Thought someone might enjoy our school newsletter. Ron


March 05

Slayers News

about Dragon Kenpo Karate

Spring can't get here fast enough! Welcome to our latest E-Mag,
we
have a couple interesting announcements, a letter of commentary from
a past member of the DKKA (Dragon Kenpo Karate Academy) and a bunch
of Q&A. Remember anyone can submit their school event, story, or
other info just email us. Also here is our monthly reminder to
contact Coach Pfeiffer at wi_ron@... for information about your
training, to update/add your picture, address (we need your correct
address) or login info. Also email for instructor development,
promotions/advancement and if your having difficulty accessing the
lessons. :) For those interested in such things our
www.DragonKenpo.US site continues to improve, members can now visit
the new white belt techniques by clicking the drop-down next to their
current rank and selecting "None".

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1st Quarter Exams are being held at the Geneva Lakes Family YMCA on
Saturday March 12th starting at 10am in the small gym. No one is
required to test for rank and may choose to wait but everyone is
expected to attend exams to get in an extra workout, support your
training partners and school. Assistant Instructors are advised to
arrive early. Makeup exams will be held the following week after your
class.

We are very pleased to announce that our organization, World Dragon
Kenpo, has been selected to sanction the training at Ivy Tech in
Indiana. The program instructor, Indiana State Director Jim Patus,
can be contacted at jpatus@... for information about this
Adult Continuing Education Course. We consider this a great honor and
will serve diligently in this new role. Thanks Jim and Ivy Tech!

A number of our members have assumed Director positions for the
state/countrys where they live. If you are interested in a
leadership position with our school let us know about it. There will
be an announcement concerning our very active membership and it's
leadership in the next e-mag.

It's not the critic who counts, but the individual who is in the
arena striving.

Teddy Roosevelt

CPR/AED

Sincere thanks to everyone who participated in the CPR/AED training
in Feb. If you've already done this training look in to getting a
refresher because the recommendations for applying CPR have changed
in the last couple of years. We will be adding a category "CPR" to
the white belt level which will include a CPR review. This is not a
substitute for taking a Red Cross or American Heart Association
certified course. It's provided as a service to those who would
like
to refresh their CPR/AED training.



Q&A Student Questions and the Coaches Answers

Q. I have been doing karate in many different styles before this.
Kickboxing,
muay thai, and I am a black belt in jiu jitsu I was wondering if I
can
advance in rank before the recommended date and do I have to send in
a tape
or can I just tell you when I feel I am ready to advance thank you


A. Distance learning members may advance more quickly if you choose
by ordering a Promotion Request through the Member>Online Store and
sending in a vhs tape of your demonstration to the address on the
contact page after at least 30 days of training. This is possible
because students may access lessons 24/7 instead of only 3 or 4 times
per week. Otherwise to save money, I recommend you use the Time in
Rank promotion after 90 day time in rank (standard time between tests
in many schools). This can be done up until your Black Belt test
which must be done on tape or in person to receive promotion at the
ranks of BB and above. Advancing quickly isn't as important as being
patient and taking your time for a quality result. In our school many
students choose the option of 90 days Time in Rank mostly due to
personal choice or lack of a camera.

Q. What is the "My Messages" section normally used for?

A. I've placed the following message there to answer this question;

Mar,05,05



What's this for?



Hi,

This communication feature is something we'll be working with more in
the future. For Q&A read our very long News page or Contact Coach Ron
Pfeiffer at 262-903-7012 or wi_ron@....




Q. How are testing videos normally submitted?

A. Generally distance learning student exam videos are submitted by
postal mail at the Black Belt levels and above on a vhs or 8mm tape.
Students in other countries who use the PAL instead of NTSC standard
must pay a conversion fee so we can have the tape converted. Some
online students may prefer, at their option, to order a promotion
request from the Online Store and send an exam video for every rank
(they receive back a signed certificate and have their exam graded).
Although most due to personal choice or the difficultly in
access/using to a video camera are promoted through Time in Rank
which is 90 days per level.

