Tag Archives: Karate for adults

TBT- Another old, but timeless article- About ‘soup’.

   Becoming a proficient Martial Artist has very little to do with the accumulation of technique, yet it has everything to do with the accumulation of technique. No, this is not a ‘When you can snatch the pebble from my hand’ kind of thing, but more of an in depth look into the way we train, and what we train for. As you can see, this is a recurring subject for me. Many people misunderstand the idea of being or becoming a Martial Artist. In many systems the total removal of entire blocks of techniques is justified with statements like, “there is just too much to learn”, or my favorite,”it’s just too hard for people to progress.” The latter placing emphasis on one of my Martial Arts pet peeves that the belt one wears must be indicative of their skill level.

    As sad as it is to say, this is no longer the fact that it once was.

   We are now plagued with McDojos that can tell you, down to the date, when you or your loved one will “earn” their Black Belt. Adorning the walls of these ‘Dojos’ are statements like “We are a Black Belt School” and “Attaining Black Belt Excellence”. What it does not say are things like, “If it’s too difficult, then we will make it easier by diluting the skills it actually takes to be a Black Belt” and “If the check clears, welcome to the Black Belt Club!” To become adept at any skill you must first learn the gross motor function that it takes to perform what is expected, to know and understand what the outcome of said action is, and why it is being attained through the current exploit and not an alternate pathway. So if I need, let’s say, 26 fighting combinations to ‘become a Black Belt’, then the accrual of these techniques should be the focus of my training, right? If I can memorize these 26 base movements in one month I will have the same skill level as the person who took five to seven years to practice the same 26 moves, right? I know, I know. It just sounds ridiculous when you think about it doesn’t it? You would be surprised about how many people believe that this is fact nowadays.

   So if I am making a soup, I take my wine, water, some random chopped veggies, meat and bones, some seasonings and throw them in a pot, bring to a boil and viola! Dinner is served, right? I could go on and on, but in order to save some space, I will spare you from more of my wildly sarcastic analogies and get to the point using only this one. What has been removed from the “example” above are things that are integral to the success of our goal. Amongst other things, time and understanding jump right out at me. Sure, we could make soup with all the ingredients I listed above, but the ingredients alone will not produce an acceptable dinner for your loved ones. You need to take the time to sauté the proper veggies, holding some to the side for later. Add the perfect amount of seasoning to your sauté, and once again hold some to the side. Only then can you add in your meat and bones, some more of your veggies, water and wine. After all these steps have been accomplished, then comes the important part. Almost all of the ingredients before you have been put in the pot, now through time and diligence you must take all that you have and allow it to cook together and reduce, the same amount of ingredients have now become a small stock, and just when all these things have reduced perfectly, you add more water to your stock to return it to its original volume.

   Water, the most basic of all your ingredients.

   If you want that stock to be the best it can be, you will repeat the reduction of your mixture and the replenishment of water several times until the right moment when you will remove many of the ingredients from the steaming hot concoction, separate them out, only to add many of them back into the mix. Some of what you have used to make your stock will not be usable today; we can talk about how those ‘ingredients’ are still usable in another article. What has been added back to the recipe often times will be blended in to the stock so that it becomes one unified fluid, instead of a chunky mixture of solid and liquid. And then another crowning moment, you go back to the ingredients you had set aside in the beginning, many of which you already had added but kept some aside, and you now place those ingredients in the mix along with some new additions. You then work to finalize your meal by tweaking your mélange with minor additions of this and that, a skill which only comes from the repetition of making this meal frequently. Then with even more time for the rest of your creation to heat up and flavors to intermingle, your family will be served a meal fit for them, which will not only nourish them but enliven them as well.

   Ahh, who has time for that, let’s just break out the Top Ramen Noodles, it’s the same thing!

   I hope that in my limited space for words I have not lost too many people trying to relate our training philosophies to making soup. Please always try to remember that the literal translation of Shodan is first rank, it is in no way an end, only a beginning.Train, memorize, train some more. Ask questions, train harder. Gain understanding, train, train, train. When are you “done”?

A Martial Artist will never stop striving for knowledge…

Yours along the Way, Sensei Nick

TBT – A newsletter article I wrote back in 2010…

…that is just as pertinent today. Enjoy.

