A Nod to the Ballroom Dancers

I like dance as much as karate - and I'd like to bow in the general direction of some mighty fine dancers who provide Dance Lesson Videos online.

Audrey Benson in particular, teaching Hip Hop Dance Lessons - wow.

MyShotokan Downtime

MyShotokan.com has been experiencing some split-personality difficulties this past while.

Originally www.atikokankarate.com with www.myshotokan.com set up as 'parked', as the identical site. Recently, a change in my hosting has required that I split the two domains, and ended up causing some downtime with the main domain. Akk!

But www.myshotokan.com is getting all the hickups de-bugged and is now almost back to full health.

Both sites will remain identical for the next while, but they will eventually focus upon different, but complementary information.

Sorry about the heart-burn.

Karate Black Belt Test Videos

Check out the new collection of Karate Black Belt Test Videos

You can also review videos of karate testings for other belt rankings, from yellow belt, orange belt, green, blue, purple, brown belt karate testing videos and even videos of several different Black Belt testings.

Karate Yellow Belt Testing Video

The makers of MyShotokan are always adding more great content!

Today we have added a full section new karate and martial arts videos to MyShotokan.com!

Now it's easy to browse trough a wide variety of karate testing Videos of Karate Yellow Belt Testings!

Updated almost every day, come back to see the latest Karate testing videos for the rank of Yellow Belt!

Referring Websites

http://www.myshotokan.com/ is grateful to acknowledge the following websites that have referred traffic to our collection of free Shotokan Karate Kata Videos, and our paid membership area which includes 3 months beginner karate lesson plans, karate belt testing requirements from yellow belt to black belt and 7 other massive karate video collections including Tournament Highlights, kumite lessons from Japanese instructors and videos of eight of the Classic JKA Masters.

Special Thanks to these supporters:


http://www.martialartslistings.com/
http://www.englishkaratefederation.com/
http://www.midwestkaratemarr.com/
http://www.myspace.com/
http://www.jskaindia.com/
http://www.dojoweb.com/
http://www.kirks-karate-academy.com/
http://www.facebook.com/
http://www.completemartialarts.com/
http://www.kicksmartialarts.ca/
http://www.cmaadefense.net/
http://www.jkempo.com/
http://www.milwaukeeshotokan.com/
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Shotokan Karate Belt Testing Requirements

Shotokan Karate
Belt Testing Requirements

Now Ready For Release!

YES! As a Dojo Key Subscriber, you will now also have access to suggested Shotokan Belt Testing Requirements - From Yellow Belt Testings through to Black Belt Testing!

Instructors: Download them, print them out and have them on hand as you prepare your own lesson plans.

Students: The Testing Requirements Booklet was designed to serve as a Home-Study Guide for Shotokan Karate Students who are preparing for Belt Examinations; from Yellow Belt - to Black Belt. Print it out. Bring it every where you train.

Do you experience pre-testing jitters? You will benefit greatly by learning new perspectives to bring into your Karate Meditation.

Fall 2007 Lesson Plans

Wow!



I am so thrilled with the response to the latest newsletter announcing the Fall 2007 Karate Lesson Plan Booklet that has been added to the paid subscriber area of MyShotokan, known as Sensei's Office.




There have been so many replies, questions and requests for more information, that I'm working on putting together ONE FREE CHAPTER of the exclusive Lesson Plan Booklet, to be included with the Shotokan Kata Videos in the Free Members area!




Many of the questions I've received (from all around the world, which still boggles my mind), were about testing requirements.


Comming Soon!


Dojo Key Holders with access to Sensei's Office will soon be delighted with a booklet of Canadain Shotokan Belt Testing Requirements from Yellow Belt Testing Requirements, all the way through to Black Belt Testing Requirements - and even including combinations required for Second Degree Black Belt Testing!


But I would like to add more

I recall from early in my training years, a testing silibus (sp) from KUGB that was very different, with many challenging combinations that are different than the testing requirements I will be putting together and listing here. I would be endlessly greatful if someone (you) could send me a copy of the Shotokan Belt Testing Requirements - from where ever you live in the world.

