Good values at great value

One can't turn on the TV or radio without hearing some bad news. Recently a friend of mine asked, "Where is our country headed? What sort of world are we leaving our children?"

As parents, we can't help but ponder these sorts of questions. Will our children be equipped to overcome the challenges facing them in the future?

At Shinjin Karate, these are not rhetorical questions. We believe strongly in empowering all of our students, children and adults, to deal with all that life might dish out. We believe that our Keichu Ryu program teaches not only excellent martial arts skills, but life skills as well.

True karate is this: that in daily life one's mind and body be trained and developed in a spirit of humility, and that in critical times, one can be devoted utterly to the cause of justice. - Gichin Funakoshi

As a neo-traditional dojo, we endeavor to teach true karate in a way that is most beneficial to the student of today.

RESPECT • ULTIMATE FOCUS • HARD WORK

It takes three things to be a good student in our dojo: respect, ultimate focus, and hard work. We don't expect our new students to be fully proficient in these things, so we teach them how to be respectful, how to focus their eyes, ears, minds, bodies --- and how nothing worthwhile is ever achieved without good old-fashioned diligence. Our students soon discover a wonderful secret: the harder they work at karate, the more they enjoy it.

We also introduce our students to our core values, and we encourage them to make these values a part of their lives:

DEDICATION
DISCIPLINE
RESPECT
HONOR
HUMILITY
THE KEICHU ATTITUDE

The last one encompasses all five of the previous core values and more. We describe the Keichu Attitude with these words: "I will train hard. If I fall down seven times, I will get up eight. I will never, never, never give up."

That sounds very old-fashioned. Dedication, discipline, respect, honor, humility, determination and perseverance --- these things have fallen out of style. But I believe that today and tomorrow, these particular values are more needed than ever. They are not optional for parents who want their children to be able to face the future with confidence, fully equipped to succeed. They are not optional for people who want to be able to stand firm and do what is right. These values are necessary.

In our dojo, you will learn to punch and kick. You will learn to defend yourself. You will learn a wonderful, cohesive and comprehensive martial arts system that you will be able to continue practicing throughout your entire life, even into old age.

But you will learn far more than that.

You will learn how dedication to your physical training can help you become strong and unshakable physically, mentally, and spiritually.

You will learn how discipline and hard work will stregthen your character.

You will learn how to be courteous and respectful and how to refrain from violence.

You will learn the importance of honoring what is important with your conduct, loyalty, and integrity.

You will learn the value of humility.

You will learn that quitters never win and that winners never quit. You will learn how to persevere in the face of difficulty and discouragement.

In other words, you will learn some of the most important life lessons and skills that you could possibly learn. You won't just learn those things. They will become part of you.

You will become strong.

Training in Keichu Ryu karate is one of the most important investments you can make for you and your family. It is an investment that will never fail and that will never lose its value.

Call 805-931-0683 today and invest in your future. We offer excellence in instruction at a great value.

How to succeed at keeping your resolutions in 2009

Many of us make them. But do we keep them? Not as many, at least according to the online articles I've been reading.

New Year's Resolutions...how often have you made them with all the best intentions in the world, only to abandon them before January was even over? Don't you want 2009 to be different?

As I've discovered via some quick online research, these are some of the most popular resolutions:

1. Lose weight
2. Start exercising
3. Quit smoking
4. Enjoy life more
   
5. Spend money more wisely

I think those are great resolutions. In fact, I am so excited about them, that I want to be your personal success coach for keeping them in 2009. And I have desgined a program that will address those five resolutions and even more.

Here are a few keys to your general success:

1. Begin early. Don't just make your resolution on December 31st.
2. Prepare for success with a realistic plan.
3. Find someone to encourage you, hold you accountable, and coach you through the tough times.
   
4. Make measurable short-term goals, mid-range goals, and long-term goals.
5. Don't just rely on will-power; make the process of reaching your goals an enjoyable one

What about specifics, the nitty-gritty how-to of succeeding at keeping those New Year's resolutions?

I believe strongly that our martial arts and/or fitness programs at Shinjin Karate are designed for success in all five of those popular resolutions. In fact, I would like to tell you in person --- and even show you --- how our individually tailored fitness classes and our Keichu Ryu karate program (or even a combination of the two) can put you on the road to success.

Call me at 805-931-0683 and ask about our special "New Year's Resolution Success Program". Let me introduce you to our fun and effective programs that will increase your energy level, reduce your stress, boost your confidence and self-discipline, help you be more focused, empower you for success...and more. Plus, all of this will be available for you --- and your family --- at a great value.

Make 2009 your year for success. Get started now. Call today.

How long does it take to earn a black belt?

One of the questions I'm frequently asked is, "How long will it take for my child to earn a black belt?"

My answer is always, "That depends." And then I talk about what it takes to earn a black belt at Shinjin Karate.

The truth is that belts do not come easy at our dojo. We make no secret of the fact. For students ages 8 through about 16, even a white belt has to be earned (via a fairly easy to do homework assignment, but still!) We don't hand out "attendance belts" every three months or so. Our belt tests are cumulative, and increase in length and difficulty. We expect effort and quality from ourselves as teachers, and we expect it, to a lesser extent of course, from our students.

One of the things that I tell parents, and students, is that they should not consider how many years it will take to earn the belt, but that they should consider how much effort and time they are willing to dedicate to their training. That will determine how long it will take.

