Here are the biggest hits from 2016 SA JKA National Championships. This is always a well-organized prestigious event with around 3 000 entries taking place at the Standard Bank Arena in Johannesburg. Young, old, junior and senior compete with great spirit.
The Essence of SA JKA Shotokan Karate
JKA Shotokan is symbolised by two circles: a large circle representing the sky against which is a smaller red circle, representing the sun, is superimposed.
SOUND MIND / GOOD TECHNIQUE
Like the two interacting circles which represent JKA Shotokan Karate, JKA Shotokan Karate has developed and continued to grow into two crucial factors, namely:
Sound Mind
Good Technique
As Nakayama Sensei (Instructor) once told the writer when he asked him why the Five Maxims of Karate are important, he answered:
Self-defence is not only a physical thing. Sound mental strategies and attitudes are of far greater importance when it comes to protecing once’s self, one’s family and one’s nation. For example it is hard to hit somebody who offers you genuine respect (the 4th maximums)
To be able to teach young children karate, the instructors will need to understand something about child development and structure the classes in such a way as to accommodate, compliment and reinforce this.
A good warm up can be used to address a lot of these important aspects.
The following needs to be taken into consideration:
Physical Development
Design warm ups for children not only for preparing the body for karate, but to improve skills such as coordination, agility, speed, power, core strength and flexibility.
Intellectual Development
The young child’s mind is like sponge when it comes to soaking up information. They love learning new things. Remembering sequences, patterns and following instructions stimulates intellectual development. E.g. Performing the ladder drills while the line is moving fast, enhances focus and concentration.
Emotional Development
Young children relates better to “feel” rather than “reason”. Exercises must “feel” like fun to do. They still will be developing their understanding of feelings. This is a vitally important skill which will aid them in eventually becoming well-balanced adults. Instructors should show constant support and offer plenty of reassurance to the children, helping them to develop their confidence and sense of self.
Social Development
Any form of group learning or exercise is a “social experience”, wherein the young child will not only be learning the subject being taught, but also certain aspects of interpersonal skills and teamwork. This is where they learn about responsibility, discipline and good manners. To ”wait their turn” and use “please” and “thank you” (and “Oss”) etc. They will also learn about the appreciation of law and order.
In conclusion: Young children has energy, a short attention span, learn quickly and love games. This means train in a safe environment, short (30/45min), focus on “doing”, plenty variety and must be fun. Design and pre-plan your warm-ups around these aspects and great results will show..
Bowing is probably the feature of Japanese etiquette that is best known outside Japan, especially present in Japanese Martial Arts such as Karate.
Bowing is considered extremely important in Japan, so much so that, although children normally begin learning how to bow from a very young age, companies commonly provide training to their employees in how to execute bows correctly.
Basic bows are performed with the back straight and the hands at the sides (boys and men) or clasped in the lap (girls and women), and with the eyes down. Bows originate at the waist. Generally, the longer and deeper the bow, the stronger the emotion and the respect expressed.
Whether you are competing in karate, do kumite sparring or defending yourself, nobody like to be kicked in the head! It’s not only dangerous but humiliating.
A. The first part of the video is about a nice little 3 point drill that helps you defend a front foot maswashi geri to the face.
1. Move towards the kick, break the line, counter attack kezame tsuki
2. Move back to block and counter gyaku tsuki
3. The opponent delivers an ushiro mawashi geri and defending by moving towards the closed side of the opponent , keeping close while countering gyaku tsuki.
In your training session let the opponent perform two front foot maswashi geris and one front foot ushiro mawashi geri to the target standing still. Secondly provide a moving target. Thirdly let the opponent move into the correct directions. Fourthly apply block and counter attacking.
B. The second part of the video is some ideas around defending against a front foot mawashi while sweeping the opponent’s supporting leg. Be sure to keep your defence up when approaching with the sweep.
Have a look at this highlights video from the KZN JKA championships is held annually as a combined club championships in KZN – Durban South Africa. The Tournament is a fantastic showcase of KZN’s karate students both big and small. It is a safe and exciting environment where many karate students get exposed to karate competition for the first time. #jka#sajka#pinetownjka#karinprinsloo#karate#kata#kumite
Bowing is probably the feature of Japanese etiquette that is best known outside Japan, especially present in Japanese Martial Arts such as Karate.
