Mid-America Karate
Greer Golden, Chief Instructor
Martin Vaughan, Assistant Instructor
James M. Nelson, Executive Director
9192 Norbury Dr., Swartz Creek, MI 48473-1167
PHONE 810-635-7841 FAX 810-635-2189 CELL 810-252-7696
E-Mail: MidAmericaRegion@aol.com
http.//members.aol com/cldwdiver/sckc.htm

Second Quarter Newsletter April-May-June-2005

Spring HIGHLIGHTS
All club instructors and/or representatives are given a detailed financial report each quarter. If you would like your own, please ask them for a copy.

Spring Camp was held in Delaware, Ohio, on April 16 and 17, 2006. Our special guest instructor, James Field, taught a variety of techniques and combinations to the fifty six karateka in attendance. It was a very worthwhile experience for the fourteen clubs represented during the two day camp. Saturday’s classes were held at the Willis Intermediate school, and the Sunday morning class was at the Delaware Hotel. A format which will be used in the future. This change was necessary due to fact that Delaware schools will no longer be offering the use of their facilities on Sundays. Next year's Spring Camp will be held April 16-16, 2006.

Regional Tournament
The regional tournament only had seventy five participates, from eight of the region's clubs. Twelve clubs chose not to send any representatives to the tournament. Although the numbers were low, the competition was excellent. Sensei Vaughn remarked, "It was one of the best Mid-America tournaments I have ever seen." The youth were well represented with forty three participants. There were thirty two adults, eleven women and twenty-one men. .Again, there were few~ adult kyu ranks represented.

Next year, black belt competitors will go before the youth. This will allow the youth to watch instead of leaving before these divisions start. Also, it frees up the black belt competitors to focus on judging for the rest of the tournament. It will also encourage black belts to use more control knowing the children and parents are watching. The 2006 regional tournament will be held Saturday, May 20, 2006. For a complete listing of the events and place winners, see page five.

Five karateka participated in the regional dan test held on M~ 21, 2006, at the Delaware Hotel. Congratulations go out to the following new shodans: .Angela Fiebke-Swartz Creek Karate Club, Connie Drake- Brown County Shotokan Karate Club, Len Gordon-Shotokan Karate of Anderson, Eric Gunn- Athens Karate Club, and Marco Camesasca-Clevela.nd Shotokan Karate Club. All five karateka demonstrated excellent spirit, sound basics, and a fundamental understanding of their individual kata’s.

The Regional meeting was held on May 21, 2006, in the Delaware Hotel. Thirteen of the twenty clubs were represented. A number of issues were discussed including the aforementioned format changes for Spring Camp and the Regional Tournament. In addition, a resolution was passed to collect ISKF dues each quarter instead of each month. The quarterly dates will be April 1, July 1, October 1, and January 1. For example, if your card expires in June, your new due date will be July 1. This new formula will make it easier for instructors and students to keep track of when their membership fees should be paid.

The web page used for last year's national tournament will. be converted to a Mid- America web site. It will include links to all clubs, team gear information, our regional calendar, the quarterly newsletter, and all forms needed for club registration, testing, nationals, and camps. Jim Nelson requested all club instructors send him information regarding how much they charge their students for ISKF dues. This way students may renew their dues at regional events, and the balance owed will be sent to the club instructor. For example, Swartz Creek charges forty dollars each year. Thirty five of which goes to the region, and the remaining five goes to the club. The extra is used to help pay for the eighty five dollar club registration and other club events.

By Kim Weber
I was excited from the time we got off the plane. I knew from that point on, I would savor every moment for the next 4 days. We met up with a couple of friends, got a car, and made our hour drive to Camp Green Lane. This was an "ideal life"... 3-4 training's a day under the best Shotokan Instructors around; a cabin full of friends (old and new) from around the country; and being around others who shared a passion for karate. Additionally, campers (for those that had the energy) enjoyed activities, such as sand volleyball, tennis, a pool, and a lake. There were "regional meetings" called at the local establishment to discuss current issues and to cultivate relationships with other karateka during their "regional meetings" .

Mr. Takenori Imura from the JKA Headquarters in Japan, and Mr. Hideo Ochi, the Chief Instructor of the JKA in Germany, were the Special Guest Instructors at this, the 39th annual ISKF's Master Camp. We had eight Mid- American karate-ka in attendance this year (and 1 honorary member from the South). The friendly atmosphere among karate-ka from all over the world was everywhere...you smiled and said hello to everyone you passed; you became 1nsta.nt friends with the crew you served. a meal with; and you took the time to introduce yourself to the new training partner you had from the latest class. You see, at Master Camp the emphasis seems to be put on building fellowship and camaraderie. Master Camp is something that should be experienced by everyone.

