Sortor Bushido Kai Karate

Honor

2011-03-16T10:29:00.000-07:00

Honor is a word with a rich history. It is one of a few concepts that has been lauded and aspired to by nearly every civilization in human history. You'd be hard-pressed to find a society where lying, cheating, unfaithfulness, or being two-faced were praised (although some might argue 21st century America is getting there). Fundamentally, we like to know that people are who they say they are, that they will do what they say they will do, and that they are worthy of trust because their thoughts and actions are always aligned. This trust is the essence of honor.

Striving to do the right thing, not simply to please others or to gain favorable status or rewards, is honor's beginning. If you believe basic behavior should not include lying or cruelty, understanding you would not want someone else to act that way toward you, and you proceed to live your life in a way that serves those around you and works toward fairness, kindness, and justice, then you are on the path. Honor is this commitment to a higher sense of right and wrong, even when it doesn't serve your temporary, worldly interests.

The sense people have of honorable actions can be viewed from three distinct angles. First, the sense of consistently feeling and then doing the right thing for ourselves. This happens alone, in the dark, when no one else is looking. Do we strive for consistency of thought and action, do we do what we know is right even when it doesn't serve our worldly comfort or success, and even when no one will see or learn of our actions? We should, because even if no one else sees you do it, you see, and you seeing is enough.

Second, the acceptance and adoration of those in our immediate circles. Do we have the trust and respect of the people near us, our family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and acquaintances? Do they see us saying and doing the things we believe even when it's hard? Do they see us making sacrifices for others, for justice or truth's sake? If someone asked your closest friends if you are trustworthy or honorable, what would they say?

Third, and broadest, is the sense of honor in a society as a whole. In an American snapshot we might say an honorable man's word is his bond. He is faithful to his wife, family, friends, country, and religion. He works hard at an honest job, obeys the law, and is willing to makes sacrifices of any kind for the people around him. Being good at your job is not enough in and of itself. Being famous, successful, smart, pretty, or faithful with some things but not with others has never earned people honor in America.

Many people liked President Clinton as a President, but no one would call him honorable. You can lie, cheat, steal, but still be a "good" President in America. But you're not honorable. Numerous pro athletes wow us on their fields of play, impress us with their huge houses and shiny cars, but let us down when they show us they have no honor. Chasing the team that will pay you the most money is perhaps a smart business decision, but when you've spent five years telling the world how much you love your city, your team, your coaches, and your fans, only to dump them the moment your contract is up and you're offered more to play on the other side of the country, you display a lack of honor. Your thoughts, words, and actions don't match. As a people, we really don't like that (unless you're a fan of basketball and like the Miami heat, then you might not mind so much).

Pat Tillman on the other hand is now considered one of the most honorable men in the 21st century, maybe even American history. His was a deep-seeded sense of right and wrong, something he had trained and developed from an early age. For those of you who don't know, Pat Tillman was a football player who played linebacker for Arizona State. He took the team to the national championships before being signed into the NFL by the Arizona Cardinals in 1998. As a player there he made about $516,000 per year, and at one point was offered a $9 million dollar contract to play for the St Louis Rams. He turned their offer down out of loyalty to the Cardinals. Honorable.
After September 11, 2001, Pat decided to finish his year in football (as he had agreed to honor his contract) and then enlist in the Army. The Cardinals offered him a $3.6 million dollar 3 year contract to stay, and he turned them down. Believing we had been attacked, and that he as an able-bodied American had the ability and duty to protect and defend the country, his sense of honor lead him to Afghanistan. After his first tour, a loophole in the re-deployment rules would have allowed him to return to America, his wife, and football without having to commit to a second deployment. Again, he turned the offer down and returned to the war, this time in Iraq. He was later shot and killed by friendly fire, and the cause and circumstances surrounding his death were altered and then covered up by the US military. Despite the horrors of his death and the military's treatment of it, Pat Tillman displayed the utmost commitment to honor at nearly every major decision of his young life. Again and again, his thoughts, beliefs, words, and actions matched up, and he has become for me one of the most bright and shining examples for honor I have ever seen.

