AKS Quarterly Newsletter

"The Punchline"
Editorial – June 2011

The summer is well underway and I’m sure we’re all looking forward to vacation time and relaxing. Having arrived at Culver Military Academy on Tuesday June 21st, after returning from ten days in Germany, I’m still trying to get my sleep schedule back in order. Jet lag takes time to overcome.

My visit with our German AKS members and others with the northern German Wado Ryu clubs was both fun and interesting. I was the featured instructor for two hours as part of the opening ceremonies on Friday the 17th of June, and taught another three hours the following afternoon. The fellowship is just like what we have in the AKS. People came from all over northern Germany to train in two different locations in the Hannover area. While in Germany, my family and I stay with Herr Reimer at his flat in Luneburg. This is a fascinating city that dates back to the 900 AD time frame. Having not been touched by the ravages of World War II the city is in its original state. Walking the narrow streets and looking at the old homes and stores were truly wonderful.

We have our annual AKS Summer Camp during the weekend of July 15, 16, & 17, 2011. Herr Heinrich Reimer, and two of his students will also be joining us. They’ll arrive from Germany on July 11th and spend just over a week enjoying our American hospitality. I know all of you who attend will help to make them welcome. Sensei Reimer is the AKS’s newest 8th Dan, and has also been made the Assistant Chief Instructor for Europe. Be sure to congratulate him when you can.

During the summer camp weekend we’ll have our annual black belt meeting. All members of that rank should make every effort to attend. We have a couple of important topics we’ll be discussing, which in turn may result in changes to how we conduct our training. Black belts who do not attend will have to live with the results of that meeting. Everyone’s vote is important.

I’m looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible in a few weeks. Have a safe summer and take care during your travels.

Mike Sullenger
AKS Chief Instructor

Charter Schools 101

Greetings to all,

This is my first time writing in the punchline, so those of you who do not know me, let me introduce myself. I am Jim Hope, from the All-Star Karate Club in Livonia, Michigan. I am a full-time Martial Arts Instructor with a student base of about 100 students.

Seeing that I am a full-time instructor, I am always looking for ways to market our school so that we can have full classes and more of them. This hopefully leads to opening other locations, employing more instructors, and so on. If you are not in a position to open another school, but are looking to teach without all of the overhead of running your own school, you may want to look at teaching at other locations that are already established.

Now as most of you know, there are places out there that are always looking for qualified instructors to come in and teach at their facility. A good example of this is the YMCA. Most of you know about our System from the YMCA. Other options are Recreation centers, Community centers, Churches etc.

But one place most people do not think of when they are looking for a Martial Art to study, or in the case of an Instructor, looking for a place to teach, is our school systems.

As I have mentioned before, I teach full-time. Evening classes alone, 4-5 days a week will not pay the bills, nor will they allow me to grow and employ other instructors. What I started looking at were ways I could continue to run my existing school, open new locations, employ other instructors, and build a name for my organization.

This article will focus on one of these goals and that is expanding into the Charter School System.

We currently teach at two Charter Schools in Detroit. One is an Elementary school ( grades 2-4 ) and the other is a Middle School ( grades 5-8 ).

When I was looking to start the program, I wanted to find out what type of physical education programs the school was already teaching. In my case, I found there were none. No gym class, nothing! So I started with a clean slate. In the case of this school, more time was spent in academics with the students, and the physical aspect was left up to them after school. The school system wanted to add physical activities, so they came up with an after-school program that addressed this and Karate was one of the physical education activities they decided on.

The after-school program runs 4 days a week, 3 hours a day. We teach two classes a week at each location. This after-school program gives the students the physical aspect of their education, but it also keeps them out of trouble right after school.

In the case of these two Charter schools, they get their funding for the program through a Federal Government grant. This grant is just for after-school programs. The local school chooses what programs they want and who they want. This is where you come in. You have to sell them on the idea of having  YOU  in their school. Sure, they can probably find many [karate instructors] who want to come in and teach their art, but you have to convince them that you are the one they want. I went into the first interview with my charter schools and told them how great everything was, how well it will help the kids, how this is the greatest thing since sliced bread. But I did not get their attention until I showed them.

