DOJO NEWS
Sensei Party
Sensei Mike was honoured by the DNBK Wednesday evening with Hanshi Ken Tallack visiting Sensei Mike and Sensei Laura's home. In their home with over 40 of their senior belts present Hanshi Tallack presented Sensei Mike with the Title of Renshi, this was only the 1175th Renshi certificate that has been presented since the year 1895. Also Sensei Mike was awarded the rank of Godan in the DNBK, as the DNBK did not recognize any rank certificates after the one Sensei Mike received from O Sensei Eiichi Miyazato Hanshi in 1995.
Some thing else people have no idea about is that RANK and TITLE do not go hand in hand. Just because you are a 4th or 5th Dan does NOT mean you are automatically a Renshi. Just because you are a 7th or 8th Dan does NOT mean you are a Kyoshi. These two things are very different and legitimate organizations recognize this difference.
BREAKING NEWS --- Kyoshi Frenette inducted in to the Canadian Black Belt Hall of Fame!!
Congratulations on being one of the youngest inductees into the Canadian Black Belt Hall of Fame! Kyoshi Frenette has done more in the martial arts than most people do in 10 lifetimes.
Congratulations Sensei we are proud of you!
EMAC Canada's Spring Gasshuku 2010 was a TOTAL success. Thank you everyone who participated, thank you everyone if you drove someone to the gasshuku or tournament, thank you if you paid for some one to attend, thank you if you volunteered your time to share your knowledge, thank you if you brought some of your students, thank you if you took time to referee at the Friendship tournament, thank you if you took time away from your family, thank you if you taught a class so someone else could attend, thank you! We could not have done it without all of you!
The weekend was Awesome!! The main reason it was so awesome in my opinion is that, egos were left at the door.
The EMAC gradings are getting better and better each time. Congratulations to all grading participants.
The instructors shared their knowledge with out any hesitation and the students receive it like their cup was empty. The students who attended were practicing SHOSHIN, if they knew it or not. Shoshin means 'beginners mind'. This is where your attitude is that you ALWAYS have an empty cup, or you are seeing things as if it was the first time.
Your cup is not full where by nothing new will go in. Even if it is something you already know (e.g. high block, Geki Sai Dai Ichi or Taikyokyu
shodan) you are seeing it as if it was your first time. We are truly proud of everyone, thank you.
http://www.eastwindbudo.org/index.php?action=openPage&pageID=11
The seminars were awesome! What a group of talented Chief Instructors EMAC Canada has!! Our instructors keep getting better and better because they continue to train themselves. At this gasshuku we were able to again showcase the versatility of our organization. From Chito-Ryu Karate, Goju Ryu Karate to iaido, the art of drawing the sword to kobudo to self defence against weapons and an EMAC Black belt only seminar, all in all just speculator amount of knowledge at this EMAC Canada gasshuku. Thank you to all EMAC members who participated. Remember knowledge is only potential power, you have to put it to use for it to become true power. So please practice what you learned.
The tournament showed good competition, good effort, good sportsmanship and people having fun. The competition was tough but all Dojo teams faired well.
Congratulations to all the Dojos that brought teams and to all participants.
By doing competitions it brings people just a little outside their comfort zone so it is a good test of COURAGE. Remember there is no good and there is no bad, there is only experience. A big thank you to the referees and judges that stayed to help out and to our score keepers. We need all of you to run a successful event!
We see many future Black Belts of the organization and future chief instructors of the organization so it is up to everyone to accumulate that knowledge and put it to good use. Black Belts are future gasshuku instructors so you to should be acquiring knowledge but at a higher level.
Keep checking www.eastwindbudo.org for pictures from this event and for information on the EMAC Canada Fall Gasshuku in late Oct 15 & 16, 2010.
Thank you to everyone who made it a success. We could not have done it without each and every one of you.
Chief Instructors feel free to forward this e-mail on to your members.
Yours in Budo,
Sensei/Mike Sywyk
EMAC Canada
Congratulations Mark and George awarded the Title of SENSEI.
