Sensei Stuart used to push himself harder than any sensei could ever push him, which is why he became a national champion and world class martial artist. The awards and trophies and accolades flowed, but he didn't care about those sorts of things. He loved the martial arts, he loved training and pushing himself to be better, and he thanked God continuously for the ability to do so. This spirit of effort and humility is one to emulate. He would have loved this workout, and he'd be proud to see you all do it!! 1,000 Kicks, 100 Pushups, 10 Kata, 1 Horse Stance. Break the kicks up evenly among the kicks you know how to do at your particular belt level. Include spin kicks and jump kicks at equal amounts.  For Example:

White Belt Kicks:
100 shuffle front kicks right leg, 100 shuffle front kicks left leg 100 rear leg front kicks right, 100 rear leg front kicks left, 100 shuffle roundhouse kicks right leg, 100 shuffle roundhouse kicks left, 100 rear leg roundhouse kicks right, 100 rear leg roundhouse kicks left, 100 jump front kicks right leg, 100 jump front kicks left

or....

Yellow Belt Kicks:
50 shuffle front left, 50 shuffle front right, 50 rear leg front left, 50 rear leg front right, 50 shuffle roundhouse left, 50 shuffle rounhouse right, 50 rear leg roundhouse left, 50 right, 50 jump front left, 50 jump front right,50 shuffle side kicks left, 50 right, 50 rear leg side kicks left, 50 right, 50 spinning back kicks left, 50 spinning back kicks right, 50 spinning crescent kicks left, 50 right, 50 rear leg outside crescents left, 50 right, 50 inside crescents left, 50 right

and then....

100 pushups with chest touching the ground and full extension of the arms at the top, 10 kata, starting with the most advanced and working down, and back up, if necessary, 1 horse stance as long as you can hold it, writing down the amount of time you held it.
Enjoy the Journey.
July 2008

Five Keys to MASTERY
1. Quality Instruction
2. Practice
3. Surrender
4. Intentionality
5. Pushing the Edge
These simple ideas will be you to live a life of mastery, of whatever it is you intend to master - whether it's your job, a bad habit, cooking, or martial arts.  Learn more about each of these 5 keys and what they mean by reading "Mastery" by George Leonard, which you can find in our martial arts library.
- "Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long Term Fulfillment" by George Leonard
July 2008

"Almost without exception, those we know as masters are dedicated to the fundamentals of their calling.  They are zealots of practice, connoisseurs of the small, incremental step.  At the same time - and here's the paradox - these people, these masters, are precisely the ones who are likely to challenge previous limits, to take risks for the sake of higher performance, and even to become obsessive at times in that pursuit.  Clearly, for them the key is not either/or, it's both/and.  The trick here is not only to test the edges of the envelope, but also to walk the fine line between endless, goalless practice and those alluring goals that appear along the way.  At our dojo, we present aikido, first of all, as an endless path.  But we also have periodic examinations that are rigorous, challenging, and sometimes quite dramatic.  The exam for first-degree black belt is, in particular, a rite of passage....it is an intensive course in advanced techniques but also a physical and psychological trial by fire.  During this ordeal, no personal flaw, no secret idiosyncracy, is likely to remain hidden.  If all goes well, the exam itself becomes an expression not of ego but of essence, a climactic and transcendent moment in a long journey.  But the journey is what counts.  In the words of the ancient Eastern adage:  "Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.  After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water."  The new black belt is expected to be on the mat the very next day, ready to take the first fall."
- "Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long Term Fulfillment" by George Leonard
June 2008

"Tabata Training -- Tabata interval training is a timed system of training calling for 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest continued for 8 intervals... or 4 minutes. It's a short amount of time, so intensity is peaked. The goal is to score as many repetitions of the given exercise as possible each round. For example, tabata squats would require 20 seconds of squats, 10 seconds of rest, squats, rest, etc... your final score is the round with the fewest reps. If you did 20 squats the first round, then 20 the second round.... but only managed 15 by the eighth round, your score would be 15. The goal is to maintain a high average intensity for the whole 4 minute period.  Try Tabata training with squats, push ups, sit ups, kicks, jumps, and anything else you can think of.  Happy Training!!"
- Sensei Brian
June 2008