… english version below …
> Nancy Ricard
Le 13 décembre dernier, nous avons toutes trois passé le grade du 10ième kyu, ceinture orange… Marie-Léo (5 ans), Jeanne (7 ans), et moi-même, Nancy (41ans) avons débuté nos séances de karaté en septembre 2008. Les motivations de départ étaient nombreuses: satisfaire une curiosité, faire travailler le corps autrement, favoriser la concentration et l’équilibre, et développer des réflexes de défense. De plus, quelle joie que de découvrir une nouvelle discipline avec mes filles, toutes trois sans aucune expérience, ni même connaissance. Malgré le fait que nous étions déjà très actives, nous avons rapidement été mises au défi, au cœur d’une nouvelle culture. Les mouvements n’étaient pas familiers, l’effort physique exigeant et les termes japonais! Les katas demandaient une concentration sans faille et l’équilibre n’y était pas. Nous réalisions dès le départ que la route que nos avions choisie serait ardue. De plus, je me demandais : pourquoi ajouter des examens, nous sommes déjà très sollicitées à l’école, au travail? Mais à chacun de nos entrainements surgissait des moments de pure satisfaction, physique et mentale. Nous avons donc persévéré, et fourni les efforts additionnels afin de bien performer lors de la journée de l’examen.
Il faut aussi parler de l’esprit du dojo, inspiré par Sensei Luciano qui est épaulé par Sampai Marisa. Leur passion pour le karaté est débordante. Nous ressentons ainsi cette touche personnelle bien sincère, ainsi que les valeurs qu’ils veulent transmettent et qui nous portent à fournir de grands efforts, au dépassement, et à la réussite. Ils parviennent à trouver l’équilibre entre la discipline, le respect, l’encouragement, et la valorisation de chaque élève. Quelle fierté pour un enfant que de recevoir des félicitations de son Sensei, de Sampai…il en parlera pendant plusieurs jours et ça restera imprégné dans son esprit. En fait, pour l’adulte aussi!…De plus, c’est pour moi un plaisir et très enrichissant que de côtoyer des partenaires de tous les âges et de différents niveaux, et je me réjouis de leur réussite. Encore plus de fierté à partager!
Quant à notre examen de 2 heures, nous étions prêtes. Nous connaissions les mouvements, et nous étions motivées toutes les trois. Nous n’avions qu’une chose en tête : on y va jusqu’au bout, pas question d’abandonner. Les filles étaient anxieuses, mais heureuses. Tout au long de l’examen, nous étions très conscientes du sérieux de l’événement, des exigences à rencontrer et en même temps, nous nous sentions grandement supportées par nos maîtres, partenaires et parents. Nous percevions aussi l’œ
il attentif, exigeant et compatissant de Sensei. C’est ça aussi l’esprit du dojo! Nous avons fait de grands efforts physiques, nous nous sommes présentées bien humblement devant tous, avons exécuté individuellement nos katas, et nos combats avec le meilleur de nos capacités. J’ai trouvé réponse à ma question (pourquoi nous ajouter des examens?). Nous avons éprouvé énormément de plaisir pendant l’examen et avons concrètement réalisé que nous avions passé plusieurs embuches et parcouru une parcelle du chemin. Cette fierté habite toute la famille depuis, elle nous porte sans fléchir et nous donne encore plus le goût de l’effort, du défi, et de se surpasser. Quand je regarde mes filles, leur regard a changé, leur posture à changé, il y a encore plus de fierté, beaucoup d’assurance, et une ouverture encore plus grande sur une toute nouvelle culture. Nos motivations évoluent vers une passion grandissante. Merci pour cette belle découverte.