I would have liked to have spent more time in what many karatekas would consider an "ideal life" .

For a Lifetime
A Karate Parable
by Larry Rothenberg
The arms, the legs, and the abdomen were having an argument about which one of them should receive the most attention during karate training. The noisy argument caused the brain not to be able to concentrate. They finally agreed that they are equally important, so they told the brain to concentrate on all of them equally on every technique. After a while, the brain said," Hey guys, I'm getting a headache. I've been concentrating on all of you all of the time, but you're only improving slightly. If I concentrate mostly on only one of you at a time, the message would be clearer." So they agreed that the concentration should be mainly focused on the legs during one training, the arms during another training, and the abdomen during another training. By taking turns receiving the most concentration during one training in a three-training cycle, each part could benefit more. Then they agreed that after each cycle, the concentration should be on two of the three, in a round robin, and finally on all three together. So it became a seven training cycle.

Before long, there was too much noise again. The hands, the forearms, the elbows and the shoulders were now arguing about which should get the most attention during the arms' turn. The feet, ankles, knees and thighs were arguing about which should get the most attention during the legs' turn. And the hips, low stomach and lungs were arguing during the abdomen's turn.

They finally agreed that they could benefit even more if during the arms' turn, the concentration was on the hands during one training, the forearms the next, the elbows the next, and fina.1Jy, the shoulders. The arms now needed four training, the legs four, and the abdomen three, so.' it took 11 trainings to give every part its own turn. Then came a.11 of the combinations of two at a time, three at a time and so on, and the cycle included well over 100 trainings.

All of the parts had to be patient while waiting for their turn, but they were happy. Not only did they greatly improve during their own turn, they also benefited when the other parts improved as well. Somehow when the fist was tighter, the footwork improved. And when the hip action sharpened, the draw hand had an easier time. It didn't take long before it got noisy again. The fingers, thumbs, wrists, toes, heels, calves, and spine demanded their own turns too. Now there were too many parts involved to keep count of how long the cycle had become.

And it didn't end there. Now each finger and toe wanted its own separate turn. So did the achilles tendons. Each knee and elbow wanted its own turn separate from the other knee and elbow. The eyes, the neck, the pectorals, the lats, and even the kiai also wanted special. attention. "And don't forget me" said the nervous system. “I want to improve my reaction time." Everyone agreed when one part said, "The cycle is getting incredibly long, but by giving special attention to each part individually, we can all benefit. When the knee works harder, so does the foot. When the abdomen is more engaged, the stance shapes up. Not only that, when we see the overall improvement, we have more fun and want to train more." There was no stopping them. Now noise was coming from parts that kept quiet before. Arguments were coming from the tips of the fingers, the separate joints in the toes, each of the tendons around the knees, the bottom lobes of the lungs, and on and on. They heard from muscles that none of the other parts even knew existed before.

One of the parts said, "There are so many parts, we can't even count how long the cycle has become, and that is only to complete the cycle once It is going to take us a lifetime to give all the concentration needed for every part to improve the way they want. "

"This may be a problem," said the brain. "Let me do some research." It reviewed its notes from clinics, camps, and other karate experiences. It found something that Sensei 0kazaki once said. "Karate Training is for your entire lifetime. You never stop learning."

Mid-America Club Profile
This quarter we are profiling the Brown County Shotokan Karate Club, located east of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Brown County karate club was founded in 1977, and averages between sixty and seventy students. Of those, there are about twenty men and women, and around fifty youth. At the main dojo adult classes are every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 6:00 until 8: 00 PM; children's classes are Thursdays from 6:00 until 8:00 PM and Saturday at 10:00 AM. The YMCA branch of Brown County practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 until 8:00 PM. The cost for training is forty dollars per month. The main dojo is located on Friendly Meadows Golf Course, 809 St. Rt. 125, Hamersville, OH 45130, a family-owned corporation.

