WVMA
WVMA
Welcome to WVMA By enrolling at West Vancouver Martial Arts (WVMA) you have not only decided to learn world-class martial arts technique but you have embarked on a personal journey of self-mastery. On the road to Black belt, you will identify your strengths, focus your mind, and realize your inner power. WVMA is proud to have black belt instructors who are not only experienced in multiple disciplines, but are highly experienced competitors in both national and international competitions. Whether you’re looking to become a champion in everyday life or compete in the sport, living the martial arts lifestyle will improve your mental and physical health as well as provide you with skills in self-defense. Our instructors strive to help you, our students, to reach your full potential, providing the necessary complement to your own hard work and dedication. This handbook will be a guide for you in your journey towards Black belt excellence and beyond. If you have any questions you can always contact us at: Phone: 604-922-7745 Email: info@westvancouvermartialarts.com Web: www.westvancouvermartialarts.com Once again, congratulations and WELCOME to West Vancouver Martial Arts! Sincerely, WVMA Team Master Blake Sensei Dean Sensei Curtis
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CONTENTS Page Welcome to WVMA………………………… 1 Martial Arts Style……………………………. 3 Student Creed……………………………… 4 Club Rules and Etiquette…………………… 6 The Black Belt Tradition…………………… 10 Character Development…………………… 12 Mental Training…………………………… 14 Martial Arts Terms………………………… 24
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Martial Arts Style Martial arts have developed for thousands of years, with different styles originating from places all over the globe, passed down from master to student. Each style requires a particular area of expertise. For example: Karate: Tae Kwon Do: Kickboxing: Thai boxing: Jiu jitsu: Judo:
Power, precision, and solid stances Fast precision kicking, timing, faking Stances, movement, combinations Power kicks, knees, clinching and elbow strikes Chokes, submissions, leverage Balance, takedown, throwing
There are many more styles to name and many more skills within those styles; to master them all would take several lifetimes! Master Blake and our team of instructors have trained most of our lives in various martial arts systems and have identified effective techniques for competition and self-defense. WVMA instructors are constantly progressing and learning new skills in order to share them with our students.
Tradition We honor and uphold a high standard of integrity by adhering to martial arts traditions such as bowing, showing respect and humility, wearing belts and uniforms, and practicing mental training.
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WVMA WVMA club members are required to learn and memorize the student creed that follows. This code of conduct outlines the ideals of martial arts. It is a pact that you make with yourself; repeating the creed reaffirms your commitment to personal health, keeping a positive attitude, and to using your skills constructively.
Student Creed I shall uphold the standards of courtesy and respect in the Martial arts. I will honor my dojo, instructors, and training partners with loyalty and support. I intend to use what I learn in class constructively and defensively I am committed to a healthy mind, body, and spirit; Osu!
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MIND Is the computer that governs the physical body. It keeps us safe by warning us of potential dangers. Our mind allows us to remember, plan, manage and process information delivered by the physical body. With awareness and focus, the mind can come in alignment with body and spirit.
BODY A masterpiece of complex hardware: bones, muscle, blood, skin, and tools that allow us to survive, perceive the world, and do amazing things.
SPIRIT Is your personal life force. Your attitude, your will, the spark of life that makes you alive on earth. Everyone has his or her own unique energy or spirit.
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Club Rules and Etiquette Bowing (Osu!)
Bowing and the word “Osu!” are traditions that go back hundreds of years in martial arts. Bowing and the act of lowering your head are ways of showing humility and respect; it is not an act of subservience. “Osu!” is a signal of respect for your club, instructor, training partners and your martial arts discipline. When you enter the dojo, or place of training, the first thing you do is bow; you are saying “I’m ready to learn as much as I can.” (Note: The “u” is silent. Pronounced as Oss!)
When to Bow? » When stepping on and off the training mat. » To your instructors when you see them for the first time that day. » To your classmates and training partners (like a salute or handshake). » We start and finish each class with a bow. At the end of class it is customary to thank the instructor personally as well as your classmates.
How to address your instructors? » When in the club, refer to instructors as Sir/Ma’am or » If your instructor holds black belt, the correct way to refer to him/her is Sensei “along with first name” (which means “teacher” in Japanese). When given direction from your instructor, you should acknowledge with “Yes sir!” or “No sir!”
