We're officiallly three weeks into the Dai Hard Challenge and with the Phoenix family pushing eachother to a higher level of physical fitness, the scores are impressive! Check out the leaderboard under "The Dai Hard Challenge" tab to see who's on top!
 (l-r with most current title/ranking: Sempai Brendan Spealman, Sensei Nidan Jason Franklin, Sensei Sandan Brad Hoffeld, Dai Sempai Bob Buchanan) The above picture was taken on the afternoon/evening of February 6, 2009 after what was dubbed as "The Dai Hard Invitational". The ordeal was organized by the then Dai Sempai, Brendan Spealman and continues to be a marker in each of our lives. That day was made up of hours and hours of tough training. We loved it and I'm still very thankful to have been a part of that day. What I find most special about looking at this picture is that, as of Camp Phoenix 2011, this photo contains the last four Dai Sempai of the Phoenix Karatedo Association (there have only been five). I'm currently putting together the 2011 Dai Hard Challenge, which will launch on September 1, 2011. It's a challenge, not command, and is intended to give each of us a guided push toward a higher level of physical fitness and dedication to self improvement. Osu! Below is the official mission statement of the Phoenix Karatedo Association, Kyokushinkai. I've taken the liberty to underline and bold specific sections as a way to highlight them. MISSION OF THE PHOENIX KARATEDO ASSOCIATION "The overlying mission of the Phoenix Karatedo Association is to promote the traditional, spiritual and educational goals of Karatedo. In keeping with this mission, the Association: · Strives to develop within its members a non-quitting spirit borne of discipline, will and self-reliance. · Emphasizes the integral importance and necessity of community and fellowship in the personal development of its members. · Encourages independent research and development of karatedo in order to facilitate growth and expansion of knowledge. · Emphasizes hard, strenuous training in order to develop strong bodies that contribute to the health and self confidence of its members. · Seeks to develop well rounded individuals of high character who will lead balanced lives and contribute to society · Recognizes the many traditional influences of modern karatedo while continuing to facilitate the future growth and expansion of the Association as a whole as well as of its individual members." (Soller, Dan. The Phoenix Way, Kyokushin Karate. 2nd Edition, 2006) We live in a culture where we (especially children and teenagers) are almost expected to be lazy, self-centered quitters. We are committed to people and their overall development and improvement. We are committed to upholding our very high standards and pushing our students to their own, personal, limit and helping them find those little victories during times of testing and trial. In our group, we train our minds and bodies for those battles which never involve our hands and feet. We train to be mentally tough during times of temptation. We train to be morally and ethically strong; ready to help others whenever we can. We train our spirit to be dedicated and uncompromising to our goals and beliefs.  Last week I was able to lead two kyokushin karate camps for youth in the area. Over 40 kids came out for a week of hard work, learning Japanese words, and fun! Our special guest, Sempai Glenn Marie (from our NJ dojo) was able to come and teach on Friday. Sempai enjoyed some padded sword fighting with our younger camp and then got into his groove by going over advanced sparring techniques and combinations with the older group. All this was before we tested Christian for his blue belt, as the culminating experience for the camp. Sempai Glenn is one of those guys who is physically imposing (check out the video below), but has the biggest heart in the world. Phoenix is a better group because of men like this!  I'm rereading Bushido: The Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe, paying close attention to his thoughts on honor and shame. He writes: "A good name--one's reputation, 'the immortal part of one's self, what remains being bestial'-- assumed as a matter of course, any infringement upon its integrity was felt as shame, and the sense of shame was one of the earliest to be cherished in juvenile education. 'You will be laughed at,' 'It will disgrace you,' 'Are you not ashamed?' were the last appeal to correct behavior on the part of a youthful delinquent. Such a recourse to his honor touched the most sensitive spot in the child's heart, as though it had been nursed on honor while he was in his mother's womb; for most truly is honor a pre-natal influence, being closely bound up with strong family consciousness." He continues to compare a shameful situation with the scar which is left on a young tree. With time the scar, rather than fade, becomes more and more prominent. We all have scars, shameful reminders of choices that we've made; some more, some less. What I feel is most important is the reaction of the individual and the family to those situations. Does the idea of shame frighten you?  