Sacramento Martial Arts and Karate

Mike Oliver's Journal – November 2010 Archive (6)

A day in the life of Mr. Oliver

Some of you have wondered how in the world I plan to achieve all of the goals that I laid out for myself for the coming year. 50,000 push-ups and sit ups? Run a 1,000 miles? Run every kata 1,000 times? I do it the same way we do everything. One day at a time. Here's how my day looks for tomorrow.

7:00 am - Meditate

7:15 am - 75 push-ups/sit-ups

7:30 am - breakfast

8:00 am - run 3 miles

8:45 am - 75…

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Added by Mike Oliver on November 30, 2010 at 10:04pm — 1 Comment

UBBT: Letter of Intent

I sent this letter out today to my family and friends--everyone that I want to include in my test (the world!). This is an example of what you might use if you are on this years UBBT team as a public declaration of your goals. Post it here, e-mail it, share it on Facebook. Get the word out to as many people as you can. Hold yourself accountable.

In 2011, I will be participating in the…

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Added by Mike Oliver on November 29, 2010 at 10:24pm — 3 Comments

UBBT 2011 Team Requirements

I sent this out today the the students, parents, and affiliates of our school that have already committed to being on this year's team. I know that some others of…

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Added by Mike Oliver on November 25, 2010 at 1:21am — No Comments

Owning a Belt Test

In Isshinryu, there are certain standards that must be attained before earning a new belt. My students know that I can be particularly picky about small details. I'm sure you have overheard me making sure that a student's stance is just right or that his posture is correct. These are standards that we all must strive to achieve--they are set for everyone. But these aren't the only requirements to earning rank in at our school.

Many…

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Added by Mike Oliver on November 9, 2010 at 11:30am — 2 Comments

Your Black-Belt Test Starts Today

We are still a very young dojo and with that comes many unique advantages and disadvantages. One advantage that we do have, is that we can set our standards as high as we would like them to be. And while it is very debatable about what it means to hold a green or brown belt in the martial, there still remains a certain mystique about the coveted black-belt. When you hear that one is a black belt in karate, what…

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Added by Mike Oliver on November 4, 2010 at 1:00pm — 3 Comments

Okinawa - The Real Fountain of Youth?

"At seventy you are but a child, at eighty you are merely a youth, and at ninety if the ancestors invite you into heaven, ask them to wait until you are one hundred... and then you might consider it."

This ancient Okinawan proverb rests on a stone marker in Ogimi, a small village typical of Northern Okinawa. This phrase could very well typify the mindset and vigour of the Okinawan people, especially when considering the…

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Added by Mike Oliver on November 3, 2010 at 2:30pm — 1 Comment