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Michael A. Sullenger 9th Dan . . . In this issue: This Page... The Master's Edge Page 2: A Little Wisdom Page 3: The "Answer" Is ? and Life in the Dojo Page 4: Club News Page 5: Guest Article Page 6: The News... CLICK HERE for Past "Punchline" Editions! Return to "Home Page" |
“The Punchline” Editorial - September 2008 I hope everyone’s summer went well. I spent seven weeks at Culver Military Academy’s annual summer camp in Culver, Indiana, teaching circuit weight training and self-defense. In my travels north at the beginning of June, I was able to spend time training with Jeff Cobb in Alabama, and Gilbert Pena in Atlanta, Georgia. If all goes well, they (along with Roy Almanza) will join us at the November regional seminar in West Virginia. It was a full summer of activities that culminated in my attendance at the Academy of Masters ~ Masters Hall of Fame event in Anaheim, California; more on that later. My only break from my teaching schedule was to attend our annual summer camp in Muskegon. By all accounts it was our best ever. The many comments I’ve heard since give every indication those who attended were very pleased. If there was a single complaint at all it was, “how will I remember all of what I learned.” Sensei Fred Reinecke will discuss more on this topic in another article. What’s important for us to remember as we continue into the future is that we are all dedicated to three things: First, to be the best martial artist that we can be. Second, to ensure that the legacy of our founder is kept alive and well. And third, to ensure that our standards and quality always lives up to the best of what Mr. Lieb expected of his students and his organization. For my money, we’ve done that very well. Sure, we’ve had some bumps along the way. No group or organization in history has escaped experiencing its share of problems. The key to success is how well the leadership and organizational members are willing to work together. This requires sacrifice and the willingness to compromise for the good of the organization. Based on the way we’ve conducted ourselves since Mr. Lieb’s untimely demise, I’d say we’ve done a very good job of working together. Please accept my thanks and a hardy well done. Congratulations are in order for our three members who tested at the summer camp. Mr. E. Jude Gore was promoted to 5th Dan, Mr. Andrew Eckhart to 3rd, and Mr. Mark Hainen to 1st. It was both a pleasure and an honor to stand by these gentlemen’s instructors and award them their certificates. I know it was especially rewarding for Mark as this was an event long overdue. He is now like the other black belts in the AKS, a formal student of karate and the martial arts. Mr. Lieb was often heard telling people that the first black belt he earned meant more than any of the others that followed. Those of us who have been so honored understand this sentiment very well. The first two regional seminars have taken place in West Virginia and Ohio. Those who were able to attend were pleased with the planning and execution of the weekend’s agenda. It allowed your leadership to learn so we could do a better job at the annual summer camp. We now look forward to the next seminar in West Virginia in November. As we speak, I know Mr. Folsom, Mr. Gore, and Mr. Greynolds are already in the planning stages. By the time this editorial is published, the dates should already be posted. On 13 August, Roy Almanza (2nd Dan AKS) and I flew to California. Roy was accompanying me to the 9th Annual Academy of Masters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies. Dr. Rob Debelak wrote a very nice piece in the June, 2008 Punchline regarding my nomination. As I read his commentary and observations of me, I kept wondering whom he was talking about. I guess there are a number of us who try to think of our students and family first. It’s difficult to blow our own horn, let alone read the glowing praise another writes about you. I will forever be grateful to Rob and Roy for their loyalty and dedication to me. Over my more than forty-eight years of study and training in the martial arts, I never considered for one second that I would be nominated to a hall of fame, let alone inducted. As I look back on the years I’ve spent in the AKS as one of Mr. Lieb’s students and black belts, my every effort was to make him proud and be as stellar a representative of the AKS as was possible. I’ve been blessed to be able to help our organization grow, and to see the pride in Ernie’s eyes when he reviewed all that his beloved AKS had accomplished. We both owe much to each and every one of you for that success. No one person makes things like that happen. It’s the combined efforts of the membership we must look to and thank. At the evening's social at the Thomas’ residence, I was flattered and humbled by the kind words said on my behalf by Dr. Guessler Normand. Being a part of the AKS and friends with all of you has been a reward in itself. At the ceremony, I was asked by the academy’s CEO, Dan Hect, to write an article about the event that is to be published in Master’s Magazine. This magazine is published quarterly and will be out sometime in September. Once I’m made aware of it’s publishing date, I will make every effort to let you know. While at the event, I was fortunate to become a founding member of the Academy of Masters. That now includes the AKS HQ. I feel this is a worthwhile organization. Their goal is to recognize excellence in the martial arts through the Hall of Fame inductions, as well as to create excellence through the academy by recognizing outstanding students and instructors. You will be able to read more about this in my Master’s Magazine article. My goal for next year is to see that Mr. Lieb is also inducted. My only sadness is that he isn’t here to accept and enjoy the accolades he so richly deserved.
