AMAA Foundation Masters & Pioneers Magazine Vol #4

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Issue #2 Dec 2021 S TA F F M E M B E R S

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FOLLOW YOUR PASSION JOHN CHUNG

KIDOKIME -RYU KARATE -DO BOBBY BRIGGS

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THE WEAPONS OF THE WING CHUN ARE STILL ALIVE

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HOW TO DEVELOP A PROSPERITY AND WEALTH MINDSET FOR 2022

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KATA TO COMBAT: PART 2

G.M. FABIO BEVILACQUA AND SIFU ROCCO VALLARELLI

JESSIE BOWEN

NATHAN RAY

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FOLLOW YOUR PASSION

by John Chung

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rowing up in Seoul, South Korea, I was fascinated by martial arts, especially Tae Kwon Do. But, since my Junior High School was a National Judo Champion School, we were all required to take Judo as a P. E. class once a week. So, I started my first martial arts training at the age of 11 in Judo. And I loved doing it! Even though it was not Tae Kwon Do, it was awesome.

I was like a kid in the candy store. I cherished everything; lining up, bowing ceremony, learning to throw and fall and fall and fall some more. I even enjoyed putting on the Judo uniform. It was like I was being transformed into a warrior or, nowadays, a superhero.

I can’t remember if I was a good or a bad student, but I have a vivid memory of my teacher commanding us to ‘reach higher’ and ‘hit the floor’; we were practicing how to ‘break the fall.’ So, I would kick both of my legs up toward the ceiling and hit the mat as hard as I could with my legs and arm to ‘break the fall.’

I did this repeatedly to both sides until M A S TE RS & P I ON EERS #4 - 8

it was time for the next drill or class to end. My dream to practice martial arts had become a reality, and I embraced it.

Unfortunately, this journey lasted only one semester of my 7th grade in Junior High School, the Summer of 1970.

In the Summer vacation of 1970, my family found out that we would be moving to America in the Fall, and I would not return to my Junior School.

Going to America was great news and a dream come true! It was better than practicing any martial arts. The dream got even better. I had found out that one of my uncles in America was a Tae Kwon Do Master, Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee, the Founding Father of American Tae Kwon Do, and we would be required to practice Tae Kwon Do when we went to the U. S. It was one of the best Summers of my life.

Now that I have shared my beginning martial arts training experience with you, I want to shout, whisper, or tell you to ‘follow your passion.’ Did I follow MASTER S & PIO NEER S #4 - 9

my passion to be a martial artist to be where I am now? World Champion in both forms and fighting, member of many Halls of Fame including the Black Belt Hall of Fame and Who’s Who in the Martial Arts Hall of Fame, or did things just happen to be in my favor because I was just lucky or blessed? Or maybe, the stars were lined up perfectly in my favor.

I would like to think it was the first; I followed my passion! I was fascinated by what one’s body can do; kicks, blocks, strikes, jumps, and twists. Everything about Martial Arts was mesmerizing— especially growing up watching martial arts movies where everyone was flying and battling with their hands, feet, and weapons. It was awesome and very cool. I wanted to be like them.

Following your passion is not easy. It’s a hard and rough road with many sacrifices and making many right choices, but it is a rewarding journey worth taking.

Here are three things I focus on to be successful. Most importantly, focusing on these three things make me happy, healthy, and a better person.

1.Work hard, very hard. Don’t make excuses not to do something - I’m too tired, or I have too much energy; it’s too cold or too hot. Instead, make excuses to do it! Find time for yourself to do things. One thing I do to improve is that I stretch every day. Not because I want to be more flexible, but because stretching makes me feel good and makes me happy. It probably has something to do with working on my breathing as I stretch as well as keeping my muscles

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toned and flexible. Whether it is 5 to 10 minutes or 30 to 60 minutes a day, I stretch! Do you want to kick higher? Do you want to become more flexible? Do you want to be healthier and happier?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions, you are ready to start your stretching today, now! Don’t wait until tomorrow. Don’t wait until you finish reading this article. Start your stretching while you are reading this article. Start now! So, find something you want to improve and make excuses to start. Try doing ten push-ups a day. If you can’t do 10, do 9, 8, 7 - or do one because it’s better than doing zero. And do it every day. Remember, make excuses to do things. Find time to do things. You will be much happier and healthier.