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By: Nancy Ricard
Translated by Marisa Leone, Sempai
On dec.13, all three of us passed for our 10th kyu, that is ; orange belt. Marie-Léo (5 years old), Jeanne (7 years old), and I Nancy (41 years old), started practicing karate in September 2008. Our expectations were many: satisfy a curiosity, keep in shape with something different, improve concentration and balance, and to develop reflexes for defence. More importantly, what joy to discover a new discipline with my children. One where we are all learning at the same time since the three of us have no experience, or knowledge in this discipline. Even though we are all quite active, we had many challenges in this new culture. The movements were unfamiliar, the physical effort challenging, and not mention the Japanese terms! The katas demanded all our concentration and maintaining our balance was not easy. We realized from the start that this was not going to be an easy road to travel. I asked myself: why add an exam, we already have many stresses at school and at work? And yet, with every karate training to prepare for the exam, we experienced moments of pure satisfaction, both physical and psycolgical. We, therefore persevered, and gave everything we had in order to perform well for our day of the exam.
I must also speak of the spirit of the dojo, inspired by Sensei Luciano, and by his partner, Sempai Marisa. Their passion for karate is overwhelming. We feel their sincere personal touch, as well as the values they want to transmit and that brings us to give our best efforts, even more than we thought we could give, and then to success.They find a way to find a balance between discipline, respect, encouragement, and self-confidence of every student. What pride for a child to receive congratulatins from their Sensei, and Sempai…they will speak of it for many days, forever imprinted in their memory. In fact, for the adult as well..! It is also a pleasure, and very enriching, for me to train with partners of all ages and at different levels of experience, and I am joyful of their success as well. Again, more pride to share!
When the time came for our 2 hour exam, we were ready. We knew our movements, and we were all motivated. We only had one goal in mind: we do not stop until the end, we will not give up! The girls were anxious, but excited. Throughout the exam, we were all aware of the seriousness of the event, the challenges to overcome, and at the same time, we felt well surrounded and supported by our partners and parents. We also perceive the attentive eye of Sensei, both demanding yet compassionate . This again reflects the spirit of the dojo! We had to give 100% effort, we had to humbly present ourselves in front of everyone, we had to execute our katas alone, and fight to the best of our abilities. I found to answer to my question (why have an exam?). We experienced great pride and satisfaction knowing that we overcame many challenges, and are moving a little farther on that road we decided to take in September. This feeling of pride has stayed with the family ever since the exam, it brings us forward without hesitation and motivates us to continue putting in the effort, and to overcome the challenges As I watch my children, I see their attitude has changed, their posture has changed, they have more pride and confidence in themselves, and an openness to a new culture. Our motivations evolve toward a growing passion. Thank you for this new discovery.
… english version below …
Nous avons été très heureux de voir autant de personnes participer à notre fête de fin d’année cette année. Nous avons été un peu plus de 100 personnes qui ont participé de cinq dojos. C’est le moment de l’année où les distinctions entre les dojos ne sont pas considérés. Nous sommes tous une grande famille que nous appelons FKCO célébrer ensemble, montrer nos talents, le chant, la danse, et juste s’amuser. Nous avons pris cette occasion de soutenir une cause que nous avons fait au cours des dernières années appelé «Jadin de Paolo», à l’Hôpital de Montréal pour enfants, pour recueillir des fonds pour le département d’oncologie. L’année dernière, ils ont pu acheter pièce d’équipement nécessaires qui coûte $ 15000, grâce aux efforts de tous les membres FKCO. Cette année, nous sommes très heureux d’annoncer que nous avons soulevé un peu plus que le totale de l’année dernière.
Vous pouvez voir quelques photos prises au cours de cette journée festive à notre galerie de photos. Nous avons eu un station d’artisan où les enfants pouvaient faire des rennes cannes de bonbons, des bracelets, et de maquillage. Une autre station, nous avions toutes sortes de jeux de divertissement des enfants de tous âges (y compris les adultes). Le jeu Pichenotte était très populaire parmi la foule âgées.
Il a été une merveilleuse fête où chacun est parti avec un sourire. Merci à tous ceux qui ont décidé de passer quelques heures avec nous en cette joyeuse occasion.
Souhaite meilleures fêtes de notre famille à la vôtre.
Sensei Luciano, Sempai Marisa , Kohais Alessia, Michael et Leana.
