Liverpool Karate Academy

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2 Intro Liverpool Karate Academy is a part of CIKA England, which is of course a part of the overall CIKA World Association. Our Association, headed by Junior Lefevre Sensei, provides an extensive network of backing to our club and pathways to the highest levels of sporting competition in the world via CIKA England s membership to the English Karate Federation (EKF). The EKF is set-up as a democratically elected body for English Karate. The EKF is recognised as the only official governing body for English Karate by the WKF. The World Karate Federation (WKF) is the largest international governing body of sport karate with over 130 member countries. It was formed in 1990 and is the only karate organization recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and has more than 10,000,000 members. To summarize our approach: Traditional karate was taught to the student in a way that they needed to be taught as an individual. There are even reports of the same kata being taught by the same master to different students is slightly different ways. Karate was not meant to be fixed and the same thing to all people. While there are certainly universal principles and as a club we are heavily sport based (as this is what the vast majority of our students desire), this principle of karate being a personal journey to each of us is honoured and the aim of LKA is to allow enough freedom for all karate-ka to follow their own path. In regards to grading, there are two paths for Mudansha (pre-black belt), namely Kata and Sports Kumite or Kata and Kata Study (Bunkai, Self Defence, Traditional Style Randori Kumite). Then as a Yudansha (Dan Grades/Black belt and above) you can either continue on the same path or choose to specialize in a specific area (sports karate as a whole, sports kumite, sports kata or traditional kata and its study). We believe strongly in creating a solid foundation in karate-do, then once you have this and maturity/experience under your belt you can make smart and personal decisions on what you would like your longer term path to be as a Yudansha. 2

3 Our Badge/Logo The club badge is a combination of two major symbols, that of the Liver Bird, symbolising the city of Liverpool and the Red Sun, symbolising Japan and karate's homeland. Below is a brief overview of the two symbols that make up our club/team logo and badge. The Liver Bird The Liver Bird is quintessentially the symbol of the city of Liverpool and one of the most recognisable representations of a city in the UK and beyond. While originally thought to be an eagle (on earlier Liverpool City Crests) and then later based on a cormorant, the Liver Bird itself is not a specific bird but a mystical creature which has its own legends and tales in its role of looking over the city. The most famous of which is that the two Liver Birds on the Liver Building (random fact: which was based on a building in Chicago) are male and female. The female looks out to sea to look over and wait for the sailors to return home safely and the male who looks into the city, watches over the sailors families and city until they return home. The Red Sun Im sure you ve heard of Japan being referred to as ''The Land of The Rising Sun? The name 'Nippon' is what the Japanese refer to Japan as. This translates as 'the sun's origin' as Japan is the most easterly country and the sun rises from the east, hence the nickname of ''The Land of The Rising Sun was born. In terms of the symbol of the red sun, this represents a 'growing power' which is very reflective of how Japan has always seen themselves. Emperor Monmu was the first (under record) to use a flag representing the sun in his court in 701. Today the red sun and the Japanese flag is one of the most recognisable symbols in the world. Beyond this, the sun plays a very important role in Japanese culture (as much as there are some beautiful places to watch the sun rise). The Emperors blood line, for example is said to be the directly descended from the sun goddess Amaterasu (Shinto Religion). The name of the country (Nippon), as well as the design of the Japanese flag reflects this central importance. While this badge represents both Liverpool and Japan, it represents much more than that. Its not about the badge but the wearers... that being our teammates and friends. It s a representation of the effort, the dedication and all that we have been through and will go through together. Most badges are a worn to represent the club... this badge is a symbol of the team rather than you being a representation of the badge/club. This badge and our name will spread and people will soon come to respect its wearer because of who they associate it with. We will be collectively referred to as Liverpool Karate Academy but that is just the name of our team... and the name is not what's important, its what that name stands for... Liverpool Karate Academy is simply 'you, me, US'! 3

