West Coast Goju Kai
2 - 99 Moray Street V3H 3M2 Port Moody, BC, Canada

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#MerryChristmasEveryone #SeiSanta No gathering for the annual party so this flashback to last year is all we’ve got.

Thank you to all members near and far for stepping up to support the WALK FOR YOUTH fundraiser hosted by the Coquitlam Optimist Club. 2020 was a little different - many people walked on their own and some sent pics. Members raised funds in a short time-frame!! So proud of our group for raising $1706 for The Coquitlam Optimist Club. Thanks Al Kersey for organizing and Bertha Washer for being in the background. Thank you, West Coast Gojukai members for your participation! #walkforyouth #coquitlamoptimistclub #fundraising

There are new pandemic rules in our area for the next few weeks, but as good karate-ka we are agile and ready to adjust! There was no pause to our class schedule; 17 students on 15 devices tuned in at the regular class time to our first Zoom-only class in months. #LikeDejaVu #WeWillGetThroughThis #MakingTheBestOfIt #DontStopTraining #Karate #KaratePortMoody #BeginnerKarate #AdultKarate #KidsKarate #TeenKarate

We are ready for training indoors tonight with borrowed air purifier (thank you Hannah) and masks. Training goes on...meanwhile we send our collective energies to those struggling with fires south of the border.

We are excited to be heading into our new fall schedule after Labour Day! We have received some donations of expertise and equipment and are happy to unveil a more permanent setup for our combination on-site and virtual classes! We think it looks great, and the camera and monitor now ‘position’ the virtual students as if they were in line, so that they face shomen. Check out the photos! Fall Schedule (starts Sept 8 )... MONDAY/WEDNESDAY: Dragons - ***still outdoors***5:30-6:15 Juniors - ***still outdoors*** 5:30-6:30 Adults - 7:00-8:15 in the dojo in A&B cohort groups: MONDAY- Group B in the dojo and Group A zoom live WEDNESDAY- Group A in the dojo and Group B zoom live TUESDAY: Girl's and Women's class (all levels welcome) 5:00 - 6:00 pm onsite in the dojo Bunkai class (Sensei will tell you if you are permitted to attend this class)- 7:00 - 8:00 pm onsite in the dojo THURSDAY: Brown and Black belts - 7:00-8:30 in the dojo (zoom live available) FRIDAY: Adult/Teens - 10:30-11:30 - In the dojo (zoom live available) SATURDAY: Kobudo Weapons - 9-10:15 outdoors (or in the dojo if weather is bad) New students and beginners are welcome, please contact us with any questions! #Karate #KaratePortMoody #BeginnerKarate #KidsKarate #VirtualKarate

WE FOUND A WALLET Near Spani pool in Mundy Park at around 8:15 tonight. No ID etc inside. Spani Pool staff says they don’t do Lost & Found. PM and tell us what’s inside to claim it! #LostWallet #MundyPark #Coquitlam

Stay safe everyone! No training today.

This week we transitioned away from the hybrid (virtual & in-person) training back to many classes being in-person training only. We met outside so we didn’t have to worry about the size of the group, and thankfully the weather cooperated! (Though had a bit of a feast) So nice to see everyone in person again! We will continue to slowly move towards typical training practices, as regulations allow us to, and we are so appreciative to have such a great bunch of students on ...this journey! #Karate #BeginnerKarate #AdultKarate #TeenKarate #KidsKarate #KaratePortMoody #LoveYourShikoDachi See more

This weekend was supposed to have been Tough Mudder Whistler! It would have been the 5th year that we sent a team. This year’s team only ever got to 3 people, but those three people headed up to Buntzen Lake to do a TM substitution today!

Hybrid on-site and virtual classes continue! A handful of of masked students stay #PhysicallyDistant in their #karate boxes and others are logged in via Zoom. Such interesting times to be both a karateka and an instructor. #Mawashiuke #PortMoodyKarate #KidsKarate... #BeginnerKarate #AdultKarate See more

We are in our second week of gradual return to on-site training, with hybrid classes of Zoom and in-person (maximum 8, at the moment) As you can see, we have Sensei in the dojo with a few students in their #SocialDistancing #Karate squares, and the rest of the students are in their living rooms, basements, bedrooms, and kitchens... We are making it work! #KaratePortMoody... #KidsKarate #AdultKarate #BeginnerKarate See more

We just completed a very success-full April of virtual training. The credit program required class attendance, written work sheets, self monitored conditioning, writing papers and learning history. Those getting 40 credits qualified to grade: 37 students graded....congratulations!! So fortunate - what a group. Thanks to all those who helped....

