The 1st Shoshinkan Invitational Tournament + Life Lessons from Karatedo.

Still on a high from last week's belt promotion, the kids of Demuraha Shito-Ryu Genbukai Laguna (aka our kids) took on another challenge - their first invitational karatedo tournament.

Demuraha Shito-Ryu Genbukai Laguna, represent! 

Hosted by Shoshinkan International Philippines, this event is also a first for the Quezon-based organization. The inaugural tournament was held last Saturday (June 1), at the Sentrong Pangkabuhayan in Pagbilao, Quezon.

The 1st Shoshinkan International Philippines Invitational Karatedo Tournament.

More or less 100 karatekas, mostly from Calabarzon, participated in the event. Most of the karatekas were Shoshinkan practitioners, while some were Shotokan practitioners. Our kids were the only ones who practiced Shito-Ryu, and the smallest delegation at that.

The Voltes V of Demuraha Shito-Ryu Genbukai Laguna. :)

Participants listening to the rules and regulations of the tournament.

They say you should 'keep your circle full of quality rather than quantity' - well, these kids proved just that. They may be few, but all of them won medals in the Kata competition. All those grueling hours, days, and weeks of fine-tuning their moves and stances and practicing their kata definitely paid off!

Sensei Louie giving the kids a pep talk before they hit the mat. 

Yue preparing for his turn.

Winners, Kata Intermediate Division, 9-11 years old.
Yue won bronze, while his teammate Kal-el won silver.

Lance, the oldest in their team, also won a silver medal in Kumite (sparring), Intermediate Division.

Medalists, together with Senpai Jolan, Sensei Danny, Sensei Louie,
and Teacher Digbay of Kaleidoscope Kids Learning Center.
L-R: Daniel won silver in Kata Novice Division, 9-11 years old;
Kal-el won silver in Kata Intermediate Division, 9-11 years old;
Mark won gold in Kata Novice Division, 9-11 years old;
Lance won silver in both Kata and Kumite Intermediate Division, 12- 14 years old.
Yue won bronze in Kata Intermediate Division, 9-11 years old.

It was a very proud moment for all of us, especially the coaches, who devoted their time and effort in training these kids.

With Sensei Ramil Abragon, head of Shoshinkan International Philippines.

But what makes me even prouder is how Yue has completely embraced the karate lifestyle. There came a point in time when he wanted to quit karate because the training was 'tiring him out', but now, he never misses out on training, even if it meant going to the dojo thrice a week for the past two months.

Yue's achievements this summer - his Green Belt in Shito-Ryu Genbukai,
and his Bronze Medal from the 1st Shoshinkan Int'l Philippines Invitational Tournament.

Karate has also instilled in him these valuable lessons, which has become his guiding force throughout the years and hopefully, for the rest of his life:

1. Never stop learning.
When you practice karate - or any other form of martial arts - you will come to realize that learning is a lifelong process. Learning all the different katas, for instance, will take years; all the more if you're a Shito-Ryu practitioner, which has 90+ katas in the syllabus.

2. Patience is a virtue.
The road from a white belt to a black belt is long and arduous. The kids' latest belt promotion took almost two years to happen, but they patiently learned all the kihons and katas and practiced their kumite skills until they were finally able to prove to their senseis that they are ready to be promoted and are worthy of their new belts.

Yue during his kumite competition.

3. Confidence is key.
By learning their strengths and working through weaknesses, these young karatekas were able to build their self-confidence. As they gain mastery over their skills, they have a deeper understanding of their capabilities, and can assimilate things beyond it. They become empowered, which gives them the confidence to overcome not only their opponents on the mat, but also the toughest situations in life.

4. Hard work brings great rewards.
For the past two months, the kids have been training really hard for their belt promotion test and this tournament. At times, they would even extend their training by an hour or so just so they could nail their katas to a T. 'You reap what you sow' so goes the old adage, and these kids finally reaped the fruits of their labor with their new belts and medals.

5. Discipline is everything.
Some people think that karate is all about kicks, punches, power, and technique, but one of the first and the greatest thing that kids from learn from it is discipline, which is critical for success in any field. Whether you want to be a black belt karateka, a pastry chef, a professional gamer, or even a make-up artist, you must invest a serious amount of time and effort to do so. It’s not always easy, but being disciplined will allow you to weather the storms and keep you focused to achieve your goals.

That being said, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Yue's senseis and senpais for inspiring these kids to work hard and train harder and for helping them to achieve their goals.Thank you Sensei Danny, Sensei Kenneth, Senpai Louie, and Senpai Jolan! Our kids are so lucky to have teachers like you!

Yue is a proud member of the Demuraha Shitoryu Genbukai Laguna, training under Sensei Danny Bualan, Senpai Louie Gelizon, and Senpai Jolan Asia. Classes are held every Saturday at Kaleidoscope Kids Learning Center. Come train with us and join our dojo! :)

ISYMAG 2019, and the Importance of Tournament Competition in Martial Arts.

When I signed my son up for karate lessons four summers ago, I only had one objective in mind - self-defense, so my son can fight against bullies. Back then, Yue was a meek five year-old, who's been on the receiving end of several bullying incidents in his class. He could not fight back, mostly because he did not know how to, and would just end up crying.