Creating drive in your stance

The last time I had a few students test for their next belt, my Sensei pointed out that one of my students had "no drive" in her stances.


I looked at him with one eyebrow raised.


"What do you mean?" I'm thinking to myself "she is so strong I can hardly block her punches! I think she has lots of drive."


Seeing the unbeliving look on my face,
Sensei repeated "No drive! No drive!"


And I'm thinking... "?"


Finally I say, "Sensei, I'm coming to the main Dojo to train for a few days. If she doesn't have drive, and I don't know it - then I must not have drive in my stances. " (Sensei nods to confirm) I continue "When I come to train, could you run through a few practice drills to help me work on creating drive in my stance?"



Zoom forward two weeks. I'm in the home dojo.


Sensei had us stand in front stance with reverse punch out.



We repeated a basic combination:

Kizame Zuki, Gyaku Zuki
Age Uke, Gyaku Zuki
Soto Uke, Gyaku Zuki
Uchi Uke, Gyaku Zuki
Gedan Barrai, Gyaku Zuki


For the jab punch, Sensei had us check the pressure on our back leg to be sure we were pushing maximum, then for the first reverse punch, Sensei told us to push a bit harder with the back leg - as though we were pushing a car. The rising block required an extra strong push from the back leg to provide support against a strong attack - then push a bit harder with the back leg for the reverse punch...

For each successive block and punch, Sensei reminded us of how the back leg should feel as it supported the rest of the body and stance. After a few repetitions - my butt muscles were screaming! Just the fact that my gluteous muscles became so fatigued so quickly is evidence that I've not been creating drive correctly or powerfully enough.

Summer of 2007 - Karate Week

Sensei Doug's Week of Karate

For the next 10 days, you get to come along, virtually, on my journey of Shotokan Training. Out of the blue, I've come upon the... opportunity... to work from Winnipeg for the next week-and-a-half - and, while I'm here, I'm going to take advantage of some intensive Shotokan karate training at the headquaters Dojo for Western Canada.

Here's some of my karate training goals as I start off the week:

Review and practice all Senior Kata

Learn Junro Shodan

Study how to teach my intermediate students to create "Drive" in their stances

Video Tape and publish video clips of each training session within Sensei's Office on MyShotokan.

Monday evening. After a seemingly endless 6 hour drive from Atikokan to Winnipeg, I was treated to a special evening training session with Sensei Don DeGrow, a Shotokan Yondan, and my Sister Jill, who is a Shodan. This is the monday of a long-weekend, and there wasn't a normal karate class scheduled. We started off at the beginning and practiced each of the Heian Kata, then the three Tekki Katas. I noticed a small change in Tekki Sandan - I'll have to review the videos to verify.

As we started our review of the senior kata, we practiced them in groups. Bassai Dai, Kanku Dai, Empi and Jion are needed for someone testing for Shodan. I found that I recalled Gankaku, Jutte, and Hengetsu - but I was a bit rusty at them, and had to watch Don and Jill in a few parts. After a few more repetitions I'll be able to start asking about practicing applications.

Next we reviewed Sochin, Bassai Sho and Chinte. I could follow along for these, but they were distictly more rusty, and will require more than just a couple times through each kata to get them back in my repetoure. Kanku Sho and Nijushiho are at about the same level of disrepair.

Unsu and Gojushiho Sho were another step down in proficiancy for me.

We practiced Junro Shodan 6 or 7 times and I'm starting to recall the first 10 moves or so before I get lost... I'll have it by the end of tomorrow.

I only did a short introduction to the stretching routine Alanna has been working our club through. I'll need to write out a short list of the static-active stretching routine so I keep to the schedule of long periods of relaxed stretching after each training session over the next 10 days.

Through the week I'll need to find an instructor to help me learn Meikyo, Wankan and Jiin from scratch - but I'll leave them for a couple days.

