The new blue belts were thrown into a new world with our two newest white belts not getting to stay for the whole 2 hours.
I got a refresher on the Eku kata and Soken Chinto, while the blue belts were taken through Bo Sho Dan and Pinan Sho Dan!
Hopefully it won't throw them off too much to learn two katas in a night.
Never forget what you see but remember it was someone else's class.
Lesson of the Week
Quotes:
“Any time you sincerely want to make a change, the
first thing you must do is to raise your standards.
When people ask me what really changed my life eight
years ago, I tell them that absolutely the most
important thing was changing what I demanded of
myself. I wrote down all the things I would no longer
accept in my life, all the things I would no longer
tolerate, and all the things that I aspired to becoming.”
- Anthony Robbins
“Technical knowledge is not enough. One must transcend
techniques so that the art becomes an artless art, growing out
of the unconscious." - Daisetsu Suzuki
“It's not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win
that makes the difference.” – Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant
"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is
because we do not dare that they are difficult." – Seneca,
statesman, dramatist, philosopher
"Progress always involves risk. You can’t steal second base
and keep your foot on first." – Frederick B. Wilcox
Lesson:
Sempai and Kohai
In the dojo we use the Japanese concept of Sempai and Kohai
to designate your relationship with your fellow students.
A sempai is a student that is your senior by age, rank,
experience or title. By the very definition of the word sempai, this
person has the responsibility to help guide you along your path in
the martial arts. A sempai is there to be able to answer questions
about techniques, martial arts philosophy and even dojo rules and
regulations. This places a burden on senior students to always stay
informed and up to date with what is going on in the dojo and
association so as to become a better, more knowledgeable leader.
A kohai is a junior student and in their search of constant
and never ending improvement look to their sempai for advice and
help in order to reach their goals faster. A kohai always shows
respect to his seniors and therefore their sempai are always willing
to help in any way they can.
The sempai and kohai relationship is constantly changing.
For example, in the dojo one of your peers may indeed be your
sempai, but outside the dojo in a different relationship you may
indeed be the sempai. It is the understanding of this relationship
and how it can be beneficial to your progress that is important. You
will soon recognize that even your Sensei has his or her own
sempai and kohai, and is working constantly on his/her growth and
development as they help you with yours.
When used well, the sempai and kohai relationship helps an
organization run smoothly and develops leadership qualities within
its members. This is an important process in the development of
“Black Belt Excellence.”
Eat like Okinawans for health.
Okinawa
People on the Japanese island of Okinawa live the longest, healthiest lives of any single group on earth. In fact Okinawa has the highest prevalence of centenarians (people older than 100) in the world. Research shows that even their arteries stay young—and their diet is one of the biggest contributing factors.
Dr. Bradley Willcox, associate director of research on healthy aging at Pacific Health Research Institute and a co-principal investigator of the Okinawa Centenarian Study, says a major secret is in their diet. “Okinawans imported delectable dietary secrets from cultures they encountered in the spice trade. They eat a type of healthy East-West fusion diet that includes fish, green and yellow vegetables, legumes (esp. tofu), small amounts of lean meats (pork), sweet potatoes and utilizes spices such as ginger and garlic.”
Sweet potatoes are just one reason Okinawans have such young, healthy cardiovascular systems. They are loaded with heart-healthy antioxidants, carotenoids, vitamins E and B-6, copper and fiber. Various teas and immune-boosting tonics made from turmeric, mugwort, and other herbs provide potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection.
Willcox, a clinical assistant professor in the University of Hawaii’s Department of Geriatric Medicine, says fully embracing the Okinawa diet means eating fewer calories. “Their habit of ‘hara hachi bu’ (eating until 80 percent full), regular exercise and active social lives gives Okinawans the right formula for the world’s longest healthy lifespan.”
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