Clinics for 2010!

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Practice makes Permanent!

For 2010, we will be holding Sparring and Ground Defense clinics on Saturday afternoons throughout the year. These are hands-on, educational sessions focused on learning fundamentals, understanding situational concepts and the practical application of technique.

As with every class at Hoovers Martial Arts, the curriculum is designed to be both progressive and acccessible. In other words, we'll continually build and extend concepts from previous sessions but you'll always be able to step right in even if it's your very first time. We have plenty of experienced instructors on hand and ready to help!

We routinely have great participation at our Clinics and they're always a lot of fun. You really don't want to miss these!

There is no cost to attend. For safety reasons, there are rank or age requirements depending on the clinic. Check the requirements section below for details. Dates and times will be posted in the Current Events section on the Home page.

We hope to see you there!

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Sparring

Hosted by Chief Master Hoover

Experience will quickly teach you that tournament sparring is quite different from the Free sparring and Testing sparring we all do with our friends in class every week. Effective tournament sparring requires a more versatile set of tools that allow you to adapt as your situation changes. Well planned combinations can be used to achieve multiple short and long term objectives. Scoring position and clock management become critical factors.
We'll spend time on offensive and defensive philosophies, drills for effective set-ups and combinations, practical technique, execution and managing yourself in the ring.

Requirements
Eligibility: All Belt Ranks Camo and above.
Equipment: You will need your sparring equipment, mouth guard and males should also wear a protective cup.

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Ground Defense

Hosted by Mr. Palmiotto

If you're familiar with how we teach a properly executed outer forearm block, palm heel strike or round kick, then you'll also understand our approach to ground defense. Great ground defense requires a thoughtful and extensive understanding of leverage, body position and technical execution along with a great deal of practice.
We'll cover the principles and techniques of strategy, escapes, transitions and submissions along with their effective application from various positions. We'll cover the 'why' and 'how' and spend a great deal of time drilling the execution from both sides.

Requirements
Eligibility: All Belt Ranks for Karate for Kids and Adults.
Equipment: You will need a mouth guard and males should also wear a protective cup.

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• An important note on safety.

Safety happens naturally when we show respect and practice good etiquette. Ask any skilled Martial Artist and they'll tell you that it's something they're always working on and thinking about. It takes a lot of practice but it's also a great exercise in speed, balance and precision. Learn to be a great training partner and you'll find that everyone will want to train with you, which is necessary if you want to see your skills diversify.
Don't be afraid to ask someone to lighten up. I guarantee you that Black Belts of every rank say it all the time when they're sparring. You can't work on your endurance or experiment with new ideas if you're only focused on getting hurt. Ask an Instructor for assistance if you partner isn't showing you the proper respect. There's no place for that here.
Incorporating power along with your speed is important and that's exactly why we break boards and have all those kicking pads and punching bags available to you.

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