I look forward to seeing those who are able to attend the November training seminar in West Virginia. I wish you one and all a blessed and great Fall season.
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. . . In this issue: Page 1: The Master's Edge This Page. . . A Little Wisdom Page 3: The "Answer" Is ? and Life in the Dojo Page 4: Club News Page 5: Guest Article Page 6: The News... CLICK HERE for Past "Punchline" Editions! Return to "Home Page" |
by Michael A. Sullenger 9th Dan A.K.S. Chief Instructor This article will begin a four-part series that covers a paper I first wrote for Ernie as part of my 6th Dan requirements. In March 1990, I submitted a paper to Mr. Lieb (our AKS founder and chief instructor) in partial fulfillment of my sixth degree black belt requirements. The points I made at that time are still relevant today. My friend and mentor suggested I update and share the paper with the American Karate System’s membership, as well as other true students of the arts. I hope the thoughts and reflections that follow will have a positive impact on your personal perspective regarding the martial arts, and your specific studies in karate.
As a student of karate and an early subscriber of Black Belt magazine, I began my exposure to competition. My first tournament was in May 1966 at Jhoon Rhee’s Nationals in Washington D.C. I competed as an orange belt and won my first three matches. I believe this was also the tournament where Joe Lewis made his debut and won the black belt portion of the competition. There were some good fights and some bad ones. There was also good and bad judging. This resulted in several people getting their noses bloodied, teeth loosened or knocked out, and their faces cut, requiring stitches. During this period of karate competition, hand and foot protection, like the variety in use today, was nonexistent. Maybe Mr. Rhee realized a need because of the injuries that occurred at his tournament. He invented the first pieces of safety equipment (1972/73) that spawned the industry that exists today that provides competitors a variety of gear they can wear on their hands, feet and head. As an enlisted man in the Air Force, I participated in one tournament as a green belt and two as a brown belt prior to going overseas to Spain. As a green belt, I participated in a tournament in Oklahoma City presented by Jack Hwang, a noted Korean instructor and promoter. I won several matches at this competition and ended up in 4th place. As a brown belt, I competed in the first and second Armed Forces Karate Championships held at Ft. Bliss in El Paso and Sheppard AFB in Texas respectively. In El Paso I injured my right leg when an opponent and I clashed legs trying to execute the same kick. At the Sheppard AFB tournament I fought the guy who’d taken first place in El Paso. The base newspaper talked about our match being one of the best of the entire event. We fought through regulation time, two overtimes, and finally a sudden death, where he beat me by a point. I felt pretty good about this as he was a 2nd degree black belt who had studied several years in Japan, and I was only a 1st grade brown belt. You may wonder why a brown belt would fight a black belt. The Japan Karate Association of America, headed by Hiditaka Nishiyama, ran the Armed Forces Tournaments. Their method of competition was to have brown and black belts fight in the same division. There were no separate divisions for brown and black belts. Sensei Nishiyama was a well respected senior member of the Shotokan organization and former student of its founder, Gichin Funakoshi. It was after this tournament that Sergeant Allen promoted me to first-degree black belt (1st Dan). Wow, what a feeling of accomplishment! It may be helpful for the reader to understand the levels of rank used in various martial arts systems. When students begin their studies, they start at the 10th Kyu (grade) White belt level. The progression upwards varies depending on the style and/or school at which they study. As a rule, students move from white to yellow or orange, then green and blue, and finally brown. In other words, the students start at the 10th Kyu level and reach the 1st Kyu level before becoming eligible for black belt rank. Once a student earns his 1st Dan black belt, they begin to progress up the ladder towards 10th Dan, depending on how long they continue to study. Few students attain this highest of level because it has traditionally been reserved for instructors who’ve had unique insights and talents that lead them to create their own system or style of martial art, like my teacher and mentor Ernie Lieb. For students to arrive at a level between 6th Dan and 9th Dan is a great accomplishment if their system places the emphasis on requirements deemed proper for such ranks. Sadly, in the U.S. there are many martial artists whose only goal is rank. Many don’t really earn what they eventually claim. They either work under some other instructor whom they pay to receive higher rank, or they start their own martial arts organization so they could promote themselves or like-minded friends. This has resulted in martial artists in other parts of the world to see Americans and American martial artists