So honor... what is it?
--honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions
--a source of credit or distinction
--high respect, as for worth, merit, or rank
--high public esteem; fame; glory: He has earned his position of honor.

“The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world is to BE in reality what we would APPEAR to be; all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice and experience of them.” ~Socrates

Now go practice being honorable. Yes.... it does take practice.

Makoto -- Honesty

2011-02-15T21:53:00.000-08:00

When I was young, my dad used any opportunity he could to point out the importance of honesty in a man's life. "If you say you're going to do something, you do it," he'd say. The idea that my word was my bond, that speaking truth and keeping promises could be tied in some tangible way to my moral fiber and the deepest parts of my being, resonated throughout my teen years. I read books about the idea, I understood honesty on an intellectual level, and whenever I'd hear of some shady businessman or politician lying, cheating, or stealing, I knew they'd made a choice about the type of person they wanted to be. But early on it was more of an ideal floating out there in virtue land, something separate from me. I knew you weren't supposed to lie, in the same way you weren't supposed to steal or murder or fight with your sister.

When I went away to college, it was like stepping into a pressure-cooker virtue laboratory. Those virtues that had been so distant from my everyday actions suddenly leaped to the forefront and I was offered multiple moral choices on an almost hourly basis. Should I use this time to study or play ultimate frisbee? Should I join in on this juicy rumor circle or go directly to the person in question and see how they're doing? Should I tell someone about this person's drug problem or try to intervene myself? Am I OK with the school administrators acting contrary to their code of conduct, and even against the law in their treatment of other students? Should I stay quiet or say something?

Each scenario posed different challenges. Each offered different repercussions. But they all had some test of honesty. It's one of the most fascinating parts of honesty. In most sins, truth is being subverted. Sometimes, as when lying, stealing, or cheating, dishonesty is at the forefront. Other times, pride and selfishness cause us to act in horrible ways, but these are the result of being dishonest with ourselves.

I very quickly noticed something else while at school, something I'd known before but hadn't had the opportunity to really see in action or practice in myself. The more I was honest with myself and others, the easier it was to be honest all the time. But, the more I lied or slacked on my responsibilities, to easier it was to continue down that path. In the same way exercise breaks our body down in order to build it back stronger, exercising the choice to be honest allowed me to see its benefits immediately and make me want more. Being honest with others and with ourselves all the time is no easy task, but isn't that the way of things? Most good things are a bit of a challenge.

Honesty is extremely valuable. When people find an honest mechanic, insurance broker, or friend, they tend to hang onto them for dear life. A wise man once said, "If there were no honesty, it would be invented as a means of acquiring wealth." When someone knows they can trust you, that is a powerful position.

Honesty is a simple idea; easy to understand, hard to implement all of the time. One day your honesty may cause you to give back money you found, or apologize for something you said, or make up for something you did. It may cause you to lose a friend, quit your job, go to jail, or worse. Our human nature hates admitting wrong and asking for forgiveness. It hates looking stupid. But if our actions have any meaning in this world, and if our actions are constantly leading us down the right path or the wrong path, we must take every opportunity to take steps down the right path. Event those little steps, the teeny weeny baby steps that nobody else will even notice right now, are vital, because if we can't make the right choices on tiny issues that hold little to no consequence to us right now, how are we going to make the right decisions when the stakes are much higher? How will we act when our good name, or business, our friendships, or our lives are on the line? Some might say, "Well, if the consequences were serious then I'd definitely tell the truth." Man throughout history has proven this theory to be false again and again.

Mind your smallest steps because thousands of them will take you far, whether in a direction you wanted to go or not. Live honest.

Back in the training

2009-04-15T12:46:00.001-07:00

The last 4 days are the first 4 days I've done serious workouts in a row without a rest day thrown in.

Sunday - Deadlift Max Weight Lifts (personal best)
"Mary" Every minute on the minute for 30 minutes: 5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 squats (brutal, legs are going to be TOAST!)