4 Our Association C.I.K.A England Cika England is part of the international C.I.K.A. World Association headed by Junior Lefevre Sensei and of course follows the ethos and values set out by C.I.K.A. world. The C.I.K.A. is an association for groups, clubs and individuals. As an association, we endeavour to form a circle of friendships to promote the understanding and technical enhancement of karate. We believe that karate is a martial science and a way of life that trains the practitioner to be peaceful. C.I.K.A. World Karate. Cika England's Core Principles are: Equality and fairness Participation Support Cika England is a multi style organisation that will actively promote Equality and Fairness to all. This is demonstrated by Cika England s implemented Operating Committee. Six delegates from all forms and styles of karate will be continuously working towards the smooth and fair running s of Cika England. There are also regular Committee meetings that any affiliated Person, club or association can put forward suggestions or raise questions. The Association (C.I.K.A England) Squad is the next step up from club level and all our athletes will work towards making the CIKA England Squad. This will give you the opportunity to compete at a National Level within the EKF and represent CIKA England at CIKA European and World Championships. Currently the CIKA England Squad holds sessions monthly and a minimum of 50% attendance at these sessions is expected to be selected, however other commitments within Regional or National EKF squads would be taken into account where necessary. 4

5 Dojo etiquette and rules Liverpool Karate Academy doesn t run with a lot of rules. Simple mutual respect, manors and treating others as you would wish to be treated is the LKA way. That being said there are a few etiquette practices of Karate that we follow to ensure we adhere to the martial path. Addressing Instructors While in the dojo you must address your instructor in a karate context. Below are the titles of those in our club and must be used while in the dojo as per tradition. Pete Watson Sensei (Club Instructor literally translates to one who has gone before ) Charlie Baker Sempai (Club Senior literally translates as senior ) Should anyone else cover a class then you would refer to them as Senpai (literally translates as one who started before ) which is a term which recognizes their higher level of experience and shows respect to this fact. WHEN ENTERING THE DOJO Requirement: As you enter the dojo or as you first step onto the mats you do a formal bow. Before you step out of the dojo or off the mats you also bow. Why: The dojo is a sacred place of development and it is traditional to show respect via a bow to this space. A dojo can be anywhere and have many different appearances but a dojo is somewhere which in this space you only study and develop on your martial path. It is a unique place in your life that should hold a special energy for you. At the Honbu Dojo the mats are to be treated as the dojo and at other locations without mats you should bow as you enter/leave through the entrance of the door/s of those dojo s. THE BEGINNING & END OF EACH CLASS Requirement: At the beginning of formal each class we line up in the dojo facing the shoman wall. The senior student in the dojo calls two bows. The first is Sensei, Rei in which the students bow to the sensei of the. The second is Autogani, Rei which is a bow to all in the dojo. 5

6 Dojo etiquette and rules - Cont. The end of every class will also follow this format as a way to formally finish each session.in addition on the Augotani Rei bow we all say arigato gozaimasu (ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zai-mas.) which translates as thank you. Why: Bowing is a Japanese custom to show respect and appreciation. The first bow essentially gives thanks to the instructor for the knowledge and training methods they are about to share and the second is to show respect to everyone that is about to experience the class with you (Autogani translates directly as everyone ). The bows at the end of the session also demonstrate an appreciation for the class and to your fellow karate-ka for their help in your development during the class. PARTNER WORK Requirement: When working with a partner, before starting any drill or exercise you bow to them and then again at the end of the drill/exercise. Why: To offer respect to your fellow karate-ka and give thanks for their help in your development. ATTIRE Requirement: During formal classes you must have a clean white gi with you graded belt. Kumite sessions are generally more relaxed but you must have your gi and any relevant equipment with you in case the instructor requests you to put your formal or competition attire on. During the more relaxed sessions, Liverpool Karate Academy ClubWear is the ideal attire, however not compulsory. If it is not ClubWear then the attire should be as plain as possible and never to have any inappropriate images or wording. Why: During formal sessions formal attire must be worn and this is a gi and your graded belt. The main reasons for this is that the gi, like the dojo, is uniquely karate related. You wear your gi in the dojo and during training and nowhere else. So when you put it on it helps centre you mind and focus on your personal development on the martial path. 6

