Training in the kimberleys

Tae Kwondo is popular and the only martial art in the Kimberleys. In Broome, Eskrima (phillipino sticks) is also available. The head instructor Tony Familari demands respect and students address him as "Sir". There are women training which is always a credit of the instructor. Sparring sequences with restraints were part of the training. I was honored when he told me that the Eskrimo session was championship training. I managed to keep up with it. I have not practised Eskrima very much.

Kununarra also has Tae Kwondo, these sessions are geared for competion sparring with double kicks to increase point scoring.

Travel 2004

This is an old article but with blogging it has to come up in order that u post
August 2004, Bangalore, India

Hello there MM,
I’ve resurrected from a month of spiritual confinement in yogic practices at Prashanti Kutri, Kanataka India. Yoga as was often stressed is a way of life not just asanas (postures), so
I’ve been lectured in Indian philosophy
chanted songs of praise and worship
Om ed until my aveoli have shivered with the vibration
breathed strength from the divine
sat in painful positions with a smile
meditated to see the light
and stepped closer to samadhi (super consciousness).
I feel rebirthed, ready to taker on the world again. I have been totally cared for in the last month. Something I haven’t experienced since I left my parent’s home.
What will I bring to you?
Pranayama: concentration on the breath as a cleansing and purification of the body. It’s also an entry point for vital energy (not just O2 ) and perhaps the divine(god), if you’re lucky. I already use a couple of the techniques and with limited time it is hard to include more.
Meditation: calming the mind to silence and bliss so as to reach an altered consciousness in direct communication with the divine (if you’re one of the choosen ). You never know what truths reach you at this stage. Your own or another soul’s, perhaps revelations from the divine.
I’d like to include 10mins in programs, but you know with the rush and noone has any time, this may be problematic.
To clear your mind and fill it with nothingness is a very difficult practice.
Asana the postures, yes, what we believe yoga to be. The stretching and toning of muscles and joints. They have qualified me to reach these but prefer me to enlighten people on yoga and use the integrated approach. Asana is only one of eight limbs of yoga. I already include these in the programs.
BUT I may have a 1 hour session to include all the above and no –selfdefence as one of the MM programs
Interested, I’ll be back in Nov.
Next I’ll do a month of Kalirippayatu, an Indian martial art. I’ll be in touch.

Women have an aversion to power and force, perhaps because they are considered masculine concepts, attributes and characteristics. Yet they must deal with these in every aspect of their lives whether at work, play, domestics or relationships. They may be physical in the sense of lifting, pushing, pulling or interpersonal in the games people play. Power is an absolute strength to dominate while force is an insistance or persistance to secure submission.

The way women regard, undertake and deal with force and power should not measure her femininity. Physical resistance as compared to submission is a right; an obligation to future generations so that those who wish to abuse power by using force are punished and dissuaded, social expectations are reversed and standards of femininity change.

Strength is not necessary for physical resistance. All martial arts work with the diversion/redirection of force.

In Aikido opponents learn to ride the force until they can gain control. The attacker co-operates when a technique is administered on them to prevent injury and can escape by rolling out. It's the movement which absorbes the force and can revert it against the attack.

Wing Chun's sticky hands works on a touch component where contact with the opponent allows the redirection of force and sliding past it to take control. Karate deflects force with turning of the hand-arm at the last minute.

In all martial arts there is no clashing of force.

exercise

Exercise is very important for the bodies immune system and the cellular exchange of body fluids to cleanse the body. Massaging and stimulating the organs while directing prana, chi, ki around to locations in the body is also important. Muscle toning and improved circulation are added benefits.

Aerobics has become a popular form of exercise, everyone hopes to sweat the calories away with minimul effort whilst jiving to tunes.
The Martials combat fatigue is an aerobic program with martial arts movements.

This program introduces participants to martial art concepts through movement which tends to dance, especially since there's music. Women are more attracted to this program as it doesn't deal with force and can be fun.

The program begins with breathing exercises then moves into light jogging, leaping and stepping to warm the body. Stretching exercises to limber the body for the drills and sequences that follow. Abdominal and back muscles are the focus eventhough all major muscle groups of the body are given attention. Blocking and striking sequences are then introduced. In the final sequence women move around the circle approaching and swiftly moving past another women going in the opposite direction. The aims of the activity is to define personal space and glide past a force. The program finishes with a warm-down of standing yoga asanas.
When the music begins everyone concentrates on themselves . Step by step instruction is given which makes the exercise easy. The music is continuous and with western and multicultural songs.

Qualification

2005 Certificate 4 competencies (personal Trainer)
2004 Yoga Instructors Course (India)
2003 Certificate 3 fitness Instruction (see attached sheet for results)
Gymnasium InstructressGroup fitness instruction
Martial Arts
Goju Kai (Melb) 2yrs Wing Chun (Melb 2yrs) ( Darwin 1yr) Aikido (Melb 6yrs) (Japan 3mths) Tae Kwondo, Judo, Wu Shu (1year)Tojinkai Jodo
Workplacement for Cert3
Brunswick Swimming pool Gymnasium 26.5 hrsCoburg Leisure Centre 32.5 hrsGroup fitnessUnderbelly (bellydancing) 5hrs
2000-2002 Melbourne University Post Graduate Diploma in History
1997 Kangan T.A.F.E. Melbourne - Small Business Management
1982 RMIT Batchelor of Social Work

Martial Arts

Goju Kai
The first style of Martial Arts I tried was Goju Kai in Balwyn at Tino Cebrano's Dojo. In the 1980's, I began my career in Martial Arts with this Karate. Not only did it help me locate and exert power but I found eloquence in the katas. I studied for two years and was enchanted by the middle-aged Shihan when he occassionally appeared to give a lesson.
Goju Kai is classified as a hard/ soft Karate and has various blocks, strikes and kicks. Training is orchestrated sequences of combat as well individual shadow boxing, mimicing the instructor. I use a typical Karate-do elbow drill as a warm- up exercise in my programs. The use of elbows is essential in women's self defence as they are useful in close contact. Women usually find themselves very close to their assailant before they realise they are in danger.

