Karate Camp and

Little Ninjas Camp

Spaces are limited for our Summer Camps!

July 18-22 - Little Ninjas Camp

This camp runs from 9am until noon each day, and is open to students aged 4 to 6.  Students attending have the opportunity to move up two belt stripes by the end of the week.

August 1 - 5 - Karate Camp

This camp runs from 9am until noon each day and is open to students ages 7 to 14.  Students attending will earn class credit towards their next ranks.

No experience needed - both camps are open to current students AND new students. 

Bring a friend and get a discount.  Rising Sun is offering $10 off the cost of camp for each friend that your bring who is not currently a RSMA member.  Bring 10 friends and train for free!!!

In addition to our traditional karate curriculum, campers will play games, learn self-defense, and be exposed to different types of martial arts.

Cost for camp is $100 for the entire week.  A $25 deposit reserves your spot - but hurry: spaces are filling up.  See Shihan-Dai for more details.

Sanchin Seminar

On Tuesday, July 12, Shihan-Dai will be offering a video seminar on Kata Sanchin.  This seminar will break down the kata, piece by piece, and body part by body part so that hidden details are revealed.

Regular practice of Sanchin conditions the body, trains correct alignment, and teaches essential structure needed for generating power within all of our karate movements.

This seminar will run from 6:45 until 8:30pm, and is open to all RSMA students who currently have Kata Sanchin.  Participants may wish to bring a notebook and pen to jot down some of the finer points.

Made the Grade Night

On Friday, July 15th, we will celebrate those students who “Made the Grade” on their report cards.  We will start at 5pm with some special training, followed by pizza and a movie.  (The movie will be announced - suggestions are welcome.)

In order to participate in this event, students must earn Honor Roll-caliber grades.  This means all A’s and B’s (Shihan will allow one C, if it is balanced by an A). 

Made the Grade tickets will be distributed in class.  If you plan to attend, please turn in your ticket to the office no later than Wednesday, July 13th.

IKKF Summer Training

Shihan-Dai will be travelling to Pennsylvania for the IKKF annual training session, in support of our Kobudo program.  Regular classes will still run on Thursday, 7/7, and Saturday, 7/9.  There will be no classes on Friday, 7/8, and the dojo will be closed on this evening.

San Dan Gi

San Dan Gi means “Three Level Drill”.  It works attacking and defending combinations at the upper, middle, and lower areas of the body.  Variations of the drill include individual and partner components.

This class is open to all students of the level of Jukyu (Purple Belt) and above.

KidsFest

Many thanks to those of you who braved the rain and joined us for KidsFest last month.  Even though we ended early due to the weather, it was great to see your dojo spirit as you came to support Rising Sun.

Domo arigato!

Summer Dress Code

During the months of June, July, and August, students are permitted to wear their RSMA T-shirts in place of their gi jackets.  Only the official RSMA tee is allowed for this use.  Please note that the full gi is required for Kobudo (weapons) and kumite (sparring) classes, and events such as testing, demos, and guest instructors.

Reminders

Tardiness – Any students arriving 5 min late to class will not receive attendance credit for that class.  Students arriving 10 min late will not be allowed to participate in that class.

Jewelry – The only jewelry that is permitted in the dojo are wedding bands and new earrings (which must remain in for several weeks – these must be taped!).  Cloth wrist and ankle bracelets are considered jewelry and are not allowed.  This is for your safety!

Rank Test Standards

The secret to success in the martial arts is consistent training.  Ideally, this means twice per week.

Please note that students who have completed the requirements for their next rank, but have not been training consistently may not be invited to test.  Inconsistent attendance affects technique.  Hopefully, this policy will help to raise the standards that we set for ourselves in our training.

Water, Water, Everywhere…Then Why Aren’t We Drinking Enough?
By Marge Pagliuca

Water is the most vital fluid for life.  It is important for homeostasis, or balance, within our bodies.  The more water we lose, the more we need to take in.  As karate students, it is important to hydrate ourselves well, before coming to class both in the cooler and warmer months.  However, it is equally important that we stay hydrated throughout our training.

Ever hear the words, “If you can’t hold off getting water for a one-hour class then you shouldn’t be training in this class”?  Not true!  It is a myth that training without water will condition you and makes you tougher.  When we exercise strenuously our muscles work harder, more heat is generated and more water is lost.  If we do not drink water throughout our workout, we run the risk of becoming dehydrated - even in winter.  While most cases of dehydration occur during physical activity at higher outdoor temperatures, dehydration also occurs during strenuous exercise at lower outdoor temperatures.  The result to our bodies is a feeling of thirst, cramped muscles, dizziness, upset stomach, and severe headache.  Being thirsty is annoying when you are in the middle of an intense workout, but becoming dehydrated, even mildly, has far more serious implications.

Thirst is the body’s signal that the water level is getting too low.  But only drinking when you feel thirsty is often too late.  When you sweat a lot, or the humidity is low, then you must drink often.  Children and older adults have an especially unreliable thirst mechanism.  So should frequent water breaks upset the dynamics of a class?  Definitely not!  It is essential for all students to stay hydrated, so frequent water breaks can be an important part of training.

Well-organized karate instructors plan their classes ahead, including spaces for water breaks.  Truly conditioned and focused karate students know that they can increase their levels of intensity and give their maximum effort once their bodies are in balance.  This is an important part of finding the balance between the body, mind and spirit that we all seek.