A big welcome to the Leeds Karate Academy and Akashi Karate who have recently joined the JKS GB and Ireland.
The LKA has Clubs in Boston Spa, Harrogate and has a full time dojo in Leeds and Akashi is also based in Leeds.
The LKA is ran by Sensei Nick Herald and Sensei Matt Price. This awesome duo gave a dynamic display of karate at the JKS World Championships in Scotland last year.
Sensei Glen has also attended many JKS events over the last few years and also manages to make a few appearances at the York dojo when time allows in his busy schedule.

Click on the yellow buttons below to go to the Akashi Shotokan Karate Club, LKA or the SSKC Home page

Saturday Feb. 4th 2012 The United States Martial Arts Federation held its annual USA Olympic Team qualifere in St. Albans WV. The Tournament was hoasted by Sensei Roger Jarrett.

Kaegan before his weapons Kata.

Kaegan with is 3rd place medal for Heian Nidan.

Practice before the Tourament started.

Kaegan asking his dad to hold his staff. Sensei Justice, Matt Lester and Matt Brown watch Sensei Larry Trogdon and Aaron Tiller warm up.

Kaegan starting Heian Nidan.

Several members attended the event but only a few took part. Kaegan Colman placed 3rd in Kata. Sensei Larry Trogdon placed 2nd in Sparring and 3rd in Kata. Aaron Tiller (Brown Belt) had to compete in mens black blet and did not place.

Saturday Feb. 4th 2012 The United States Martial Arts Federation held its annual USA Olympic Team qualifere in St. Albans WV. The Tournament was hoasted by Sensei Roger Jarrett.

Kaegan before his weapons Kata.

Kaegan with is 3rd place medal for Heian Nidan.

Practice before the Tourament started.

Kaegan asking his dad to hold his staff. Sensei Justice, Matt Lester and Matt Brown watch Sensei Larry Trogdon and Aaron Tiller warm up.

Kaegan starting Heian Nidan.

Several members attended the event but only a few took part. Kaegan Colman placed 3rd in Kata. Sensei Larry Trogdon placed 2nd in Sparring and 3rd in Kata. Aaron Tiller (Brown Belt) had to compete in mens black blet and did not place.

Recently Condon Sensei and Rushton Sensei both posted this picture on Facebook.
As gradings approach (20 days away) I thought I would share it with you all.

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

Stick Ups

Name:  Stick Ups.

Also known as:  Wall Slides.

Main muscles used:  Upper back.

Other muscles used:

Top tips:

• Stand with your back against a wall or any flat surface.
• Have your feet a few inches away from the wall.
• Keep your belly tight throughout.
• Have your bum, shoulder blades and back of head touching the wall.
• Keeping these 3 points of contact at all times, put your arms up, as if someone were pointing a gun at you.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades back together until your elbows touch the wall.
• If you can, try to get your wrists to touch the wall also.
• Keeping these 5 points of contact with the wall at all times, slowly slide your arms up and down to the count of 4 seconds.
• When pulling your arms down, think about squeezing your elbows in tight to your sides.

Common mistakes:

• Letting your bum/shoulder blades/head peel away from the wall.
• Failing to get your elbows back touching the wall.
• Failing to get your wrists back touching the wall.
• Relaxing your belly and letting it arch out in front in an attempt to get your elbows touching the wall.

Comments:

This is a very good variation of the Scapular Retraction exercise and is particularly good for anyone who suffers from a slumped forward posture.

Not only does it help mobilise the upper back and shoulders, but develops the muscles needed to pull the body back into an upright posture, and it teaches us how it actually feels to be upright.  If this move feels very alien to you, it is an indication of how much your posture is off.

And don’t worry if you can’t do it at first.  Many people these days find it difficult/odd at first.  The trick is do it “little and often”.  Do this exercise as part of every warm up, and for a few seconds several times each day.

Competition Flyer

The Competition is open to JKS clubs in the region and is designed for karteka with little or no competition experience. Any age and grade just come and experience competition in a friendly atmosphere.
Club instructors will be issued with a competition pack soon and entries are required back in by the 16th of April.
The only restriction for entry is that if you have held your Dan grade for more than twelve months you are not allowed to enter, this applies to all ages.
Karateka that won cups last year can you return them on the B and B trg in March, thank you.

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Hip mobility is important for all of us.  It helps us do everyday moves.  It helps us do athletic/sporting moves.  It can help protect against dodgy knees and backs and general aches and pains.  In short, it lets us move better, move more and move safer.