And you will thank me.

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2.Have fun. Have a blast. Be a kid again. Enjoy your life to the fullest. And, laugh. Laugh a lot! Oh, smiling helps, too. Enjoy and cherish every opportunity to have fun. Make your training hard, very hard, but make it fun. Use music, make it a game, get a partner, or join a group class. Whatever makes your training fun and exciting. Remember, make excuses to do things. And, it’s OK for you to be ‘goofy.’ Most importantly, be true to yourself. BE YOU! Life is too short to be too serious and not have FUN! And, all of you who know me, I am not a mushroom; I am a ‘fun guy.’

3.Finally, learn something. Find every opportunity to learn and improve yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually. You will be much happier and healthier. As you try to perfect your techniques, kicks, blocks, strikes, stances, or forms, you will make mistakes. Learn from them.

And improve. Set realistic expectations and goals. If you are just starting out or restarting your training, don’t overdo

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it. Start slow and build up. Be smart.

Remember the saying, ‘No pain, no gain’? Also, add ‘No pain, no brain.’😊 Be smart about your training routine.

Listen to your body; know your body.

We age every year, every month, every week, every day, hour, minute, and second. You must learn to retrain your body and mind. Don’t think about what your ability was before; think about what you can do now and accept the changes. Don’t dwell on what you can’t do. Challenge yourself and think about what you can do. Then, you are ready to improve because you have learned to adapt. You have become wiser.

Follow your passion! Keep in mind that you are on a journey and not set for any destination. Life is a journey. So, continue to improve by learning. Have fun while you are on this journey. Finally, work hard at it. Do it to your fullest with no regrets. And, say and remember my motto, ‘Work hard, have fun and learn something.’

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KIDOKIME-RYU KARATE-DO

by Bobby Bringgs

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idokime -Ryu Karate - do, translated as, The school that teaches the inner/or internal way of proper focus, is a Japanese/American Style of the martial arts (more specifically karate), that is a very “old school” traditional form of karate that also has a modern-day twist to it.

Kidokime-Ryu Karate-do is a very traditional Japanese/Okinawan in the way that classes start/end, the respect and discipline aspect of it, the Katas (forms) that are taught, verbiage used in class, Gi’s that are worn, belt ranking system, and all the other concepts that one would see from a traditional style you would see if you were training in Japan or Okinawa somewhere between the 1970s through the late 1990s at a traditional dojo. But this style also has the modern-day American twist to it in the form of the way it teaches sparring, grappling, self-defense, workouts, and all the other concepts that make us Americans very competitive and good when it comes to such things as MMA, Kick-boxing, Police Defensive Tactics, US Military Combatives (Hand-to-Hand Combat), etc.

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Kidokime-Ryu Karate-do has strict rules and regulations that are enforced by all black belt instructors and adhered to by all those who wish to enroll and participate in this style. Kidokime-Ryu Karate-do teaches that the first two things one must learn when enrolling in a class are respect and discipline. Every student is expected to ALWAYS show respect to the American Flag, our Country (USA), the Dojo, each other, and every person they come in contact with and all property.

The discipline aspect of this is to make sure to abide by this concept and all the other rules one must follow. And this will ALWAYS be at the forefront of one’s karate journey, as long as they are a member of this specific style. Kidokimeryu Karate-do also teaches that one must train their body, mind, and spirit in unison all the time. The concept here teaches one that their physical body, their mind, and their heart (spirit), must be engaged each and every time they train.

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instructor will typically have the class say the “Lord’s Prayer” or the “Karate-ka’s Prayer” together. We, as KidokimeRyu Karate-do, believe there is a much greater power beyond us and our “Ki.” Training in Kidokime-Ryu Karate-do can be very physical. Physical in the sense of workouts, sparring, self-defense, etc. Each Kidokime-Ryu Karate-do test is made up of three parts or phases.