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Respect for higher ranks It is important to show respect to the higher ranks at WVMA. It is similar to showing courtesy and respect to the elderly because they’ve been here longer and bring wisdom with experience. Showing respect to the higher ranks has nothing to do with who can overpower whom. Consider that some people, regardless of how they compare with you, have come a long way in their own training and have been disciplined in order to achieve the rank they have; and for that, they deserve respect. Respecting a higher rank shows your own character more than anything!
Lining u p in class Line up in order of belt rank. Students with higher ranks stand closer to the front and to the left. When lining up, always look around to see if you can offer your spot to a higher-ranking student.
Missing a class Please let your instructor know by email, or phone call as a courtesy to your program if you are unable to attend a class. We are committed to helping guide our students through their individual successes and expect their equal commitment.
Arriving late to class We do understand that from time to time life throws “curve balls” that will result in a student being late for class. He/She will be faced with a choice: go late, or not go at all. If you can be less than 15 minutes late come anyway!
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WVMA In order to acknowledge your tardiness as well as not disrupt the class flow; please use the following procedure when joining:
» Make sure you’re fully dressed—this means hand wraps and belt on properly. » Enter the mat at the back of the class (with a bow). » Take the kneeling position at the front/left corner of the mat. » Wait until the instructor invites you to join the class. At which time, stand up and bow. » Your instructor may have a special task for you to complete before joining the rest of the class—you need to warm up anyway! » Before you join in the class, bow and take the last available spot in the line. » Next time the class re-assembles into their positions is the time when you should line up in your respective belt rank position. Other rules: » No Hats: bandana to keep sweat and hair out of eyes is ok. » No gum chewing in class. » No swearing or foul language. Please be extra courteous and polite. » Keep the school and washrooms clean and tidy at all times. » To prevent injuries do not wear jewellery, watches, and keep nails trimmed and smooth. » Each student should keep up personal hygene as respect to themselves and others at the school.
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Respect other students. » Refrain from unnecessary conversation during the class. » No‐matter what kind of day you had, leave all negative attitudes outside before you enter the dojo. Only think and talk positively. As a member of the West Vancouver Martial Arts team we are all responsible for adding to the positive energy that flows between our walls.Your classmates at the club are your friends and team members and should be treated that way.
Uniform and Equipment Mandatory for class: » Sleeveless gi, belt (if you have one), » Gloves, shin/instep pads, headgear, mouthpiece and cup (for men). » Make sure your uniform is always clean and presentable. Keep at least one uniform for training and keep another clean and fresh for testing, demos, and competition.
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The Black Belt Tradition Martial arts were first developed by farmers, looking for a method of self-defense for their people. When a student began practising they would have a white rope around their waist. Throughout years of training their belt (rope) would be witness to thousands of kicks, punches, push-ups, squats, blood, sweat, and tears. You could always tell who was the most experienced practitioner by the condition of their belt. As they progressed their belt would become darker until eventually it was black and tattered. Our modern-day belt system represents this tradition. Different colours, light to dark, mark progress in a student’s training. Attaining a black belt is a very large goal; setting a series of smaller goals on the way to the big one is motivational and helps you focus by demonstrating progress. Once you have the required uniform and equipment and have committed yourself to training regularly in class, you will be presented with your white belt within your first few weeks. A few weeks later you can look forward to earning your first stripe.
To move from one level to the next, a student must: » Attend classes regularly (minimum twice a week). » Comfortably perform all required techniques for their level. » Must have shown a significant personal improvement in technique, speed, power, endurance, and attitude. » Must have 4 stripes on his/her belt: 1st stripe— Attitude and attendance 2nd stripe— Combinations 3rd Stripe— Ippon Kumite(adults), Kata(youth) 4th stripe— Means you’re ready to “test” for your next belt.
Remember: The sharper your techniques become…the more humble and respectful your attitude must also become.
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Belt Ranking 1—White 2 - Yellow 3 - Orange 4 - Green 5 - Blue 6 - Purple 7 - Brown 8 - Black We will continuously monitor your progress. When your instructor feels you are ready for testing we will ask you to demonstrate certain techniques in order to move on to the next rank. To move on to the next belt level, expect that the overall intensity will increase. For example: more push-ups, sit ups, squats etc. As you advance, your expectation for speed, power and skill will increase, as will all previously learned techniques. Remember, while you’re learning new techniques it is important to always work on previously learned skills and aim to master them by doing many repetitions. You should be constantly reforming and improving all of your techniques. Although everyone progresses at a different rate, typically you can expect to earn your Black Belt in approximately 5 to 10 years with consistent effort. Don’t worry about the progress of anyone else but yourself. Everyone progresses at different speeds and that must be respected. We will give you constant feedback on what and how to improve. Please enquire about getting a list of specific belt requirements for your level.
