Page 20 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 62

20 January 2018 Issue #62 www.sportsenergynews.com

The Attributes: Timing National’s Player

Cam Bakker Always’s

By Jim Riddell, Trying To Improve

Seaway Karate Club
By Carrie Seguin whatever happens during the day or
week, and focus on the sport I enjoy
The rink is one of my favourite playing. I get to chill with friends
n the past two Karate Komments columns we began to look at the attributes, “places,” says Cam Bakker, #44
Ior components of karate that every serious practitioner should strive to of the Cornwall Nationals. “It’s a and teammates, who like me, are
improve. Speed and power are most important, very obvious, but both can be place where I get to get away from Continued on page 21
taken to another level by proper timing. Timing, for karate purposes can be
defined as “choosing the precise moment to grab, hit, back off, run from, or
say the right thing to bring the threat of a potential situation or a situation in
progress to a conclusion in your favour”. In other words timing is the ability
to take advantage of a window of opportunity. Timing can be both offensive
and defensive, whether fighting in a ring at a tournament or in a self-defence
situation.
Defensively the sooner a threat can be identified the better your chances of
successfully defending against it will be. Before you are able to block or
evade an incoming punch or kick, several things have to happen: 1) You
have to recognize it as a threat. 2) Consider your possible responses and
choose one. 3) Tell your muscles how to respond. Having a limited number
of techniques that you are quite proficient at will help to lower your reaction
time. There are dozens of techniques, both offensive and defensive, in karate
but most practitioners have a relatively low number of “go to” techniques,
with some of them being ones that can be used in several different situations,
known as commonality of technique.
There are several scenarios where the window of opportunity for offensive
timing will present itself – here are just a few: 1) When your opponent is Photo Credit: Creative Images
distracted – it could be something that you said or a momentary glance away
for example. 2) When he shifts his weight or changes his stance – your Brought to you by Scores
opponent will have a more difficult time if even slightly unbalanced. 3)
When he’s moving backwards – the human body is designed for forward Athlete of the Month
motion. As we age our speed and power are not what they once were but the
more effective training time that a martial artist puts into training the better Joshua Barnes
his timing will be.
Age: 15
In the combative arts, several athletes have put that effective training to good Home town: Cornwall, Ontario
use winning titles at an advanced age. In MMA there have been Chuck School: Saint Joseph’s Catholic Secondary
Liddell at age 37, Anderson Silva at 38, and Randy Couture at 45 years, in Grade: 10
pro boxing, Roberto Duran 37, George Foreman 45, and Bernard Hopkins Joshua Barnes is no stranger when it comes to the
at 48 years of age. Perhaps the best example of fighter changing his style hockey scene in Cornwall and area. At 15 years of
to offset the ageing process would be George Foreman. Foreman won the age, he is playing for the Cornwall Colts under 18
gold medal at the 1968 Olympics, turned pro in ‘69, KO’d Joe Frazier to win team and has been called up to play with the Junior
A squad three times, where he has scored a goal.
the world heavyweight title in ‘73, retiring in 1977. After a ten year hiatus, Josh’s short-term goals are to make the OHL
Foreman made a comeback at the age of thirty-eight, winning the title again or to earn a scholarship to a Division 1 school in
seven years later in ‘94 by KOing the previously unbeaten Michael Moorer the United States. Both are real possibilities for the young athlete, according to local
(35-0). During this comeback Foreman fought 34 times winning 31 of those amateur hockey enthusiasts.
fights before finally hanging his gloves up at age 48. The grade 10 honour student at St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School should certainly
be able to handle the rigours of high level athletics and scholastics: according to his
In the past couple of years I have had the honour of interviewing heavyweight teachers, he’s scoring marks in the high 80’s and in the 90’s in his academic level classes.

contenders George Chuvalo and Gerry Cooney for Sports Energy. Chuvalo “Definitely gym,” he replies when asked about his favourite course.
and Cooney were from different eras, but between the two of them they Long-term, Josh is looking at breaking into the pros. When considering life off the ice,
fought most of the world’s best of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. Chuvalo fought the young athlete is interested in coaching. That’s coaching hockey, of course.
Foreman in Aug of 1970; Cooney fought him almost 20 years later in Jan Delivery Available
1990. I asked each who the hardest puncher was that they had ever faced and
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they both told me the exact same thing – nobody hits like George Foreman. SOUP, SALAD AND FRUIT BAR
In those 20 years Foreman had gained experience, adapted his style, and was
still knocking out most of his opponents. He had economized his movements
as to not waste energy and was using a better sense of timing to end his
fights. With proper timing you can enhance both your speed and your power,
making each and every one of your karate techniques better. 960 BROOKDALE AVENUE, CORNWALL
613-935-7777