Uechi-ryu Martial Arts | Karate

January 27, 2008

****Check out Art Rabesa’s New Forum!!!Looking for students who would like to attend an Art Rabesa seminar in Florida!

Watch for details!!!! You don’t want to miss this one!!!!

WinterFest 2008

WinterFest 2008 Photo

Everyone had a fantastic time at this years event. We began on Friday with an all-day golf tournament, an evening of Karaoke – an all day Uechi workout on Saturday and a rest day on Sunday where everyone did their own thing. Mount Dora is a great place to spend the day, with fabulous restaurants, shops and other sightseeing attractions.

A group of us just returned from Orlando where we feasted on some of the best Chinese DimSum outside of China.

I wish to thank all the schools who supported the event, expecially all the New Englanders who fled the cold and snow to enjoy a few days in Paradise! 🙂

Special thanks to Sensei Kimo Wall who helped ease the training pain with his healing KonLi exercises and Sensei Roy Bedard who taught the last session of the day on “realism” as being a process of the mind and the application of technical skills that are found in classical martial arts.

George Mattson's Corner, Newsflash, WinterFest

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/winterfest-2008-2/

Jan 09 2008

Website Update

Categories:

Read the rest of this entry »

January 9, 2008

Wow!
Kimo Wall just sent me an e-mail, saying he is coming to WinterFest!I’m very pleased with the response this year. Should be a full house. Sunday, Jan20th will be the last day to register.

Last Minute WinterFest Registrations!!!!

Jan 25-27, 2008

[update: it is fixed!}

Click Here

If you tried to register on-line within the last couple days, we did not get the information. Our new store had a problem while moving some categories from the old store. We didn’t know about this until today. A new store item is being built, but may take awhile to show up on-line. Meanwhile, if you wish to attend WinterFest and you didn’t get a “approved” confirmation, please send me an email ASAP.
Thanks,
George Mattson

New Web Store

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/website-update/

Dec 31 2007

The Student and The Master

Categories:

PR Director's Corner

December 31, 2007

The Student and The Master

To the reader, please do not make any more of this than a student’s inquisition for knowledge and understanding.

I have been a student of martial arts for over 47 years. In 1988, I was honored with “master” status by the Government in Southern China. Although Hung-Gar was my major influence, I’ve also studied other systems such as Choy-Li-Fut, Northern Mantis, Tai-Chi and many more which have affected my outlook and understanding of Uechi-Ryu.

I’ve also realize I’ve been a student of martial arts many more years then some of my teachers. My Mantis teacher has been studying for 22 years. I was learning the Drunken Sticks from another master with 17 years of total training.

To some, that may be an issue. I was honored these gentlemen took the time to make sure a foreigner like myself got a chance to study authentic Chinese Kung-Fu the way it was meant to be taught from the land of it’s origins.

As in many cultures, we are taught from the very beginning to honor and respect all who preceded us. This is a given and we have learned it well. We should always thank and appreciate anyone and everyone who has contributed to our leanings and skills.

Does this mean we should not or can not exceed our teachers? Does our respect for one now become our hurdle or road block? Are we limited to never exceed our teachers? Will our curiosity for more knowledge offend the very people who helped pave our roads? Should we stop training when we notice our skills being heighten to a level rivaling that of our masters?

To me, the answer is simple. I need not ponder on the issue of any of my student exceeding me for that is my wish. If any of my students should exceed me in knowledge and understanding then I have done my job well.

Our students are our seeds to the future of our art. From the strong roots which we have provided, they should flourish with larger trunks, longer and stronger branches and greener leaves. They become who they are because of their hard work. We as teachers, only provide the materials and the tools. They will honor us as we honor Master Kani and Kunbun Uechi.

If our intentions are that no one is allowed to sit with the master and this is the teachings to our students, then this art, with each generation, will certainly be doomed to be diminished and will fade from existence. My hopes are that my students learn all I have to offer and with proper training, add and compile to our collective teachings.

I have been to many dojos where students are told “this is how” a technique is used instead of “this” being only one of the options. We are all individuals. We all have our assets and short comings. To train and teach my students to be exactly like me is something I would never do. All my students are taught who I am and what I do. My encouragement is for them to be who they are and practice what they do.

Darin Yee

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/the-student-and-the-master/

Dec 12 2007

Happy Holiday!!