Q. Why does "My Profile" say that my current rank is "Yellow Belt,"
although the only thing in "My Awards" section is an "Enrollment"
certificate, and I have not submitted any testing material or videos
yet?

A. Our program isn't one size fits all style of training so depending
on the individual their rank may be adjusted. In our email
conversations I have determined that your previous exposure to
DK/martial arts make you eligible for Advanced Standing which means
you begin up two levels from the beginner. Also your Yellow Belt and
Assistant Instructor Awards should be available at this time. Be sure
to check the drop-down arrow next to your rank to see the lower rank
techniques and to read the "view text lesson" from the first white
belt clip (this new technique group was just added).

Q. Why does it appear that your Orange Belt assistant, and you, are
leaning back slightly, with a slightly straightened front leg, while
in the 'fighting stance'?

A. The proper body position should have you centered (not leaning
back or forward) with the front knee slightly bent. Some of that (but
not all) could be the camera angle. As we continue to reshoot and
replace clips that are not exactly displaying the techniques the way
we want them, we've simply explained that if a body position seems
unnatural or could be improved do it. The techniques explained
throughout the training are guides to help the student discover how
to make them work best for each student/instructor.

Q. Why do you hold your fist against your face while in
your 'fighting stance' while the demonstrator of the "Warmupbeginer"
clips holds his hands away from his face and body?

A. As in an earlier question here it is a slight difference of style.
I encourage a boxing type stance for our beginner students, as they
become more advanced the choices for exact hand position become a
matter of personal preference. Personally I like to keep my stance
tight, elbows in.

Q. Is it possible to view some of your students best, worst, and
average testing videos as an example of your standards for testing?

A. Not yet, we hope to offer this in the future (our online program
isn't a year old yet) with the permission of the examining
student/instructor. The exams submitted by those who intend to teach
should reflext the ideas/methods which you personally would like to
have your students do, so if your testing of students would grade the
warmup, then demonstrate it, if you would interview the students then
include such on your exam tape. We want to teach our members to think
for themselves and continue to develop as martial artists so
flexibility is built into the program.

Q. How many students are currently enrolled in your distance learning
program?

A. About 35. (3/3/05)

Q. How many people have you promoted to Black Belt in Dragon Kenpo?

A. So far 3 local students and 4 distance learning members. However
that is going to change dramatically over the next few years.

Q. Do you accept videos for distance testing at the rank of Black
Belt?

A. Yes, but some of our members have indicated a willingness to
travel here to test at our Annual Fall Exams and Banquet in WI. Like
in previous question promotion to Black Belt by either video or in
person is required above the color belt ranks.

Q. Do you have a full time job outside of teaching Dragon Kenpo at
the Y?

A. Yes, I work the night shift at a factory where I've been employed
for nearly 20 years. I could work the day shift however none of this
would be possible on that schedule. I'm a Union Steward and Safety
Committee Member on the job as well. Also I've been married to the
love of my life for the past 22 years and we're raising teenagers! So
between all that and teaching at the YMCA 3 days per week, I
administrate, provide content and trouble shoot for our online
school.



Coach, Thank you again for your complete and informative answers. I
will continue to bombard you with more, and pick your brain, if you
do not mind. You may certainly use my questions and your responses in
our newsletter, although I would request or recommend that they are
not directly attributed to me, but to one of "our students." Thank
you. I'd like to hope that I can, now, and in the future, influence
the remaining and growing DK community and help improve our
organization, system, and reputation. Thank you,

Anonymous

"In Judo, he who thinks is immediately thrown."

Robert Linssen
Judo and Psycho-Physical Unity

The following letter is used with the permission of the author and
reflects in my opinion the experience of more than a few of our
members.