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We were very pleased to see so many people participate in our annual end-of-year party this year. We were slightly over 100 people who participated from five dojos. This is the time of the year where distinctions between dojos are not seen. We are all one big family we call FKCO celebrating together, show our talents, singing, dancing, and just having fun. We took this opportunity to also support a special cause that we have done for the past few years called “Paolo’s Garden” at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, to raise funds for the oncology department. Last year, they were able to purchase a disparately needed piece of equipment that cost $15,000, thanks to the efforts of all the FKCO members. This years, we are very happy to report that we raised slightly more than last year total.
You can see some photos taken during this festive day on our photo gallery. There was an artisan station where kids could make reindeer candy canes, bracelets, and face painting. Another station we had all sorts of board games entertaining children of all ages (including adults).The pichenotte game was very popular among the older crowd.
It was a delightful festive party where everyone left with a smile on their face. Thanks to everyone who decided to spend a few hours with us in this joyous occasion.
Best holiday wishes from our family to yours.
Sensei Luciano, Sempai Marisa, Kohais Alessia, Michael and Leana.
Tags: fete de noel, party
… english message below…
Participants of NAC12
En réflexion sur notre compétition annuelle qui s’est déroulée ce week-end dernier, un mot vient à l’esprit … “Courage.”
Winston Churchill a dit le mieux quand il a dit
“Le courage est en cours de l’échec à l’échec sans perdre l’enthousiasme.”
“Le courage est ce qu’il faut pour se lever et parler; courage est aussi ce qu’il faut pour s’asseoir et écouter.”
“Le succès n’est pas final, l’échec n’est pas fatal: il est le courage de continuer qui compte.”
Ce week-end dernier a été un test de courage à de nombreux niveaux. J’ai vu le courage avec jeunes et moins jeunes, de la ceinture blanche à ceinture noire. Courage à cette competition est de confrontée à l’inconnu et de l’adaptation et en mettant l’accent sur la connaissance de votre passé et de l’expérience et en espérant que vous effectuerez à votre meilleur niveau en situation de stress.
Le succès n’est pas toujours mesuré par le nombre de trophées que vous gagnez, mais plutôt l’expérience que vous accumulez en cours de route. Dans la catégorie des jeunes filles (âgés de 9-11), j’ai vu que la plupart de ces concurrents ne voulaient pas participer du tout, mais il a le courage de faire à la fin. Je me souviens de certains de ces mêmes jeunes filles, il ya un an, de quitter leur lutte après avoir reçu un premier coup. Il a été le choc d’avoir frappé et la peur pour continuer. Maintenant, je vois la même lutte contre les filles par l’intermédiaire de leurs larmes, grognement et en criant “kia!” au cours de leurs luttes et de continuer. C’est le courage nous nous efforçons. C’est le facteur de succès, nous devrions être à la mesure. J’ai été très fier de voir tel courage.
Les résultats de la compétition ainsi que quelques photos seront bientôt arriver. Gardez à visiter ce blog pour obtenir les dernières nouvelles.
Le prochain rallye junior (competition kumite) doit avoir lieu le 25 Février. Consultez notre calendrier pour les dernières mises à jour.
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When reflecting upon our annual competition that took place this past weekend, one word came to mind… “Courage.”
Winston Churchill put it best when he said
“Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.“
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.“
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.“
This past weekend was a test of courage at many levels. I’ve seen courage with young and older competitors, from white belt to black belts. Courage at this competition is facing the unknown and adapting and focusing on your past knowledge and experience and hoping that you will perform at your best level in stressful conditions.
Success is not always measured by how many trophies you win, but rather the experiences you accumulate along the way. In the young girls category (ages 9-11), I saw that most of these competitors did not want to participate at all, but found the courage to at the end. I remember some of these same girls a year ago quitting their fight after receiving a first hit. It was the shock of getting hit and the fear to continue. Now I see the same girls fighting through their tears, grunting and shouting “kia!” during their fights and continuing. This is the courage we strive for. This is the success factor we should be measuring with. I was very proud to see such courage.
The results of the competition along with some photos will be arriving soon. Keep visiting this blog to get the latest news.
The next junior rallye (kumite competition) is projected to take place on February 25. Check our calendar for the latest updates.
Osu!
Sensei Luciano Paparella.