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Character Development Each belt rank has a character trait for students to keep in mind while aspiring to a new level:
White Belt: Confidence When taking on a new challenge, believing in yourself is paramount and this is particularly true in martial arts! Whenever a negative thought enters your mind, such as: “I can’t do this”, or “I look like an idiot”, or “I’m just not good at this”, try to rethink these thoughts and turn them into positive statements such as: “I can do this”,“I’m getting better”, I’m super strong”. You would be surprised at what a positive mental attitude can do for you—it’s like magic!
Yellow Belt: Self-Discipline No one is born with self-discipline. Self-discipline is no different; it is something we practice and eventually get goals such as, attending eight out of eight classes this month…or not eating ice cream from Monday to Friday. No matter how small the feat, you are slowly becoming mentally stronger and learning how to take control of you mind, body, and your life.
Orange Belt: Patience As the saying goes, patience is a virtue! You won’t achieve any worthwhile goal overnight. Stick to your plan, work hard, be patient and great things will come to you without a doubt! If you want to be good at anything, it will take time. Be patient.
Green Belt: Balance Good balance is essential to being a skilled martial artist; it is also essential to your life. Balance is a mystery in life; you’d think that if all you did was work hard you would become successful.
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WVMA The flaw in this thinking is that if you focus all your attention on one thing, other things may suffer. Be intense but keep a good balance. Family, career, physical exercise, diet, hard work, and fun are all things that we must juggle. Too much focus on one may lead to problems elsewhere. Doing well at one thing may have a positive effect in other areas, so feeling strong in your mind and body will positively impact your career and family life. However, neglecting an area, such as dropping the ball at work/school, will also have an adverse effect in other areas. Strive to stay balanced.
Blue Belt: Determination In the face of adversity it will always be easier to quit and do something else. Determination is what will get you through hard times and eventually to your goal and beyond. Determination comes from keeping a clear picture in your mind of what you’re aiming for. When times are tough remind yourself of the results you’re after. If you want to reach your goal, you need to be determined: never give up; persevere.
Purple Belt: Focus Focus is a key ingredient for excellence. Whether it be a long term career goal or punching a punching bag –focus on the target! Focusing energy scientifically makes sense; funnel your existing energy into a smaller surface area and increase the overall power and intensity. Keep your eye on the ball!
Brown Belt: Self-control In order to own great power you must harness and keep control of it. You cannot control what happens in life; you can only control your reaction to what happens. If a situation makes you uncomfortable, remove yourself and refocus your energy. Change negatives to positives. Pick and choose wisely where and when to use your skills. If you decide to use your power, use it with great ferocity!
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WVMA Black: Humility Only when you learn everything…you will discover that you know nothing or very little. As a martial arts practitioner, humility is an essential part of a balanced progression through the ranks. Life is so huge that you can never know everything; you can only keep learning. When you think you’ve successfully learned a certain technique, it would be unwise to think that there is not an improved method of performing the same technique. If you rule out the possibility of improvement, you are essentially limiting your growth. As your skills become stronger, they must balance with a more humble and respectful attitude. Black belt is just the beginning!
Extra Conditioning (adult) What good is a Ferrari if it runs out of gas just after leaving the driveway? While training two times a week consistently will give you slow and steady progression of technique, flexibility, focus, confidence, moderate speed and power; taking extra conditioning classes will super-charge these benefits, whip you into tip-top shape and help prevent potential injury. We highly recommend combining at least one conditioning class per week along with your martial arts classes.
Mental Training Train the mind and the body will follow. If you want to get your body in shape you must first get your mind in shape. The reason why there are so many crash diets and quick fix programs out there is that most people only train their body and achieve temporary results. They then wonder why they were unsuccessful in the long‐term. When you train your mind to be stronger and more disciplined your body will follow and long‐term results will ensue.