Summertime

Ah, that sunny warm time of year is finally approaching. Along with the nice weather and the conclusion of the academic year comes a host of seasonal activities and vacation time for many of our Kempo families. I completely understand that at this time of year it may become hard to get to the Dojo as often as during the school year, but would like to take this time to explain the importance of consistent training.
To save space in this installment I will focus on only one of the myriad remunerations of proper training, our health.
As most of you know, the ability to defend one self is a fortunate after-effect of Martial Arts training. The shortened version of my normal rhetoric to the children is a Martial Artist strives to become a better son/daughter, brother/sister, friend, employer/employee, and while training to that, you will learn how to fight if you ever have to. The Martial Arts is about honesty, integrity, and achieving goals with good old-fashioned hard work. We do our best to keep our minds and our bodies as healthy as possible, through good diet practices and constant exercise. These two things are, always have been, and always will be the core building blocks of a healthy and happy lifestyle. The downside is that it is the farthest thing from easy. It is easy to skip the exercise that inevitably causes minor pain and sweat. It is easy to grab that meal from the local fast food joint, even though most of us know many of the ingredients are literally poisonous. Our society has become a “right here, right now” kind of people.
Here at Kempo Martial Arts, I can promise you that you will never get the “right here, right now” approach to training. You get what you put in to your Art. In order to succeed you must give 100%, and only then will you reap the benefits. Here comes the shocker for most people out there. The benefits have nothing to do with earning belts with pretty colors, or getting colorful stripes on your rank.
The prime benefit is to get up and move around, increase your cardiovascular performance and build lean muscle while keeping the body flexible. These things are integral to live a long and fruitful life. Period. The best way to build these characteristics in your children is to remind them of their responsibility to their training, and the fun they have here at the Dojo. I know it is a lot more fun to go out and play at the beach. I know there are a million other things to do that are not as physically taxing. However, there is no replacement for training to be healthy, and there is no way it can be a part time, “when I have nothing better to do” kind of thing.
Even if your training schedule decreases to only one or two days a week during the summer months, it is better than setting it aside until the weather worsens. One of the best ways to set the precedent for a healthy lifestyle is to show your children and / or significant other that you are willing to work hard along side them. We offer a great family plan to train in our Kempo system, as well as offering Zumba and Cardio-Kickboxing on Tuesday and Friday nights, on a drop in basis. So why not come in and get yourself in better shape today? I promise within a few weeks you will look and feel better, all while having fun. You will never know until you try it.
Train, train, train, and you will live longer so you can train some more.
Yours Along the Way,
Sensei Nick

Registration for our summer camp program has begun

Summer camp has never been so much fun, and educational at the same time! Let our highly qualified staff of Instructors guide your children in the art of Kempo Karate while playing games that the kids LOVE, all the while enhancing their hand eye co-ordination, cardiovascular health, teamwork skills and self confidence!

Cutting Edge Kempo Karate summer camp is so much fun at a very affordable price! We have one, two, three and four week sessions available. Camp runs Monday through Friday July 13th through the 17th, July 20th through the 24th, August 10th through the 14th and August 17th through the 21st from 12 noon to 3 PM. All attendees should wear loose comfortable clothes and bring a healthy snack and beverage, and be prepared for FUN!

Discounts are available and signing up for multiple weeks saves you money! One day of Kempo Summer Camp is only $50, but if you sign up for one week you get a day for FREE! That’s only $200 for five days! It gets better, two weeks of Kempo Summer Camp is only $380, three weeks for only $560 and if you sign up for all four weeks you pay only $720! That’s an entire week of camp free when you register for the four week session! PLUS if you bring a friend that does not train in our Dojo, you AND your friend get HALF OFF THE ENTIRE COST OF YOUR CAMP!

Although drop ins are available, please call ahead to see if we have space, as we limit the amount of campers to maximize the fun! Single day sign ups are also available. Registration is available online at SummerCamp.CuttingEdgeKempo.com or you can stop by the Dojo to register as well. Single day registrants must sign up at the Dojo, and all sessions are first come, first served.

Want more information? Call us today at 631.585.6111 or Click Here to Contact Us!

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