Local - Yin Yang Do Karate...
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Local Students get immersed in martial arts More than 20 take part in 22-hour , trainirig session BY CHRIS BARNCARD [email protected] Chris Braun's students eat and sleep martial arts training. Atleast, on this weekend, they ate and slept in the same place they trained, spending 22 hours in and around the Braun, Ka- rate and Martial Arts Academy dojo inside St. John's Lutheran Church, 3833Eighth Ave. Braun said 22ofhis academy's 42active students showedup for the overnight. TlJ.eclass beg~ at 7 p.m. on Friday with a me- morial workout for Army Staff Sgt. Robert Basham, an original student and eventual instructor with Braun who was killed last month during a tour in Iraq. ' The academy's 22-hour schedule included more than seven hours of active training interspersed with yoga, medi- tation sessions, tai chi, a mov- ie, two meals and some well-de- served sleep. "We're not your average martial arts school, because I've never charged a student," Braun said. "I give my time and they give theirs. If, they don't have to pay you get real dedication out of them." "And I have the greatest stu- dents," he said. "The harder I push them, the more they ac- complish." Braun, who celebrates his 26th birthday today, has put 20 years into martial arts, start- ing at a young age as a way to lose some weight. ' "Basketball camp didn't go too well, so it was this or soc- cer," he said. He said there's no one reason why his students, who range from age 4 up into their 30s, de- cided to pick up martial arts. Da- kota Weichers, a 7-year-oldfrom Kenosha, is partial to the speed. "My favorite part is when we fight," Dakota said, during - KENOSHA NEWS PHOTO BY KEVIN POIRIER/Additional photos at kenoshanews,com Zanshin Do Karate Club Sensei Rick Cesario, of Kenosha, shows students of Braun's Karate and Martial Arts Academy Jesse Gonzales, 10, of Racine (in black) and Dakota Weichers, 7, of Kenosha, some self-defense techniques Saturday during the waning hours of a 22-hour overnight training session at St. John's Lutheran Church. a quick break from parrying worry too much about her and returning punches with 10- Learn more classmate and son, young Jesse year-old Jesse Gonzales. "You Gonzales; while he spars. Just try to use everything you learn, For more aoout Braun's Karate like Braun's mother pointed and it goes real fast." and Martial Arts, contact Chris him to martial arts, Jesse's in- Fast enough that the schedule Braun at 412-5942 or 553-9564. volvement at the academy was periodically" calls for slowing ------------ Caracciolo's idea. But Braun's down. More sedate yoga, tai chi sario said, slowly swaying to mom probably wasn't working and meditation are necessary demonstrate the proper weight out in the same dojo. ' to keep the students limber and shift during one series of blocks, "It's something I've had a pas- on track, especially during the kicks and punches. "That's what sion for, and it's just that much marathon overnight training. you are representing here." better that he does, too," said "We will stop to meditate Cesario, sporting a few fin- Caracciolo, happy to see her son for about half an hour," Braun gers \\lith funny kinks at the j embracing the academy's dis- said. "They come back much joints, showed the students how .,cipline and self-control. "Now more focused on what they're to guide an attacker's momen- that he's lO-years-old it seems working on. Sometimes you turn- and respond with short, like he is growing into it." just need that meditation or you explosive movements, driving And still hanging in there keep hitting the same blocks." elbows and fists. Most of his Saturday while other students Few of the students looked class delivered the blows with started stifling yawns: all that sluggish on Satur- slightly less speed and oomph, "It really kind of gets you go- day afternoon, even after 20 but Cesario still warned them ing," Jesse said. hours. They listened intently' I when to hold back. I as Kenoshan Rick Cesario, one "Don't put too much pres- -------'-~---- of five instructors from around sure on the elbow," he said southeastern Wisconsin who while pairing students off to made guest appearances, guid- repeat a grappling maneuver. ed them through a series of "You will hyperextend it and moves to counter attacks. get some boo-boos." "You know how the willow Boo-boos are rare enough tree blows in the wind?" Ce- that Lorie Caracciolo doesn't
Transcript of Local - Yin Yang Do Karate...