Following the extra training Don gave us, Jill and I were invited to his home for dinner. An oriental influence is evident in the decor and garden of their delightful and cosy home.

In order to re-inforce all the kata information Sensei Don reviewed with us, I'm going to take a few moments to stretch and watch some of the Shotokan Kata Videos.

Planning your Karate Training

It's important to have a clear goal for your Shotokan Karate training. This is especially true for a karate instructor, but still very important for every karate student as well.

If you have a clear goal in your mind - a goal that you are passionate about achieving - then you are more likely to attend every karate class and participate fully. What's more, you are likely to pick up a few mornings of stretching training each week so that you can get to your training goal more quickly.

However, if you have some vague plan... even if it's a good one - then your training results are going to be vague too.

One of the best ways to clarify your karate training goals, is to write them down. Once you can state them clearly on paper, you will be able to repeat them to yourself. Think about what it will feel like to have already achieved your goal - imagine it with all the clarity that you can, and the passion for that goal will grow.

Soon, the passion for your goal will encourage more consistent and effective training sessions. You will be able to say NO to skipping class because you will have a greater YES burning inside you.

So - get out a piece of paper - and write your karate training plans!

Don't worry about HOW you will achieve it... if it gets you fired up and excited - write it down as one of your goals.

Remember, the most important aspect of karate training is your attitude. Try to step back from yourself from time to time and take a look at your own attitude toward different things.

For example, what is your attitude about you achieving the goal of doing the full splits? Is you attitude positive or negetive? Compare your attitude against the universal truth that 'you get back what you give out' - and it's easy to see that if you think you cannot achive the goal - that's what you get as results! On the other hand, if you repeatedly and consistantly have a positive attitude about your goal - that's what you will get as a result!

Now - get busy and write your plans and goals for your karate training! Even if you are a student in a strict Dojo - set your own training goals and train a bit before and after class and at home while you monitor your own attitude.

Karate Videos You Can Save

I'm really excited about the latest updates to MyShotokan.com!

This weekend I got up at 6AM on Saturday and 7AM on Sunday to spent a few hours in the early mornings updating the code for every video in Sensei's Office - adding the ability for Dojo Key Subscribers download Shotokan Karate video clips and save them to your computer... at the click of a button!

Subscribe today and you can download video lessons on karate basics, videos of karate kicking drill and you can download videos of karate tournaments and download videos of freestyle sparing drills from Dojo's around the world.

Download and save to your computer.
Create your own DVD!

Future Update Plans

At this point I still have to create a separate place in Sensei's Office for Dojo Key Subscribers to download all of the Shotokan Kata Videos... but that will likely be next weekend's project.

An update to the Masters Section to include Tanaka Sensei was postponed due to adding the video download feature - coming soon.

Currently MyShotokan supports the download of videos from YouTube, but will be expanding to include all of the following media sites:

* Myspace
* Google Video
* Break.com
* Daily Motion
* IFilm
* Blip.tv
* Bolt

All the best


Sensei Doug

Download Shotokan Streaming Videos to Your Computer

YES!

It's finally here!

Dojo Key Subscribers are sure to be delighted when today's update is completed!

MyShotokan will now feature a fantastic new benefit! All of the Shotokan Karate Videos in Sensie's Office will now include the ability to download and save the streaming videos to your computer!

New Shotokan Karate Videos

Greetings all,

Hope you all have been training regularily over the past couple weeks.

This week I'm posting new Shotokan Karate Videos in the Masters Section of Sensei's Office. Dojo Key Subscribers will enjoy a wide range of Videos featuring Sensei Masahiko Tanaka - JKA - Japan Karate Association.

Tanaka Sensei is a living legend in Shotokan Karate... sometimes compared to the infamous Samurai from the 1600's, Miamoto Musashi. (I spell from memory please let me know if I have it wrong)

Watch for the update announcement later today!

Flexibility Training for Karate

I've struggled to increase my flexibility throughout my decades of karate training.

Now, I'm over 40 years old and I am MUCH more flexible than I was in high school.