So here is a quick and easy routine for almost anyone to improve their hip mobility.  There are only 4 stretches involved and it only takes 3 minutes, so you don’t have any excuses (you can even do it in the advert breaks of X Factor!)

So here goes…

Squat Stretch (click here for details).

Squat Stretch

Cossack Stretch (click here for details).

Cossack mobility stretch

Left side Hip Flexor Lunge Stretch (click here for details).

Hip Flexor Lunge Stretch

Right side Hip Flexor Lunge Stretch (click here for details).

Hip Flexor Lunge Stretch

Do the above four stretches for 10 seconds each, then repeat again for 15 seconds each, then a third and final round of 20 seconds each.  That makes a grand total of 180 seconds, or only 3 minutes!  And trust me, your hips will feel a lot looser and mobile afterwards.

You will get significant short term benefits from doing just this, so it would be a good drill to put into your warm ups.  But to get longer term benefits, follow the “little and often” principle.  Do this mini drill several times a day and you will get longer lasting and more permanent results.

Arm Step Out – Good

Name:  Arm Step Out.

Also known as:   (If you know these by any other name, please leave a comment below).

Main muscles used:  Belly.

Other muscles used:  Shoulders, lats.

Top tips:

• Set yourself up in a Pressup position.
• Keep your belly very tight and your bottom down from the start.
• Keeping your body rigid and straight, take a step forwards with one arm, then the other, before returning to the start position.

Arm Step Out – Bad

Common mistakes:

• Letting your hips hang down low and arching your back down.
• Letting your body roll side to side.
• Letting your body bend or sway as you step your arms forwards/backwards.
• Only doing little, tiny steps with your arms.

Comments:

This is a dynamic progression to the Front Plank.  When your arms are stepped forwards, the move is simply a harder version of the Front Plank.  But when your hand is in motion, there is a strong twisting force acting on your body that your midsection has to work hard to control.  This is what makes it a good move.

Start by making sure you can do the move slowly and under control.  As with many of these exercises, quality is most important.

Reverse Crunch – Good

Name:  Reverse crunch.

Also known as:   (If you know these by any other name, please leave a comment below).

Main muscles used:  belly, sides.

Other muscles used:  Hip flexors.

Top tips:

• Lay on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor.
• Make sure your lower back is not arched off the floor.
• Use your hands to hold onto an anchor point above your head if it helps.
• Keep your heels tucked tight into your bum throughout the move.
• Pull your knees tight up into your chest, keeping your heels tucked tight.
• Try to lift your bum up off the floor and get yourself into a nice, tight, cannonball.
• Return your feet to the floor under control.
• Make sure your lower back is flat on the floor before your feet touch the floor.

Reverse Crunch – Bad

Common mistakes:

• Arching your lower back off the floor at the start/end of the move.
• “Flinging” your knees and feet up in the air to gain momentum.
• Not being in a tight cannonball shape half way through the move.
• “Dumping” your feet back onto the floor at the end of the move.

Comments:

Many people find this move difficult at the start, but it is a very good “core” exercise.  I use this to help people who are having trouble with their Planks, Wheelbarrows, Pressups and people with poor posture.

This can help towards correcting an over arched lower back, or anterior pelvic tilt.

Squat Stretch – Good

Name:  Squat Stretch.

Also known as:   (If you know these by any other name, please leave a comment below).

Main muscles used:  Inner thighs.

Other muscles used:  Bum.

Top tips:

• Have your feet a good shoulder width apart.
• Feet turned out slightly.
• Squat down low so your bum gets close to the floor.
• Jam your elbows on the inside of your knees and push them outwards so you feel a stretch on your inner thighs.
• Keep your feet flat and heels firm on the floor at all times.
• Keep your chest out and shoulders back at all times.

Squat Stretch – Bad

Common mistakes:

• Having your feet too close together.
• Having your knees too close together.
• Pulling the heels off the floor and going onto the toes.
• Slumping the shoulders and back forwards.
• Confusing “getting the bum low” with “getting the head low”.

Comments:

This is a very good hip mobility and adductor stretch exercise.  A person with good hip mobility is less likely to display movement compensations that can lead to injuries, including back problems.

Too much sitting in our lives can lead to tight hips, including adductors (inner thighs).  If you are not careful, this can lead to dodgy backs and knees.  So if you have dodgy backs/knees, or if you want to avoid them, make sure you do this stretch regularly.

The squat stretch helps with both athletic moves (running, jumping, landing etc) and everyday moves (sitting, standing, climbing stairs etc).