Whoever is testing is required to pass one phase before they can go to the next phase. And if one fails any phase during testing, that person must retrain and start all over again from phase one the next time they test. The three phases of testing for Kidokime-Ryu Karate-do are as follows; Physical Fitness Test, Knowledge Test, and the Martial Arts Test itself - in that order. All Three Phases are not conducted on the same day/night. However, when one starts phase one, the entire testing process must be completed within two weeks to be promoted to the next level (kyu or dan belt grade). If all phases are not completed within the two weeks, or one fails any portion or phase of the testing process, they will fail the entire test and immediately be put in a retraining period to help them pass the next time they test. As a side note, the three testing phases are for all Kidokime-Ryu Karate-do that are testing regardless of age or sex. And, unless one is taking private lessons, Kidokime-Ryu Karate-do normally does not let one start training until they are at least six years of age.

However, there is no “cut-off” age.

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Furthermore, Kidokime-Ryu Karate instructors decide who is testing and when. There are no scheduled testing’s (i.e., monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, annually, etc.). When an instructor decides that someone is ready to test, that instructor will give an invitation to the person who is ready. Students and/or parents will never, under any circumstance, decide when (date/ time) a test is to take place. That is solely a Kidokime-Ryu Karate-do instructor’s responsibility. Lastly, below is a breakdown of the testing phases of Kidokime-Ryu Karate-do.

Physical Fitness Test (Phase One): Phase one ensures that the person testing is physically fit enough to take the grueling martial arts test in phase three. Once you enter your testing process, phase one begins immediately. The physical fitness test consists of push-ups, sit-ups, and a timed run (one and a half miles in a lesser time, or a two-mile run in a longer time). There is a matrix that breaks down by age and sex how many push-ups and sit-ups one must do in two minutes and a specific time you must complete your timed run. Phase one is done by itself in one day. If a person passes this phase, they move to the next phase (phase two) at the next scheduled class date.

Knowledge Test (Phase Two): After one enters their testing process and finishes phase one, they enter phase two at the next class date. Everyone, all kyu grades (color belts), as well as dan grades (Black

Belts), takes a knowledge test and must meet a minimum score (depending on the grade one is testing for). For all kyu grades, the knowledge test will consist of an additional 25 different questions from their last knowledge test taken. (Black Belts is an additional 100 questions for all knowledge tests taken prior to their current test). All questions are specifically related to Kidokime-ryu Karate-do as a style and traditional Japanese and American karate in general. If a person passes this phase, they move on to the last and final phase, which is the martial arts phase.

Martial Arts Test (Phase Three): When a person enters this phase, they have already completed phases one and two with a passing score. During this phase, one must go in front of a Black Belt(s) and test on the areas they have been taught (i.e., techniques, blocks, stances, floor movements, Katas, onesteps, self-defense, weapons, sparring, etc.), whatever pertains to the kyu grade (belt rank) they are testing for. This is a very physical stage of testing. Much like a “gut check.” However, the person testing can still be asked questions during the test, they must do a separate workout for their test and all items they have been taught (i.e., blocks, punches, kicks, Katas, etc.) will be done multiple times. The very last thing one does is the sparring portion of this phase.

Sparring is not point sparring. It’s continuous sparring, and very physical until the Black Belt(s) are satisfied with their ability.

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THE WEAPONS OF THE WING CHUN ARE STILL ALIVE

By G.M. Fabio Bevilacqua and Sifu Rocco Vallarelli

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he weapons of Wing Chun have been mysterious, often overlooked or not understood over the years, so much so that nowadays, it is difficult to find qualified instructors in the subject or available to pass on information correctly.

Those who know the use of weapons well try to keep a distance with the students, trying not to easily transmit the use of the same to everyone, but after careful selection. Furthermore, it is preferred to pass them on only when the student has complete and effective knowledge of the previous forms of Wing Chun.