as a bunch of clowns who aren’t serious students of the arts. When I returned from Spain to the U.S. in October of 1970, I had just earned my 2nd Dan. I continued to follow the tournament scene via Black Belt magazine while stationed overseas. I was anxious to try my hand as a black belt. Without beleaguering you with accounts of my many tournament stories, suffice it to say I was able to pick up some 40 plus trophies. For every trophy won, there were at least 10 competitions where I got stomped; most of the time it was by better competitors. However, there were times it was due to poor officiating and/or politics. I realize 40 or so trophies are not a lot in comparison to many others who went to tournaments practically every weekend. My interests lie not so much in competition, but in the desire to learn more about other aspects of the many systems that make up the Martial Arts. Tournament competition was one factor that helped to build my confidence in different areas. In high school I never participated in sports to any degree. Not being a “jock” meant not being with the “in crowd” or wearing a letter jacket or sweater. There is a certain kind of self-confidence that results from winning in Martial Arts competition. I was no one really great, though I got mentioned once in Karate Illustrated magazine by one of their correspondents as an unknown newcomer. Others also told me that I had excellent potential to be one of the top rated competitors in the nation. I did manage a rating as the top Kata competitor in the American Karate System for the 1973-1974 time frames; and the number two competitor in the American Karate Association. There were times when I would leave a tournament with first place in kata and first, second or third in heavyweight sparring. It was a good feeling to win knowing you’d done your best and were judged fairly among the many other good martial artists who competed. Tournament competition is also a great way to find out how well your training has prepared you. You’ll come up against many talented people when you compete. Unfortunately, there are just as many problems that occur at tournaments that cause competitors a great deal of heartbreak and frustration. If competition is kept in perspective and not made to be the panacea (cure-all) for all that the Martial Arts stands for, then the student has an excellent chance of seeing the big picture. It’s this big picture from which enlightenment comes. It is as much from within us as it is from outside. Again, my interests lie not in seeing if I was the best fighter or kata competitor, but in broadening my intellectual horizons in the Martial Arts and my understanding of myself. It has also been in teaching others and in developing me as a person. Over the past forty-seven years I’ve had the opportunity to visit and train in a number of schools across the nation and overseas. Some schools were purely commercial. The people who ran them made their living by getting as many paying students through their doors as possible. Other schools were located in YMCA’s, churches and community or recreation centers. These schools were more interested in teaching their style, so the student’s perspective was more in line with the Asian way of thinking. One commercial school with which I developed an ongoing relationship is located in McAllen, Texas. The owner and head instructor, David Borowitz, works at instilling a proper mindset in his students while still making a living from fulltime instruction. He tries to not sacrifice the quality of the instruction or the importance of earning rank, like some of the other commercial schools in the area. I’m sure there are other such schools located throughout the U.S. Overseas, the dojos were more along the lines of clubs than commercial schools; though, there were a number of them whose instructors also earned a living from fulltime teaching. It didn’t appear, from what I saw in Europe of the schools I visited or trained in, that they were as consumed by generating profits as many of their American counterparts. The key difference here is where one draws the line between quantity and quality. My experience has shown me that the biggest violators of quantity over quality are the Koreans. Let me also say I have known some really good Korean instructors whose main objective was turning out good students as well as generating funds. There are also a lot of good commercial schools with solid traditional values. Commercialism has its place if approached properly. Students should not be produced in assembly line fashion from white to black belt as soon as they know the techniques and movements, purely for generating funds as quickly as possible. This does a great disservice to the students, as well as the Martial Arts community. Nearly everyone has heard a joke or story about the guy who in the heat of an argument jumps back into a karate stance while announcing he either knows karate, or has a black belt. The other guy, totally unimpressed responds, “yeah, well I know tire iron,” and commences to put lumps on the other’s head. When instructors who haven’t received proper training and instruction run schools, the result is poorly taught students in the majority of cases.
