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Kiddo kryptonite

Karate instructor instills self-control, confidence

Tim Smith, a black belt in Kenpo Karate, teaches youngsters more than moves on the mat at his studio.

“Tim teaches life lessons,” said Steve Harris, who with wife, Sako, was watching their 7-year-old son, Kai, as he learned grappling tactics. “He teaches respect, self-control, which benefits Kai, who can be impulsive.”

Kai took up karate at age 4.

Grappling is an aspect of karate but specifically focuses on how to free oneself from an aggressor who has the victim on the ground.

“We don’t throw the first punch,” Smith said. “Kenpo Karate is defensive, until we get free. Then we can take the offense.”

Smith has owned Durango Kenpo Karate Studio since 1994.

Mike Adamski, who has two children training with Smith, agreed with Harris’ assessment of the peripheral benefits of Smith’s instruction.

Smith seems to intuit the challenge that each student faces and responds with the appropriate encouragement, Adamski said. His son, Lukas, 14, is showing more focus and self-discipline, he said, and daughter, Sophia, 13, is gaining self-confidence in body movements.

When a youngster in a recent training session said he couldn’t do something, Smith halted activity and addressed the group.

Anything can be done, he said, illustrating his point with how the Costa Concordia – the Italian passenger liner that went aground off the west coast of Italy – was righted and refloated to be towed to port.

It took 2½ years to accomplish the job but proved the naysayers wrong.

“Anything can be done,” Smith said. “But it may take effort.”

Smith, 47, took up karate at age 11 in self-defense while living in Huntington Beach, California.

“I was bullied by a classmate because I had a speech impediment, and I was pretty scrawny,” Smith said. “I gained self-confidence with karate and was able to stand up for myself and not back down.”

In fact, after he asserted himself, he and the bully became friends, a relationship that has carried over to Facebook today, Smith said.

Kenpo Karate derives from a Chinese method of self-defense modified in Japan, Smith said. Kenpo means law of the fist (ken – fist and po – law).

The martial art split into two camps – one based on traditional Samurai principles (Al Tracy school) and an Americanized version (Ed Parker school).

Smith followed the Al Tracy school, and today is a fourth-degree black belt in a color-coded hierarchy that starts with yellow and runs through orange, purple, blue, green, three levels of brown and 10 levels of black.

Chris Serwe said Smith has become a mentor as well as a coach to her son, Mitchell, 12, who attends Mountain Middle School.

Mitchell tends to be shy, but he is coming out of his shell after three years of karate, Serwe said.

“Tim balances strict discipline and a funny side,” Serwe said. “The kids adore him.”

The feeling seems to be mutual.

“I see big changes in my students as they advance in karate,” Smith said. “The changes occur in their attitude, in school and in their life.

“I’m not trying to make fighters because anyone can punch or kick,” he said. “I want to make better human beings.”

daler@durangoherald.com



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