I took the administrators and a few students that were in the gym, and I put them through a short class during the interview! They loved it! They told me they had a few more to look at and they would give me a call. A couple of days later, they called me back and told me I had the job. They said they wanted all of the students to experience “Jim class.”

If you are looking at teaching in Charter schools, do some research. Find out who to talk to, what programs they currently have, and how they are funded. If they do not have after-school programs, suggest them starting one. Who knows, perhaps you may even want to set up a demonstration at the school during one of their meetings to show them what you have to offer.

In Service,
Jim Hope
4th Dan

Should Everyone Pass Their Black Belt Test?

At different times the discussion has arose that students who come before an AKS Board of Review automatically receive their Black Belt promotion. One might ask, “Is the testing just a formality to receiving the next Dan rank?”

So the question is, “Does everyone always pass their Black Belt test?” This is a question I have discussed at length with all my Black Belt candidates regardless of the level they are testing for. I assure them that passing is not a foregone conclusion; it is up to them to perform to the best of their ability.

Not everyone passes their Black Belt test. I have been on boards where Mr. Lieb, as graciously as he could would explain to the candidate. that they just weren’t prepared to take the next step. He would explain where they required improvement, and what the time frame would be before their next review. Sometimes the student would work to improve their shortcomings, sometimes they simply quit.

Mr. Lieb would also corner their instructor and explain, in less polite terms, what the student needed to do before their next appearance before a Board of Review. He would also express his disappointment that he was put in the position of failing a student. It deeply bothered him to fail someone for promotion, especially Black Belt. No one wants to see a student try so hard and not be successful. But the AKS has always prided itself in the knowledge and quality of our Instructors; it was paramount to maintain and continue our standard of excellence.

I know of some students who were disappointed to the point where they went on to get their Black Belts in other styles. Which was certainly their prerogative.

One may ask the question, “Why test at all?” Some styles do not require a physical test; pay your fee and get your Black Belt. The only criteria is that you have been attending training for the requisite period of time. Mr. Lieb was very proud of the fact that he physically tested for his 7th Dan before an esteemed Board of Review at the A.K.A. Grand Nationals.

We test for two very fundamental reasons. One, to assure that, as an instructor, the quality of knowledge on AKS requirements is transferred to the students at the highest possible standard. The AKS requirements that have been structured and refined over 50+ years are tested and effective, both in competition and on the street. To dilute or compromise our standards is a disservice to the present Black Belts as well as future students and instructors. Mr. Lieb’s mandate was that anyone wearing an AKS Black would have the skills to teach our students and the ability to defend themselves on the street.

The other reason we test is to watch the performance of a candidate under pressure. It is the best measure we have to see how someone would react on the street. When confronted with a stressful situation, people rise to the occasion and do what is needed or go catatonic. I have seen both happen during a testing.

No one takes their testing lightly, they train hard and long for the opportunity to show case their skills. Black Belt testing is the culmination of years of toil and commitment. I can recall being on a board where the person being reviewed had to excuse himself three times, so he could go throw-up. Typically, the candidate’s first concern is to not embarrass their teacher with a poor performance; not embarrassing themselves is second. I have had candidates who have agonized over their test to the point of making themselves ill and being almost too weak to test. No one takes a Black Belt test lightly.

So what are the requirements to test?

• Learn your basics; this is not only for your execution, but to assure your skills as an instructor.
• Learn the katas; not only be strong and proficient, but know why we do them and how they contribute to our body of skills.
• Compete in tournaments; talk about stress! To have to perform in front of your peers and several hundred spectators will help you learn to deal with stress.
• Read and learn about the history and philosophy of martial arts. It is as important to know the "why" as well as the "how."
• Learn to teach the new students. Share with them not only the techniques, but the knowledge and experience that will help them grow and learn.
• Finally, learn self defense; especially quick and efficient techniques to keep yourself from harm.

So who should be an AKS Black Belt? I have said that almost anyone willing to make the commitment to train and learn could be an AKS Black Belt. Candidates are evaluated on their performance to the standards set forth in the AKS Student Handbook. They have to spend the time training and learning in order to master the basic requirements. They need to continue to expand their body of knowledge so they can be an asset to the growth and prestige of The American Karate System. One of our first Dans today will be our Chief Instructor in the future.

It is important to remember that not everyone is going to be a clone of their teacher. Everyone’s strengths are different, so we extol our strengths and work on our weaknesses. We wear our rank with pride and demonstrate our attitude with honor and humility.