During a tournament in Edinburg, Texas, I was the center referee in a ring of advanced level (under black belt) teens. During one match, the young man who had won hit the other on two different occasions with no intention of using even the smallest amount of control. After warning him the first time, I gave his opponent a point when he hit the other boy again with no control. Even though he won the match, his brother, a black belt with the same school, argued with me saying it didn’t matter how much contact there was. A point was a point. I admonished him for his lack of respect and poor attitude. I was told later he was making faces at me behind my back. The instructor of these two youths was totally responsible for their lack of respect and sportsmanship. Even though I confronted him about it, I doubt seriously he cared. I again was reminded of the movie “The Karate Kid,” in which the instructor of the Kobu Kai School teaches his students to show no mercy. His students reflected his bad attitude and poor sportsmanship to the letter. I also have it on good authority this same instructor, now a 7th Dan, wasn’t even a black belt 15 years prior. I earned my 1st Dan in May 1968 and my 8th Dan in June 2005. Though this example speaks less of commercialism, it does illustrate (sadly) where some so-called "students of the arts" heads really are. They are the kinds of martial artists the European’s call clowns. For them it’s more about image and ego than anything else. As a result they turnout students that are their mirror image. Commercialism also seems to promote a larger number of young students to the rank of black belt. Go to any of a number of karate or Tae Kwon Do schools and you’ll have no trouble finding boys and girls 7 and 8 years of age wearing a black belt. One of the key positions and philosophies we in the American Karate System have had since our inception has been to not promote kids to black belt. We feel they must mature enough to understand the significance and importance of the rank. We set eighteen as the age at which some level of maturity should exist; enough to understand and appreciate the significance of the rank they have achieved. That includes knowing how they should conduct themselves in a given situation, thus ensuring (as best one can) they won’t abuse or misuse these skills. When abuse of skills takes place, it results in a poor misrepresentation of the arts and the student’s true training. This is an area (outside of commercial influences) where more traditionally minded teachers can have a profound impact. The study and training of the Martial Arts should emphasize the goal of developing the person into a more productive and responsible member of society, not just another number on a list of students who attained the rank of black belt about which the head instructor can brag. The main reason a qualified black belt begins to teach others is to pass on to them what he has learned. With proper training, the student’s development is always along positive lines. Unfortunately, many people who get involved in the Martial Arts haven’t done well elsewhere in life. Consequently, people have found an area where they have been able to succeed to some extent. They use this as their avenue to gain the limelight. Anyone who has been to a few tournaments will know exactly what I mean. The Martial Arts is the only area I’ve come across where a great number of egotists exist. There is nothing wrong with having a somewhat inflated ego, if it’s kept in check and in perspective. When it’s not, you have instructors and their assistants who provide the wrong example for their students. If a student scores a point on this type of person during a sparring session, he will likely beat the poor kid into the ground. His ego won’t permit him to be seen as anything but invincible. If a pretty girl walks into the school, the egotist immediately begins to show his stuff. Girls are not exempt from this either. In their case it may revolve more around chasing the instructor than trying to demonstrate invincibility.
So where does this put us in regards to commercial schools and noncommercial ones? It requires an approach that looks at what the motivating factors are for a black belt to open a school. It requires an understanding of this person’s background and legitimacy as it pertains to how he or she got a black belt. What are their qualifications? How much time have they spent training? To what degree and depth have they studied Martial Arts history and philosophy? These are some areas that can be used as a jumping off point in developing a clear view of the individual’s qualifications to teach others. One of the biggest problems in the United States today is the lack of organized control be it local, state or federal, towards the goal of licensing instructors. This would be a crucial step in providing a means of verification that an instructor possesses the minimum requirements necessary to teach. Without this control, it’s a wide-open ballgame in which anyone can play. There are no rules or guidelines to govern who does what to whom. The result is a lot of misled and cheated students who sought instruction, only to be taken to the cleaners by a smart con man, or those students who received instructions from someone completely lacking the qualifications. There are hundreds of quality schools and teachers throughout the U.S. today. A person wishing to learn a particular style or art need only take the time to visit a variety of them and observe how their classes are run. By observing their classes and asking pointed and well-structured questions, a person will soon see what the instructor’s goals are. Also talking with some of the students will help in shedding additional light on what makes this school successful.
