PHED BC1680

One page paper about a documentary we watched. The documentary, although dated, is somewhat interesting (Budo - the Art of Killing (1978)) Don't miss class more than 6 times. Pushups, situps, leg-raises, jumproping, puching, kicking, etc.

This is gym class- literally show up in workout clothes and put in minimal effort and everything will be fine.

Bonnie Baker's karate class is reasonably fun for a phys ed requirement. If you enjoy martial arts and general calisthenics/fitness, then this class is a decent introduction. Since basically everyone knows nothing (including me), I would not walk into this class with the expectation of making much progress. If you can buy into her pseudo-East-Asian-spiritual beliefs and teachings, you may get more out of this than I did. On the other hand, if you are uninterested in the spiritual aspect of this class, it's not so much that it's abrasive. She's nice but somewhat intense.

I ended up in this class through a long series of events but it ultimately ended well. Professor Bernstein can come off a little serious or strange but she's actually really nice and really cares about all of her students. She also sometimes demonstrates more advanced karate moves which was fun. She basically just wants students to move and try their best, this is a pretty low-key class, though I do think it would have been more fun if I had taken it with a friend.The only other thing that's important to note (for all the nonathletic out there) is that there are periods in every class where she asks you to sit while she explains or demonstrates something, which I found nice and made the class more manageable for me physically. Just a side note, the PE department can be really accommodating/understanding if you talk to them! I ended up getting an Incomplete because of absences and I only have to go to one day of a PE course in the Fall to pass the class. You have six excused absences to use up for this class so use them wisely! It's a schlep to figure out how to make things up and no one should have to fail gym class.

consider yourself lucky that this high caliber of a karate instructor teaches at such an academically focused school. you won't get something like this at another ivy school, at least i highly doubt it! Absorb everything you can with her, because she's amazing! She is really helpful, and walks around the class giving personal advice to each student. She is really committed to giving you a better life- sound wierd? It isn't wierd. She is honestly and genuinely concerned with giving you a sense of pride and confidence in your ability to walk around the streets of new york with a sense of security. She wants you to be able to stand up for yourself and to gain street smarts. Give her a gold nugget please.

Pushups, situps, jumping rope, and (more tiring) practicing technique

To put it briefly, Sensei Baker is fantastic. She handles a class of beginners well and is dedicated to helping her students develop a solid foundation of basic technique. What does that mean? Expect lots of repetition. The class moves slowly in terms of learning "new" material, but remarkably quickly in terms of improvement. Sensei is eager to help after or before class and clearly is passionate about her art. Whether you're completely new at martial arts or have had training, but would like to spend time focusing on refining the basics, I would highly reccomend this class.

One 1page paper... over a video. Really didn't matter much. Other than that, 6 absences allowed during the semester - save them for the end to study for finals!!

Sensei Baker is probably the best professor on campus! She actually cares for her students, which is rare trait in college professors in general. She is also very strong and talented - at the age of 50-60ish, she is stronger than everyone in the class! She also teaches very well - but you have to be serious about whether you want to learn anything in the class. A very fun class to take if you are serious, but if you are not, just go take another PE class and not waste our time. I wish the class were more competitive though. We have had small "competitions" - really 2 people against each other pulling or pushing for like 30 seconds. If you have more of a competitive spirit (like me), I would suggest taking Judo instead, although I don't think that any other martial arts program could really beat Karate. I've heard that the club is very competitive, but it's also expensive - worth joining once u are done with the 2 required Karate classes.