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Welcome to the world of karate history, philosophy, other martial art information
Dear Karate Enthusiast;
The purpose of this newsletter is to pass on historical information, philosophical views and activities of interest to karate martial artists around the world. Please send your article, event or activity with a photo of the instructor and/or event organizer by the 20th of the preceding month to get your information in this newsletter. Please send your text in a Word document. Please send posters and pictures in small jpeg files, thank you.
Instructors, please forward to other karate enthusiasts,
thank you.
Sincerely,
Ray Hughes, Editor
and Volunteer Staff
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Disclaimer: Titles 
One of the most difficult areas this newsletter has to deal with is the use of instructor titles. We are very sensitive to this issue and do not want to offend or insult anyone. To simplify this daunting problem we will use the following guidelines with the use of instructor titles:
a. The correct title of the instructor(s) must be in the article or seminar information submitted by the author or event organizer.
b. All captions that we place under photos will be:
1. Japanese instructors: Last name followed by the title Sensei.
2. Non-Japanese instructors: The title Sensei followed by the last name of the instructor.
c. Any title and name that is placed in this newsletter by newsletter staff will use the title of Sensei.
We consider the title "Sensei" a very prestigious title
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Nov
 | | Ray Hughes |
The Conflict of Wisdom Is wisdom passed on or only gained by experience?
"Sensei," in essence means "one who has gone before." This meaning has the subtle implication that knowledge and wisdom should be passed on to those who follow. It is here where the conflict begins.
 As I have aged and come to look back at all the mistakes I've made, along with the knowledge gained from these errors, the desire to pass on these life understandings, or wisdom, has grown. My thought process is to help those, mostly the young, not make the same mistakes I have made. As a Sensei, I want to help those who follow. As this desire to help others has grown through the years, the desire to listen to those ahead, my seniors, has also developed. It is here where I find things to be interesting. For those who I feel are the wisest and most knowledgeable, are the ones who are reluctant to talk about wisdom. Most, when asked about their opinions about a given subject, often will not engage in the conversation. They just give that simple smile and say something along the lines they are not worthy to give such opinions.  After years of struggling to get these wise individuals to talk, I've learned not to ask their opinions directly but to ask about their life experience in relationship to a topic. They seem more willing to reflect about their own experiences and the knowledge they gained rather than to tell someone directly what they have learned. Their humility restricts them from telling someone what to do from similar experiences.
To read the rest of this article click HERE
Ray Hughes
Scottsdale Martial Arts Center
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 | | Robert Hunt |
The White Crane
The Karate Tapestry - Part 17
By Robert Hunt
Sorting through the history of karate for a thread of truth is much like an archeologist reconstructing an ancient civilization from pottery shards and outlines of wall foundations. We lay out the bits and pieces of legends, lies and family histories and try to fill in the gaping holes with some kind of coherent theory.  Such is the story of the Chinese martial art called White Crane. It pops up here and there along the story line of karate like an underground river bubbling up sporadically in a high desert arroyo. It offers intriguing glimpses and words that entice us into connections with Okinawan Tode, but it is something we have a hard time pinning down.
Hakutsuru means "white crane". The kata that bears the name has funky movements like wings spreading and claws grabbing. It appears all down the Tode line, from Bushi Matsumura to Go Kenki, but, where, in China, is the Chinese version of Hakutsuru that looks like the Okinawan one? Did Okinawan Bushi simply make up their own kata after seeing something like it performed somewhere else? Like Mabuni with Nipaipo.
Matsumura is purported to have learned White Crane from Sakugawa handed down from Kushanku. Who knows? Matsumura studied from a lot of people. There are numerous extant versions that claim to be his kata, but nailing down which version is authentic, if any, is like caching a will-o'-the-wisp. Click HERE to read the rest of the article To contact Robert Hunt
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Nov
Karate and Gene Fullmer
by Doug Jepperson
What do you say when someone asks why you started karate? Do you tell them the truth, "I wanted to beat people up" or, "the army would not take me but the dojo would." Either of those might have been true for me. When folks asked me that question, for years I did not have a good answer. Then one night I was driving my youngest son to his boxing lessons because he did not want to do karate like my other sons and I. During the drive he asked me why I did karate, I said, "don't know, maybe it was watching all those Gene Fullmer fights when I was young." While trying to avoid my penchant for nostalgia I told him about going to my grandfather's house to watch the Friday Night Fights when I was young. My mother's father was an old sod tough farmer. He died when I was 12, so I did not get to know him very well. But I knew besides his cows he loved boxing and wrestling. In fact every Friday night was his Sabbath because he got to watch, "the fights." To read the rest of the article click HERE. Doug Jepperson doug@parkcitykarate.com parkcitykarate.com
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Nov
Sports Psychology
by Dr. Sam Sterk
The Battle Within: Why Control Distractions in Martial Arts?