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 . . . In this issue: Page 1: The Master's Edge Page 2: A Little Wisdom This Page. . . The "Answer" Is ? and Life in the Dojo Page 4: Club News Page 5: Guest Article Page 6: The News... CLICK HERE for Past "Punchline" Editions! Return to "Home Page" |
Some years ago, Mr. Lieb hosted a training seminar in which Master Tadashi Yamashita was the guest instructor. The local media came to interview Sensei Yamashita, who at the time was making feature length movies and television shows. During the course of his interview, he explained karate’s influence on his life and he summed it up by telling the reporter “Karate makes me happy.” I found this statement elegant in its simplicity and profound in its depth of meaning. Over the years, I have often pondered that statement and the depth of its implication. The term “happy” is replete with definitions. And there are many aspects in life, which can make us “happy.” But for karate practitioners, I believe his assertion has special significance. Endorphins - The first and most obvious form of elation in karate is through physical exercise. When we work out, the brain releases endorphins, which heighten our sense of joy and exhilaration. There have been times when I was too tired or had a bad day and I thought I would skip class, but reluctantly, I would go anyway. I noticed that after class I always felt better both emotionally and physically. I tell my students to come to class especially on the bad days, karate is great exercise and stress relief, and they will feel better by the end of class than before they came in. Fraternity - In karate, those we train with often become our closest friends. When we walk on the floor there are bows, handshakes and even hugs in tandem with warm greetings. We have a bond of shared goals and experiences, which connects us as a very close-knit group. I tell new students that if they will come to class and train hard they will be accepted as members of our AKS family; a family that supports and nurtures each member without exception. This connection transcends time and distance, it is always exciting to meet or hear from a fellow AKS member even though months or years have passed. Friends - I have seen strangers meet on the dojo floor and quickly become close friends. Common interests, common goals, and shared experiences can make steadfast friends of us all. Most of my closest friends are AKS students and Black Belts. The security of having a true friend you can trust and confide in is immeasurable; they know you will be there for them as well. Freedom from fear - I joined karate in my late teens, because I was tired of being afraid. Fear of verbal threats that might escalate to physical assault is a painful way to live. But as I trained, I gained the confidence in my skills and techniques, which diminished those fears. Karate gave me the confidence to walk down the street and not have to look at each stranger as a potential threat. The years of training took away the fear and replaced it with appropriate circumspection, and made me a more confident and a happier person. Personal growth - When students join our class, we tell them that by training in karate they will learn self-discipline, improve their self-confidence and develop a better and more accurate self-image. For the students that stay and train, this intrinsic personal growth follows the kicks, punches and katas. It is practically unavoidable. It is usually about green belt level when you can tell that this student actually begins to like himself or herself better as a person. The growth and joy come from the accomplishment of learning the many aspects of martial arts. Teaching – As students get the opportunity to teach beginners, almost always they tell me how much they enjoyed the opportunity to share their knowledge. Instructing students perpetuates our style and helps us become better instructors. It is very gratifying to watch a student execute precise movements, and personally rewarding to know we made a contribution to their learning values that will impact the rest of their lives. Spiritual growth – As karatekas learn and grow, their personal and ethical beliefs often taken on deeper conviction. With time, all of the attributes previously discussed strengthen their personal choices and values. Because of their accomplishments in karate, they have the confidence to achieve whatever goals they may set for themselves. Self-confidence and strength in principles are life-long qualities. Long term, this may be the most important part of our contribution to our students.
I am sure there are more elements of happiness than I have listed here, but Sensei Yamashita said it best “Karate makes me happy.”
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 . . . In this issue: Page 1: The Master's Edge Page 2: A Little Wisdom Page 3: The "Answer" Is ? and Life in the Dojo This Page. . . Club News Page 5: Guest Article Page 6: The News... CLICK HERE for Past "Punchline" Editions! Return to "Home Page" |
Enterprise, West Virginia E. Jude Gore, 5th Dan / Brian Greynolds, 4th Dan Head Instructors
Ross Park Elementary - Muskegon, Michigan Dave Thomas, 8th Dan - Head Instructor
Toledo, Ohio Rand Palmer, 5th Dan - Head Instructor
Congratulations to our black belts and to all students who have been promoted this past quarter, and best wishes in your continued training. ------------------------ Attention Instructors, if you have students who have been promoted, please send this information so that we may acknowledge their accomplishments. |
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. . . In this issue: Page 1: The Master's Edge Page 2: A Little Wisdom Page 3: The "Answer" Is ? and Life in the Dojo Page 4: Club News This Page. . . Guest Article . . . Page 6: The News... CLICK HERE for Past "Punchline" Editions! Return to "Home Page" |
