Colorado Springs Martial Arts » Keri

The Journey to Black Belt Begins

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:53:48 +0000

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 20^th 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

Test.. Test.. Test..

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:29:49 +0000

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,

Karate Seminar – Tekki Shodan Bunki

admin — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:30:12 +0000

What a great day we had with Hanshi Ron Rogers at the Tekki Shodan bunki seminar. Three members of Ward’s Family Karate in Colorado Springs attended the Seminar this Saturday put on by the Family Karate Association at the Family Karate Center. In attedance from our school was Sensei Scott Ward, Instructor Joshua Ward, and Brown Belt Keri Myers.

Bunki is the explanation of what each move of the kata is for or does. Hanshi Rogers is perhaps the most knowledgeable martial arts in the area of kata bunki in the United State. In a conversation with Hanshi Rogers today he said each move of the kata should be able to be interpreted with 5 possible bunki. the 5 bunki should cover a block, a strike, a release, a choke and a throw.

Todays seminar looked at the kata Tekki Shodan (or Tekki #1). The Seminar was limited to Brown belts and above at least 13 years old and every was required to know the kata Tekki Shodan. The Seminar was also limited to 30 students. This made for a very high quality seminar and very personal instruction. Since I was working with one of my friends, Stew, also a Nidan, we were able to us some pretty hard contact and really get a good understanding of the intensity of this kata. It’s also, just fun to hit stuff, especially when is says ouch or flinches when you strike! Choki Motobu said that Tekki Shodan had 100 deadly strikes in it. We supposedly covered about a third of these.

Tekki is a short kata that takes only about 30 seconds to preform. The kata is performed in a straight line moving left and right. This is a kata with true Okinawan origins, since all of the techniques demonstrate in fighting style (that is very close range fighting). As Hanshi said their are no insignificant moves in the kata, as we quickly learned. Even the hand movement into Yoi position is a devastating wrist lock and so practical (don’t you dare push me buddy!).

I would have to conclude this was one of the best seminars that I have had the pleasure of attending. This is one of the perks of being a student at Ward’s Family Karate since we are members of the Family Karate Association. The Family Karate Association is about 600 Martial Artist strong in Colorado Springs and is the reason we are able to have access to such renowned Martial Arts instructors such as Hanshi Ron Rogers.

Next seminar this month Eagle Claw Kung Fu #3.

See you there!

Sincerely,

Team Ward brings home the medals.

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:54:33 +0000

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

Ward’ Family Karate brings home the Gold!

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:03:19 +0000

Team Ward of Ward’s Family Karate in Colorado Springs, CO attended the Family Karate Association inter-club tournament on Saturday November 14th. Our team consisted of Keri, Garrett and Benjamin. Everyone competed in Kata, Kumite (sparring) and Stick Fighting. We captured Gold, Sivler, and Bronze medals.

Keri, Garrett and Ben bring home medals for Team Ward.

Every one had a great time and learned a lot. As usual our association tournaments are the best run tournaments any where you go. We started promptly at 9:00 AM and finished right at noon.

We will be attending an invitational tournament in January. To encourage more students to come out and compete, we will spend the week prior to the tournament working in kata and sparring.

I encourage all karate students to come out a play with us at our nxt tournament. Just as Keri, Garrett and Ben how much fun it is.

Sincerely,