FORGE DOJO: KYOKUSHIN-KAN
  • Home
  • Sensei Bob
    • Reviews
  • ENROLL NOW!
  • Calendar
  • Member Login
  • Our Programs
    • Juniors Program
    • Teen and Adult Program
    • Virtual Training
    • Parent Program
  • SHOP

Thoughts from Sensei

Let's stop and think about this...

7/25/2014

2 Comments

 
When I'm loading the dishwasher at home, there is one way to do it.  Bowls go in one section and plates go on the opposite side.  On the top rack, all coffee mugs (which we have no shortage of) go on one side and regular drinking glasses are on the opposite.  In our dishwasher, everything has a place...that's just the way it goes.  Or is it?

Lately at Phoenix Gaithersburg, we've been thinking and talking through the "how" and "why" of certain techniques.  How would we use a certain block in kumite?  Would it look different in a self defense situation?  Why does my hand go here?  Why does my elbow point in this direction?

By encouraging karateka to think through these kinds of questions, I believe that two important goals are being worked on:

1. First, we are all thinking through proper technique and practicing it over, and over, and over...and over.
2. The second goal, which is crucial for me as Sensei, is to create a learning environment where all students, regardless of rank or belt color, have something to contribute.  This was so evident in our teen class yesterday when a white belt (John) shared an interpretation of a block that I had never considered before.  As a teacher, it was an awesome experience.

In the world of budo karate, there is an expression: "copy first, create later".  For year, rising through the ranks, I believe that the copying took place from white to brown belt and the creating had to wait until you achieved shodan (first degree black belt).  The more I learn, train, and teach, the more I am beginning to shift that thinking so that instead of a student having one transitional moment where they move from copy to create, they are faced with that opportunity on a very regular basis.  I believe that this will help ALL of us at Phoenix Gaithersburg to learn better, learn faster, and grown more tightly together.  Time will tell.

Osu!
2 Comments
John
7/25/2014 12:14:09 pm

I think this is where diversity in training partners and fresh, new karateka can bring huge advantages. We do tend to copy and mimick individuals we train with and learn from on a regular basis. A beginner can have a truly fresh perspective on movements and patterns before they fully understand what the traditional bunkai may mean. OSU!!!

Reply
Charles
8/7/2014 05:22:55 pm

Great class tonight Sensei!
Ous!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Sensei Bob Buchanan.  Sandan, Phoenix Karatedo Association, Kyokushinkai

    Archives

    January 2019
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    July 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Sensei Bob
    • Reviews
  • ENROLL NOW!
  • Calendar
  • Member Login
  • Our Programs
    • Juniors Program
    • Teen and Adult Program
    • Virtual Training
    • Parent Program
  • SHOP