An amazing story about one of our students!

This week end one of our best young students Scott M. a Green Belt who also assists with the Youth Karate-Do classes, accomplished an amazing feat for a truly worthwhile cause....outstanding Scott! We are all very proud of you. Those of us that have lost loved ones to cancer (my Dad in 1992) are very grateful and appreciative of you and your teammates efforts.....Go Green Wave!
Why they Relay
The Green Wave Team is comprised of current members, alumni, and friends of the Greenfield High School cross-country and track teams. Last year, one of its freshmen, Scott, asked if some of his friends and teammates could form a Relay For Life team to support his mother, Sharon, who was recovering from breast cancer. The cross-country and track teams had experienced devastating losses during the previous year and the athletes understood the importance of his request. Eli and Luke had lost their father,Ken, during the last weekend of the cross-country season and Marcus lost his younger brother, Logan. Ryan learned that the cancer courageously endured by his mother, Mary, was terminal and CJ and Austin supported their mother, Carlene, as she began her battle against breast cancer. Joined by cross-country and track alumni, the team members decided to run every lap of the Relay For Life. Scott and several other members ran the twenty-six miles that constitutes a marathon distance while most ran at least twenty miles. This year, the Green Wave is running in honor of cancer survivors Carlene and Sharon, and in memory of Ken, Logan, and Mary. Like last year, the team plans to run every lap. Parents and alumni will host a spaghetti supper and meeting of hope and remembrance for team members the night before Relay at Greenfield High School. How can one team experience so much loss? This team has spirit, energy and a serious commitment to run every lap in honor and in memory of their loved ones. Be sure to give them applause (and plenty of water) as they run their way to finding a cure! Go Green Wave!

NOTE: REPRINTED from The Relay News June 2009 edition - Thanks Sharon

American Karate-Do, Wallace Roundhouse Kick Exercise

JRRMAS Staff member DG demonstrates his excellent kicking form. This is an exercise I learned from Bill 'Superfoot' Wallace back in the 1980's and has become an intergral part of the American Karate-Do curriculum for both the Youth and Adult groups.

Lesson 1:

Doing the kick slowly gives you the best indication of your kicking ability. Your knowledge of the kick will be revealed by going slowly. This knowledge includes:

Kicking knee position,

Supporting foot position,

Hip position,

Upper body position

Slow kicking will also reveal :

Your stretch,

Your strength

And most importantly your balance.

Slow kicking is healthy for practitioners of all Martial Arts

and for praticioners of all ages!

Slow kicking is a tried and true method that has come down through the ages.

Many thanks to Bill Wallace for pointing us in the correct direction!

T'ai Chi Ch'uan - solo form - part 5

Sifu and the morning class practice the solo form. This is what I'm calling Part Five of the solo form from the second Wave Hands Like Clouds to the third Wave Hands Like Clouds.

Again this clip uses the music and Grand Master T. T. Liang counting as a training aid.

Tuesday's Youth Karate-Do Class

A group photograph of the Youth Karate-Do class this past Tuesday. We did an 'open workout' where the students have to use their own initiative and creativity. This was an excellent group....hard working, productive and focused. They were inspiring each other, while researching and examining the 'Art'.... What more could a Teacher look for?
A big congratulations to JS for his recent graduation from High School! All the best luck to you!!

American Karate-Do, Line Work "smoothing out the combination"

JRRMAS Staff member DG talks about smoothing out the combination. DG is the newest American Karate-Do Black Belt. He was promoted in January of this year and is doing an excellent job with the programs that he is helping with on Staff. He is currently involved with the Little Dragons, Youth Karate-Do and Adult Karate-Do programs. DG is often seen hosting free-sparring clinics/sessions after classes on Monday and Thursday evening. He is having very positive effect overall on the three Karate programs at the Studio.

Coming up shortly, I'll be posting a video clip of DG practicing/demonstrating the 'Wallace' slow Roundhouse Kick exercise....stay tuned as his skill and ability in kicking is truly remarkable!

Lesson 1:

When the Cross (rear hand) retracts, it's like pulling on a lever that drives the rear knee up for the Front Kick. In a combination the moment the first technique starts to retract the next one starts it's journey to the target and as that new one starts retracting, it set's the next technique into motion and so on...... Smoothing out the relationship between the techniques in the combination. Feints and fakes and minor timing changes (broken motion) can also be added to the combination to increase the chances of creating an opening that you can take advantage of.

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Dance, Part Two, Receiving Side

JRRMAS Staff member LB and Sifu demonstrate Part 2 of the T'ai-Chi Dance. Sifu is demonstrating the receiving side.

Modern Arnis, Mobility Throw, following up with standing Goose Neck Lock

Sifu and JRRMAS Staff member PR slowly demonstrate an empty hand application from Single Sinnawalli.

With a jab feed Sifu blocks and strikes the ear using Single Sinawalli positioning. Then Sifu's right hand is controlling PR's head and Sifu's left arm is controlling PR's attacking arm as he flows into a Mobility Throw. Sifu follows up once PR's on the ground with a Goose Neck Wrist Lock for control. (If the arm resists bending then a standing or lying arm bar can be used) Sifu then uses a Motorcycle Lock on the thumb and pinkie finger to bring PR up to a standing position then he flows into a backward throw and again into a Goose Neck Lock then flows into a Thumb Lock to control PR back up to a standing position following up with a come along Goose Neck Lock then back into a mobility throw.

They would then practice the other arm attacking and the other side of the locking series.

Lesson 1:

Joint locks are opportunistic....

one needs to be able to 'go with the flow',

and have the skill to flow from one lock into another

in accordance with the energy the opponent is giving you....

from standing to the ground

and from the ground to standing,

with stance work, balance and good body position...

and full control

at all times!