Categories:

December 12, 2007

Happy New Year to All. . .

Have a safe and enjoyable Holiday and a wonderful New Year.

Don’t forget WinterFest. January 25, 26 and 27th. Get out of the snow and cold weather. Come on down!

Love to you all from Susan, George and Tia
——————–

Update:
The Uechi-ryu WinterFest will be held in the beautiful Florida town of Mount Dora on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 25-27, 2008. I’m very pleased to report that quite a few of my New England Uechi-ryu friends and students have already registered, including Roy Bedard, Darin Yee, Fedele Cacia, Harry Skeffington and John Page. Click here for the latest WinterFest updates.

Susan has checked out the local hotels, motels and Bed & Breakfast facilities which are posted on the WinterFest site.

I hear through the grapevine that a number of WinterFest participants will be either bringing the Motorcycles down or renting one for sightseeing. What a great idea!

Didn’t we just celebrate Christmas???

Won’t be long and I’ll be digging that old Santa picture out of storage and will be posting it here for a couple days. Maybe it is because I’m having so much fun, but it seems as though time is passing by sooooo fast. As we get older, everything seems to shrink. . . Hours, days, months. . . savings account! 🙂

For you history “buffs”….

I found a shoebox full of very old Cambridge Street Dojo photographs. Wow, what memories these pictures revive…

Recognize anyone???

A couple of items:

1. I’m continuing to fix the table of contents on the left side of this page. Please register, if you haven’t already, to view all the items. You must use your real name and e-mail address. Otherwise you won’t get a confirmation email in response. Be sure to follow the simple instructions to complete the confirmation.

2. Because this website has been around for so many years and since I don’t delete anything, there is a tremendous amount of information on the server. Trying to compress everything into a few categories is misleading and often times requires a couple of tries to find where the information is located. Please let me know if you have any suggestions to make navigating easier.

3. I’m continuing to add information in the F.A.Q. section (Frequently Asked Questions). You can find the FAQs in the “Directories” section.

4. I still get quite a few e-mail every month from people who register here (Uechi-ryu Karate) and then discover that they can’t post on the Forums (Eastern Arts Forums). That is because a separate registration process is required to post on the Forums. The two features share the same server, but technically are different sites.

5. Beginning in January, our existing Store site will be discontinuing service. Sue and I (G&S Consulting) are taking this opportunity to create a new store, with new features and many less products. If you have any suggestions regarding products we should be offering, please send us an e-mail.

6. We have sold out of the deluxe Gi bag and don’t plan to reorder them. (storage is a problem here in Florida!) There are only six regular Gi bags left, with the embroidered uechi/IUKF logo. Being sold at cost…. $25.00.

7. Check out the old store before it disappears. Lots of interesting and probably “collectibles” residing there, soon to disappear forever.

SummerFest, The Uechi Community

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/happy-holiday/

Nov 14 2007

Summer Fest Celebration for Sensei George Mattson

Categories:

November 14, 2007

The upcoming 2008 Summer Fest promises to be a most special one. It will take place from Friday, August 8 to Sunday, August 10, 2008, at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, on Cape Cod. There will be the chance to get together and make new friends, see old friends, share knowledge, and learn new techniques and training methods. Two guests this year will be Kimo Wall, noted martial arts historian, Kobudo and Goju Ryu instructor, and Dr. Liu Chang-I, third generation master of Liu family Feeding Crane, a very powerful Southern Chinese form of Kung Fu, a style related to Uechi-Ryu.

To make this coming Summer Fest truly memorable, the man who taught many of us, taught our teachers, and brought Uechi-Ryu Karate Do to the United States will be celebrating two anniversaries, and two important events. Sensei George Mattson will be celebrating his 50^th continuous year of teaching Martial Arts. It will also be the 25^th anniversary of the Summer Fest, which was first held in 1983, on Thompson’s Island, in Boston Harbor.

In addition, Sensei Mattson will be publishing and releasing his fourth book on Uechi-Ryu Karate. Lastly but certainly not least, Sensei Mattson will be promoted to 10^th Dan by the International Uechi-Ryu Karate Federation. The biographical review of his life and accomplishments and the promotional will be memorable.

