AKS Quarterly Newsletter

"The Punchline Editorial"
March 2017

I hope everyone has gotten off to a good start in this New Year. 2017 for some of us has had a somewhat rocky start.  All-in-all though, things appear to be picking up.

The first weekend in May, Sensei Gore will be holding West Virginia's regional training seminar.  His special guest will be Frank Carmichael from Germany.  Sensei Carmichael conducts many training seminars in Germany throughout the year.  If you are able to attend the May training seminar in West Virginia, I know you won't be disappointed.  Please contact E. Jude Gore for additional information and assistance with housing and travel instructions.

This past February marked my 57th year of study and training in the martial arts.  Later this year will be my 11th anniversary as your chief instructor.  This summer marks my 44th year as a founding member of the AKS.  Over the years, we have accomplished much as an organization.

This year will bring about some changes in leadership and direction for the AKS (more on that later).  It will be important for all AKS black belts to be in attendance for the summer camp BB meeting.  The direction the organization will take will be discussed at that time.  I can't emphasize enough the importance for all of you to be there.  While we are not a large group, we have many dedicated and hard working members.  I'll be looking to some of these folks as we begin to plow new ground and make plans for the future.

Mike Sullenger, 9th Dan
AKS Chief Instructor

You Might Be A Martial Artist If . . .

• . . . You find yourself casually standing in a cat stance.


• . . . You trip, go into a roll and come up in a fighting stance.  In church.


• . . . You answer your boss with "Ussss!"


• . . . You put your hands together in a martial arts bow position (one hand open the other closed) after grace at the dinner table.


• . . . You tie your bath robe belt in a square knot.  Then check to make sure the ends are exactly even.


• . . . You shut the refrigerator door with a side thrust kick.


• . . . You accept change from the cashier using a perfect knife hand with the thumb carefully tucked in.


• . . . When you're outside doing landscaping/gardening you "practice" with all the neat "weapons."
  
  
  
  

Teaching in the A.K.S.

Several weeks ago I had a meeting with my Black Belts where they made a very interesting request.  They explained that they knew all the basics, the katas, the weapons forms, sparring and a wide variety of self-defense.  What they asked for was, "Teach us to teach the students like you do."

I must admit, I had to think about this.  I never considered that I had a special teaching method or formula to connect with the students.  Over the years, I tried to follow Mr. Lieb's general guidelines and adapt them to the personalities and needs of my students.

Mr. Lieb was always a compassionate yet demanding instructor, but over the years he changed his focus on what was important.  When I first started, he promoted competition, he and his students were building a strong reputation for his new style.  He was tired of hearing, "There was no such thing as American karate."  He would say to that person, "Bow in and I will demonstrate."  Our reputation grew quick and strong, and we were either accorded respect or we took it.

As years passed and his injuries mounted, he would talk about the AKS living on after him.  His focus evolved to working with his instructors to make them the best teachers he could.  Not only in our techniques and forms, but a new unique attitude in the martial arts.  A style where students were accorded respect, regardless of rank, and had a voice where they could express themselves freely.

Over the last few weeks, I have spent a considerable amount of time contemplating my teaching methods. This is what I would share with my instructors:

Respect - Every new student is to be respected just because they made the commitment to be in my class.  I address 5-year-olds as Mr. or Miss, just like every other student.  I tell them that we are there to teach them, not hurt them.  My analogy is, "You don't go to driver's training to learn to crash a car, you don't come to karate to get beat-up."

Delivery - Students respond to encouragement and positive instruction.  I make sure to compliment good techniques and tell a student how to do better when it isn't correct.  I don't like critical or sarcastic comments, I have no reason to think my students do either.

Real life experiences - I think students can keep their training in perspective when the instructors share personal karate experiences.  These stories can be how we rose to the occasion or sometimes not.  One that I share is when I was a brown belt at a tournament.  My first match went pretty easy.  The guy was much heavier than me.  I figured I could be quicker, and won.  In the next match, when my opponent made a fist, he had knuckles that looked like Robin's eggs.  My first thought was, "Oh man, he is gonna hit me hard."  So I tried to fight long distance and lost.