T'ai Chi Ch'uan - solo form - part 4

The morning class and Sifu practice our daily round of the solo form. This is what I'm calling Part Four. From the second Cross Hands to the second Wave Hands Like Clouds.

This demonstration, like the earlier Solo Form posts, is to the music, with Grand Master T. T. Liang counting.

The music and the counting are meant as training and practice aids

They are for intermediate levels of training

The highest levels are practiced to the rhythm's of nature and ones own internal beat.

In classes we practice several ways:

1. With music and counting

2. Just the music

3. To a metronome (with beats and half beats sounding out

4. Without music or counting, using our own internal beat.

Lesson 1:

Practicing to the music will verify your meditation.

If you space out and miss a movement....you will know it at the end of the round....

because you'll have more beats left than you should!!

Otherwise, you might think you did all the moves

But ..really...there is NO verification that you actually did!!

Thank you Grand Master Laing!

Lesson 2:

The other purpose I use the music and counting for are for those day's that I need a little 'help and support' for my personal practice....

I can always count on Grand Master Liang being there for me ...

and counting ....One..Two...

The sound of his voice alone sets the tone for the meditation...

and is inspiring and supportive.......

Grand Master Liang never fails to help me jump start my practice...

even if I'm struggling...

even if I'm feeling down and out!!

Thank You Grand Master Liang!!!

Modern Arnis, Redonda and Rompida

JRRMAS Staff member PR assists student AG by holding sticks as targets for the Redonda and Rompida combination drill he is doing.

Drills like Redonda are a basic component in many styles of Martial Arts. Redonda is also the weapons translation of our 'Trapping Hands" drills. Rompida (up and down) is also a basic found in all weapons arts. These are tried and true techniques that have come down through the ages.

Striving to reach the minimum standard of 10,000 strokes is a must for all serious practitioners...there is NO substitute for repetitions.....get started today!!

Lesson 1:

Practicing double weapons drills

Will......

Develop coordination between your right side and your left side.....

it will make your weaker side...... stronger!!

Practicing improves grip strength and shoulder flexibility,

and will....Connect your foot work,

your body

and your arms,

into one unified movement, working towards.....

"Whole Body Power"

Lesson 2:

" Aways use your waist rotating and your weight shifting when practicing"

"Continue striving to connect your whole body, into..... 'One'! "

"Everything must be aligned, unified, and balanced, then the movement must be coordinated, so that the whole body starts and stops together, in order to develop................ Whole Body Power"

American Karate-Do, Seiuchin Kata, students practicing

Black Belt Candidate JS leads the Saturday Karate-Do class through Seiuchin Kata, the third Kata in the American Karate-Do System. This Kata teaches 45 degree angles, multiple strikes with the same hand and stepping forward and backward in a straight line.

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Dance, Part Two, Issuing Side

JRRMAS Staff member LB and Sifu demonstrate Part Two of Master T. T. Liangs 'Tai-Chi Dance'.

Master Liang compiled several methods of pushing-hands, Da-Lu's (big roll back) and various applications from the many Masters that he trained with throughout his career, to develop the "Dance".

Each individual 'drill' has specific 'energies' and skills that need to be developed independently through repetitive practice. Practicing the entire 'Dance' sequence is more for demonstration and cataloging of the information. But to truly develop the energies and skills the practitioner needs to stay with one idea and practice it repeatedly with correct principles and feeling. The Dance has 176 moves on each side and of course like with everything, there is the right and the left side. In this short clip Sifu is demonstrating the 'issue' side of Part Two and LB is demonstrating the 'receiving' side. We are consciously pausing slightly at each intersection ...in reality it should be practiced more smoothly.

The listening skills (Tien Jing) that can be gained by practicing the Dance drills are incredible. Listening through the touch/contact point....and eventually being able to 'see' everything about them.

"I know you and I know myself.....you don't know me, you also, don't know yourself"

Traditional saying

Modern Arnis Single Sinawalli

Two JRRMAS Modern Arnis Staff members, PR (Black Belt Candidate) and LS (Second Degree Black Belt) practice a double stick drill called 'Single Sinawalli' recently at our regular Wed. 6:45-8:15 class

NOTE: The public is always welcome at any of our classes. Check out the schedule at JRRoy.com

All Modern Arnis Black Belts train FREE every Wed. evening at JRRMAS - email me for details!

Lesson:

Notice how they start

Slowly

then, they progress in speed until they become

Stiff or Tense

then.... They return to a more relaxed speed

Before....they again return to 'max' speed

and so on.....from slow to fast, fast to slow

just like

practicing drum rudiments or scales

Once it tenses up.....

try your best to relax at that new speed

if you can't

your finished

So return to a speed that you CAN relax in

Then

Do it again!!

Practicing for speed

It's all the same......................

Tension is the opponent!

Students helping each other

A photo of student helper SM adjusting the position of a junior student in a recent youth American Karate-Do class.

Having senior students assisting with the junior students is the tradition in Martial Arts.

It models correct attitude and behavior and helps the junior student to set the 'standard' for their art and their life.

And.....

The junior student gives the senior the opportunity to look at the material from an entirely different perspective!

'It's like climbing a ladder. The one above reaches down to help the one below come up which helps the one above to continue climbing even further upward"

T'ai Chi Ch'uan - solo form - part 3

This clip is what I'm calling 'Part Three' of the Solo Form. From the first Wave Hands Like Clouds to the second Cross Hands.

Note: I've broken the Solo Form down into six discreet parts. They were originally six separate training 'methods'. I'll be posting the last three parts soon.... Stay tuned!