Monday - 10 kettlebell snatches per arm, 10 muscle ups, 3 rounds - 13:25

Tuesday - "DT" using 155 lbs: 12 deadlifts, 9 hang power cleans, 6 push jerks
5 ROUNDS - 18:00 (also brutal, this workout rocks your grip)

Wednesday - "Helen" run 400 meters, 21 kettlebell swings (53 lbs), 12 pull ups
3 ROUNDS - 7:55 (ok, all workouts are brutal if you push the intensity)

I feel sore but I feel good that after all the work I'm not laying at home.

Have fun, train hard

More Work, More Play

2009-03-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks since my last post so I thought I'd give a brief recap of my workouts over the last few weeks.

3/5/09 "Nate" 2 Muscle ups, 4 handstand push ups. 8 55-lbs Kettlebell swings, as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes. I got 11 rounds + 2 muscle ups

3/10/09 "Josh" 21 overhead squats(95#), 42 pull ups, 15 overhead squats, 30 pull ups, 9 overhead squats, 18 pull ups. I did it in 11:30. Tore my callouses again :(

3/12/09 "Jason" 100 squats, 5 muscle ups, 75 squats, 10 muscle ups, 50 squats, 15 MUs, 25 squats, 20 MUs. Zoinks, a lot of MUs. 21:46

3/17/09 "Badger" 30 squats cleans (95#), 30 pull ups, run 800 meters, 3 rounds 34:08 Wow what a crusher. I did not enjoy this workout. Ugh

3/24/09 "Joshie" 21 dumbbell snatches right arm, 21 L-pull ups, 21 DB snatches left arm, 21 L-pull ups... 3 rounds. Yikes, this workout slammed me, too. 23:51

3/26/09 "Ryan" 19:24 7 muscle ups, 21 burpees, 5 rounds (burpee jumps 12" up) It was more work, but jumping up to the pull up bar at the end of each burpee gave me a task to take my mind off the pain and suffering of the workout, so that was cool. It still rocked me, however, but it is one of my new favorite workouts

Tomorrow will be "Tommy V" another bone crusher.
21 thrusters (115#) 12 rope climbs, 15 thrusters, 9 climbs, 9 thrusters, 6 climbs.
That should be fun

Train Hard, Play Hard

Sunday Night "Angie"

2009-03-09T14:25:00.001-07:00

Another crossfit workout, Angie = 100 pullups, 100 pushups, 100 situps, 100 squats.

Angie should be done as fast as possible in the order listed. You can't move on to the pushups until you finish the pullups. It is a back-breaker if you keep a fast pace, wonderfully brutal.

On Sunday night, Kristina and I got home around 9:30 and I felt like I needed to do something before eating and going to bed. Angie popped into my mind and I got a stopwatch and went into the garage. I didn't change, I just stayed in my jeans and shoes and "I have a black belt in CRAZY" shirt and I went for it.

20 minutes and 25 seconds later I was done. And I was DONE. My goal was to break the 20 minute mark (had never done it) and I missed by 25 seconds :( So close, you have to push hard to break through those barriers, and I let my intensity slip by just a few seconds on the situps and squats. It's a good lesson, and next time I'm going to go below 18 minutes.

Set goals and push hard. Your body and mind can't help but grow from these sorts of experiences.

Fun Workout Weekend

2009-03-09T14:03:00.000-07:00

For any of you who haven't met Mark Daugherty (purple 2 from our dojo) he has started his own crossfit training facility here in Bend. What is crossfit, you ask? Well, there is much to know about crossfit, and you can find all of your answers and more at www.crossfit.com. Go to the "start here" button and begin an incredible journey of physical fitness discovery.

On a basic level, crossfit training is broad and inclusive fitness, meaning you will be performing constantly varied functional movements at high intensity. Whether you're a swimmer, rock climber, couch potato, or olympic athlete, it's a phenomenal training theory and system, and I recommend it to everyone.

