Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: On Sports

Media Credit: Amadeo Lopez Kenpo instructor Dalton McKay shows the audience his fighting style at the demonstration.

The Eastfield Karate Club held a self-defense exhibition on April 7, in the Pit. The 15-minute presentation gave the club members the opportunity to recruit and show off their martial arts talents.

Participants ranging in skill from novice to black belt level, demonstrated a few of the skills acquired through the study of karate.

Simulating the warm-up portion of a typical karate class, the group formed two lines and loosened their muscles with a series of basic punches, blocks and combinations.

Self-defense instructor Tony McGary led the exercise, dictating the sequence of actions, which his students then performed in unison.

"The beginners were a little nervous, but I felt it went good," McGary said.

Through a series of low-contact sparring matches, the group demonstrated how all the individual pieces of instruction can be brought together in order to defend against an attacker.

Christopher Rodriguez, an undecided major, is in his first semester of Kenpo training and participated in the demonstration.

"Kenpo is one of the more practical fighting styles and gives you a very good workout," Rodriguez said of his decision to study this particular martial art.

A short session of full-contact sparring was held between instructors Dalton McKay, a junior black belt and McGary. Wearing protective gloves and padded headgear, the two highlighted the speed and ferocity of Kempo when employed by those with years of experience.

Both instructors said they are pleased with the progress made by their students.

McKay spoke of the confidence he has in them.

"My students are really capable of doing what they need to do," McKay said.

As those in the Karate Club have gained familiarity with the Kenpo methods and their implementation, the instructors have noticed a growing level of comfort in the class.

" [The students] are correcting me, so that's a good thing," McGary said.

As people in the Pit watched the presentation and applauded, one Eastfield student Wyatt Hull undecided major, felt that something was missing.

"They should have played the theme from Mortal Kombat," Hull said, "No martial arts demonstration is complete without it."

The Karate Club meets each Wednesday from 11 to 11:45 and on Friday from 1 to 2:30 in room P-208.

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Contact Jay at Jay at etc4640@dcccd.edu

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