Posts Tagged ‘sparring’
Martial Arts Fitness & Conditioning Tip – Suicide Kicks
World Champion fighter and Head Karate Instructor Javier Lozano at The Dojo of Karate shows you another drill that will help develop your conditioning, endurance, strength, and flexibility with your kicks by showing you Suicide Kicks.
Remember in gym class when you were trying out for the basketball team and you had to run up to each line, and come back to the start position, than run to a line that was further away….?
Yea, it’s basically the same thing!
Basically, you need to setup cones that are spaced apart about 4-5 feet from each other, all the way down your training floor.
Than, have your child / students kick with one leg to the 1st cone, than back down to the beginning cone with the opposite leg. They continue to go to each cone, kicking with both legs.
Do this 3-4 times, as well as doing the Zig Zag Kicks drill, and your kicks will to look better then everyone else.
Enjoy!!!
Martial Arts Fitness & Conditioning Tip – Zig Zag Kicks
The Dojo of Karate has a variety of drills and training regimens that will help develop your fitness, conditioning, strength, and flexibility.
Below, Head Karate Instructor and World Champion fighter, Javier Lozano Jr takes you through a drill he uses for students to not only develop better kicking skills, but also coordination.
These kicks are called ‘Zig Zag Kicks’. You basically setup as many cones as you desire, usually the distance of the entire training floor, and stagger them about 3-4 feet apart, going down the floor.
If you remember Drivers Ed, going around the cones, than you’ll remember what we’re talking about.
Than you have your child / students go around each cone until they reach the end. Once all students have reached the end of the cones, have them perform the same drill, but with the opposite leg. This way they will develop both legs.
Feel free to perform this drill as many time as you like, but usually 2-3 trips will wear a kid out.
2nd Annual – The Dojo of Karate Championships
Inner School Karate Tournament Rules
Please remember we are enforcing The Dojo of Karate Etiquette’s to all participants and spectators. If you have any questions, please refer to your copy handed out last week during classes.
The goal of this tournament is to teach our kids the importance of Sportsmanship, Determination, Integrity, Respect, and the Competitive Spirit of Sport Karate.
With that said, we want to lead by example so Karate students behave the way a true martial artist should behave – with integrity.
Competition Times
The tournament will take place on Saturday, February 5th at The Dojo of Karate.
Please arrive about 15 minutes before your start times.
Competitors that are in the Lil’ Ninjas – Beginners and Advanced programs and competitors in the Children Beginners program (White and Gold belts) will participate from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM.
Competitors that are in the Children Intermediate program and Children Advanced program (Orange to Brown belts) will participate from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
All competitors will compete in their Forms and Weapons division first, followed by the Sparring or Bunny Ears divisions.
Volunteers
To make this tournament operate smoothly, we will need approximately 12-16 volunteers to help judge competitors, keep score, and run times in the Forms, Weapons, and Sparring divisions.
Even if you do not know what to look for in a competitor’s performance or how to keep score, we will teach you. It’s very simple to follow and understand.
Volunteer training will take place on Friday, February 4th at 6:00 PM. So, if you put yourself down to volunteer, please be here no later then 6:00 PM.
We will teach you how to judge a Forms or Weapons performance and how to call points in sparring matches.
Note: If you attend your child’s Karate classes on a regular basis, then you will understand on how to be a judge.
Forms & Weapons Competition
Competitors will perform a Kata that has been taught to them in class, in front of a panel of 3 judges. Each judge will then give a score based on the competitors’ performance. The score will be added up, and the competitors with the three highest accumulated score will receive one of the following places: 1st place, 2nd place, or 3rd place. All other competitors that do not receive a placing will get a Finalist Medal.
Sparring Competition
We are operating our sparring competition like a “Spar-A-Thon”, meaning students will spar for approximately 2 hours, accumulating points throughout every match. They will have a chance to fight between 8 and 12 matches throughout the day… maybe even more.
Matches run for 1 continuous minute, while competitors score as many points as possible during each match. Points will be tallied on their index card where they will accumulate points throughout the Spar-A-Thon.
At the end of the tournament, competitors will turn in their index card to be rewarded a medal for achieving certain milestones.
To earn a medal competitors must reach the following point totals.
Gold Medal – 35 points
Silver Medal – 25 points
Bronze Medal – 15 points
Finalist Medal – 14 points or less
NOTE: The person that scores the most points in the tournament will win the Grand Champion Trophy.