When I have engaged in the discussion of Black Belt testing, I have made two salient points. Black Belt candidates are tested by a board of senior Black Belts to assure they meet the requirements. This eliminates future contention on how promotions were conducted. Every member of the board has the obligation to assure the candidate meets the requirements to the best of his or her ability. As far as passing; majority rules. If someone doesn’t agree with the promotion, they shouldn’t sign the Black Belt Diploma.

I feel very strongly that if a student fails by not meeting the requirements, the failure is more the fault of his or her instructor for putting them up for testing when they were not prepared. When a student fails his test, the instructor has failed the student. Students do what we ask, and if we teach to the best of our ability, they should be able to demonstrate their skill proficiently for a board of review. This is an instructor’s responsibility to his/her students.

Do You Have a Question?

We invite you to send in your questions regarding karate and the A.K.S. so that we may respond here in our newsletter. If you have a concern, question or suggestion, please let us know and we will address it here in the Punchline.

If you don't want your name published, please let us know and we will be happy to withhold that information from print. However, please be respectful when submitting your queries or suggestions to us by including your name so that we may understand your questions and/or circumstances.

Please send your questions to Laura Werner, and I will forward them to the person who can provide the appropriate response.

We look forward to hearing from you!

PROMOTIONS!!

American Karate Club
Ross Park Elementary - Muskegon, Michigan

West Toledo YMCA Karate & Self Defense Program
Toledo, Ohio

Mountaineer Karate Club
Lumberport, West Virginia

Tri-Cities Family YMCA AKS Karate Club
Grand Haven, Michigan 49417

How Often Do You Train?

_Several months ago, at the beginning of class, I asked the question "How often do you train?  Raise your hand for only two days a week."  Most, but not all, of the hands in the class went up. "Ok, how about three days a week?"   Several hands went up. "Four… Five… Six?"  Only one hand was was raised for five or six days a week. It was one of my best friends whom I taught music with for many years. He explained that he tries to go over something every day, but that he really did not have the room to do very much. Alright, now the final question, "Who trains every day?" Only one hand went up . . . mine.   Now very few people are in my position. I am retired from teaching in the school system, and now doing accounting on my own schedule. My office is over a three car garage. Two of the stalls have been made into my home Dojo, the other stall is reserved for two motorcycles or my son’s car during the winter. I know people wonder where I put my cars; well I can tell you that no dirty car is going in my Dojo. Let’s keep our priorities in order.   I went on to explain that they are confusing "working out" with "training."  Even with my flexible schedule, I am not able to work out every day; however, I do train every day. In the martial arts, we work to develop and refine not only our bodies, but also our mind and spirit. So now I pose the question, "How often do you train?"

One of Gichin Funakoshi's Twenty Precepts designed to help students in their martial arts training is, "Karate is like hot water.   If you do not give heat constantly, it will again become cold."  If you are taking karate or some other form of martial arts for fun, sport or just physical exercise, this probably does not pertain to you.  However, if karate has become something more; a "lifestyle," then you will understand the importance of training every day.  A book I recommend to every serious martial artist is Living The Martial Way by Forrest E. Morgan, Maj. USAF.   The author starts out by explaining that Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan and one of karate's greatest modern masters, was barely five feet tall and so was never destined to be a great champion in any physical arena. He states that the source of Funakoshi's greatness was his unwavering devotion to the training principles, ethics, and lifestyle that embody 'The Martial Way.'

Many of us participate in other activities such as running, tennis, volleyball, Zumba, Yoga, P90X, etc. These are all beneficial and can supplement our training, but they do not replace our daily training to achieve a martial arts lifestyle. Most likely you are doing some mental training and don’t even realize it. Here are a few things I do to work on training each day.

When I first get up in the morning, I immediately check to see if I still have all my body parts. At my age you cant take any chances. Ok, now that I am up, I see what’s working and what isn’t. Shoulder is sore and stiff today; maybe a few stretches will help. T'he hip is hurting again; I need to keep that in mind so I can work around it. Today I am headed down to Wal-mart for some toothpaste, contact solution, a hair brush and some vitamins. I am going to use this trip for some training. (By the way, I really don't plan to buy a hair brush, but I am going to look at them for old time sake).  Before I head out the door, I usually throw a few punches at the good looking guy in the mirror.   First, a couple slow ones to check my form, and then a quick contest with the guy on the other side.   (This must be helping, for I am sure the guy in the mirror is getting slower every day.   I think I can beat him now.)

