We have been back at training for about one month – it is wonderful to see so many familiar faces as well as new members to our club! Welcome!

Registration is ongoing – so if someone you know would like to try out karate – please pass along our club information. 

This website is intended to provide class and club information for participants and parents alike.  We will share important announcements, offer a review of what is being taught in classes, as well as what we will be working on in the coming month.  If you have any questions about our classes, the club or karate in general that aren’t answered here, please contact me!

Shihan Gary Sabean – Head Instructor

Announcements

• Class Cancellations:  There will be no class on Friday, October 11 (Thanksgiving weekend) or on Thursday, October 31 (Hallowe’en).
• Good luck to our dojo members who are competing at the 7^th Commonwealth Karate Championships in Montreal, Quebec on October 11 to 13^th.  Off to Montreal are Mariah Blunt, Noah Thompson, Ethan Baker and Diego Ruiz. 
• Karate Alberta is holding a casino fundraiser on the Thanksgiving weekend.  Funds raised go to support recreational and provincial qualifier tournaments for karate athletes throughout the province, as well as guest instructors and other learning opportunities.  If you are able to help, please see the link on the right side of the page – KAA Casino Fundraiser in Calgary – for all the details.
• This announcement is from the students of the club:  Congratulations to Sensei Gary Sabean – he recently achieved his Godan-level black belt (5^th degree) and his Shihan-level Chito-Ryu instructor – this means his official title is now Shihan Sabean. In addition, at the Chito-Ryu World Championship in Hong Kong in August, he and his team won gold for team kumite!  Congratulations Shihan! 

    Children’s Class (Friday night – Ages 4 to 6)

The children’s class is aimed at exposing participants to elements of karate, disguised as games and play.  In this way, your children will enjoy the class, while being introduced to basic karate movements and techniques.  The focus is also on teaching them disipline and how to properly listen to the instructors.  Learning these two skills will greatly enhance their ability to learn when they are attending full time classes in school.

Youth Class (Tuesdays and Thursdays – Ages 7 to 13)

The youth class bridges the gap between the children’s class and the adult class.  Participants still enjoy ‘play’ oriented drills, however a greater focus is on learning specific techniques, kihons and katas depending on belt level.

Adult Class (Tuesdays and Thursdays Ages 14 to 100!)

In September, we focused on basics – stances and basic movement.  We use these training exercises to remind our bodies about the importance of proper weighting and balance for all Chito-Ryu techniques.  We also focused on our “tanden” – this is centre of gravity within our bodies located about two inches below the navel.  Using your tanden effectively will help you in every movement you do within karate. 

In October, we will continue to reinforce basics.  In addition, we will review (and introduce for new members!) the kihons:  our sets of movements and combinations of punches, blocks and kicks.  Remember to be patient as we work through these – some movements come more naturally than others; however they all become easier with focus and practice. 

The kihons not only set the stage for our katas, but they also help in preparation for kumite or sparring.  The direction changes and quick movements required in kihons apply to all aspects of karate and create a strong foundation for you to build on for both katas and kumite. 

Enjoy your training!