Archive for the ‘Colorado Springs Karate News’ Category
Keri Myers our highest ranking student is starting her journey to black belt today. Of course that journey began for all of you when you tied on your white belt. But this is a little bit of a different journey. Keri has completed all of her requirements for black belt. But at this stage she is still the unrefined iron that will be turned into the forged and tempered steel of the katana sword.
Though she knows all of the required material she must be hardened through much pressure. Worked over and over by the fire and hammer. Literally, gallons of sweat must be produced before she will be ready.
After she has been hardened she must still be refined. Like that fine blade she much be honed to a sharp edge. She will learn to strike with precision, to fly through the air like the singing blade of the sword, and she will hit with the force of the guillotine.
Now that is a deadly combination. And that is what it will take to become a black belt. It doesn’t sound easy does it. It isn’t! This is an achievement where few try and even fewer succeed.
Not only is it a test of the body and the mind, but perhaps most important it is a test of the spirit. If the body does not brake and the mind does not fail then the spirit will be put to the test. In her last test we will try to break her spirit and it is not until this last test that we will see a black belt emerge.
There is actually a moment in their eyes where you see it happen. That moment of utter despair when they decide I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED! That’s it, that is the moment they become a black belt. If it were magically possible we would see a brown belt turn black before our eyes. In a way we do.
Keri is beginning five grueling weeks of training. On March 20th we will see if she has what it takes to become a black belt. Keri not only takes this test for herself, but she will be representing Ward’s Family Karate in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She will bear an even greater burden to become the first black belt of Ward’s Family Karate. She will hold the honor of becoming the first black belt in the linage of Ward Sensei that will lead back to Master Funakoshi and even back to Sakagawa.
Keri will be spending most if not all of her time training with the other 12 candidates. So we will not see her around our dojo. So pray for her, give here a call, send her a card. She will need all the encouragement that she can get as she make this very difficult journey.
I will be working with Keri and the other candidates on Saturdays. So I will keep you posted on her progress.
So Keri when the going gets tough “Drop and give me 25 push ups”.
Have a look at Keri’s pretest in this video.
Other videos of the pretest can be seen on my YouTube channel at http://www.YouTube.com/SenseiWard
Photos are also available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34172288@N05/
Sincerely,
Scott Ward, Sensei
Ward’s Family Karate, LLC
Providing the finest training in Karate and Martial Arts in Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs martial arts: http://www.wardsfamilykarate.com/colorado-springs-martial-arts/
Web site: www.WardFamilyKarate.com
Email: scott.ward@wardsfamilykarate.com
Blog: www.wardsfamilykarate.blogspot.com
We have a belt test coming up next week here at ward’s Family Karate in Colorado Springs . You want to make sure that you have your forth (green) stripe in order to test. The belt test is Monday and Tuesday (2/15 and 2/16). If you still do not have your green stripe you can get it on Monday and then test on Tuesday. Make sure that you know your self-defenses and one-steps and are ready to put on a good show.
On Saturday the 13th we have another test taking place. The Black Belt Pre-Test. This will occur at the Family Karate Center at 1:00 PM, and will be a 2 hour test. All brown belts are eligible to take this test, and I highly encourage them to do so. This is a chance for our brown belts to get a look at what the black belt test will be like.
This year we have one of our brown belts testing for acceptance into the candidate training for the Black Belt test. This is our own Keri Myers, a 6th Brown. If Keri shows well in the pre-test on Saturday she may begin six grueling weeks of training to prepare for the black belt test next month. Good luck Keri!
Is she ready for black belt? We will find out on
I know you would probably like to come and watch the test and cheer Keri on, however only Brown belts and above or family members of those testing may attend. The same goes for the black belt test. I even remember a day when all the windows in the dojo would be blacked out so no passer by could see what we were doing. Karate to this day has a bit of secrecy. Besides we don’t want some passer by to see what is going on and call 911! Along the same lines I was just telling a parent that I do not allow my students to show there skills to outsiders. It is Ok for a student to allow some one to know that they training in karate but they are not to demonstrate karate to them. That is just for our dojo, your private practice and for self defense. Like I teach my students about a knife. A blade should never be used to intimidate or warn someone off. A blade should only appear with an immediate strike.
For the black belts the most important thing is our time honored tradition of the Black Belt Spaghetti Lunch at 12:00 on Saturday. Sorry this is for black belts only. As we say “What time is the pre-test? Who cares, but lunch is at noon.”
Sincerely,
Scott Ward, Sensei
Ward’s Family Karate, LLC
Providing the finest training in Karate and Martial Arts in Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs martial arts: http://www.wardsfamilykarate.com/colorado-springs-martial-arts/
Web site: www.WardFamilyKarate.com
Email: scott.ward@wardsfamilykarate.com
Blog: www.wardsfamilykarate.blogspot.com
I had an interesting Saturday morning. We have a great dojo at Ward’s Family Karate in Colorado Springs, but sometimes it is the company not the location. It’s great to get together with other black belts and have a good, sweaty workout. Unfortunately it did work out quite that way.
