Monday, August 31, 2009
Afternoon Youth Karate-do classes resume on Tuesday's and Thursday's
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Family vacation photo
I'm just getting back from a family vacation. Here's a shot us towing MR and GR in the double kayak. We had light wind the whole week, not so good for sailing but excellent for the kayak's and canoe.....and of course ....swimming!Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
10 Exercises #2
This is the second exercise of ten, eight more posts to go.
Please refer to my first post on the 10 Exercises for background and lessons on this set.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
10 Exercises #1
At a recent Bagua Zhang class Sifu leads the group through the '10 Exercises'.
I learned this set from Master Leung Kay-Chi in the park in Boston during the summer of 1979, when I first started to study Bagua Zhang.
These 10 Exercises are shot in real time (with 10 repetitions each exercise) and will be published one per post. This is the first of ten posts: #1 Exercise, nine more posts to come.
I have a number of variations that I use for the various martial arts and classes that I teach. This particular set of posts will be the originals (as I remember them) that I learned from Master Leung.
Many thanks to Master Leung for sharing these very special exercises with me all those years ago. I've been practicing them regularly now for three decades and have taught them a few thousand times. I have seen excellent results, especially for those that have practiced them regularly (daily), over an extended period of time (decades).
Lesson 1:
The 10 Exercises are excellent calisthenics!
Do 100 repetitions each and see what I mean!!
They are also an excellent set of Qigong exercises....
With T'an T'ien Breathing..
Do them slowly with mind intention...
They will help you to develop correct inner and outer principles and feelings
that lead to excellent martial arts skills, balance and whole body power!
They will help you to cultivate robust health:
A strong, flexible, coordinated body and.....
a calm and centered mind......
Saturday, August 1, 2009
How to tie a Karate or Arnis belt
Sifu helps his grand daughter Genna R. learn to tie her White belt. Thanks to Dylan R. for his excellent camera work!
Lesson 1:
Starting at the T'an T'ien (Hara - Middle) of the belt, place it on the T'an T'ien of their body (Belly button).
While holding the belt at their middle, take the left side all the way around first and put that end under.
Then take the right side all the way around, on top, (no twists please) and keep that end on top
Adjust the tightness
Then take the 'right' side which should be on top and go under both
Flip the bottom one over
Take the top one over the bottom and up through the middle
Pull side way's carefully,
to 'set' the knot
adjust the 'ears' downward
The opening in the knot should be facing to their right side
at Black Belt we change the knot so that the opening goes to the left
Lesson 2:
Originally, all belts were white
they were what held the Samurais underwear together
it's called a Gi (sounds like key with a softer K)
belts should not be washed
after each workout the Karate-Ka would wipe their brow
the new knowledge would then go into the belt
the sweat, tears, blood and dirt from the workout becomes part of the belt
as time goes on....
eventually the belt would turn yellow...then green....brown and finally would be BLACK!
If you saw a Karate-Ka with a Black Belt you knew that they were a serious practitioner having earned that color belt by actually practicing!
Lesson 3:
After their belt turned black and the Karate-Ka continued on the path to mastery
The black outer casing would wear out
and the inner white part would show through...
The Karate-Ka had made a full cycle
returning back to the beginning!
Lesson 4:
If you see a Karate-Ka with a Black Belt
and the outer casing is wearing off
and the inner, white part, is showing through
If the belt is ragged and worn
You know that they have practiced a lot
continuously, for decades and decades......
You're now looking at a Master!