However - many of my students are a long way off from doing the full splits - and the students in my club have indicated that this range of flexibility is important.

So, we've started to study the book Scientifically Stretching - and we are re-planning our class training structure so we can incorporate the sequence and intensity of training that this manual prescribes. I want to write out a rough idea of this sequence of flexibility training drills - just so it's easier for me to remember this structure when I'm teaching the next karate classes.

Start of Class:
Rotate wrists, elbows, shoulders, trunk etc,
10 minutes calesthenics to warm up the main muscle groups
3 sets of dynamic stretches
light kata to warm up to karate techniques

Class content

Warm down with a full twenty minute, detailed series of isometric stretches intended to strengthen the major leg muscle groups by contracting them strongly while at their maximum range of motion.


...over the next few weeks the Class Content section of this general karate lesson plan will be much the same... because we are on a flexibility increase phase of our training, we will be spending 8 minutes of training broken up by stretching. For example, we will do one kata five times, then stretch, do a second kata 5 times, then break for a stretch... each set of kata and stretching take 10 minutes. Between each set of kata we will put our legs up on our stretching racks in front split and side split - then we will remove our karate belts, loop our belt around one foot and hold our legs out at maximum hight to the front and side... then back to kata...

Ok - that should be enough notes for me to keep in mind the routine we will be repeating... then I am LESS likely to get side-tracked... ;-)

Karate In Hungary

You don't have to speak Hungarian
to join a Shotokan Karate Class in Hungary!


This weeks' updates to Sensei's Office includes a couple nice lengthy clips from an out-door karate demonstration that was done somewhere in Hungary.

I don't speak Hungarian, but I know I could join in with this class and I would understand everything - because the instructor is using Japanese!

These clips caught my eye because it's a youth class that is taken through all the basics. Because all the students are doing the standard sets of moves, it's easy for me to compare my club... for me to compare my yellow and green and brown belts to the skill level of this club.

The second clip is well worth the watch because the group ends the demonstration with a number of interesting and unique partner combinations for the demo - a few of them I'll be using for MY next karate demonstration!

The large crowd of parents and friends are really supportive - One can certainly tell that this club trains hard, has strong spirit and positive by-in from it's community.

I'm very happy to include these clips in Sensei's Office
for my Dojo Key Subscribers!

Remember, if you are a Free Member of MyShotokan.com - you can try Sensei's Office for One Week for just a BUCK!

Sensei's Office includes 7 additional
Categories of Shotokan Karate Vidoes!


Updated weekly with Club Videos
New Masters Section added each month!


:-)

Shotokan Karate Blog

If you have a Shotokan Karate Blog - be sure to let me know!

I'd like to include links to anything you write about your karate training - and of course, I especially enjoy watching karate videos between classes.

One member of my small Shotokan karate club has had the great fortune of living in different countries over the past few years. Recently she was living for a few months in an asian country - and was able to train with a Shotokan dojo there. She describes the training as... Brutal. Much more physically demanding that our classes. She also says that almost all the senior belts in their club (brown and up) can do the full splits.

She is moving back to asia and will be training with that club again in a few months - and - she wants to be able to increase her flexibility and do the full splits before she returns.

So - our club is re-focusing our training time to emphasize flexibility training. To help learn what routines we should be doing, I'm going to research and develop an entirely new section of videos for Sensei's Office in MyShotokan. This new section will be dedicated to everything I can find about stretching and how to develop strong, flexible legs and hips.

Watch here for more details.

Sensei Doug

Sensei's Office Updates

This week I've added a video that is sure to get some big reactions from many Shotokan atheletes.

I found a match between a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter against a black belt Karate Shotokan instructor.

By now I think most everyone is familiar with the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Challenge) Matches - and how many of these fights are finished on the ground... much like a real-life school yard brawl.

Subscribers to Sensei's Office also get to enjoy a fantastic video demonstration of Bunkai for Empi. You'll be amazed as you watch these karate videos as three top atheletes demonstrate some of the possible applications to the moves in the Kata Empi.

