I enjoyed an hour of light karate training today with my old training partner, Max.

We just did an easy workout reviewing all the kata, starting from Heian Shodan, all the way through the 15 basic kata, and onto the advanced kata until we were fogetting moves.

With a few light stretching breaks and three or four sets of easy dynamic stretches between the kata.

Near the end, I sat on the dojo floor and did some stretching while Max continued on and practiced the Junro Kata's - which I've all but forgotten. :-/

After training, we walked to a local asian restaraunt just one block from the Dojo, and had a huge bowl of delicious seafood soup. 

I can tell right away - that once I'm able to focus on www.MyShotokan.com more seriously - I'm going to have to take pictures of everything... all the restaurants, all the wonderful meals I'll be enjoying at new places as I travel.  Then, as I blog each evening... I can include details about the day's training, but I really want to feature the people that I meet and the places I visit as well as the karate training.

Looking forward to more training!

Uso

I've been waiting for a morning like this for over a year!

Last year, there was only ONE morning over then entire summer and fall, where the conditions were perfect, and I sure wasn't going to let this opportunity slip by!

More and more, I realize that I can be or do or have, anything I set my mind to.  These pictures are, to me, another example that you can change you life to be anything you can imagine.

For the junior belt, karate training is supposed to bring increased self-confidence because you learn defense skills and some combat skills - so you can stand up for yourself if someone assualts you physically.  

This is an important confidence to have in yourself. 
And I can attest to that fact that phyical karate-jittsu works.

But after a couple decades training in karate, one can look back and gain a perspective on the process of learning, the process of change, and the process of creating a new belief system about yourself... and you begin to see that your very thoughts and words create your future.

Many people are picky about their eating - and careful about their training, yet they are reckless with their thinking, and never realize why they fall short of every goal they strive for.

MyShotokan.

More than just punching and kicking.

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Follow me!  http://www.twitter.com/myshotokan

Many thanks to My Folks for canoeing around and tromping through the forest to take these early morning pictures!

Recently, our local museum created a Facebook Group and uploaded some archival pictures from our local weekly newspaper.

One of the pictures had me in it!  Here's the text under the photo:

Taking Care - Shannon B and Shawna O follow the lead of instructor Doug Lampi during the self-defense course the karate sensei is offering here.  Although the nine students spend most of their time in the 21 hour program learning and practicing defensive moves, Lampi emphasizes that preparation and awareness - tools that can prevent a situation from becoming violent - are the most important aspects of self-defense.  The course (offered by the Atikokan Native Friendship Centre) cost just $5 (which includes a textbook), and newcomers are welcome.  In order to accommodate shift work, it is held on differetn evenings each week; contact Lampi at www.myshotokan.com for details.

http://www.atikokanprogress.ca Monday, July 31, 1995

I wonder if I can find, in my karate tickle-trunk, the advert for the first karate class I joined, back in November 1984... one day I'll dig it up, take a snap-shot and post it here.

Cheers all

Doug

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Cheers

Autumn is here, and it's time to get the Gi out and iron it.

Hi, I'm the creator of MyShotokan.com - a website that grew out of a desire to share new kata with my karate students and help them learn to train on their own and, eventually, to become your own Master. My name is Douglas Lampi. I'm a Web Design Architect by trade and equally nerdy about Karate. 

Today, MyShotokan.com is a collection of over 180 videos of JKA Masters performing the 26 Traditional Shotokan Kata. 
The Membership subscription area of MyShotokan.com, called 'Sensie's Office' will see the first changes and upgrades!! 

This year, MyShotokan.com is going to change and evolve into my personal training lifestream online. 
I'll be blogging, posting pictures and videos and tweeting to my Shotokan followers on Twitter and other mico-blogging services.

Well, Ok, the truth is, not only do I miss the stimulation of training in karate, MyShotokan is also a personal Social Media Experiment, where I aim to build a huge list of karate friends all over the world. 

THEN - I'm going to start traveling to Shotokan dojo's in Canada, and blog my experiences to all my karate friends, subscribers, fans and followers!

• Follow me on Twitter,   http://twitter.com/myshotokan
• Friend me on MySpace,http://www.myspace.com/myshotokan
  
• Photo Contest on Facebook  http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5379787880
  

and watch for massive changes, improvements and upgrades to 'Sensie's Office' within http://www.myshotokan.com

Kampai!

Doug

This is an image of a green belt student of mine giving me a side thrust kick, yoko kekome, to the stomach.

Thanks Chris and Tyler for all the kicks that day!  I took a few good shots while we tried to get the timing to work with the camera!

Kampai!

Sensei Doug