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WVMA A black belt mentality » Set your goals, standards, and expectations very high…then be patient and get there one step at a time; even if you get half way, you’ll have accomplished more than if you limit your potential with low expectation. » Never give up in the face of an obstacle. Use creativity to think of a way around it or put your head down and go right through! » Use what you HAVE NOW to do WHAT YOU CAN to achieve your goal! » Don’t think for a second that you can’t do anything you put your mind to. » Deal with “tense” situations in a calm and focused manner. » Be humble enough to admit to weakness and fear but have the courage to face it, overcome and continually evolve. » Stand up for yourself, your loved ones, and for what you feel is right. » Strive for excellence in life! Your mentality should be practiced at the dojo while training. Show intensity and focus when hitting bags and working out. After years of strengthening your mind and body, your skills can become potentially dangerous, you will be ready and able to handle the power because you’ll have also gained an equal level of self-control, humility, and patience. Heaven forbid that you should ever have to use your skills in a real life situation but just knowing your own abilities will give you a whole new aura that will transfer to other aspects of your life including family/friend relationships, school and work. The ironic thing about Martial Arts is that the tougher you become, the less likely you will ever have to use your skills in self-defense, simply because you are ready to use them if necessary! Train to have a black belt…mentally!
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Master Yourself You are the master of yourself. You make the rules for your body and mind. When your body is feeling lazy, your mind can say, “NO, we must keep going to accomplish our goals!” Throughout training you will begin to take control of your body by practicing the process of understanding and overriding the body’s immediate reactions. Yet you must also listen to what your body is telling you! If you feel you may injure yourself, you may want to ease up a little or try an alternate exercise. Communicate with your instructors so that they know what’s going on with you and can help get you through challenges. Your Senseis are here to lead the way!
Report Cards and Expectations Attitude & Attendance Students will be required to make improvements in their attitude and attendance from one belt to another. Students are expected to contribute to their family, school, club, and community in some way. A humble and respectful attitude is essential for success in martial arts.
Technique • Kata: Youth age 7-13 are required to learn 6 katas. Kata is a memorized pattern where a student will fight imaginary opponents and, with attention to the smallest detail, demonstrate: proper technique, balance, sharp blocks, punches kicks, focus, breathing and power. • Ippon Kumite: Students ages 14+ are required to memorize sparring sequences. Ippon Kumite helps students learn sparring techniques in a controlled fashion so that every detail may be considered. When you reach black belt you should have learned 16 Ippon Kumites.
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WVMA • Combinations: Students of all ages are required to memorize sparring combinations to be performed in the air, on the bag, or on the pads. • Bag/target training: Students of all ages are required to hit targets with good technique and accuracy.
Conditioning Students will be required to demonstrate their fitness level in order to pass on to their next belt. Squats, pushups, sit ups, etc. As with everything else, the expectation for your fitness level will increase as you progress.
Sparring Students of all ages are required to learn controlled sparring. White belts practice NO CONTACT sparring. When a student reaches orange belt, they will be introduced to very light and controlled contact. Sparring is intended for enjoyment: we provide an environment where all students feel safe during sparring. Proper padding, safety gear, and supervision are required.
Board Breaking • Students will be required to break a board in order to pass the purple belt test. Great concentration and precision is required to break a board. We will teach you how! • At each level, you will learn techniques, improve your conditioning and achieve specific benchmark skills. Your attitude and regular attendance will ensure that you reach each belt level. • If you have any questions about club rules and/or martial arts please don’t hesitate to ask. After all, that’s why you are here!
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Graduation/Testing: Traditionally, when a student has put in dedication and their instructor feels they are ready to move on to the next belt level, students will do a “test” or “graduation” where they will be highlighted and asked to perform required techniques and whatever else the instructor asks them to perform. Students are encouraged to bring friends and family members to watch them test. Testing is a celebration of dedication made over the past months/years…an acknowledgement of progress in skill and understanding of the martial arts. For online training resources and video help with Kata, combos, Ippon Kumite, and curriculum, go to… www.WestVancouverMartialArts.com/training *Get a code from your instructor to access the library
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Sample Report Card
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Martial Arts Terms Dojo
A martial arts school or place of training
Gi
A uniform
Kata
Memorized pattern of techniques
Ippon Kumite
Memorized sparring sequence
Combination
A sequence of techniques bundled together
Osu!
What you say when you bow to show acknowledgement and respect. Pronounced: Oss!
Yes sir/No sir
How you answer questions or acknowledge a direction
Sensei
Senior instructor/teacher
Master
Leader and chief of the organization
Kiai
The sound made during a technique that adds power and energy! Ee-yah!
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Name:
West Vancouver Martial Arts 1559 Marine Drive West Vancouver BC, Canada V7V 1H9