Dear Students and Parents,

I am very excited to announce a new program that we will be including in our martial arts training. The program is titled “Six Tasks.” The concept behind “Six Tasks” is to teach six tenants, which were central to ancient martial arts training, to our younger students. Briefly, the topics of each task are:

1. Respect. Students perform 50 acts of Courtesy, Kindness and Respect.

2. Teamwork. Students learn the value of teamwork by completing 50 home chores. We turn the family into the “team” that student must learn to help.

3. Perseverance. Based on the old adage that “a journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step,” students will complete 1,000 repetitions of a technique or kata.

4. Self-Discipline. Students will complete 5 consecutive days of “healthy eating.”

5. Leadership. Students will complete 10 “mentoring” sessions with a new student.

6. Knowledge. Students will read two books (that we will assign), and write ten letters.

Each assignment includes a journal that the students use to log the completion of the assignments. In each journal are instructions, examples, famous quotes, etc. Parents will need to assist younger students and help guide them through the process. After the completion of the “task” the student receives a patch for their uniform, and become eligible to test for the next belt level.

From a parent’s point of view, consider this: We, as parents, all want our children to become “more” than we ever were. As a “teacher,” I want all my students to be better than I ever was. As a father, and a teacher, I want to see all of our children reach their potentials, unharmed. I want to see them face life’s obstacles with a fierce determination to succeed, to overcome. Determination, that we can help them develop.

This program is a major step in remodeling our testing process for younger students, as they begin or continue their journey toward their Shodan Degree, the “black belt.” It is my belief that through the martial arts, we have an opportunity to develop skills, and more importantly, a mindset, that will provide benefits for a lifetime. Take a moment and consider the meaning of the word: Yoshukai. It means “strive for excellence.” We want our students to understand that settling for mediocrity is not an option. We must always, in all things, attempt to improve. Always trying to be the best person that we can possibly be at all times; is the spirit of Yoshukai. The concept of never giving up, always pushing ahead is embodied in the word: OSU! You hear this word often during class. It is core to our teaching. Life is not fair, nor easy. But regardless of the adversity, trials, pitfalls, and difficulties, we must continue to “push ahead,” never giving up.

The Samurai lived by a code of conduct that is known as the Code of Bushido, or the Way of the Warrior. This “code” follows eight concepts. (Translated from Japanese to English by Dr. Y. Sasama)

Jin – to develop a sympathetic understanding of people.

Gi – to preserve the correct ethics.

Chu – to show loyalty to one’s master.

Ko – to respect and to care for one’s parents.

Rei – to show respect for others.

Chi – to enhance wisdom by broadening one’s knowledge.

Shin – to be truthful at all times.

Tei – to care for the aged and those of humble station.

Can you see the similarity of the code of Bushido, and the six tasks concept? Do you see the irony in a “warrior” code that is about protecting and caring for others, and not about the ways of “war?” This is perhaps the greatest misunderstanding of Karate. While many may start martial arts training thinking that it is all about being able to “beat up” an attacker; somewhere along the way they realize it is really about learning to “beat down” perceived limitations that hold them back. They learn that only by pushing your limits, can you truly grow. They learn to apply the same lessons learned through martial arts training to all other aspects of life.

Please use the lessons found in the Six Tasks to reinforce what you are already teaching, as a parent.

OSU!

Shihan Rolan Peak, Sensei

Panama City Beach Dojo