I knew something felt funny as I was getting in my gi (karate uniform) this morning. Then I got out to the mat and started stretching. Sure enough something was wrong with my back. This would have been of little surprise if I had been sparred last night. However, I just enjoying a night of watching sparring matches.
Back to the workout. I took it slow but joined in with the circle of black belts and began Kihon.
We do an exercise called Kihon Rinchu. Its a fantastic Karate workout that starts with a warm up, builds to an intense dynamic kicking and punching Kihon and ends with a nice cool down. I can’t wait to teach Kihon Rinchu to our up and coming black belt. It is one of my favorite ways to train.
Well bending at the waist was not very comfortable today. I did do a set of Chinese push ups, but besides that I refrained from any of the bending exercises.
It still managed to be a fairly sweaty workout. So even when you are not at the top of your game, karate allows you to get a good workout by carefully arranging the drills and techniques that you do.
After about a 45 minute workout we got ready fort he gather kyu belts that had come in for their belt test review.
So next I spent a hour and half training a half a dozen kyu belts in a complete review for their up coming belt test next week. To bad non of my students were there. It would of been a great extra training section for them. Black belts were spread out over the mat, each with their own group of students to work with. J.B. had a group of white belts that he was working with.
While I normally do my teaching in my own dojo it is nice to be able to give back to the karate community in general (I think Kyoshi Haynes really appreciated the help). We did that last week also as we acted as referees and officials at the invitational karate tournament.
So what’s the moral of the story. You can always find a way to workout and practice. So not excuses! Also don’t neglect giving back to the community. It helps make this a better world.
Sincerely,
Scott Ward, Sensei
Ward’s Family Karate, LLC
Providing the finest training in Karate and Martial Arts in Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs martial arts: http://www.wardsfamilykarate.com/colorado-springs-martial-arts/
Web site: www.WardFamilyKarate.com
Email: scott.ward@wardsfamilykarate.com
Blog: www.wardsfamilykarate.blogspot.comit
Team Ward brings home medals at the Colorado Springs Traditional Invitational Karate tournament.
Ward’s Family Karate in Colorado Springs was well represented at the 2010 Colorado Springs Traditional Invitational Karate tournament. Our competitors were Ben Jordan, Garrett Cichello, and Keri Myers. Ours students competed in Kata and Kumite (sparring).
There was great competition and this was one of he best run tournaments around. There were 114 competition registered for competition from three states.
That a big division
Congratulation the Garrett for winning Silver in the Kata competition, And congratulations to Keri for receiving Bronze in Kumite.
I heard that Keri was up against some really difficult competitors in Kunite. That is a really great way to get experience when you fight better more experienced fighters.
Garrett and Ben had their hand full in kata. They competed in a division of 14 competitors. I sure am glad I did not have to judge that division. Thanks Shaun and Bret for taking that one.
I had a great day of judging Kata and Kobudo (weapons kata) also mirroring (referring) for Kumite. Boy I was sweating as had as the fighters trying to keep up with them.
Chesk the video below if Keri performing kata Empi:
Sincerely,
Scott Ward, Sensei
Ward’s Family Karate, LLC
Providing the finest training in Karate and Martial Arts in Colorado Springs.
Web site: www.WardFamilyKarate.com
Email: scott.ward@wardsfamilykarate.com
Blog: www.wardsfamilykarate.blogspot.com
I am sorry to say that we will be closing down our Kickboxing class immediately. Our instructor Lisa is not able to continue with teaching this class at this time.
We will still be offering our eXtreme program and this is an excellent class for fitness and self defense training.
Sincerely,
Scott Ward, Sensei
Ward’s Family Karate, LLC
Providing the finest training in Karate and Martial Arts in Colorado Springs.
Web site: www.WardFamilyKarate.com
Email: scott.ward@wardsfamilykarate.com
Blog: www.wardsfamilykarate.blogspot.com
We will not hold Class in our dojo Friday nights in January. Instead we will visit the Family Karate Center each Friday to prepare for the Inviationtional tournament coming up on January 23rd.
You will be able to practice katas (empty hand and weapons) with judges scoring your kata. Sparring will be available with referees call points and time keeps working the clocks.
Our referees will be practicing too so that they are sharp for the tournament.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to be evaluated and receive advised from season judges adn referees that can help your performance.
Class will begin at 6:00 with judges working katas. Sparring will begin at 7:00 with plenty of referees.
Check the map below for directions.
Sincerely,
Scott Ward, Sensei
Ward’s Family Karate, LLC
Providing the finest training in Karate and Martial Arts in Colorado Springs.
