Over the years

[gmattson]

I've had some really nice dojo and some that were quite primitive. I bet each of you have had the same experience.

Right now I'm working on building an outdoor dojo, that hopefully will look like a Japanese garden and the dojo floor will simply be the ground, which over time will harden and change appearance and feeling with the seasons.

Here are a few of the "before" photos. It is a work-in-progress. I live midway down a large hill and my home has lots of wooded area in the back. The photos show a section that is relatively flat and the trees were pretty much being destroyed by a nasty leafy vine that wraps around the limbs, eventually destroying it. Anyway... here are the "before" pictures:

[Guest]

wow! Is that kudzu? That stuff could prove difficult to control. Beautiful though.

You could pour a slab back there, and erect a frame and just let the fines fill in the cracks. That would be a nice dojo!

[gmattson]

get rid of the vines. They are killing the small trees... smoothering them.

I don't own the land in back. Its conservation land, so I can't build anything too permanent.

[Guest]

If thats a preserve George, you'd better be careful about messing with those vines. You could get fined BIG TIME! I live in a preserve too and we're not allowed to do anything on that side of our property line.

[gmattson]

Its owned by a school, but they can't build there.

[MikeK]

Ahhh, training in the great outdoors.

[gmattson]

Tia and I spent about five hours clearing vines that were strangling the trees and plants in my personal zen garden dojo. The physical work felt good and this morning (Sunday) I got up at daybreak and performed my karate workout outside on a mat of soft earth and vegetation.

I highly recommend that everyone find a quiet, secluded and if possible, isolated area where you can rediscover your workout. Not a bad way to begin your day.

[CANDANeh]

I highly recommend that everyone find a quiet, secluded and if possible, isolated area where you can rediscover your workout.

The older I get the more I can relate to this statement.
My backyard is enclosed by a border of pines and a wonderful willow tree offers shade in my "outdoor dojo". I have "accidently" mowed some of my wife`s shrubs in past from time to time which offers me the best of floors as well. Also, a place to set my tent for those "doghouse" days She now considers it my space to do as I wish.
Your spot is looking promissing GEM, the natural colors in the background along with the feel of the earth beneath your feet will help keep peace in your life for years to come.

[David Mott]

Hi George,

I think that in the 1960s you helped a lot of us connect to practising karate outdoors. I have quite vivid memories of various workouts in parks and at the beaches around Bean town (early summer camp experiences!). I've never stopped the practise and as much as I love our dojo (Cold Mountain), it's the times practising by myself out in the woods on Bobbi's and my 210 acres of wild Canadian Shield land where I discover the most about Uechi-ryu and my own skills advance and the teaching curriculum advances. I've come to appreciate the martial forces of crane, tiger and dragon by rooting them in the natural environment from which they came. I hope that your thread inspires many to pursue this.

Best,

David

[Bill Glasheen]

Can't tell off the top of my head what those vines are. Not Virginia Creeper, and I don't think it's Kudzu. Whatever it is, it doesn't look like a native landscape plant, at least not the way it's taking over like that.

Here's something worth perusing, from Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Controlling Vines in Ornamentals

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

Got it!

Check out Air Potato (dioscorea bulbifera) in this document.

Identification of Vine Weeds in Florida Citrus

Thanks to University of Florida Extension - Institute of Food and Agricultural Services.

- Bill

[gmattson]

Good to see you on-line again.

I must work out with my class twice a week indoors, but the sessions I have by myself, outdoors in the woods, are the greatest.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Mass Maritime Academy next week. Its going to be a really great weekend.

[f.Channell]

I have an outdoor area with an outdoor makiwara as well.
The good thing for you now Sensei George is come February you'll still be working out and I'll be shovelling.

I'm working on a personal dojo and have some plans drawn up.
16'X32' should be big enough.
All it takes is money!!

F.

[Guest]

Lots of peaceful spots available to do Sanchin or just sit and watch the valley breath.

[maxwell ainley]

Fred if I lived close to you in the USA I would build your dojo for free .

max.