My crossfit workout on Saturday consisted of squats, lunges, pushups, and situps. Mark had a deck of cards, hearts being lunges, spades being squats, diamonds being pushups, and clubs being situps. When the 8 of spades came up, we had to do 8 squats, etc. We didn't really get to rest, the cards just kept coming and we went through the whole deck. With face cards being worth 11, 12, 13, and 15 reps, that works out to 105 repetitions of each exercise. Yikes, but fun.

Oh, and I forgot to mention the two jokers. When those came up we got to do 13 burpees. WE LOVE BURPEES!!!

The workout was great, and after we were done I still felt ok, not totally blitzed. So I decided to stay and take the 11 am class, as well. So on Saturday from 10:15 to 11:30, I performed 210 pushups, 210 situps, 210 squats, 210 lunges, and 52 Burpess. It was awesome. Mark was laughing hysterically. He was giving us the commands while holding and rocking one of the trainee's babies to sleep. It was great.

Had I got up and saw a list like the one I had to perform, I might not have decided to do it. But breaking it up into smaller chunks makes all the difference. So set those numbers high, everyone. Set them higher than you think you can do and go for it, one step at a time. But definite numbers are great, they keep us on track. Whether you feel good that day, horrible, tired and sore, fresh and ready, the numbers will keep you on task and will also give you specific improvement numbers, and knowing your progress is crucial for mental and emotional health. We like to know our hard work is paying off.

Set your numbers high and go for it.

Sensei Stuart Quan

2009-01-08T12:36:00.000-08:00

Three years ago the world lost an incredible light. Stuart Quan passed away on January 8th, 2006. It was a Sunday, and my cell phone rang that night around 8:00. Caller ID said it was Sensei Evan, so I answered it with a hearty hello and a joke about him being a poor college student. His tone quickly told me this wasn't a happy phone call. He said I should sit down.

Stuart's father, Ducky, was older and had been struggling with heart problems for years. I thought he must have had a heart attack and passed away. But then Evan started his story with "Sensei Stuart was snowboarding with Blake and Shannon today..." and I began to numb. It started in my mind and spread down through my chest into my arms and legs.

"... his heart stopped and they tried to resuscitate him..."

They tried to resuscitate him?

"Brian... he's dead."

It is remarkable how the human mind works. In an instant my thoughts flashed back to one of my first white belt classes with Sensei Stuart. He was teaching us how to do a jump front kick. Then, I was facing him at my blue belt test and we were trading punches to the chest. Then, I thought about Debi and the kids who would never see their Stuart again. I thought about my own students and the fact that they would never meet him, and all of the Bushido Kai black belts from that day forward would take their tests without Stuart there to guide them. Many students who had trained under Stuart would have to go on without him now, and there would be people who would take the journey from white to black having never met this great martial artist, great man, and great friend.

At that moment when Evan told me Stuart was gone, I thought many things, but I felt nothing. I could feel nothing. I didn't even feel shock, or pain, or grief, not yet. It was like the feeling of having something on your mind, then forgetting it completely and wondering where the thought could possibly have gone. It was right there a second ago, how could it be gone. Empty, lacking, missing something.

The next day I booked a flight to Fresno. We had classes at the dojo that night, and up to that point I hadn't felt much different from the night before. I was in shock, but was able to teach class without completely losing it. And after class I let everyone know I had an announcement. Any of you old timers will remember this vividly. I began to announce that I would need to cancel classes at the end of the week because I would be going to Fresno. I told them that Stuart, my sensei, had suddenly, and at that point inexplicably, passed away. As the words formed and the images entered my mind here at my dojo and in front of my students, the numbness went away and the wall of water that had been building finally released. I feel bad for all of you who were there and were initially wondering 'Sensei was just teaching class and is now openly crying... what is going on?' I couldn't hold back the tears and when i cry I can't really speak, so I sputtered a few things about Stuart, and me leaving for California, and then let Kristina fill in the details.

There aren't enough blogs on the internet to express my feelings for Sensei Stuart, and my remorse of the fact that most of you will never get the chance. But his voice lives on through our training and our committment to the warrior's way. His light shines through all of you now, and will continue to change lives for many years to come. For this reason, and to honor my Sensei, and my friend, this week in January will always be set aside as a special training time. And we will honor him by sweating together with one of the toughest workouts we will ever do.