7 Dojo etiquette and rules - Cont. Kumite sessions are generally much less formal and more sport based. To this end, suitable attire other than a gi is permitted. A top over a gi is also permitted. However the reason you must have your gi and full competition equipment with you is that your instructor may wish to have you in competition attire to centre your mind for athletic/competitive reasons. This is generally requested in the immediate run up to competitions during final preparations. ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY Requirement: If you cannot attend a session (that you would normally) then please let your instructor know out of courtesy. Likewise if you are likely to be late then also please inform your instructor. WHY: Liverpool Karate Academy believes in the theory that clubs (both martial and sports) create mini societies. To this end this gives us a responsibility to ensure that the personal development that karate-do aims to develop is upheld. A part of this is mimicking the rules of general society for both professional and interpersonal personal relationships. If you commit yourself to something then you should follow through. This is one of the main representations of a Black Belt. You committed yourself to a martial path and you followed through and achieved a true rank in your chosen art. Outside of karate you will have commitments that you may or may not have chosen for yourself, such as work, education, family, friends, etc. and by following through on commitments and promises made will see you become a respected and valued part of your society. Yes there will be times when the will to act will falter but following through is still a must just as it is in the dojo. Should there be a time as a grown up when you can t attend work for example you would be expected to inform them and if you don t do this on multiple occasions you will find yourself in trouble and your job/career on the line. And similarly for juniors if you do not do the required schoolwork you have (regardless as to if you want to or not) your future could be detrimentally effected. While the consequences are not that severe in the dojo of course the practice of informing those affected by your non-attendance out of courtesy is a perquisite to general courtesy outside of the dojo. This same principle runs through the etiquette of notification should you likely be late to the dojo. If You Arrive Late To Class Should you arrive late to a class you warm yourself up quietly off to the side of the class (in a location that doesn t disturb the class) and once ready to join the class you stand in yoi position until the instructor bows you into the session. 7

8 Dojo etiquette and rules - Cont. If You Need To Be Excused From The Session Should you need to be excused from the session (a child needing the toilet for example) you must raise your hand and get the instructors attention and ask politely to be excused along with the reason why. The instructor will bow you out of the session and when you return you stand in the yoi position at the side of the class and wait to be bowed back into the session. 8

9 Our 25 attitudes The 25 LKA Attitudes are a list of key thought processes which help develop the mind-set of a champion. The goal is to develop these attitudes in the dojo so they become a part of your character and you can utilize them in your daily life, allowing karate to have its full effect on you. Each one of the below will need time for reflection and I m sure they will evolve and change meaning as you develop on your journey and your perspectives change allowing you to see deeper into each point. 1. Your goal is to be the best in the dojo. Your job is to make everyone else the best they can be! 2. Every time u step on the mats it s the Olympic final! 3. Train how you want to compete so that you can compete like you train! 4. Own It! 5. Ask questions! 6. Always strive for the next level! 7. Only aim to control the controllables! 8. Train like the underdog (train your talent) compete like a champion (trust your talent)! 9. A champion will be found drenched in sweat, exhausted and having the time of their life when nobody is watching! 10. What you do in private gets rewarded in public! 11. Hate to lose... but don t be afraid to loose! 12. Breathe life into your performances! 13. "Warriors don t slouch into battle" 14. Playing not to lose is just surviving, playing to win is thriving! 15. Take training seriously, take yourself lightly! 16. Your sense of humour is the most vital part of your kit bag! 17. The pleasure of competition should always exceed the pressure of competition! 18. Show me don t tell me! 19. Train until you can t get it wrong! 20. Do today what others won t so tomorrow you can do what others can t! 21. Failure lies only in your last unsuccessful attempt! 22. Champions have selective amnesia! % of the battle is outside the dojo! 24. Win the day! 25. Results are just a side effect of your excellence! 9

10 Competitors Process Of Development The highest of accolades in our sport are European, World and Olympic titles. Only through gaining a place in the EKF National Squad can these long term goals be achieved. In order for you to know how to work towards your place on the English National Squad we have outlined below the process of development with Liverpool Karate Academy. The first step is being permitted to compete for Liverpool Karate Academy. This is not entirely based on skill level but more attitude and dedication to your training. Adherence to the Competitors Code of Conduct (see following page) is also vital to maintain our place on the team. Beyond Liverpool Karate Academy any of those that compete and are part of the Liverpool Karate Academy Squad are welcome to attend all CIKA England training and sections to aim for the associations national team. This team is currently young but will develop into the elite of CIKA England s Karate- Ka. This team will then go on to represent CIKA England at EKF National Events (English Nationals, British Open, etc.) as well as CIKA European and World Championships. The next level up is the EKF Regional Squad. Only athletes from Liverpool Karate Academy with a formal invite from our Chief Instructor will be permitted to attend EKF Regional Training and Selections. This team will have the best karate-ka from our regional catchment from all associations under the English Karate Federation and will be selected by the EKF Regional Coaches. It is then from these athletes that the EKF National squad coaches will invite athletes to the National Squad training sessions and then once there it is from these athletes that the coaches issue formal invites to A Squad Selections to represent England at WKF events such as European and World Championships. It is also worth noting that at the time of writing there are changes to the structure within the EKF and changes in the process are possible. For the most up to date information it is worth checking with your instructor or on the EKF website. 10

