message from the president - shintani

Volume 11, Issue 2

April, 2007

In this issue:

• Message from thePresident…p.1

• 25th Anniversary ofSWKKF inSK…p.2

• Tribute to SenseiRoland Day…p.3

• Interview withSensei PeterRuch…p.7

• Training with theShintani NationalTeam…p.9

• Exercise and thePregnantKarateka…p.12

• Students areReflections of theirInstructors…p.13

• 2007 MB SWKKFTournamentReport…p.14

• ShindoGradings/Notice toMembers…p.15

• SWKKF StudentDevelopmentScholarship…p.16

• Self-Defense inSixtySeconds...p.17

• Message from theNationalCoach…p.18

Message from the President

coffee and chocolates.

In memory of MasterShintaniSensei Denis Labbé

Teaching andworking out

The number of studentsenrolling in clinics hasincreased in the past sixmonths of my traveling. Alarge percentage ofjuniors and an averagenumber of adults haveparticipated. I amespecially impressed withthe adults, the ones I call“mature” students (fiftyyears old and over). Ireally enjoy working out atthe clinics. Sometimesthere are two or threeguests at the clinic toshare teachingresponsibilities, whichgives me an opportunity tofollow along. As long as Iam physically able to workout without pulling a
muscle or suffering an
Reprints of SenseiA story featuring Sensei MasaJournal of the Asian Martial Afeatures a wide variety of marwith commentary from andkarateka. Sensei Denis Ladollars plus three dollars forplease contact Sensei Labbéthe Asian Martial Arts, visit htt

injury, I will be on thefloor among my fellowkaratekas.

It’s great to beteaching again.

When Sensei passedaway on January 30th,2000, my role in theorganization changeddrastically.Overwhelmed asPresident, I needed totake a leave fromteaching a club inWelland.

Six years has passedand now I am back intothe grove again. Withthe other five clubs wehave in Welland, Iteach on Mondays withthe intent of learningfrom my students.Having an open doorpolicy, there arestudents who are from

Shintani Article A

the other Welland

ru Shintani was published inrts. This journal is a high-qtial arts and instructors. Thepictures of a number of

bbé has reprints of the artpostage costs. If you wish

. For information on subscrp://www.goviamedia.com.

clubs working out andhalf a dozen black belts.I feel great teaching aclinic of 30 to 50students, but findteaching a small groupto be equally rewarding.I didn’t realize how muchI miss teaching andworking out every week.

Last month, I traveled toCalgary, Saskatoon, andStony Plain. Myupcoming events are theWelland tournament, theWawa tournament andthe National MasterShintani MemorialKarate Tournament inSt. Catharines. Hopeyou have had a goodEaster and see you all atthe Nationals.

P.S. I am enjoying my

vailablethe May issue of the

uality publication thatarticle is well-written,

high-ranking SWKKFicle available for tento purchase a copy,

ibing to the Journal of

The Harmonizer—Volume 11, Issue 2—April, 2007 2

From the editor’s desk

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Jeditor

Upcoming Events

12th Annual Ken BrownMemorial TournamentWawa, OntarioDate: April 20-22,

2007Contact: Duane

WenmannLarry Laforge

Peter Ciolfi MemorialTournamentWelland, OntarioDate: April 28, 2007Contact: Anne

Readhead

Shintani MemorialChampionshipsSt. Catharines, Ontario

Date: May 25-26,2007

Contact: AnneReadheadJim Atkinson

Barrie Wado KaiTournamentBarrie, OntarioDate: June 16, 2007Contact: Jim Dirmeitis

Alberta Black BeltGrading and Clinic

May 4: Kata workshopMay 5: Black Belt GradingLocation: West IslandCollege, Calgary, Alberta

Contact: Heather [email protected]

We have a great issue ofthe Harmonizer for yourperusal. The SenateInterview series continueswith a conversation withSecretary-General SenseiPeter Ruch. Dr. DavidBrunarski has initiated anew series on preventingmartial arts injuries withan article describing theproper methods ofstretching. In addition,
Jodi Lebrun, a Certified
Shintani feel right at

Saskatchewan

in

Personal Trainer fromTimmins, Ontario, offerstraining advice for thepregnant karateka. On thephilosophical front, SenseiGordon Ellison of Fort Eriehas offered his thoughtson becoming an instructor.Sensei Anne Poirier ofVirden, Manitoba, hasincluded a report on theManitoba ProvincialTournament. In addition, I
have begun a new self-
structors and served as

pfrfhct

ISFbaorkt

efense series.

I would like to thank allontributing karateka forheir participation. Theeadline for contributionso the July 2007 issue isune 21.

njoy!

eff Gervin, Harmonizer

It seems hard to believethat a quarter of a centuryhas passed since Wado-Kai Karate made its wayinto central Canada.Sensei Roland Daymoved from Fort Erie,Ontario, to Redvers,Saskatchewan, in 1982,and began instructing thatsame year (see followingstory). After building hisclubs for several years,the first annualSaskatchewantournament was held in1985. The following year,Sensei Shintani traveledto Moosomin,Saskatchewan for thesecond installment of theannual tournament. Aswe exited the dojo thatevening we walked rightinto a streetfight, whichI’m sure made Sensei

home.

The SWKKF wasestablished in Manitoba in1984 in the village ofSinclair. The first annualManitoba tournament washeld in Virden in 1988.

The SWKKF hasmaintained a strongpresence in Manitoba andSaskatchewan. Fromhumble beginnings in ruraltowns and villages, theorganization has spread tothe major cities of therespective provinces.Much credit is due to themany instructors that havecontinued the good workof Sensei Roland Day. Inparticular, Senseis RatheMokelky and BruceDunning wereinstrumental SWKKF

rovincial representativesor many years. Theegion has also beenortunate to have manyigh-ranking instructorsonduct clinics in the areahroughout the years.

am optimistic that thehintani Wado-Kai Karateederation will continue toe successful in Manitoband Saskatchewan. To allf you that have played aole in the development ofarate in the region, wehank-you very much.

25th Anniversary of SWKKF in Manitoba and

mailto:[email protected]







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Tribute to Sensei Roland Day

Sensei Rolly hamming it up at Niagara Falls in 1988.