Finally, this week I've started to add a collection of Shotokan Training Videos from a small Dojo with a great crew of people. They have graciously posted a large variety of helpful karate training routines for basics, partner work and kumite drills. Over the next while, we will join them, practice along side them - and gain new material for our own training.

See you all in Sensei's Office!

MyShotokan

New Updates of Shotokan Karate Videos

The Dojo Key Subscribers area of MyShotokan is called Sensei's Office.

Sensei's Office will be continually updated with new Shotokan Karate Training Videos that match our high standards of review. We spend our days scouring through YouTube.com, MySpace.com, Google Videos and more.

Day after day we review videos of homemade karate videos. We see so many bad clips - it's hard to believe people will publish themselves as experts, when they are so clearly beginners.

Only the best quality karate training videos make it onto the shelf in Sensei's Office!

The March Master Profile will feature Tanaka Sensei - perhaps one of the most famous fighters that Shotokan Karate has ever know!

Watch here for updates as New Shotokan Karate Videos are posted to Sensei's Office in MyShotokan.com!


:-)

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Popular Searches for This Shotokan Blog

Become a Member of MyShotokan.com today! Free Members gain FULL ACCESS to all the Shotokan Kata Videos! ...and it's FREE to join! >> Sign up here <<

I always enjoy reviewing my visitor stats to see how people have been using Google, Yahoo and MSN to find this Shotokan Karate Blog.

Check out these recent queries that brought people here:

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And you can view a short list of the martial arts sites that have referred traffic to MyShotokan.com

Yay! Finally Live Again!

MyShotokan.com is Finally Re-Opened!

But - it wouldn't be Launch Day without some unexpected things jumping in the way... like the internet connection going dead on me - one hour before launch time! I didn't get the connection re-established until 30 minutes after the time I was to launch... and then I only had 5 minutes to get the correct home page inplace before rushing off to other duties.

WHEW! But - The site is live again, and working!

Thank you for your patience - and please leave a comment here on my Shotokan Karate Blog and let me know of any bugs you find!!

The final touches

I'm getting more excited as the Launch Date approaches for MyShotokan.com!

The final touches are being completed now. All the construction on Sensei's Office is down to the details and clean-up - and it's lookin' GREAT! ... if I do say so myself... ;-)

Today we are testing the signup and registration process, then following every link and review each page with a checklist to be certain everything will be working smoothly tomorrow for the Grand Re-Opening!

Thanks again everyone, for all your helpful email!

Back to the dusting and polishing!!

:-D

Shotokan Kata Videos

Videos of all the 26 Traditional Shotokan Kata by JKA Masters.

Shotokan Karate Kata, Kumite and Kihon Videos - Videos of JKA Karate Masters, Tournaments and Karate Demonstrations in Sensei's Office for Dojo Key holders.

New Shotokan Karate Videos

No more delays - the site will be opening on schedule this Tuesday!

Thank you again for all your email and messages over this past week as the renovations are being finalized. I'm really humbled by the number of people who are telling me that THEY can't wait for the site to be re-opened!

I can certaily assure you that it's all going to be worth the wait!

What's the most exciting part for me? I'm not sure if it's the great new look and layout, or if it's the new shotokan JKA Masters karate videos I've been able to find! Many of the searches to find these videos were very obsure - but the results were like a prospector finding nuggetts of gold in unexpected places. Solid gold, amazing videos of the top JKA Masters... and as you'll see - it's no wonder that these men are at the top. They did not get promoted for politics. They really are amoung the most astonishing atheletes the world has ever witnessed.

Update:
The Free Membership section of the site, the Videos of the 26 Shotokan Traditional Kata, is completed.

Sensie's Office is almost completed. Those members who hold the Dojo Key Subscription will have access to an expanded and improved section with videos of the worlds top JKA Karate Masters including Funakoshi, Nakayama, Nishiyama, Asai, Okazaki, Enoeda, Kanazawa, Yahara and Abe. Dojo Key Members will find much more in Sensie's Office! Such as Karate lessons teaching Kihon and Basic Combinations in Japanese, and special sections of videos on Karate Kicking Drills, Kumite Drills and many karate tournament highlight videos. In addition, Dojo Key holders can also access a special section on four advanced Shotokan Kata that you may have never seen before.