Recently I read the following on another karate school's website, referring to children training in karate:

"In a quality martial arts school, a student should be able to reach Black Belt in 2 to 3 years training two days a week."

Obviously, this karate school owner and I differ on the definition of "quality martial arts school". I know a number of quality schools that I would highly recommend. No child could possibly earn a black belt in two years at any of them, especially if they were attending only two days per week --- and especially if those classes were only a half hour or forty-five minutes in length (another practice this particular karate teacher recommended). In some of the schools I consider quality schools, students below the age of 14, 16, or even 18 cannot even earn black belts.

We have a set curriculum. We do not water it down for any of our students in our Keichu Ryu program, no matter what the age of the student. Those students who train harder and more often, who attend extra core classes and bonus classes, and who practice diligently at home on a consistent basis, will naturally take less time to earn a black belt. Students who only want to attend two classes per week will, naturally, take longer. I'm not saying that it will be impossible to earn their black belts; I'm only saying that their road will be considerably longer.

Some of our students, or their parents, see themselves as customers. It is understandable, especially at first. They view themselves as a customer buying a product --- martial arts classes. And that's fine. They also view me as a business owner, selling my product. That is certainly true...but only up to a point. It's really not the whole picture.

Along the way, those that are more serious cease to be customers. They become students. There is a huge difference. They no longer think that "the customer is always right". They appreciate the benefits of effort and hard training. They see themselves as karateka. They are serious about what we teach, and about our core values of dedication, discipline, respect, honor, humility and the "Keichu attitude".

I recall a friend of mine, someone who had never trained in the martial arts, who could not figure out why I would spend Saturdays organizing and painting my instructor's dojo, or why I would give him things that I knew he needed or would appreciate. "You're already paying for lessons, aren't you?"

The martial arts are more than a business. At least, they should be. My instructor was, to be frank, not a businessman. Not by any stretch. After all, he was my instructor. More than that, he was the founder of our system. What he gave me and taught me was priceless. I was only behaving as I thought his student should. After all, how many students have the privilege of training directly under the founder of their system?

That's an old-fashioned way of looking at things, to be sure. And it doesn't make sense to those who think of themselves only as customers, rather than as students and as karateka.

Well, yes...we do sell karate lessons. But rank? Never for sale. That has to be earned.

And the rank of black belt? Yes, I suppose a customer could earn one. But it will be much easier, and far more rewarding, for a karateka to earn one. But, if you are a customer, don't worry. The good news is that, somewhere along the way, if they train hard enough and long enough, most customers will be transformed into karateka --- true students of karate --- and they will become real members of the Keichu family.

Edited to add the following:

I discovered an interesting blog which featured an article titled "Why Your Child is Not a Black Belt", written by Ann-Marie K. Heilman, Kyoshi. That name was familiar to me. Kyoshi Heilman has been on my judging panel at a number of tournaments. I've also had the privilege of participating in several of her and her husband's weapons seminars. I have a great deal of respect for the both of them. This article lends a needed perspective to the topic of earning one's black belt. It's not just for children; adults interested in earning their black belts would gain from it as well.

Then there is this, from 24FightingChickens:

In most Shotokan circles, a black belt is considered an advanced beginner rather than an expert. One is not truly considered an expert by his peers until he has a third or fourth dan rank. In such schools, the time to get a black belt usually averages around 4 to 7 years tops. In a Japanese University setting where students train every weekday for around two or three hours each time, the hours of training pile up much faster and people receive black belt rank usually in no more than two or three years.

So, yes, there are quality dojos that will have you earning your black belt in 2-3 years --- but that's assuming you train in the dojo about 10-20 hours per week, not one to one and a half hours!

Dedication

The first core value of our dojo is dedication. In fact, "Keichu Ryu" can be translated as "the art of devoting oneself entirely". On one very important level, this speaks of the level of dedication to training that sets apart the true Keichu martial artist from the person who does not take their training as seriously.

Certainly dedication is the key to success for any endeavor. In our dojo, that dedication can take many forms. Your dedication will be seen by your attendance, by how hard you train in class, by how well you practice outside of class, by your respect, by your focus, and by your hard work.

In our dojo that is only the first level of dedication. What is most important for those of us who follow Jesus is that we always remain, first and foremost, totally devoted to Him.

Are you dedicated to Keichu? How do you know? How can you become more dedicated?

If you are a Christian, how dedicated are you to Jesus Christ? How can you increase your devotion to Him?

Make it real!

Our students have heard me say, "Make it real!" during training time. What do I mean by this? Obviously, we can only make our training real up to a point, in order to stay safe from injury. It is important that we train hard and train smart.

If we don't train hard, we will never be able to fight hard, should we need to defend ourselves.

If we don't train smart, we will never be able to fight smart, should we need to defend ourselves. Furthermore, if we don't train smart, we might end up plagued with injuries that interfere with training.

There are, of course, numerous other benefits of training hard and training smart. Our students gain focus, control, and discipline. They become more fit as they train harder. They gain the self-confidence that comes from being involved in a worthwhile activity that is rebuilding them from the inside out and the outside in.

Sometimes training hard can become discouraging or even a bit scary. There are days when you just don't feel like getting hot and sweaty. There are days when you just don't feel like being hit or being thrown to the mat. It is important to persevere in the face of that, no matter what. The same grit and determination that it takes to keep going when you feel like quitting is what you will need, God forbid, should you ever be attacked.

