Ken Zen Ichii Karate
Practice and Training
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Helpful Training Advice
from David Segovia Kaicho
"Your forms are the most important part of your training. In them you put to practice all your basic moves and learn to feel the body as it moves. With practice you will see yourself and your imaginary opponent in every move made. Then you will begin to feel moves before they are made against you. This will be just another step in your learning.
Breaking is to learn to move your power against a real object, such as a block of wood, a brick or any such thing. Breaking thin boards is easy and can be done by anyone. As the object gets thicker and larger, the correct position of the wrist, correct speed, correct aim, and correct mental attitude come into play. It must be remembered that breaking in Karate is to teach you to move in complete control of both your body and mind.
Sparring, like breaking, gives you the chance to move against a real opponent, an opponent that is also moving against you. While sparring try using all the techniques you have learned. Remember that kicks are only a small part of what you are learning and should not be relied on more than the use of the hands. Both sparring and breaking are important to Karate but only as a part of your overall education in the art.
Practice of forms and sparring will give you balance, aim, speed and timing. Breaking and the practice of your basic moves will increase power, control and self-confidence. It is all a part of learning how to best defend your self, should it ever become necessary. The goal of a person practicing Karate is not defeating an opponent, but one's own fears, self-doubts, and angers. When a person has bettered himself or herself, they have bettered the world they live in.
The perfecting of your mind and body are interrelated and you shouldn't try to perfect one while overlooking the other. You should always continue to improve both. In perfecting your body, competition should be set aside. Your progress should not be compared with what others are learning or how quickly they are advancing. A person must never slow down or give up because others are improving faster. Feelings of pride are to be set aside or you may become arrogant.
Thinking you are better than others will hinder your development. If you become jealous of another's progress this will distract you from paying attention to your own progress, which is detrimental.
If you can avoid the egotistic attitude of always having to be the best you will learn more and improve faster. When sparring, use the time to learn how your body moves. If people sparring with you are just trying to win, don't let it change your attitude. Don't try to show your superiority by beating them. Learn from everyone you spar with; not just your equals or betters but also from those below your rank.
Try to watch your feelings. The meditation should increase your awareness so you can see your thoughts and emotions, and seperately qualify them. If you can see yourself becoming irritated and disappointed, you can avoid anger. You cannot always express personal feelings as they occur, since this may hurt other's feelings. Other people may not be so considerate of your feelings! Later, when you are alone, sort through your feelings and express your true emotions.
Remember that people who brag and put others down are compensating for deep feelings of inferiority. See this for what it is, and have compassion. This will keep you from letting someone who is bragging lead you into doing it yourself. Some people will always try to say things to make you mad or get you to argue, but they should be ignored.
Learn to ignore pain. Again, the meditation will help control your awareness; see the pain as a remote event, far from your core. If you should take a block that hurts, never show it; doing so will give your opponent an advantage.
Always be as polite as you can, especially to anyone older than you.
A belief in a God or Supreme Power is very important to your improvement. You should know that someone is watching over everyone and that things are following a master plan, although it seems where we are going and why is not for us to know. As long as we believe things will work out for the best, they will. God will never let you down, though to you, it may seem that way at times. Everything is moving and progressing as it should. Also remember that your actions will return to you. A good person will receive good in return, while a bad person will meet a bad end.
To be truly great you must follow "The Way", something which is not easy to do. It means to work at all times for what is best for all men. There is no room for prejudice, envy, or pride. There should be compassion in your dealings with others. At times this may cause you great pain or sorrow, but you must be strong enough, emotionally, to rise above it.
Try to see the world as it is, not as it seems."
" Code of Conduct"
I will foster and promote Courage, Justice, Truthfulness, Loyalty, Self Control and Honor in accordance with
the "Spirit of Bushido” and to use Karate only in its purest manner. Arthur "Mr. Bee" Beverford