Sensei Rolly addressing karateka at the first Saskatchewantournament—Moosomin, 1985

“I struggled but I made itbecause he inspiredme. I had only knownhim for a short period oftime but he’ll always beremembered.”—SenseiSantiago Lau-a

ditor’s note: Sensei Roland Day,s indicated in the previousrticle, was instrumental instablishing the SWKKF inaskatchewan, Manitoba, and theorthwest Territories. His tirelessork as a lone instructor teachingultiple clubs paved the way forany other karateka to continueis legacy. Perhaps more

mportantly, Sensei Roland Dayrought karate to many smallowns in Manitoba andaskatchewan that almostertainly would never have hadny access to the martial arts.

he following article includes theemembrances of three of Senseiolly’s students. Sensei Anne
oirier, now residing in Virden
of kick. The blocks and punches

Manitoba, began her study ofWado shortly after Sensei Rolly’sarrival in Saskatchewan. I, JeffGervin, became Sensei Rolly’sstudent the following year. SenseiSantiago Lau-a describes hisinvolvement with the club in HayRiver. In developing this story Ispoke to Doris Franus and KathieWeiss, who are Sensei Rolly’sdaughter and former wife,respectively. I would like to thankall of these individuals for theirassistance.

Sensei Anne Poirier writes:

I am one of Sensei Roland Day’soriginal students from theRedvers club, the first one hestarted in Saskatchewan. Iremember his classes very well.His class workouts were exactlythat; you really needed a showerafterward. His favorite word wasrepetition. We did lots of thatwith basics, especially kicks. Itwas not unusual to do twentykicks with each leg of each kind


Anne Poirier receives brown belt from Sensei Rolly (third from left) –May1986

Anne Poirier receives her brown belt from Sensei Roland (thirdfrom left)—May, 1986

the great ou

of Sensei Rolly’s—maybe he is and is carrying on the

“It was a memorableworkout, mosquitoes

and streetlightsincluded.”

Sensei Anne Poirier

Teaching Pinan nidan in Hay River, NWT--1990
were performed in similar fashion. Our bodies werewell-conditioned and our feet were tough.
That conditioning helped for one workout that hasstayed in my mind after twenty-five years. It wasduring the summer and the local hall where we hadour workouts was too hot. Sensei Rolly moved theclass—just two of us that night—outside to the gravel.We had our usual workout except that we lifted ourfeet when turning; our feet may have been tough, butSensei still didn’t want us to cut them. It was amemorable workout, mosquitoes and streetlightsincluded.

Senseis Rathe Mokelky, Jeff Gervin and BruceDunning joined a few years after I did so I am surethey remember the workouts well. There are otherstudents of Sensei Rolly’s among us, but I do notknow them. The next time you are doing twenty kicksat a time, ask your Sensei if he or she was a student

work of a memorable instructor.

Sensei Santiago-Lau-a writes:

Sensei Roland Day came to Hay River, NT, in thespring of 1989. It was perfect timing because a phys-ed teacher in Hay River (who had a green belt inshorin-ryu) and I were planning to form a karate club.(I had karate and boxing experience when I was inhigh school in the Philippines). Hay River is just asmall place so the news that there was a fifth-danblack belt in town spread quickly. We approachedRolly and asked him to lead our group and heaccepted our invitation. The club started up and wasvery successful, with about 40-45 students. Not onlywas Sensei Rolly an excellent teacher, but also agood friend. He was a temperamental but honestperson. Rolly (as he wanted me to call him outsidethe dojo), his wife, Kathie, and daughter Brie enjoyed

tdoors. Hay River had lots to offer. We

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Senseis Kathie Day, Roland Day, Curtis Gervin, and Peter Ciolfi—Melita, Manitoba,1990

to begin moving in the otherdirection, some students (meincluded) performed the blockincorrectly. Immediately, Senseicorrected the group and finishedby sternly warning, “Those of youthat did that block wrong justfailed this grading”. I wasinternally devastated, but vowedto continue to the best of myability. Of course, we did not failthe grading on the basis of thiserror; Sensei Rolly was merelytesting our resolve. The intendedlesson was clear: when the goinggets tough, or when your effortsseem hopeless, don’t quit.

Sensei’s humorous side wassometimes manifested aspractical jokes. As an orangebelt student, he asked me toassume my sparring stance forhis evaluation. As I settled intothe stance, he suddenly lungedforward with a nukite strike,pulling the technique only acentimeter from my groin. Hethen stepped back, waved his

demonstration. The class beganwith a vigorous warm-up, afterwhich we were instructed to laydown, close our eyes, and regaincontrol of our breathing. As I didso, I could hear the sounds of asnapping gei emanating from thefront of the gymnasium.Cautiously, I opened one eye fora look. There at the front of theroom was Sensei Rolly,conducting his own warm-up,whipping out an incredibly fastmae-geri to yoko-gericombination. At that moment, Iknew that my teacher’s techniquewas, to quote Sensei Shintani,“good karate”.

Sensei Roland was a complexman. He could be supportive,demanding, and filled with humor,all in the same two-hour lesson.At my yellow belt grading, hebarked out commands as wemoved across the floorperforming blocks in zenkutsu-dachi. When we turned around

mped almost every weekendd we did a lot of barbequing,hing and ATV’ing.

nfortunately, in less than aar, he and his family movedck to Saskatchewan due to

b loss. He left the club to me1991 when I was a green belt.struggled but I made itcause he inspired me. I hadly known him for a shortriod of time but he’ll alwaysremembered.

y recollections:irst met Sensei Rolly in the fall1983 when he and a group of

s students demonstratedrate at my school. I, with myo of my brothers, hadevious experience inotokan karate but was forceddiscontinue the art when our

structor moved back to Japan.as excited by the prospect of

suming karate training, andy brother Curtis and I joinede group several weeks aftere had witnessed the

“The intended lesson was clear:when the going gets tough, orwhen your efforts seem hopeless,don’t quit.” Jeff Gervin


only a few weeks before his son,

hand with the flourish of a stagemagician, and tossed away two(rather small) rubber balls that hehad palmed in his striking hand. Hethen broke into peals of laughterwhile I stood speechless for a fewmoments. I am certain that he musthave used this gag on somebodyelse at some point.