11 Belt Colours It is a common misbelief that the black belt signifies mastery. In reality, a black belt implies the wearer is competent in a style's basic techniques and has the correct mental attitude giving them the foundations that are needed for advanced learning. An analogy of the grading system could be that the black belt is equivalent to passing you re A Levels. There is more to learn (university) and much more to develop in regards to personal understanding through experience opposed to just knowledge. The black belt is not so much as an end, but rather as a beginning, a doorway to advanced learning. The Symbolism of Belt Colours The kyu grade belt colours, while marking your progress to the beginning of advanced learning, do also have a meaning of their own, as they are not a random selection of colours thrown together. During the development of this method of ranking, it was clear that each step to shodan (black belt) needed its own relevance and had to correlate with the student s progression. So, a seed growing into a strong, humble plant, being that it does not shout look at me or portray feelings of grandeur, yet all the while being beautiful and achieving the goals it must to survive and continually develop/grow, was the perfect metaphor of the developing student. White Belt: The white signifies the purity of birth, or a beginning, of a seed. A white belt student is a beginner searching for the correct path to take, just as when you put a seed into the ground, no matter which way you plant the seed the steam finds it s way to the surface and the roots find a way to further imbed it s self into the soil beginning the foundation for growth. DID YOU KNOW: The white belt is considered a symbol of courage for taking your first steps into the dojo, committing yourself to training and the humility needed to take instruction from another! White/Yell and Full Yellow Belt: Yellow signifies the first beams of sunlight which shines upon the seed giving it new strength and direction the beginning life. Just as a plant will grow towards the sun to seek life the student must always seek truth and follow the correct path. At white/yellow belt student has seen his first ray of knowledge, opening his mind and just like when driving at night, when you can only see 100ft in front of you, you must trust as you progress the rest of the road will appear. Then the full yellow belt of course signifies a further development towards the sun and your realization of the journey ahead. 11

12 Belt Colours - Cont. Orange Belt: Orange represents the increasing power of the sun as it rises and warms the earth. This signifies that with the warming of the earth the roots can begin to develop a foundation from which the whole plant can remain solid in its goal of growth, and stand the plant in good stead for the remainder of its life. Green Belt: Green signifies the first big stage of development, that of the seed as it sprouts from the earth, as only with strong roots can the plant sprout and be able to see the sun. Blue Belt: Blue signifies the sky as the plant continues to grow towards it. A blue belt student moves up higher in rank just as the plant grows taller. The light feeds the plant so it can continue to grow upwards from the top and the soil continually feeds the roots so that its foundations will remain just as strong, if not stronger than that of the advancing plant. Red Belt: Red signifies the sun in the late evening s sky as the plant continues growing towards it. As the plant grows slowly toward the sun, it learns to be more cautious with its knowledge and abilities because if it attempts to grow too fast, and exceeds heights which the roots cannot support, the whole structure will fall apart. Brown Belt: Brown is the second major stage, that of ripening, a maturing and being ready to flower or harvest (hence the colour). A brown belt is a student whose techniques are beginning to mature and is now reaping what was sown at earlier stages. Black Belt: Black signifies the night s sky and the end of this stage of development, waiting for dawn, before beginning the next. For up until this point the plant has only known how to grow but what happens now it s grown? It must learn to expand, as while one flower draws a bee or two in, a full flowering plant will attract many more and vastly increase the cycle of life continuing. The student is now ready to go on, enjoy the fruits of their labour and continually build on the base they have created for themselves. Another metaphor behind the colour of the black belt is that just as a journey through the night s sky is infinite, as is the martial journey, one can only travel as far as a lifetime can take you. To be a true martial artist your life becomes an extension of your art just as your art becomes an extension of your life. The student that looks for their finishing line is looking for meaning in life - create a meaningful life and one day, when you reach your finishing line, you will be proud of your journey, rather than disappointed it s coming to an end. 12