April 2020: Update
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- Published: 29 March 2020 29 March 2020
- Last Updated: 29 March 2020 29 March 2020
Classes remain cancelled due to COVID-19.
Note that the Junior National Championships, slated for early May, have also been cancelled.
While we are all wondering what challenges we will face next, we have had some very positive news to share. Sensei Mariah Blunt has won a $1,800 bursary from Karate Canada! With support from the Government of Canada, Karate Canada created the annual Stay in the Fight Bursary, designed to help female athletes plan for their futures in the sport in coaching, officiating or governance.
Congratulations to Sensei Mariah; since she began training in karate in 2008, she has shown tenacity, drive and an unwavering commitment to achieving her goals. She is a force to be reckoned with in the Canadian karate scene and we are thrilled that Karate Canada is lending support to help her and other female athletes like her, to Stay in the Fight.
I hope everyone is staying healthy – both physically and mentally! Experts suggest that right now it’s important to set routines for both work and leisure time and to create small goals to achieve. Certainly, this takes a bit of discipline to do, but luckily you already understand discipline and focus because of your karate training. So, while there has been a proliferation of apps, videos, and live-streaming fitness classes, which are probably fun to try, remember, we have a few set workouts from our adult classes that are beneficial! Both our ab routine and tedos are solid workouts as is doing all the kihons and katas with focus and intensity.
Take care everyone. Be nice to each other and wash your hands!
Gary Sabean
Head Instructor
Classes Cancelled Until Further Notice
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- Published: 14 March 2020 14 March 2020
- Last Updated: 14 March 2020 14 March 2020
As a result of the ever changing COVID-19 situation the Calgary School Board has suspended all facility rentals until at least March 27, 2020. All classes are cancelled until further notice. As the situation develops we hope to learn more about future gym rentals before the end of the month. As soon as we hear anything we will pass it on. For more information you can read the official notice here.
Now that we can't attend classes, use the time to work on your own. It is important to keep up with all the hard work we have put in so far. Stay fit and practice your techniques, kihons, and katas. Work on the material for your next grading. Kumite athletes can work on tactics and mental aspects of fighting. Start your session with a light warm up and don't forget to do our ab routine! Hopefully this hiatus will be short-lived and we will be able to hit the ground running when we get back together.
March - April 2020 - Update
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- Published: 13 March 2020 13 March 2020
- Last Updated: 13 March 2020 13 March 2020
In addition to our recent reminders for good hygiene and health practices, we ask that if you have a person in your household who has travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days, that you monitor your health carefully. Anyone who has travelled outside of the country in the last 14 days is being asked by Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer to self isolate. See the Government of Alberta information on self isolation.
Our karate classes will continue for the time being; however we are changing our training drills to minimize contact: we will not be engaging in close contact activities such as kumite or bunkai. We will work on individual fitness, partnerless line drills as well as kicking drills using padded kicking targets and kata.
Please note that only you (or parents for students younger than 18) can determine your personal risk tolerance when deciding if you and/or your family will continue to attend karate training.
Finally, be aware that we are in close contact with the school administration where our dojo is located (Ecole Terre De Jeunes). If they determine that the school will be closed for a period of time due to COVID-19, our dojo will also close. We will notify you if a school closure occurs.
Senior National Karate Championships – slated for March 21 and 22 are officially cancelled. See the Karate Canada statement for further information.
Gary Sabean
Head Instructor
March - April 2020
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- Published: 12 March 2020 12 March 2020
- Last Updated: 12 March 2020 12 March 2020
Information about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has become a constant in our day-to-day news and social media. And while Alberta Health Services and the Government of Canada note that the risk of infection for Canadians remains low, it is important to remember that public health is a shared responsibility. We all must do our part to keep ourselves and our communities healthy. Our dojo is a small community; however, we train in close contact. Following are some reminders to keep yourself and others well:
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If you are feeling unwell – stay home – especially if you are having flu-like symptoms. For specific information on COVID-19 symptoms see the Government of Alberta website.
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Ensure your Gi is clean for each training session.
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Wash your hands before and after karate with soap and water or hand sanitizer.
