Lejeune youngsters get kick out of Okinawan Karate In unison, children as young as five years old transition from movement to movement, practicing the skills taught to them by Sensei Keith James.
Students, ages 5 and up, attend the Okinawan Seidokan Karate Kobudo class Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Midway Park Community Center.

James has been a karate instructor for more than 17 years, 14 of them at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

“This class teaches the children manners, respect, courtesy, perseverance, and to always strive to do better,” said James. “The last thing is to rebuke hot blooded courage, which basically means to not get upset so they do not act incorrectly.”
In Seidokan, the class attempts to review these rules in their minds during the brief periods of meditation and at the end of class by incorporating these rules into their minds before training and reaffirming them at the end of their workouts.

This is not the only time students are taught to abide by these rules though. It is engrained that these guidelines should be a way of life, to better themselves and to make Seidokan a style that its students can be proud of.

The most important thing a student can learn from this style of martial arts is respecting others, added Reginald Washington, assistant karate instructor.

Students are taught a variety of stances, blocks, punches and kicks.

James employs some creative and fun techniques with his younger students to
compete with their 5-year-old attention spans.

“I believe that the Okinawan style of Seidokan in one of the finest martial Art programs offered anywhere,” said James. “It is a style that appeals to both experienced martial artists and novices with no prior martial arts training.”

The students learn coordination required for carrying out the Okinawan Seidokan Karate art form.

While attending the class students are tested out for different belt levels.
Belt testing mainly consists of Kata demonstrations, Yakusoku Kumite and weapons Kata if they are testing for brown or black belts.

Prices range for each level of testing and are subject to change at anytime but it is Keith’s goal to keep the prices as reasonable as possible.

“You will find Seidokan is taught from the heart and no from the wallet,” said James. “If you look around, you will see that the monthly cost to attend the class is very inexpensive compared to others, and you will definitely get your money’s worth by attending.”

For more information on attending the Okinawan Seidokan Karate Kobudo class, contact the Midway Park Community Center at 451-1807.