Karate and Kickboxing Training at Steele's Karate in Salem Part 3

Part 3 of this series; the aerobic kickboxing dance workout...

Photos by Tim King Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore,) - Martial arts training can be an extremely physical activity, but it can also be fun and exhilarating, according to Sensei John Olivera of Steele's Karate.

In the first two installments of this series we saw John actively training both female and male Karate students who range from beginner to advanced black belt; ranging in age from four to seventy years old.

They come from every walk of life and every type of background, yet even a diverse group in this environment works together

We learned from a 20-year Steele's Karate black belt named James Straight, that this instructor has a real connection with his students, and that he helps them make better use of existing skills that they bring to the dojo.

Very importantly, we heard Dena Healy; another advanced black belt, discuss the benefits of fifteen years in Karate.

Those benefits for Healy, range from being in the best shape of her life, in her 40's; to feeling safer when she is alone because of her advanced training and even more importantly- her enhanced awareness and ability to make important decisions if necessary, in a moment's notice.

She also talks about how the time she spends in the dojo is a great escape time; and that nothing else is in focus when she trains and builds upon her existing Karate skills.

In this video, we see John Olivera lead his students through a series of high energy songs; with an ever changing physical workout program timed to the beat of each number; an aerobic kickboxing dance workout...

John Olivera and Tim King from Salem-News.com have one really unique thing in common; that is U.S. Marine Corps Platoon 1044, which commenced training in the middle of June, 1981.

While John and Tim only knew each other for a brief few months as they went through Marine basic training or 'boot camp', they were certainly among the most challenging in each of their lives.

Years later when Tim was working for Portland TV station KATU, he interviewed John for a news story and they recognized each other about halfway through the interview.

Considering that Tim grew up in Los Angeles and John is from the Detroit Lake, Oregon area; it was a lucky find.

One story and related video produced by Tim some years ago: Salem Ex-Marine May be World's Toughest Kickboxer; has led quite a bit of business to the Salem dojo over the years, John says. Here is the first part in this series, watch for part two which will be released Tuesday.

In Part-4 of this series we learn more about the kickboxing program at Steele's Karate; hard punches against heavy bags that represent the weight of a human body.

Here are the other videos in this series:

Dec-13-2010: Karate and Kickboxing Training at Steele's Karate in Salem Part 1 - Salem-News.com Staff Report

Dec-14-2010: Karate and Kickboxing Training at Steele's Karate in Salem Part 2 - Salem-News.com Staff Report

Dec-18-2010: Karate and Kickboxing Training at Steele's Karate in Salem Part 4 - Salem-News.com Staff Report

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines.

Tim holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. As News Editor, Tim among other things, is responsible for publishing the original content of 65 Salem-News.com writers. He reminds viewers that emails are easily missed and urges those trying to reach him, to please send a second email if the first goes unanswered. You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

Jerry Freeman begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting is part of a new generation of dedicated news photographers who are entering the Internet news industry as a second career. He shares in common with many people the dream of becoming a visual journalist. Joining the Navy at an early age, and the Oregon Army Guard a few years later, Jerry has a wide range of life experiences. He describes himself as “an old truck driver with a new found passion to bare witness on the world’s events.” Teaming up with Salem-News.com he embarks on a new career as a video news photographer and reporter. Stay tuned, and see how it turns out. Jerry seems to exhibit natural talent and is already becoming a published member of the Salem-News.com team. You can send Jerry Freeman an email at this address: bearingwitness@live.com