I'm creating a Special Bonus section of Amazing Stunts Videos. These Martial Artist will make you do a double-take, rub your eyes and shake your head before you watch the video again. No kidding. These Amazing Martial Artist Stuntmen are not necessarily Shotokan Karate-ka, but we who love Unsu, Kanku-sho, Enpi and Heian Godan for the jumps and athletics will be impressed... no, you will be astonished by these videos.

Finally I have two more of the most exciting areas to complete before Tuesday... only a few more hours at the computer checking off the final things my list of things left to complete before launch time in 2 days, 23 hours...

Ok - back to work/play!

More Delays - Sorry

I'm sorry to announce that I have to push back the opening one more time.

I spent the weekend training with one of my top Sensie's - and didn't get the time to complete the last 10 or 12 hours work needed to complete my renovations.

So, I'd rather push back the opening date and bring you something polished and tested to work, rather than opening today and causing you frustration by finding broken links or confusing or incomplete information.

Thanks for your understanding and patience!

MyShotokan


.

Semi-Free Sparing Practice Drill

The final karate class we had this weekend was fantastic!

Everyone was happy and really enjoyed the training - everything was different and new - and each of the two hour classes flew by! I was suprized when the classes seemed to end so quickly!

We did a few memorable things that stand out, and that students commented on afterwards. First off - Sensei worked us through the basic combinations with more intensity than I normally do... I'd say more than twice the repetitions forward and backwards.

My favorite drill was a kind of semi-free sparing with a partner. In a slow, controlled drill with Sensie counting, Partner #1 attacks on the odd numbers with any technique - and Partner #2 blocks with any technique; on the even numbers, Partner #2 takes a turn. The focus was to move naturally and make distance - mix up the techniques with all sorts of kicks, punches and strikes. This kumite training drill was made more interesting by restricting one side to only strike attacks and the other to only kick attacks. By changing the restrictions on techniques, we were forced to try moves we would normally ignore or avoid. It was a refreshing challenge.

After training, we all took Sensie Don and Sempai Jill out for lunch. The massive hamberger with Canadian back-bacon, mushrooms and swiss cheeze sure hit the spot!

Now that my weekend of karate seminars is complete, I have time to get back working on MyShotokan. There are about 12 hours of work left to complete before the launch tomorrow! I'm excited and apprehensive at the same time!!

Until then...

MyShotokan

Kata Applications on Video Tape

Sensie Don walked our class through a couple really interesting applications for Heian Shodan and for Heian Sandan.

I recognized the first combintation that is widely known through the Midwest Karate circles. The first time I experienced the application drill for Heian Shodan was at the 5 day Midwest Karate Summer Training Camp in Regina Saskatchewan, way back in the summer of 1992. Durring that training camp, Sensei Marr taught us great variations of applications for all the Heian kata, one kata per day for the week.... man were we bruised up!

This time I have the drill on video tape - not just scratches of notes we used to write after each class... sometimes the notes don't make much sense when you re-read them a decade later... :-)

The second partner combination from yesterday's training was an adaption of applying moves from Heian Sandan, introduced to Midwest Karate just last weekend in Winnipeg by visiting master Katsumata Sensie. We really had a great time with it - and I'm looking forward to reviewing the video of this fun and effective karate partner training drill.

Because the content of the classes was so fresh and different for myself and my students, the time just flew through both of the 2 hour sessions yesterday.

Several people remarked on areas they enjoyed, and would like to incorporate into our regular training drills.

-more doing basics forward AND backwards
-more performing the kata alone infront of the class
-include the extended stretching routine in warmup
-include partner stretching
---- and I know there is something else mentioned too...

I've asked my students to email me their comments because if I don't write them down and make a habit of reminding myself with a series of brief written lesson plans - then it's easy for me to get off track...