Instructors include James Oberschlake, Christian Moore, Sherri Stuermer, Connie Drake, Marty Schrager, and an other senior students. Sensei Oberschlake started training in 1974 at The Ohio State University under Mr. Greer Golden. After graduating from OSU, Jim received his Masters Degree from Xavier University in Administrative Education, and currently teaches high school English at Western Brown High School. His karate background is extensive. He earned his shodan in 1978 and started instructing karate in 1977. He has participated in twenty national tournaments, placing second and third in men's team kumite, and fourth in men's individual kumite. In addition, he is a five time national team member, and has won many regional kata and kumite championships. Jim's education also includes traveling twice to Tokyo, Japan, to train at the Japan Karate Association headquarters. He is currently a godan.

The reason Jim started karate is because realized he needed to gain self control. The most important lessons he has learned is that karate is at odds with most of what is considered normal. Because of this, we need to return to living a good and natural life. Jim has learned that there is a positive message to an the pain and suffering, and that Karate helps to develop the intuitive true self. As we develop our true self we learn to relax and respond appropriately to any situation. Jim believes one should train for enlightenment. In doing so, one increases awareness, energy, and freedom.

These three things increase together and may be the same unnamed thing. The universe is actually a fun place to grow up . . .

His favorite dojo training includes basics, and alternating between doing kata and stretching/ strengthening exercises. In addition, he enjoys slow free sparring with a good partner.

Among his many accomplishments are eleven years as Executive Director of the region, helping Kim and Jeff Weber start their own dojo (Shotokan Karate of Anderson), and building Obie Fields on the family farm. It is used for local youth soccer, baseball, and softball, which were needed when new school construction eliminated existing fields. Jim is currently single, and has two sons. Bobby, who attends Miami University on a baseball scholarship (he is a left handed pitcher on the team), and Timmy, a high school Junior who plays varsity football and baseball. Jim’s other interest include reading, meditation, studying people and life, baseball, drinking beer, and anything that can be done outdoors.

Points on the Application off Kata
by Martin Vaughan
Kata are the formal exercise of karate. Kata can teach us many things, physical skills such as techniques, stances, and movement in all directions, and mental skills of concentration, tranquility, and mental imagining of an opponent. Historically, these sequences of techniques and stances were the only way karate was passed from teacher to student. They were effective learning tools because they taught a valuable self defense lesson (presumably tested in actual combat) devised by the kata's creator. Because of this kata made sense to the student and were relatively easy to remember and practice. The practical application of kata techniques is called bunkai. In some cases the intended application of many techniques is clear. However in many oases, the original self defense lessons are less than clear, clouded by the passing of time. .As Okazaki Sensei has told us "Nobody was around to write down the meaning". But it is our responsibility to understand the meaning of each kata movement in order to train effectively. This includes understanding the application. "

How do we know the applications of kata movements? The first/best resource is your instructor. His/her experience is your most valuable resource. Secondly, talk to other people, read books, look at videos, attend clinics and camps. In these settings you will get a look outside your own dojo or region and this can give you a broader perspective on the application (and the kata). Next, try the application. As Okazaki Sensei has also said to us, "If the moves make sense and they work, then it is a reasonable application". This final point is very important to the training of everyone in our region. Let's make a point of including more of this type of training in our classes and in our self-training.

One last word of caution, the technique from the kata may not be exactly the same when it comes to application. For example, in movements 6 and 7 of Heian shodan, a gedan attack is blocked with gedan barai and the same hand covers the face with open hand age uke followed with stepping in age uke. In an application of this passage, the open hand rising block grabs the opponent's punching hand and the opponent's arm is then attacked by stepping in rising block. Thus, the position of the rising block in the application may be directed at the opponent's elbow or shoulder and not reach the final position above the forehead. Remember Master Funakoshi's Training Principle number 18, Perform kata exactly; actual combat is another matter". Even if application calls for an alteration of position or direction of a technique, when it comes to practice and performance of kata., it is necessary to do it exactly without the alterations called for in application. On the other hand, do not feel restricted by the structure of the kata when applying the techniques. Instead the practice of kata and its application should allow the karate-ka to freely move in response to the opponent (Master Funakoshi's Training Principle number 13).

Click here for a complete listing of events. The next regional training is August 13, 2005, starting at 11 :00 AM, at Willis MS. All Mid-America karate-ka interested in participating in the 2005 ISKF National Tournament, must get their registration materials to Jim Nelson by September 15, 2005. This includes T-shirt; orders, banquet orders, and clinic registrations. See your club Instructor for registration forms. Team Gear orders must be received by September 20, 2O05.