Our first sessions of PE classes were yesterday afternoon and we have had some great feedback. With our Virtual Fitness kids can log in from anywhere . We met this lovely student from Alberta.... where are you? It doesn’t matter, join us! Registration link in the comments... #onlinePEclass #VirtualPE #PandemicPE #AgeAppropriatePEClasses #FillinThatPEActivityLog #KaratePortMoody #KidsKarate

Our PE class is ready for registration! This class is designed to give kids a structured and developmentally-appropriate class for their age group and fundamental movement capabilities. Most students are doing self-directed and self-reported physical activity at this time, but many don’t know what to do and probably aren’t pushing themselves to do much.... This program requires no equipment or karate background - it’s a simple increase strength and cardio approach. (If you remember the TaiBo craze from years ago, kind of like that...) Payment is by donation. Pay what you can. We are a small business struggling through these times, but we also want to provide a helpful service to the community.

WHO IS HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING PROPER **PE CLASSES** WITH THE CURRENT SCHOOL-AT-HOME SITUATION?? One of our young black belts is also a Certified Personal Trainer with New Edge Alliance Fitness. He would like to offer **PE classes** for Elementary and Middle/High school students 2x per week!... There will be elements of Karate but it will be more like a fitness class with punching/kicking, etc...(anyone out there remember TaiBo?). Parents are welcome to join, of course. These will be completed through Zoom - codes will be sent to those who register. Registration will be by donation (e-transfer, cheque or cc #). Karate students who are already registered for the unlimited karate program will have free access to this program. So tell your friends, neighbours, and all those who need PE credits for their kids! Details are being finalized - look for this to start as early as Thursday of this week!! *Tentative times*: Elementary: 1:00 - 1:30 PM Middle/High: 1:45 - 2:30 PM Contact us through Facebook or email [email protected] with any questions! #OnlinePEClass #PEatHome #ElementarySchoolPE #MiddleSchoolPE #HighSchoolPE #PandemicPE

Working out to stay fit during the pandemic. Karate training doesn't only happen on the mat or even in the dojo. Apply yourself to being the best you can be: that takes practice. Make the best of each situation: that requires courage.Try your best every day: dig down. Be strict with yourself. Let go of what you think it should be and live in 'what is'. Make the most of every moment. Join us in Virtual Karate Online training!... #virtualkaratetraining #westcoastgojukai See more

We are finishing our second week of online classes and want to give everyone the best experience possible. We are trying to provide ample personal feedback to each student, and have some tips for how you students can help us to help you. The position of your device (phone, tablet, laptop, etc) is crucial to our ability to see what you are doing. We know that not everyone has much choice in terms of area available in their home and may not have multiple devices from which to ...choose, but do your best with what you have. 1- If you have the ability to connect your device to a large monitor or TV via an HDMI cable, your experience will be improved - the bigger screen will mean you can see the examples better, and the better speakers will mean that you can hear instructions better. 2- Position your device (more specifically its camera) as far away from you as possible. The more of you we can see, the better. 3- It is better to have the camera look from up to down rather than the opposite. If your camera is around head height and either vertical or angled slightly down, we have a good view of your feet and stances, which are integral to karate movement. If we are seeing your head and the ceiling, that doesn’t give us much ability to know if you are doing what are trying to teach you. 4- If you have to ability to use a laptop or tablet rather than a phone, we get a much better view of you (is it because laptops have wider-angle lenses..?) Here are some easy ways to prop your device at a good angle, if you don’t have a stand. For reference: the tablet used here is 26cm X 17.5cm, the phone is 14cm X 7cm #Karate #KaratePortMoody #KidsKarate #BeginnerKarate #PhysicallyDistantKarate #HelpUsHelpYou

Students are starting to check in for the 10:30 #VirtualKarateTraining This is our #PhysicallyDistantSetup #KaratePortMoody #Karate #BeginnerKarate... #MakingTheBestOfIt See more

Today’s classes are at 3:45, 4:30, and 7:00, look for the email with your Zoom link. Try to position your camera far enough away that we can see your whole body - then we can provide feedback. An angle from high looking down is much better than down looking up. It helps if we can see your feet! #StanceIsEverything #Karate #KidsKarate #BeginnerKarate... #VirtualKarateTraining #ItsNotTheSameButWereAdapting See more