In 1986, Sensei Rolly and membersof his Saskatchewan and Manitobaclubs entered an open tournament.This tournament featured both non-contact and semi-contact divisions.In accordance with our training, weentered the non-contact fighting.Unfortunately, the non-contact rulesdiscussed at the judges’ meetingwere inconsistently applied. I foundmyself pitted against a kickboxerwho was trying to remove my headfrom my torso with massiveroundhouse kicks. Sensei watchedour match closely. I resolved tofight according to the non-contactrules. I was knocked to the floor acouple of times with head kicks, andeach time my competitor wasawarded a point. I began to dig in abit more with my body shots in orderto defend myself, but I did not try tocontact my opponent’s face. Whenthe match was over, I had narrowlylost on points. I left the ring, andSensei immediately came to me.“You should have decked him,” hesaid. Another lesson learned.

It was soon Sensei’s turn to

Sensei Dennis Olsen ReMost of you will undoubtedly be awareunderwent emergency surgery to repawell in his recovery, though he is stillChampionships held at the end of Magrateful to SWKKF karateka for their w

compete. He fought well, andqualified for the medal rounds.As he prepared for his next fight,the center referee proclaimed,“This will be a contact match”.Sensei Rolly looked at himquizzically for a moment thenlooked across the ring at hisyounger, less-experiencedopponent. In a barely audiblevoice he said to him, “I don’twant to fight with contact.” Hethen immediately asked, “Do youwant to fight with contact?” Thekung-fu stylist quickly shook hishead to indicate that he did not.Their match was the cleanestnon-contact bout that I witnessedthat day. Because of his rankand experience, Sensei Rollywas able to take control of thesituation and prevent anotherbloodbath in a supposedly non-contact tournament. In myopinion, it was an honorablething to do.

Sensei Rolly’s health wasdevastated by a massive strokein the summer of 1991. He wasleft with severe impairment of hismotor and speech skills and wasconfined to a wheelchair. Thisoccurred less than a year afterhe and Kathie had returned toWeyburn to start their ownelectronics repair business, and

covering from Surgerythat Sensei Dennis Olsen, a Godan from

ir an aneurysm in his heart. Sensei Denphysically weak from his ordeal. The Werch was dedicated to him. Sensei Olsen

ell-wishes and support. Get well soon,

Owen, was born. This was avery difficult time for the family.When I visited him at his homeon one occasion, talk inevitablyturned to karate. We werediscussing self-defensetechniques, and hedemonstrated a move that I hadforgotten. I was deeply movedthat, in spite of his disability, hewas still motivated to teach me.In many ways, Sensei Rolly willalways be the man I think of as“my Sensei”. He gave the gift ofkarate to me and many others,and for that I am forever in hisdebt.

Editor’s note: Sensei Rollypassed away in 2002. KathieDay is now remarried, and stillresides in Weyburn,Saskatchewan. She hasinstructed a club there since1996, when Owen begankindergarten. Owen is now afifteen-year old blue belt, andhelps his mom with clubresponsibilities. Doris Franus,Sensei Rolly’s daughter, saysthat Owen looks a lot like his dadand seems to be following in hisfootsteps.

I guess some things do comearound full circle, after all.

Port Alberni, B.C., recentlynis is reportedly progressingstern Canadianwas honored by this and isSensei!


MERsNOcthdcbacb

Hsiny

Interview with Sensei Peter Ruch

Sensei Peter Ruch receives Shichidan certificate from Sensei Labbé at2006 National Master Shintani Karate Tournament

In this edition of the Harmonizerthe Senate Interview seriescontinues with a discussion withSensei Peter Ruch. –Ed.

Harmonizer: I would like tocongratulate you on yourpromotion to Shichidan (7th

dan). When, and where, didyou begin your study ofkarate? What motivated youto begin your study of themartial arts? What motivatesyou now?

I started Karate under SenseiRolly Day in 1976. The FortErie Wado Kai Karate Clubwas functioning out of thevarious locations used by theFort Erie YMCA, which at thattime did not have a building.The main reason that I startedkarate was to spend morequality time with my family. Iwas very busy with my careerand I did not want to miss thetime with my family. Afterconsidering several options,my children Corrine (SenseiCorry) and Steven (Sensei
Steve) and I decided to join
Sensei Rolly at the Fort ErieWado Kai Karate Club. Mywife Darlene (HonoraryShodan) was very supportiveand always put us backtogether when we were hurt.She did a great job.

Harmonizer: Tell us a littleabout yourself.

y wife Darlene and I live in Fortrie, Ontario on the Niagaraiver. I am now retired afterpending 30 years with theiagara Regional Police Service.n my retirement I started up aonstruction company and fore last eleven years have beingoing renovations within theommunity. We have an antiqueusiness, buying and sellingntiques and refinish articles forustomers. My hobbies areoating and karate.

armonizer: Your family haseveral generations ofvolvement in the SWKKF. Canou tell us about it?

I first started into the Martial

Arts when I was 14 years old,taking Judo in Buffalo N.Y. andlater learning some Aikido.When I started Karate, Corry andSteven also joined and bothcontinued on to become BlackBelts. Sensei Corry is presentlya Godan and Sensei Steven is aShodan. Sensei Corry and ChrisTanz have a son namedBrayden who is also in Karateand works out of Simcoe, Ont.We have three generationsinvolved in the SWKKF.

Harmonizer: Sensei Roland Daywas your instructor prior to hisrelocation to Saskatchewan inthe early 1980’s. What can youtell us about him? What otherinstructors have figuredprominently in your training?

Sensei Rolly was always a go-getter. When he taught karate,he was a bundle of movementand enthusiasm. I rememberedthe times when as a kyu belt, wewould challenge him to a Kumite,and he readily agreed andproceeded to move aroundquickly. He was so fast, similarto Sensei Ron Mattie and thelate Sensei Peter Ciolfi that Icouldn’t get a good shot at him.He would always give you a littletap somewhere on your body,just to let you know he was thereand he had a very impish grin onhis face when he did it.Sensei Rolly was alwayscontacting me when he wentwest, and it was usually abouttwo hours ahead of our localtime. I sometimes received callsat 2:00 am. Other times hewould show up in our drivewaybut he would not stay any longerthat twenty minutes and he wasgone. When Sensei Rollybecame sick, I kept in contactand I knew he went to BritishColumbia to be near his family.Sensei had a way of inspiring
students to do well and was a


great instructor. I know thatSensei Shintani really enjoyedSensei Rolly, and when I waswith Sensei Shintani I wouldoften relate some of the anticsthat Sensei Rollie would be upto. Sensei Shintani told me thatSensei Rolly was a specialperson and a good karate man.

