Dojo Newsletter
April 2018
About Us
Email: planodojo@planodojo.com
Website: www.planodojo.com
Location: 1301 Custer Rd, Plano, TX, USA
Phone: 9724248870
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planodojo/
Twitter: @planodojo
Share the News!
Thank you for reading our monthly newsletter. We are proud to share important announcements, and give recognition to students and instructors for achievements inside and outside the dojo. We hope you enjoy this month's edition!
Did you get accepted into an honor society at your school? Win a local track meet? Or just had a recently awesome karate adventure? Please contact ACKD so we can share the news with the rest of the dojo community in our monthly newsletter! Reach out and let us know by e-mail, FaceBook, or in person. We look forward to hearing from you! Let everyone know how much you love the dojo by checking in online with social media. You can use #planodojo, #mckinneydojo, and #ACKD whenever you talk about your training and karate adventures!
Announcements!
Host your Birthday at the Dojo!
Upcoming Holidays
Belt Test Schedule
Upcoming belt tests include:
- May 26th (10am: Kids all ranks)
- May 31st (7pm: Adult Blue and below)
Good luck to all test candidates!
Get Ready for our Summer Camps!
Which ones will you choose?
This year will be extra special as we will host a camp at the McKinney Dojo! Please note changes to location and times for those who have been previous Karate Campers.
We have six camps to choose from with different themes. From samurai fighting to self defense, competition to curriculum, it's guaranteed to be an action packed season for anyone involved!
- Karate Camp #1 at Plano Dojo. June 4-8.
This camp will focus on fun, new skills designed to help improve your curriculum and prepare for belt tests. Make sure you are well caught up, and even get ahead on your material for your next rank exam! BOOK HERE
- Competition Camp #2 at Plano Dojo. June 18-22.
This camp focuses on the Karate Athlete. This camp is a great Nationals prep for those on WIKF Texas, but is open to anyone who wants to learn about the sport of Karate, including kata and kumite (sparring). Our dojo is nationally and world renowned for our Karate Athletes, so we will have many guest instructors at this camp. Come learn from the best! BOOK HERE - Elite Sport Camp #3 at Plano Dojo. June 25-29.
This camp is only offered to those competing in the Intermediate, Advanced, and Elite kumite divisions, and are at least 10 years old. Others are allowed by invitation only. Visiting national team members from other countries will train with us at this high-caliber camp, which a focus on skills, strategies, and strength and conditioning. Taught by Sensei Brody Burns, Team Leader for Team USA Karate, as well as other coach specialists. BOOK HERE
- Samurai Camp #4 at Plano Dojo. July 23-27.
Train like a Swordsman! Students will learn traditional Samurai stances and sword cuts through fun drills and games. Each camper even receives their very own foam sword to take home! This one is super popular! (Each Samurai Camp must have 7 participants, otherwise we will cancel and host one camp only). BOOK HERE - Samurai Camp #5 at McKinney Dojo. July 23-27.
This will be run just like the Plano Dojo Samurai Camp, except it will be available to our dojo members up in McKinney. Each camper receives their own foam sword to take home! (Each Samurai Camp must have 7 participants, otherwise we will cancel and host one camp only). BOOK HERE - Self Defense Camp #6 at Plano Dojo. August 6-10.
Our last camp of the Summer. This camp is designed to prepare you for school in the fall with a focus on anti-bullying tactics and self-defense. Instructors from Plano and McKinney will be present at this camp. This camp is a great intro for those who have never done karate before, and want to try it out in a fun-packed camp setting! BOOK HERE
Prices and Times:
Karate Camp, Competition Camp, or Self-Defense Camp - $200 per person
Samurai Camp in Plano or McKinney (including foam sword) - $250
Elite Sport Camp 3 - $250
(Please note the new time change for this year: All camps will run from 9am-4pm. Early drop off and late pick up are available, but must be scheduled in advance. We also offer discounts for half-day camps and multi-camp purchases.)
Our Summer Camps are always a blast. Students of all levels enjoy the skills and ideas they learn while at each camp, and come back year after year! If you have any questions, please ask one of your instructors at the dojo.
Punch Like a Champion
It's easy to believe that punching is one of the easiest and simplest thing to do. How hard could it be to ball up a fist and swing it as hard and as fast as possible? Unfortunately, there are certain guidelines that must be followed for a punch to be considered a good technique. Although the idea of a fist is simple there are certain “musts” if you want to ensure maximum damage with minimal consequences. Knowing the proper steps and key points will increase the chance of punching like a champion.