To attend the 2008 Summer Fest, look for its notice on the Uechi-ryu.com website, where you can sign up easily. The IUKF is looking for both individual and corporate sponsors for this event. Contributed funds will go towards the festivities, and towards bringing inspiring martial artist masters to join us at Camp. Please address your enquiries and contributions to John Page, Esq.,

PO Box 645 Townsend, MA 01469
Tel- Home – 978 597 0524
Dojo 978 772 5421
townsndlaw@aol.com

We want you to join us for this historic event!

Paul Haydu
Chairman, IUKF Board

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/summer-fest-celebration-for-sensei-george-mattson/

Nov 07 2007

WinterFest 2008

Categories:

Read the rest of this entry »

November 7, 2007

Just learned that 7th dan, Bill Arch passed away Nov 24th. Bill, a long time Uechi practitioner, lived in Kalamazoo, MI. He was 71 years old. Click Here for Memorial

WinterFest Update: Information & Registration forms now available!

Christmas came early for the Mattson Clan!
I’m sure most of the martial art world is familiar with one of North America’s “Living Treasures” – Sensei Kimo Wall!For three years he magically appeared at SummerFest for three days and nights, teaching non-stop from early morning until late at night. During our evening parties, Kimo would entertain everyone with his spectacular demonstrations and history of the 20+ traditional Okinawan weapons he had learned during the many years he trained on Okinawa.

Then, without explanation, he disappeared for twelve years. I heard rumors that he had been living in China and then decided to move permanently to Guatemala! As mysteriously as he had appeared at SummerFest, Kimo disappeared.

Then, two weeks ago, I received a forwarded email that Kimo had written, from his friend Jim Prouty. Imagine this. . . Kimo Wall has emerged from isolation, armed with a computer, website and e-mail address! WOW! 🙂

I wrote to Kimo and the next thing I knew, he accepted my invitation to celebrate Thanksgiving with Susan, Tia and me here in Florida.

While we were communicating by e-mail, catching up on the past 12 years, Kimo also accepted my invitation to teach at next year’s SummerFest. As an added surprise, Dr. Chang I Liu, Grandmaster of the “Feeding Crane” system will be accompanying Kimo and will be participating in the 2008 SummerFest.

Dr. Liu was with Kimo 12 years ago at SummerFest and amazed everyone with his spectacular “thundering” internal power and blinding defensive speed. Personally, I’ve seen quite a few martial artist over the years, but none that possessed the overall skill and power of Dr. Liu.

While Kimo was visiting, he taught one of Dr. Liu’s power drills to my class. In addition to our morning workouts, Kimo and I participated in a TalkShoe discussion which should be of interest to all Kimo Wall fans and students.

Tia Tia wanted to jump in his van this morning as he prepared for the drive back to Georgia where he is staying with relatives. Although Tia was only a puppy when she last met Kimo, she greeted him with kisses and her favorite toy. (Something she only does for her favorite people.) As Kimo drove off, she watched attentively, not wanting to come inside. As I’m writing this, she is at the window, looking to see if he is returning!

While Kimo was visiting, we had an opportunity to reminisce about the “old” days on Okinawa and lots of very personal information about Kimo and his training. Fortunately, Kimo gave me permission to film one of our sessions so I created a “TalkShoe” interview to be shared with the martial art community.

You can access this half hour discussion by CLICKING HERE or on Kimo’s picture.

Kimo’s website is www.kimowall.netfirms.com

New Englanders…. don’t miss this…
Hi All

On Sunday January 6 from Noon to 1:30, my Dojo will be hosting author Jay Nussbaum who will be signing copies of his latest novel, A Monk Jumped Over A Wall. Jay is also a longtime Uechi practitioner and following the signing we will also be hosting a workout led by Sensei Fedele Cacia.

I hope you can attend and please feel free to forward this to anyone else who may be interested.

Although not necessary, please RSVP in order to ensure that enough books are on hand.

Thank you

John Page

www.risingstareastmartialarts.com

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/winterfest-2008/

Oct 26 2007

New USA Citizen… Bryan Liu

Categories:

October 26, 2007

I’ve met many wonderful people who were/are associated with the martial arts. In 1983, Wenji (Johnny/Bryan) Liu became a valuable liasan between the China martial art community (in New York and Fuzhou China) and my efforts to locate links between Uechi-ryu and Chinese fighting systems.