by Father Jim Wyse 4th Dan AKS Sometimes there is concern about what it means for a Christian to study karate. How can the study of a fighting art fit with Jesus’ injunction to turn the other cheek? There are various schools of thought on Christianity and self defense, and I shall try to explain a position that I think makes the most sense and fits into most historical Christian thought. It says in Matthew 5:38-42: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.” That is potent stuff. The big questions are does Jesus’ teaching forbid self-defense? And, if not, what sort of demands do they make on us? No Christian can say that Jesus’ words make no demands on us, and to spin them until they are comfortable takes all the power out of our Christianity. Given our ability to deceive ourselves, we should approach the question carefully. The Sermon on the Mount is about setting up a new vision of how to live rather than detailed set of do’s and don’ts. At the time there was a deep sense of the importance, indeed the necessity of revenge, and it would often lead to a cycle, escalating with each turn. If someone did you wrong, you had no choice; you had to strike back. Jesus frees us to new possibilities and a higher purpose. Jesus is calling us to seek the good of all people, even if they don’t deserve it. We look at Matthew 5:43-48 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. If you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” There is a command to an unconditional intent to do good to all. Treat people not merely according to what they deserve, but according to the greatest good. This leads to the question of what happens when there is a conflict of goods? From the time of Augustine, most Christians have recognized that there are times when defending against an unjust aggressor takes precedence over our duty to be kind to an unjust aggressor. Besides, we know that letting people get away with crimes is not necessarily good for them. Every parent knows (or learns the hard way) that letting their kids get away with everything is not going to help them in the long run. If we take these words of Jesus as literal commands, they would not just forbid the use of physical force, but any resistance. Locking doors, using passwords or virus protection are methods of resistance to evil. Oh, and forget about calling the police. One would not even have to steal from us, merely ask. There can be witness value in refusing to fight, showing unconditional love, but I would suggest that it does not always serve Christian witness. Remember the movie “Witness” with Harrison Ford? Our hero was living for a while with an Amish community, which did not believe in self defense. Every time they went into town, local bullies would harass them, knowing there would be no resistance. Thinking that Harrison Ford was Amish, they began to harass him too. He was not passive, and somebody got a bloody nose. This gave the audience the great satisfaction of seeing bullies get their comeuppance, but I think there is a more serious point: while I have great respect for the Amish and their willingness to suffer harm rather than cause it, in cases such as this, their passivity encourages evil rather than quells it. The does anyone care to guess if the incident caused the bullies to rethink their behavior? I heard the story of a theology professor who said that he would not use violence even if his sister were getting raped. Several of the women in the class responded, “I’m glad I’m not your sister.” There was a Dilbert comic strip in which Dogbert said he wanted everyone to renounce fighting. Dilbert thought that was a beautiful sentiment. Dogbert walked away saying, “Then I could conquer the planet with a butter knife.” If we chose a pacifist response to villains, some might hope that eventually the demonstrating of our love would overcome them. I would suggest that most of our experience with people who are unimpressed by such things points to pacifism leading to a world ruled by predators. Some people would fight expecting you to fight back. To refuse would end the game. They think that everyone is like them, and to react as they do not expect might give them pause. Some attack because they want a passive victim. They look upon others as game animals. To give in is to reinforce the pathology. The question becomes what will be most likely to lead to peace? That is going to be a judgment call, and not always clear. We are called to give the benefit of the doubt to avoiding harm, but there will be times when that doubt is overcome. The greater victory would be to overcome evil with kindness, but we have to decide if that is a reasonable hope. We have a choice, and we are responsible for that choice. We are not merely pawns of the situation, but free to decide what is the greatest good. Karate is a way of peace. If you read the autobiography of Gichin Funakoshi (and if you haven’t, do not delay), he tells the story of a time he was on his way to class and three thugs started pushing him around. He protested that he was so small it would be no challenge to beat up on him. They demanded money, and he offered them the food he was bringing for the shrine. They took it and went off, never knowing how lucky they were. His teacher praised him more for that than for all his excellent technique. I think Jesus would have approved too. Karate training helps us be calm and confident in a fight. This would help us keep our anger and fear overcoming our better judgment, and be better able to choose a peaceful alternative. Being calm and confident may also help deter a bully who might sense that fighting us will not be as much fun as he hoped. Karate students also have experience taking their lumps, so they could keep control even if things started to get physical but not past the point of no return. Having skill in the martial arts makes the choice not to fight a much greater gift. It is one thing to decide not to fight back if we couldn’t expect to accomplish anything anyway. Its another to have a good chance to clobber someone, but choose not to for higher reasons. We read in the story of Jesus’ arrest in Matthew 26:51-53: “ And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels?’” Jesus emphasized he was not giving in to the inevitable. He was choosing his path, and even in the garden was not a helpless victim. He gave himself as a gift. The martial arts, properly practiced, lead to greater personal maturity, and that helps us see the greater goods and the bigger picture. We know that our highest victories on not physical, but in hearts and minds and lives. We know that the goals we seek are greater that a given moment of anger. Using force to stop an aggressor will not win the battle over evil, but protect the arena in which we can do good to people. It is by doing good to people that we point them to the Greatest Good.
Following is an account of Mr. Sullenger's induction into the Master's Hall of Fame on August 16th at the Anaheim Hilton in Riverside, California as witnessed and submitted by Mr. Roy Almanza, 2nd Dan A.K.S.