Before discussing how to Punch Like a Champion, one must know a few things about their hand. The first one is knowing which knuckles a person should be hitting with. Knowing which knuckles to hit with is essential to ensuring a damaging punch and lowering the risk of injury. When punching, a person should make sure to hit with the Metacarpophalangeal joints that are at the base of the pointer finger and middle finger, otherwise known as the “first two/big knuckles”. Those two knuckles are the strongest and biggest in a person’s hand, by hitting with those two knuckles a person and significantly increased the damage of a punch and decreased chance of injury.
The previous paragraph leaves many with the question: “What if somebody hits with their other knuckles, like the metacarpophalangeal joints in ring finger and little finger?” Hitting with those two joints will increase the chances of injury because they are known to be the weaker, smaller knuckles bones in the hand. Typically, when a person thinks of hitting someone, they are imagining a face/head. What many people fail to realize is that the face/head is one of the hardest and densest parts of a human body. Swinging a wild punch towards the back of somebody’s head will create a strong impact, an impact that small weak bones will not hold up against. That injury is so common that a term has been given to it, that term is “Boxer's Fracture”.
Now that there is some background knowledge about punching its time to learn how to make a proper fist.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
The last step to punching like a champion is to make sure that when the punch is extended that the wrist, elbow and shoulder are all in line. Having the shoulder directly in-line with the wrist will ensure maximum usage of the muscles in your arms and back. Straight punches are also a lot faster, reason is the technique is traveling in a straight line. Straight punches are stronger, faster and less dangerous. Mix the straight punch in with shoulder and hip rotation at the Y-axis of your body and the punch will deliver an impact that the opponent wouldn’t want to feel again.
Remember that practice is key. Factors such as strength and natural speed will apply. Practicing and training will help the chances of punching like a Champion.
Shodan Cesar Colunga
Medal in Morocco!
Senpai Scott Wins Bronze!
Senpai Scott and Mr. Brian Irr both traveled to Rabat, Morocco to compete in the K1 Premier League Rabat Open. Both had strong showings at the event. Mr. Irr had a tough draw against world medalist from Azerbaijan and did not qualify for medal contention.
Senpai Scott battled his way to semi-finals and faced current world champion Rafael Aghayev from Azerbaijan, who beat Senpai in a close 0-2 match. Senpai then proceeded to earn a dominant win against France in the bronze medal round. Watch his match on YouTube to see the action. Congratulations, Senpai!
Tournament season in full swing
Easter Weekend consisted of a small but mighty group of WIKF athletes competing in the 2018 Junior International Cup and USA Open. They traveled to Las Vegas, where they stayed almost a week to focus on the tournament. This three-day competition brings athletes from all over the world to what is considered one of the biggest international events in the country. Many of our students came home with medals, but everyone brought back good memories.
The full team then competed at the 2018 Miya Kalai Cup hosted in Irving, Texas. With lots of experience under their belts, the athletes showed poise and success in the ring, with four athletes in finals. The team has committed to weekly practices since early January, with our advanced athletes also training Wednesday and Friday nights, on top of conditioning sessions. The countdown to Nationals has begun - 10 weeks ago - and the team is propelling towards the Championships with full vigor and effort. Well done to all our athletes these past few weeks!
Champion Sports Performance
Building of Champions
Coach with Senpai Scott
Jump, run, go!
Part of Startis' philosophy is to "[help] athletes maximize and realize their potential. We work with athletes at all levels to develop speed and agility that gives them a competitive advantage and allows them to perform at their best" (championsp.com). Fondly known as 'Coach' to many of our young students and instructors, he has helped many of our athletes vie for medal contention, and qualify for USA team selection with his research-driven, experience-filled strength and conditioning programs. He wields multiple certifications from the International Youth Conditioning Association, and has worked with athletes from diverse backgrounds, including karate, soccer, baseball, and track and field.
Coach has been a crucial and active component of our dojo's WIKF Texas team, leading conditioning sessions through rain or shine. We highly recommend him as a go-to specialist for anyone who wants to start a training program, or take their athleticism to the next level. Thank you for all you do to support our students, Coach!
Highlight on...
The Academy of Classical Karate features students and instructors to highlight the diverse background of our members within the dojo community.
This month's highlight karateka is Alejandro O. who is a student at the McKinney dojo. He is in love with karate and trains there all the time. McKinney instructors describe him as a "rockstar" who works hard in every class and shows that he wants to be the best he can be. He is always eager to help and demonstrate - but most importantly he is a great example for others in class!
Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do when you aren't at the dojo?
How long have you been doing karate? Why did you start?
Seven months. I wanted to learn self defense, and do a sport that would allow me to have fun.
What do you like about ACKD?
What has surprised you the most from doing karate?
I never thought I would have this much fun everyday in class. I look forward to come to every training!
Describe a memorable experience in your time at the dojo.
What would you recommend for someone who wants to start karate?