Local
Students get immersed in martial artsMore than 20 take
part in 22-hour ,
trainirig sessionBY CHRIS BARNCARD
Chris Braun's students eatand sleep martial arts training.
Atleast, on this weekend, theyate and slept in the same placethey trained, spending 22 hoursin and around the Braun, Karate and Martial Arts Academydojo inside St. John's LutheranChurch, 3833Eighth Ave.
Braun said 22ofhis academy's42active students showedup forthe overnight. TlJ.eclass beg~at 7 p.m. on Friday with a memorial workout for Army StaffSgt. Robert Basham, an originalstudent and eventual instructorwith Braun who was killed lastmonth during a tour in Iraq. '
The academy's 22-hourschedule included more thanseven hours of active traininginterspersed with yoga, meditation sessions, tai chi, a movie, two meals and some well-deserved sleep.
"We're not your averagemartial arts school, becauseI've never charged a student,"Braun said. "I give my timeand they give theirs. If, theydon't have to pay you get realdedication out of them."
"And I have the greatest students," he said. "The harder Ipush them, the more they accomplish."
Braun, who celebrates his26th birthday today, has put 20years into martial arts, starting at a young age as a way tolose some weight. '
"Basketball camp didn't gotoo well, so it was this or soccer," he said.
He said there's no one reasonwhy his students, who rangefrom age 4 up into their 30s, decided to pick up martial arts. Dakota Weichers, a 7-year-oldfromKenosha, is partial to the speed.
"My favorite part is whenwe fight," Dakota said, during
- KENOSHA NEWS PHOTO BY KEVIN POIRIER/Additional photos at kenoshanews,com
Zanshin Do Karate Club Sensei Rick Cesario, of Kenosha, shows students of Braun's Karateand Martial Arts Academy Jesse Gonzales, 10, of Racine (in black) and Dakota Weichers,7, of Kenosha, some self-defense techniques Saturday during the waning hours of a 22-hourovernight training session at St. John's Lutheran Church.
a quick break from parrying worry too much about herand returning punches with 10- Learn more classmate and son, young Jesseyear-old Jesse Gonzales. "You Gonzales; while he spars. Justtry to use everything you learn, For more aoout Braun's Karate like Braun's mother pointedand it goes real fast." and Martial Arts, contact Chris him to martial arts, Jesse's in-
Fast enough that the schedule Braun at 412-5942 or 553-9564. volvement at the academy wasperiodically" calls for slowing ------------ Caracciolo's idea. But Braun'sdown. More sedate yoga, tai chi sario said, slowly swaying to mom probably wasn't workingand meditation are necessary demonstrate the proper weight out in the same dojo. 'to keep the students limber and shift during one series of blocks, "It's something I've had a pason track, especially during the kicks and punches. "That's what sion for, and it's just that muchmarathon overnight training. you are representing here." better that he does, too," said
"We will stop to meditate Cesario, sporting a few fin- Caracciolo, happy to see her sonfor about half an hour," Braun gers \\lith funny kinks at the j embracing the academy's dissaid. "They come back much joints, showed the students how .,cipline and self-control. "Nowmore focused on what they're to guide an attacker's momen- that he's lO-years-old it seemsworking on. Sometimes you turn- and respond with short, like he is growing into it."just need that meditation or you explosive movements, driving And still hanging in therekeep hitting the same blocks." elbows and fists. Most of his Saturday while other students
Few of the students looked class delivered the blows with started stifling yawns:all that sluggish on Satur- slightly less speed and oomph, "It really kind of gets you go-day afternoon, even after 20 but Cesario still warned them ing," Jesse said.hours. They listened intently' I when to hold back. I
as Kenoshan Rick Cesario, one "Don't put too much pres- -------'-~----of five instructors from around sure on the elbow," he saidsoutheastern Wisconsin who while pairing students off tomade guest appearances, guid- repeat a grappling maneuver.ed them through a series of "You will hyperextend it andmoves to counter attacks. get some boo-boos."
"You know how the willow Boo-boos are rare enoughtree blows in the wind?" Ce- that Lorie Caracciolo doesn't
