Reprinted from Sensei Darren Stringer’s site, by permission. Sensei Darren Stringer is one of the few “all rounders” in Kyokushin today. He is as home performing in a kata competition as he is fighting in full contact knockdown tournaments. Sensei Darren began his training in 1990, gained Shodan in 1996, Nidan in 2001 and Sensei 2007. His accolades and tournament wins …
Kyokushin Is Not Only For the Young
This past Friday was my birthday. I turned 44 and celebrated by going to “fight night’ at Contact Kicks. As most night’s it was a great class, under the watchful eye of Fogarasi Sensei. We also had the honor of being joined by Senpai Michael Spineti, from Heart & Soul Academy in Montreal, to train with us. He has competed …
Kata vs Kumite
Last night’s class at Contact Kicks concentrated on kata, with the class divided by kyu levels. It made me a happy camper, as kata practice is one of my most loved components of Karate, along with application, or bunkai.
Moving Meditation for Pain Management
It’s been a rough couple of weeks. First I get slammed with a cold that turned into a bronchial infection. Spent a few days in bed with my dog as company, so obviously missed a couple classes. Then, as I’m feeling better from the cold, I get a flare up of chronic pelvic pain. I mentioned prostatitis in my first post …
Changing Your Brain Through Kyokushin
Neuroplasticity. Probably not a word that you hear in conjunction with Kyokushin, but that is what last night’s lesson was. The class was focused on kicks and knees, with the counter block and strike. Beginning with partner pad drills up and down the Contact Kicks dojo floor, culminating with partner work. In the partner drills, without pads, one person delivers …
Dokkōdō – The Way of Walking Alone
As anyone in Kyokushin knows, Sosai Mas Ōyama was heavily influenced by the great swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, including going into isolation to hone his martial arts, taking Musha shugyō – Warrior Quest, etc., as did Musashi before him. Sosai was noted as saying that Musashi had changed his life completly. An amazing story in own’s right. I find it absolutely incredible what Sosai …