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Rocky Mountain Karate Academy

Steamboat Springs — Ten years ago, an announcement caught Kathy Olsen’s eye.

A new karate studio, or dojo, was opening in Steamboat Springs. Sensei Michael David Bauk planned to open Steamboat Springs Karate Academy, offering classes to adults and children in a style of karate called Goju Ryu, which translates from Japanese to “the firm and gentle way.”

“I had trained long ago, and every time I moved, I trained in a different style,” Olsen said. “When I came to this town, there was not really anything that called to me. I saw the announcement that the karate training was going to start, and I said, ‘Yeah, I want to do this.’”

Olsen was the first student to walk through the door at Bauk’s dojo, which now is in its third location and is called Rocky Mountain Karate Academy. Since that first day, Bauk estimates that more than 500 students have come through his door.

Dojo development

Rocky Mountain Karate Academy got its start in the late 1990s, when “Tae Bo was sweeping the country,” Bauk said. Working at the Old Town Hot Springs at the time, Bauk started teaching a few kickboxing classes and helped other fitness instructors do the same.

“I was just paying attention to the signs that just kept nudging me in the direction of opening my very own karate studio,” Bauk said. Rocky Mountain Karate spent its first few years in Studio 2. The studio opened on April 3, 2000, and landed in its current home in Steamboat Square about 4 1/2 years ago.

Classes for adults took off quickly. Classes for children took off when Bauk lowered the minimum age from 8 to 6, satisfying the requests of parents who wanted a way to focus and spend their youngsters’ energy, he said.

In those first three or four months, Bauk always showed up for class, even if there were no students to join him.

Originally offering two classes on two nights a week, Bauk has expanded operations to three nights a week and nine classes, he said. His business, Whole Body Education, also offers a women’s fitness boxing class; Shiatsu massage; and personal fitness training.

Bauk said he’s thrilled to have been able to stay in business for 10 years, even if that required sticking it out for the first few.

Discipline and dedication

The rules at Bauk’s dojo are strict: Be on time and make sure your clothing is clean. There are no shoes on the main floor, no jewelry in class, no food and no drink past the main door. During training, students are asked to reduce or eliminate anything unhealthy — smoking, drinking, soda, sugar and any kind of drugs are discouraged. Break a rule, do pushups. Lean against a wall, do pushups.

It’s not easy, but Bauk guarantees that any child who spends two years to

obtain a yellow or green belt at his dojo is “set for life.” Olsen’s sons trained for years, and one of them still practices. The experience offered the boys a sense of discipline and dedication, she said.

“It’s about focusing one’s own strength and power. You learn a lot about your body, your mind, your heart and your spirit,” Olsen said.

Olsen earned her first-degree black belt in March 2007 and was recognized with a second-degree black belt in July 2008. Bauk — who started practicing karate in 1977 and earned his first black belt in 1983 — has a fourth-degree black belt.

Bauk’s teacher, Sensei Teruo Chinen, comes to Steamboat once a year to do workshops and visit. He gave Rocky Mountain Karate Academy its name — dubbing it “bun sui rei,” which translates to “divide water mountain,” which transforms into Continental Divide. Chinen is the director of Jundokan International, an organization based in Spokane, Wash., which Bauk’s dojo is a member of.

Bauk teaches karate classes for children from 4:30 to 6:15 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and for adults from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. Mon­days and Wednesdays. For more information or a class schedule, call Bauk at 871-1500 or 846-0574.