Web site: www.WardFamilyKarate.com
Email: scott.ward@wardsfamilykarate.com
Blog: www.wardsfamilykarate.blogspot.com
Dear Students,
Welcome to 2010. We have the opportunity to start off this new year with a great invitational tournament is January. We will make the week of the 18th at Ward’s Family Karate in Colorado Springs , competition week.
Competition Week at Ward's Family Karate
This means we will take a brake from our usual schedule of classes and all of our classes will be devoted to competition training. So pick out the empty hand kata or weapons kata that you would like to do. Tell me and I will make sure that we address that kata during competition week.
We will also have Sparring training. So be prepared to do some sparring this week. I would like all students to give this a try and if you like it by all means sign up for the sparring competition in the tournament.
This will be a great opportunity to put some polish on your katas or sparring. If you do not know a kata this a chance to learn one for the competition. If you do not know a weapons kata come to the Sushi No Ku Sho Seminar on Sunday the 17th. Sushi is the easiest of our bo katas to learn and perhaps the easiest of all of our weapons katas.
If you have never competed this is a great way to get prepared.
Sincerely,
Scott Ward, Sensei
Ward’s Family Karate, LLC
Providing the finest training in Karate and Martial Arts in Colorado Springs.
Web site: www.WardFamilyKarate.com
Email: scott.ward@wardsfamilykarate.com
Blog: www.wardsfamilykarate.blogspot.com
Tuesday 12/22/09 we will not be holding karate class at Ward’s Family Karate. Instead we will be visiting the Jay Haynes Family Karate Center for the “12 kihon of Christmas”. This will be a lot of fun. We will do our kihon exercises to the song “the 12 days of Christmas”, with just a little change.
We will begin at 7:00 PM so be in your gi and on the mat at that time.
The school is located at:
3617 Betty Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO 80917
Phone: 574-7557
We will be joining the other clubs and schools of the Family Karate Association there. If you are new to the Family Karate Center just look for me or ask any Black Belt for Sensei Ward, and they will help you out.
Proper attire for the evening is Santa hats, elf ears, christmas lights, you name it.
The class will run 45 minutes.
If you need better directions see the map below.
See you there!
Sincerely,
Scott Ward, Sensei
Ward’s Family Karate, LLC
Providing the finest training in Karate and Martial Arts in Colorado Springs.
Web site: www.WardFamilyKarate.com
Email: scott.ward@wardsfamilykarate.com
Blog: www.wardsfamilykarate.blogspot.com
Congratulation to all of our students that belt tested on Wednesday and Thursday. Now don’t might tonight’s class for Kung Fu Friday. In an on going effect to provide the finest instruction in Martial Arts in Colorado Springs. Colorado, Ward’s Family Karate will be presenting Kung Fu Friday tonight at 6:30.
We will explore the history of martial arts, where Kung Fu came from and how Kung Fu gave birth to Karate. I will show you the difference between Kung Fu and Karate and show you the similarities.
Did you know that many of our self defense and one-step-sparring techniques are taken directly from Kung Fu. We will work with those and help you understand how they work tonight.
Then we will jump in to Eagle Claw Kung Fu. I will teach you a part of the EC3 kata. Time to get your talons out!
So don’t miss it. Don’t be late. Be at Ward’s Family Karate in Colorado Springs, CO tonight at 6:30 for some kick butt Kung Fu!
Stick around for sparring class at 7:15.
See you there!
Sincerely,
Scott Ward, Sensei
Ward’s Family Karate, LLC
Providing the finest training in Karate and Martial Arts in Colorado Springs.
Web site: www.WardFamilyKarate.com
Email: scott.ward@wardsfamilykarate.com
Blog: www.wardsfamilykarate.blogspot.com
On Friday December 18th I will hold a special (after test) class at 6:30 PM at Ward’s Family Karate in Colorado Springs. I have been learning Eagle Claw Kung Fu recently. So I thought it would be fun to teach you some of what I have been learning. I watched some videos on Eagle Claw Kung Fu and was plesently surprised to find out that many of the self-defenses and one steps that I teach you are from Kung Fu. Whether they are Eagle Claw specifically I do not know but beleive they are probably more general to Kung Fu.
We will work on part of an Eagle Claw Kata I am learning. We will also discuss some of the techniques that you learn in our class and show you why they work so well if you let them flow.
This will be fun! It’s always interesting to see Karate men try to do Kung Fu. Kung Fu is soft and flowing. Karate is hard and linear. So lighten up and do some Kung Fu with us this Friday night.
Sincerely,
Scott Ward, Sensei
Ward’s Family Karate, LLC
Providing the finest training in Karate and Martial Arts in Colorado Springs.
Web site: www.WardFamilyKarate.com
Email: scott.ward@wardsfamilykarate.com
Blog: www.wardsfamilykarate.blogspot.com