First the GOOD!

Our 33rd A.K.S. training seminar was again a lot of fun and successful.  We had a smaller turn out then usual, caused by three factors:

[1]  Future Summer Camps will not be held on "Fathers Day" weekend.
[2]  Many of our higher ranks had health issues or where on vacation.
[3]  The U.S. economy and high gasoline prices cut down long distance travel by car for many of our members.

Our hat goes off to Rand Palmer and his students.  They did not allow anything to stop them from training with us this year.  I am grateful for their determination to attend our seminar.

Some changes will take place in our future training schedules.  I personally have been on an upswing in regards to my own health issues.  There are many reasons for this, and I am grateful that for the first time in 12 months, I have not had a pancreatic attack.  My doctors consider this a major step for me which allows me to heal and recuperate better.  I was able to teach two separate classes which where not only exhausting to myself, but also to our members.  We had a lot of fun as always.

Mr. Reinecke as always, taught several classes.  Mr. David Hayes came from Lansing, Michigan to teach oriental weapons.  Mr. Tom Twining also taught weapon classes along with Mr. Reinecke.  Mr. Reinecke and Mr. Twining also taught Katas in which everyone was able to participate.  In other words everyone, no matter what rank, learned a great deal with which they now can practice at their own A.K.S. clubs.

There was no Black Belt testing at Camp this year.  Several instructors requested that their Black Belts be tested at their own clubs.  And I must apologize for the delay of getting one Black Belt certificate to West Virginia in a speedy manner.  Mr. Reinecke was in the process of getting ready for his daughters graduation, and I, myself, was in the process of buying a home which I had to get ready in five weeks to move into and that included renovating it from the ground up.  In those five weeks, I lost 11 lbs which was nice, but it was not the way to do it.  It appeared that ten and twelve hour days for me were quite common.  If any one of you ever builds a home, or readies one for occupation, then you can easily understand the stress factors and lack of sleep which go along with such a project.

The good news is that Jennifer Berlit from Germany is here to stay for good.  She has visited us nine times in Muskegon.  Her major at the University is Business Management and Computers.  She has graciously offered to assist us in our administrative duties to our A.K.S. members.  In case you forget, all of our work is done on a voluntary basis.  Those of us who run our organization still have other responsibilities such as providing a living for our families.  Over the years, we have asked many instructors to help share the administrative burdens.  Yet rarely does someone step forward to help with those duties.  Because of the volunteering of some of our members, our costs are very low to our instructors and students.  So when we are a bit slow at times, please be patient and understanding and consider that most of your services are free.

I recently heard someone say that our costs are too high.  I should have told that person that he needs to get some facts before making such a statement.  But I did not do so as people will find out with time that we are not only economical in our costs, but we provide more services to our members than anyone can expect.  To make my point, allow me to compare the A.K.S. to other organizations.

Korean and Japanese organizations normally charge $100 and up for grade ranks.  Black Belt fees start at $350 and go up to $1,000 plus, depending on Dan rank.  They charge $100 plus membership dues per month to their members.  Most use contracts; as a commercial school cannot survive without them.  When you buy patches or any karate equipment, you will pay commercial retail prices.  I am not saying that they are unfair prices, as they are in reality, necessary for a martial arts school to survive.

So when you compare our services and our costs, you need to take a look at what is really out there.  Each of our members receives a fair price, and 99% of the time, good service.  Once in a while we may goof up.  So forgive us for that rare and unusual error.

Pictures of our Summer Camp will be posted in an upcoming Punchline.  Which is another free service to our members.  Without Laura's help in putting it together and online, and a few very hard working individuals who offer quarterly input and content, there would be no Punchline for you to read.

We always ask for news from our members.  But since 1965, when I first started our newsletter, very few people contribute to it or send us information we can print.   The Punchline is for all of you, not just a few.  So why not use it and share with us your joys, your good news, and even the bad as we are a “Clan” and look out for each other.  We can also be supportive in the hard times that we all must face at one time or another.

I want to "Thank" those who attended our 33rd A.K.S. Summer Camp.  For those of you who could not attend this year, we look forward to seeing you next year.

Best regards, Ernest H. Lieb 10th Dan
The American Karate System U.S.A.

