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Products
Products
There are a number of useful products offered by Seishin Shotokan Karate. Here is an overview of what’s available.
CLUB MEMBERSHIP
For details of our club membership just go to our Free Trial Offer page and find out how to sign up.
PRO SHOP
There is an onsite pro shop at our main dojo that carries a selection of karate uniforms, sparring gear, pads and targets, apparel, books and DVDs as well as other relevant items.
CLUB BOOKSTORE
We have an online bookstore through Amazon that includes the most useful books and DVDs that are focused on Shotokan karate. There are also some excellent books on martial arts philosophy and history. Check out the bookstore today!
LESSONS WITH THE MASTER BOOK
Paul Walker released his first book Lessons with the Master in June 2007. The book details his time in Japan training at Master Hirokazu Kanazawa’s Headquarters Dojo in Tokyo for three years. Many great lessons were learned during this time and the book offers a full account of each and every lesson as well as numerous tips for students and instructors alike. The book is available through our club bookstore, from Amazon or from the publisher iUniverse.
CURRICULUM DVDs
There are several curriculum DVDs that are available to club members to assist in self-study outside of the weekly classes. The DVDs cover the kihon, kata and kumite drills that are practiced in class and that are required for testing. These DVDs are available for purchase at our dojo.
THE ONLINE DOJO
The Online Dojo is a new type of training experience that utilizes modern technology to present traditional Shotokan Karate. As a member of the Online Dojo you will have access to curriculum resources in the form of videos, audios, written materials such as articles, reports and terminology sheets, as well as a whole host of sample training plans for students and sample lesson plans for instructors. Check out the Online Dojo today to take your karate experience to the next level.
Programs
Programs
Seishin Shotokan Karate offers several different programs. Our main program is our Shotokan Karate program and we also offer Junior Shotokan for 7—10 year olds and an additional program, called the Tiny Tigers program, for 4—6 year olds.
Here is a general overview of our main programs:
THE SHOTOKAN PROGRAM
The Shotokan program is for ages 7 and up including adult. We have a series of classes that are both rank-specific and age-specific, including some Junior Shotokan classes for ages 7-10 and various family classes, as well as some advanced classes for brown and black belts. The Shotokan program offers a highly structured curriculum that brings out the best in all students and focuses on developing all of the skills associated with the traditional Japanese style of martial arts known as Shotokan Karate.
These skills include strong stances coupled with dynamic punches, blocks, kicks and strikes, as well as numerous forms (otherwise known as kata), pre-arranged partner work drills and an increasingly focused sparring skill-set that is both systematic and highly effective.
Shotokan is precise and beautiful in its simple approach to martial arts, yet the path of the Shotokan practitioner is far from easy and will provide great challenges to even the most ardent and committed student while offering clearly visible rewards along the way for every age and rank.
THE TINY TIGERS PROGRAM
The Tiny Tigers program focuses on the age group of 4 to 6 years old. For this age group we implement a striped belt system with each progressive belt being white belt with a colored stripe. Some of the goals of this program are to develop focus and coordination, to have fun and to instill a sense of confidence in the young martial artist, as well as a sense of satisfaction for the parent(s) of the Tiny Tiger. The ultimate goal, however, is to prepare our younger karate members both physically and developmentally for the Shotokan Program once they turn 7 years old.
Jiyu-kumite
Jiyu-kumite
Jiyu-kumite means ‘free sparring’ and this is where the Karate practitioner really puts his/her skills to the test. Jiyu-kumite is where your fighting skills are tested against another opponent, ideally of equal or greater ability, so that you can constantly improve. In jiyu-kumite the karate practitioner is expected to demonstrate a variety of learned techniques, footwork, balance, fighting spirit and self-control among other things. The word free in ‘free sparring’ means that there are no pre-arranged attacks in this kind of sparring, instead both opponents play a game of skill, strategy and focus to try and outwit each other with their fighting ability and knowledge.
There are different kinds of jiyu-kumite. First of all there is general jiyu-kumite which is usually seen in the dojo, with two opponents trying all of their skills in a no-point, no pressure environment. The goal of this kumite is to try many different techniques and combinations against an opponent to find out what works and what doesn’t. This is the experimental stage of jiyu-kumite.