Harmonizer: What is the natureof your job as Secretary-Generalof the SWKKF?

When Sensei Shintani createdthe Senate, Sensei Denis Labbéwas the Secretary-General, and Iwas a Vice-President. SenseiShintani had named SenseiDenis as his successor andwhen Sensei died, Sensei Denisbecame the President. SenseiDenis informed the Senate thathe wanted me to be theSecretary-General and that Iwould be his successor ifanything should happen to him.I told the Senate that after a veryshort time I would step aside andlet them choose a newPresident. I only wanted to havea smooth transition within theSenate.

At the present time I look after allthe legal matters that may causethe SWKKF a problem. I lookafter setting up the Agenda andthe completion of the Minutes ofthe Senate meetings. I help co-ordinate the activities of theCommittees and receive allinformation concerning thevarious actions of thecommittees. I work very closelywith Sensei Denis on all verysensitive matters and act as asounding board for some or hisconcerns. This is a position thatI enjoy very much because ifcontinually challenges you tothink and make decisions. Italso keeps me in tune with theyounger members of theorganization and hopefully helps
me to understand their ideas and
feelings. It keeps me young inspirit. We have many wonderfulpersons in the SWKKF who areoutstanding and dedicated andthe organization will be in goodhands now and it the future.

Harmonizer: Are there any newprojects on the horizon for theSWKKF? Are there any newdirections that you wouldencourage the organization toexplore?

We are still growing andlearning. There are manyprojects on the go but I wouldlike to reflect on just one at thistime. One of the greatestlegacies left to us by SenseiShintani was the dream that wemust always strive to have goodrelations with other karatepeople, and styles of Martial Artseven some who may have otherthoughts. We must keep thelines of communication open sothat no one feels offended bywhat we may try or intend to do.We are an independent MartialArts organization, with affiliatemembers around the world. Wehave made great strides with ourNational Newsletter and ourNational Team and both thesevehicles of information havegreatly enhanced ourorganization and brought SenseiShintani’s dream alive.

Harmonizer: You and your wifehave recently returned from athree-month stint in Mexico.What can you tell us about that?

My wife Darlene and I have beenretired from our jobs for almost11 years. We love our familyand love to travel. Five yearsago we traveled back to Mexicoand found a little town calledBucerias located on the PacificCoast about five miles north ofPuerto Vallarta. It is a beautifularea with many exciting locations
to visit. As you know, while
staying there I taught a very slowversion of Wado Kai to theguests at our little hotel. TheBungalows Arroyo is a beautifulhotel where the residents are allfull of life and interested in newadventures. The last few yearswe have had as many asfourteen students enjoying themartial arts. At the end of theseason, we have a little gradingand special certificates arepresented to the students. Theborder of the certificate issurrounded by Palm Trees andis geared towards having fun.We have met many wonderfulpeople and have made new lifelong friends. Darlene and I aremost fortunate to be able toenjoy new experiences. Besidestraveling the countryside andmeeting the people, we love thebeaches and enjoy dancing inthe moonlight (the country isvery romantic) and just havingfun.This year I made contact with alocal Karate Academy and wenta few times to watch. Their headinstructor; Sensei Jose LuisDuenas Castaneda approachedme, and after a long talk, heasked if I would come to theirclub and teach the higher beltssome Wado Kai Karate. SenseiJose Luis is an outstandinginstructor; you could see by theway his students were workingout that he loved what he wasdoing. Sensei Jose Luis was avery congenial host. I informedSensei Jose Luis that it would bea great honour to teach themsome Wado Kai but first he hadto teach me their Shotokan.Sensei Jose Luis was delightedwith the idea and I will go backnext year with my gi and becomepart of the Karate Club inBucerias. This is my little way ofpassing on the legacy of SenseiShintani.


Training with the Shintani National Team:The Prevention and Self-Treatment ofMartial Arts Injuries

BOX # 1: WARM-UPEXERCISES TO AVOID:

Ballistic, repetitive toe-touching

Jumping jacks Neck circles Trunk twists Trunk circles(bending

and swinging from astanding position)

Back bends (whilestanding or lying onstomach)

Full squats Straight leg sit-ups Straight leg raises Straight leg alternating

flutter kicks (lying onfront or back)

Running on the spot Cold sprints

“Some instructors fall prey to old-school habits and comfort zones”

Dr. David Brunarski
By Dr. David J. Brunarski, YodanShintani National [email protected]
BACKGROUND

Martial art training is fantastic forphysical and mentaldevelopment. All ages canbenefit through improvedstrength, speed, flexibility, co-ordination and cardiovascularfitness. The traditions andknowledge that have beenpassed down through thegenerations are rich in techniqueand application. They can take alifetime to master so we rely onour senior instructors forguidance. The purpose of thisseries of articles is to providesome answers to questions that Ireceive from instructors aboutthe safety and effectiveness ofwarm-up exercises as well ashow to prevent injuries duringtraining.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEENWARM-UP EXERCISES ANDSTRETCHING