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Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, your elbow or sleeve. Dispose of tissues in the garbage.
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Don’t touch your face, nose, mouth or eyes during training.
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Wash your water bottle after each class and do not share water bottles.
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Wipe down your sparring equipment after each use with anti-bacterial/disinfectant wipes.
Senior National Karate Championships: March 21 and 22
The Canadian Senior National Karate Championships are scheduled for March 21 and 22 here in Calgary at the Grey Eagle Resort & Casino Events Centre. We have three athletes from our dojo representing Alberta: Sensei Mariah Blunt, Brooklyn Buckie and Diego Ruiz. We wish them the best as they compete with the top karate athletes in Canada! See the link on the right side of this page for information and to purchase tickets.
Announcements
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Don’t forget about our Purdy’s Chocolates fundraiser! Funds raised by our competing athletes will be used to support our dojo junior team members as they prepare for their national championship to be held in Toronto in early May. If you have any questions about the fundraiser, contact Sensei Mariah.
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The last class before spring break is Friday, March 20. Classes will resume on Tuesday, March 31.
“Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.” Pat Riley
Enjoy Your Training!
Gary Sabean
Head Instructor
January - February 2020
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- Published: 17 January 2020 17 January 2020
- Last Updated: 17 January 2020 17 January 2020
A new year typically brings all kinds of new resolutions. New goals, new focus and an effort to get rid of things that aren’t helping you keep on track. Then, once you get back to your normal routine, after about the first week of January, it all falls apart. Does this mean you shouldn’t bother trying to improve? No! But it does mean that you should consider a different method to get results. A concept that you hear a lot about currently is mindfulness. According to Psychology Today, “mindfulness is the self regulation of attention with an attitude of curiosity, openness and acceptance.” You might be saying – wait – I thought it had something to do with deep breathing with your eyes closed. But that is meditation – which is the training ground for mindfulness.
Now you might think that a sport where your opponent is trying to take your head off with a punch or kick is not the best place to introduce meditation. But karate is perfect place to introduce it because as you know, we start every class with a period of meditation – mokuso – where the intent is to relax and prepare for the training ahead. We finish class in the same way with a chance for quiet review of what we have accomplished. Mindfulness relies on becoming better meditators because, according to Mindfulness Coach Dave Charny, “the mark of a great athlete and skilled meditator is not the ability to be without distraction, expectation, or pressure, but to continue in spite of it.” There lots of mindfulness tools and apps available designed specifically for athletes to help you enhance focus and attention, body awareness and the ability to immerse yourself in the present moment – so maybe its time to reconsider resolutions and start thinking about engaging your mind for better performance.
Currently our competitive athletes are vying for spots on the junior and senior provincial teams, looking for an opportunity to represent Alberta at the Canadian National Championships to be held this year in March (Senior) and May (Junior). We wish them the best of luck in their preparations and offer our full support during our training sessions to help them meet their goals!
Announcements
- Please check your records to see that you are up to date in paying your training fees! Note that the three-month fee payment is due before the training session occurs.
- Class cancellations: Friday, February 14 for school use.
“Respond from the center of the hurricane, rather than reacting from the chaos of the storm.” George Mumford, The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
Enjoy Your Training!
Gary Sabean
Head Instructor
How to be a Good Karate Parent
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- Published: 08 March 2014 08 March 2014
- Last Updated: 26 June 2016 26 June 2016
From Karate by Jesse http://www.karatebyjesse.com
Note: I came across the following article and thought our dojo parents might enjoy it. I know I did!
Gary Sabean
Imagine the horror:
- You’ve been driving your kids to Karate class, tournaments and camps for years.
- You’ve spent boatloads of money on uniforms, belts, gradings and equipment.
- You’ve invested hundreds of hours to relentlessly push your kids to the limit.
Then one day…
BANG! They quit. Just like that. You’re heartbroken. Flabbergasted. Why?! You try to talk to them. You try to convince them to continue. You tell them they’ve come too far to quit now – give it another shot, kiddo! But nothing works. When a child makes her mind up, there’s not much you can do really.