Cordova Shotokan Karate

Cordova Shotokan Karate

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The Cordova Family YMCA offers karate classes through Cordova Shotokan Karate, led by SKA Black Belt

Cordova Shotokan Karate is an affiliate of Shotokan Karate of America (SKA), a non-profit organization teaching traditional Karate in the United States since 1955. SKA has more than 120 dojos in North America as well as in seventeen countries, including Canada, France, Israel, Spain, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Japan. SKA is dedicated to teaching Karate in the traditional Japanese manner. We welcom

12/23/2022
Mobile uploads 09/11/2014
Missing Persons Statistics and Facts 09/05/2014

Parents: Protect Yourself and Your Children Now!

You may have read in the news last week about a young 17-year old girl, Katelyn Beard, who was kidnapped and killed. According to the website, crimelibrary.com, "An astounding 2,300 Americans are reported missing every day, including both adults and children." Even more alarming is that "Reports of missing persons have increased six fold in the past 25 years, from roughly 150,000 in 1980 to about 900,000 this year. (crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/americas_missing/2.html)

With reports of increasing abductions, crime and gang activity, illegal immigration, the threat of increased terrorism in our homeland, as well as bullying and fighting in schools, are you doing everything you can and should to keep yourself, your spouse, and your children safe?

Cordova Shotokan Karate offers you a way to learn how to protect yourself and your family, while getting in better shape both physically and mentally.

How? Through traditional hand-to-hand self-defense training, known as Shotokan karate.

Unlike most "commercial" martial arts schools, our Shotokan karate classes teach real self-defense — the type you and your children can use if (heaven forbid) one of you needed real protection. More than that, our karate classes offer a fun way to get in shape, make friends, and develop mental discipline and character.

For a limited time, we are offering THREE FREE SELF-DEFENSE TRIAL CLASSES for both adults and children (age 8 or older). If, after those three free classes, you want to train regularly with us, it's only $75 a month, with no contract or commitment. That's about half the price of other martial arts classes AND it's much higher quality, realistic self-defense training than many "commercial" martial arts schools.

Our karate instructors, Black Belts Steve Ethridge and William Ragin, are ranked by one of the most recognized and best respected, karate masters in the world, Mr. Tsutomu Ohshima. Mr. Ohshima was a top student of the founder of Shotokan Karate, Master Gichiin Funakoshi and was the first person to bring karate from Japan to the United States. That means that our instructors are just two steps away in lineage from the founder of the Shotokan style of karate and that we offer some of the highest qualify karate training in the world. Very few people in the world can offer that very valuable qualification.

Mr. Ohshima founded Shotokan Karate of America (SKA) in 1956, meaning that is the oldest karate organization in the United States. SKA is a world class, worldwide organization, with 70 schools ("dojos") in the United States and affiliates organizations in 17 countries. Our students who join SKA are privileged to train with Mr. Ohshima, other SKA seniors, and in any of our affiliate dojos throughout the world.

Some of our longest-term students have been families who have had both parents and children training together. Karate is one of the few types of exercises where parents, children, and siblings, can all enjoy training together. Yet, you can come alone as well. We currently have students ranging in age from 9 to 77.

Karate practice strengthens the mind, develops composure a clearer thought process, deeper insight into one's mental capabilities, and more self-confidence. It strengthens the entire body, improves coordination, quickens reflexes, and builds stamina and overall health.

Additionally, unlike other sports like those taught in schools (e.g., football, soccer, basketball, cheerleading, etc.), karate is a skill that you can use and enjoy for life.

We have had people join our class who had significant physical challenges (such as lack of coordination, over weight, etc.) and/or mental challenges (such as ADHD, stuttering, lack of self-confidence socially), and after several months of training with us these problems have completely disappeared. Our instructors know how to adapt the training to each individual's needs so that each person gets the maximum benefit out of karate

Here is just one quote from a parent of three of our students:

"3 of my children began studying at Cordova Shotokan Karate in early summer. My children have very different personalities but the instructors have met each child at their level. Steve and William have bolstered each child's strengths and helped each to train his weakness. They have learned so much in a very short time. Steve is very passionate about his art and he shares that passion with my children" (http://dojos.info/CordovaShotokanKarate/Reviews.aspx).

You will want to come learn true self defense and get in better shape both physicall and mentally. You never know when you or one of your family members might need real self-defense skills.

Missing Persons Statistics and Facts An astounding 2,300 Americans are reported missing every day, including both adults and children. Only a tiny fraction of those are stereotypical abductions or kidnappings by a stranger.

08/12/2014

"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

Photos from Shotokan Karate (Beach Ave Dojo)'s post 10/23/2013
Photos 09/18/2013

This is, by far, one of my favorite quotes on strategy of all time. It applies to all forms of strategy — business in general, marketing, politics, all forms of martial arts, chess and other games of strategy — indeed, anything in life that involves strategy. I quote this regularly to my business and coaching clients as a basis for doing strategic marketing research and planning before launching any type of campaign. Clients who follow this dictum to the fullest are guaranteed a better level of success than those who ignore it!

Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, defeated warriors go to war first then seek to win. Sun Tzu

Preparation is vital when it comes to a physical confrontation. You can’t wait until the thug is at your door to go learn some martial arts techniques, lift some weights, and do some stretching. You will never be successful if you wait to study for the test until you walk into the classroom, sit down, and receive your test. That would be ridiculous. You have to be prepared for what you may have to encounter long before you actually encounter it. You must think ahead.