Training hard will toughen you up. It will prepare you for life. It is the best use of your time and efforts.

So, when you practice, make it real. Don't let laziness and self-consciousness get in your way. Give it your best effort. Focus every technique. Be intense. Make every technique as powerful as you can. Be a good training partner: control your techniques, but make them effective. Don't be afraid of a few aches, bangs and bruises. Train hard. Train smart.

Awesome privilege

Yesterday was one of those days that reminded me of why my black belt in Keichu-Do means so much to me. I had the awesome privilege of being part of the testing panel for a black belt test at Soke's dojo. This is the fifth black belt test that I have taken part in. As a brown belt, I was an uke for Mrs. Marx; then, of course, there was my own test; since then, I have been on the panel for three tests.

Saturday's test will always hold a special place in my heart. There were five candidates, and four of them were members of an extraordinary Keichu family. Cindy Daly and her son Andrew have been black belts for some years; now it was time for her husband and her other three children to test.

By the end of the test, there was absolutely no question in my mind that everyone had passed. During a test, especially a black belt test, I look for several things:

1. Has the candidate demonstrated a confident knowledge of all the material?
2. Is his/her skill, knowledge, and attitude at the level it should be?
3. Is the candidate giving 100% effort?
4. Is the candidate's dedication apparent?

All I can say after watching the Daly family is...WOW. Actually, I can say more than that. When it comes to dedication, I have never encountered anything approaching their level.

The story of the Daly family is one of more obstacles and tragedy than I can fathom. They have had to deal with severe learning disabilities, physical and mental disorders, and a myriad of setbacks and difficulties during their journey to black belt. I am in awe of the fact that they have never given up, but have persevered against staggeringly overwhelming odds. They have persevered, fought hard, trained long and hard, loved beyond measure, and relied on God's grace and mercy to give them the strength not just to endure, but to triumph.

During the test, they threw their whole beings, all their considerable strength, and and their whole hearts into doing well.

I was in awe of their judo and self-defense skills. But, more than that, I was in awe of them, each one of them. I have never met such a family, such beautiful and terrific and transparent people with such love for each other.

Six black belts in one family is amazing enough. But, given how much this family has had to overcome, their accomplishments were truly miraculous. I felt, while Soke was knighting four of them Keichu Warriors, that I was standing on holy ground.

The Keichu dojo

Sensei Linda McCoy expressed so eloquently the relationship between student and teacher in a Keichu dojo. Here are some excerpts:

This is not just another karate school. This is a dojo, a place for learning the way. The Way of Keichu has evolved through the years, and is always evolving...At first some things you will learn might seem meaningless or even silly; but if you do your best to learn them anyway, then the understanding will follow. You will learn to take pride in your dojo and in what it will come to mean to you. You will change...

This is not just another karate school. This is my heart I share with you. You have come to me because you want to learn what I can teach you. By allowing you to become part of my dojo, I have accepted the responsibility of teaching you what you need to know. By becoming part of my dojo, you are accepting responsibility to learn what I have to teach, and I have a lot more to teach than just [how to] kick and punch.... I am here to share with you my way of life; there is no way you can buy that.

This is not just another karate school. This is not just a class, it's a family. ... This dojo is a household, and is related to other households with whom we share the family name of Keichu, and a common way of life.

This is not just another karate school. This is a Keichu-Do dojo. Keichu means "devoting oneself entirely", not to your sensei or your dojo, but to the way of life we share. Devoting yourself entirely will mean doing your best at everything, all the time ♠ at school, at work, at home, in the dojo ♠ so that you can become the person you want to be.

Being involved in Keichu-Do is, I believe, an extremely valuable use of one's time. However, like anything else, the effort one puts forth and the commitment one makes determines how much benefit that person receives. Those who come to "try out" a class for a week or so may leave thinking that there wasn't a whole lot to be gained from training. However, they have not invested enough time and effort to make a fully informed decision about the benfits of Keichu. It took many of us years of training before we began to appreciate all that we were being taught.

Someone once likened the study of martial arts to an onion. At first, you may think you know a lot about the onion, as you view it from the outside. However, as you continue on your study of the martial arts, more and more layers are revealed, layers that were completely obscured previously. And so it is with the martial arts. Some never see past the punching and kicking to all the rich layers of what there is to learn from the martial arts.

Stick around. The best is yet to come.

Loyalty and Family

Some recent perusing of the websites of various martial arts schools and organizations turned up many instances of "loyalty" and "family" as being values taught and held dear by many martial artists. In fact, these are often referred to as being foundational values. The history of the martial arts is full of blood oaths of loyalty, of practitioners being inducted into families, of martial artists being willing to lay down their lives for their dojo mates.

That was, of course, another day and time ♠ even if some modern day black belt ceremonies still involve oaths and tattoos.

I am not one for oaths and vows and binding covenants. The last vows I took were during my marriage ceremony. I do not take these things lightly. I agree with Jesus' words, "Let your yes be yes and your no be no." I am thankful that Soke did not require any vows of allegiance from me during my black belt ceremony.

At the same time, the lack of loyalty and family sense among many martial artists disturbs me. I don't expect beginners in the martial arts to have a sense of loyalty; many of them are still "trying out" the martial arts. They are products of our American culture, which is more and more consumer-oriented and driven by felt needs. As long as the martial arts class "meets their needs", as long as it is fun, they will come.

