Martial Arts and OPRA with Abigail

The following is an computer-generated summary of the video transcript.

-Along with allof its other classesHampshire offersa lot of OPRA classes,which stands for Outdoor Programs,Recreation, and Athletics.One category of theseclasses are Martial Arts,which is offered in the RobertCrown Center or the RCC.Here, we have many differentexamples of the fourcourses that Hampshireoffers currently.Iaido,Aikido, Kyudo, and Shotokan Karate.10Let’s begin with Iaido.11This martial art is the studyof drawing, cutting,12and resheathing the Japanese sword.13Don’t worry,it’s very safe because the opponents14in this practice arealways imaginary,15meaning that the sword is neverapplied to a training partner,16and it is alwaysa form done in the air.17In this demonstration,students are practicing four18variationsof a fundamental practice,19which is traditionally doneon an indoor floor environment,20traversing the needs, but has beenmodified for outdoor training.21Next, let’s look at Aikido.22Aikido practice is typicallybased on practicing responding23to an imaginary opponent who wouldbe attacking with Japanese weapons,24such as a sword or a spear.25Half of the practice is learningwhat the attacks and receptions are,26so we practice what is called ukemi,27which is receivingor evading attacks.28This is a large focusof the practice shown29by students practicingfalling and rolling.30Oftentimes, the mark of an educatedAikidoist is how well they can fall,31evade, or blend with their opponent.32A principal philosophypeople aspire to in Aikido,33is the abstract goal of turningthe fear of falling into flying.34Kyudo is the practiceof Japanese zen archery.35Though Kyudo is notas kinetic as other36popular expressions of martial Arts,it is just as involved,37intellectual, and active.38We begin the classby putting on Kake,39which is a glove that assists uswhen drawing the string of the bow.40This glove is not for the purposeof protecting the hand,41but forming it as the exacttool that draws the string,42as opposed to playing withour fingers, as one might expect.43We make innumerablerepetitions to polish44our techniqueand the state of our minds,45constantly trying to reach zen46in our practice withshot after shot.47Finally, Shotokan Karate.48Originally,a fighting form developed in Okinawa49to defend againstthe Japanese military.50Karate is the study of weaponizingthe body in such a way that,51as a last resort, a weapon is notneeded to neutralize an opponent.52Now, currently a part of Japan,53the martial artsculture from Okinawa has54contributed a lotto its meaning today.55Philosophically, as we practice,56we understand thatwe are meant to become57technicians in practice of peace58through our studyof violence and responding59to or defending against violence.60The Japanese wordfor martial arts is budo.61It is a compoundof terms that loosely62translate to mean to stop violence.63Many of the students featured here64in this video arenew to the practice,65but an axiom of itsphilosophy is that even though66the students might not belearning high-level techniques,67they always know howto practice at the highest68level in their heartsand in their spirit.69Even a beginner neverstops when they’re tired,70they stop when they are finished.71Hopefully, you now have someinsight into what the martial72arts program at HampshireCollege is like.73The martial arts program isonly a small portion of the OPRA74program that’s offered asa whole at Hampshire College.75There are other things likeweight room training, and yoga,76and kayaking, if you’reinterested in something else,77but now you have a little bitof a view of what it’s like.