It is important to realize thathighly trained and fit athletes willattempt all kinds of exercise justto continually prove tothemselves and others that theycan handle it. Some instructorsstill think that the “no pain, nogain” principle is best. It is truethat the body needs to push theenvelope to improve but it isequally important to appreciateour limitations. Beginners arethe most vulnerable becausethey really do not have enoughexperience or control to properlypace themselves or to recognize
the warning signs. Others,
particularly seniors (over 30)might have current injuries orpredispositions to injury but justwant to keep up like they usedto. Sensei Denis Labbésuggests that we begin ourclasses by practicing the basicsfor twenty minutes to half anhour. I completely agree thatthis is probably the mosteffective and safe way toconduct a class of mixed ranks.By lengthening out basicmovements slowly at first, thengradually increasing in speedand power, the body learns howto accommodate the demandsfor circulation, flexibility, strengthand endurance. The mostdangerous and counter-productive warm-ups forcespeed and power before themuscles are properly suppliedwith warm blood and before themuscles are supple enough tocushion our joints, tendons, andligaments. Some instructors fallprey to old school habits andcomfort zones. I now know thatthe exercises that I was given inhigh school gym class werederived from the Royal CanadianAir Force’s 11 minute five basicexercises for men (5BX) and 12minute ten basic exercises forwomen (XBX) programs. Thesewere developed in 1958 tosatisfy a requirement for fitnessmaintenance for the armedforces that required no specialequipment and did not takemuch time to do every day. Thiswas a hugely popular programworld-wide because it was easyto teach and difficult enough tobe challenging. Many retiredsoldiers became gym teachersand coaches. These fifteenexercises are prevalent to this
day and every one of them
carries a high risk for injury. Themodern science of health andfitness does not recommendthem, yet you may be surprisedhow often they still form the coreor entire warm-up. They are tooballistic, too bouncy, too highimpact, are overly repetitive, andwork muscles in a way that hurtsthem. I know people who still dothem every day. They areintense and probably provide agood level of training. But is therisk worth the benefit? The onlyone that has marginal benefit ispushups, because they can bedone slowly and with control.The rest of the exercises arelisted next:



BOX # 2: HOW AND WHEN TO SAFELY STRETCH

I say it often: stretching is not a warm-up, in fact, it is the opposite. You must be well warmed up before youcan safely attempt stretching. The most dangerous time to stretch is first thing in the morning becausethe body temperature, pulse rate, and circulation are low and the inactivity of sleep has allowed the musclesto shorten and stiffen. Muscles will only safely stretch when they are near core temperature; cold musclestear easily and often. Therefore, stretch immediately after a vigorous workout or after a hot bath orshower. The best stretches are based on yoga and are designed to be done very slowly (thirty to sixtyseconds per body part). Make sure that you are breathing out while executing the stretch phase. Anadequate stretch should take twenty minutes. Even if you do not exercise vigorously every day, find thetime before bed every night to stretch well.

SPECIFIC STRETCHES FOR MARTIAL ARTISTS FOCUSING ON THE LARGERMUSCLES OF THE LEGS AND BACK

.

Figure 1: Cross left heel over right knee then pull right kneeinto chest. Hold for at least 30 seconds then switch legs andrepeat. Demonstrator: Sensei Craig Belsey, Shodan.

Figure 3: Lie on back with arms outstretched to the sides.Cross right knee over to left side and hold on or near thefloor for at least 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.Demonstrator: Sensei David Brunarski, Yodan.

Figure 2: Conventional crunch sit-up with knees flexedand feet flat on floor. Perform six slow repetitions.Demonstrator: Sensei Bill Dreyer, Shodan.

Figure 4: Bring heels together and drop knees to floor. Useelbows to press knees down if necessary. Demonstrator:Sensei Dan Matthews, Shodan.


Figure 5: Hurdler stretch with foot tucked against opposite knee.Bend forward from waist and touch toes. Remember to breatheout and do not force or bounce. Hold for at least one minute perleg. Demonstrator: Sensei Tom Foster, Godan.

Figure 7: Kneel backwards while supporting with both arms. Donot force the position and avoid this stretch if you have kneeproblems or have had knee surgery. Demonstrator: SenseiDan Reidy, Shodan.

Sensei Dave

Shrier, I. Does stretching improve performance? A systematic and critical

Figure 6: Straddle stretch. Keep the knees straight and thetoes pulled back. Try to lay the hands flat in front and bring theelbows down to the floor. Breathe. Demonstrator: SenseiSpring Kaye, Yodan.

FspkwaS

rev

igure 8: Squat down, keeping the heels flat on the floor. Thetretch becomes progressively more difficult as the heels arelaced closer together. Avoid this stretch if you have poornees. Instead, try another Achilles stretch such as: a) standith heels dropped over a step or b) lean forward against a walls in a wall pushup. Demonstrator: Sensei Bruce Perkins,hichidan.

In the next article I will discuss the prevention and self treatment of the following injuries: bicepstendonitis, anterior deltoid strain, rotator cuff syndrome, tennis/golfer’s elbow, ribstrain/subluxation/fracture, lumbosacral (low back) strain, sacro-iliac syndrome, sciatica, medical collateral(knee ligament) strain, and Achilles tendonitis/heel spur. In the meantime, if you have any questions orrequire clarification of anything I have discussed, please send me an email.

In harmony,

REFERENCES:

Royal Canadian Air Force Exercise Plans for Physical Fitness,XBX and 5BX. Crown Copyright, The Queen's Printer, OttawaCanada, 1961. Revised 1962. Reprinted 1965, 1966, 1967.

iew of the literature. Clin J Sport Med 2004;14(5):267-73.


.

By Jodi Lebrun, CPT

You’ve seen them. They’re at thegym, they’re running by you on asunny day or they’re bouncingaround in an exercise video.They are the ‘pregnant athlete’.Up until a few years agoexercising during your pregnancywas only for the elite, and eventhen, what were they thinking?Well, things have changed and itis now highly recommended anddefinitely beneficial to stay activeduring your pregnancy, providedyou follow a few guidelines.

This article is geared towardsthe active karate student whohas been training/working out fora period of 6-12 months(minimum) prior to herpregnancy. It does not apply towomen who are new to karate orwho are not used to a higher-intensity workout on a regularbasis.

According to the Society ofObstetricians and Gynecologistsof Canada (SOGC) if you were aregular exerciser, or, in this case,karateka, it is more than safe tocontinue your karate trainingduring your pregnancy with a fewobvious modifications. Like anyresponsible mom-to-be, let yourdoctor know your plans tocontinue training, even if youhave no pre-existing conditions.Informing your Sensei would bethe next step. This ensures thatall fellow karatekas are awareand that your training can besafely monitored and modifiedthroughout the trimesters.In order to get the most out ofyour training, there are some

precautions that you shouldcommit to memory and adhereto. If at any point you experiencepain (any kind), dizziness, feelfaint, have shortness of breath,vaginal bleeding, a hard timewalking, contractions or theunusual absence of the babymoving, stop exercisingimmediately and get somemedical attention. That beingsaid, the next important thing toremember is to tune into yourbody’s signals! If it’s tired, take a10 minute breather. If it’s thirsty,get a drink-staying hydrated iscrucial. Overheating can be verydangerous to the developingbaby!