P.S.  My new address is:  2902 Eastland Road, Muskegon, Michigan 49441
Phone: 231-755-1513  E-mail addr: [ ehlieb@hotmail.com ]


And Now . . . the bad!

This announcement is to help clarify the position of the American A.K.S. headquarters, in regards to Mr. Andreas Modl of Germany.

Last September, 2005, Mr. Modl was requested to stop using copies of A.K.S. certificates.  This includes both Grade rank and Black Belt levels.  He was told he could not copy Mr. Lieb's signature or place such signature upon any written document or certificate.

Any certificates representing the American Karate System, which are dated after December 2005, cannot and will not be recognized by our A.K.S. headquarters.  The time difference from September to December allowed a reasonable period of time for Mr. Modl to stop using these certificates.

Mr. Modl was released from his position as Director of our German A.K.S. branch as of January, 2006.  This decision was reached by Mr. Lieb and A.K.S. headquarters as Mr. Modl did not meet or comply with our professional and ethical standards.  We regret that this decision had to be made.  But if it was not made or notification not provided to our A.K.S. members, the problems which exist in the German A.K.S. branch could have drawn us into possible legal conflicts in Germany.

To further protect the rights of our style, the A.K.S. has hired a legal firm which deals with copyright laws and trademarks.  As we have been using the A.K.S. patches, symbols, certificates, history and all information regarding the American Karate System since 1973, it automatically provides us legal protection from anyone using such information.  Without the written consent from Mr. Lieb, our founder, or the A.K.S. headquarters in America, no one has the authority to copy our A.K.S. certificates or copy Mr. Lieb's signature.  We are now in the process of providing our Style Copyright and Trademark protection, both in America and overseas.  This will take a period of time, as all business and legal matters do.

We regret for any misunderstandings which may have occurred. But we maintain the right to protect the interests of the "American Karate System", both in America and overseas.

Respectfully yours,

Ernest H. Lieb 10th Dan.
The American Karate System Hq. - - U.S.A.


UPDATE...

I taught an A.K.S. Seminar last year in December in Lathen Germany.  I was invited by our German A.K.S. member Herr Matze Augustijin and Dagmar Wichterich.  The Seminar went very well.  It was even considered a success, being so close to the Christmas Holidays and all.  It was the first time for me in five years where I was actually paid for my teaching time.  That, of course, was a wonderful feeling for me.  I actually earned some Christmas spending money.

We are now in the process of making arrangements for another A.K.S. seminar in Germany.  I will keep you up-to-date as things are presented to me.  I am in the process of having the A.K.S. possibly join another large German Karate organization.  Everything takes time, but now that I am more aware of the German rules and regulations, it makes each step a little easier for me to accomplish.

Best Regards,
Ernest H. Lieb 10th Dan
The American Karate System U.S.A

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A little humor - contributed by Dr. Rob Debelak:

For the "senior" members of our family who are looking for a new and improved workout!
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A friend just came across this exercise suggested for seniors, to build muscle strength in the arms and shoulders, and passed it on for me to add to my routine.  It seems so easy, so I thought I'd pass it on to some of my friends.  The article suggested doing this three days a week.

Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side.  With a 5-LB. potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides, and hold them there as long as you can.  Try to reach a full minute, then relax.   Each day, you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer.

After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-LB. potato sacks.

Then 50-LB. potato sacks, and eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-LB. potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute.

After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the sacks; but be careful.

Meet Our Members

Have you ever wondered how all the different styles of martial arts have come to be?  Today, there are so many it’s hard to know the players without a score card, as the old cliché goes.  I recall my earlier years of study when finding someone to teach was very difficult, unless you lived in or near a large city.  There were few books available as well, except those by the ever prolific Bruce Tegner.  Many of us studied another style of karate before we became part of the American Karate System (AKS).

In a recent article by Douglas Adamson, found in the February issue of Martial Arts Professional (a trade magazine for fulltime martial arts school owners), he asked the question, “Can a modern style become classical?”  He posses some interesting questions I thought would be good for us to ponder.  Adamson talks about our industry, referring to fulltime teachers, though it fits for those of us who are part-time instructors as well, and adds “concepts like ‘legitimacy’ (as in legitimate style), and ‘classical’ to the discussion.”  He continues: In the case of martial arts, your art is the overall philosophy of how you approach your defense. It is your process: hitting with hands or feet or both; grappling with the whole body or minor parts of it, such as the hands or legs; weaponry (either edged weapons or impact weapons); or a combination of some or all of these.