For quite a while, "family" has been listed as one of the core values of our dojo. I've stressed the importance of family, not only our immediate family, but our dojo family, and our extended Keichu family. I sense, when I talk about these things, that most of my students think I am a bit odd to go on and on about "family members" they have never met. So what if this guy also does the same art in some other dojo somewhere? What is that to them?

One former student went so far as to say, "If I hear that guy's name one more time, I'm gonna scream!", referring to a Keichu instructor and impressive competitor. When there is exciting news to be shared about someone within the Keichu family, I share it. That's what family does. This student was simply annoyed. She thought our dojo should be more about her than about people she'd never even met. She didn't understand her place in the grand scheme of things. She didn't understand that this young man was her sempai, her senior within Keichu, and that she owed him her respect.

But, then again, she didn't see us as family either.

Students come and go. When do they actually become family? Is it when they first put their feet on our floor? Is it when they sew on their Keichu patch? Is it when they advance to a certain rank? Or is it when they recognize the kinship and bond that should exist among all Keichu practitioners?

And what about loyalty? What does it require of us? Does it fit within today's martial arts community, where too many students view martial arts simply as an alternative to fitness centers or team sports?

I don't need loyalty oaths to bind me to Keichu-Do. I don't need vows to recognize that those who train under the banner of "Keichu" are my brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, sons, daughters, and cousins, and that Soke is our father. That is what Keichu has become to me. It is my family. It is my way of life. It is my home.

All of this, I'm sure, sounds odd to beginners. "But it's just a martial arts class!" I can hear them say. Well, yes...for you. For me, and for many others, it is something far more.

I've been rethinking this whole "core value" thing, trying to put into words and distill the core values of Keichu that were handed down to me. Something seemed a bit amiss with the list we've been working from in our dojo. I ended up working on a new list, which at first was almost endlessly lengthy, echoing the Keichu Character Traits that we studied when I was coming up through the ranks and almost everything I could remember Soke emphasizing in his talks at the end of class. But who wants to be overwhelmed by two pages of "core values"? What values are really at the core of what Soke teaches?

This is what I finally came up with:

• Dedication (of course...that almost goes without saying!)
• Discipline
• Respect
• Honor
• Humility
• The Keichu Attitude

Wait a moment! What happened to loyalty and family? Ah, but that is what dedication and respect and honor and, in fact, all the core values are about. Loyalty and family are but a part of those values, an important part, but just a part.

I believe that the bonds of family are forever. It is a great privilege to be part of the Keichu family. May all of us grow in dedication, discipline, respect, honor, humility, and the Keichu attitude. May we be worthy of the name Keichu.

Why I train

People have asked why, as a Christian, I train in the martial arts. The answers are many and varied. Here are just a few of my thoughts.

The Bible tells us that physical training profits little. As Christians, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit --- and I believe that we are to be good stewards of the physical bodies God has given us, by maintaining and protecting our health through good diet, proper exercise and, if necessary, self-defense. But, if we take the eternal perspective, we realize that our bodies will not last forever and shouldn't be our highest priority.

If Keichu-Do was just concerned with our fleeting physical health and safety --- important as that is --- I doubt that I would have made it all the way to black belt. For me, it is the spiritual aspect of our mind-body-spirit training that gave me the motivation to keep going through up the ranks.

Keichu-Do means "devoting oneself entirely to the way". Of course, for Christians, the meaning of "the way" is clear and without question. The Word of God states that Jesus Christ is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. It is that higher devotion that becomes so compelling for many of us.

I don't just train my mind and body. I believe that Keichu-Do can do even more than build strong bodies and strong characters in children and families. For many, Keichu-Do will be no more than an excellent martial art system, without any religious or spiritual trappings --- and that is fine. As a Sensei, it is my responsibility to teach the martial arts. It is not my responsibility to preach or thrust my faith at others. At the same time, I am not ashamed of the good news of Jesus Christ or the fact that my faith should permeate all that I do, even my martial arts training.

When I train, I try to train as a warrior for Christ. I don't believe that Christ needs or wants an army in the physical sense, because His Kingdom is not part of this world. The lessons I learn from my training help equip me to understand the battle and fighting imagery of the New Testament ("...we wrestle not against flesh and blood...") and to stand firm in a difficult and even evil age. On the dojo floor, I learn persistence, diligence, courage, integrity, and more. I learn how much I lack and how much I need Jesus Christ to give me strength and humility to serve Him all the days of my life.

I train because God tells us that whatever our hand finds to do, we should do it with all our might, heartily and for Him.

From Psalm 144:

1 Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle;
2 My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My stronghold and my deliverer,
My shield and He in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues my people under me.
3 O LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You think of him?

Why I teach

I was able to celebrate a public triumph during the 2003 World Championships, when I accepted my national point standings trophies for being ranked 1st in Senior Kyu Women's Kumite, 2nd in Senior Kyu Kata, and 3rd in Adult Kyu Weapons. It was a special moment. Stumbling as I walked up on the stage didn't even diminish it for me; it just added a bit of poignancy and comic relief to what I had planned to say:

This means so much to me. It was 3 years ago when I first stepped out on to the mat in our dojo. I was...well...a klutz.