Coach,

I'm enjoying our ongoing dialog, and your speedy and informative
replies. I plan to continue our correspondence. If you don't object,
I plan to share some of my experience, thoughts, ideas, insights, and
opinions, on DK, the future of DK, and your school. When it comes to
Dragon Kenpo, I constantly refer back to the original purpose and
concept. Ed Hutchinson set out to prove a point or to test a theory
in an experiment. He set out to answer the question of whether or not
someone could learn or absorb a physical skill, namely martial arts /
self-defense, to any degree of proficiency, utilizing only distance
learning. This is similar to the concept American Kenpo was playing
with immediately prior to Ed Parker's untimely death. The proposal
was put forth and the 'Americans' considered opening a chain of
schools coast to coast with step by step video instruction by Edmund
Parker. The idea was that students would visit their Kenpo Dojo and
watch a series of video tapes of Ed Parker and follow along level by
level as they progressed through the system. The idea was quickly
thrown away, along with the idea of producing "The Ed Parker Story."
To the best of my knowledge it was never even attempted. With this in
mind, I think you have come the closest to the original intent of DK,
with the establishment of your online dojo. I understand the original
theory and intent that promotion, accreditation, and rank would be
granted and based on "exposure to training," but I do believe that a
little more is required to avoid being labeled or becoming a mail
order sham scam. I think we need a way to acknowledge or identify
those who have some knowledge and skill, and to recognize those who
have worked hard to progress and develop within this system, or to
separate them from the 'time in rank' - 'exposure to training' group.
If we offer both options, we are bound to attract a larger and better
skilled group of hard working martial artists. I am not interested in
running a distance learning school or website myself, but I think
your's is the closest in DK to date, to what I'm suggesting. Your
interaction with students, beit via videos, emails, or phone calls,
can at the very least, ensure some level of understanding, constant
improvement, motivation, and monitor progress, interest, and
dedication. With all that in mind, I do not have any suggestions
outside of what you are doing so far. As I've said before, I think
you're on the mark with DK thus far. Looking back, I have visited or
passed by your website many times since it's inception. I 'enrolled'
or registered with your site several months before I 'joined.' The
reason I finally came over is because I was hoping that I could
elevate Dragon Kenpo and my and all of our credence as DK martial
artists, by being more closely affiliated with quality DK martial
arts, quality DK martial artists, and a quality DK martial arts
organization / dojo. I originally began my DK training years ago,
like many others, under Ed Hutchinson in the 'Black Belt/Red Belt-
Instructor' distance/home study course. I was also eventually granted
a black belt by DK Video Teacher #1 Name Deleted, and a 2nd Degree by
Name Deleted#2. #1 was almost impossible to contact, was evasive on
many questions, and seemed more interested in self-promotion and
money making. #2 seemed like a slightly more skilled martial artist,
was more interactive, but was slow to interact and provided limited
guidance. #2 also changed a good deal of the Hutchinson material,
some for the better, and some simply by interpretation. #2 also
eliminated the 'Red Belt - Instructor' rank and the instructor-
warmup/stretching techniques. Both maintained the distance learning
approach, the 'exposure to training' theory, and video testing. I
eventually moved over to your website/organization because of the
multitude of resources, the close contact and accessibility, and the
professional appearance and structure. I'm looking forward to a good,
long, and close relationship, and continued development through your
website. I'll give you some of my ideas or opinions on your website,
and distance learning program, over time, in additional emails. I
will give you a little more on my martial arts background in another
email. Thank you again,

Anonymously, One of the Newest Student/Instructor Members

Thank you sir for your comments and support, glad to be of service. RP

You get security from three basic things: knowing who you are, where
you are, and what you're doing.

Robert Perkins

If you know someone who should be receiving this newsletter forward
it to them or suggest they join so they don't miss one exciting
issue.

Visit the Home of the International Dragon Kenpo Association at
www.idka.org.

Opinions expressed here are the writers.

This newsletter/e-mag is the property of World Dragon Kenpo and it
members world wide. Submitted video becomes the property of our
school. All material used in association with this training are for
the exclusive and personal use of the members.

WDK 2005


Persons not able to use the automated membership processing may now
use personal checks.

wi_ron@...