Always ensure that you arewarming your muscles up beforeand taking the time at the end ofclass for a nice relaxing cooldown. During class, avoidmovements that require you tohold your breath and bear down,for example, heavy weight-lifting.Once you’ve reached your fourthmonth, abdominal exercisesshould be switched up to thosethat allow you to lie on your sideor to stand up. You should alsopay close attention to your centerof gravity as your pregnancyprogresses because yourbalance will definitely bechallenged as your bellyexpands. Your kicks andpunches may challenge you in awhole new way now! Your jointswill significantly loosen up due toa hormone called relaxin and thiscould cause joint instability thusincreasing your chances ofgetting hurt. Be careful to notoverstretch or over kick as youmay have a false sense ofincreased flexibility and youcould easily pull or tear a muscle

without realizing you’ve gone toofar.

In summing up, by following theabove recommendations, youshould be able to continue withyour cardio routine of lightwalking or light jogging, amodified strength trainingprogram (perhaps more reps,much lower weights) and yourkarate training in the samefashion as before you conceived.Take this fantastic time in yourlife to slow down and perfectyour katas and sparringtechniques. Learn how tomeditate, eat a healthy andcolorful diet, read everything youcan about having a healthy andactive pregnancy and keep apositive attitude!

If you’ve got a great story aboutbeing a pregnant karateka or ifyou’d like more info on this topic,please feel free to contact me. I’dlike to continue writing articlesthat focus on the female studentand I’d love any input that fellowkaratekas have to offer. I’m aCertified Personal Trainer andI’ve got various certifications inpre and post natal fitness trainingthat I’d love to use to benefit ourorganization. I can be reachedanytime by email [email protected] Jim and I have justlaunched our first website,please check it out and let usknow what you think!

Jodi Lebrun, CPTPersonal Best Wado KaiTimmins, ONwww.pbwholisticfitness.com

Exercise and the Pregnant Karateka



“Students are reflections of their Instructors”

By Sensei Gordon Ellison, GodanFort Erie, Ontario

Many serious students studying the art ofkarate strive for the same thing. With all theirhard work and attitude and dedication, one daythey will attain their first degree or rank ofShodan. From the moment of receiving theirblack belt at the end of the grading thisachievement is overwhelming and can also bevery emotional. I have studied Martial Artssince the age of seven in Toronto, Ontario. Myfirst introduction was in Kung Fu and in the“Military Arts”, as my brothers in the serviceswould call it. It wasn’t until I moved to Fort Erieat the age of 15 that I become involved in WadoRyu Karate. I found it odd that the style at thetime taught no weapons. My first impressionwas that this style must be pretty confident initself not to have any need to study them. Myinstructor, Sensei Peter Ruch, since then hasbeen my teacher, mentor and father figure. Hehas raised me with the technical foundation thatwould give me the road to my own black belt.Like many people, at this point I went throughwhat I would call the “effect stage”. Many andmost still have this instigator creep on them andmanipulate their ego till this day. Then givenabout a year or so… it goes away and in somecases returns like foot fungus. At this pointmany Shodan drop out, try another style or justget bored and comfortable where they are.This, I think is the second crucial stage towardsa karateka’s learning, the first being basics.You see at this stage in training there are twoelements or paths chosen for study, one iscompetition and the other is a spirit of humility,the essence of yourself. Neither way is wrongand I think that there is a personal preferenceto each. But the true essence of the style isfound within its history, tradition and lineage.With this said, I feel that it is just as importantfor the student to learn new things as well asthose instructors who try to teach. This bringsus to a point of either being satisfied with beingcomfortable or being happy, much as to what Iuse in my counseling techniques. You see… ifyou accept to be comfortable in your rank assome instructors do, you then tend to lose the
drive to learn new things and try to improve on
techniques, theories and or applications. Youjust go through the count and motion of aweekly class and then fall into depending uponego. At this point, you allow yourself to becomestagnant and this way of instructing isn’t goingto help you, or any other students for thatmatter. Furthermore it will affect their trainingas I have seen in the kyu ranks taught by someinstructors. Many don’t know their yellow beltkatas and rest at this time at a brown belt level.Instructing has no place for ego beside; youlose the aspects of what training is all about.On the other hand, if you are happy in whateveryou do, then this is reflected in all aspects ofyour daily life. If one is happy in their rank, thenyou can see this through the training ofstudents as well as in the instructors, andespecially in their forms. If you rememberanything of becoming a Shodan;

Strive to be a Teacher… Anyone can be anInstructor.


2007 Manitoba Wado-Kai Provincial Tournament

Submitted by Sensei Anne Poirier

Our 19 th annual Manitoba ProvincialTournament was held on the 24th ofFebruary. A clinic workout was onFriday the 23rd led by Sensei DennisLabbé. The numbers for both dayswere down due to a storm and icyroads on Saturday. We had 75competitors in 16 kata and 16 kumitedivisions. We had 13 black belts inattendance with honored attendeesbeing Senseis Dennis Labbé,Hachidan, Jeff Gervin, Godan, fromBoissevain, Chis Bazinet, Yodan,from Fort Frances and Mark Forsyth,Sandan, from Winnipeg.

Sensei Mark Forsyth ran thetournament and introduced teamkata this year. We had five teams ofthree to five members entered.Carlyle took home the gold and twoteams from Virden placed secondand third. It was very interesting tosee the teams move in harmony.Thank-you Sensei Mark for youridea.

Overall it was a very good day witheveryone from the littlest andyoungest competitor to the oldestand biggest displaying excellentsportsmanship.

Our winter grading was held March3rd. After being postponed fromFebruary 3rd due to extreme cold itwas held after a severe snowstorm.(We can’t win against weather.)Sensei Mark Forsyth ran the gradingwith seven other black belts and onebrown belt grading the students.Congratulations to all who received abelt or stripe. To those who did notkeep up the hard work. Remember,you don’t fail if you keep trying.

