Karate tends to draw many kids who struggle with attention issues like ADD or ADHD. This isn't surprising since what we teach is focus, discipline and respect. Karate also draws a lot of kids who don't do well in, or just don't like, team sports. As a more one-on-one type of learning environment in a karate class, kids do their work by the teacher's instruction on their own without the need of their classmates (or teammates).
However, as the fall sports like football and soccer come to a close the big question is what should your children be doing next? Karate is very attractive to those who want their kids still moving as the months get colder, but feel being inside is better for them. No parents enjoy standing on the sidelines in the cold, but these are the sacrifices we make for our kids! Karate is indoors and has chairs for the parents (big sales pitch).
In karate we get to kick and punch bags. We move around on our feet and we exert our energy by kiai-ing. What is a 'kiai'? 'Ki' means 'energy' in Japanese. 'Ai' means in a positive or harmonious way. So to ki-ai is to move energy outward in a positive way. This is why we yell when we hit a punching pad--more energy comes out by doing so.
So what better way is there than to move energy in a positive way? Take a karate class! Especially as the winter months draw in and the kids get overwhelmed with cabin fever...or more accurately parents! Keep those kid's bodies moving, don't let TV or Wii become their next activity. Kiai!
Monday, November 26, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
Little Ninjas is a BIG Kick
As a school just starting out we really want to listen to what people are asking for and plan our programs accordingly. We had already planned to offer karate classes to ages 3 and up, but not until now did we quickly figure out which program would be the big winner. Well, its our Little Ninjas!
Little Ninjas is a pre-school program designed specifically for the busy-body 3-6 year olds who aren't quite ready for a full-blown karate class. Even though the students learn basic techniques like to punch, kick and block, the class is more geared towards having fun and moving at a quick pace. Three to six year olds tend to flit from idea to idea very quickly and can be easily distracted; just standing still for a few seconds can be asking a lot. We know this and that's why, as an observer, you will notice we don't spend too much time on any one thing.
It's not just that the kids get to burn off extra energy in these fast-paced half an hour classes, its also the valuable lessons they get to take home. Every week we work on one skill. Senpai Erin (Little Ninja Instructor) plays one game that incorporates the skill, then she sits down with them to talk about the skill on their level. If the lesson is discipline, for example, she explains the word in a way they can understand and then gives examples of how they can demonstrate the skill. About every week the kids earn a stripe that correlates to the skill (discipline=orange). This way the kids are constantly being rewarded for their new skill. Senpai Erin will then revisit the skills in class to try and keep them fresh. Once all eight skills are taught, the Little Ninjas have a couple weeks of review and then promote to the next belt color. The process is repeated with a gradual increase in difficulty with all eight skills.
Little Ninjas does not over complicate karate for these little ones. Essentially the Little Ninjas program is a prequel to a traditional karate system. We are sparking the interest and laying the ground work so that when the little ones are old enough they will be able to enter the regular program equipped with important, basic life skills.
Little Ninjas is a pre-school program designed specifically for the busy-body 3-6 year olds who aren't quite ready for a full-blown karate class. Even though the students learn basic techniques like to punch, kick and block, the class is more geared towards having fun and moving at a quick pace. Three to six year olds tend to flit from idea to idea very quickly and can be easily distracted; just standing still for a few seconds can be asking a lot. We know this and that's why, as an observer, you will notice we don't spend too much time on any one thing.
It's not just that the kids get to burn off extra energy in these fast-paced half an hour classes, its also the valuable lessons they get to take home. Every week we work on one skill. Senpai Erin (Little Ninja Instructor) plays one game that incorporates the skill, then she sits down with them to talk about the skill on their level. If the lesson is discipline, for example, she explains the word in a way they can understand and then gives examples of how they can demonstrate the skill. About every week the kids earn a stripe that correlates to the skill (discipline=orange). This way the kids are constantly being rewarded for their new skill. Senpai Erin will then revisit the skills in class to try and keep them fresh. Once all eight skills are taught, the Little Ninjas have a couple weeks of review and then promote to the next belt color. The process is repeated with a gradual increase in difficulty with all eight skills.
