What it Takes

Today has found me busy with receiving phone calls. A great sign for a small business!!! The calls I got were in reference to classes for adults. The gentleman that called me all have had prior training in numerous arts at various schools. Sadly, all of these schools have now closed. Most of the time the instructor simply vanished and the doors to their studios were locked, never to open again until another tenant took their place. This is a HUGE problem in the martial arts world. I hear of instructors with boat loads of physical talent who are unable to truly teach and guide. I have heard of instructors who threw their last kick or punch twenty years ago and can barely can get through a light warm up let alone an evening of class. These schools often fail.

For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you know I spend a great deal of time at Quest Fitness and Kayak. Want a great gym with awesome equipment and a stellar staff? Go to Quest. Period. I spend my time there to exercise, train and push my own limits. I do the same here in the dojo so that I may engage my students physically. When they sweat, I sweat. What it takes to run a martial arts school is far more than having knowledge of a given art. I believe it takes a constant, dedicated effort to always improve upon the last class, the last student, the last project. I believe it takes time to provide students with a chance to engage their community through various service based projects. By the way, care to join us with our Adopt a Highway clean up later in June? Let us know! I believe it takes the dedicated effort of staff to teach and provide guidance to every student of every age and level a chance to go deeper into themselves and command new information. It takes training to help others make more informed, enlightened decisions on their lives.   I think this serves the world in  a far greater capacity than a kick or punch ever will.  It takes making the lessons provided in the dojo applicable to life outside the dojo.  A martial arts school cannot be a place of sweat and grunting only. It must serve as the ultimate expression of self-expression through self exploration through the timeless traditions of the fighting arts.  It takes each training moment to forge the will to win both on and off the mats. At this point in my career, I believe that this is what it takes to keep our doors open. Costly contracts are not a guarantee to success. Giving one hundred percent at every class is a much more viable contract. I believe this to be much more authentic.

Train hard, stay open.

Master C.

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The Wisdom of Balanced Play

It breaks my heart when a young student departs the dojo to take a break. Very often it is due to an overloaded schedule and feelings of being overwhelmed.  I once took the squire’s to the park and had them lay on their backs to look at cloud formations. The point was to still them, sit and lay them down to STOP the mad rush that can be their lives. I had several of the kids ask me “Sensei what do we do?” as they lay in the grass. Sigh………….

Doing nothing is doing something. The classes train in various concepts here at the dojo and a big part of that is our mat chat time. This time is used to build communication skills both listening and speaking. This time is used to learn to be still with focused energy. Martial arts training is not something you simply pick up and put down. It must be a focused endeavor rich with constant improvement.

I am a big fan of a “no screen week” in which no television or video games are consumed. Conversation, reading, creating and outdoor activities take the place of vanishing behind a video game or television program.  I am hoping to help the Squire’s as well as adults take up this mantle and enrich their lives with playful study and exercise. In all things there must be balance. Without balance, we topple over.

Keep your mind fertile and feet planted.

Master C.

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