Because of Wenji’s efforts, my early SummerFests were able to host many visitors from China, including a number of very famous Gungfu celebrities who helped make those early camps so successful.

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/new-usa-citizen-bryan-liu/

Oct 20 2007

Stress and Realism in the Martial Arts

Categories:

Read the rest of this entry »

October 20, 2007

Stress and Realism in the martial arts:

[From Van Canna’s "Realism" Forum. An important topic that is normally not discussed in a dojo and one where no pat answers exist. I’ve written about it and in accompanying chapters, discuss what I consider to be the best, albeit, limited solutions. The subject is part of my new "memories" book, which will be published for next year’s 25th anniversary SummerFest. Thanks to Gary S. for opening up the topic on Van’s forum. . . based on his personal experiences. GEM]

I was an avid motorcyclist back in the 70s and 80s. I had a Czechoslovakian race bike (CZ 500) that I raced through the Plymouth reservations three to four times a week with my good friend Dick Bettencourt, who owned the local Honda/Suzuki dealership in West Bridgewater, Ma.

Susan will remember the many days I would come home after a five-hour romp in the woods taking off my leathers, and displaying a body filled with bruises caused by the many falls resulting from the learning process of progressing from a bicycle to 250cc Honda street cycle to a high powered racing motorcycle.

I persevered, and eventually became adept enough to actually enter some amateur motocross races and further progressing to agree on participating in a month-long advanced motorcycle trek. Beginning in the black mountains of California and progressing to Mexico, where five of us retraced the Baja 500 motorcycle race, an experience I’ll never forget.

N.H. International Cross Country Rally The point of my story, is to relate the original stress and tension of simply getting on a high-powered motorcycle and experiencing the thrill of speeding through a narrow wooded trail, inches from protruding branches tree stumps and over gaping gullies and down steep ravines and through water and mud valleys, attempting to keep up with the breakneck speed of the experienced riders.

Fast forward a month, countless bruises and aches and pains accompanying the training, and suddenly all of what appeared originally to be unattainable, suddenly became commonplace and as uneventful as driving a car.

Fast forward 30 years-and not having sat on a motorcycle all that time, and suddenly finding yourself on the seat of a simple 250 CC motor scooter and once again discovering both the thrill and stress of performing a new and different experience. Deciding to go on a 10 mile jaunt, I discovered at the end of the 10 miles, that every muscle in my body was sore. In spite of the fact that I did not encounter anything dangerous or out of the ordinary, my body exerted enough tension so as to drain all energy from my body.
======================

NH Rally My feeling is, that anyone studying the martial arts, will benefit tremendously, from the internalizing and reinforcement of fighting techniques that come from the repetitive performance of Kata, drills, Bunkai and free fighting. However, I equate this type of familiarization with fighting as more of a dry run than being ready to actually engage in a real life fight with inexperienced and tried/true streetfighter. It is important, that all martial art instructors realize the limitations and expectations resulting from their training. Having an arsenal of tools and the training to use those tools in the confines and safety of the dojo, is not the same as being surprised and overrun by one or more highly experienced (to the actual feeling of being hit, bloodied, incapacitated-on both sides of the giving/taking spectrum.) street Thugs who regularly engage in this type of fighting.

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/stress-and-realism-in-the-martial-arts/

Oct 20 2007

Mattson Academy “Virtual” Dojo

Categories:

NewsLetters

October 20, 2007

So…. You want to study Uechi-ryu!

About 8 years ago I made a video tape that is still running on our Video Website. On this tape I predicted that web technology would soon enable teaching the martial arts on-line within five years!

Well, although the technology was available even before the five years prediction, few of the individuals who requested my help, had the computer equipment needed to accomplish this.

By 2005, most people who wish to either supplement their dojo studies or lacking a local dojo, actually progress through the ranks, enabling them to qualify for testing by a certified test board.

What equipment do you need to participate in this program:

A video camera.
Video editing program and the skills to transfer a video clip from your camera to a video file on your computer.
Web access, enabling you to either send video clips to me or to upload the clips to Google Video.
Ability to access the Eastern Arts’ On-Line Learning Center.
1. Must have computer that meets requirements listed here: http://members.optecs.com/confighelp/VoiceHelp.asp
2. Willing to meet on-line once a month for conferencing and video critiquing of lessons
3. Willing to practice as required to progress and achieve goals of program.