Submitted by

Sensei Anne Poirier


Shindo Gradings InSaskatoon

On January 12-14, 2007, senseis BrucePerkins and Lawrence Blakemore traveledto Saskatoon, SK to hold Shindo gradingsas well as intermediate and advancedseminars for the members of senseisJeremy and Crystal Johnson’s dojo. SixShindo students were graded andadvanced to the intermediate level.Congratulations to:

Philip BensonMichelle HannaJon LoveringDanette SanterreJustin HagelSensei Nick Kadash

Senseis Jeremy and Crystal successfullycompleted their intermediate grading andmoved up to the advanced level. RyanHarrison and Joel Shroder also passed theintermediate testing and moved on to theadvanced course.

The Shindo committee would like to thanksenseis Jeremy, Crystal, and Nick Kadash,as well as all their students, for their greatefforts and hospitality. On behalf of senseiBruce and me, we are very pleased to seethe progress, dedication, and loyalty toSensei Shintani’s dream.

Again, thank-you and congratulations.

Sensei Ron Mattie practices Shindo kata in Welland dojo—May,2006

Notice to ShindoMembers

To: Area instructors, general Shindomembership.

RE: 2007 Shindo Membership.

As of APRIL 30, 2007, registration in ourShindo program will be due. Allregistration fees and applications are to besent to the financial treasurer BY THEABOVE DATE.

The 2007 membership cards will be issuedto all registered members by May 31, 2007.The registration fee for 2007 is $30.00.Please make cheques payable to:

The Shindo Federation of North Americac/o Lawrence BlakemoreRR#5, Simcoe, OntarioN3Y 4K4

All prior members (up to and including2006) MUST SUBMIT a completedapplication along with their fee. Pleaseprint clearly your:

NAMEADDRESSPOSTAL CODELOCATIONPRESENT RANK

YOUR RESPONSE AND ATTENTION TOTHIS NOTICE WILL BE APPRECIATED.

All information submitted is kept in strictconfidence.

Thank-you,

Lawrence Blakemore, RokudanShindo Federation of North AmericaTreasurer


SWKKF Student Development Scholarships

Submitted by Sensei Heather Fidyk

The Shintani Wado-Kai Student Development Fund offers two annual scholarships of $500 each. Allqualifying secondary students in Canada are eligible for selection. To qualify for selection the followingcriteria must be met:

1. The applicant must be involved in the Shintani Wado-Kai Karate Federation. If the applicant is aparent or guardian of the student, the application will be judged on the parent’s or guardian’saccomplishments in the Shintani Wado-Kai Karate Federation and their Sensei’s recommendation aswell as the student’s admission grades.

2. The student must be applying to a post-secondary institution such as a university, technologicalinstitute, teacher’s college, school of nursing, etc.

3. The student’s level of education must be sufficient to allow admittance to the post-secondaryinstitution. Proof of acceptance into the institute will be required before the scholarship isreleased.

4. All sections of the application must be fully completed and received at the address shown on theapplication by midnight June 30th.

All applications are judged on three equally weighted categories: Academic accomplishments. Extra-curricular activities. Martial arts achievements.

NOTE: It is important to provide as much support documentation as you can. If you need further information
please ask your Sen
scholarships a

sei.

Scholarship HuntingBy Sensei Zach Wiltshire, Edmonton,Alberta2006 SWKKF Scholarship Recipient

It’s always the big dollar amounts that dazzleyou when you start looking for scholarships tohelp pay for that first year of post secondaryeducation. The SWKKF scholarship is onlyworth $500 you say? It’s time to come down toearth. Five hundred dollars is one or two weeksfull time work for the average 17 year old notcounting what the taxman withholds.

Five hundred dollars pays for half your books ormore, or ten percent of your tuition. All

re now tax exempt thanks to

Canada’s new government.To apply, you must be a Canadian SWKKFregistered student or the child of a member.You are rated on your academic standing,achievements in karate and, extracurricularactivities. Each category has a rating up to tenfor a total possible score of 30. Includeinformation in all categories or don’t wasteeveryone’s time applying.Remember, the people reviewing yourapplication are volunteering their time.Package your application as you would animportant term paper or job application, andinclude a covering letter that is an objectivesynopsis of your accomplishments.When you make claims of having donesomething, ensure you have documentation
(continued on page 19)

S

much a

Bluehis lSimliftin


elf-Defense in Sixty Seconds

Self-defense is an integral part of martial arts study. I am introducing this column to assist karateka indeveloping these skills. In my opinion, the best self-defense programs utilize a multi-disciplinaryapproach; I will draw upon karate, judo, and jiu-jitsu techniques in this series. Please contact me if youhave questions or comments. Jeff Gervin

Defense: Ankle grab to knee bar

s possible.

for balance.

Blue quickly reaches back for White’sankle. In most cases, Blue will reach forthe ankle that was “hooked” previously,because this ankle will be closer to him.

reinforces his right hand grip by grabbing theeft hand as well. Blue begins to lift White’s foultaneously, Blue begins to “sit” on White’s kng motion is easier than you might think.

ankle withot up.ee. This

MOTION.

Attack: Rear bear hug—arms free.

White attacks Blue from behind with abear hug and attempts to lift him up inorder to destroy his balance and throwhim to the ground. In response, Bluehooks his right leg around White’s calf tomake himself difficult to lift. Blueattempts to sink his weight down as

White soon gives up trying to lift Blue andrelaxes slightly while maintaining his grip. Assoon as White relaxes his lift, Blue bendsforward sharply at the waist as if trying to do asit-up motion, and plants his hands on the mat

White falls to his back due to the fact that his foot is pulled upwhile his knee is kept straight by Blue’s hips. At this point,Blue can release his hold and run away, or apply a painfulknee-lock submission. To apply the submission, Bluepresses his thigh downwards on White’s knee while pullingupwards on White’s ankle. BE CAREFUL IN PRACTICE: IFCARELESSLY APPLIED, THIS MOVE COULD CAUSESERIOUS KNEE INJURY. APPLY THE KNEE BARSLOWLY. NEVER APPLY A LOCK WITH A JERKING


Detail of Blue’s leg-hooking action.

It is my hope to show techniques in this sequickly grasp the essence of the above teand a detailed knowledge of breakfalling tPRACTICE TECHNIQUES SUCH AS THIPARTNER TO RELEASE HIS HOLD, TAPTHIS “TAPPING OUT”.