STUART
1000 Kicks
100 Push-ups
10 Katas
1 Horse Stance for as long as you can hold it

Do any kicks you want, but make sure you do every kick you know at some point. You can perform kata in any order, but again try to do all of the katas you know (it's ok if you know more than 10... just pick your favorites)

Stuart would have loved to do this workout along with us today. May our kicks and punches bring honor to his life and to everything he has given us.

Oss!

New Beginnings in 2009

2008-12-29T10:01:00.001-08:00

First of all, congratulations to all who participated in the 5,000 kicks to Christmas kickstravaganza! Whether you did 100 kicks, 1,000, or 10,000, pushing your training to new limits and accomplishing a goal you maybe didn't think was possible is great training. It is important to expect more from our mind, body, and spirit every day.

Our minds grow sharper as they are tested. Our bodies adapt to changes we force on them, for better or for worse, so it's important to make sure the adaptations are for the better. And our spirit, our will to endure, is perhaps the most important aspect we train. What allows us to push our bodies through the threshold of exhaustion, pain, and external limitations? What allows us to push our minds past the stumbling blocks of fear, of doubt, and the desire to quit, our inner limitations? It is spirit, effort, and an iron will.

So what does this all have to do with the new year?

Each year it is a custom in America for people to make new year resolutions, to set up a series of goals they will strive to achieve. These resoultions are well known for two reasons: they are often extremely lofty goals, goals that would drastically change the quality of life for the owner of the resolution and their family, and they are, 98% of the time, completely abandoned by about March (sometimes sooner). The idea of resolving to be better, more productive, less lazy, more kind, less cranky is a good idea, we just have a problem with following through with consistent actions.

Does the fact that resolutons are hard to keep mean we should not attempt them?
Of course not.
So let's do it...

My new year resolutions have been broken up into 2 basic categories. I have physical goals, things like building the height of my vertical leap, the amount of weight I can lift with a variety of exercises, and flexibility markers like the straddles, splits, and others.
The other goals are goals of behavior, attitude, and morality. They are goals to search for truth, to be positive and encouraging to everyone, and to follow God more and more closely every day.

The training we receive from karate gives us great tools for all of these goals. Not every goal, mind you, but many of them, and the tenacity and resilience you have all shown in class and at rank tests tells me that anything you hope to accomplish this year could be done if it is at all possible (like if you resolve to become a black belt this year, that might be a problem). And the great thing about training, about resolutions, and about growth, in general, is that even if you don't succeed this year, as long as you stick to your goals and your plan, you will accomplish what you set out to accomplish. With intelligent effort, it is only a matter of time.

So make those resolutions. Set goals, make plans, and make them lofty and outrageous. Challenge yourself, push yourself, try something you've never tried before, and grow your mind, body and spirit. From lump of coal to diamond is simply a matter of pressure and time. The time is alrady ticking, start adding the pressure.

5,000 Kicks to CHRISTMAS!!!

2008-12-02T15:20:00.000-08:00

Setting definite, challenging, but reachable goals is a great way to ensure your training is constantly moving upwards and onwards. One way to judge progress is through sheer numbers, so between now and Christmas, for all interested in attempting, I offer the 5,000 kicks to Christmas challenge.

It is very simple... do 5,000 kicks (2,500 on each leg) between now and Christmas day.

You can break the kicks up any way you like, but here is one easy way to acheive this goal:
100 kicks per day for five days between December 1st and 7th
200 kicks per day for five days between December 8th and 15th
300 kicks per day for five days between December 16th and 20th
400 kicks per day for five days between December 20th and 25th

Or you could do 500 kicks every Monday, Wednesday and Friday till Christmas.
Or you could do 5,000 kicks today. WHATEVER WORKS!!! (I suggest breaking it up a bit)

Try to include all of the kicks you know, but feel free to do the kicks in any order or number sequence you like. You could do 50 front kicks on one leg, then 50 on the other... or 5 kicks, 5 kicks back and forth. Change it up, see what is easiest and what is hardest and do both.