How program works:

Sign-up for an “evaluation” session with me. (Cost is $19.95, payable through Paypal or G&S secure store)
1. This evaluation session includes a meeting with you on the “ Learning Center ”
2. Review of the features of the “ Learning Center”
  - Telephone quality features of the site.
  - Ability to share documents and review the documents together.
  - Ability to view film clips together and review techniques, corrections and suggestions.
  - Capability to have students of same rank meet together for on-line classes.
3. Option to sign-up to the On-line Mattson Academy! $39.95 a month.
4. Receive DVD courses for all ranks up through Brown Belt (Ikkyu)
5. Receive Black Belt Test Guide 3 rd edition.
6. Receive monthly lessons on-line and in e-Book format.
7. Personal review session where goals are established and technical material is covered that is needed to achieve these goals.
8. Special discounts for G&S products and Eastern Arts’ activities.

Sign-up today for your special “evaluation” session. Send me an e-mail and I will schedule our on-line meeting with you at a convenient time for us both.

Looking forward to hearing from you and working with you.

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/mattson-academy-virtual-dojo/

Oct 16 2007

Subscribe to my Free Newsletter

Categories:

Should you be interested in receiving my "general interest" Newsletter, please subscribe. I’ll even send you out a copy of this special edition Newsletter! (without "typos") 🙂 Click on picture or here!

October 16, 2007

OK, OK. . . the shock of turning 70 has passed. . .

Somewhat. . . and based on the results of my annual physical, I decided to carefully look at my lifestyle and based on some research and advice from my many doctor friends, modify things that I shouldn’t be doing and (of course) treats I enjoy! (No, No . . . Susan and Tia stay!)♥

Anyway, nearly two months after making this decision, it was time for my “first time ever” colonoscopy yesterday morning! Wow. . . what an experience. Not the actual test, but the preparation for the procedure!!!!

An hour after I came home from the hospital I sat down at the computer and dashed off a rather lengthy newsletter as a follow-up letter sent earlier to my Mattson Academy “virtual” dojo members! (I already sent a letter to them about our group’s health resolutions and wanted to write this newsletter while the experience of the colonoscopy was “fresh” in my mind!)

Well, the effects of the procedure hadn’t worn off yet and I was typing fast and furiously, things that I probably would never have said “clear-minded”. . . like “I increased my bike laps around Lady Gertrude. . .” instead of “Lake Gertrude”! hmmmm. It wasn’t even that lake…it was Lake Gracie!

My Doctor warned me not to drive, sign any papers or do anything requiring a “clear mind” after the procedure, but I didn’t think writing a newsletter would be such a big deal. Well, not only did the newsletter contain many typos, I decided to send it to my entire mailing list (3000+ people)

This morning I got up at 4AM and discovered that my e-mail box was filled with extremely nice e-mail from all over the world, thanking me for talking about a subject that many people ignore. (as I did for so many years) No one commented on the “typos”, except Susan. . . Well, that’s another story!

I’ll share one typical e-mail, received from a Uechi teacher in Florida:

===================

Sensei Mattson,

Good article and interesting insight. I’ve always been interested in health, nutrition and holistic medicine.

My colonoscopy was performed at 50 and it was exactly as you described in your article. However, the "new" version is evolving and uses the computer and a tiny "pill-camera".

Glad to hear you were OK. My paternal grandfather died of colon cancer.

I’d be curious about your long term diet change – can you give up coffee, wine and other drinks?

. . .

=====================

Since I won’t be able to answer all the letters individually and since most people asked about my new diet plans, I’ll reprint my response to this letter:

=====================

I expect to modify my diet, but not so much that my little pleasures in life will suffer! 🙂

I’ll continue having my one glass of wine with dinner and my "one" cup of coffee in the morning, but will be stricter about the rest of my diet.

I believe that we should "cheat" once in a while. Otherwise we will subconsciously believe we are "depriving" ourselves of little pleasures. Hence, for my few meals a week in restaurants I’ll "cheat" a little. . . .

Thanks for not commenting on the “typos”. . . On the other hand, if you speedread it, (I speed wrote it), it isn’t so bad! :
Best,
George
====================