You can do it!! :-D

Just a quick post about putting your biggest muscle into whatever you are trying to accomplish......

:-)

Apology

I know many people wanna order japanese uniforms and belts, and i will just here publicly take the opportunity to apologise for procrastinating in helping you guys out with this. (Its not *all* my fault since its also been hard to get all the measurements, but thats beside the point)

I will print out an orderform and measuring info and then we can either make a group-order from Japan (and save on shipping) or i can put you guys in contact with the European dealer in Holland with whom we will get the best price available.

Again, i am sorry, and will try my best to get my head around this issue now.

Mizu no Kokoro

Seeing as i have a clear personal opinion as to how one should feel and respond during kata and kumite; i thought i should try to elaborate on the japanese saying "mizu no kokoro"...... However, as my feeble attempts failed to impress me, i decided to link to an article online, instead. Some of this guys meditation-ideas might strike us "westerners" as being bit too much, but at least i think its a good attempt to explain what i mean.

:-)

And here is the article

Icelandic tradition...

According to ancient icelandic tradition; for ceremonial purposes, all belts must be worn.... (hihi)

The realisation of a big dream

When i was 13 years old i was hugely impressed with our new VCR.... My mom let me rent a couple of videos pr week and i quickly got into the mysterious and captivating world of martial arts. Dubbed movies from Hong Kong, horribly ninja-sagas, vengeful samurais, Bruce Lee and similar characters all impressed me and i could not wait to start training. At the same time my mom was working far from home and my babysitter was a highly accomplished martial artist so i took her advice bout what to practice very seriously.... (she was a shotokan 6th kyu.... hihi)

However, as we were gonna move clear across southern norway i postponed starting until i was 14. At my new home there was a very solid Kyokushin dojo about 3 km away, but as i said; my expert friend had recommended shotokan so i had to ride my bicycle 17 km each way to train at closest the shotokan dojo.... (it was run by an awesome 3rd kyu, btw.... hihi)

This was a huge turning point in my life; i suddenly had passion and desire to accomplish something and even though i had failed at any other sport i tried, karate was patient with me. The fact that everyone just did their best and that no-one was ever ridiculed or looked down upon was enough to get me completely hooked.

The next part of my way is not a part i am proud of, nor do i recommend it; I did, however, drop out of school and devoted as much brainpower and physical effort into improving as i could muster. This singular focus made going through the beginning ranks of shotokan a rather swift affair. Speaking of ranks; the highest ranked karateka in norway at that time was an old gentleman called Egon Solem. He was a 5th dan and i was pretty sure he could fly.... Passing shodan just before my 18th birthday and getting my sandan only 5 years after that was two very proud moments in my life.

The 27th of june 2009 i passed my 5th dan test and it really makes my head spin.... 2 weeks after i turned 40, i had the extreme pleasure of fighting Tom Kompier sensei (among others), show my Gojushiho Sho, Heian Shodan and Meikyo. The fact that the audience included some of my peers from when i started training, some of my current committed students and friends from all over the world made it a very emotional moment for me.

I will strive even harder to improve my karate in the years to come.

To my main teachers, from the bottom of my heart, thanks for all your help and support:

(in alphabetical order)
Richard Amos
Enoeda Keinosuke
Kawasoe Masao
Geir Larsen

My biggest hope is that i can inspire someone in the way that you guys inspired me.

Kaizen-Kai

Kaizen is japanese and means continius improvement. Its my chosen name for my group of like-minded people. (Kai means group)

How do i think the concept of being a student of karate (or any skill for that matter) should change over time..... hmm.... I think most people *do not* study for their first time in our dojos, and the sooner they decide to immerse themselves, the better. Then; how long until i see my students as my "colleague"? For me the answer to that is whatever time it takes for the new student to develop a strong sense *ownership* of their karate. An solid opinion about how to execute our techniques and *why* it should be in the way they believe. Furthermore i think they should as soon as possible arrive at the level of understanding required for them to be their own most important instructor. A litmus-test would be something like: Can their karate improve without the input of anyone else? If the answer is yes; then i see the student as my peer.

And "how long time will that take" i hear someone think.... Depends; i would say that if you *study* a subject like shotokan karate-do; then 10 years or sandan should do the trick; whichever that comes first. However; even after 5 years and only the rank of shodan, i am ready to see people as my peers, if they really grow into having a strong belief in themselves and their skills.

Should they then stop studying? Ofc not, this is when it gets interesting.... You have taken the time and effort to get your body physically ready for martial art; you have developed a thorough understanding of the mechanics and mentality behind it all and therefore *now* is the time to develop this skill and also to give back to the karate-community in the way of helping others attain your level. This will get you better partners for your kumite and bunkai and we can then all pitch in to make sure our art does not degenerate into an olympic joke. (Harsh maybe, but its my firm belief that Nakayama sensei regretted some of the sports-efforts he helped to make popular)

In my opinion there is four levels of karate, and we can choose which group we will belong to.

1. Beginner
2. Student
3. Student / Teacher
4. Student / Master

Please note; i do not mean you have to run your own dojo or have a special rank to progress into level 3, nor do i think everyone with a very high rank fits into level four. Also note that i advocate the concept of continuing your study, no matter what your level. (Sometimes people have been "training" for 40 years, but in reality they have 1 year of experience 40 times. Its not the same as 40 years of experience, imnsho)

I hope you will think bout this and decide to upgrade to the next level shortly. You decide. Own it.

:-)

Susan Boyle

What?? Have you not heard of her?? :o

Well, neither had I, until i saw this clip from Britains Got Talent 09

(I may have cried, but that is a secret....)

Enjoy