Duke Shotokan Logo
 
SKA Logo "True karate is this: that in daily life one's mind and body be trained and developed in a spirit of humility, and that in critical times, one be devoted utterly to the cause of justice."
-- Gichin Funakoshi
 



Announcements

Last updated Jan 30, 2010    


East Coast Winter Special Training will be held in Ashland Va at Randolph Macon College Feb 5-7.  This may effect practice on Monday, Feb 8.  Updates will be posted here and on email list.


Practice Schedule for spring 2010 is below

 

Prior experience is not necessary.
There is no charge for instruction
  Just come to a practice or contact the folks at the bottom of the page.
(we do ask that you come at the beginning or end of practice or that you sit quietly and observe.)


Current Schedule

Duke Dojo

 
 Location: Brodie (East Campus) Gym's aerobics room 

Monday space reservation  8pm-10pm 

  Because of the later start on Mondays, please plan to arrive by 7:45pm and do personal warm ups outside the room.  We will start practice promptly at 8pm. 

Thursday space reservation 7pm-9pm 

For Thursdays, the room should be available at 7pm for personal warm-ups
and practice will start promptly  at 7:15pm.
  • Note that if you are an SKA (See below) member, you can attend also Tuesday and Thursday night practices at  the Chapel Hill Shotokan Dojo.

  • Practices are not mandatory.  Come to as many as your schedule permits!  However, please come on time or advise John or Mark if you will be unavoidably late.


  Note that Wilson and Brodie gym access is via DukeCard and is open with no fee to Duke undergrad students. Grad students, employees, staff, and alumni must purchase a recreation membership. All others must be guests of a cardholder and a per visit admission fee will apply.

Upcoming Events


Winter Special Training
East Coast Winter Special Training will be held in Ashland Va at Randolph Macon College Feb 5-7.  
It may be too late to register, but I really interested, talk with John.


Monthly Social

     We hope to have an abbreviated practice once a month  after which we will retire to a local watering hole/restaurant  to socialize.  Hope that you can join us.
 


Duke Shotokan Karate Club

The Duke Shotokan Karate Club is a chartered  club at Duke University for Faculty/Staff/Students/Alumni. We practice Shotokan Karate-do and are a member of Shotokan Karate of America (SKA), a non-profit organization teaching traditional Japanese Karate-do since 1955. For more information about SKA and Karate-do in general, please visit the Official SKA Web Site.   

While membership in SKA is not required in order to practice with the Duke Karate Club, it is highly recommended and is required if you wish test for belt rankings.  Membership also encludes training privileges in all USA SKA dojos and world wide affiliates (Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Morocco, The Netherlands, The Netherlands Antilles, Spain, and Switzerland).

Joining SKA also allows you to practice with members of the Chapel Hill Shotokan Dojo



See bottom of Page for Other Youtube Videos of Interest




Practice is led by black belt instructors in the traditional manner with emphasis on personal attention and achievement. Beginner and advanced students usually train together. Ranking testing occurs twice a year, usually coinciding with the end of the Fall and Spring semesters.

The Art of Karate

Karate may be defined as a weaponless means of self-defense. It consists of dynamic offensive and defensive techniques using all parts of the body to their maximum advantage.

Karate practice is divided into three categories:

    • Kihon
    		 (basic blocks, punches, kicks and stances)
    • Kata
    		 (pre-arranged forms simulating combat situations)
    • Kumite
    		 (sparring)
In each category the beginner is given instruction at the most basic level until the techniques become spontaneous to them.

As the student progresses technically, they progress physically, and practice demands greater stamina. At this stage, they become involved with more intricate and difficult katas and more dynamic forms of kumite.

As the student approaches black belt level, techique, stamina, speed and coordination become natural to them as a result of strong practice. It is at this stage that the serious student discovers that they have only just begun their study of karate. The object of true karate practice is perfection of oneself through the perfection of the art.

The Values of Karate

The values of Karate to modern man are numerous. In our everyday lives we often forget the value of exercise to both our physical and mental health. The practice of karate tones the body, develops coordination, quickens reflexes, and builds stamina.

Also, the serious practice of karate develops composure, a clearer thought process, deeper insight into one's mental capabilites, and more self-confidence. In this, karate is not an end, but a means to an end. It is an activity in which advancing age is not a hindrance. Rather it encourages proficiency and the keen coordination of mind and body.

Suggested Readings

These books are usually 20-30% off list at Amazon.com. Click on the name of the book to be sent to the website for easy purchase.

Videos of Interest

Origins of Karate

Tsutomu Ohshima - Fumikomi

Tsutomu Ohshima on Mind Breathing Body at Shotokan Dojo


Kata-Bassai

Shotokan Karate torite & suwari-waza exercises

Tsutomu Ohshima

Tsutomu Ohshima - Memories



Vendor(s) for gis and other gear


Interested in attending? Questions?

Please contact :
  • John Foster -        Dojo Chief Instructor     JohnF_Photo.JPG
    •           
             (jfosterska at earthlink.net)
            or cel. # 919-619-4351




  • Robin Mi -            Club President       RobinMi Photo
    •           robin.mi at duke.edu   
     
    •   Mark Kitchens-      Dojo manager, Webmaster, and chief bottle washer
             msk at duke.edu




    Google Groups
    Duke Shotokan Karate
    Visit this group


    We also have a Facebook group.




    Previous Events

    The 31st annual Spring in the South  was held  April 25,26, 2009 in Card Gym on Duke's campus
    and was led by Manfred Chiu, godan. For a great collection of photos from SIS, see Nachum Sicherman's site

    4 members of the Duke Shotokan dojo went to 2009 Winter Special Training at Randoph-Macon college, led by yodon Rob Clark  in Feb 2009. (group photo below)

    Group photo after 2009 East Winter Special Training


    2008 Spring in the South- group photo     For more photos of 2008 Spring in the South with Mr. Oshima, see Nachum Sicherman's site


    2007 Spring in the South

    Return to Duke Homepage

    Webpage questions/comments to Mark Kitchens  (msk at duke.edu)
    Last updated  1-30-2010