Mainly the weapons of Wing Chun are the long stick or “Luk Dim Boon Gwun” and the double butterfly knives or “Ba Cham Dao.” Objectively, these two types of weapons are not unique to be used in martial arts, but what makes them important in Wing Chun are the principles equal to those identified in the same forms. All this is possible because of the long-range of the same weapons, which give the possibility to act even quicker. But to be able to implement all this, the use of Wing Chun M A S TE RS & P I ON EERS #4 - 20 weapons requires a perfect knowledge

of the style as you must be very skilled in the use of footwork, timing, positions, angles, etc. Achieving this also means being masters of the body structure, also keeping the weight where appropriate during the movements, and not getting unbalanced. Another problem in the execution of the movements is the incorrect use of the pelvic area, as it is not used correctly to emphasize the body in transmitting strength to the weapons. Also, there is a possible common flaw in holding the long stick or the double knives. In the first case, it is very easy to observe a greater opening in the hands when holding it, as the practitioner does not have a good level of training designed to strengthen the arms and wrists.

While for the butterfly knives, the same handle can be variable according to the uses in the application. For example, in a purely defensive movement, it is preferable to be short, while in a sharp one, it becomes long. For this reason, it is preferable to say that the Wing Chun weapons are not extinct, but on the contrary, in the hands of an expert, they become alive as well as the mind that directs them.

Not everyone understands that training with weapons is also useful to perfect

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the previous knowledge in the system, thus refining the technique and skills even if you do not necessarily have them in your hands. Looking more closely at the origins of these two types of weapons, we find that they were introduced into the system by two ancestors of the Wing Chun Genealogy, Wong Wah Bo and Leung Yee Tai. The story, as handed down by GGM Ip Man to GM Chow Tse Chuen, tells that the long staff techniques were taught to Leung Yee Tai by Jee S e e n , a v e r y s k i l l e d e l de rl y mo nk who escaped the destruction of the Shaolin Temple by the Ching regime.

There are movements designed to attack and defend in long stick t r a i n i n g, m a n y o f t h e m c o m b i n e d with the already assimilated and familiar footwork. However, some positions do not appear in the bare-hand forms. These stances a n d f oot work ar e general ly lo wer to compensate for the additional weight of the weapon. By practicing from the beginning and advancing in the program, you will have the opportunity to familiarize and better focus the ideology of the techniques of the six and a half points of the stick; thus, training not only ‘stick against stick ’ but also ‘stick against knives’ in order to realize how the long-range of the Luk Dim Boon can enter everywhere effectively.

There is a proverb about the peculiarity of the long stick: “The six and a half point stick does not make more than two sounds.” The first sound produced comes in defending oneself; the second is the thud of the opponent on the ground. All this

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makes it clear how fast the technique performed with this type of weapon can be. The origin and origins of the “Ba Cham Dao” are dark and strange, a little dark and different for many masters of the Wing Chun Kung Fu style. As handed down by GGM Ip Man to GM Chow Tse Chuen, the most reliable story is that the techniques were introduced by Sifu Miu Heen and taught to Yim Wing Chun, a student of Ng Mui. The most obvious translation of “Ba Cham Dao” turns out to be the technique of the eight knife cuts, or the eight ways of fighting butterfly knives, but another definition would be that of the eight directions performed with the blades. The Ba Cham Dao technique is considered the jewel of the Wing Chun School, so much so that it is still secretly kept in its own clan and taught and handed down to the most deserving. The butterfly knives are used in pairs and are made of solid steel, sometimes the blade secretly forged with its length equal to the forearm, offering exceptional hardening without detracting from the quality of its sharpening. As for the form, it is composed of eight sections; each one is specific, choreographic, and requires an objective understanding, with the flow of Chi on the blade.

We can conclude by asserting that the weapons of Wing Chun are not extinct at all. Their traditions have come down to us through Fatshan and Hong Kong; let’s try to keep them alive! The martial art is also the tradition and culture of a people, and we can be considered lucky if in the world great masters like Ip Man and his other descendants have continued in the mission of making them known.