Next there is tournament jiyu-kumite which by nature is for points within a specified time-limit for each match. The goal of this kind of sparring is naturally to score more points than your opponent within the allotted time with the winner of the match going on to the next round to face another opponent in a knockout style competition.
Finally there is match-style jiyu-kumite where each opponent (usually advanced practitioners) try to win the match using mutually agreed upon rules that they determine themselves (rules such as no groin attacks, no joint locks or breaks but full contact striking to specific target areas allowed). This kind of match is very rare and for good reason as its hard to justify two advanced practitioners trying to beat each other up just to win a match. This kind of behavior usually doesn’t befit an accomplished martial artist, however supposedly it still sometimes happens for a variety of different reasons although I haven’t personally heard of or experienced such a match during my own martial arts practice.
Chief Instructor
Chief Instructor
The Chief Instructor of Seishin Shotokan Karate is Paul Walker, a 6th degree black belt with over 30 years of experience in the martial arts. Sensei Walker started his martial arts training in England in January 1982 achieving the rank of 2nd degree black belt in Anshin-ryu karate under Sensei Keith Bell in December 1989, and then a 3rd degree black belt in January 1993 under Sensei Frank Newton, head of the Isle of Mann Karate Federation. He began Shotokan karate in 1992 at the University of Aston under Sensei Roger Timmins and trained at Master Hirokazu Kanazawa’s Headquarters Dojo in Tokyo for three years from August 1996 to July 1999. In June 2008 he was awarded his 5th degree black belt from Master Kanazawa and more recently in June 2014 he received his 6th degree black belt from the new head of the Shotokan Karate International Federation, Kancho Nobuaki Kanazawa, Master Kanazawa’s eldest son.
In March 2005, Master Kanazawa visited Sensei Walker’s club in Apple Valley and taught a series of four seminars and in the same month Sensei Walker accompanied Master Kanazawa to Hollywood and featured in the master’s DVD series “Mastering Karate” with Rising Sun Productions. Master Kanazawa continues to be the primary influence and mentor in Sensei Walker’s karate training. Master Kanazawa visited again in June 2010 and Sensei Nobuaki Kanazawa also visited in June 2006, February 2010 and together with his father in June 2010. Shihan Manabu Murakami visited together with Master Kanazawa in March 2005 and Hanshi Hiroyasu Fujishima has supported all events at Sensei Walker’s dojo including leading a seminar of his own in 2011.
In June 2007 Sensei Walker published his first book, Lessons with the Master, about his experiences of studying karate under Master Kanazawa in Japan. He has also had his articles on karate published in Shotokan Karate Magazine, Masters’ Magazine, and The Shotokan Way website, among other websites. He is currently working on releasing an Online Dojo that covers all of the Shotokan content from beginner to black belt.
In addition to our chief instructor, our club has several black belt instructors who teach and assist in class on a weekly basis. The two head instructors are Sensei Andrew Sherman, 3rd Degree Black Belt and Sensei Brandon Marquez, 3rd Degree Black Belt. There are also several senior grades who help out each week.
Current Schedule
Current Schedule
Here is the current lesson schedule (effective September 2015):
- Wednesday 5:30 – 6:00pm Tiny Tigers (all ranks);
- Wednesday 6:00 – 7:00pm Shotokan (white to purple belts);
- Wednesday 7:00 – 7:30pm Open Training (all ranks);
- Thursday 5:00 – 6:00pm Junior Shotokan (white to blue belts);
- Thursday 6:00 – 6:30pm Tiny Tigers (all ranks);
- Thursday 6:30 – 7:30pm Shotokan (purple to black belts);
- Thursday 7:30 – 8:00pm Open Training (black belt focus with instructor/open training for purple and brown belts);
- Friday 5:30 – 6:30pm Shotokan (white to purple belts);
- Friday 6:30 – 7:30pm Shotokan (brown & black belts);
- Friday 7:30 – 8:00pm Open Training (black belt focus with instructor/open training for brown belts);
- Saturday 9:00am – 10:00am Weapons training (ages 8 and up, all ranks);
- Saturday 10:00am – 11:00am Team Training (tournament competitors only);
- Saturday 11:00am – 12:00pm Shotokan (all ranks and ages).