I can't thank Soke Marx, founder of Keichu-Do, enough. On my first day, he didn't think I'd last a week. But he was kind enough to keep that opinion to himself. Instead, he and his wonderful instructors taught me with great love, enthusiasm, and lots of patience. They made me believe that I could do the seemingly impossible. Thank you, sir. You've turned my life around in ways I can't begin to express.

I'd like to thank my six wonderful children. They got me out on the mat in the first place and they're my favorite training partners. I wish my husband was here to thank in person. He's not only put up with my martial arts obsession, but has cheerfully and generously sacrificed so that our family can compete.

Thanks to all of you who make the USKA possible.

But, most of all, I owe eternal thanks to my sweet and precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Him I live and move and have my being.

I wish that I could have had the privilege of being in Keichu-Do when I was that clumsy little girl. The course of my life would have been much different. I would have been spared a lot of childhood misery. I would have had the confidence to fight my own battles, to be a victor rather than a victim. Or maybe I really don't wish that. The reward of overcoming --- of proving myself wrong most of all --- ah, who could trade that for the world?

Sometimes, I felt like running into the streets and shouting, "Send us your discouraged children, your klutzes, your nerds, your clumsy bumblers!"

O.K., so it sounds corny and overly dramatic. But it's an important part of my journey. It's a big part of why I love teaching so much. I keep looking for kids like me, whose lives will be turned around, who will find healing and wholeness because someone believed they worth teaching...and teaching...and teaching...for however long it takes. I want those kids to become champions, even if they never win a trophy. I want them to live out their impossible dreams. I want them to become true Keichu warriors.

I am convinced that if we reach those wounded children and adults, truly reach them, we can be used of God to bring about incredible transformations. If we can be God's instruments of healing in their lives, so that they can experience a healing that is mental, physical, and spiritual, we can capture their hearts forever --- not just for Keichu, but for Christ.

When many were abandoning Christ during His earthly ministry, He asked His disciples if they too would desert Him. "Where shall we go?" Peter asked. "You alone have words of eternal life." Of course, the good news of the gospel can be heard throughout our country. But we have a powerful ministry in Keichu-Do that is unique in that it targets the whole person in a way that few other ministries can.

Some students catch the vision for ministry that Keichu-Do offers. I think it is those whose lives are most transformed --- those who find healing in the dojo --- who are most eager to share that ministry with others.

Soke has sometimes commented that he wishes he could bottle my determination in training. It's really simple, I've finally realized. Because of the path God has directed me along, I have no choice. This is where my heart belongs. This is where I have found a wholeness I never thought possible. Where else could I go? How could I possibly not continue to train, not see where this adventure will take me?

I believe in the ministry of Keichu-Do so strongly because of the many blessings it has brought to me and to our family. I want other families to experience those blessings: to be challenged, tested, and refined; to learn to face fear; to be able to defend themselves; to gain physical, mental, and spiritual strength; to develop self-discipline and perseverance; to take on the character code of the Keichu warrior; to become more like Jesus as we grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. I want them to find healing for their broken places. I want our family to continue to reap those blessings and more as we devote ourselves totally to Him and, in the name of Jesus, pass the torch of Keichu-Do on to the next generation.

-adapted from How God Directed My Path, Rebecca Prewett's black belt thesis.

The responsibility of the martial arts

Many students do not realize, especially as they begin their martial arts training, that what they are learning brings with it a great deal of responsibility. With knowledge and skill comes increased responsibility, most specifically in five areas:

1. The responsibility of being defensive, not offensive. In our dojo, we have the following rule: "The skills and techniques you learn in class should never be used for harm. Use them only as a last resort in self-defense or in the defense of others. Any use outside the dojo must be reported to Sensei immediately." When a martial arts instructor teaches you, he or she is trusting you to use the techniques responsibly.

2. The responsibility of conflict resolution. Being able to defend yourself physically does not require you to do so. Fights are, if possible, best avoided. At the same time as you are training physically, you should also be training in patience, confidence, and other character qualities that will help you avoid altercations and resolve issues peacefully whenever possible. Fighting should be a last resort.

3. The responsibility of respect. The martial arts have a long, rich tradition of respect---respect towards instructors, towards those of higher rank, and towards fellow students. The basis of much of this respect is the recognition that skill and knowledge in the martial arts deserves respect, as does authority. Without an attitude of respect, a martial artist can never be a true warrior.

4. The responsibility of humility. Knowledge and skill should never puff someone up. The true martial artist recognizes how much he still has to learn, and is humbled. Without humility and respect, we are in danger of becoming little more than trained thugs.

5. The responsibility of setting a good example. As we progress up through the ranks, it is important for us to realize that we are role models for those coming up after us, whether we want that responsibility or not. We are also responsible, towards the public, of being a positive example of what it means to be a martial artist and, more specifically, a Keichu warrior.

[Adapted from a a sample newsletter copyright 2003 by the Martial Arts Management Network]

Dedication...without distraction

What does it mean when we say we are dedicated to our training in Keichu-Do? Is it possible to become distracted, even while we think we are devoting ourselves to becoming the best we can in Keichu?

These are things that I've been mulling over.

One thing that has struck me over the past couple years is the importance of returning to the basics. What exactly is Keichu-Do? As a martial art, what sets it apart? What are we supposed to emphasize in our training and in our teaching?