We get one more class, today from 11AM-1PM today.

Time to charge the video camera and get ready for training!

MyShotokan

Completing The Upgrades

I estimate that I still have 11 or 12 hours work to complete the upgrades to MyShotokan. But finding 12 hours time between now and Tuesday at 2 PM is going to be a challenge!!

With the extra karate seminar hours this weekend, I won't have any work time for the website until Monday morning...

It's difficult to NOT work on something that is so exciting!

But, at least I'm interupted by karate! :-)

... I'll report on the seminars as the weekend unfolds.

MyShotokan

Karate Seminar

This weekend my karate club is honored to host Sensei Don and Sempai Jill again! You can check out a short video clip from last summer's classes here: Karate Highlights - 20 seconds of fun partner work. Today we are training from 10AM till Noon, then from 2PM till 4PM, and tomorrow from 11AM till 1PM. I'll be video taping, of course! - and will be posting clips on MyShotokan. More notes soon, I better get a small breakfast in me and do some stretching! 1.5 hours till first class.

Progressing Right On Track

The upgrades to MyShotokan are moving along - right on schedule.

All of the Shotokan Kata Video pages have been completed and I've been able to make a lot of progress in a new area of the site I'm calling Sensei's Office.

Sensei's Office is a place completely filled with a lifetime collection of Essential Shotokan books, videos, DVDs. You'll find rare and out-of-print treasures and a huge shelf filled with over 100 videos of Shotokan's top karate Masters, karate classes taught in Japanese and personal recordings of dojo sparing and dojo training drills from several top karate clubs around the world. Sensei's Office is also a store-house of tournament trophies with a box thats full of tournament footage. In Sensei's Office, you can sit down and study some of the worlds to Kata and Kumite competitors in action!

But my favorite part about Sensei's Office are the video clips of Embu and Karate Demonstrations! It's great to learn from the choreography of Top Shotokan Karate-ka from around the world! Even after watching the videos over and over again, some of the acrobatics still make me gasp and shake my head!

Today, I'll finish formatting and upgrading Sensei's Office - right now there are Nine Categories with over 100 of the best Shotokan Karate Training Videos online. I estimate three hours to finish the referbishment in this area. Following those renovations, my next goal is to re-vamp the Membership Levels to include an eye-popping bonus Membership Level for those people who refer other karate-ka to MyShotokan.

I don't know about you, but I'm getting excited about re-opening the site and showing everyone around the new and improved 'dojo'!

Regards!!

MyShotokan.

MyShotokan Renovation Update Report

Hi All,

I've had a couple email requests for temporary access to the videos. One person reports that she is getting ready for testing, another was excited about learning a senior kata for the first time and they wanted to review a couple different people doing the same kata - and they wanted to quickly login and review a few points.

Sorry! Things are a shambles! If this website were a kitchen - there'd be no cookin' goin' on today!

... the login can't be activated yet, but I can give you an update report:

I've reformated Heian Shodan, Nidan, Sandan, Yondan and Godan - I've also reformatted the three Tekki Kata pages, Bassai Dai and Kanku Dai pages are complete.

Today I'll complete reformating the Katas from Book 7 in the Best Karate Series: Empi, Hangetsu, Jitte - as well as Katas from Books 8, 9 10 and 11.

Let's see now... it takes me about 20 minutes to reorganize each kata page... 14 katas left to do, that's about 5 hours, give or take.... Then, tomorrow, I'll begin reformatting the pages with videos of Kumite Drills, Self Defence demonstrations etc.

The new layout is really exciting to work on! After I'm finished each page I can't help but smile! It's lookin' great - but most of all - it's easy to move around and find all the info you could ever need to help with any of the Shotokan Kata!

Ok! Back to work! I can't wait till I can open the doors!!

:-)

Upgrades and Wish List

Hello everyone!

I'd like to thank you all again for making MyShotokan.com so popular! The comments and the feedback have been very encouraging, constructive and helpful.

