Another tournament... except this one was so, so not what I had experienced in the past. New rules and different judging styles. While I was there I was frustrated and upset, especially in kumite. It didn't make sense and didn't correspond with our training. The next day, I woke up and realized, this tournament(and all tournaments really) are about learning, not winning, but improving ourselves. We can't expect to know everything about karate in hardly a year of training. However, next tournament we will know what to expect. As long as we put in a sufficient amount of effort in training, based on what we have learned we can represent our dojo with pride.
Drama Queen
November 24, 2009
November 22, 2009
Cedar Ridge Shotokan at the IMA Utah Tournament
We went to our first USANKF/WKF tournament yesterday. I'm glad we were mostly there to learn because the competition was pretty good even though the tournament was small. We represented well, and I had a great time because I knew everybody there and got a lot of hugs from people I trained with while I lived in Salt Lake City a couple of years ago.
November 15, 2009
Cedar Ridge Shotokan Karate Team
The Karate Team is final pending the approval from the parents. I don't have all their pen names yet, but we have three girls and four boys on level 700 training to compete in our first WKF tournament in Salt Lake City on Saturday, November 21. We spent yesterday and today working on the kata they will perform in the competition. I have been using a video recorder to film them so that they can see how they are doing and focus on the things they need to improve for competition.
This will be the beginning of us learning how to navigate the World Karate Federation rules. All I know so far is that they require a lot more protective gear. You can look up the rules by entering a search for WKF. It's a big karate world out there and I'm excited that we will be a part of it!
Sensei Christine
This will be the beginning of us learning how to navigate the World Karate Federation rules. All I know so far is that they require a lot more protective gear. You can look up the rules by entering a search for WKF. It's a big karate world out there and I'm excited that we will be a part of it!
Sensei Christine
November 9, 2009
Rhythm Tape
We started sorting students last week for our Black Belt Challenge and Cedar Ridge Shotokan Karate Team. Mostly last week Rob and I just watched to get a feel for how much effort the students put in during class. I also had a class on Sunday during which we did the 'rhythm tape.' The rhythm tape is a grueling cardio/endurance workout that you do to a regular beat for an hour or an hour and a half. We started with the one hour workout to the tape, which is twelve shifting patterns (stances) and kicks. It is not a fun workout (if you ask the students--personally, it's my favorite), but it's the single best way for each of us to increase our endurance and improve our form.
I figured if a student was willing to come on a Sunday for two hours (rhythm tape, the ab wheel, and sparring) for this hard, basic workout, they are truly invested in working toward their black belt and being eligible for the karate team. These students each took an application to fill out, and we will conclude our selection process with a sort of tournament on Friday.
I will select the final team by the end of the day on Friday, November 13, and Saturday we will begin training as a team for our first tournament.
Sensei Christine
I figured if a student was willing to come on a Sunday for two hours (rhythm tape, the ab wheel, and sparring) for this hard, basic workout, they are truly invested in working toward their black belt and being eligible for the karate team. These students each took an application to fill out, and we will conclude our selection process with a sort of tournament on Friday.
I will select the final team by the end of the day on Friday, November 13, and Saturday we will begin training as a team for our first tournament.
Sensei Christine
November 4, 2009
Cedar Ridge Shotokan Blackbelt Challenge and Karate Team
Hey, folks. We are gearing up this week to begin our Black Belt Challenge and put together a karate team to travel to more nearby tournaments and training.
We are ready to ramp up the karate program for Cedar Ridge Academy. Traditional martial arts is an excellent way to improve many things about the way a person functions, and, honestly, I think it's the most fun I ever have. The karate team will train additional hours some evenings and on the weekends and compete as often as we can find a tournament within a day's drive, mostly in Colorado and Utah.
I have several students interested. The team will consist of seven students and a couple of alternates who will fill in as needed or who will step in fully when one of the original team graduates and goes home. We are going to get started, but for at least the first year the team will be in the formative stage and we will be working out the bugs. What I really want from you is support as parents for this team since it will cost a little and require a lot of extra work on the part of the students (and myself, but I haven't considered karate 'work' for a long time). I am excited to open up our dojo to the bigger world of karate and have worked on making connections to enhance our training.
I will blog some more details as we go through 'tryouts' and I will be sending out an email with attachments to the parents of the students whom I select for the team.
Also stay posted for details about a great training opportunity we have coming up with Shihan Madani out of Louisville, Colorado. He is a seventh degree black belt and founder of the International Martial Arts Karate organization. You can check out his web site at www.imakarate.com. He will be at our academy December 3 and 4 and all students on campus are greatly encouraged to attend. The cost will be $50 and will include a t-shirt for participating. I will need a response from parents by November 20 to finalize the shirts.
Thanks!
We are ready to ramp up the karate program for Cedar Ridge Academy. Traditional martial arts is an excellent way to improve many things about the way a person functions, and, honestly, I think it's the most fun I ever have. The karate team will train additional hours some evenings and on the weekends and compete as often as we can find a tournament within a day's drive, mostly in Colorado and Utah.
I have several students interested. The team will consist of seven students and a couple of alternates who will fill in as needed or who will step in fully when one of the original team graduates and goes home. We are going to get started, but for at least the first year the team will be in the formative stage and we will be working out the bugs. What I really want from you is support as parents for this team since it will cost a little and require a lot of extra work on the part of the students (and myself, but I haven't considered karate 'work' for a long time). I am excited to open up our dojo to the bigger world of karate and have worked on making connections to enhance our training.
I will blog some more details as we go through 'tryouts' and I will be sending out an email with attachments to the parents of the students whom I select for the team.
Also stay posted for details about a great training opportunity we have coming up with Shihan Madani out of Louisville, Colorado. He is a seventh degree black belt and founder of the International Martial Arts Karate organization. You can check out his web site at www.imakarate.com. He will be at our academy December 3 and 4 and all students on campus are greatly encouraged to attend. The cost will be $50 and will include a t-shirt for participating. I will need a response from parents by November 20 to finalize the shirts.
Thanks!
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