What’s here? European tour, support breast cancer research, Kenpo TV updates, new book
New Book Coming
Last month I signed a contract with Blue Snake books, a subsidiary of Random House, to publish a compilation of my books, Kenpo Karate 101 through Kenpo Karate 601. Back in the late 90s I was going to do one big volume but thought maybe you would like individual books. Blue Snake thinks they should be one and it will act as a master reference on the forms and sets. This book is updated, corrected and new material is included. There will be new sections on sets and Forms Seven and Eight. The target date for release is Fall 2014. Current books will be unavailable after June 2014, so if you want the individual volumes you need to get them before then. Mr. John Sepulveda is writing the foreword and new photos will be included, too. My thanks to all who have bought the books over the years and to everyone involved in the new publication.
Upcoming Seminars
September 6-7 Austin and Round Rock, TX. Ed Cabrera teaches his Kenpo Fusion in two locations, hosts are Daniel Delenela and Glenn Haley.
September 13-14 Chicago, IL. Hosted by Kurt Barnhart
October 4-5 Madera and Clovis, CA. Hosted by Pete Valdez and Graham Lelliott
My seminar info is on my page at kenpotv.com/leewedlake/seminars-2
9/11
A bow of the head and a few moments of silence for those we lost 12 years ago this month.
Forty Ways to Less Stress
Robert Wallace is one of my 6th degrees. He sends out a free “Daily Dose of Motivation” e-mail. 143 of them! You can get on Coach Robert’s e-mail list by contacting him at coachwallace1982@gmail.com
“Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.”
– DEAN WORMER (John Vernon) in National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)
In the online store
This is the month to get those pink breast cancer support t-shirts we have in time for October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A portion of the proceeds goes to research; the planned beneficiary organization is the National Breast Cancer Foundation. They got a 4 star rating from Charity Navigator. Kenpo crest on the chest and technique line graphic on the back with “We do bad things to breast cancer”. kenpotv.com/leewedlake/store
Elements of Effective Coaching DVD with Bob White, 9th degree
“DVD instructional video for instructors, future instructors, and school owners by Master Bob White. Master White will share with you the methods that have enabled him to work full time as a karate instructor and school owner. Topics include motivational and coaching techniques, along with the skills necessary to develop long lasting relationships with your students“.
Mr. White has consistently turned out some of the top fighters in Southern California and is on the international seminar circuit. It’s available on his site at http://www.bwkenpo.com/store.html
“Never mistake activity for achievement.” – John Wooden
Kenpo TV Update
More Ed Parker clips coming up. If you’re unfamiliar with KTV, you can try it for $1 for a week. Extend your subscription, several to choose from, and get beginner access for newer students for $20/month. All access subscriptions include all material from beginner to degrees of black and include an instructor section. You can cancel anytime, too. kenpotv.com
2015 Wonder Valley Camp
Graham and Jaydean Lelliott host a great kenpo weekend in the Fresno, CA area. Raise your hand if you think you’d like to go to the 2015 event (it’s bi-annual). www.glkenpo.com and click the kenpo camp link. Send Jaydean a message and she’ll put you on the list of interested participants.
European Seminar Tour
I’ll be in Germany, the Netherlands and England in November between the 15th and the 30th. Marc Sigle, Thomas Kozitzky, Richard Baarspul and Gary Ellis will host in the Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Amsterdam and Plymouth areas respectively. I have a little “dead” time between the Dutch and English in case anyone wants a weeknight seminar between the 26-28th. Contact me at lee@leewedlake.com.
“You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. “
– Albert Einstein
Recommended Reading
Blood Rites by Barbara Ehrenreich. Steve White asked me if I’d read this and I hadn’t at the time. It’s an interesting read on the origins of war and an examination of what seems to drive us to it. I’ve looked at individuals fighting as war on a small scale, being Clauswitz’s “extension of policy” idea. The author looks at it from a much larger scale. As a martialist, you*ll be interested in it as she writes about samurai and knights, their position in society and how their importance diminished with the advent of the gun. War has been called “A rough male sport”. Her look at rites of passage to warriorhood are interesting from historical and sociological perspectives, too. You can get it on Amazon.
Seminar Recaps
In August I did seminars in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Ohio and New York. Here’s a brief look at them.
Broomall,PA. Marc Shay hosted at his American Karate Studio. Two seminars on Saturday focused on Two Man Set and grafting. Sunday was a comprehensive session for black belts on the beginner and intermediate material. Next time we’ll cover the advanced material. To the credit of the instructors there, in their private lessons they all wanted to review basic forms to nail down the principles. Goon on them!
Goose Creek,SC. I taught at Nick Dreiling’s Coastal Kenpo Karate near Charleston. I did seminar for the kids on Friday evening and an all-day thing on Saturday. The Saturday sessions covered category recognition, zone theory and grafting, too.
Mount Vernon, OH. Steve Hatfield hosted me at his Panther Kenpo Karate studio. I taught an instructor class on Friday evening on the Two Man Set and two sessions Saturday. Those topics were grafting (popular!) and flow drills.
Stony Point, NY. I was on staff at John Sepulveda’s first East Coast AKTS camp. I covered concussions and sleeper holds with all the groups, except the kids!
My thoughts are with them
I’ve got several friends/students fighting cancer and other conditions right now. I guess I’m “at that age” where my some of them are old enough their health is failing. I keep them in my thoughts and try to keep in touch as much as possible. Me, I’m ok. A touch of arthritis and, like Bruce Willis said in a recent movie, “My cholesterol is a little high”. I attribute my not having to take any pills on a daily basis to exercise and a reasonably good diet. Maybe genetics, too. Stay strong, y’all.
Until next month,
Lee Wedlake
Lee Wedlake’s Karate Newsletter September 2013