Soke and I discussed some of these issues recently, and I feel that I've emerged with a better focus on what is truly important in our art, and what constitutes the foundation and the crux of what we are supposed to be teaching to others, while training in ourselves.

Over the years, as I've observed students come and go, and as I've observed trends in the martial arts community at large, I've noticed how easily even martial artists can become distracted. In many martial arts traditions, there was a great emphasis on teaching kata (or forms) as the main vehicle for training in fighting and self-defense, and as the main means of passing on the art to others. Yet today, many modern American martial artists do not realize the value of kata and, instead, emphasize the sport aspects of sparring as being somehow more "real" and more valuable.

Then there are those who have forgotten that kata is more than an art form, and who have turned the practice of kata into a wild display of acrobatics and gymnastics---what we sometimes refer to as "flash and trash". On some of the martial arts competition circuits today, there is little left of self-defense training...the "martial" aspects of the arts are pretty much lost amidst all the excitement and spectacle. (Not so with the USKA, which is one of the reasons we compete on that circuit.)

Other well-meaning instructors overemphasize the mental and character training of children to the point that they are learning little of value in the physical realm...and, again, the "martial" is lost or ignored. I've observed one such class---where most of the hour was spent in discussion circles and story time and such activities, and very little of what went on actually resembled karate.

Then there is the trend towards afterschool programs, some of which so emphasizie fun, fun, FUN, that there is little in the sense of serious training. In order to make martial arts appealing to the largest number of parents, many of the traditions are removed, and a curriculum is put together that contains limited aspects of a few styles taught pretty much in isolation. There is no systematic training, and the techniques taught are chosen mostly for their "kid appeal".

Even the most traditional martial artists can become distracted. No one teaches exactly as taught. One instructor, for example, may stress kata, while another may emphasize self-defense. Even within kata training, one may emphasize power and intensity, while another may emphasize precision of technique. One may emphasize training for competition, while another may emphasize the application of kata.

As students, we are often more drawn towards certain aspects of our training than others, and we may choose to emphasize what we most enjoy, or what we find most valuable.

I've noticed another distraction that can crop up in Keichu, and this is something that Soke and I have discussed of and on for quite a while---much more seriously recently. Our "requirements" can actually become a distraction, both to instructor and student. While the requirements sheets we use in class are meant to be a tool for learning our martial arts system, they are not the system. Nor should they become our entire goal for training. We are not in Keichu to earn the next stripe or to advance to our next belt rank.

The requirement sheets are not carved in stone, handed down from Mount Sinai. (I actually asked. Haha.) They have not been with us since the beginning days of Keichu. They are not universal within Keichu. They have been adapted over the years.

And, although it may sound like heresy to some, they do not truly reflect the art or the way in which we teach it. At least the ones we've been using at Bethel don't.

It's time to get back to the basics. Keichu-Do originally started as a self-defense system, and then Soke developed it into a multi-faceted, comprehensive martial art. Some instructors have never lost their focus, and have always given kata and self-defense training the top priority, even while enjoying and teaching the many other aspects of our art. Over the years, a number of Keichu schools have made sure that their rank requirements have been tools that would systematically present Keichu as they understand it.

All of us who have come up within the ranks in the Santa Maria dojo have noticed some quirks with the rank requiremtns. For example, although all of us were using the "snap kick, backfist, reverse punch" combo since we began sparring, it didn't appear on the requirements sheets until we were intermediate students. We were using corner throws in self-defense before encountering them in the requirements. There were technqiues and stances we learned as white belts which we didn't actually use until much later---yet, at the same time, we were using techniques such as elbow strikes that we weren't tested on until we became brown belts.

We've corrected some of these "quirks" and have made some modifactions to the requirement sheets to better reflect Keichu-Do. No one has changed the system; we have just corrected the requirement sheets to bring them more in line with the system of Keichu-Do as we understand and teach it. This will really not be as big of a change as it may sound. No one's progress should be effected negatively.

At Bethel, our goal is to train our minds, bodies, and spirits---and to focus on what it truly means to be Keichu warriors, without distraction. The requirments are a tool to that end. On a practical level we will be using the kata more effectively as teaching and training tools. We will try not to teach any techniques in isolation, but teach them when they are needed and used. And, when skills are learned and mastered, they will be recognized and rewarded---you won't have to wait to advance several ranks before you can earn your stripe for elbow strikes!

In addition, as always, we want to reward diligence and dedication. At each level, we will begin introducting "bonus material". This will provide an opportunity for additional learning and training experiences and an opportunity for extra recognition and reward during belt tests.

We're excited about sharpening our focus, avoiding distractions, and becoming truly devoted to our training and teaching as Keichu warriors!

Commitment and Loyalty

It is difficult to teach positive character traits and values that run so counter to what is the norm in our society. But, however daunting the task may appear to us as parents and/or instructors, we cannot give up. The difficulty of character training should only serve to remind us of how crucial and necessary these lessons are.

The sad truth is that, for too many people today, commitment means very little. Promises mean very little. It is not unusual, for example, for prospective students to arrange appointments, very enthusiastically, and then never show up. It is not unusual for students to arrange practice sessions, knowing the instructor or fellow students will have to go out of their way to be there, and never show up, never call, never apologize. It is not unusual for students to commit to something, to have others depending on them, and then to change their minds, seemingly on a whim, and without explanation.