A few Members have been kind enough to tell me, in detail, where they have found bugs in the site - and to these people I bow especially low. You have my gratitude for helping me present an easy way for Shotokan karate students to study all the kata.

I'm afraid I have some bad news though.

When I started on the upgrades, the suggestions I began to receive made me stop and re-think a few things. I took out a pad of paper and started to scratch up a To-Do List... drew a few flow charts and new page layouts...

Well, the long and the short of it is, I've just added four extra days of building time to get the site up to the new standards!

That means I'm going to MOVE BACK THE GRAND RE-OPENING one more week.

The site will now be Launched on Tuesday, Feb 13th

I'm taking the site apart by the seams, if you will, and re-stitching the pieces in a way that will make it easier to navitate and will offer much more support information about every individual Shotokan kata. But that's not all! Just wait till you see the new and expanded sections!

Thanks again for making my hobby so much fun!

Don't forget to add me in your MySpace Profile

Shotokan Karate Blog

YES it's true

MyShotokan is CLOSED FOR UPGRADES!!


We would like to thank everyone for our unexpected popularity!

In just two months, MyShotokan.com has grown to an
International membership of over 700 Karate-ka!

We are in the process of improving the site and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause! But I'm sure you'll enjoy the upgrades!!

Warming Up for a new session of training

My Shotokan Training Journal

For the Atikokan Karate Club.

Yesterday we practiced Heian Shodan, Nidan, Sandan and Heian Yondan 5 times each, taking turns lining up infront of the mirrors. (Yes! Mirrors) Between each kata set we did a set of dynamic stretching, followed by static stretching on a ledge. Lots of stretching.

Squeeze-Release Drill.
We started off with the familiar kata so we could practice a muscle tension drill. In stead of thinking about what moves to do, we were working on focucing the muscle tension at the end of the movement so the body came to a complete freeze frame - as though our bodies had been paused on a video. Then, on the count, we *relaxed* into the next move of the kata. Between each move, I would say squeeeezzzzzeeeeee.... Release!!! The squeeze would be holding the correct muscle tension at the end of each kata move, creating drive in the direction of the technique. The Release!! must instantly start your body in the direction of the next kata move.

Correctly done, this drill requires the kata to be performed at a slower pace than normal, and the kata becomes something like Hangetsu in muscular exersion - making the drill a strengthening calesthenics routine that should cause shortness of breath after 2 or three times through a kata.


Strength for Flexibility
I'm recommending that each student drop by Home Hardware on Main st, and purchase Two 10 foot lengths of bungie chord for class. We will be including routines of strength-training aimed at increasing our flexibility. These routines are based on the book "scientifically stretching" - the same drills I've been doing at home for the past three weeks... with very satisfactory results.


Shotokan Karate Videos
Ove time, I'll be collecting videos of the shotokan karate training sessions and routines we do every class.

Next Karate Class in Atikokan

Karate Belts Awards!
Congratulations to the students who traveled to Winnepeg in November to attend the Smaby Seminars on Karate Pressure Points and test for their next belt!

Karate Training for 2007

This year of my Shotokan karate training is starting off much differently than the 23 others that I've been training.

A webdesigner by trade, and at 41 yrs with a bit of a beer gut - I'm just not seeing the hard-body I used to see in the mirror.

So this year, for the past three weeks, I've been training daily on my BowFlex. So far it hasn't been anything fancy - except that I've discovered how to use the cables and pullies to add resistance while practicing kicking and stepping in a stance.

The traditional resistance drills of bench press, lat pull-downs, leg extensions etc are also helpful - and after just 3 weeks I'm starting to see some results in my muscles.

But, my biggest benefit is the increase in my flexibility.

My karate students of 10 years have already noticed the change in the depth of my side spit stretch - after I put in just 3 weeks of training 30 minutes a day.

If you are serious about improving faster than other students in your karate club - you are in the right place.

Tune in next time for details on the training program that has made such great results for me - Yes - you CAN do this at home without a BowFlex.