This isn't mandatory, there are no extra credit points, no gold stars to be awarded, just good hard work that will make you a better martial artist and all-around athlete. I know you can do it.

Good luck, and have fun!!!

Congratulations, Dalton!

2008-11-17T11:51:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, November 15th, Dalton Wood tested for the rank of 2nd Purple Belt, 4th Kyu. Testing is never easy, and testing alone is an extra helping of difficult. Just ask anyone who has had the opportunity to be the only student sensei is watching during the entire test. It doesn't leave much room for mistakes, or for rests.

Dalton was understandably nervous leading up to the test, but once the bowl gong rang he was focused and ready. He showed a great memory of the lower belt forms, Japanese, and self defenses, and performed each with power and precision. The purple belt requirements were very strong as well, especially Dalton's own made-up self defenses. I was very impressed by the creativity and effectiveness they displayed.

After forms and defenses he showed great courage and heart sparring with me for two long rounds. He stayed aggressive and in control, and survived still standing on two feet.

Then, with a sore hand, shoulder and foot and two broken boards, the test was over. He did it, and he did it with great spirit and effort throughout. Congratulations Dalton, welcome to 2nd Purple!

Sensei Brian's Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt Test

2008-10-24T17:10:00.000-07:00

(a post from Kristina)

Today, Sensei Brian earned his blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from Roy Dean of Roy Dean Academy here in Bend. It was an amazing display of spirit, strength and precision, and an inspiration for the idea that your martial arts journey - and your journey in life - does not end at black belt #1. It BEGINS! Congratulations Brian.

The apples and oranges of martial arts

2008-10-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

To use a common analogy, there are many different fruits in the martial arts world, and each has its own sweetness. It is not necessary to taste every fruit in the martial arts world in order to be a skilled martial artist, but it was Sensei Stuart's belief, and it is my belief, that to sample each fruit gives you a better understanding and appreciation of every fruit. The more we challenge ourselves to see things in a different way, the more we test our physical and mental abilities. This is how we grow.

Over the next few weeks I'll be talking about the strengths and weaknesses of different parts of the martial arts world. I'll cover sparring, training self defense vs "real" self defense, tournaments and the role they play in personal progress, testing, assisting, gymnastics, and who knows what else, all to explore the many ways martial arts training can improve our strenghts and weaknesses.

Stay tuned...

the first topic will be.....

TOURNAMENTS

Congratulations Purple Belts!!!!

2008-10-04T14:56:00.000-07:00

This weekend the dojo witnessed an incredible rank test. Six 1st purple belts took a powerful step forward in their journey toward black belt. They each demonstrated incredible technique, determination, tenacity, creativity, and warrior spirit.

Jake Rasmussen
Gabriella Wayne
Kathryn Dykstra
Ben Lute
Andrea Newcomb
Glen Baker

You were all amazing. I am extremely proud of each of you, and privileged to be sharing in this journey. You are the next generation, and you have stomped some very deep footprints in the sand of dojo history. Congratulations.

Now bring on the nunchakus

Oss!!!

The dojo's new TOYS!!!

2008-09-21T13:18:00.001-07:00

As you may have noticed, there is a rather large trampoline perched above the changing rooms, and thanks to your generous gifts to celebrate the new dojo and our 3rd birthday, we just ordered the flips harness to be mounted to the ceiling's center beam. This will allow anyone to feel what it is like to execute a variety of flips. This air-awareness is very important for gymnastic training, as it is the hardest gymnastics aspect to practice safely since you can't really walk through a back flip in slow motion to make sure you're hitting all of your body positions correctly... until now!

We will be using these and our other toys (pull up bars, climbing rope, rings, etc.) as the icing on our very big karate cake. These toys are meant to enhance our normal training, not take them over or overshadow them. Our fundamentals are the key, consisting of basic stance understanding, punch, block, and strike technique, efficient use of energy, and our focus and determination.