Many beginner karate practitioners have some difficulty understanding the importance of kata and how it is linked to self-defense and combat. Some students find it a waist of time and turn to other “martial arts” that don’t teach kata in their discipline. The topic of Kata seem to be a controversial one in the martial arts community, especially in schools who focus mostly in tournament fighting. They claim that katas are a waist of time and effort.
Kata in TEKKEN GAMES (Yantsu Kata, and Pinan-sono-yon)
Karate is more than katas, and thinking that you will perform a kata during a fight, is not realistic, and believing this demonstrates that you do not fully understand the power and purpose of katas. Does Karate = Kata, NO. There are more elements to Karate than just kata. So if a karate school only teaches katas, they are not doing a complete job of teaching karate.
Are katas necessary if you are only interested in fighting in tournaments? I believe that there are many great fighters out there that have not performed a single kata, yet they train effectively in their specific field and do well in fights. The opposite is true for someone that has practiced katas thousands of times and are not good fighters.
Karate is not only a fighting-system, it encompasses other elements in order to improve your physical fitness as well as fine tune your mind. Besides kumite, Karate includes ippon-kumite, self-defense, kihon, and katas. If you practice Karate as part a lifestyle, that is, to maintain fitness, relieve stress, increase self-confidence and not necessarily for fighting in tournaments, that’s great. I’ve seen a 65 year old Kyokushin practitioner performing splits, high jumps, spin back kicks, etc. during a seminar. Seeing that motivates me to continue in this art and proves its longevity.
Katas have a purpose, as Mas Oyama said, “katas are like the letters of the alphabet”, you must learn each letter before forming words, sentences, stories. Each kata has its sets of techniques. In our classes, we would focus and emphasize on one or two of techniques we find in a kata and use it in a self-defense drill, or practice it as part of a combination in a fight.
Imagine a beginner training in martial arts. What is the most effective way this person can be more flexible, improve posture, balance, strength, and timing, attain rhythm and flow in their movements. All attributes that a good fighter should have. Now imagine that this person is not interested in competing in tournaments, and is willing to train hard to attain these attributes, and does not always have a partner to spar with. Do you think katas are a waist of time? Katas will not replace combat training of course, but if you are at home and have a few minutes to train, katas are effective.
Have kata gone through an evolutionary process, –yes.
Many of the katas taught today are of very old origin, having been modified through time by masters who have understood and interpreted the movements.
Kata represents the art in Karate-do. Without it, karate would simply be an effective way of combat. Katas teach and train on flexibility, stance, attain rhythm and continuity of technique, and fusing speed, balance, strength and timing. Some of the more advanced katas emphasize on the breathing (Ibuki)to strengthen the diaphragm.
At the beginning it seems like a dance, or more precisely, choreographed movements. This is just a way to organize the myriad of techniques Karate offers. The deep knee movements might not be used in combat, but would be used in some self-defense moves. In the same token, these exaggerated movements are used to strengthen the body.
I still believe that the katas are the foundation to martial arts and a most effective way of training. Of course, training in a combat situation with adrenaline pumping, is very effective, and sometimes I think this aspect is lacking in most schools. But the two together will help improve your techniques, body, mind (focus), and spirit (the will, energy, commitment, determination ).
Some people have made comments that kata is like a dance. An interesting note on a link between dance and katas. In Capoeira (a Brazilian system of unarmed combat), the orignal practitioners could not own weapons and the practice of martial arts was forbidden. Capoeira was therefore disguised as a dance ritual. It relies primarily on leg techniques and strategy.
After reading your oppinions of Katas, I see that it is not for everyone. People that practice Karate-do as a way of life, and not solely on “fighting”, will understand what I wrote here. When you understand the power and purpose of katas, you will know how to use it as part of your training.
…taken from a previous blog I posted (circa 2001)…
Sensei Luciano Paparella
… english post below …
Ce week-end dernier, Dojo TANSEI mené son examen de ceinture de classement. Bien qu’il ait été un petit groupe, beaucoup ont participé à ce cours spécial. Quarante karatekas allant de la ceinture blanche à ceinture noire, de cinq ans à cinquante participé à cet examen. La première partie de l’examen abordées avec cardio, techniques de base, des combinaisons de techniques avec et sans partenaire. La deuxième partie consistait en kata, kumite, et tameshiwari. Dans l’ensemble, chaque évaluateur a décidé que tous les candidats ont été contestées de façon appropriée au cours de cet examen.