Senpai Daniel will be in the dojo this week training. He travels all the way from Sweden to come to train at the dojo.
On Nov 1, 2008 some black belts of Eastwind Martial Arts and EMAC Canada are off to Okinawa, Japan for training and upgrading their skills in both Okinawan karate and kobudo.
Eastwind Martial Arts Students Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
Some thing that I have been meaning to write about for awhile now but I just have not known how to start is that 2 students of Eastwind Martial Arts travelled to Africa, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and performed Sanchin Kata. WOW!!!!! Laura and I can hardly contain ourselves with all the pride with have for these two people, I can't imagine how proud Chojun Miyagi Sensei and Miyazato Sensei would be.
Carol Pitters and Karen McDowell a Mother and Daughter team of Eastwind Martial Arts, make Laura and I so proud being black belts in our Dojo and doing this amazing feat. I wonder what Chojun Sensei would of thought of his Goju Ryu Karate-Doh travelling from his small little island, that is just a pin dot on some maps and too small for others, to the Great Contentant of Africa and performing Sanchin Kata at its highest point. WOW!!!!!
Having talked to the Okinawian people, most being karate masters, they can't believe that their little old art of Karate and Kobudo is now being practiced world wide. It is being practiced on every contentent and in just about every country in the world and it all came from a tiny little island in the East China Sea. The Okianwian's can't believe this because they are such humble people and so are Carol and Karen.
In closing, from talking to the Okinawian's it is clear that Chojun Sensei never thought that Goju Ryu Karate-doh would reach all corners of the world but it has, and thanks to Carol and Karen it will continue to reach places it has not touched yet including the highest point in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro.
July is Ju Jutsu Month more details to follow....
Some Past Events
Years Special New Day Training 10 am at the Dojo. New Years Day Open House for all Dojo members and their families at Sensei's house.
Sensei Neil Stolsmark promoted to Kyoshi
Congratulations to Sensei Neil Stolsmark who was promoted to Kyoshi (7th degree) by Nakazato Shuguro Sensei while training in Okinawa in July. Sensei Stolsmark is one of only 17 people outside of Okinawa who has been promoted to Kyoshi level by Nakazato Sensei.
InterDojo Memo
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To: |
Eastwind Budo Life Centre Inc and Instructors, |
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From: |
Sensei Mike and Sensei Laura |
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Date: |
August 22 , 2006 |
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Subject: |
Update and Thank You |
August 22, 2006
Eastwind Budo Life Centre Inc Students and Instructors,
We would like to sincerely thank all of you for choosing our school to train at and thank you for all the support that you have given each other, the Black Belts and us. We truly appreciate each and every one of you!
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for supporting the past events and to update you on some activities coming up in the Dojo.
First of all, we hope this update finds you and your family in good health and having a great Summer. I just want to start off by saying how fortunate we are to live in a country like Canada. With the fighting going on in this world we are lucky to live in such a great country and train in a great dojo. The dojo is only be as great as its students.
This week we will be working on self defence, kata and tai sabaki (body shifting). Below is a list of some upcoming events:
- Aug 25 - 27 - Sensei Mike and a few other students from the Dojo will be going to Waukeshsa, WI to train in Kobudo with Renshi Neil, the North American Director for the OKDR. There will also be a Black belt grading while we are there and hopefully some students will come back as Black belts in Okinawan Kobudo.
- Brown and Black Belt classes will be starting up again in September with the first on Friday Sept 8, 7:00 –9:00 pm
- We will be having a kobudo grading on Sept 14
- We will be having a karate grading on Sept 15.
- Sept 16 - Back to School Open House.
- Sept 16 - Kyoshi Frenette will be at our Dojo for a seminar. This is open to all belt levels and a must for all Brown and Black belts. Especally if you are teaching a class.
- Sept 23 - Sensei Mike teaching a seminar at Eastwind Dojo.