How do I begin to describe what I have seen and witnessed these last few days? I saw and met people who, to the ordinary person, would be just another face on the street, but to the Martial Arts community are considered superstars, if not legends. I had the opportunity to participate and co-mingle with these people, along with seeing a “normal” person become immortalized in the Martial Arts world. I hope the following words do justice to what I saw and experienced. This event, The Martial Arts Hall of Fame, took place in Anaheim, California on Saturday, August 16, 2008. The reason for going to this event was to witness the induction of our Chief Instructor, and my friend and father-figure, Michael Sullenger-9th Dan, into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame. This induction was a culmination of events that started earlier this year. Mr. Sullenger and I landed in Anaheim a few days before the event, partly to enjoy the sites and nice weather, but mainly to participate in some training with other martial artists from around the area. As luck would have it, we were unable to formulate an exact time with the other people, so no training was done until the day of the Seminar. The Martial Arts Seminar was broken down into two sections. The day was spent participating in seminars given by notable martial artists. The night would conclude with a formal black-tie affair, with dinner and the awards presentation. Needless to say, the day definitely was spent huffing and puffing, jumping from one seminar to another. The first seminar was given by Soke David Dye. His style is Shuyokan-Ryu. He’s known as the “Samurai cop of Los Angeles.” His approach to self defense was very insightful, and he applied it to realistic situations. His main focus for his seminar was to properly apply wrist locks and to make sure you stayed inside your “triangle.” Your “triangle” was the center of all your movements. It consisted of your base being your abdomen, with your arms being the sides. His main focus was to always maintain your center, so as to properly apply your technique. He went on to elaborate from a simple wrist lock into more advanced techniques. His website is http://www.shuyokan.com/. I feel you will find a great deal of information to further enhance your repertoire. Up next was a session on the use of a cane as a weapon. The guest instructor was Cane Master Mark Shuey Sr., founder of Cane Master International Association. He was very well-versed on using the cane in both offensive and defensive techniques. What struck me the most, besides the cane, was the fact that he had "US" come up with most of the techniques. He would give us a quick scenario, but it was up to us to come up with several offensive and defensive moves. It was a very interesting session. Next was a grappling session by Shihan Luis Salseda (Lethal Control, LLC and instructor at the Los Angeles Police Department’s Police Academy). This was a very good learning opportunity, as well as a good workout. Shihan Salseda started out by showing us some of the basic warm-ups to stretching our hips. Then it was assuming a sort of defensive/offensive posture while on the ground. Imagine sitting up trying to defend from someone trying to strike you while you’re trying to get up. After this quick warm-up, it was time to learn. The main focus was trying to defend from the ground, with you on the bottom. For someone who has never done grappling before, it can be a little overwhelming for you as you are trying to fight your way out of a bad situation, only to have someone sitting over you throwing punches and elbows at your face. It was a real eye opener. All in all, it was a very good session. It also gave me a good workout, as my partner was a few pounds heavier than I was. Personally, this was by far my favorite session. I just felt I got more “bang for the buck” in this one session, than everything else put together; including the next person I’m about to write about. This person, I know, needs no introduction, but I’ll try to do him justice. The final session was with none other than Bill “Superfoot” Wallace. I can’t begin to describe the humility this man has for someone who is known world-wide in the martial arts. I had the opportunity to meet him the night before the session and, let me tell you, I was impressed by his calm demeanor and great sense of humor. If I had to compare him to someone just as great, it would be our great Founder, Mr. Lieb. Mr. Lieb always had a great sense of humor outside the dojo. He also was a very humble man who always enjoyed talking about everything and anything. Mr. Wallace is the same way. The session started with a good deal of stretching. When we were done with that...guess what? There was more stretching! After that, it was.....you guessed right again; there was more stretching. After about 15-20 minutes of stretching your legs to the point that they became rubber, the training started. The main focus was making sure that we stayed loose when we kicked, and to make sure that we got away from giving tell-tale signs of what we were going to do. What I mean by this is that a lot of us tend to step into our kicks when we are sparring. His philosophy is that “You don’t need to get closer to kick. You’re already in range. Just kick the thing!” I’m not going to go into too much detail about all we did, because a lot of the training was done by us, with Mr. Wallace stopping us for a minute to explain some finer points. Overall, I can say that I was mighty impressed with someone who at the ripe ole age of 64 (I could be off a year or two) can still kick like someone half his age. Very good!!! Overall, I can say that the day was very well planned. Most of this was the result of Dan Hect, the Chief Executive Officer for the Academy of Master and the Masters Hall of Fame. This gentleman is a person who deserves all the good fortunes that life brings him. In addition to dealing with all that goes into running a successful organization, he still had time to laugh and enjoy the company of everyone involved. He never looked down on you and never assumed a “superior” attitude. He definitely is a guy you want to have in your corner. The night went without a hitch, as far as I could tell. Never thought I’d see our Chief Instructor clean up so nicely. The presentation dinner included a three-course meal, which was very good. Either that or I was just hungry from all the training. We were entertained by ceremonial drum players; culminating with our Chief Instructor being presented with a Golden Lifetime Achievement Award. One award he was not prepared to accept was being named a Founding Member of the Academy of Masters and Masters Hall of Fame. Not only that, but the AKS is now a member, as well. That’s going to be good news for us. As I close this short essay, I look back and see all the interesting people I met, whether it was Greg Lee, who for the life of me would not stop talking about his Martial Arts Museum, (there, I put a plug in for him, Mr. Sullenger!); or Tom Ryan, Professor of Kodenkan DanZan Ryu Jujitsu. Mr. Ryan received a Silver Lifetime Achievement Award. I probably remember him more for being on our flight, both from Houston and back. I never would have thought you could run into someone going to the same place who lived on the other side of the country. He and his wife were wonderful people. Maybe we’ll run into them again next year. Until then, keep training and never feel you’re “too old” to try something new. Here are a few pictures of the event:
Respectfully submitted by We welcome those who would like to contribute to this "quarterly" space. Please submit your article to ljwerner@mail.com |
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By Fred Reinecke 8th Dan Assistant Chief Instructor The annual American Karate System (AKS) Summer Camp took place in July on the 18th 19th & 20th, and was held in Muskegon Michigan at the North Muskegon High School Gymnasium. 
