokan and teaching a small dojo of students, my training came to a peak, and then stopped.

In the past three years, I’ve done only eight karate workouts.

The First Two Years Off

The first two years – I gave up almost all physical training. I became stiff, and I believe I was physically weaker than anytime in my adult life.

I recall walking down a short, steep set of stairs and feeling my quads trembling under my weight.

At that moment, a light went on – and I became determined to get back into shape, gain some muscle, and put the joy of training back into my days!

Looking Back

About 18 months ago I started with a short swimming routine a few times each week.  I was out of breath after 25 meters, and did flutter kick on my back to strengthen my quads and stabilize my knees.

Then, as luck would have it, last year I moved to the same city as my old-time dojo training partner!  He started me on a light, general strength training routine and swimming routine twice each week, and we’ve become regulars at one of the local gyms.

Nowadays, I can swim 1000 meters in under 20 min and my body is feeling strong enough to head back to the Dojo – to get some spring back into my muscles!

I’m looking forward to stretch out and seriously approach each kata as though I’m just learning it.

But before I go to the Dojo…

16 Weeks Of Strength Training

However, before I head to the dojo again, I’m taking 16 weeks to see if I can put on some muscle – get strong *and* flexible as I get ready to head back to Shotokan training sometime around the start of November… just as it’s starting to get cold here in Canada.

Bodybuilding and Karate?

As a martial artist, you may have heard that strength training and karate training are not a good mix…I’ve heard that too… but I’ve been finding many benefits to it, so I want to learn more…

As life would have it, recently, I started two projects, and they combined together into this:

A New YouTube Channel and Blog about this training guide I’ve just started following, called Muscle Gain Truth. I’m presently on Day 1 of Week 2, and creating a daily video blog of my muscle gain body transformation as I go along.

==> http://www.youtube.com/bodybuildingblogca

On Being A Sensie In A Dojo

One of the great things I loved, and miss about being a Sensei in a Dojo — is the group of people that you get to train with.  The enthusiasm of the group – and the commitment to vigorous training, builds trust and creates friendships that last a life time.

I was always there for classes because the people kept bringing me back.  It was fun!

Now I’m approaching my new YouTube Channel as the same thing – the group of people who come to watch and comment on my training – it’s
those people who will give this channel and blog it’s life.

And I couldn’t think of a better group of people to invite!

I would be honored if you would stop buy and say hello!

==> http://www.youtube.com/bodybuildingblogca

Your comments and participation here will have a lot to do with how I restructure and rebuild MyShotokan.com in the future – I think of this youtube channel as an experiment so I can get all the kinks out before MyShotokan.com get’s a make-over…

My Starting Profile

I’m 45 years old. 2nd Degree Shotokan Black belt who hasn’t trained karate in a few years. I’m stiff and overweight. And not very strong.

You can see my ‘before picture’ and video clip here:

==> http://www.youtube.com/bodybuildingblogca

Hope to have you along for the journey!
All the best!

Doug,
www.myshotokan.com

and, oops, I see some unanswered messages in the myshotokan.com
help desk area…I wonder if the help desk is sending email
notifications to me…

]]> http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/muscle-gain-truth-and-karate-training/feed/ 1 Grading Saturday 26th June http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/grading-saturday-26th-june/ http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/grading-saturday-26th-june/#comments Wed, 23 Jun 2010 21:37:46 +0000 MyShotokan http://www.kerryshotokan.com/?p=654

Please note that grading will take place on Saturday 26th June at the sports Complex Killorglin.

The event will start at 11:00 am with the children and lower belts. Fee for the grading is €25. Please bring your budo passes. Please note that people presenting for grading are expected to know the appropriate Kata and Syllabus. The syllabus for each of the belts can be found on this website.

]]> http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/grading-saturday-26th-june/feed/ 0 An old friend re-visited. http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/an-old-friend-re-visited/ http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/an-old-friend-re-visited/#comments Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:27:00 +0000 Selby Karateka

With gradings behind us and a dojo full of karateka with bright new belts; I wanted to try something a little different that would challenge our students.