I'm not sure where the answer lies. Character lessons can only go so far. We cannot, as instructors, reach inside our students' very hearts and change their characters. A student must be willing, on some level, to have his character molded and improved.

One cannot be an instructor for very long without hearing, from other instructors, horror stories of betrayal, dishonesy, and even thievery from staff members. One would hope that, once someone reached black belt level, he would have reaped all the wonderful moral training that the martial arts are supposed to offer. Unfortunately, such is not always the case.

As instructors, we need to set an example for ethical behavior and for the values we teach. We also need to take character education seriously, at the same time realizing that we cannot achieve the miraculous. There are many competing voices and influences out there that impact our students. Commitment and loyalty are seen as old-fashioned in many instances, if they are considered at all. Parents and peers have our students far more hours than we do. Let's make our hours count, but let's not lose heart when we cannot work miracles.

All I ever needed to know in life, I learned from kata

Well, not quite. But close.

A few random life lessons that I've learned from kata, whether it's solo training in the dojo, training in class, competing in tournaments, or teaching:

1. A story is only as exciting as the teller makes it. In other words, it's all in the telling. I can either tell a boring story with my kata ("Sheesh, my instructor said I have to do this lousy form 5 times every day and, thank God, this is the last time I have to go through these motions until tomorrow!") or I can tell an exciting story of powerful karate techniques defeating several fierce opponents.

2. Practice makes permanent. If I practice a boring kata, I'll get really good at being boring. If I practice lousy side kicks, that's what will become permanent.

3. Details, details, details. An errant thumb or a few toes pointing the wrong direction can really bring down the scores. [Even more important, it can make the technique less effective.]

4. Everything has a reason. Even if I don't know the reason, or don't understand the reason, doesn't mean a good reason does not exist. There are no wasted moves, no meaningless techniques, in kata.

5. It's OK to let them see you sweat, but never let them know you've made a mistake. Tournament competition has taught me the folly of telegraphing mistakes with sighs, eye-rolling, and "uh oh!" facial expressions.

6. You can make a "warrior face" even when you're nervous and sick to your stomach.

7. The key to success in anything is dedication.

8. It's not enough to practice: you have to practice hard, practice well, practice smart.

9. Anything worth doing is worth doing, even if you're lousy at it. It just means you have to give it your all and keep practicing until you're no longer lousy.

10. You don't really know something until you've done it at least 1000 times and made it yours.

Totally devoted to the Way

Lately, at the end of class, I've been using my "Sensei talk" to go over what we refer to as our core values. Specifically, I've been talking to the class about dedication.

Keichu-Do means, loosely translated, "totally devoted to the Way". It can, on one level, describe our dedication to our style. For those of us who are Christians, there is an added meaning as well: the name of our style reminds us to devote ourselves completely to Jesus Christ, Who described Himself as "The Way".

We've been talking about what it means to dedicate ourselves to our training. It's interesting that some students, over the years, have professed great dedication and enthusiasm about their training, about Keichu-Do, but have been pretty much flashes in the pan---and have been more lukewarm than hot even during their most intense training.

This puzzles me. I think of one student, who was so "dedicated" as to take up residence in the dojo (well, almost) and watch classes when he wasn't on the floor or couldn't train. He was a regular fixture around the place, even showing up to observe classes when he was sidelined by an injury for a number of weeks. But, despite his wonderful attendance record, his work habits weren't that great. When he was on the mat, he didn't really put forth much effort.

There was a family who attended, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from two to three classes. They were at the dojo every Friday night for sparring. They arrived early and stayed late, and stayed in the dojo during the hour or longer break between two of their classes. But...they spent an awful lot of class time just standing around or halfheartedly going through a kata or two. Everything they did seemed at a slower speed or with less intensity than the rest of the class.

Then there are the students who are so enthusiastic and WANT IT ALL! As white belts, Keichu-Do becomes a way of life to them. They buy the patch; they buy the T-shirt; they have their gi silkscreened; they---as one of my children once joked---probably wear Keichu-Do underwear. But...the patch never makes it on to their gi. Their attendance in class is sporadic, even as they wax enthusiastic over how wonderful training is, how Keichu has changed their lives, how they are going for their black belts, how they can't wait to compete in the World Championships, how Keichu is the greatest thing since sliced bread, how they have great plans for years of involvement. Their work ethic in class is often unimpressive, but they love to talk about how hard they work and how much effort they are putting forth (effort that, apparently, is not so obvious to the rest of us.) And then, their enthusiasm wanes. After a few months, they announce, "We've been doing this for so long and working at it SO HARD, and we really need to take a break."

Call me baffled. Is that honestly what some people see as dedication?

I don't expect everyone to have the same level of dedication that I do. But I'm unimpressed by what is often jokingly called the "jawbone technique". Don't tell me about your dedication. Show me.

Some students, over the years, have really impressed me with their dedication. Some of them, probably unbeknownst to them, were my role models as I was coming up through the ranks.

Kathleen Marx, wife of our Soke, blew me away as I watched her last six months of intense training before her black belt test. I used a lot of the ideas I gained from watching her. A lot of other people would have used her lack of time, her responsibilities at a demanding job, her erratic work schedule, and other challenges in her life as a valid reason not to train. But her determination gave me determination to try to follow in her footsteps.

The Sanchez Family---they were our role models when we trained for our first World Championships. Their dedication, and long hours of training, was the stuff of dojo legends. We felt honored when we could put our trophies along the same wall as their trophies.