Our new April Virtual Karate Training kicks off today (yes, we know it’s still March, ) We have worked very hard in the past few days to come up with the best training plan that we can in these unusual circumstances. We are including classes, non-class-day conditioning (self-reported), Japanese character lessons, and karate history. ... It’s not the same as regular training, of course. But it’s nice to get moving again, and hear and see all the students, senpai, and Sensei. #Karate #KidsKarate #KaratePortMoody #MakingTheBestOfIt #StayingHome

We know that it is really hard to #StayHome. Outdoor activity with appropriate #SocialDistancing is explicitly recommended by WHO. With these points in mind, today some of the black & brown belts met for another #SocialDistancingHappyHour of al fresco training - some o yo ido and then the extremely difficult #SociallyDistantBunkai. Always good to develop some new skills. We are #InThisTogether

It was a beautiful evening for our version of a #SocialDistancingHappyHour - kihon and kata at least 2m away from each other for an hour in the park! Uneven terrain, mud, and mosquitoes added new aspects of concentration and mindfulness to our practice. It was nice to see everyone (from a safe distance) and remember that #WeAreAllinThisTogether, and then go straight home as we help to #FlattenTheCurve

A very important message from Sensei Gardecki: After listening to Prime Minister Trudeau's address to the nation, I have decided to suspend training at the dojo for the coming week, in an effort to keep our community safe and to help BC prevent the spread of this virus. All indoor training (Morning workout, Yoga, TaiChi, Karate, Weapon's, Jujutsu) will be cancelled from today, March 16th to Sunday, March 22. An update about training in the dojo for the following week will b...e sent on Sunday, March 22. OUTDOOR TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES Karate members For those who still want to move and practice, I will be hosting a 1-hr OUTDOOR KATA PRACTICE in Mundy park in the grassy area at the corner of Foster and Hillcrest in Coquitlam. This practice is open to any dojo member who would like to attend for kata training. Show up Monday/Wednesday 6:15 - 7:15 PM. Wear normal clothes and normal shoes. Dress warmly. We will keep the required 1 metre distance apart. There will be no partner practice. Morning Workout For those 6 Workout participants, I will be hosting an OUTDOOR 6:00 AM BOOT CAMP just outside the dojo on both Tuesday and Thursday. Show up at the dojo door Tuesday morning. Bring outdoor runners, water, a mat or rug that you can lie on outside and be ready to get sweaty. Tai Chi Practice For Tai Chi participants, I will be offering OUTDOOR TAI CHI at Mundy Park at the grassy knoll at the corner of Foster and Hillcrest in Coquitlam. Show up at 10:30 AM on Tuesday and be ready to practice. If you are sick (feeling unwell, runny nose, fever or cough) please do not attend any of these trainings - stay home. Let's keep active, as best we can. Eat properly and drink water. Get enough sleep. Of course, wash your hands often. Let me know if you have any questions. Let's do what we can to help each other stay safe, healthy and supported. kind regards, Donna Gardecki West Coast Gojukai

Thanks to all our participants and volunteers, the 12th Annual Skills Challenge was a big success! Kids laughed (and cried), parents ooooohhhhhed and ahhhhhed. Prizes were won, medals given and goodbyes said. Until next year. Thank you everyone!

Our annual Skill Challenge is only a few days away! This event is open to kids of any style who are looking for a fun day of light competition. It will be on Saturday 7 March at Hillcrest Middle School in #Coquitlam For novice and intermediate kids aged 13 and under, the Skills Challenge is designed to be more active and fun than competitive and serious. The kids are rotated through rings so that all kids are doing something, rather than spending most of the day waiting for t...heir event. Events include: paddle kumite, tag or regular kumite (athlete’s choice), kata, kihon, an obstacle course, and conditioning challenges (most pushups, longest jump, etc). *Participants need to bring appropriate protective gear*: gloves, mouth guard, groin guard (cup). Please be sure to familiarize yourself with the details in the link below, and follow that link to registration: https://www.gojukai-bc.ca/p/skills-competition.html Hope to see you there! #Karate #KarateBC #KaratePortMoody #KidsKarate #KarateKids #KidsTournament #Competition

Very interesting! Lots of options at the dojo to be active: Tai Chi 50 +Beginner Karate Hatha Yoga... Weapons training (Okinawan) Karate Kokodo Jujutsu See more

We decided to be cautious and cancel classes tonight due to the weather. No Tuesday training.We decided to be cautious and cancel classes tonight due to the weather. No Tuesday training.