We couple that with sparring, a much less "black and white" practice that requires quick reflexes, emotional control, stamina, and a clear mind. It is important to understand how to affect another person's energy and mindset, teaching us to win a conflict before it starts.

Then comes weapons training. Once the early belt levels teach us to use our hands and feet as weapons, then we are ready to extend our hands and feet using the staff, nunchaku, sai, and eventually a plethora of other Japanese and Chinese weapons. Each weapon must be trained to the point of total control, as if it were simply an extension of your body.

Where these basics form the foundation, we can build up into more advanced, and often more dynamic and fun, movements. Jump spinning kicks, cartwheels and shoulder rolls, butterfly kicks, kip-ups, and eventually front flips, side flips, back flips, twisters, and more. The sky's the limit. The human body is remarkable in the things it can do.

But you see the progression now from basics, to advanced techniques. Flips don't happen without a strong and conditioned body that has been trained to respond to your commands. The advanced movements take a great deal of precise technique executed at a high intensity in about half a second. All mental doubts must be quiet. The mind must be completely focused on its task. And after much training, when the mind is sharp and the body is ready, your courage tells you to GO... and wham, suddenly you're up in the air upside down and you land on your feet, safe on the ground.

Exhilarating

Scary

Sooooo fun.

Be patient while we wait for all of our equipment to arrive, and for us to announce when our first gymnastics training sessions will be. I'm excited to have this equipment to help us grow as martial artists, and excited to have so many of you who want to push the limits of your bodies to new, amazing levels.

This is gonna be FUN!!!

We put the LABOR into this labor day weekend

2008-09-01T00:08:00.000-07:00

Whew, what a great weekend. On Friday we set out to accomplish a mighty goal... move a dojo 2.5 miles to a new location. We were blessed with the help of Allen Groh's truck, muscles, and intense work ethic (that guy is an animal), Andrea Newcomb's truck, muscles, and dedication (is 8 hours of working on the new dojo dedication?), Devon and Jordan's ant-like ability to carry objects three times their size long distances without stopping to rest (not to mention their ability to climb the cool new dojo rope and pullups bars), Wendie's mad painting and cleaning skills (not to mention singing and dancing skills... we need to have a karateoke night) and the very impressive heavy-lifting skills of the entire Neumann family. We had backup support from the Kasari family who were on Jamba Juice duty. And we had many well-wishers stopping by to wish us the best and to catch of glimpse of the dojo's new look.

I can't say enough to the people who helped, thank you all so very much. But of course you all helped, you are all responsible for making the dojo what it is, a beautiful place to learn and grow among friends through the awesome power of the martial arts. Thank you all, for everything.

And of course, there is no way to end the list of thank yous without mentioning the work ethic of the most amazing dojo entity of all... me, your Sensei.

And that is a joke. Ha

I'm actually talking about Kristina, the brains and brawns and bright shiny star behind this whole operation. She was a sight to behold this weekend, I am constantly amazed by her tenacity and determination. Whether it was helping me hoist large sharp dangerous objects up the 15 foot ladder and onto the dojo's new "loft," or carrying the multi-hundreds of pounds of bleachers we built, or executing the thousands of karate kid sand the floor motions to get the mats and floors clean after all of our construction, she always holds that steady stare toward the goal in sight. She is the sweetest little pittbull in the world. Thank you, hon.

Dust filled our eyes and noses, hammers pounded nails and fingers, our saws were steady, our screwdrivers were true, and now, on Tuesday, I think everyone will agree we have a beautiful new dojo to help us on our journey of discovery. Coming from the Radio Shack closet, through the Radio Shack remodel, now to this, I couldn't be happier with our progress. Again, thank you all for all that you do to make the dojo such an amazing place to be a part of.

Oss!!

On saying goodbye and new beginnings

2008-08-28T22:35:00.000-07:00

Three years ago a single sensei set out to open a karate school in Bend that would provide its students with a sound understanding of traditional Japanese Shotokan Karate training mixed with an assortment of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Brazillian, and Phillipino arts. This sensei hoped his students would enjoy learning these physical skills and would gain a complete list of mental and spriritual skills to match. He wished for them sharpness, focus, discipline, and growth of all kinds. And most of all, he hoped they would come to love the arts as much as he did.