But now, look at how far Yue has come!
Not only is he preparing for his next belt test (he's looking forward to becoming a 5th kyu green belt in Shito Ryu Karate), he also has a tournament experience to his name. Together with his teammates from Demuraha Shito Ryu Genbukai Laguna, Yue participated in his first-ever national karate tournament - the In-School Youth Martial Arts Games (ISYMAG), held last Sunday (March 31) at the Bonifacio Javier National High School in Mandaluyong City.

Demuraha Shito Ryu Genbukai Laguna, represent!

The kids trained long and hard for this event, which is already an achievement in itself considering that these kids had to juggle sports and academics, and excel in both. While some kids (and their parents) are often hesitant to enter tournaments, perhaps worried about the danger that it entails, these kids were quite eager to join ISYMAG and were more than willing to extend their training hours to prepare for the competition.

Together with karatekas from other teams.

And that's a good thing, because tournament competition in karate, or any other martial arts, for that matter, has a number of benefits that can not be understated. Here are some of them:

1.The learning experience.
For young karatekas, tournaments can provide great insight into their own strengths and weaknesses, both in terms of karate skills and their ability to perform under pressure in a competitive environment. They will be acquainted with karate practitioners from other teams/clubs, and in the process, they will be able to understand and assess their own strengths and weaknesses.

2. A test of skills.
All those months or years of training will be put to a test once you enter a tournament competition. Your physical fitness, technique, stamina, timing, and mental strength will all be tested in a way that regular karate training can not. Just like in belt grading, tournaments provide an opportunity to show  your skill set, and how it has improved over time.

A solemn moment before the competition kicks-off.

3. A step out of the comfort zone.
Training in the same dojo with the same people and sparring against the same senpai/kohei week in and week out makes you comfortable. However, it can also make you complacent.

Competing in a tournament – be it patterns (kata) or sparring (kumite) – puts you in unfamiliar territory, where you're forced to perform under the scrutiny of people you don't know. It's this aspect of stepping out of your comfort zone that will push you to work harder and do better.

4. A way to overcome fear.
Staying calm amidst stressful situations is an ability that any karateka must learn. And what better way to test this ability than to compete in a tournament - a nerve-wracking situation, especially if you're doing it for the first time. Learning to relax and stay focused in order to be able to perform at the highest level is a skill that is only developed over many opportunities to try it in practice.

Gearing up for battle!

5. Develop self-confidence.
Competing in a tournament is a great way to develop self-confidence, especially among young karatekas. Tournaments give them the opportunity to display their skills and knowledge and show everyone the results of their training and hard work. For some students, having their name shouted in encouragement during a noisy tournament, and understanding that there is a whole team of people eager to witness their success can be a turning point in building self-confidence.

6. Build team spirit.
Tournaments give you a chance to grow closer to your peers. When a team travels together, competes together, spends a couple of days in close contact with one another, cheers and encourages one another during the competition, the result is a more cohesive team spirit. We all want to 'belong' to something, and that sense of belonging is fostered by tournament competitions - you get to bond with people who share the same love for karate and/or martial arts.

Team huddle, with Sensei Danny looking on.

7. Build character.

Winning and losing is part and parcel of any competition; and healthy competition is good. Not only does it help build mental strength and determination, it also offers a chance to learn about humility. In tournaments like ISYMAG, you will come across different kinds of competitors - some even stronger and more skilled than you are. This gives you the opportunity to test and hone your skills, recognize your weaknesses, and congratulate others for their successes regardless of how you fare in the competition.

8. Set goals.
Contests of any kind provide valuable motivation for you to work hard and achieve your goal. By entering a karate tournament, karatekas find additional motivation to hone their craft and be better in what they do. They get that 'extra drive' to train harder, become stronger, and be more resourceful as the tournament draws near. It is often in the weeks or days leading up to a tournament that karate students make enormous progress in their training.

Flexing... at 6 in the morning. :)

9. Be inspired.

For karatekas like my son who are still moving up through the belt ranks, watching top level black belt competitors and meeting shihans from across the country can be very inspiring. It motivates you to continue with your training, and take it up a notch to be at par with the black belters and grand masters that you admire.

10. Show your skills... and shine.
Entering a competition for the first time can be quite daunting, but at the same time, it can be very rewarding. You get the chance to display your skills, and show how hard you've worked and how much you have improved. Being able to show the world what you can do and what you're good at is already a rewarding experience, even more so when you get recognition for it.

Receiving his bronze medal for kumite from Ms. Teresita Biscaro,
President of Jendo Philippines Association.

Receiving his bronze medal for kata competition
from Grand Master Jonathan Abaya, founder and originator of Jendo,
and the Founding Chairman of the National Martial Arts Games Committee (NMGC).

Two bronze medals for his first national karate tournament - not bad! :)

The In-School Youth Martial Arts Games is an annual sports event organized by the National Martial Arts Games Committee (NMGC).

NMGC Philippines is a private, non-profit martial arts sports organization dedicated to the promotion and advance of Arnis, Jendo, Karate, Kuntaw, Sikaran, and Taekwondo under the umbrella of the International Martial Arts Games Committee (IMGC).

Yue is a member of the Demuraha Shitoryu Genbukai Laguna, training under Sensei Danny Bualan, Senpai Louie Gelizon, and Senpai Jolan Asia. Classes are held every Saturday at Kaleidoscope Kids Learning Center. Enrollment is ongoing for their summer martial arts classes, which includes karate and taekwondo.