The Canadian Isshinryu Way Everything Karate & Kobudo
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Isshinryu.ca The Canadian Isshinryu Way Everything Karate & Kobudo Volume 4, Issue 1 February 2008 Inside this issue: Make it Better Everyone has been very helpful Karate have originated in one of low student that has already History of Isshinryu 2 with the newsletter contributing two places. The first being one asked the question. Sanchin Part 1 over the past 3 years. But those of my students asking me how that know me, know that I can something works, this is the be very greedy in the martial most common. The second is The key is, everyone needs to Women in Karate “My” 2 arts. Do you Kata well for me, my noticing something my stu- work together to make Isshinryu Thoughts and I’ll always expect more from dents need to work on. But, grow. We’ve started the bonds By Tanya Lemaire then on! there are lots of students out- between cities, it’s time for the side my Dojo that may need to students to meet. Visit Isshin- ryu.ca and take part in the fo- Carbone Dispels Okina- 4 So, I would like EVERYONE to work on things I’ve not covered. rums, Ask questions, answer wan Myths By Susan get involved to make the news- letter and website better for all questions. Baldassi & Janet Fuchek So, Students, next time you ask Isshinryu Karateka. But, I need your Sensei a question and he ideas and even more contribu- gives you a good explanation, Get Involved! I’m expecting Improve Your Karate 6 tions! While you read this send it to me! If you felt the a lot of e-mails and a lot of Conditioning newsletter and while you at the information you just received new contributors this year, dojo, give some thought to was of value, then it’s worth make sure you are one of “What could help me?” and sharing right? As well, if you are them! Improve your Kobudo 7 “What information could I share curious about something but feel Pull don’t Push with others?”. bad about asking your Sensei PS: In case you can’t find the question after question (Yes website, it’s on the top corner of Ask a Shihan with Hanshi, I sometimes feel bad 8 Now that you've considered it, about it… ) Ask everyone, then this page. Robert Markovich share it! I’m sure that everyone anyone can answer, even a fel- reading this can come up with something they would like in Isshinryu Student Ex- 9 their training they aren’t cur- ATTENTION NEEDED! change By Ryan rently getting. Login to the web- Boesche site and tell everyone in Isshin- Do you know of a great Sensei in Canadian Isshinryu? ryu and we’ll try to make it hap- If so, please e-mail [email protected] with the Sensei’s con- News 10 pen! tact details to be profiled in future newsletters. Requests are always welcome as Do you know of a great student in Canadian Isshinryu? well. Virtually every Improve Sixtheenth Edition of the If so, please e-mail [email protected] with their Sensei’s Your Kobudo or Improve your contact details to be profiled in future newsletters. Canadian Isshinryu Newsletter! • Valuable training information Upcoming Events • Important historical articles • Promotion & Tournament Results Seminars Weapons Camps Isshinryu Tournaments: • Important details on upcom- March 9th, 2008—Hanshi Albert Weapons Connection Spring August 9th, 2008—AOKA World ing events. Mady Bo Seminar—AOKA Event Weapons Camp—Northville, March 9th, 2008—Hanshi Albert Championships—Charlotte, NC • A Karate crossword Mady “Train like a Champion” - Michigan—April 11, 12, 13. Ottawa, ON Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan Weapons Camp—Chilliwack BC. End of April. Page 2 The Canadian Isshinryu Way Sanchin—Part 1 By Mike Fenton Understanding the history of the Isshinryu kata can The Myth’s provide the Isshinryu Karateka with a greater knowledge of the kata and the techniques it em- This is perhaps the most serious myth associated ploys. The origins of a kata can guide us toward with any of the kata. That is that Sanchin is bad for understanding both the application of the technique your health. It was reported for a number of years as a student and a deeper respect for the evolution that on Okinawa the masters who trained Sanchin of the art as an instructor. were damaging their internal organs with all the increased pressure and as a result died younger than The information within this article is a result of most on Okinawa. research done as part of a book in progress. It is to represent a comprehensive resource of data con- While a large enough study has not been done, and cerning the art for all Karateka. While every effort probably never will be done. This belief arose from has been taken to ensure accuracy of the informa- a very small number, and a number which can be tion, any corrections or additional details are wel- equally balanced with other well known martial come from one and all. artists who regularly practiced Sanchin and lived a long life. Sanchin Kata I sincerely hope that you enjoyed reading this. The next article will continue the background of Sunsu with the bulk of the article primarily on the kata’s The Name origins focusing specifically on the path the kata took on it’s way to Shimabuku Tatsuo and it’s incorpora- tion into Isshinryu Kata. If you have corrections or The kanji for Sanchin is fairly easy to interpret and comments regarding this article or any future article, “Sanchin translates written very similar by almost all historical texts. please feel free to contact me directly. as “Three Battles” “ Sanchin translates as “Three Battles” or “Three I sincerely hope that you enjoyed reading this. The Conflicts” both are acceptable translations and gen- next article will begin the background of Sunsu and erally indicate the same meaning. Analysis of the its unique place in Isshinryu. If you have corrections translation shows the true meaning of the kata. or comments regarding this article or any future article, please feel free to contact me directly. The three battles are usually referred to as mind, breath and spirit, although other interpretations are Mike Fenton possible. Through the mastery of these three ele- ments of a conflict, a karate-ka becomes truly un- [email protected] stoppable. Women in Karate “My” Thoughts By Tanya Lemaire Its fun to people watch, isn’t it? How a person ap- As her water bottle, I watched with pride and pleas- proaches new situations and how they handle them- ure over the last nine years as she worked on her selves really tells you a lot about them. As a water technique with basics and kata, gained confidence in bottle, I do a lot of sitting on the sidelines and herself for sparring and self defense and learned watching people as they participate in their chosen what made her tick as a karate-ka and a person. She activities. has overcome personal challenges and takes her role in the dojo as Sempai, and that of the only female in the karate club, very seriously. She has learned to I have had the pleasure of watching someone take offer sound and experienced advice and guidance to up various sports over their lifetime such as horse- fellow club members, which from what I can tell, is back riding, downhill skiing, Ultimate Frisbee, run- well received. ning and karate. Of all her activities I can safely say that karate has changed her the most, for the better. These days we’re preparing for Shodan testing. And (Continued on page 3) Volume 4, Issue 1 Page 3 Women in Karate “My” Thoughts Cont’d By Tanya Lemaire (Continued from page 2) As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a water bottle, so speaking wow, what a ride this has been! She has taken every- about the inner thoughts and feelings of humans is not my thing she’s learned about karate in the last nine years specialty. But what I can do, and I do it a lot, is observe and about herself as a person, and is focusing her atten- people and make comments on what I see of their behav- tion and energy into preparing for this event. I’ve never ior. What I see are people who enjoy the challenges of seen her as busy as she works out almost every day to martial arts, whether they are male or female, and that to prepare her mind and body for this new challenge. She progress in this sport is to find your own path. I have took up boxing to improve and control her power to seen my owner struggle to bring the “Eye of the Tiger”, help with her sparring. She started running again to i.e. more power, to her kata and to overcome some per- meet the Shodan physical requirement and to increase sonal struggles to become a better fighter in class. But “Women in karate, her cardio fitness. As her proud water bottle, I can say what I also observe are the men finding their own path in we’re on the go and having fun! and I’ve seen this karate as well. So to me, the differences are not in what time and again, have has to be overcome, but in how the challenges are met. many additional I should take this moment to point out that she was diagnosed with asthma six years ago and that’s it’s very Women in karate, and I’ve seen this time and again, have demands on their hard for me to watch her struggle whenever she has many additional demands on their time such as raising time such as raising flare ups.