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| Sunday, 6 April 2003 |
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Lankan Karateka in New York urges - 'find enlightment in karate' More and more people are discovering that karate helps them stay in shape and learn self defense at the same time, according to Gamini Soysa, Instructor Academy of Martial Arts (AMA), Westbury, New York, and Head Instructor/representative of Okinawa Karate do Shorin Ryu Shorinkan International Association, Sri Lanka. The benefits include: * Cardiovascular fitness. Each class begins with a moment of meditation and then 10 minutes of warmups, followed by basic techniques and callstenics. Then series of choreographed forms or "kata" which train your body in movements you'd eventually need for combat and which constitute the aerobic portion of the class, keeping up the heart rate. And unlike running or bicycling". You are using your whole body, Sensei (teacher), Soysa points out ... "The kata are a series of explosive moves which have their own rhythm". * Strength for bones and muscles. The callstehnics include pushups, situps, and leg exercises while the karate itself builds all other muscles. Such weight bearing exercise is well established as maintaining bone density. * Gentle self defense strategies. Karate like most martial arts, is primarily defensive. Students learn awareness of threat and how to respond if threatened. "The more you know and the better you are at using your power. Soysa however notes, "The more respect you have for karate, and therefore, the less apt you are to get into a fight". Sensei Gamini Soysa is currently teaching karate at New York and has dojos (classes) back home at Galle, Aluthgama, Kegalle, Badulla and Passara and South India and is available for instructions and seminars about Okinawan Karate and other Japanese karate Ryu ha @ [email protected]. Sensei Soysa says put your everyday living into karate and you will find enlightment (MYO). |
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