On January 13th Lucas and Cooper had successfully completed their Black Belt test which included doing kata for a hour and sparring for a hour. I think I learned a lot about what I have to complete at the end of my test just from observing. Now I know that I really need to work […]
Written by Elan Wilbur
Wow! That was a spectacular black belt test. Lucas and Cooper showed tremendous heart during it. Their katas had such power and strength. They preformed extremely well under pressure. They knew their katas so well they probably could have done them with their eyes closed. They had a dojo full of people with all eyes […]
Written by Cooper Riegel
Twelve Video Entries From My Test. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DP2YNWiLL52LDC4KXykxLsv5n0_MT65w?usp=sharing
Written by Elan Wilbur
I just finished reading Zen In The Martial Arts. There were many great ideas that encouraged me. The author’s teacher was Bruce Lee. Two of Bruce Lee’s quotes from his lessons for the author rang true in my heart. “Do not allow negative thoughts to enter your mind for they are weeds that strangle confidence.” […]
Written by Elizabeth Clark
While rummaging through a box of random pictures and notes at home, I found this calendar page. It is from January 10, 1998. That is when I tested for my junior black belt. (Apparently, I had a basketball game that day too, we won 29-15 and I scored 6 points. And yes, I was wearing […]
Written by Matt Nedresky
This week in particular has been a difficult one for me. Amid trying to recover from a very busy holiday season and dealing with the loss of a loved one, work and life have both been busy. It has been difficult to train or even get to class. I get the feeling that I’m drowning […]
Written by Elizabeth Clark
A little over a month into the challenge now. I feel good with where I am at. I struggle sometimes when I can’t schedule things or stick to a schedule when something unexpected pops up. But, I am on track! I feel like these winter months will be the hardest. It’s hard to get up […]
Written by Phillip Debord
In the early days of my Isshinryu journey, it was fairly common to hear references to Yin and Yang energy. For example, “Joe is aggressive, he has a lot of Yang energy.” Or, “Susan is very calm, she has a lot of Yin energy.” There’s more to the concept of Yin and Yang than I […]
Written by Elan Wilbur
We recently added a new puppy to our family. He is a big new adventure. He needs to be walked at least two times a day. He helps me get my milage walking everyday. He needs companionship most of the time. My time management has to be very efficient. I have enjoyed having family around […]
Written by Brody Hocking
One of my many hobbies that I enjoy in my free time is archery. I’ve been doing archery since I got my first bow when I was 8 or 9. I love archery because it allows me to use my bow as a tool to learn patience and balance. When I was growing up Hawkeye […]