Little Ninjas does not over complicate karate for these little ones. Essentially the Little Ninjas program is a prequel to a traditional karate system. We are sparking the interest and laying the ground work so that when the little ones are old enough they will be able to enter the regular program equipped with important, basic life skills.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Shihan Marc's Blog: New Location
Shihan Marc's Blog: New Location: Osu! This is my first attempt at 'blogging'. Senpai Erin says I should do it as a great way to reach our students. She swears they will ...
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
New Location
Osu!
This is my first attempt at 'blogging'. Senpai Erin says I should do it as a great way to reach our students. She swears they will read it, so here goes:
As most of you know, I have opened a new location for my dojo (school). This will be the fourth school I have opened in my career. Though its a new location, teaching karate is nothing new to me. It really is true that I have been teaching for close to 40 years, hard to believe, I know! I finally decided, after teaching and training in karate for nearly 4 decades, to use my title in the name of my new school. I did this not because of my enormous ego (those who know me, know this is not the case) but because I felt that in a world with so many martial art instructors calling themselves Master or Shihan and promoting themselves to high rank, I should stand above and show everyone there is a school really run by a rightfully earned Shihan. I feel my students should know that by coming to my Karate Academy, the are receiving a legitimate karate master.
The title Shihan means 'Master' and is given only to those who have trained for many decades and who have demonstrated the quality of a karateka (one who trains in karate) by devoting his life to his art. In the eyes of my master, Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura, I am considered a Shihan (Japanese for Master). But let me say this, I will never consider myself one who has mastered karate; there is always more to learn, refine, and improve. I do consider myself knowledgeable and above proficient and capable of delivering a quality lesson to my students, and just like Black Belt and Beyond, my training is not finished. 'Shihan' is a honorary title, but for me it is a way to show the length of time and commitment I have to my beloved karate-do and I am proud to have it in front of my name.
We hear the word 'karate' thrown around in the generic sense. Usually 'karate' is used to describe all different types of martial arts. What I teach is real karate, not taikwondo, not jujitsu, not mixed martial arts, not kung fu. All these arts are well established and teach a similar message, but what I teach is a traditional japanese-style karate with all the formalities that you would assume go along with it.
I look forward to seeing what lies ahead with this new school. This will be my first attempt at running a full-time school. I am excited to be back on the floor teaching what I love. Our new school, though still under construction, is going to be the most beautiful and best one yet.
If you've made it this far, thank you for reading. Osu!
This is my first attempt at 'blogging'. Senpai Erin says I should do it as a great way to reach our students. She swears they will read it, so here goes:
As most of you know, I have opened a new location for my dojo (school). This will be the fourth school I have opened in my career. Though its a new location, teaching karate is nothing new to me. It really is true that I have been teaching for close to 40 years, hard to believe, I know! I finally decided, after teaching and training in karate for nearly 4 decades, to use my title in the name of my new school. I did this not because of my enormous ego (those who know me, know this is not the case) but because I felt that in a world with so many martial art instructors calling themselves Master or Shihan and promoting themselves to high rank, I should stand above and show everyone there is a school really run by a rightfully earned Shihan. I feel my students should know that by coming to my Karate Academy, the are receiving a legitimate karate master.
The title Shihan means 'Master' and is given only to those who have trained for many decades and who have demonstrated the quality of a karateka (one who trains in karate) by devoting his life to his art. In the eyes of my master, Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura, I am considered a Shihan (Japanese for Master). But let me say this, I will never consider myself one who has mastered karate; there is always more to learn, refine, and improve. I do consider myself knowledgeable and above proficient and capable of delivering a quality lesson to my students, and just like Black Belt and Beyond, my training is not finished. 'Shihan' is a honorary title, but for me it is a way to show the length of time and commitment I have to my beloved karate-do and I am proud to have it in front of my name.
We hear the word 'karate' thrown around in the generic sense. Usually 'karate' is used to describe all different types of martial arts. What I teach is real karate, not taikwondo, not jujitsu, not mixed martial arts, not kung fu. All these arts are well established and teach a similar message, but what I teach is a traditional japanese-style karate with all the formalities that you would assume go along with it.
I look forward to seeing what lies ahead with this new school. This will be my first attempt at running a full-time school. I am excited to be back on the floor teaching what I love. Our new school, though still under construction, is going to be the most beautiful and best one yet.
If you've made it this far, thank you for reading. Osu!
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