The overall martial art of any group or nation developed when a group of humans felt confident of their combat approach.  This became their “martial art,” which encompassed the overall approach they felt was the most successful.  This art was developed and influenced by various cultural pressures, the size and build of the people involved, their environment (tropical, temperate, mountainous, etc.) and the type of enemy they faced.

A style became the process that you use to train in a particular art.  This “style approach” was determined more by a particular teacher or group of teachers than it was determined by a whole race or nation.

I have often noted that most well-known styles in the major arts were systemized in the last century.  That is, they were structurally designed, named and promoted well within the last 100 years, and most of them within the last 70 years.

Adamson gives several examples of styles to illustrate his point (Shotokan 1936, TaeKwonDo 1955, Goju Ryu 1933, Wado Ryu 1934, Isshin Ryu 1954) and feels this process is still on going.  We can add the AKS to this list to further validate his hypothesis.

Important to note in the author’s discussion of how a style came to be, is how a particular teacher and his approach impacted the process.  We know O’Sensei Funakoshi’s style (Shotokan) and knowledge were influenced by his two key teachers, Itosu and Azato.  Wado Ryu’s founder was influenced by his studies in Shindo-Yoshin Jujitsu Ryu and his practice with Shotokan’s founder.  There are other examples found in the AKS Student Handbook that explain this evolution.  The point is clear.  As certain teachers studied and developed their knowledge and understanding of their initial art, along with others, they formulated unique ideas of what became the style for which they became known.

We know our founder and chief instructor accomplished much in the 1960s as a competitor.  Once, when speaking with a good friend and 5th Dan Goju Ryu stylist (Dom Maldonado) in Germany, he recalled watching Mr. Lieb come up against Julius LeSalle in New York City.  The competition was an annual event held by S. Henry Cho.  Dom recounted the event and explained how no one expected this man from Michigan to last very long against their champion.  To their amazement, Mr. Lieb ended the match in less than 30 seconds.  I’m sure there are many other such examples.

Along with Mr. Lieb’s unique style of fighting, was his stubborn pursuit of a style and method of training that would benefit the American physiology and mindset.  He also had a desire to get martial artists from various styles to put aside their prejudices about the art they practiced and that of others.  He created the American Karate Association.  Over the years his dream of bring people of different styles together with the desire to share and learn has become a reality.

It was Mr. Lieb’s personality and abilities that set him apart from others.  Likewise his style has done the same.  Our expectations of what a black belt should be are higher than most others.  We feel a person should work hard and demonstrate their desire to not only become a good black belt in their skills and abilities, but also by their attitudes and interpersonal relationships.

There is one question the senior leadership of the AKS must ask.  Who will step into the shoes of Mr. Lieb when he is no longer with us?  Who has the leadership skills and personality necessary for this task?  My reason for asking this question is simple.  At present, Mr. Lieb, Mr. Reinecke and myself are the only ones undertaking the running of our organization.  When we’ve ask others to assist, we’ve either gotten no response, or they’ve opted out because they felt politics were involved.  In the end, it’s only been us three.  Yet even with this, I wonder how successful Fred and I will be when Mr. Lieb is gone.  At present, it’s his personality and drive that keep things going.  I’m 2000 miles away.  Fred is limited in his ability to be involved because of his business.  And as I’ve mentioned, no one else really makes an effort aside from teaching their respective classes.

So, we are a style that has evolved in all of the ways Mr. Adamson has discussed.  The majority of the styles he talked about are still in existence today, even though their founders are no longer with us.  Will we, the members of the AKS, be able to say the same in a few years?  Will we still be a style that exists and continues to thrive?  Or will we become extinct because so many of our senior members cared only enough about the system to teach and nothing else.

Whether we survive as a style or not will depend on those who are not afraid to stand up and do more than just teach what our Founder and Chief instructor has taught us.  My past experience with this issue tells me the AKS will not survive.  What do you think???

Mike Sullenger, 8th Dan AKS
Assistant Chief Instructor

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