Later that day, I got a call from a friend who was also an AKS Brown Belt.  "Hi chump," he greeted.   "Hi, Steve," I answered.  "You were at a tournament today," he said.  "Yes I was.  How did you know?"  "Oh I know.  You know the guy you beat?  That's Ed Maddox, Bill Maddox's brother, (Bill was a much respected Black Belt in the Grand Rapids area), and Ed is the best Brown Belt in Grand Rapids.  The guy you lost to, he's a nobody.  Everyone beats him."

By sharing this story with my students, my point was that I had basically lost the match before the referee ever said begin.  If they can learn from my mistakes, hopefully they won't repeat them.

"It's okay to be human."  I remember Mr. Lieb saying these exact words.  He was giving us permission to make mistakes, but also it was our obligation to learn from them.  "No one is perfect," he would tell us, "But we can all do better."  As simplistic as it sounds, it takes away the pressure of trying to be perfect and replaces it with the attitude of always striving for improvement.

Once, Twice and Move On - One mistake I have seen other instructors make is spending an inordinate amount of time correcting one struggling student's technique.  In an effort to correct some shortcoming, they embarrass the student and waste the rest of the class's time.

When you see an incorrect technique, fix it once, fix it again, after that leave them alone.  Just remember to cover it again next class, over time they will get it.  There will be more classes to make changes if you keep it positive.

Sense of Humor - This is where American Karate departs from some of the oriental mandates such as "train with deadly seriousness."  If you're a Navy Seal or a SWAT officer, your training is going to be very different from how we practice.  Our students are very average people who manage to get through life with a minimum of altercations.  And I expect, if they were confronted with a potential assailant, they could verbally defuse the situation before going for the vital striking areas.

I tell my students that if some bad guy is determined to have a fight, ask them, "Are you wearing a cup?"  If nothing else, you have just changed all the boundaries of his intentions.

After 45 years of teaching, my approach has become pretty routine.  My Black Belts gave me a wake-up call.  I have to add some new requirements to my core curriculum.

Thanks, you guys.

Dave Thomas
8th dan

Do You Have Member News ?

Please send news (weddings, births, graduations, etc.) so that we may share with our members and friends.  Accompanying pictures are most welcome!

We look forward to hearing from you !

PROMOTIONS!!

Congratulations to all students who have been promoted this past quarter, and to those we've missed in prior newsletters.

Best wishes in your continued training!

My Karate Journey

My name is Casey Lehto.  I'm a 2nd Brown belt with the AKS (West Toledo YMCA Karate & Self-Defense Program) in Toledo, Ohio.  I wanted to share with you a step in my karate journey that helped encourage me to keep moving forward.  I'm blessed to belong to a group that so selflessly gives their time and wisdom to help myself and other students to achieve their objectives.

I started with this group back in the Spring of 2013.  My goal from go was to EARN an, ever so prestigious, Black Belt.  I maneuvered my way up the ranks with confidence until the date of my 6th Green belt review.  We all have certain techniques that require physical, mental, and spiritual resources to perform.  For those of us who lack any amount of Ninja blood in their bodies, these skills can become the bane of our existence.  The given name for mine was called Circle Blocks.

I remember these particular blocks were one of the first things I began working on for my rank requirements.  It took me a few sessions to test them in front of a higher rank before my sensei would give the technique the okay.  After many attempts, I managed to get them signed a week before my review.  Although I had the okay from my instructor, my certainty to perform them accurately (if asked) during a review was shaky.

I arrived at the gym an hour earlier than the scheduled review time so that I was "extra" prepared.  There were 2 adult basketball games going on at the time, but it adds to the ambiance and helps me when I have to perform for an audience.  I practiced my blocks up and down the gymnasium floor and in between the 2 games.  I tried my best to ignore all the commotion around me and to focus on the task at hand, but thoughts kept creeping into my mind.  I wonder what I got on my test of Funakoshi's definition of a true karateka?  Would I ever "get" how to do circle blocks?  Would I ever really use them anyway?

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a player from one of the teams get upset over something in his game and he kicked a basketball towards me.  I instinctively protected my face with a perfectly executed circle block.  At first, the shock of the incident forbade me from seeing the miracle that had just occurred.  I could only stare at the young man who had caused the incident in hopes of an apology.  When he and his friends chuckled, ignored me, and went about their business, my blood began to boil.  I made a few steps onto their active game in pursuit of justice.  I was determined to show him and his comrades a concept called manners.  Something their own mother should have shown them a long time ago, but I was ready and willing to teach them that day.