Aikido
I have know Aikikai Aikido for longer than 20 years and probably trained 18 years. I consider it my first style. The attraction to Aikido is it's grace and combat Kata's, a form of dance with rolling as an escape from the wrist locks take downs. Movement is imperitive for Aikido as it is very difficult to exercise the techniques if the uke (partner attacking and receiving the technique) is a motionless blob of tense muscles. I tell them that stone cracks but you can't catch water.
The techniques are effective but the system has been devised as an art form rather than for self defence. There is a degree of co-operation which must exist between oponents. This is less dangerous and reduces the risk of injury. Aikido taught me movement to strategic positons and riding the force. The training is an art form and needs years of training before the practitioner becomes competent to apply it as a self defence. The Aikidoka has several principles to apply such as movement in a cicular form to dissipate the force. Locating your "one point" as an energy source and to exert power.
I use the ikio take down in self defence.

Wing Chun
I first discovered this art in Darwin being a Jim Fung's style and was particularly attracted to it because it was devised by a women and suited smaller people. The concept of centreline extended my knowledge of the Aikikai "one point" to finding stability and it is the shortest distance between you and your opponent. Being balanced allows you to exert and withstand force by redirection. William Cheong's academy has a rule that you never fight force with force. You must not try to overpower a force but move out of the way or redirect it.

Brief History of Yoga
Earliest archaeological evidence of Yoga's existence could be found in stone seals which depict figures of Yoga poses called Asanas. The stone seals place Yoga's existence around 3000 B.C. The oldest known Yogic teachings are found in the Vedas. The Vedas are the sacred scripture of Brahmanism that is the basis of modern-day Hinduism. It is a collection of hymns which praise a divine power.
The 200 scriptures of the Upanishads Upanishads (primarily thirteen principal texts of the Vedanta, that are the culmination of all Vedic philosophy) (the conclusion of the revealed literature) describe the inner vision of reality resulting from devotion to Brahman. These explain three subjects: the ultimate reality (Brahman), the transcendental self (atman), and the relationship between the two. The Upanishads further explain the teachings of the vedas
Later, around 500 B.C., the Bhagavad-Gita or Lord's Song was created and this is currently the oldest known Yoga scripture.link with http://www.yogaindailylife.org.au/classes/richmond.htm
Yoga in Daily Life
SVYASA University
http://www.svyasa.org/index.asp

Herstory

Magic Movements was created as an attempt to feminize martial arts so that it became more appealing to women. The founder wants to give women of all ages, sizes and cultural diversity the chance to engage in activity which (she believes) empowers them. Body awareness, physical ability and inner peace are an unbeatable combination for supreme esteem.

Martial arts improves self-esteem so that respect from others is a natural expectation. Eventhough, women now engage in martial arts, there are many that do not want to deal with the physically demanding training, masculine hierachical structure and formality. Magic Movements is casual yet it maintains standards of self discipline and effectiveness in technique.

The founder
Anita Carcour

Initiation into Kaliri Payatt martial art (India)

As A child I was always apt to sport and physical activity. I wanted to engage in martial arts when Judo was becoming popular in Aust (late 60's ) My cultural background prevented me from commencing as it was not seen as an activity, girls /females should undertake by my father. When I ventured from my family home and began to travel, I needed to learn skills in self defence.Goju Kai with Tino Cebrano was the first dojo I attended. I found it easy to adapt to techniques and physical exertion. The grace involved with martial arts movements are a powerful expression which makes me feel invinsible. The self discipline, focus and inner calmness are added benefits of training.

self defence

Self defence is the ability to protect yourself and use physical resistance in violent situations. It is permitted by law (as long as you only use as much physical force needed to stop the abuse/attack. If you use more physical force than needed to defend yourself, then you could be charged with assault/abuse.

class in coburg

The threat or use of physical force against another is not justified:

1. In response to verbal provocation alone.

2. To resist an arrest that the person knows is a peace officer or by a person acting in a peace officer's presence and at his direction, whether the arrest is lawful or unlawful, unless the physical force used by the peace officer exceeds that allowed by law.

3. If the person(1) provoked the other(a) The person(1) withdraws from the encounter or clearly communicates to the other his intent to do.(b) The other nevertheless continues or attempts to use unlawful physical force against the person.

Abuse may come in many forms, emotional, psychological and physical. Self defence for women usually incorporates strategies to deal with adverse situations. The confidence to deal with difficult predicaments or situations rather than compromise or submission, will lead to control over ones life and supreme esteem; the ability to do anything and hurdle over obstacles.