WOMANS SELF DEFENSE

Date: February 10^th 2013

Time: 11am-1pm

Cost: $20 (ALL ages welcome and family plans available)

Instructor: Colin Treem, 24 years Martial Arts and Self Defense Training, Certified Talon Instructor (self-defense tool), 100 plus hours in Police/Security Training Tactics.

Location: White River Budokan (Tip Top Bldg 2^nd floor)

85 North Main Street

White River Junction,Vermont
802-299-0765

Class information: We will focus on self-defense tactics, situational preparation and defense, weapon training with everything from keys to magazines to your minds! Our goal will be to empower everyone and to not be looked at as targets or victims!!!!

White River Budokan was proud to host the 2012 The United Martial Arts Association East Coast Training Camp

The White River Budokan hosted the second annual TUMAA east coast training camp. The dates for the training seminar were May 4,5 and 6, 2012. The venue was Hartland Elementary School gymnasium. We are very excited to be hosting this event, as a wide variety of traditional martial arts was offered. This was an open invitational to all martial arts students, whether training for many years or just a few classes. This was a great chance to gain exposure to some traditional martial arts.

Classes were provided in Goju Ryu KarateDo, Pankration, Hapkido, Jeete Kun Do, Judo, Aikido, Hapkido, Tae Kwon Do, Iaido, Ne Waza (grappling), Shoto -Jitsu, Okinawan Bo, Tai Chi and Ko TaiShin Ryu, also there will be Law enforcement training, Womens self defense, basic self defense, Reiki and therapeutic stretching.

The turnout was about as many as last year but with some different classes and instructors. Please go to Facebook and visit White River Budokan to see pictures of both lastyear and this year. This unique training will be offered again around the same time next year so the registration for this year is being left on to show folks prices and how to register.

I am proud and pleased to announce that there were some testing and promotions at TUMAA East in 2012 as well at in our dojo.  Please forgive me if i dont mention you here but i will make sure you do if i overlook you.

Marie Fogg  Sandan Jujutsu(at TUMAA)

Shawn Furbish Sankyu Jujutsu (at TUMAA)

Sensei Colin Treem Godan GojuRyu Karate Do(at the USMAA Camp)

Sensei Matthew Treem Yondan GojuRyu KarateDo(at the USMAA Camp)

Sensei Kevin Fuller, 4th dan Tae Kwon Do was promoted at the USMAA Camp in Aikido to Shodan

Sensei Vincent Porreca Sandan GojuRyu KarateDo(at TUMAA East)

Jake Tuthill  Shodan Jujutsu(testing at Dojo)

Sensei Louise Herschel, Sandan, Iaido was promoted to Nidan, GojuRyu KarateDo(dojo test)

Ethan Guyer, Ikkyu GoJu Ryu KarateDo(at TUMAA East)

Colin Treem Sensei conducted a Women's Self Defense Training at the dojo in 2012 which was highly successful according to the participants.

Recently, at the TUMAA East 2012 seminar the following students tested and were promoted

Louise Herschel  Sandan GojuRyu KarateDo

Vincent Porreca  Sandan GoJu Ryu KarateDo

Marie Fogg  Sandan Jujutsu

Shawn Furbish Sankyu Jujutsu

Ethan Guyer Ikkyu  GojuRyu Karate Do

Our congratulatuons to Sara Flint, recently promoted to Shodan, GoJuRyuKarateDo and Jake Tuthill, Shodan, Jujutsu, during a test at our dojo  Other junior students tested at the same time and their names will be listed shortly.

During June, 2009   Master Josh Dingler and Master Luc Wright visited us for a seminar in our dojo.   Master Dingler taught Jeet Kun Do techniques as well as Short Fist Hapkido.  Master Wright taught grappling techniques he teaches to his cage fighting students.  Both visiting instructors are members of The United Martal Arts Association based in Bloomington, Illinois.  Sensei Treem taught, during the seminar, some techniques from Ko Tai Shin Ryu, the system he has formulated and introduced it on this day.  A few weeks later both Sensei Treem and Sensei Herschel travelled to the TUMAA annual training camp in Bloomington.  Sensei Herschel taught iaido and Sensei Treem taught a class in Ko Tai Shin Ryu  and one in GojuRyu Karate Do.

The White River Budokan has also promoted many students over the past few months. We would like to congratulate them all for their hard work and dedication to our dojo. Here is a list of the students, new ranks and styles with which they were promoted.