I have been studying the use of a cane for self-defense for nearly a year. I feel comfortable with the cane when I am in the Dojo, but how will I feel with it when I'm in a different environment and also in street clothes? It will not be much use to me if I feel awkward with it in public, so today it will be my companion on this trip.  One part of training we don't always think about is how to respond if an altercation were to happen. When I take my cane with me, quite often I get asked, "What happened?" or "Did you hurt yourself?"  It is important to be smart with how you answer these questions, as they could be used against you later on. Although the cane is a tool that I train with for self defense, I don't want it to sound like I am out looking for a fight or trying to hurt someone. It is the same principle that is stated in our handbook that our training should be based on the premise of humbleness with strength, to continue to improve physically while at the same time maintaining the height of modesty. So although I may need to use the cane for self defense, if I get asked, "What Happened?" I will use the old stand-by that has been said to me so very often… "I am not as young as I use to be!"

If I had decided not to carry my cane with me on this trip, I would take an inventory of what I have on me just in case I would need it…..my keys, a pocketful of change, a cup of coffee, and of course I will be pushing around a cart. Any of these items could come in handy. While in the store, I will use the skills that I learned in a motorcycle safety class: Look ahead, scan, take note of any odd situations (or people), keep aware of my surroundings, and be alert. Of course I don’t think the clerk is going to attack me, this is just a training exercise that actually can be fun at the same time. You know, you can see the strangest things in Wal-Mart…you might see me.  One day I observed a man in a long trench coat, even though it was a warm sunny day, so I told myself to stay alert. If you go with a friend, have some fun with it. Quiz each other on the different things you observed.

The other day, I had quite a long wait while my truck was getting an oil change and tire rotation…90 minutes to be exact.   After reading for a while, I decided it was time to go through a few katas. No, I did not get up in the waiting room and make a fool of myself. I tried to visualize the kata, its moves, techniques and Bunkai. That’s not always as easy as it sounds. I have performed some katas so many times that without the help of muscular memory, it can be quite difficult. I tried to visualize the way it should be performed, and to imagine what it would feel like to execute the techniques properly. When I returned home, I actually worked on a section that I believed I could improve upon from seeing it in my mind, and thinking about what I needed to do to make it better.

The news can also be a great training tool. In this day and age, we hear reports of many violent crimes. I will pick an event or two and try to analyze what caused the event, whether or not it could have been avoided, how the victim(s) reacted, and what was the outcome. I ask myself what I would I have done in that situation, and could I have done something different that may have ended with better results. Even though there is no way of knowing for certain, it is an exercise that can help you prepare for different scenarios.

When I taught school, I was a band director. The students were always very friendly and liked to joke around a lot. I would try to prepare myself mentally for the environment I was in; what to expect, how to react, and of course what to look out for. With school violence always in the news, you have to be aware of what is going on around you. On the other hand, you cannot over-react to a student coming up behind you and giving you a bear hug because you're their favorite teacher. I've heard that Boards of Education, Principals and Parents really don't respond well to a student having a broken arm or busted nose.

So even if I can't physically work out every day, I try to find ways to "train" every day. These daily training exercises aren't to make you paranoid that someone is out to get you, but to help you make martial arts a lifestyle, not a hobby. By the way, just to set the record straight, I really am paranoid. I won’t even go to football games because when the team is huddling, I just know they are talking about me.

So now I ask you again, "How often do you train?"

This is 2nd in a series of articles by Sensei George Kirby. Sensei Kirby is a 10th dan in Budoshin Ju-Jitsu Yudanshakai and has become friends with Sensei Mike Sullenger. Mr. Sullenger has had an article that he wrote published on the Budoshin website. Feel free to browse  this site  to become more familiar with who George Kirby is and his style.

TEACHABLE MOMENT! |   [BJJY KOKORO 6/12]

Note: A couple of sensei have asked me to start a series on how to improve teaching skills and student learning—as it applies to the dojo. So I’ve decided to launch this idea, with the hope of seeing it become a regular item in future issues of Kokoro.