- Nov 4 - Eastwind Annual Awards Banquet. Tickets will go on sale in September. . Get yours as soon as you can, as there are only a limited number available. This years Awards Banquet will be held at Tudor Hall, same as last year and remember this party always sells out.
- Dec 2 - EMAC Canada National Black Belt grading in Perth, ON
You people are truly the best of the best.
Please wish Donna Dufour, Ron Charron, Ron Taylor, Ian Taylor good luck this weekend as they will be the ones testing for their Black belts in Kobudo. With your consistent training you too will be going for one of these senior ranks yourself and the Black Belts will be wishing you good luck!
Remember the biggest honor you can do for your Dojo is recommend it to a family member, friend or anyone that you think would benefit from your Dojo.
DOMO ARIGATO,
Mike and Laura Sywyk
Co-Directors and Chief Instructors
www.eatswindbudo.org
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Martial art improves middle-age fitness -study
LONDON (Reuters) - If working out in the gym isn't appealing, middle-aged men and women wanting to boost their overall fitness should try martial arts training. Researchers at the Institute of Technology in Westbury, New York found that 40-60 year-olds who practiced Tae Kwon Do, an ancient Korean martial art similar to karate, were in much better shape after three years than their more sedentary counterparts.
They had greater aerobic capacity, muscle strength and endurance, less body fat, better balance and increased heart and breathing fitness. "Health professionals should be aware that alternative methods, such as martial arts training, can increase physical fitness of middle-aged people," Dr Peter Douris said in a report in the British Journal of Sports Medicine Thursday.
The sedentary group had 12 percent more body fat and could not do even half the number of sit-ups accomplished by the adults who did Tae Kwon Do for at least an hour twice a week for three years. Tae Kwon Do involves hand and foot techniques to improve flexibility, strength, stamina, speed and mental focus. It dates back 2,000 years to ancient Korea. "It appears that Tae Kwon Do training may be a complete form of exercise encompassing all the components of fitness," Douris added.
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Teach Your Child to Finish What They Start
By Joseph Galea
Martial Arts training is known for building character. Self confidence, self esteem, and perseverance are benefits that are often connected with learning the arts. However, these benefits are not guaranteed. There are external and internal "forces" that compete for our attention. Sometimes these forces can cause us to give up. Adults have a good chance of identifying these forces for what they are, "obstacles," but children need the direction and supervision of parents, teachers, role models, and mentors to overcome any force that might lead them to quit their martial arts training, or anything else important in their life.
Here are some tips to make sure that your child finishes what they start!
Perseverance is a big word. Try communicating with children in their language. "It was tough, but you stuck to it!"
Shrug off mistakes. Be careful not to make a big deal when you notice a mistake. You can help them bounce back by focusing on the positive and even pointing out some of your mistakes!
Recap success. When children are frustrated, remind them of their previous success. It is helpful to kids to see that they’ve made progress.
Assess your expectations? Sometimes adults can underrate and child’s success because of unrealistic expectations. The expectation becomes a burden to the child who cannot fulfill it. Be careful to keep your expectations in line with your child’s capabilities and don’t lose sight of the benefits of participation
Keep your eyes off the trophy. The trophy is never as important as the hard work it took to earn the result, though it is easy to focus on the hardware and forget the effort. Dr. Ann Masten, Ph.D., director of the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota, says, "Our culture is very success-oriented, and we tend to make everything look easy, the hard work that goes in accomplishment is often hidden."
Create fun challenges. Make up games to give children something to mark their immediate progress. Here’s an example... every time your child learns something new and can demonstrate it at home, you award a point. Number a sheet of paper from 1 to 25. Fill in each new thing learned. When an entire sheet is completed, have the child demonstrate all 25 new things learned and award a prize. Go to a favorite restaurant, allow the child to stay up late, see a movie, the choice is yours… but you get the idea… be creative.