I want to thank everyone for taking this incredible journey with me over the past three years. You all are such integral parts of the dojo. Moving from our first location above Radio Shack (forever to be remembered as "the Radio Shack dojo") into our beautiful new dojo (probably to be forever refered to as "the Empire dojo" or maybe "the Port of Subs dojo") has caused my mind to corkscrew backwards in time and realize just how far each of you all as students has traveled, how much I as your Sensei have traveled, and how far we still have to go. I took Stuart's picture down from the wall and felt a deep pain at the loss I feel whenever I think about the fact that none of you will get to meet this amazing man. Such a warrior, such a teacher, and such a student of all things, I will do my best to share his greatness and his love with you, and I know that were he to see you all in action he would smile his Sensei Stuart smile and be eternally proud.

As we sweep and vaccuum the dust, as we pack up the training gear, as we pull up the mats and take down any traces of Sortor Bushido KaiKarate, my mind races back and forth through three beautiful years. It is the end of a time, the end of an era that you were all a part of. Anyone who starts training now will have no knowledge of the hot summer nights of sweat and spirit on the 2nd floor of 1620 NE 3rd street. No one new will have the fond memories of training in what started as a sort of closet-like space, not even wide enough to do three lunge punches (barely 2 punches if you're Glenn). No one new will have the sweet, treacherous experience of walking up icy stairs in the dead of winter, of trying to find parking during 5:00 rush hour, or of punching into the blazing glare of the setting sun shining through the western windows.

It is many of these "shortcomings," these "inconveniences" that I will miss most. They are nothing if not priceless memories and integral pieces in the puzzle that is Sortor Bushido Kai Karate. I am so thankful for all of it, and for all of you. You all inspire me, especially you parents. Your dedication to Kristina and I, to training, and to honoring Stuart and the martial arts is nothing short of a miracle to me. As we move into our new dojo and begin to build new memories, I must let you all know it has been my greatest honor to have known you and trained with you. I smile a sensei's smile when I think of the magical innumerable years still to come.

God bless you all.
We'll see you on Tuesday!!!

Oss!

Training tip of the week - August 28th

2008-08-28T22:16:00.000-07:00

Visualization

Imagine me trying to teach you a karate technique, or even an entire kata, without letting you see it. Imagine how difficult Bossai Sho, nunchaku forms, or even Taikyoku Shodan would be without a visual reference. Being able to see things is crucial to human learning and understanding. Keep this in mind when it comes to your own training.

Luckily for you students, I do show you the techniques, and you see other students performing them, as well. We are visual creatures so this is a necessity. Now think about yourself and your own progress. Can you see yourself doing each of the forms you know? Can you imagine what you look like punching, kicking, and roaring out kiais?

Can you imagine yourself better? Can you see yourself with lower, stronger stances, with higher jumps, faster kicks, and better reflexes when sparring? Can you see yourself as a brown belt, a red belt, or a black belt? Sit down now and close your eyes and imagine yourself tying a black belt around your waist and bowing before a kata you created. Imagine your yoi stance, your first movement, the fire in your eyes, your breathing. Imagine the sound of your hands in the air, of your feet hitting the ground.

Hear your kiai.

Your goal this week is to find a visualization of yourself, a very real sense of everything about you, and the way you would like to be. See the image and keep it in your mind's eye the next time you train. Don't perform your movements with the hope of little bits of unseen progress, but move with the intention of your black belt image and see if this feels any different. Reach for this inner strength, this hidden sensei waiting to be discovered. See it all, and then boldly do it!

Welcome!

2008-08-28T14:58:00.001-07:00

Sensei Brian's "Training Tip of the Week" feature from the Sortor Karate website has been moved to its new home here on blogspot. Here, you can read training tips, suggested workouts, stories, thoughts and general blogging all written by Sensei Brian Sortor. Enjoy!