Un merci spécial à nos évaluateurs; Sempai Serge, Nancy, Ralph, et Marisa pour faire un excellent travail. Photos de l’examen, y compris une photo de groupe prises juste avant l’examen a commencé, peuvent être trouvées dans notre galerie de photos.
Sempai Marisa et moi nous sommes enthousiastique par le nouveau système de classement que nous utilisons pour évaluer nos candidats. Ce n’est pas vraiment nouveau, juste une nouvelle façon de rendre compte aux candidats et le suivi de leurs progrès. C’est le premier examen que nous adoptons cette méthode et, jusqu’à présent, nous sommes heureux des résultats. Rapport de progres sera remis à chaque candidat, sur demande, qui décrit tous les domaines où ils l’ont fait bien et où ils doivent être améliorés, ainsi que les recommandations du Sensei. Si vous êtes intéressé à recevoir votre rapport de progres, il suffit de demander a Sempai Marisa ou Sensei et nous nous ferons un plaisir de le préparer pour vous. Les examens seront effectués plus fréquemment tout au long de l’année pour aider chaque membre de progrès à leur niveau. Comme les nobres des étudiants augmente, Sempai Marisa et moi, nous sommes en train d’élaborer un processus plus efficace pour suivre et contrôler l’ensemble de nos étudiants. Restez à l’écoute de en visitant votre page personnelle des ‘membre seulement’ sur notre site Web, et ce blog.
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This past weekend, Dojo Tansei conducted its belt grading exam. Although it was a small group, many participated in this special course. Forty karatekas ranging from white belt to black belt, from five years old to fifty participated in this exam. The first part of the exam dealt with cardio, basic techniques, combinations of techniques with and without a partner. The second part consisted of kata, kumite, and tameshiwari. All in all, each evaluator agreed that all the candidates were appropriately challenged during this exam.
A special thanks to our evaluators; Sempai Serge, Nancy, Ralph, and Marisa for doing a great job. Photos of the exam, including a group photo taken just before the exam started, can be found in our photo gallery.
Sempai Marisa and I are excited about the new grading system we are using to evaluate our candidates. It’s not really new, just a new way of reporting back to the candidates and following up on their progress. This is the first exam we are adopting this method, and so far we are happy with the results. Report cards will be given to each candidate upon request which outlines all the areas where they did well and where they need improvement, as well as Sensei’s recommendations. If you are interested in receiving your report card, just ask Sempai or Sensei and we will be more than happy to prepare it for you. Exams will be done more frequently throughout the year to help each member progress at their level. As the student membership is increasing Sempai Marisa and I are in the process of developing a more efficient process to track and monitor all our students. Stay tuned by visiting your personal ‘member’s only’ page on our regular website, and this blog.
Osu!
Sensei Luciano Paparella
Dojo Tansei Arts Martiaux
February 2008 Volume 1, Issue 1
News from Sensei
Welcome to our first edition of the DTAM newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide important information to our members and their parents regarding our karate school and affiliated organizations. DTAM (Dojo Tansei Arts Martiaux) is affiliated with a growing family of karate schools in Canada under one organization called FKCO directed by Shihan Camille Ohan, 5th degree black belt. FKCO (Canada) is one of 72 countries affiliated with WKO (World Karate Organization), a non-profit organization. Being part of a WKO (World Karate Organization) has many advantages. It allows for the collaboration among many countries and to share our experiences. As a result of our successful affiliation with WKO we were able to send Benoit Porlier (19) and Roxana Florea (17) to the 9th World Championship to represent Canada. WKO paid for their airfare and hotel fees. Benoit and Roxana represented our country very well during this tournament. While in Japan, they participated in seminars and grading exams. We all benefited from the experiences they brought back and continue to share with us. To make this happen, and to continue this developing relationship with WKO, the FKCO dojos ask their students to become members of the WKO. The period to become a member is between January 21 to March 1st. First time members cost $10.US, and existing members cost $2.US. To help our dojo members, DTAM will accept the payment in Canadian dollars at par. A new year has started and many events happening. Read the rest of the newsletter to find out what’s going on in your karate dojo.