Sensei Colin Treem - Yondan - Goju Ryu Karate-do

Sensei Matthew Treem - Sandan - Goju Ryu Karate-do

Sensei Louise Herschel - Shodan - Goju Ryu Karate-do

Vincent Paryka - Nidan - Goju Ryu Karate-do

Ethan Guyer - Ni kyu - Goju Ryu Karate-do

Sarah Flint - Ni Kyu - Goju Ryu Karate-do

Patrick Boggess - San Kyu - Goju Ryu Karate-do

Kevin Birdsley - Yon Kyu - Goju Ryu Karate-do

Sensei Colin Treem was also recently promoted to Sandan in Jujutsu while attending a Ko Tai Shin Ryu seminar taught by Chief Instructor Ron Treem.

Ko Tai Shin Ryu translates as "the Old School of Body/Mind" and, in a way, fits the current title "Mixed Martial Arts".  However, just as Karate or Tae Kwon Do practicioners, for example, may be considered kickboxers its all semantics after all.  The White River Budokan offers training in the following arts:

1.  GojuRyu Karate and kata and kihon as well as exposure to kata from Shotokan, WadoRyu, Shiito Ryu, and Uechi Ryu. Ippon, Sanbon, and Jiju Kumite is also taught at our dojo for KarateKa.

2.  Jujutsu with influences from classical jujutsu as well as modern self defense strategies, techniques, and needs.  The jujutsu here is influenced by Hakko Ryu Jujutsu, Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu and, primarily, Nihon Jujutsu(this last system is highly classical and was developed by Shizuya Sato, a direct student of Kyuzo Mifune Sensei)

3.  Aikido   with techniques from different branches of Ueshiba Sensei's teachings.(i.e. Hombu Dojo, Yoshin, Shobu, and input from USMAA Aikido instructors)

4.  Judo  with interactions with teachers from the United States, Japan, and other practicioners  Recently, I ventured to Austin, Texas and met Sensei Zdenek Matl, a classical judo instructor originally from Czechoslovakia.  He shared great insight and practical self defense usages for judo and I plan on gaining more knowledge from him along with President Mike Makoid, USMAA and the other judo practicioners in the USMAA.  I am proud to announce that my good friend of many years, Thomas Pristow, has agreed to be the Stylehead for Aikido in the USMAA.  Pristow Sensei, Hachidan, Aikido, honored me by asking me to be on his testing board at the recent USMAA Training camp in the summer of 2012.  He also honored me by being on the KarateDo Board for that test.

5.  Chinese Boxing   ranging from street oriented techniques to more formal Tai Chi Chuan and other Chinese Boxing schools such as Wing Chun and its derivative, Jeete Kun Do(Master Josh Dingler, Illinois instructs)

6.  Kobudo    both Japanese and Okinawan as taught to us by Okinawan and Japanese instructors and some from the USA.

7.  Iaido    Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu with Ota Sensei as the chief influence from Kumamoto, Japan.  Sensei Louise Herschel is in charege of our Iaido program.

A question asked by visiting folks is "so what is it you do here?"......  and the wheels started turning in my head.  Being rather bored with the current television trends that attract the masses I told an MMA friend of mine that I was a mixed martial artist.  He chuckled and said: "Sensei I know what you think of MMA" but I wasnt being silly but, rather, trying to say that I believe, with studying the arts I do that I would qualify.  Of course, here is another lesson in semantics.  Folks don't consider someone like me as a Mixed Martial Artist.  I know this by visitors to my dojo that, despite seeing rank certificates indicating the long term study of five or six disciplines, still say they were more interested in finding mixed martial arts instruction.   Thus, I am trying hard to not misrepresent KoTai Shin Ryu.  So let me say it is not mixed martial arts.  Let me just say it is a system with the techniques and principles from KarateDo, Judo, Jujutsu, Aikido, and Ch'uan Fa.  I do think the study of what is called KoTai Shin Ryu requires repetitions of the basics in all of these arts.  Therefore, it is taught with the simple basics of highly effective self defense as a starting place. This puts the student on the continuum reaching to areas that pure instinct,  developed from thousands of repetitions of the techniques and principles of those arts mentioned, provides.  KoTaiShin Ryu is also highly individualized.  Having taught it at, at least, three seminars, I tell folks that their KoTai Shin Ryu may look very different from mine if their training background is different.  However, if one has not put in the sweat and discomfort of many, many years of injuries, mistakes, adjustments, and  repetition of what the true technique is then the fluidity, quickness, instinctiveness of KoTaiShin probably will not come forth.  Recently teaching at a seminar I presented KoTaiShin instruction as highly interactive in a specific manner.  I asked an assisting yudansha to attack without my knowing the attack.  My responsiblility was to attain Mushin(empthy mindedness),Fudoshin(no concern over the immediacy of the past"how did i get into this?" and future'i hope i dont get hurt"), and Zanshin(fighting spirit or "technique" availability).  I then asked participants to describe to me what I did.  I told them I would not have a total picture of what I did.  I might be able to recall most but not every nuance of my response.  Both they and myself found this very helpful as they were able to point out some of my responses as specific arts and/or the use of off balancing(kuzushi), striking at a vital area(Atemi) and which throw, perhaps lock,  and/or strike led to controlling the situation.  The next step in the development of KoTaiShin Ryu, I told the class and myself, is to video for several hours, study my responses with the help of others in my dojo, and list groups of techniques accordingly. This, to me, will possibly give the impression that KoTaiSHin Ryu is learned in a linear manner by studying formal techniques but, then again, its a journey right? I was recently asked by a good friend what Kata are in KoTaiShin.  I guess that would depend on what Kata an individual trains with.  i can merely make suggestions as to thoe ones that seem to have influenced my natural body rhythms.  Please consider what I have written as a developing, evolutionary process as is the Tao.  More information and, hopefully, vidoes, will be added soon.  Til then, please empty your mind, let your fudoshin keep it from wondering how and what, and feel the freedom of your techniques released unimpeded by silly emotions.  After all, to quote the movie, GodFather, its strictly business and not personal.  Also try and complete your technique before anyone in your class or dojo can finish saying "One Mississippi".  Trust me.