There was a kata that I used to practice with Stav a few years ago called Kashu (Hi no te): one of Asai Shihan’s elemental kata based on Unsu (Fire).
Kato Shihan had asked Sensei Ash to practice it as part of his preparation for his Yondan grading. Dave and I were mid kyu grades, but we really liked this kata and would practice it at both Selby and Haxby dojo before anyone else arrived.
As well as challenging my students I also like to challenge myself.
How do I teach Kashu, when I have a mixed class from ungraded students to 1st Kyus?
I divided the class in half, green belt and below and purple and belt up.
For each sequence in the kata I taught a simplified version for the lower grades based on techniques that they know, or could easily pick up and the more advanced kata moves for the higher grades.
Lower grades:
Age Uke, Age Uke, Empi, Gedan bari……
Higher grades:
Jodan bari, Gyaku Zuki, Jodan bari, Gyaku Zuki, Shuto, Empi, Kentsui, Gedan bari….
The higher grades having typically 2 moves, sometimes 3 moves to each of the lower grades single moves.
We looked at the application of Jodan bari, and how combinations from the kata could be used in Jiyu Ippon Kumite for brown belts.
The importance of correct use of the hips in combinations like Kentsui, Gedan bari when you are moving from Kokutsu-dachi to Zenkutsu-dachi, making shomen mid technique is essential to develop power.
I love the application of move 20, Jim from Haxby went spinning to the floor as the strike landed, it has the feel of an Aikido move, you just seem to flow round your attacker as he dissolves at your feet.
I was certainly challenging myself trying to teach a high grade kata and devise a simplified kata as we went along and still maintain a fluid lesson.
I will have to ask Kato Shihan to teach it again, now hopefully my understanding has moved on a bit. I hope you enjoyed our visit to an old friend as much as I did? We won’t do many sessions like this, but it is good to look into your future and what most of you were learning is how to learn a kata. By each of the higher grades taking a lead in rotation, it forced you to pay attention and at the end of the night you could all perform a 45 move kata that you had never seen before today, not a bad session, Osu!

Click on the yellow button below to return to the “HOME” page

]]> http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/an-old-friend-re-visited/feed/ 0 More Shotokan and Asai Ryu Kata videos uploaded http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/more-shotokan-and-asai-ryu-kata-videos-uploaded/ http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/more-shotokan-and-asai-ryu-kata-videos-uploaded/#comments Fri, 11 Jun 2010 21:02:00 +0000 Selby Karateka

I have uploaded a few more kata from Latvia and mainstream old JKA kata with Bunkai

  • Jurokupo
  • Juroppo
  • Gyaku Zuki No Kata
  • Zenkutsu Dachi No Kata
  • Kiba Dachi No Kata
  • Fushu (Kaze No Te) ( Wind Hands)
  • Bassai Dai
  • Kanku Dai
  • Jitte
If you follow the link to my kata page and double click on the kata name, it will take you to the video of the kata selected.

Click on the yellow buttons below to return to the “HOME” or sskc “Kata” pages.
]]> http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/more-shotokan-and-asai-ryu-kata-videos-uploaded/feed/ 0 Ardee Competition Reminder http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/ardee-competition-reminder/ http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/ardee-competition-reminder/#comments Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:38:02 +0000 Marc http://www.kerryshotokan.com/?p=621

A reminder that all participants to the competition in Ardee need to bring their Budo Pass as proof of insurance. For information on the tournament rules, please see http://www.karateireland.eu/2010/Ireland_Wado_Kai_Karate_Do_Renmei_2010.pdf

Some of the categories require to alternate between 2 Katas.

Registration is at 9:00 in Ardee. Remember to bring your pads (red/blue) mouth guards and red and blue belts if you have them Looking forward to seeing you there.

]]> http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/ardee-competition-reminder/feed/ 0 The Karate Channel http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/the-karate-channel/ http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/the-karate-channel/#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:30:59 +0000 MyShotokan http://www.karatekata.net/karate-video/the-karate-channel


www.thekaratechannel.tv

 

 




REGISTER NOW

@

 

www.thekaratechannel.tv

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: karate dvd, Karate Kata, karate movies, karate video

]]> http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/the-karate-channel/feed/ 0 Next Grading in February 2010 http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/next-grading-in-february-2010/ http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/next-grading-in-february-2010/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:01:03 +0000 Marc http://www.kerryshotokan.com/?p=429

Hi,

The next grading will take place on 26th February and not on 19th as initially planned. This will give everybody time to revise katas and Kihons.