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HOW TO DEVELOP A PROSPERITY AND WEALTH MINDSET FOR 2022

By Jessie Bowen M A S TE RS & P I ON EERS #4 - 24

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want to begin this article by clarifying what prosperity and wealth really imply. I’m going to use the Webster Dictionary to get a clear meaning, not just my opinion. Prosperity: The state of being successful, usually by the acquisition of a large sum of money. The sum of one’s money and property is referred to as wealth.

through our actions. Sometimes, never getting around to feeling worthy of the blessing that we were hoping to get is one reason why we fall short of success and prosperity.

Put aside your ideas about money and wealth as you begin to read this article and let your mind reflect on your belief system. Do you have a set of beliefs about riches and prosperity? If you’re unsure, you should ask yourself what your thoughts are about the life you wish to live. This is where the thinking comes into play. What is a mindset, exactly? A mindset is a set of beliefs that influence how you perceive the world and yourself. It has an impact on how you think, feel, and act in any scenario.

The greatest secrets of wealth and happiness in life lies in the mindset that a person cultivates. Beliefs are so powerful because they guide our actions unconsciously. Thoughts turn to actions, and actions become a reality.

We all want to have a good life, and we all want to experience the best things that life has to offer. We hope and work for success, money, fame, good health, love – to name a few. We even make birthday wishes in the hope they will come true. It’s in our nature to hope to become more ‘lucky’ in the years to come. We wish that the attainment of our wishes will ‘happen.’

Wealth and Happiness are a Direct Result of a State of Mind

The single most important decision you need to make in the pursuit of wealth and prosperity is to develop a prosperity mindset consciously. Changing your mindset to a wealthy or prosperous one will improve the overall results of your life.

Here are great ways to develop your mindset to magnetize wealth and prosperity: Appreciate What You Have

In our pursuit of life’s ultimate achievements, we sometimes do not realize that we play a huge role in making them happen. There could be times when we hope for something great to materialize and, at the same time, think that it’s too great, too impossible to happen to us.

To develop a prosperity mindset, you need to appreciate what you already have.

Having an attitude of gratitude will not only bring more feelings of joy, but it can dramatically alter your perspective in life, and in turn, change your reality. Gratitude enables you to focus on the positive side of life and appreciate your blessings, multiplying them naturally.

Therein lies the irony and the ultimate reason some people fail to achieve – even if they work hard. We affirm our longheld beliefs about ourselves unconsciously

‘Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.’ – Oprah Winfrey

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Follow and Emulate Successful People Without a doubt, this is possibly one of the most important steps for you to take in developing your prosperity and wealth mindset. Identify successful people that you would like to follow and emulate. Model yourself after successful people by studying their behaviors, learning from their experiences, and listening to what they have to teach you. All successful people got to where they are as a result of their mindset.

‘If I have seen further than the others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.’

– Isaac Newton Believe in Yourself You are the greatest key to your prosperity in life, whether you know or don’t fully appreciate that yet. Believe in yourself, and if you need to, work on improving your self-image as well.

There is always room for improvement. But, by acknowledging that we have aspects of ourselves that need work, we can follow through with a commitment to get to the desired results.

‘You are the heir to the Kingdom. Prosperity is your birthright, and you hold the key to more abundance in every area of your life than you can imagine. You deserve every good thing you want, and the universe will give you every good thing you want, but you have to summon it into your life.’ – Henri J.M. Nouwen Set Goals and Take Action Developing a prosperity and wealth mindset is key, but embodying prosperity and wealth will not be possible if you sit and wait for things to happen. In the process of developing this mindset, it necessitates action. The action is what aligns your conscious and unconscious M A S TE RS & P I ON EERS #4 - 28

minds. When that happens, your thoughts truly become a powerful force.

Set goals that drive you to action and take action on them daily. Be committed, no matter what it takes. Through practice, you will form new habits of thinking that will enable you to live and vibrate at a higher level – opening yourself up to more wealth and prosperity in life.

An open and positive mind allows the universe to act upon your inner thought energy and create that which you seek. It’s like watching a little miracle take place. It can astound you when you realize it’s happening.

If you want to begin to manifest wealth and prosperity in your life, then you have to study; yes, study prosperous and wealthy people, read books, listen to audio programs, check out online videos, and other resources that may be available.