Good News.......  we have a video camera, owned by Colin Treem Sensei, with which to begin videoing at our dojo.  This will speed up the process of demonstrating the essense of KoTaiShin Ryu.  We will be adding video segments, to this website, with video discussion on which situation led to the expression of KoTaiShin Ryu  in specific patterns of response and which arts influenced these responses..  Thus, we will build this system slowly and methodically by developing both an Uke list and a Tori list.  I believe it will enhance the learning process to examine both the attacking postures as well as the response set.  I am truly excited that we are entering the "sharing" phase of the development of this system.  The formalization, in writing and on video, will help folks understand the KoTaiShin Ryu system and how it may become an active process in each Budoka's training.  I am open to feedback and will evaluate the feedback and attempt to integrate it into fine tuning KoTaiShin Ryu.

O-Sensei Philip Porter, one of the highest ranked Judo practitioners alive today recently held a 2 day seminar at White River Budokan during May, 2008.  The seminar focused on the arts of Jujutsu and Judo.  Osensei is Treem Sensei's direct teacher in both those arts.  Both competition Judo techniques as well as classical Judo philosophy were reviewed and worked.   The self defense applications of the waza of Classical Judo and Jujutsu were taught and many repetitions were impressed into the minds of those attending.

We had about 26 students attend this seminar.  We had many younger students attend and the kids did a fantastic job staying focused and working hard.  All of the Sensei commented on how well the kids did.  They are a great addition to semiars and hope their training continues. 

(O-Sensei Phillip Porter, shown here with a student has instructed annually at White River.) 

First, Thanks to everyone that helped make this weekend a success.   Sensei Colin Treem and Sensei Comeau were a huge help with errands and entertaining our visitors.  Thanks to Marie for opening the dojo and all the cleaning she helps with.  Of course a thanks goes out to all the parents that waited.  A huge thank you to Shawn for taking care of the Sensei dinners at Murphy's and anyone that kicked in a few extra dollars at meals.  We run a tight budget and this kind of help makes a huge difference.  THANK YOU!!

For everyone that couldn't make the training, I'm sure we will be reviewing techniques over the next couple of weeks.  OSensei Porter and Treem Sensei have already started plans for a fall seminar.This will be advertised to BudoKai dojo and other schools interested.

note:  We continue to mourn the passing of OSensei Porter shortly after the 2011 USMAA Camp in Manchester NH.  His legacy lives on in the USMAA and when you train please say over and over to yourself "Ive got it now"

This summer has been wet and fast.  Our student enrollment has ebbed and flowed like the rain waters.  All in all, Our dojo is remaining steady.  We have some young students with some serious dedication.  We have some adult students that are just as serious and developing as well.

Our affiliation with the USMAA continues.   Sensei Treem is a regional coordinator for the organization which requires outreach to other dojo that are part of the USMAA within Vermont.   We are also affiliated with TUMAA out of Bloomington, Illinois.  Our chief instructor and others teach at the annual training camp there.   Some of our students have been visiting schools in other states and interacting with folks that study different arts, styles, or ryu.  We are non wavering about our commitment to self defense and no student studies here without learning the simple basics.  We adhere strongly to the philosophy that every technique we teach is defensive.  To be honest,  it probably doesnt take much of an attempt at an attack for us to put an end to that so, yeah, i guess we might look like we go on the offense quick.   Oh well   ho hum another Celtic victory.

Testing requirements have been added under the Martial Arts section of the website.

Sensei Treem and Sensei Comeau received promotions this fall from O-Sensei Porter. Sensei Treem was promoted to Godan in Judo and Shichidan in Jujutusu.  Sensei Comeau received Godan in Karate from Sensei Treem, Yondan in Jujutusu and Nidan in Judo from O-Sensei Porter.