This sparring competition format teaches each competitor the importance of setting goals and working towards achieving them. It will also help develop their confidence and determination.
Bunny Ears Competition
Students that are in the Lil’ Ninjas Beginners program or Children Beginners program will compete in a Bunny Ears competition.
The format is nearly the same as sparring. For each time a competitor pulls another competitors bunny ear (belt loop) they achieve a point.
Matches go on for 1 continuous minute, while points are tallied up during their entire competition. At the end of the tournament, competitors will turn in their index card and receive a medal for the amount of points scored in their competition.
Below are the following points a competitor must score to achieve a medal:
Gold Medal – 30 points
Silver Medal – 20 points
Bronze Medal – 10 points
Finalist Medal – 9 points or less
We are looking forward to all students competing in the 2nd Annual – The Dojo of Karate Championships.
Best of luck to all competitors.
Broomfield Karate School Hosts 1st Inner School Tournament
Westminster, CO – February 24th, 2010 — Local business owner and Martial Arts expert, Javier Lozano, Jr. will be hosting their 1st Inner School Karate Tournament for students & members of The Dojo of Karate.
This is a great opportunity for kids and adults training at The Dojo of Karate to apply their new learned skills in a safe and fun setting — by competing against fellow classmates.
During a Karate Tournament, competitors will typically compete in various divisions or events, such as the Olympics, where athletes enter different events to win medals. Most Karate Tournaments have divisions that include Empty Hand Forms, Weapons, and Free-Style Sparring.
Each division essentially has different requirements, making it challenging for competitors to become “complete” Martial Artists.
In the Empty Hand Forms division, competitors will perform a floor routine, in a sequence, which includes kicks, punches, and blocks, while showcasing their strength with low stances, displaying their focus and balance with difficult kicking combinations, and exhibiting power and precision with strikes capable of injuring an opponent.
The Weapons division has the same type of format as Empty Hand Forms, however, it requires competitors to use a traditional Okinawan weapon, such as a Bo Staff (long stick to carry water) a Kama (a modified sickle designed to cut wheat), or Nunchaku (two sticks with rope holding them together to break down wheat).
Free-Style Sparring is where competitors actually apply theirs skills of body movement, punching combinations, kicking precision, and timing in a setting against an opponent. This teaches the competitor how to react in a real self-defense situation. Free-Style Sparring is always performed with proper safety equipment in order to protect competitors from injury, as well as controlled contact when executing techniques.
The Dojo of Karate will have two events for competitors to compete in - Empty Hand Forms and Free-Style Sparring. Students will be required to compete in both divisions, as this will assist in creating well-rounded Martial Artists.
The purpose of this Martial Arts Tournament is to help students hone their Karate skills in a competitive format. Students will learn several characteristics of how a Black Belt should carry themselves, since that is what all of our students are training to become.
For instance, students will learn about Sportsmanship and how to win humbly, yet lose gracefully. In addition, they will develop their confidence because it takes courage to compete against others, when they are in the spotlight. Students will also find their indomitable spirit – a characteristic that Michael Phelps is widely recognized for.
Why are these Black Belt Principles important? Because The Dojo of Karate teaches Life Skills in all of their Karate classes. This will prepares a child to become better people in society with integrity and perseverance. Something that our generation of kids are missing out in.
To add a spin on this Inner School Karate Tournament, Sensei Lozano decided to setup the Free-Style Sparring a little different from most typical tournaments, known as the bracketing system, which is widely accepted in all major sports.
Instead, he is establishing a Spar-A-Thon format. Basically, students can spar in as many matches as they desire. This allows students to take full advantage of the tournament, and not experience a “one-and-done” match if they lose their first outing.
In order for a competitor to achieve a Gold Medal, they will need to score a total accumulation of 60 points throughout all their matches. For a Silver Medal, competitors need to score 40 points. And for a Bronze Medal students need to score 20 points.
This Spar-A-Thon format teaches kids about goal setting skills and determination. Not only that, but the students leave the tournament like they achieved something, and most importantly — with a smile on their face.
The Inner School Martial Arts Tournament will be hosted on Saturday, February 27th, 2010 from 10am to 1pm MST at The Dojo of Karate, which is located on 12910 Zuni St. #200, Westminster, CO 80234 in the Safeway Shopping Center.
To learn more about their martial arts and fitness programs, please call 303.920.4500 and a representative will be more than happy to assist you.
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