Ride out the tough spots. New activities are always exciting but enthusiasm often subsides when things get tough. That’s usually when children want to call it quits and parents often relent. No one wants their child to continue an activity they despise, but recognizing this period as a natural phase in learning can often help you ride out the tough spots. A simple solution is to first, inform the instructor in charge and second, encourage the child to stay with it for a specific period of time. You will be surprised that they will continue way beyond that time on their own.
"Modeling perseverance and valuing it can have a big impact on kids at an early age," says Dr. Masten. "You’ll teach your child that success is within her control if she works for it — a powerful lesson
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Training Tip: Don’t Rush Through Warm Ups!
Training in the martial arts can be very exciting. In fact, many times we may feel the urge to rush through warm-ups in order to get to the basics of kicking and punching. However, warm ups are critical to our overall success as martial arts practitioners and athletes.
The most important reason to properly warm-up before training is to prevent injury. Many minor, but nagging, injuries are caused by our failure to prepare our bodies for the action ahead. This is most detrimental to our training because injuries keep us from working out. There is nothing more frustrating then waiting for injuries to heal to get back to training.
Once you have properly warmed-up, you can look forward to better kicks and punches because your muscles respond better in a heated state. Additionally, warmed muscles can be stretched which increases muscle flexibility, improving techniques dramatically.
Warming up at home before practicing is equally important as warming up before class. In fact, your guideline should be to warm-up before undergoing any demanding muscle activities.
Remember, a good martial artist can demonstrate patience. Don’t rush through your warm-ups. Prepare your muscles for the exciting training ahead.
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Seven Habits of Highly Successful Martial Artists
By Joseph Galea
Regardless of how old you are or what rank you have acquired in your training, most martial arts students share a common goal… to be the best they can be. Sure, you may never be able to leap five feet in the air, flip, and accurately side-kick your target and land in a full split. But, in reality, that does not matter. What does matter is that you are striving toward your personal potential. To get there, follow the seven habits of highly successful students. Habit One - Be There: Getting to class is important not only to continue your learning but also to provide your body with the routine of physically and mentally utilizing your knowledge. Experts have determined that two classes per week is optimal for beginners and lower intermediate students, while higher intermediate and advanced students may benefit from three or more classes.Habit Two - Practice: Reviewing at home what you learn in class is critical to enabling you to master your skills. Home practice makes your class experience much more beneficial and comfortable. Practice anything new you learn in class for five to ten minutes as soon as you get home that day. This ensures that you practice your new material properly while it is still fresh in your mind.Habit Three - Eat Right: You are what you eat. Eat healthfully and your body will pay dividends when you challenge yourself mentally as well as physically. Good nutrition is recognized as a necessity for peak performance. And it’s never too late to make nutrition a priority, so forget what may have happened over the holidays!!Habit Four - Stretch Daily: Muscles that are stretched routinely become more flexible. Flexible muscles respond stronger and faster which allows your body to perform your martial arts techniques with a "superman" quality. An added benefit is an increased metabolism… and we can all use that, right? (Note: warm up your muscles before stretching.)Habit Five - Meditate: Yes, Meditate. Now you don’t have to lull yourself into a trance. Just take five to ten minutes a day by yourself; close your eyes and relax. Those precious few minutes right before you pass out in bed each night don't count. Challenge yourself to budget additional time each day. Take a few of those minutes and visualize yourself performing martial arts techniques that are hard and challenging. Your mind can be a great asset when it comes time to perform these techniques live.Habit Six - Teach: Help out a fellow student or teach yourself. The teaching process actually "hard codes" information into your brain and helps you learn better. In fact, this is a great practicing strategy. Stand in front of a mirror and verbally teach yourself how to perform a technique. While speaking out loud, make necessary corrections and positively reinforce yourself. It may sound silly, but it works!Habit Seven - Set Goals. Have you officially set Black Belt as your goal yet? Have you set a specific time-line to achieve that goal? Have you set a goal for your next rank? Would you like to teach some day or have your own school? What are your goals? A goal set is a goal already half completed.
Follow these seven habits of highly successful martial artists and you’ll achieve your martial arts potential… and you may even surprise yourself at what your potential actually is.
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