Seigokan Guest Book
Leave a public message for the Seigokan community here. Thank you! Enter your message in the comment field below.
(Your message will be moderated to prevent spam and will not appear immediately.)
Grading and Tournament 12-20-2008
On Saturday, 12/20/2008, Seigokan SF Bay Area gathered at the El Camino YMCA in Mountain View, California for kyu grading and an intra-school tournament. The event got underway at around 1:30 p.m., starting with kyu grading, which started with a group warm-up, followed by kata, yakusoku kumite and jiyu kumite performances. After a short break, participants returned to begin the competition in kata and point sparring. The day ended with the awarding of medals. Parents and other spectators were treated to excellent performances all around.
Thanks to all the participants for your effort, and thanks to your families who support your involvement in Seigokan.
Special thanks to Angela Swanson for figuring out and managing the details of the tournament, including the scoring system. She spent considerable time and effort planning the event. She also produced the scorecards and judges' placards, which worked out great!
Thanks to Shaun and Cathy Greely, who secured the event space (and thanks to the El Camino YMCA for hosting us).
Thanks to Sensei Fausto Carlos, Claudia Chan, and Dzung Dang for their support in running and promoting the event.
And thanks to Sensei Marcos Collaco, who brought us all together.
Thanks to all the participants for your effort, and thanks to your families who support your involvement in Seigokan.
Special thanks to Angela Swanson for figuring out and managing the details of the tournament, including the scoring system. She spent considerable time and effort planning the event. She also produced the scorecards and judges' placards, which worked out great!
Thanks to Shaun and Cathy Greely, who secured the event space (and thanks to the El Camino YMCA for hosting us).
Thanks to Sensei Fausto Carlos, Claudia Chan, and Dzung Dang for their support in running and promoting the event.
And thanks to Sensei Marcos Collaco, who brought us all together.
Contact Seigokan USA/SF Bay
Seigokan.com is operated by David M. Kalman, Secy., Seigokan USA
For inquiries about this site fill out the contact form below or call David at (650) 270-6712.
For information about Goju-ryu classes in the San Francisco Bay Area, see our Bay Area Dojo listings
For inquiries about this site fill out the contact form below or call David at (650) 270-6712.
For information about Goju-ryu classes in the San Francisco Bay Area, see our Bay Area Dojo listings
Safe Sparring: Jiyu Kumite in the Dojo
Jiyu Kumite, or free sparring, is excellent for developing speed, timing, and power. It can also be a lot of fun.
Unfortunately, there's a heightened risk of injury when free sparring. Crashed knuckles, sprains, strains, and even broken bones can sideline even the most well-conditioned athlete. Middle-aged and older adults are especially vulnerable and it takes longer for their injuries to heal. So, while you may benefit from rigorous kumite, an injury can reverse all your gains.
The question is how to perform jiyu kumite with greater safety. I'm not convinced that protective padding makes it more safe. I've found that when students wear more protective material such as a helmet or shin pads, they become more reckless and tend to use greater force.
I've come to believe that the attitude and intent of jiyu kumite makes the greatest difference in safety. Jiyu kumite in the dojo is not competition. It's training. Because it's training, both participants in a match have a responsibility for the safety of their partner. If one partner gains an advantage that might cause injury to the other, then he or she has the responsibility to hold back. At the same time, the disadvantaged partner must respect the attacker and the attack.
For example, if my partner leaves his head open, I may strike him lightly on the face to point out that mistake. Conversely, my partner must not take an unfair advantage of my restraint, to counterstrike recklessly. That's what we mean by "respect" in the context of jiyu kumite because in reality, if I had pressed the attack with full force my partner would have no chance to counterstrike.
If we remember that free sparring in the dojo is not competition, but training, and show this kind of respect, then we reduce the chance of injury. This means we can practice free sparring even more frequently and derive all of its benefits.
Unfortunately, there's a heightened risk of injury when free sparring. Crashed knuckles, sprains, strains, and even broken bones can sideline even the most well-conditioned athlete. Middle-aged and older adults are especially vulnerable and it takes longer for their injuries to heal. So, while you may benefit from rigorous kumite, an injury can reverse all your gains.
The question is how to perform jiyu kumite with greater safety. I'm not convinced that protective padding makes it more safe. I've found that when students wear more protective material such as a helmet or shin pads, they become more reckless and tend to use greater force.
I've come to believe that the attitude and intent of jiyu kumite makes the greatest difference in safety. Jiyu kumite in the dojo is not competition. It's training. Because it's training, both participants in a match have a responsibility for the safety of their partner. If one partner gains an advantage that might cause injury to the other, then he or she has the responsibility to hold back. At the same time, the disadvantaged partner must respect the attacker and the attack.
For example, if my partner leaves his head open, I may strike him lightly on the face to point out that mistake. Conversely, my partner must not take an unfair advantage of my restraint, to counterstrike recklessly. That's what we mean by "respect" in the context of jiyu kumite because in reality, if I had pressed the attack with full force my partner would have no chance to counterstrike.
If we remember that free sparring in the dojo is not competition, but training, and show this kind of respect, then we reduce the chance of injury. This means we can practice free sparring even more frequently and derive all of its benefits.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
