Tameshiwari (Breaking) Class

Osu!

The CCHS Karate Club is proud to announce that it's first breaking class, held on January 27th, 2009, was a huge success! Once again, we added a new student to the class, which brings the current enrollment to over 20 students! Some of our veteran students had been looking forward to this class for a long time. Finally they had the chance to test their skills and techniques against stacks of 1 inch thick pine boards. I'm very happy to say that my students met the challenge...breaking upwards of 50 boards in total for the evening!

After completing a spectacular breaking class, several students successfully tested for their 2nd and 3rd blue stripes. This means that it's only a matter of weeks before the CCHS Karate Club promotes it's first group of blue belts. There will be an official promotion date set sometime over the next few weeks. Good luck to each student!

Next week the CCHS Karate Club will welcome a very special guest instructor to class. Sensei John Goddard, a 3rd degree black belt in Kyokushin karate and an apprentice instructor of grappling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (under Goru Jim Marino and the Methuen Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club) will introduce ground fighting techniques to our students. We at the CCHS Karate Club are very lucky to have Sensei Goddard share his overwhelming amount of knowledge in these areas with us.

Osu!

Sensei

Kumite Class

Osu!

We were lucky enough to have a big class tonight...about 17 students. We started class with a good warmup consisting of basics, pushups, and situps. Then we talked about our tameshiwari (breaking) class which will be held on the last Tuesday of this month. Next we discussed the ins and outs of kumite (sparring). After demonstrating a few ideas, the students put on their gloves and we started to work on our fighting applications. Each pair of students had the opportunity to spar for about 1 minute. This gave them the chance to see what it's like to defend themselves using the techniques that we've practiced for weeks now. Next we worked on Taikyoku Ichi...this is our first basic form or kata. At the end of class, some of my students had demonstrated a strong understanding of their basic techniques and were promoted with a new stripe on their belt.

Here is a photo of the class in seiza (kneeling) position preparing to meditate. More photos of sparring and breaking will come toward the end of the month. No classes will be held on January 20th due to midterm exams. See you on the 27th!

Osu!

Sensei