October 2005 Newsletter

The Secret of Success By Dr. Robert Schuller

Success is an unselfish goal, while failure is a selfish goal. It is impossible to succeed without helping a lot of people along the way. The secret of success is simple: find a hurt and heal it; find a problem and solve it; find an obstacle and remove it, bridge it, or turn it into an opportunity.

Isshin-ryu Karate

Isshin-ryu karate was founded on January 15, 1956 by Okinawan karate and kobudo master, Tatsuo Shimabuku. In its creation he combined elements and made modifications of two distinct Okinawan karate styles that he had mastered in the late 1920's to 1930's: Shorin-ryu (under Master Kyan Chotoku) and Goju-ryu (under Master Miyagi Chojin). He further honed his fighting skills under the direction of Shorin-ryu master, Motobu Choki, and made a study of classical weapons (bo, sai, tonfa) under kobudo master, Taira Shinken.

Isshin-ryu karate is considered a 'hard-soft' style that is influenced predominantly by the teachings of Master Kyan Chotoku. However, it is also famous for several kata made by Master Shimabuku himself. Instead of the classical twist punch, he used the vertical fist for punching. He also used the outer forearm in classical blocking movements to better protect the arm itself, and to further facilitate use of these movements in striking. Isshin-ryu is a medium to close-range fighting system that emphasizes higher stances, and rapid mobility in the shifting of stances and in turning. Such methods perhaps give Isshin-ryu a unique look compared to some other karate styles. The Isshin-ryu stances also lend to a very natural feel when relating the movements to a broad range of fighting skills. At advanced levels of application, many Isshin-ryu techniques translate readily into grabs, locks, chokes, off-balancing methods, throws, and sparring combinations.

In Isshin-ryu, the basic stances, blocks, punches, strikes, and kicks are practiced separately and repetitively as upper body and lower body basics. This practice emphasizes proper technique for fast and effective self-defense, and incorporates that power into the performance and understanding of kata. There are eight empty hand kata, modified to combine Shorin-ryu and Goju-ryu principles, along with those unique features set forth by Master Shimabuku. Sets of two-person drills are used to develop flow and fluency of self-defense techniques in the basics and kata. From Goju-ryu Karate Master Shimabuku adapted Seiuchin and Sanchin. Shorin-ryu Karate is the system from which we study Seisan, Naihanchi, Wansu, Chinto, and Kusanku. Master Shimabuku took segments of these kata and combined them into the kata that depicts his vision for Isshin-ryu Karate, Sunsu Kata.

The traditional kobudo or weapons kata are for the bo, sai and tonfa. The kata for bo are: Tokomine No Kun, Urashi Bo, and Shishi No Kun No Dai. Sai kata include Kusanku Sai, an adaptation of the empty-hand Kusanku Kata, Chatanyara No Sai and Kyan No Sai (Short Sai). There is also one Tonfa kata, Hamahiga No Tuifa. Manipulations and movements of hand-held weapons often translate into some interesting empty hand applications.

The practice of Isshin-ryu karate has numerous benefits. The use of a direct, non-twisting, punch and traditionally low kicks make the style one that is founded on principles that are able to be used by people of all ages and are less stressful on the joints of the body. The close, natural, stances and balanced use of hands and feet make the style one where all offensive and defensive weapons may be used quickly without a loss of balance. Proper study develops physical conditioning, personal awareness, a strong sense of discipline confidence and the ability to cooperate with others.

Things to Remember

There are ADVANCED CLASSES for Junior Purple and Brown Belts the 3rd Friday of each month, starting at 6:00 P.M. and lasting an hour. The cost is $5.00, which is minimal. It is the student’s responsibility to let Shihan Hughes know if he or she will be attending by the Wednesday of the week of the training session. The same holds true for Adult Brown and Black Belts . . .

DUES are quite reasonable - - please pay the beginning of each month. A MISSED CLASS may be made up IF the student calls before the class. If a call is not made, the class may not be made up.

OUR DOJO WEB SITE HAS BEEN UPDATED BY MR. MASUR WITH ALL THE MATERIALS FOR THE 2007 IWKA TOURNAMENT - - - TAKE A LOOK!

I have COPIES of Master Duessel’s book and the poster. The cost of the book is $24.00 and the cost of the Bo training poster is $20.00. I highly recommend these to all students and parents as good training aids.

Say YES to Your Children! - February 2002 - 5pillars.com

No one wants to raise a spoiled child.

Many parents today -- aware that excessive permissiveness can undermine their attempts to build strong character in their children -- resolve to be firm; to help their children grow into responsible adults. Most parents, however, have times when acting in their children’s ultimate best interest leaves them feeling like the “bad guys.”

Zig Ziglar suggests that reframing our approach in certain circumstances may allow us to transform possible conflicts into win-win situations. Zig explains:

In this day of two-working-parent families, time constraints make it easier for us to automatically respond with a "no" when our children ask for little things. Solution: In an article published in BETTER FAMILIES, Dr. Kay Kuzma offers some practical approaches we can use. She suggests we can say "yes" on many occasions, and it's more effective because it also teaches valuable lessons.

For example, your child might ask, "Am I going to get to watch my favorite television show tonight?" You have a chance to say, "Yes, as soon as you have dried the dishes and put them away," or "Yes, as soon as you have called Sally and apologized for your behavior this afternoon."

This approach changes you in the child's eyes from being a person who wants to deny him or her a pleasure to a parent who is interested in helping the child perform in a better, more mature way.

Your teenager might ask to use the car to run a few errands. You can say, "Yes, as soon as you wash it and if you will stop by the service station and fill it with gas on your way home."

This way you're teaching your child responsibility.

Dr. Kuzma also points out that when a child asks, "May I have dessert?" you can say, "Yes, as soon as you have finished your salad or vegetables." This way you are attaching a small reward to a fulfilled responsibility. The child ends up with the temporary pleasure and some long-term benefits.

Practice Dr. Kuzma's suggestions, and you will have taken a giant step toward raising a positive, courteous, responsible child.

The Little Things In Life - March 2003 - 5Pillars.com

Zig Ziglar, internationally known motivational speaker, tells a story about the time the wife of a friend was recuperating at home from surgery. The woman was under doctor’s orders to maintain a light schedule, and while she could move about, bending was particularly painful.

“A couple of days after she came home from the hospital,” says Zig, “her husband was up early in the morning and went downstairs for a cup of coffee. His favorite cup was in the dishwasher and as he retrieved it he noticed that the dishwasher was full of clean dishes. Remembering that his wife was recuperating, he unloaded the dishwasher. It only took five minutes to complete the job.”

The man then continued about his morning schedule, leaving before his wife had come downstairs for the day. When he returned home from work that evening, she greeted him with a big hug and thanked him for what he had done. She explained that she had cried with gratitude upon realizing she wasn’t going to have to bend over repeatedly to lift all those dishes out of the dishwasher.

Zig says, “My friend made a simple gesture, but it spoke volumes to his wife. It indicated that he genuinely cared for her, her comfort and well-being. It was not monumental, but isn't it true that the ‘little things’ make the big difference in life?”

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle thinks so. He wrote, “It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.”

To this Zig adds, “Think about it. If your watch is slow by just four minutes, that's not much--unless you've been warned that if you're even one minute late ever again you will be fired. Then four minutes is a lot.”
Zig’s message is simple but clear: Be sensitive to the needs of others and remember the "little things" in life because they make big differences.