That cute little guy in front of me is my son, Deacon. For a boy his age, he takes his karate training very seriously! The other evening at lunch, my wife asked when karate would be over, meaning what time classes would wrap up for the day. Deacon's reply (while standing up) was, "No Mom. No. No. Karate NEVER stops. Karate training NEVER stops." That's right, it never stops! There are times, due to injury or illness, where training may look different, but it never completely comes to a halt when you are committed to the martial path. Right now I'm reading through Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell. It's a sobering read to say the least. Lately I've been doing a lot of reading on warriorship through the ages. I've always been interested in the training methods of the historical heroes (the Spartans, the Samurai, etc.) and have found one characteristic that spans the test of time. This trait draws a line and divides those who are skilled in combat from the true warriors. I believe that true warriors, while being proficient in their fighting methods and style, have an internal motivation to uphold justice and protect the weak. This idea is even portrayed in comic books where the "good guy" and his nemesis are equal in all things except character. The hero uses his skill and power for good while his enemy uses that same power for personal gain. At Phoenix Gaithersburg, I'm aiming to train up a new generation of warriors. I want to help raise a group of boys and girls, men and women, who strive to do the right thing at all times; regardless of the amount of work it may take or the sacrifices necessary. This may mean speaking truth to a friend who is in the wrong, knowing that it could bruise the relationship. It could mean giving up personal time to help a younger sibling or a neighbor. I want to lead a group that proactively looks for things that need to be done and doesn't wait to be asked. From Lone Survivor, "I never had to tell him anything. He knew what to do at all times."pg.29. Through our training, we become physically stronger and should be looking for ways to use this strength to help others. This, many times for me, looks like helping someone at the grocery store or helping a friend move into a new house. I'm a big, strong guy. I jokingly tell folks that "I can't do rocket science, but I can move furniture." While the warrior is constantly honing their skills, they never do so for mere personal satisfaction; though it is satisfying to train and improve! I believe that the true warrior perfects his skill in order to better serve his community. Phoenix Gaithersburg, we are small, but our impact on this area could be HUGE! Yesterday was one of those days where I am reminded of how blessed I am to be able to teach karate to others. Many of the children/teens at Phoenix Gaithersburg attend the same private school...which had it's last day for the 2010-2011 school year last week. Since yesterday was officially the first day of their summer break, I honestly wasn't sure who would pick karate over an afternoon trip to the pool. I was very happy to see 15 students in the first class and 9 in the second class (including Jesse who decided to train in both sessions). Keep training guys! We have, without a doubt, one of the strongest young groups around! A parent asked if they could stay and observe our class yesterday. First, let me just say that no parent ever needs to ask permission to do this. I invite your observations and input! It was a timely visit though, because a dad got to hear one of my taglines used in the middle of class (and directed toward his own son). We were working on footwork and turning and several of the boys were stumbling. Before they became discouraged, I shouted "Nobody will ever care how many times you fall down. They will only care about the number of times you GET UP!" Our style of karate is tough. Besides being physically demanding, it requires a great deal of mental toughness and focus. We all fall down, some of more regularly than others. Whether it's a poorly chosen word spoken to a friend, a mistake made at work, or eating that second piece of cake, we all stumble. The important thing to remember is that while we might fall down, it doesn't mean we have to stay there! Dai Sempai Franklin and I woke up at 3:30am on April 14th so that we could catch our 6:00am flight from Dulles to Denver. That was the beginning of one of the most inspiring weekends of my entire life. To spend four entire days surrounded by other fighers who share the same budo spirit was a life-changing experience. I don't believe that folks outside of the martial way can every truly understand what it's like for warriors to fight one another and then celebrate with eachother afterwards. The end of a match is typically sealed with a hug shared between two warriors who gave their all. We who walk along path of budo see it as something natural. Our weeks of training and preparation proved to be effective as Dai Sempai and I were in the top physical form of our lives! Dai Sempai's fitness level was a major factor in him making it all the way to the World Middleweight Championship. Unfortunately, the ring doctor would not allow him to continue and fight in the finals; a decision that is still bitter. Unfortunately, I could not copy Dai's success in the ring as I humbly lost in the quarterfinal round to a Polish fighter (Pawel Ponc) who had absolutely incredible technique. His sweep in the first round left me with a smile as I knew I'd be in for the fight of my life. In this fight though, the sweep was the difference maker! When we left Denver, both Dai and I felt as if we'd done Phoenix Karate proud. Fans and fighters alike were already asking if we'd return and compete next year, which will definitely happen! After an experience like this, I am left with a renewed gratefulness for the training and instruction I've received through the Phoenix Karatedo Association over the past 6 years. The support from Kancho Soller and Shihan Melanson have been especially meaningful to me. I am also left with a grateful heart for my wife, who has supported me throughout my entire training. |
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