Kyoshi’s Training Tip of the Day

I remember when I was a little boy and my father always used to say, “don’t do anything that will ruin our good name”. Back in those days everybody knew everybody, so if my brother was always in trouble, then, everybody associated our last name with my brother and even my cousins who have the same last name. “That Caponigro family is always doing bad things”. It’s the same in the martial arts, how you conduct yourself at a tournament or other martial arts functions will associate you with your sensei, style, organization. What about outside the dojo? Todays world is like living in ”small town, USA”, everybody knows what everybody is doing….. thanks to the internet, the world is so small it fits on a 15 inch screen. Just look at how many people have viewed the NAMKA website, I’ve talked to people from all over the world, now they know who I am, they know I am matsubayashi-ryu, they know the names of the people who are associated with me and where they train. Here’s my point, being on the internet, especially on sites like, myspace, twitter, facebook, people have a tendancy to put their whole lives in writing for the world to see, but what people don’t realize is, when other people read what your doing, view your pictures, and see your use of language and who your “friends” are, they ASSOCIATE you with your sensei, style, organization, church, school, your employer and your family. Being a martial artist is not just on Monday and Wednesday from 7-9pm, it’s whenever you leave your house, whether it’s a quick run to the store or a quick click of your mouse, “don’t ruin alot of peoples good name”

Here’s some food for thought:

There are different kinds of fear and there are different types of anxiety. Usually anxiety comes before the fear. For instance, you might be fearful of driving over a bridge, what is so fearful about driving over a bridge? Usually fear is the end result of not having control over a situation.  Anxiety is the anticipation of the fear you know you will be going to experience. Here’s a serquence of events to explain it all. You’re driving down the road and you round the corner and there is a huge bridge you must go over, as you approach the bridge, anxiety starts (sweaty palms, legs a little shaky, feeling like you can’t breath, heart pumping faster, just a few of many symptoms!), now your actually on the bridge and fear is setting in (you grip the steering wheel tighter, you hold your breath, you don’t look over the side, you feel as though your going to urinate, just a few of many symptoms!), the fear is there because you have no control or options, such as, you can’t turn around, you can’t pull off to the side, you can’t stop and back up, you’re commited at this point and now the possibility of you going off the edge of the bridge (you’re ultimate fear) is now happening. You finally make it over the bridge and you pull off to the side of the road and sit and breathe and think about how that wasn’t so bad……. logic starts to arrive at that moment and you start the self talk……you drive on as if nothing ever happened, all the anxiety symptoms are gone and the fear symptoms are gone and you say ” I know I wasn’t going to go over the edge, so what was I affraid of? Our minds can do incredible things, either build ourselves up or destroy. The stress that you placed on yourself from the anxiety to the fear, can be very damaging. Here’s a quick one: you’re not a big fan of kumite, your fear is getting hit, the anxiety of knowing that tonights class is kumite night is causing the early symptoms……….you finish the rest!!!!

Before I write the training tip of the day, I want to thank everyone who sent their condolences, prayers and thoughts on the passing of my mother, I was amazed at the amount of people who follow this page whom I have never met before that sent me e-mails, Domo Arigato.

Hydrate, we often hear that it is important to drink 8 glasses of water a day. It is important to drink water consatantly all day. Some people when they do exercise etc, they wait until they’re already thirsty to hydrate, this is too late, you must hydrate long before you exercise as well as during. make sure you drink plenty of fluids before class and not just wait until the water break to gulp down a bunch of water. Gulping down water is not a good idea, same as drinking the 8 glasses a day, also not a good idea.. here’s an example that I found worked for me to relize how water works in the body. There are two plants on a table, take a glass of water and pour it into one of the plants, you will find the water goes right through and out the bottom, now take another glass of water and pour a little at a time in the other plant, wait, and then pour some more, do this until the glass is empty, you will find that the plant holds more water this way through absorbtion. So drink water all day continuously not just a glass at a time.

Yesterday, Monday July 26th 2010 my mother Elvira (Vera) Caponigro passed away at the age of 85 years old, the following is a post from the Training Tip of The Day from May 10, 2009 (Mothers Day):

 I would like to wish all the Mothers out there a Happy Mothers Day.

Back in 1965 when I got my first gi, my very first class was Monday afternoon at 3pm, I was 5 years old…..It was my Mother who tied my white obi (belt) for the very first time it was tied around my waist. I remember like it was yesterday, and she tied it correctly. Today when I practice, 43 years later, I’m going to close my eyes, picture my Mother and take just a few moments longer to tie my now black and frayed obi.

Kyoshi

In Shoshin Nagamine’s book, what is and where do you find:

“Seichu do ari, dochu sei ari”

There’s an old saying you can only be in two places at once, “here and now”. Quite often we find ourselves focusing too much on the future and not on the “here and now”. I remember when my son was a young boy and I couldn’t wait until he was old enough to throw a ball around, then I wished he was old enough to play organized football, and then old enough to get a car so we could work on it together, today, my son is away in another country………today, I wish my son was young enough to put on my shoulders and walk around the block, today, I wish I could go back and enjoy every moment with him……. we’re so busy looking at the future, that before we know it, we’re sitting around reflecting on the past and memories. That’s why it’s so important to live each day in the “here and now”. It’s no different in karate training, we focus too much on “when will we learn the next kata, get the next belt, open a dojo, I can’t wait until I can do this or that”. Then one day you’re sitting there and you say, “I don’t even remember being taught the 8th kata, or the lessons that were taught each class because we were too busy thinking about the future. If you aproach each class with the “here and now” perspective, you might learn something faster than expected, and you might be able to enjoy the future before it’s time. Remember, It’s not the destination, it’s the journey that’s important.

Check out the “events” section for info on Kamp Kyoshi…..

Ah, beautiful islands of sunlight,

And the color of the sea,

The proud fighting spirit of the Islanders

and the empty handed Sword of Justice.

Training spirit and training the body

Ah, this is Okinawan karate-Do!

O, but if an enemy should happen to attack us,

and the method of courtesy prove to no avail,

if he should cut our flesh with his iron weapon,

even then we will punch through to his bones

Courtesy and defense together

This is Okinawan karate-Do!

O! Ever since the mythical ancestry of japan,

the bell of peace has been ringing continually in Okinawa.

The way of courtesy and the five bodily weapons of Karate together,

to make a straight character and good etiquette,

This is Okinawan Karate-Do!

Happy Birthday from NAMKA to Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine, a true karate master.

Always keep your weight centered and low, if you lift up, you will be “top-heavy” and easily off balance, please see video body-movement