I’ve created an ebook that will help expand your knowledge and understanding about wealth and the mindset it takes to become wealthy. “Change your Mind, Change your Life Success Guide” by Jessie Bowen is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, and ElitePublications.com.

Reference Books - Change Your Mind Change Your Life https:// www.elitepublications.org/product-page/ change-your-mind-change-your-life-successguide - The Abundance Mindset https://online. fliphtml5.com/zuwwi/urki/ - Goal Setting Fundamental Keys to Success https://rb.gy/3zak45 - https://amaaonlinetrainingcenter.thinkific. com/courses/mindset-for-success MASTER S & PIO NEER S #4 - 29

KATA TO COMBAT: PART 2

By Nathan Ray

I

had an interesting thing happen over the years; and once I paid attention to it, I began to identify the root challenge. I noticed that when I shot a basketball, my tendency was to pull the shot to the left of the target. At the time, I simply said, “Hey! I better practice.” On a separate occasion, I noticed that when I was playing catch with my children, my tendency was to toss the ball with a slight pull to the left. Starting to look like less of a coincidence? The thing that really caught my attention was my tendency to swing a golf club out and to the left, creating a slice, curve shot… not ideal. All of the markers pointed to a dominance in my right side brain. I then reconciled that karate training from a boy had been right side dominant.

It all finally makes sense. Being left handed naturally and riding left-handed, I know that the world at large is designed for right handed people. Back in the day, even the desks in school were designed for right handers to rest their arm and to be comfortable with a day of writing. As a lefthander, we had to figure it out.

In performing kata on the basis of right-side dominance, there’s an inclination or power that was created to my left. We speak of karate as being a balancer; a way of life thatM Aleads to homeostasis. In fact, this is S TE RS & P I ON EERS #4 - 30 one of the big goals of karate. Actually, in

any martial art, the goal is the unification and balance of mind, body, and spirit or breath.

For the purposes of this writing, I will continue with the example of “Enpi” kata, even though the principal being shared here can be seen in a majority of kata.

The cardinal movements of Enpi are repeated throughout the entire form, multiple times, however, only on one side of the body. Why did the masters point us to train only to one side of the body? They didn’t! In a form like “Kusanku” there are many movements which are performed symmetrically the same technique on both sides, and that is why that form is so long.

The majority of karate forms are not that long… this is a clue to evolution of the art.

Kusanku is a form which has kept its close tie to its roots in China. Chinese martial arts forms tend to be longer and done symmetrically with techniques that are the same being performed on both sides of the body. Now the masters left it for us to figure out and to not be prisoners of the foreign form. As keen, keen students, we must recognize that there is “no box to think outside of.” Rendering the saying, “You must think outside of the box” useless. When we realize that there is no box, we have embraced the freedom in the form.

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How do we approach the forms that are onesided in their practice. It’s simple… do the same form, however, to the opposite side.

In this way, we are stimulating the opposite side of the brain and bringing our training to a true balance. In Shisei Ryu Karate-Do, this is a staple and a requirement of students who have reached black belt. It has allowed our senior students to stimulate the nervous system’s communications and to produce more of a focal point for what is called “myelin.”

Myelin are fatty insulators that wrap around the nerves. In essence, myelin are the physical representation of advanced skills. The body and the mind communicate and fire rapidly, which leads to enhanced skills and expertise.

By doing kata on the opposite side, we now have a longer form when performed back to back. It’s interesting because the length of the form is more reminiscent of Chinese Kung Fu forms when done in this matter: balanced, symmetrical, and working both sides of the brain in practice. Our students have found a new level by taking up the practice of doing our kata on the opposite side. Here we will take a few movements and demonstrate this simple yet powerful mind and myelin building exercise. If you want to take your karate training to another level, this is a sure “fire” way to do it. So simple, yet so productive!

Many instructors search for ways to get their students to that next level… well now you have it… practice on the opposite side! You already have the form; you already have the principles; you already have the right movement. Now balance it out and see what is produced from said practice!

In conclusion, let me circle back to the beginning for those who may be curious… Did this practice help me with my golf shots? The answer is emphatically, “Yes!”

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