Website Renovation
Do you like the new banner on our website? I love this picture because it depicts the four elements of the universe (earth, air, fire, water). “Tansei” symbol to the left, WKO logo in the center, and the shinkyokushin Japanese kanji on the right. To get the latest information, I would like to invite you to visit our renovated website. Here you can find an abundance of information about our school, terminology, the dojo rules, our philosophy, and photo gallery. The FAQ page contains lots of interesting facts, including an article on karate and violence. As a member of Dojo Tansei Arts Martiaux, you can create an account in our members only page to view your personal karate progress. This is your website and a portal to what’s happening at your dojo. Knowledge is power, so use the website to it fullest potential.
Winter / Spring Session
You may have noticed that we changed our program a little during this session. In order to benefit all our members, we decided to alternate the kata and kumite classes between Friday and Saturday. Please visit our website’s news page for the latest schedule changes. We will have several fusion classes on Saturday morning where we will combine both beginner and advanced classes together. The duration of these classes will be announced on our website and in our classes. We will also send and email notification. If you would like to be part of this email distribution, please tell either Sensei Luciano or Sempai Marisa.
Special Courses
A special wood breaking course will be given to all students interested. Those 8 years old and above, or blue belt level and above can attend. The art of breaking is called tameshiwari. The purpose of this skill is to develop and perfect our karate techniques. It is one thing to practice our techniques in mid air or on a partner where we cannot use our full force. We need tameshiwari to prove to ourselves that the technique works by focusing on a specific target and strike without fear using different techniques. As a result, tameshiwari develops our technique, focus, mental strength, and confidence. Classes are projected to be given in late March. More details will come. Specialized self-defence classes is also in the horizon for late April and May. Again stay tuned as more details will come.
Karate Competitions
As we mention in our website, participating in competitions is one vehicle in developing your karate skills and building your character. However at our dojo, we do not pressure or penalizea student who does not wish to participate. It is a great experience and gives another dimension to karate. If you are in reasonable health and wish to participate in a competition, we havethem posted on our website calendar. The next competition is a regional one called the “Rallye” being held on February 10 in Town of Mont-Royal, and April 20. The age categories are: (6-7), (8-10), (11-13), (14-16), (17-25), (26+). The cost is only $5.00 and you can register at your dojo.
Special Announcements
Please take note that the dojo will be open during spring break. No classes will be held during the Easter holidays on March 21 and 22. College Ahuntsic is closed. Sempai Marisa is training very hard for her black belt exam which will be held on May 3rd, 2008. She is attending special classes in order to better her skills to prepare for this challenging exam. We wish her all the best.
June 2008, Volume 1, Issue 2
News from Sensei
Welcome to our second edition of the DTAM newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide important information to our members and their parents regarding our karate school and affiliated organizations.
This year marks ten years that Sensei Luciano Paparella has been teaching karate at various schools, and the second year that Dojo Tansei Arts Martiaux has been in operation at College Ahuntsic. We started in Sept. 2006 with 7 students, and now almost two years later, our student base has climbed to 40.
On a personal note, the last few months were very challenging for me due to two relatively minor operations I had to undergo. A huge thanks to Sempai Marisa who took over the task of teaching without a problem. “Grace under fire” as they say.
The FKCO family were also a great help and support. A big thank you to Sempai Nancy, Sempai David, and Sempai Marie for helping out to teach when we really needed it. I believe that the students also benefited from learning karate from different people who have slightly different styles of teaching.
In this newsletter I would like to update you on events that have passed since our last newsletter, as well as events that are in the horizon.
A New Black Belt in the Family
On May 3rd, 2008, Sempai Marisa, along with 13 other candidates had undergone a gruelling eight hour exam. Eleven karatekas passed the exam and we’re very proud of Sempai Marisa who successfully completed the exam.
