INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Friendly Eagle Kyokushin Karate. We take pride in cultivating a positive training environment where discipline and rigorous practice are held in high regard. Whether you are beginning your journey into martial arts or bring years of established experience, our dojo offers a space for mutual growth and continuous learning under the traditional values of Kyokushin.

FEES / REGISTRATION

To maintain structural consistency and progress, pre-registration is required for each 2-3 month term. For detailed enrollment information and current fee structures, please contact Christine Langdon at the Summerside Beach Club: 780.497.7558 ext.2 or programs@lakesummerside.ca.

KYOKUSHIN KARATE

Karate - the art of the "empty hand" - is a universal discipline suitable for practitioners of all ages. When pursued with sincerity and heart, it transcends physical training to become a lifestyle that fosters mental resilience and physical fortitude. For children, martial arts provides a robust foundation for character development that serves them throughout their lives. While mastery requires patience and persistence, students often begin to see tangible improvements in confidence, coordination, and focus within their first few months of consistent training. Through adjusted lifestyle habits and dedicated practice, practitioners achieve a deeper sense of moderation, respect, and overall physical balance.

As a full-contact style, Kyokushin karate utilizes a progressive learning methodology. Self-defense and kumite are introduced gradually, moving from non-contact basics to full-engagement as the student’s technical proficiency and physical conditioning improve. Our dojo emphasizes the distinction between a "partner" and an "opponent" during training; advanced students mentor beginners while refining their own mastery of tempo and control. To ensure safety, strikes to the face are prohibited in standard training and competition, and comprehensive protective equipment - including headgear, gloves, and shin guards - is utilized according to the level of engagement.

Founded by Sosai Masutatsu Oyama, Kyokushin translates to the "Ultimate Truth." The Dojo Kun serves as the ethical core for every practitioner, outlining the principles of humility, spirit, and wisdom that define our discipline:

Hitotsu, wareware wa, shinshin o renmashi, kakko fubatsu no shingi o kiwameru koto.
We will train our hearts and bodies for a firm unshaken spirit.
Hitotsu, wareware wa, bu no shinzui o kiwame, ki ni hasshi, kan ni bin naru koto.
We will pursue the true meaning of the martial way so that, in time, our senses may be alert.
Hitotsu, wareware wa, shitsujitsu goken o motte, kokki no seishin o kanyo suru koto.
With true vigour, we will seek to cultivate a spirit of self-denial.
Hitotsu, wareware wa, reisetsu o omonji, chojo o keishi, sobo no furumai o tsutsushimu koto.
We will observe the rules of courtesy, respect our superiors, and refrain from violence.
Hitotsu, wareware wa, shinbutsu o totobi, kenjo no bitoku o wasurezaru koto.
We will follow our religious principles and never forget the true virtue of humility.
Hitotsu, wareware wa, chisei to tairyoku to o kojo sase, koto ni nozonde ayamatazaru koto.
We will look upwards to wisdom and strength, not seeking other desires.
Hitotsu, wareware wa, shogai no shugyo o karate no michi ni tsuji, Kyokushin no michi o mattou suru koto.
All our lives, through the discipline of karate, we will seek to fulfill the true meaning of the Kyokushin way.

"One thousand days of training, a beginner. Ten thousand days of training, a master."

- Masutatsu Oyama

"Karate is a defensive art from beginning to end."

- Gichin Funakoshi

"To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the highest skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the highest skill."

- Sun Tzu, The Art of War

In the tradition of Mr. Miyagi's dojo from the original Karate Kid films:

RULE NUMBER ONE: "Karate - For Defense Only"
RULE NUMBER TWO: "First learn RULE NUMBER ONE"

BELT GRADING

The modern colored belt ranking system represents a shift from traditional master-student apprenticeships to a visible metrics-based progression model. Originally adapted from Judo by Gichin Funakoshi for his Shotokan schools, this system allows practitioners to track their development through standardized levels of technical achievement and tenure.

In Kyokushin, the ranking hierarchy utilizes KYU grades for students and "DAN" degrees for black belts. Each level serves as a milestone in the practitioner's technical and philosophical journey toward mastery.

(no kyu): white belt
10 KYU: orange belt
9 KYU: orange belt (stripe)
8 KYU: blue belt
7 KYU: blue belt (stripe)
6 KYU: yellow belt
5 KYU: yellow belt (stripe)
4 KYU: green belt
3 KYU: green belt (stripe)
2 KYU: brown belt
1 KYU: brown belt (stripe)
1st DAN: black belt - first level
2nd DAN: black belt - second level
...
10th DAN: highest black belt level (Sosai Masutatsu Oyama)

KATA

Kata serves as a foundational pillar of karate training, consisting of a structured sequence of approximately 20 predefined movements where the practitioner engages with imaginary opponents through a series of blocks, strikes, and kicks. This discipline requires the seamless integration of precise stances, controlled breathing, rhythmic balance, and the dynamic application of speed and explosive power. While the geometric patterns (embusen) can be memorized relatively quickly, true mastery is a gradual process that matures as the student progresses through the ranks. Generally, each technique is executed with a one-second cadence - meaning a full form is completed in under a minute - yet the depth of focus and technical perfection required to master that single minute demands years of dedicated practice.

A beginner starting at the orange belt level will encounter the first two forms (Taikyoku 1 & 2). However, they will quickly discover that true proficiency lies in the details - the alignment of a strike, the tempo of a transition, or the precision of a block. These subtleties distinguish a basic performance from an advanced execution and remain the focus of regular, serious training.

Below is a list of core Kyokushin kata, linked to YouTube videos.

ABOUT ION

Ionut (Ion) began his Kyokushin karate journey in 1990 in Romania before transitioning his practice to Canada in 2000. He spent his formative Canadian training years with the Ohan Brothers Dojo in Montreal and has since trained with esteemed clubs including the Edmonton Kyokushin Karate Club and the Extreme Martial Arts Centre in Mississauga. Parallel to his martial arts career, Ion has achieved high-level professional success in Control Systems engineering, Artificial Intelligence, and Software Development - bringing a unique analytical perspective to his role as an instructor.

2008: awarded a first-degree black belt (shodan) by Shihan Camille Ohan, at the Ohan Brothers Dojo (Montreal, QC / Canada).

2009: established a dojo in Edmonton, Alberta, under the mentorship of the Ohan Brothers, maintaining a consistent presence in the local martial arts community across multiple locations.

2012: awarded a second-degree black belt (nidan) by Hanshi Roman Szyrajew at the Shihan Roman Dojo (Laval, QC / Canada).

2018: founded FRIENDLY EAGLE SOFTWARE Inc., a firm specializing in HSE (The OPTIC System) and telematics (EAGLE GPS) solutions.

2020: awarded a third-degree black belt (sandan) by Hanshi Roman Szyrajew in Montreal, coinciding with his student Jared Knapp's shodan grading.

2022: founded FRIENDLY EAGLE FARMS, an agricultural venture North of Edmonton focused on specialty crop and berry production.