ATTENTION SPAN Their eyes are wandering, they're getting fidgety, and they're not paying attention. My lesson is shot. Aarrgh!

If your students aren't paying attention for a variety of reasons, boredom probably isn't one of the core reasons; unless you're standing perfectly still talking in a monotone voice with no inflection and you sound totally bored with what you' saying and/or doing. Regardless of subject, situation, age or maturity of your audience, your main enemy is their attention span. Unless your audience is really interested in what you're going to do, or really turned on to the subject matter, you've got 20 minutes before their minds wander off to greener pastures — and that's with adults!

This is why “sitcoms” on TV are 23 minutes long; not including commercials. You can keep an adult mind mesmerized for about 20 minutes, but that's it.

As your audience gets younger, the attention span gets shorter. The “ancy” factor also increases exponentially — and it's no one's fault. However, you, as the sensei, need to prevent that from happening.

So the question is, how do you do it? How do you keep your students' minds and bodies on track with your planned lesson [which rarely works out as planned anyway ].

Simple: You keep their minds and bodies working. With younger kids it means changing what you and they are doing every few minutes [5-10 max] due to their shorter attention spans. Kids really prefer physical activity as compared to a “presentation.” Get them up off the mat to do simple steps before you put a technique together. [This also works well with adults too.]

Some skills can be taught as “games,” which younger kids love — and they're still learning what you want them to learn. Teenagers will not fall for this ruse so your approach must be more sophisticated and subtle. In the case of “games,” they'd much rather be treated as adults, but with a bit more leeway. Yes, some of the training exercises you give adults are actually “games,” but more sophisticated. [It may be dealing with random attacks, multiple attackers, attackers using medium resistance, etc., but they're all still “games.” ]

The word “games” is not meant to demean what you're teaching and it's a word NOT to use when dealing with older kids [teenagers] or adults because they'll see it as a put down. The phrase “improving your skill level” is far more acceptable to the older age groups.

This brings up another related issue. Keep sentences short with kids — and adults too when possible. If your rhetoric [big word] becomes so involved and convoluted so that it becomes difficult for anyone to maintain their attention long enough to figure out what concept you are trying to present, then you will be unsuccessful in accomplishing your goal. By the time you finish your sentence, not only will your audience have forgotten what you are talking about, but so will you, thus leading to chaos and confusion in any discussion of your ideas that may follow. Got it?

In all fairness, the minimum age in my dojo is 10 years old. Professionally, I had to get out of the 7th grade classroom my first semester of teaching junior high. As I told the principal, by the end of the class, I was further behind than from where I started because I couldn't get down to their vocabulary level. So he gave me 8th graders [13 year olds] which most junior high teachers avoid like the plague. We had a ball. They were crazy and my teaching approach fit right in with their sense of reality. Teaching that grade level made it possible for me to become a successful teacher and enjoy the profession. Adel, my wife, taught 3rd graders. That's a whole different ball game. She also taught high school ESL [English as a Second Language] and taught those kids the same way. I could never do that.

So, in addition to changing what you do frequently and getting them involved in the lesson, what else can you do to keep their attention? You must be interesting. You've got to be a positive, outgoing, and personable person. You have to be likable, which doesn't mean you have to be their friend. It means you have to be approachable, and your students won't fear you. You have to have different ways to get students to learn the same ideas, concepts, or skills. You've got to keep the class moving.

My first principal told me that the worst place for a teacher to be is in front of the classroom. Instead, move around, work with the students, talk with them as individuals and involve them in the lesson. If you get good at this, it's like being a ringmaster in a circus. It may look like chaos, but there is order and a method to your madness.

You also have to be a good actor. Be emotional about what you teach. Show that you love the topic. I've even dropped down to my knees or grabbed at my heart and feigned a heart attack when I got abysmally wrong answers in the classroom or the dojo. The students knew it was an act and worked with me. You can be animated and you can still be serious. The student will see that you're interesting [and perhaps unpredictable at times] and they'll pay attention — because they don't want to miss what happens next.

Enjoy what you're doing, and you'll keep their attention too!

A.K.S. Web Address(es)

Our "Official" web address is now:  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.

Our original:   www.americankaratesystem.org  is no longer in service.

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!!