I believe that all martial arts practitioners sof injury as a consequence of falling. UkeI have seen many karateka hit the floor inSensei Ron Mattie once told me that SWKthat this type of training will eventually bec

variety of two-step kumite. It is such

Message from the Nationa

View of the knee bar from another angle. Note that Blue’s inner left thigh applies thepressure to White’s knee. Simultaneously, Blue pulls White’s ankle directly upwards.

ries that are effective, yet simple to learn. I find that most studentschnique. If practitioners are careful, White’s fall to the mat is very gentleechniques is not required. HOWEVER, IT IS ALWAYS BEST TOS ON A MATTED SURFACE. GO SLOWLY. IF YOU WANT YOUR

ON HIS BODY WITH YOUR HAND SEVERAL TIMES—WE CALL

hould learn proper ukemi (breakfalling techniques) to minimize the riskmi are useful not only in grappling situations, but also in the striking arts;the course of a match as a consequence of a slip or a leg sweep.KF students in Welland are exposed to training in ukemi. It is my hopeome the norm for all SWKKF students.

l Coach
By Sensei Mattie
The National Team competed at the WesternChampionship Tournament taking secondplace. The team competition format was quitedifferent this year. It allowed many competitorsto fight many people that they wouldn’t normallyfight in their division.

The weekend’s events started on Thursdaynight with an open clinic instructed by SenseiRick Levielle, Sensei Denis Labbé, and me.Friday morning was the traditional team trainingopen to all. This workout consists mostly of a

a great

opportunity for our members to work with theteam and gives team members a variety ofdifferent opponents. Sensei Labbé and SenseiLevielle also attended, giving their expertguidance and experience. If you have achance to attend this session next year, wewould love to have you join us.

The weekend ended on Sunday morning with aclosed door kata training session to fine-tunethe team members. As usual, Sensei RatheMokelky joined us as a past team member toassist in their training.

In closing, the first year of team training ismostly in-house training preparing the team for(continued on next page)


Scholarship Hunting (continued from page )

like reference letters or copies of certificates ofachievement included in your applicationpackage. Contact numbers to verify the claimsfirst hand are also necessary. These can befrom teachers, volunteer organizations,coaches, art, or music instructors. It would beuseful to include a DVD of your playing a pieceor two with an audience at hand, orphotographs of favorite art work you havedone.

You should be able to state and confirm whatmight make you stand out from the rest of yourpeers in karate. Have you earned medals incompetition, helped teach classes with yourinstructor or even substituted for them in anemergency? Have you helped organize anevent like a clinic or tournament? Tell how longyou have been doing karate and what yourcurrent rank is.

How do you apply? Go to www.shintani.caunder events/messages/index and you will findthe application form. Let your own sensei knowwell in advance that you are applying andrequest a letter from them consistent with theapplication form. And lastly, the due date ofJune 30th is not the day to mail your applicationpackage. Plan for success, and good luck may
be yours.
Senseis Denis Labbé and Zach Wiltshire.Zach was the 2006 recipient of the SWKKF
Student Development Scholarship.
Message from the National Coach (continuedfrom previous page)

the open tournaments. We will most likely haveone more training session, concentrating oninternational katas, and direct our competition inthat direction in the following year.

I would like to thank all the people who havehelped to train and support our National Team.

Pre-GradingsBy: Sensei Ron Mattie

I would like to provide some guidance onconducting pre-gradings. The purpose of apre-grading is to evaluate a student to establishwhere he stands and what he needs to workon. It is not an endurance test. Preferably, theevaluation should be made by black belts whoare not members of the student’s own dojo.Pre-grading candidates should perform all ofthe basic techniques that will be included intheir “official” grading, followed by kata. Afterthis, black belts in charge of the grading canadd whatever else they would like to the mix. Itis important for candidates to leave with a clearunderstanding of what they need to work onprior to their official grading. This is why it isbeneficial to have a pre-grading approximatelythree months prior to the official grading date togive the student time to work on the weakerpoints.

It is also beneficial for brown belts and otherblack belts not eligible for grading to beevaluated so they have a longer time to work ontheir weaker points. Sometimes, a student mayhave a major problem and three months justisn’t enough time to correct it.

Those who do not go through a pre-grading testare at greater risk of not passing their grading.It is highly recommended that you attend one inyour region. Most instructors do not allow theirstudent to attend a grading without goingthrough a regional pre-grading first.

In closing, most senior black belts will agreethat the caliber of black belts have reallyimproved over the past few years throughconsistent gradings, pre-gradings and clinics.Sensei Shintani would be very proud to see theresults of his efforts. And as Sensei Labbé
would say, “work those basics”.

Dsu

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o you have abmission forHarmonizer?

ntact me, Jeffrvin, [email protected],ries, tournamentorts, and training

vice arelcome. Don’tget to sendtures!

KF on the Web!See us at:

w.shintani.ca

KKF National Clinicay, May 25, 2007ck University

atharines, Ontario-10:00 p.m.

ructors: Sensei Denisbé and other members of theKKF Senate

t: $30.00

SWKKF National Master Shintani MemorialTournamentSaturday, May 26, 2007Brock UniversitySt. Catharines, Ontario

Black Belt Meeting: 8:30 a.m.Opening Ceremonies: 9:00 a.m.

NOTE: All competitors must be pre-registeThere will be no registration on the day o

Entry fee: $25.00 for one or more eventsFamily entry fee: $45.00

For more information or to register, [email protected]

THE HARMONIZER IS PUBLISHED UNDER THE MANDATE OF THE SENATE OF THE SHINTANI(SWKKF). THE SWKKF DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR STATEMENTS OF FACONTRIBUTOR. STATEMENTS MADE BY INDIVIDUALS MAY NOT REFLECT THE OFFICACCEPTANCE AND PUBLICATION OF ARTICLES, ADVERTISEMENTS, PRODUCTS ANDENDORSEMENT OF SAME BY THE SWKKF AND THE SWKKF ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY F

red by May 24, 2007.f the tournament.

Anne Redhead at

WADO-KAI KARATE FEDERATIONCT OR OPINION MADE BY ANYIAL POSITION OF THE SWKKF.

SERVICES DOES NOT INDICATEO R THE ACCURACY.


message from the president - shintani

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