Sensei Martinez impressed me with the obvious results of his years of dedicated, intense training---not only that he was molded into an exemplary karateka, but an exemplary person.

I've seen people struggle to train despite physical handicaps, diseases, and injuries. It's been humbling, and it's a reminder that I need to be less of a whiny crybaby about training when it's inconvient or uncomfortable.

It seems that the truly dedicated people don't really talk about it. They are too busy living out their dedication.

I'm not sure how, or if, an instructor can motivate students to that level of extraordinary dedication. For some reason, Keichu-Do captures some people's very hearts. It becomes a part of who they are. They cannot stop training any more than they can stop being themselves. Keichu is in their hearts.

I thank God for all of those Keichu warriors who have been, and still are, my role models, my mentors, my examples, my inspiration. Not all of them are black belts. I've seen some pretty impressive dedication among a few white belts, and I'm eager to see them accomplish great things in the years to come.

Respect

At the end of class one day, I made the comment, "A black belt is just a white belt who didn't quit." Later, it came to my attention that at least one student entirely missed my point.

There are always those students who struggle with the idea of rank and with the concept of respect within the martial arts. I've even encountered a few (thankfully very, very few) students who seem to want to turn the idea of rank on its head. They expect the higher ranking students to show them unreasonable respect, to follow their wishes, to teach what and when and how the white belt demands it, and they expect the Sensei to promote them when the student wants. Such students will attempt to argue with an instructor as to whether a technique was done correctly, will claim it is disprespectful to be asked to participate fully in a class, and will often simply refuse to do what is requested of them.

Our dojo isn't overly strict. We aren't "old school". We aren't terribly formal. In fact, I often tend to think that we are too relaxed. So it surprises me when a student balks at the very concept of rank and bristles at being expected to behave respectfully towards instructors and other students. These kind of students, thankfully, are rare. But they are, for the most part, unteachable. They often have their own agenda in class, and they resent that their agenda is not given priority.

In every case, those students have been adults.

And that's where I think the difficulty lies.

In our dojo, we have family classes. We line up in every class by rank and, within rank, by age. Rank is more important than age. This is something the founder of our system established. It's a bitter pill to swallow for some adults. I know. I began training as an adult and was sometimes taught by instructors younger than some of my own children. It is an exercise in humility. That's the point. Training in humility is essential in the martial arts.

Yes, a black belt is just a white belt who didn't quit. By the same token, an adult is just a baby who has lived longer...or who was born before the younger babies. But---an adult is NOT a baby. Not any more. A black belt is NOT a white belt. Not any more. That's why we don't treat adults like babies and why we no longer treat black belts like white belts.

That's a hard concept for some students. It is hard for them to accept that, in the martial arts, respect is earned. Rank is a recognition that respect has been earned. The greater the rank, the greater the amount of respect that has been earned.

I reminded my students of these things. I reminded them of what I often say, "Practice makes permanent." As adults, we've had many more years of practicing various attitudes and character traits. What have we made permanent?

In the dojo, the student's character will eventually be revealed. If the student has been practicing integrity, that will shine. If he or she has been practicing respect, humility, and a teachable spirit, that student will be setting an example for other students in those areas. Unfortunately, some adult students have spent years practicing pride, arrogance, disprespect, and a lack of integrity. That eventually becomes glaringly obvious to us as instructors, and we are faced with the problem of having to deal with these issues.

Some instructors have told me that they no longer teach adults. They think the adults are past the point of being able to learn the "way of the warrior", to have their characters molded in a positive way. Others have told me they teach adults separately, and concentrate on techniques and fitness, rather than on the martial arts as a way of human growth and development.

I don't like to have such a hopeless view of adults. I think, with God's help, we can overcome years of bad practice and replace that with the practice of what is good. I think the martial arts, as I try to teach them, are a wonderful vehicle for change, growth, and empowerment.

I'm going to continue teaching adults. I'm going to continue to invest myself in them, to give them the same benefits of training that I've received, to pass on the lessons I've learned, to pour out my time and energy on them.

But, at the same time, I'm learning that I cannot allow adult students to disrupt the class, to endanger the safety of other students and instructors, to attempt to humiliate other students, to threaten students and instructors, to lose their tempers and stomp off the workout area, to push and shove the younger instructors, to lie to instructors, to insist on being able to determine their own rank in class, or to do any of the other outrageous things I've seen a few bad apples do over the years.

My commitment is to all of my students. In our classes, the adults are not any more important than the children. I have to do what is best for my classes as a whole, what is best for each student. Sometimes that may mean reminding a student what the martial arts are all about. Yes, there is contact. Yes, we grapple. Yes, we spar. Yes, we sweat. Yes, you have to learn kata. Yes, we have to say "yes, ma'am" and "yes, sir". Yes, you will have to work. Yes, you will have to follow instructions. Yes, respect for upper belts is part of the martial arts. No, after six months of sporadic training, you are not an expert on the martial arts. Yes, there is a hierarchy in the martial arts. Ours is a lot less rigid than other dojos. But it does exist. Yes, you will have to treat your fellow students with courtesty and respect. Yes, we expect you to take other students' safety into consideration. If all of that impossible to accept, the martial arts---or at least as we understand them in our dojo---are probably not a good fit for you.

As adults, we are supposed to be the mature ones.

But, then again, practice makes permanent.