Black Belt testing was held Friday afternoon, with Mr. Jude Gore (center) 4th Dan from West Virginia, Andrew Eckhart 2nd Dan (right) and Mark Hainen (left) 1st Kyu from Toledo, Ohio reviewing for their next rank. The testing and review consisted of Kata’s (both empty hand and with weapons), self defense against armed and unarmed assailants, along with answering many questions about karate and the martial arts. The candidates did a fine job and were promoted to their next rank. The annual AKS organization meeting was held Friday evening at Fred Reinecke’s (8th Dan, Assistant Chief Instructor) studio. The subjects discussed varied from work being done on the AKS hand book to proposed new ranking procedures for martial arts weapons. Progress was made on all subjects. As they are completed, updates will be provided in the AKS newsletter which will include how they will affect the style. Saturday’s training started at 9 am. During the first session, we reviewed all the AKS kata’s. The second session involved techniques taken from katas and applied as self defense techniques. After lunch we started the station training portion of the seminar. We had four instructors; Mike Sullenger 9th Dan, teaching law enforcement restraining technique, David Hayes 7th Dan Shorin Rue, teaching multiple striking combinations, Tom Twining 7th Dan Chi Do Kwan, teaching Arnis stick fighting, and Andrew Eckhart 3rd Dan AKS, teaching counters to MMA grappling technique. Quite a bit of information was given as the groups rotated on the hour, and so the time went fast. All participants seemed to really enjoy the training. Saturday’s events ended with a dinner and social gathering held at Dave & Robin Thomas’s house. The food, company, and conversations were wonderful. Promotion certificates were presented to the gentlemen who successfully tested for their next rank. Sunday began with breakfast being served in the wonderful surroundings of Pere Marquette Park on the channel between Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., informal training with martial arts weapons, Bo, Sai, Tunfa and Nunchaka, took place. We had a good attendance for this session. Participants were able to review their weapons kata’s along with learning new techniques. The AKS Summer Camp here in Muskegon has become an event all of our members can take pride in. A special thanks to Robin Thomas and Anne Reinecke for many of the behind the scenes work that to made the event possible. Also thanks to the students from Mr. Thomas’s club who volunteered to help with the Saturday portion of this event. Remember to keep the same weekend free for 2009. 
A.K.S. membership dues for 2009 are being accepted. Please send your application form and check to:
International Headquarters 3871 Highgate Road Muskegon, Michigan 49441 See the "Calendar of Events" page on our website for more information. You may download a form to fill out and mail in with your payment: PLEASE VISIT OUR "A.K.S. MESSAGE BOARD" at
please contact David Eric Thomas |
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 Gichin FunakoshiBorn: November 10, 1868 - Shuri, Ryukyu Kingdom Died: April 26, 1957 - Tokyo, Japan Other names: Shoto Martial art practiced: Shorei-ryu, Shorin-ryu and Shotokan Teacher(s): Anko Asato, Anko Itosu Rank Grandmaster: 5th dan (maximum dan at that time) Notable students: Hironori Otsuka, Gigo Funakoshi (his son), Shigeru Egami, Taiji Kase, Masatoshi Nakayama, Hidetaka Nishiyama, Tsutomu Ohshima
Legacy |
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Mr. Sullenger and Roy Almanza Jr. waiting to get into awards ceremony.
This is a group shot of Mr. Sullenger getting his Golden Lifetime Achievement Award
Pictured (L. to R.)
Pictured (L. to R.)
Pictured (L. to R.)