NEW YEAR, NEW SET OF CLASSES! One of the most common things that parents of our karate kids say is I would train too, but I’m too old now and they let their fear of trying something new or not knowing what they are doing or ... being out of shape or being injured stop them from doing it. Don’t let it stop YOU!! BEGINNER MARTIAL ARTS FOR 50+: Saturdays 10:30-11:30 January 11 - March 28 - $120. Suitable for any one who wants to start (I won't check your I.D.) Learn how to fall safely, gain better balance, get stronger and more flexible. Taught by Donna Gardecki, M.Sc., Certified Martial Arts Instructor, Yoga Teacher and Masters athlete #KaratePortMoody. #BeginnerKarate #KarateFor50Plus #YouAreNeverTooOld

Happy New Year! Such an inspiring message from Our Saiko Shihan Goshi Yamaguchi.

'Twas 2 nights before Christmas, when all through the dojo, The students were gathered, full of holiday mojo; The katas had been practiced by the students with care, To show all the parents who would be there; The black belts were trying to contain the uproar,... But the Little Ninjas still danced across the floor; Then Sensei in her hakama, and students in gi, Knelt before Shomen for the bow-in ceremony; Then out on the tatami there was such a demo, The amazed audience couldn’t help but exclaim whoa! See what they can do did Sensei proclaim , And she bowed, and straightened, and called them by name; "Now, Kata! Show GEKKI SAI! now, SAIFA and TAIKYO! Now kihon, then bunkai SEIENCHIN and TENSHO! To the ends of the mats in the whole training hall, The air rang with the kiais of them all!; Then they gathered for a full plate and cup, And extra thanks were given to those who cleaned up; When all had gone home and I was by myself, I heard the Ho Ho of a famous Jolly Old Elf. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, Into the dojo St. Nicholas came with a bound! He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, His reindeer I’m not sure where he put; He spoke not all word, but went straight to the mat And practiced a kata, still in his hat, Then He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT #MerryChristmas #SeiSanta #KaratePortMoody #KidsKarate

In what may well have been a record, we had 13 kids testing and 7 kids pre-testing last Friday, as well as 2 adults testing. As everyone gazes at the shiny new belts in the case, we all must remember that it’s not the colour of the belt that matters. It is the effort we put in, the understanding we gain, and the knowledge that we give back. The belt is not a destination, it’s just a waypoint on our journey.... #KaratePortMoody #BeginnerKarate #KidsKarate

Congratulations to our newest black belt, Naoko! And congratulations to Ed Senpai and Kristina Senpai for passing their gradings to Nidan-ho. Well done to all students who attended the recent camp in Nanaimo, a weekend of good training! #Karate #PortMoody #ThisCouldBeYou #ABlackBeltIsJustAWhiteBeltWhoNeverQuit

This is interesting.

A great big Thankyou for all the walkers in today's walk for youth. Additionally for the walkers and all of you who worked hard to collect pledges but couldn't make it to the walk., I thank you. #fundraiser #Coquitlamoptimistclub

Walk for Youth tomorrow - in patnership with The Coquitlam Optimist club. 50% of pledges reached so far. Please help us reach our $2000 goal. E-transfer? sure!! Message me to find out how.

No classes on Monday....honor those who gave everything.

In the final part of our interview with Senpai Don, he talks about getting ready for black belt grading, and what other activities he does to keep fit. What a dedicated guy! You could be just like him, it’s never too late to start! Do you say I always wanted to learn martial arts, but I’m too old now? We don’t believe that! We firmly believe that martial arts are for everyone and have created classes for any student from age 2-1/2 to infinity! ... Our newest class is: Beginner Martial Arts for 50-Plus Dates: Oct 26-Dec 7 When: Saturdays 10:30-11:30 Cost: $72 Still hesitant? Watch Part Four (last one!) of our interview with Senpai Don, one of our 60-plus students! #BeginnerKarate #50PlusKarate #KaratePortMoody This video is the property of West Coast Gojukai. Sharing without this original post is not permitted. WestCoastGojukai2019