Are you the kind of competitor who gets distracted prior to and during competitions or at belt promotions? During competitions or belt promotions, what are the kinds of items that distract you? When you're distracted, do you realize that you lose your focus allowing the jitters to get to you? Let's learn what some of the experts have to say about this.
Daniel Gould, Ph.D. conducted a study on Olympians entitled, "Mental Preparation for Olympic Athletes," where he looked at the Mental Preparation of Olympians during the Atlanta, GA, the Sydney, Australia and the Nagano, Japan Olympics. In total 578 athletes and 95 coaches responded. Dr. Gould found the following:
- Successful performance seldom happens by chance and can be easily disrupted by numerous distractions-both internal (psychological) and external such as environmental factors like the venue, weather, media, equipment concerns, family and team selection factors, etc. The most important factor in athletic success was how the athlete dealt with both environmental and internal (psychological distractions.) (Gould 1998 and 1999 available at the USOC library.)
To read the rest of the article click HERE
Sam Sterk, Ph.D., CC-AASP 480-767-0956
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Nov
Martial Art Humor
We all need a little humor in our life. If you have a joke, send it in.
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Nov
 Zen Stories
Wanting God
A hermit was meditating by a river when a young man interrupted him. "Master, I wish to become your disciple," said the man. "Why?" replied the hermit. The young man thought for a moment. "Because I want to find God."
The master jumped up, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, dragged him into the river, and plunged his head under water. After holding him there for a minute, with him kicking and struggling to free himself, the master finally pulled him up out of the river. The young man coughed up water and gasped to get his breath. When he eventually quieted down, the master spoke. "Tell me, what did you want most of all when you were under water."
"Air!" answered the man.
"Very well," said the master. "Go home and come back to me when you want God as much as you just wanted air."
We all need a little Zen in our Lives. If you have a story, please send it in. |
"It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit." Noël Coward, Blithe Spirit
"The Seven Social Sins are: Wealth without work. Pleasure without conscience. Knowledge without character. Commerce without morality. Science without humanity. Worship without sacrifice. Politics without principle. From a sermon given by Frederick Lewis Donaldson in Westminster Abbey, London on March 20, 1925 Error! This quote was originally from Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Sorry, my mistake-Ray
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WIKF Wado Ryu Karate Seminars with Sensei Wicks 
All courses are open to Wado practitioners (unless stated) and will include traditional Wado Techniques including- OHYO, KIHON GUMITE, TANTO & TACHI DORI, (KNIFE &SWORD DEFENCE) IDORI (KNEELING DEFENCE) AND KATA
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Sensei Wicks
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To view seminar schedule from September 2015 through January 2016
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Other Seminars and Events
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2015 Japanese Karate Tournament Schedule 2015 USA
October
10/4 Shotokan Karate USA Fall Classic
Miladi Karate Academy
River Valley High School, 801 El Margarita, Yuba City, CA
www.miladigroup.com 10/4 50th Kubota Annual All-Star Karate Championship USA IKA Headquarters Occidental College, Rush Gym, 1600 Campus Rd, Los Angeles, CA (818) 541-1240 www.ikakarate.com
10/11 New York Open Cleve Baxter Westchester Community College, 75 Gra sslands Rd, Valhalla, NY 10595 (914) 665-2752 10/17-18 West Coast Open International Martial Arts Championships Chuck Sweigart Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center, Tacoma, info@westcoastopen.com WA 10/18 Hollen beck Invitational Karate Championship Enrique Mares CSULA, 5151 State University Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90032
10/24 21st Annual Rocky Mountain Gasshuku Grandy, Colorado Sensei Madani www.imakarate.com 10/24 North Fork Championships Rick McGavin Grand Junction, CO 970-527-5477 December 12/26-1/5 2016 The 13th Pan American Maccabi Games
Santiago, Chile
Dr. Sternberg skusajka@aol.com
Caren Lesser lesserc@bellsouth.net
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