Let us take this opportunity to introduce Liberte student Jaxon & find out about his Karate journey & passions for the sport.

What is the attraction to Karate for Jaxon…..

Jaxon is a highly regarded member of his class, he is an active and a very sociable student who loves the opportunity to work in pairs & small groups where he can share his passion for karate with his team mates. Jaxon's karate journey started through making friends & enjoying an activity after school. His favourite thing in karate is to practice Kata. His philosophy to kata training is to start off slowly working through with precision each section of his subject kata. His main focus is to then execute each turn and change in direction with speed and precision of technique. This method has continued to bring him success throughout his karate journey.

Let's look at some challenges Jaxon has faced in karate & how he has overcome them…..

In life, some things will not come as natural to us as others. Jaxon's example of a challenge he faced in karate was the Kumite component. Jaxon was faced with the challenge of coordinating a punch on a target with speed whilst maintaining perfect control to avoid contact with that target. The degree of difficulty increases when bouncing in kumite however movement is vital for the kumite fighter to remain agile at all times. "I didn't used to like Kumite because it was hard for me, but now that my focus is better. I try more & I can score much easier… I went to the KBL and won a couple of rounds and it was a good experience for me". Jaxon didn't let kumite hold him back. His love for karate kept him focused and motivated to keep working hard to improve his skills. As a coach that's what we love to see DETERMINATION.

How did Jaxon get to where he is today…

Jaxon has attributed a change in focus to a few key elements, the most important being the support he continues to receive from his classmates and his mum. Jaxon believes that talking to his mum about his focus was a major turning point in his karate journey because she continually encourages Jaxon to keep trying and assists him during karate practice at home. After classes Jaxon sought out extra feedback from instructors to assist in improving his Kumite skills. Jaxon's 'karate homework' would include a breakdown the components of Kumite taught in that session. An example being to practice a movement drill such as hopping in "fighting stance" on the spot. Then increasing the level of difficulty to include a punch into the drill assisting in the development of coordination in kumite footwork & hands. Jaxon's most remembered advice from his mother is to push speed & feel more confident.

As coaches we are proud to say Jaxon's hard work & dedication is paying off with his skills improving tremendously. It's fantastic to see such improved coordination & increased confidence in free sparring kumite where Jaxon now remains agile & has the ability to score techniques & combinations involving punches & kicks on the move. Jaxon truly appreciates his achievements from hard work & dedication to training.

Well done Jaxon!!!