KArate with Michael Polito
“The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.” -- Gichin Funakoshi
Join Michael Polito, founder of Old School Street Fitness, twice a week for Karate at our Poughkeepsie location!
Monday
Iaido: 6:45-7:15 pm
Karate: 7:15-8:30 pm
Karate class will take students from basic fundamentals including stretching, strength, generating power, and self confidence. It’s for all ages. Karate is number one, a true self protection and self improvement art. Not a sport.
Classes are for Ages 13 and Up.
Contact Michael Polito to register:
Iaido is the Japanese martial art of swordsmanship which emphasizes drawing and cutting with the samurai sword (called a ‘katana’) in a single fluid motion. Beginners starting with a wooden sword first (Bokken).
Iaido requires extreme precision of its techniques and demands tremendous concentration during practice-both of which ask a great deal of self-discipline and sincere personal commitment on the part of the student in order to master. As a reward for these efforts, it can offer the individual a lifetime of physical, mental, and spiritual growth, as well as an enlightened and peaceful state of mind.
The style of Iaido is Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu dating back over 450 years.
MICHAEL POLITO TEACHER / WELLNESS COACH / INSTRUCTOR & CONSULTANT
Michael Polito has been a student of the martial arts since 1979, beginning with Chinese Kung Fu, then transitioning to Okinawan Karate (Okinawa Kenpo) under Kyoshi Joseph Mansfield and then Master Teruyuki Higa. Michael also trains in Japanese Karate formally Kyokushinkai-World Oyama, and now Bushiken Karate, under director Shihan Skinner. He holds black belt degrees in both styles. Michael also participated in full contact fighting until the age of 56. Michael also studies a traditional form of Iaido (Japanese Sword Drawing) under Sensei Noboru Kataoka of the NYC Kendo Club.
Sensei Michael Polito now leads karate classes here at Stone Wave Yoga in Poughkeepsie.