Each candidate was tested on their cardio fitness, strength, agility, and mental toughness. They had to perform a combination of techniques with a partner as well as be challenged to come up with an impromptu series of techniques presented in front of seven judges. Marisa then had to present her katas after the exhausting workout, and completed the day with ten competition intensive fights.
Summer Classes and Autumn Session
Seminar
This summer, we have decided to change the formal summer classes in favour of theme based seminars that will take place in an open park area. Themes like self-defense and kata application will be taught. We may also visit one of our affiliated dojos. We will send you an email one week before to announce the details. Our website calendar will also have all the information. If you prefer that we call you, just let us know. The more informal attire requires the DTAM gold T-shirt instead of our Gi top.
Summer camp
Taking place June 21 to 24 taking place at Val-David, Auberge Prema Shanti. I am very proud of the students from our dojo that will participate in the summer camp. In general, with consistent training, a karateka should be able to attain their shodan (black belt) in five to six years. One of the requirements to pass for the shodan is to participate in three summer camps. We encourage you all to plan ahead and consider participating in next year’s camp.
Autumn Session
Autumn session begins Friday, August 29, 2008. For those who pre-register before June 14, we will be having a raffle to select a winner for our official sports bags (first prize), and t-shirt (second prize) which will take place on Saturday, August 30, 2009 at 11AM.
Specialized Courses
Tameshiwari
Tameshiwari is the art of applying your karate techniques and working not only the physical, but also the mental aspect. Congratulations to our fourteen brave karatekas, who endured pain in their training, and perseverance when at first they did not succeed, and all successfully breaking the wood. It is a feeling of accomplishment and pride when you hear the sound of the break and your foot break through the plank. Tameshiwari training is a mandatory criteria when passing for 7th kyu level and it must be maintained at least once a year after 7th kyu. We will be organizing a second tameshiwari Clinic in early fall.
Self-Defence
We will be integrating more self- defence in our regular classes, as well as organizing special intensive self-defence seminars for our students.
Mini karate
Children 4 to 6 years old have a unique sense of learning that requires animation and fun to draw their attention. This class caters to their needs incorporating an introduction to karate techniques through age appropriate exercise and games. There will a smaller teacher to student ratio than our regular classes and last about 40 minutes. Classes begin this fall.
Announcements
Fundraiser
Our bowl-O-thon this year was a great success. We raised $1,189 which will go towards the FKCO fund to help support karate based activities. Thanks to everyone who participated in this event.
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Mont Tremblant
Let’s get together on Aug 24, to climb Mt-Tremblant, a 7km hike to the summit. Last year’s modest price of $22 included transportation and the gondola to descend. We usually arrive at Mt-Tremblant around 9:30AM, and arrive back in Montreal around 5PM. There is time to visit the village area before the bus leaves for Montreal. You will find more information on our website calendar page.
There is a misconception among many that karate is some sort of religion and practicing it may conflict with ones faith. Parents hesitate to enroll their child into a karate school because they are afraid he or she will be converted. They see everyone dressed in white, barefoot, kneeling and bowing to a picture of a person. No one speaks unless spoken to.
Karate teaches two very important concepts; respect, and discipline. These concepts are best taught through repeated practice through Karate’s protocols on respect and discipline.
Kneeling down and closing your eyes before a class starts is simply a practice to meditate and empty the mind in order to focus 100% on your training.
Then there is the bowing and salutations to these ancient people. Again this is a practice of respect to the founders of the karate style. This is done in most martial art systems.
Why barefoot? In karate, your hands and feet, among other parts of your body, represent your weapons. Part of your training is to develop these parts of the body.
Why do we wear these uniforms? Think of this uniform as a work-out suit. It is specially designed for fighting. The collar has multiple stitches to reinforce it. It is made in such a way to allow the body to move effortlessly in it.
Why is everyone answering with this word “OSU!”? In the context this word is being used, it means “I understand”, “I will try harder”, “I will make the effort”, “I will persevere”. It is always used in a positive way. When everyone answers at the same time, it demonstrate the concentration level of the group and motivates everyone to try harder.
