Testing is next week, so we’re doing lots of review this week to get ready. Lots of techniques, forms, and basics, and there’s still time to get thos missing stripes and move up next week.
Archive for the ‘Events’ Category
Testing Week of June 1
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009Lots of community demos in the past week!
Monday, April 20th, 2009It’s been a busy few days. Friday, we went to Rainwater Elementary and did a board breaking class. We also sponsorred a bounce house at HebronValley Elementary and I spent some time over there promoting the program. It’s amazing how many people I see who’ve been with us or know us from being in the community. Saturday, in addition to our busy class day, I went to Primrose Castle Hills for their Spring Fling, and then back to the studio for our 11AM class. After that, it was off to Walker’s Mark apartments to speak with some neighborhood watch people about self defense.
More events coming - the next month or two look like they will be very busy. And it’s paying off - three kids signed up today. We’ve had 2 from Blanton, 2 from Primrose, 1 already from Rainwater. It looks like it will be a busy summer!
Bully training at Blanton Elementary
Thursday, April 16th, 2009Tuesday night, we went to Blanton Elementary to talk to the kids about bullying. Naturally, we don’t just talk - we also did some Kenpo. There was a PTA meeting going on, and we had 100+ kids in the gym. We talked about what bullying was, and we talked about how knowing martial arts can help you protect yourself and the people around you.
Then we got to work. We worked blocks.We worked stances. We did delayed sword, and we did some practical and fun exercises designed to show the kids that they can have CONTROL over the things going on around them. While we were there, we broke a bunch of boards, hit everyone with a couple of big ukemi balls, and finally had to chase the last group of kids outo the gym just after 8, because they didn’t want to leave. Special thanks to Deborah Gates, who set it up and Steele Lane, Susan Miller, and Sammy de la Garza who came along and helped make it a great class.
Junior 2nd Black Test / Red Black Test
Monday, March 16th, 2009Earlier this year, we added
JUNIOR 2ND BLACK BELT to our curriculum. The material needed for this belt should take 12-18 months; besides learning 19 techniques and 1 form, the student must spend time teaching other students and assisting other instructors and must become better at all the Junior material.
Saturday, Sammy de la Garza tested for Junior 2nd Black and became the first student to get there. Check out our FACEBOOK page (PowerKenpo - American Kenpo Karate!) for video.
Also testing - Sarah Bourestom tested for Junior Red Black. Forms, techniques, and, of course, lots of sparring. What makes Sarah’s test particularly impressive is that everyone she sparred against was a Junior Black Belt, and she excelled and controlled the floor even during the 3-on-1 and 4-on-1 sparring sessions.
Congratulations to both students - and we’re looking forward to Sarah’s Black Belt test this fall.
Black Belt Test at Rick Fowler’s Kenpo
Sunday, March 1st, 2009After morning classes, I went to Rick Fowler’s to sit on the promotion board for a Black Belt Test. One adult testing for 4th Black, 1 Adult testing for 2nd Black, and 5 Juniors testing for Junior Black. It was a good test - forms were sharp, techniques were good, and sparring was enthusiastic.
There are a lot of philosophies of testing - some schools make testing incredible hard, to the point where gaining a Black Belt ceases to be a realistic goal for all but a few students. Others promote regardless of skill level, based on time in class. If you read the Journey, there were many times when Ed Parker would show up at a studio, promote someone to Black Belt, and sometimes toss them the keys to open in the morning. He didn’t need to make the test a huge production because he knew the student - and he knew what they could do.
We treat tests the same way; it’s an opportunity for the candidate to show everyone what he or she can do. It’s his or her chance to demonstrate abilities, and he or she definitely does not want to be at the bottom of the curve. In the end, though, your instructor knows if you’ve got what it takes, and the test is a formality. If you hadn’t already made yourself into a Black Belt by years of training, you wouldn’t be on the mat testing. We’re there to recognize you for your work and your effort, and to welcome a new Black Belt into the Brotherhood.
Bill Piper Seminar
Saturday, February 28th, 2009Last weekend, Bill Piper came in from TEXAS STORM KENPO to do a seminar based on his new book on grafting, which is how we flow from one technique to another. At it’s simplest, we finish one technique, like Five Swords, and then jump into another technique, like Deflecting Hammer. Bill has a lot of different ideas on this subject - including my favorite, NATURAL BRIDGES, which let us flow instantly from one technique to another by finding common elements in the techniques. We’ve been working on it all week in class, and it’s feeling pretty good to us. Of course, we’re just scratching the surface, so the next few months will be a good time to be in class and do it with us!
Check out Bills site and order his new book, and get to class soon to see how it works!
Sifu Jim Dryburgh Receives His Fourth Degree Black Belt, PowerKenpo Students and Staff Are Promoted
Thursday, February 26th, 2009Several PowerKenpo students recently tested for and were awarded their black belts in American Kenpo Karate — including Sifu Jim Dryburgh, now a fourth degree black belt.
On December 20, 2008 at Rick Fowler’s studio in Irving, Texas, these PowerKenpo students were promoted:
- Sifu Jim Dryburgh (4th Degree Black Belt) — View Video Here
- Instructor Dawn Rowland (2nd Degree Black Belt) — View Video Here
- Instructor James Schmeidler (2nd Degree Black Belt)
- Assistant Instructor Sahaj Sing (Junior Black Belt)
- Student Ethan Corley (Junior Black Belt)
Congratulations to everyone who tested!
You can see more video of the test on the PowerKenpo YouTube Channel, and view pictures of the test in our photo gallery.
