written by sensei Brian George (3rd Dan)
VOLUME 2: Issue 1 Issue 2 Issue 3 Issue 4 Issue 5 Issue 6 Issue 7 Issue 8 Issue 9
ISSUE 5
Newsletter date nov 1999
The shotokan tiger
There are two stories that explains how the the symbol came to be used.
1. Funakoshi was asked to write the 1st book about Karate. The man who asked him was an artist called Hoan Kosugi. It was decided if the book was written Kosugi would design the cover. In Japanese, "tora no maki" is an official document of an art.Funakoshi's book would be "tora no maki" of karate. " Tora also means tiger, so the shotokan tiger was born.
2. It was said that when Funakoshi wanted to be alone he would walk up Mt. Torao. "Torao" means tiggers tail. So he thought of the strength and power of the tiger and the peace of mind that Funakoshi attained while walking the mountain paths.
As you all know we introduced a system of training which separated the lower grade student from the higher grade students.
We also introduced the "the set day training program".
The first part was to give the individual student a better means of achieving a higher standard of training by having a lower number of students at any one time thus the concentration would be on grades more closer togerter rather than the full spectrum of grades that we used to train in the past.
The second part was to give more into your training by means of set days for training, ie. Sundays are for all kata.
Wednesday the second half is for
Friday the second half is for bunkai.
Now that these training sessions are up and running we would like some feed back. Tell us if you find your training eisier and more constructive or would you like to see something else within it's structure.
The more information you give us the more we as your sensei's can do for you. Try to look at what your problem areas are, we all have or have had areas that we struggled with but found it to embarrassing to mention.
If you think that an area of your training needs to highlighted and extra training and time put into it then good because you may not be the only one with this problem and
The last grading of this century
Very shorlty everyone who is eligible to grade will recive their letters.
This will be the last grading you will do in the 20th century, therefor why not over the next few weeks make yourselves an early and extra special new years resolution.
Make a new years resolution about how you train as a karate student and ask yourself a question? Do I trin for somewhere to pass an hour or two or do I want to become a good martial artist. If it's the latter then you can do it if you put your mind to it.
Good luck for 2000
