Posts Tagged ‘Black Belt’
Recently we held a black belt test here in Colorado Springs. Ward’s Family Karate was very please to promote two students to there rank of Shodan (1st degree) Black Belt. We are also very proud that this is our first student to reach the rank of black belt. We were able to do this because of the wonderful associate (The Family Karate Association) that we belong to. The association is headed by Kyoshi Haynes (6th Degree) who authorized all of our promotions.
Below we have a wonder picture taken after the signing ceremony of all of the school owners in the association.
Family Karate Association school owners
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
Well we are almost there. The Black Belt candidates have been training for weeks now. This is there last week. All their training must come together this Saturday in one impressive demonstration. Keri Myers of Ward’s Family Karate in Colorado Springs Colorado will be among them. The First of our students to test for black belt.
Keri has over come push ups. Achieving her 25 only a couple of weeks ago. She has turned 45 minutes of kihon into a 17 minute work out. And she has cranked out perhaps hundreds of katas. Sbe has even sustained an injury (though not karate related) that she must now overcome.
But that is all part of preparing to become a black belt. It does not matter how long you have trained. It does not matter how many dues you have payed. No one is awarded a black belt with out earning it.
Saturday is it. Friday they will all take a one hour written test. Then at noon Saturday the physical display of their skills will begin. Kihon, then crunches and push ups and right into kata. An hour and a half into it they may be able to get their first drink of water. Just a few sips and then back on the mat for another kata. Self defenses, One steps, and sticks. Then comes the sparring exam. This is it. This is were they will make or break, and a host of black belts will be there more them willing to break them.
If they do not break, 13 minutes later a black belt emerges. Beaten, worn out, drenched in sweat, and victorious. Ah yes VICTORIOUS!
My students are all invited. The Brown Belts to the test. And everyone else to the Black Belt Ceremony at 6:00. You won’t want to miss it. It is very inspiring. You will find yourself looking forward to the day when you can stand in the circle of black belts. I too will look forward to the day for you.
See you there.
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
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
A person goal of mine has been to break a board with a one inch punch. Is the one inch punch a fact or a myth? Bruce Lee popularized the term when he perfected the mechanics of this punch. Many have demonstrated it since that time. But just because it exists does not mean that it is easy to do.
So, what is a one inch punch?
Board Breaking is a good test of your power and technique
Any adult black belt should be able to break a board with a punch. It’s not that hard to do. That is, if you do it right. If you don’t do it right, it hurts. A LOT. You might even break a bone in your hand.
Now a normal punch starts from the chambered position or just pulled back by your ear like a boxer. When you punch you put every part of your body into the punch. Your fist, shoulder, hips and even your foot as you push your way through the board.
A one inch punch is different. The idea is to hold your fist one inch from the board. Then without pulling your hand back (winding up) drive your first through the board. What this takes is a perfect alignment of the body and the proper use of hip torque to drive your entire body wait through the board with very little movement. It is a perfect example of economy of motion and energy used in karate and other Martial Arts.
OK that is the theory. In reality its more like a 3 or 4 inch punch. The way you set it up is to place your extended finger tip right on the board. Then rather than drawing back you simple fold your hand into a fist just before you make contact with the board.
Here at Ward’s Family Karate in Colorado Springs we do not require our students to break boards or bricks. However, I may consider making this available to advanced students. Karateka (karate students) often wonder how much damage their punch or kick could do. Of course the real test is what happens when you hit a person! Karateka are generally peaceful people. Even though karate and other martial arts may look violent, the practitioners of karate seek peaceful solutions over violent solutions. Think of it as “armed deterrence”. We don’t like to use violence but the threat of it is always there.
Breaking boards does provide a non violent method of putting striking power to the test. Let me repeat this here. Done wrong this can be a very painful test!
That being said I have found board breaking an intriguing way not only to test the power of ones punch or other strike but also a valuable tool to refine the striking effectiveness.
One of my goals has been to perfect my technique in order to break a one inch board with a one inch punch. It has always eluded me, ending in my fist striking the board with a very unpleasant and even painful THUD!
Today was different. Today the technique was properly applied and the board broke.
Another goal of mine has been to break a suspended board. That is a board not being held by someone or something. This could be dangled from a string or simply balanced on edge.
Well today I achieved that goal as well breaking a board free standing.
Too make things even sweeter I broke the free standing board with a one inch punch.
Unfortunately I did not have my video camera with me to record this. We did think about this but the camera was at home. However I do have a witness. Chet, one of my assistant instructors was with me. So feel free to ask Chet about it.
I was fortunate that Chet was there. He made an interesting observation. He had positioned himself directly to the side of the board. He stated that my fist did not go through board. This is consistent with what I felt as I hit the board. Rather than driving my hand through the board like I mentioned above as a boxer might do I only drive my hand into the board.
This had the effect of transferring all of the energy of the punch directly into the board. If I had tried to punch through the board I might of actually pushed the board away without breaking it. The end result was that the board essentially exploded.
This is what makes the precision strikes of karate so powerful without a follow through. Learn this technique of transferring power into an object and you will be able to break boards and bricks also.
A word of warning: don’t try this at home. One mistake can result in a very painful injury. Kids, make sure you talk to your parents, and please talk to your Sensei. Breaking must be set up correctly to keep it safe as possible.
It’s good to achieve a goal. Perhaps next time we will talk about setting and achieving goals.
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
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