As I took another step in their direction a mental light bulb flickered in my head, and I recalled Funakoshi's words of a true karateka.  In particular, one who rises above all things ignoble and base.  I took a couple steps back and the anger started to subdue and peace took its place.  Another step back, and I found myself in the same position I had started in.  It was then I realized that I had just answered my own questions.  Yes, I understood the meaning of Funakoshi's words of wisdom.  Yes, I did know how to execute a circle block.  And yes, they can be very useful!

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.  Thank you to the AKS for having this platform to share it.

A.K.S. News . . .

Spring Training Seminar

The AKS Spring Seminar will be held May 6th, at the United High School in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

This is the same school that we have held the last several seminars.  We are pleased to announce that Frank Carmichael from Germany will be our special guest.  Frank has been conducting around 40 seminars a year in Germany dealing with Kyusho, blending Aikido techniques with Karate, and basic Waldo Ryu Kihon.

Besides getting as much as we can from Frank while he is here, we would also like to know what other things you would like to see offered.  We will be setting up the schedule over the next several weeks, so please let us know if there is something you would like to see included.  We hope to have several sessions in the morning for the young students, so if any of you are interested in teaching one or have some fun ideas for the kids, please let us know.

As of now we would like to start no later than 9 a.m. on Saturday and will go until 4:00 or 4:30 in the afternoon.  We have a vender that will be setting up outside the school that you can order lunch from.

We will also be having a Black Belt testing the Friday before, May 5th.  We would like to start no later than 5:00 p.m. in order to finish in time to go have dinner.  If we can get in the school earlier, we may start a little sooner.  I will update you as we work out more details with the school.

If you have someone wanting to test, please inform the AKS leadership and us so that we are prepared.  Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.

E.Jude Gore 6th Dan
Mountaineer Karate Club
Lumberport, West Virginia
jgore@citynet.net

2017 Summer Camp

Summer Camp will be held in Muskegon, Michigan July 21st - 23rd.  The schedule will be posted on the "Calendar of Events" page when available.  It's never too early to start planning for this event.

Brian C. Wolffis SFR 4th Dan AKS 4th Dan AKA 702-743-4171 C 702-946-1198 F Website agent.selfdefense@gmail.com

Agent Self-Defense This is how the Title and Home Warranty Companies are promoting Agent Safety here in Las Vegas.  FYI, the WORKSHOPS are strictly AKS techniques. More later. Best Personal Regards, Brian

Tournament News

Congratulations to all who have competed this past quarter.  Keep up the great work!

Please take a moment to view our website and visit the A.K.S. Recognitions page.   We are proud of all of our A.K.S. members who have been honored and recognized for their accomplishments and dedication to the American Karate System.  It is only fitting that we honor them and thank them for their dedication and service to our organization.   Ernie would be proud!

2017 Black Belt Membership Dues

All membership dues for 2017 should be current.  Please contact your instructor for the forms when you register.  Or you may fill out the appropriate forms found at the bottom of the Calendar of Events page.

If you are having a problem downloading the forms, please let me know and I will email them to you.

Request for forms:  here

Looking for that last-minute gift from our AKS apparel shop?  

We have jackets, fleece, wind breakers, vests, shirts, sweatshirts, caps and more.  There is also an embroidery service to have the AKS Logo embroidered on your item.  The perfect solution for that special 'karateka' on your Christmas list.

We would like to thank all those who have purchased AKS apparel through our on-line store.   The AKS receives a portion of the purchase price on every item sold.  Thank you for your continued support.

AKS STORE - CLICK HERE!

We are happy to announce we have upgraded the software to include FedEx online shipping rate calculation for International Sales.  This makes it possible for us to take orders and ship to International customers.

A.K.S. Web Address(es)

Our "Official" web address is:  www.aks-usa.com

We also own:   www.aks-usa.org  and  www.aks-usa.net  which will direct you to our website as well.

You can also type in    www.aks-usa.info   and you will be taken directly to our "About Us" web page.  Please check us out!!