Please remember that there is no guarantee that you will grade successfully and I would encourage you to discuss with Sensei Charles to check if you (or your children) are ready for grading before presenting for grading. Knowledge of the appropriate Kata is a requirement.

to grade for the folllowing belts, here is the Kata required:

Orange – Heian Shodan

Blue – Heian Nidan

1st Green – Heian Sandan

2nd Green – Heian Yondan

1st Purple – Heian Godan

Second Purple – Tekki Shodan.

]]> http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/next-grading-in-february-2010/feed/ 0 Karate-Do – Book Review http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/karate-do-%e2%80%93-book-review/ http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/karate-do-%e2%80%93-book-review/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:31:59 +0000 MyShotokan http://www.karatekata.net/karate-books/karate-do-book-review

Karate-Do: My Way of Life(paperback)

Transcript -

“the neighbors took to the conjecturing among themselves as to where I went and what I was doing. Some decided that the only possible answer to this curios enigma as a brothel.

The truth was very different indeed. Night after night, often in the backyard of Azato house as the master looked on, I would practice a kata time and again week after week, sometimes month after month, until I had mastered it to my teacher’s satisfaction. This constant repetitions of a single kata was grueling, often exasperating and on occassion humiliating. More than once I had to lick the dust on the floor of the dojo or inthe Azato backyard. But practice was strict, and I was never permitted to move on to another kata until Azato was convinced that I had satisfactorily understood the one I had been working on.”

Order Your Copy Here

 

Technorati Tags: karate books, Karate Kata, shotokan karate, shotokan kata

]]> http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/karate-do-%e2%80%93-book-review/feed/ 0 Thank You http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/thank-you/ http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/thank-you/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:52:59 +0000 MyShotokan http://www.karatekata.net/uncategorized/thank-you

Thank You

Thank you to all of our World Wide Karate Family for taking the time to fill out the Survey. It was a great success and we had some great feedback. The good news is the feedback was all positive so it looks like Karate TV will be launching in 2010.


By now you should have received your FREE copy of ” 9 Fun & Easy Tips to Improve Your Kata”. If you haven’t received it just drop us an email and we will get it to you straigth away.

 


And The Winner of our Competion is: S. Doyle from Cork, Ireland

He receives a copy of of Karate-Do My Way of Life


 

Thank you again to everyone who completed the survey. If you would like to be on our email list to be informed of when the first episode of Karate TV is on air then please send us an email and we will keep you posted

 

In the Spirit of Karate

Karate Del

email: info@karatekata.net

 

]]> http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/thank-you/feed/ 0 More Asai Ryu kata posted http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/more-asai-ryu-kata-posted/ http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/more-asai-ryu-kata-posted/#comments Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:19:00 +0000 Selby Karateka
  • Junro Shodan
  • Junro Nidan
  • Junro Sandan
  • Junro Yondan
  • Junro Godan
  • Jo No Kata &
  • Mawari No Kata

If you follow the link to my kata page and double click on the kata name, it will take you to the individual kata page.
If you double click on the video titled "step by step" guide, it will take you back to YouTube, click on "more info" in the sidebar and it will bring up a full list of all the moves.

Click on the yellow buttons below to return to the "HOME" or sskc "Kata" pages

]]>

I have uploaded a few more kata from Latvia, they are “step by step” guides.

  • Junro Shodan
  • Junro Nidan
  • Junro Sandan
  • Junro Yondan
  • Junro Godan
  • Jo No Kata &
  • Mawari No Kata

If you follow the link to my kata page and double click on the kata name, it will take you to the individual kata page.
If you double click on the video titled “step by step” guide, it will take you back to YouTube, click on “more info” in the sidebar and it will bring up a full list of all the moves.

Click on the yellow buttons below to return to the “HOME” or sskc “Kata” pages
]]> http://www.myshotokan.com/blog/more-asai-ryu-kata-posted/feed/ 0