This is the way of the victorious warrior. He knows that he must be prepared to meet the wolf anytime that he leaves his house, and possibly without leaving his home. He realizes that the skills which he will need to keep himself and his loved-ones safe take time to develop and perfect. They do not just magically appear like a genie from a bottle. It takes months and years of hard work to acquire the skills, techniques, and mental toughness that you will need when confronted by a skilled street fighter.

Don’t do like so many others and go into battle unprepared, thinking that the adrenaline that they feel, from their anger, will pull them through to victory. This is what Sun Tzu meant by defeated warriors going to war first and then seeking to win. They enter a conflict unprepared, and then seek to win by whatever means they can. The victorious warrior on the other hand, prepares for victory long before he enters into battle. He knows when to fight, and how to fight, and therefore he ends up victorious, even without fighting. Bohdi Sanders ~ excerpt from The Warrior Lifestyle: Making Your Life Extraordinary

The Warrior Lifestyle is NOW AVAILABLE on KINDLE, and in paperback, from Amazon.com at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1937884023. For personally signed copies, go to: http://thewisdomwarrior.com/books-by-bohdi-sanders.

Fighting 07/10/2013

One against many.

Fighting Tom Muzila Movie

04/06/2013

NEWS RELEASE
Contact Name: Steve Ethridge
Contact Phone: 901-331-7026

Ancient Japanese Cultural Event Comes to Cordova: Traditional Martial Arts Karate Tournament

(Press with cameras welcome)

(Cordova, TN, April 6, 2013) Just imagine: ancient Japanese warriors — skilled martial artists — battling it out, in hand-to-hand combat. And you get to sense it, up close, without any harm to yourself. That's what you'll get to see, hear and feel when you come to watch Memphis Shotokan's Third Annual Sparring (Jiyu Kumite) Seminar and Tournament, April 12 and 13, 2013 at the Cordova Family YMCA.

Come and see high level Black Belts from across the country train and demonstrate their realistic, fascinating fighting skills. See their fearless mental focus. Hear the sounds of their powerful, empty-hand combat. Get a feel for real, traditional Japanese martial arts.

Cultural arts groups in metro areas like Memphis often pay “big money” to bring in cross-cultural events to broaden the education and international relations of its citizens — at high ticket prices to the viewing public. Yet, this rare, ancient Japanese cultural event will be free to the viewing public.

This tournament will be sponsored by local affiliates of one of the oldest and best respected karate organizations in the world, headed by the first karate master to bring karate from Japan to the U.S. and start an official karate school (dojo) in 1954, Mr. Tsutomu Ohshima. Mr. Ohshima is world renowned as one of the few remaining top students of the founder of Shotokan karate, Master Gichin Funikoshi. In 1957 Mr. Ohshima received his Fifth Degree Black Belt (Godan) rank from Master Funakoshi, the highest rank awarded by Master Funakoshi and still the highest rank achievable by Mr. Ohshima’s nonprofit organization, Shotokan Karate of America (SKA). Black Belt Magazine describes Mr. Ohshima as "a legend in his own time.”[1] Karate/Kung Fu Illustrated Magazine agrees, calling him "a living martial arts legend."[2] Shotokan Magazine says he is "one of the most senior Shotokan masters in the world."[3] SKA has schools (dojos) in over 100 U.S. cities and affiliate schools in 17 countries worldwide. All SKA Black Belts are directly ranked under Mr. Ohshima.

This exciting event will be conducted by two of SKA's local affiliate schools, Memphis Shotokan and Cordova Shotokan Karate. The event will be led by Memphis Shotokan's Dojo Leader, Fourth Degree Black Belt (Yodan), Robert Bird. The event will be hosted by Cordova Shotokan Karate and its Dojo Leader, Black Belt Steve Ethridge.

The tournament will include separate competition divisions for children, adult females, and adult males, ranging in rank from White Belt beginners to the most advanced Black Belts. While the seminar and tournament are both free for members of the public to come and view, participation in the seminar practice and tournament will be limited to include only current Members of SKA.

The event will be at Cordova Family YMCA on April 12 and 13, 2013. The seminar will begin at 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. on Friday, April 12. (Friday night is optional for out-of-town participants). The main practice will begin Saturday April 13 at 10:00 a.m. The tournament will be from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. The address is 7950 Club Center Cove Cordova, TN 38018. For more information contact Memphis Shotokan (901-230-7063, www.MemphisShotokan.org) or Cordova Shotokan Karate (901-331-7026, www.CordovaShotokanKarate.org or https://www.facebook.com/CordovaShotokanKarate).

[1]Sulak, Tom, (July, 1975), “Tsutomu Ohshima,” Black Belt Magazine.

[2]Beaver, William, (http://www.shotokai.com/index.html) “Kata, Tournaments and Personal Honesty: An Interview with Funakoshi student Tsutomu Ohshima,” Karate/Kung Fu Illustrated Magazine.

[3]Cheetham, John, (Issue 85, October, 2005), Editorial in cover issue of Shotokan Karate Magazine, titled: “Tsutomu Ohshima, ‘Strict Eyes,’ A Lifetime Dedicated to the Preservation of Traditional Karate-Do.”

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Location

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Address


Cordova, TN
38016

Opening Hours

Tuesday 7:15pm - 8:45pm
Thursday 7:15pm - 8:45pm
Saturday 2pm - 3:30pm