In conclusion, the practice of karate has nothing to do with religion. It is simply a discipline that teaches mutual respect, non-violence, and personal development in mind and body. Karate simply allows you to respect yourself and others, and therefore should be a vehicle to reinforce your religious principles. There is a wealth of information on the web regarding this topic. Just google faith martial arts. I hope this article gave you a new perspective about faith in karate.
Respectfully,
Luciano Paparella, Sensei
Am I Too Old To Start Karate Training?
By Luciano Paparella
The question I hear often is, “Am I too old to start Karate?” Another concern people have is that they’re not flexible enough to be able to participate in a karate class.
What distinguishes karate as a discipline from most other sports is its consideration for a person’s current level. A good instructor will be challenged to hone in on each student’s current physical level and challenge them at the same time without injury. The idea is to progressively increase that person’s level each time they participate in a class.
The fact that you think you have to be in good shape before starting a class is wrong, but common. One of the reasons to commit to a karate programme is to get in shape while learning how to defend yourself. Karate classes build strength, flexibility, endurance and cardio in a functional way. Cross training like weight training, and jogging can definitely help, but it is not mandatory. You can get in functional shape by doing the normal exercises that karate provides.
I know this older lady (over 60) that told me a story that she fell on a sheet of ice one winter. She tripped over a wire and fell hard. She admitted that if it weren’t for her karate training (even at her level), she wouldn’t be able to get up from that nasty fall.
Another example is a story about a 39 year old man who had a nasty bike accident with an incoming car. The car hit him so hard that there was a huge impression (bump) on his front bumper. Although the ambulance had to escort him to the hospital, he did not suffer too sever damage. He admits that this is because of his karate training which allowed him to build that “body armour” needed to sustain most of the shock.
People underestimate the importance of flexibility. The older we get, the more we will depend on our flexibility to do simple things like getting up from a chair, climbing a flight of stairs, and walking with a straight posture without pain.
Make sure your goals are realistic and ask yourself the question if you’re in it to improve your quality of life, or are you doing it as a sport and compete. If you are of a certain age, e.g. over 35 and you are just starting, than competition should not be your main goal. Your goal is to build a flexible and strong body and mind in a progressive manner that will allow you to age successfully and enjoy life pain free.
I’m forty and practicing karate (both traditional and competitive) for over 25 years. What I love about it is the fact that it is an individual discipline that centers on continuously improving yourself. I also like the fact that there is a partnership and camaraderie that motivates you to do better each time.
No, you’re not too old to start karate training. Now stop thinking about it and just do it!
Happy training,
Luciano Paparella, Sensei
http://www.karate-tansei.com
I received an interesting call last week from a prominent photographer, Robert Healey from Serengeti Photo Studio, who’s experience includes landscape, travel, stock, wedding and portrait photographer, and additionally has worked with other photographers, from around the world, in fashion, editorial, commercial, and motion picture and TV commercials. He now wants to focus more on family photos and one-on-one portrait shots because he enjoys the experience and satisfaction of sharing a unique shoot with them. And then again share the anticipation and excitement as they receive their photos. He finds photography like this is far more rewarding.
He proposed an idea to me that captivated my interest, and something I too was thinking of doing for several years. He explains to me that he has a strong background in martial arts and would have loved a few perfect and clean shots of doing his favorite and advanced moves when he was younger, but that was not available. These are not easy pictures to shoot. I know, I recently agreed to his proposal to shoot me doing my moves. The session was two hours long and very tiring for me, and I am sure for Rob too, but the results were astonishing. Not only did he have to think about the right lighting and angle for the shot, but he had to be quick enough to get some of the more difficult action shots while my hands or feet wouldn’t hide my face or cast unwanted shodows.
I accepted this proposal for two main reasons. One, he sounded very sincere on the phone and his intentions stems from the fact that he wanted to combine his two passions together, i.e. martial arts and photography; and two, he has a martial arts background and therefore has an understanding of the positions, and can easily predict the best shots to take.
I have to say, this was a first time experience for me and I hope the beginning of something new.
You can see some sample photos on Seregeti’s website blog.
Sincerely,
Luciano Paparella, Sensei
www.karate-tansei.com