Mountain Academy Martial Arts

Modeling a Crescent Kick: An Application of Mathematics in Martial Arts

// December 9th, 2011 // 1 Comment » // Blackbelt

by Michael O’Leary

A parabola is a type of curve formed by graphing a quadratic equation. A quadratic equation is an equation of the form y=ax²+bx+c where a, b, and c are real constants and a does not equal 0. However, parabolas also show up in physics. Any projectile that is launched will follow the path of the parabola. Most kicks in Tae-Kwon-Do do not follow this pass because they are not bound by gravity as most projectiles are. However, due to the unique course of a crescent kick, it is possible to approximate the quadratic model of this kick.

But first, let’s take a closer look at parabolas. The two most basic examples of a parabola are y=x² and, more importantly for this particular project, y=-x².

The vertex of a quadratic equation is the point at which if you draw a vertical line through it, the two halves of the parabola appear to be mirror images of each other. The x value of the vertex is equal to –b/2a. The y value of the vertex is the value of y when x=-b/2a.

To find the model of a set of data that can be modeled with a quadratic equation, you need three points. It is easier to model this data, however, if you have one or both of two special points. One of these is the vertex. The other is the y-intercept. The y intercept is the point at which x=0.

Now we actually get to model the data. The first point of data happens to be the vertex and the y intercept. The point (0,62.5), derived from the fact that I am 5 ft. 2.5 in. tall, which in turn is 62.5 in. tall. For convenience, we assign the x value as 0. Since this is the highest point of the arc of a crescent kick, by definition, it is also the vertex. Since the vertex is a maximum value, we can also infer that a is a negative value. The second point is (16.25,0). I got this because at the end of the crescent kick, my foot ended up 1 ft 4.25 in. away from the axis of symmetry. This becomes 16.25 in. For convenience, we set the y value as 0. The last point I didn’t even have to measure for. Since a point that was not the vertex was (16.25,0) we can surely say that another point is (-16.25,0). Now we have three points, which we can use to find the quadratic equation that models the kick. Substituting the x and y values in, we get the three equations…

62.5=0a+0b+c or 62.5=c

0=264.0625a+16.25b+c

0=264.0625a-16.25b+c

We now know the value of c, so we can therefore narrow it down to two equations…

0=264.0625a+16.25b+62.5

0=264.0625a-16.25b+62.5

Now if we subtract 62.5 from both sides we get…

-62.5=264.0625a+16.25b

-62.5=264.0625a-16.25 b

Since both of the quantities on the right side of the equations are equal to       

-16.25, we can equate them to each other.

264.0625a+16.25b=264.0625-16.25b

Now, if we add 16.25b to both sides…

264.0625a+32.5b=264.0625a

Now subtracting 264.0625a from both sides…

32.5b=0

Now dividing both sides by 32.5 we obtain the value of b…

b=0

But we are not done yet, we substitute the values of b and c into one of the primary equations…

0=264.0625a+62.5

Then, we subtract 62.5 from both sides…

-62.5=264.0625a

And then divide both sides by 264.0625…

-0.2367≈a

So now we know the values of all three constants, so we can find the equation of the crescent kick to be

y≈-0.2367x²+0x+62.5

Or the more simplified version…

y≈-0.2367x²+62.5

The Lessons of Tae Kwon Do

// December 9th, 2011 // No Comments » // Blackbelt

By Miranda Theriot

            Sitting here reflecting upon my Tae Kwon Do journey, I wonder how I can sum up in to words my general feelings about martial arts. Now that my second degree test has finally confronted me, I have come to realize that all these years, Tae Kwon Do has taught me lessons that largely dictate and define my life at this point on the cusp of my seventeenth birthday. It’s incredible for me, and for my teachers I’m sure, to think of the metamorphosis I have undergone since I first put on a white belt at the tender age of nine and a half. I have developed as a person even since my first degree black belt, which took place while I was in the process of coping with my ungainly middle school years. Looking back on my younger self, I seemed so young but yet it’s humorous to remember how grown up I felt with my complete seventh grade education and crisp new black belt. No doubt I will think the same thing of my current self in another four years though. I am glad that I have been able to gain so much from Tae Kwon Do that I can apply in my everyday life.

            The first lesson every martial artist must learn is that stances are the base for everything that they will learn. I’ll admit, as a white belt it seemed trivial to me to expend so much time on minute details, but it was well worth it in the end. I’ve had to attempt to explain to students that they must learn the basics before they move on to being the next karate kid. Being a young person myself, I understand the feeling of frustration and general dissatisfaction when you are told by your elder things like “walk before you run” and “you’ll understand when you’re older.” I believe this is why some kids and even some adults have difficulty maintaining their interest in Tae Kwon Do. All I can tell them when learning their stances is “there was even a time when Grand Master Rankin himself was a white belt, and he had to learn exactly what you’re learning now.” Stances are the most essential thing in Tae Kwon Do; without a strong stance you cannot hope to have strength and stability in the rest of your body. Just like in martial arts, without a strong stance in life, you’re just asking to be pushed over. Plant yourself firmly, whether it be in your family, in your friends, or your beliefs, but standing strong is key to staying upright and staying afloat in this world. It’s been a long, painful process, but through Tae Kwon Do I have become much more calloused, and significantly harder to knock down, quite an improvement from the frightened, meek person that I was and now, in martial arts and in life, standing in a good, solid stance is as natural to me as breathing.

            The second lesson is to always strive for self improvement. In all my years of being the person to avoid passing the ball to at all costs in soccer, basketball, volleyball, or basically any sport seen as “good” and “important,” in high school society, I have been able to observe quite a bit. I have come to the conclusion that martial arts (or at least the type of martial arts we do at Mountain Academy) is the only sport that I have encountered in which the main purpose is not to win, but simply just to improve oneself. Don’t get me wrong, those sports have plenty of good lessons as well, and hold the potential to produce good, wholesome people, and I like winning as much as the next person, but in Tae Kwon Do, it’s refreshing to have that pressure taken away. I, and those who find that team sports do not appeal to them, are attracted to Tae Kwon Do for the opportunity to better themselves without feeling the need to best someone else. Also, others who don’t understand my view may not understand that I in no way consider Tae Kwon Do a completely solitary sport. It’s as much of a team sport as football, or basketball etc. in that we create an atmosphere in which everyone feels like a family member, especially within our black belt community. I always feel so welcome, and, it may be cliché, but I feel as though I truly belong. It may not be that way in other schools, so I feel very fortunate to be a part of the Mountain Academy family. We work to improve ourselves and help others improve as well, which is a good way to go about life in my opinion. Obviously, life is not without competition, and I can even understand those who say that a little competition is healthy for a person, but to build the strong, family bonds that I find in martial arts, we need to be able to understand that we all benefit more from standing side by side, rather than standing against each other. Even in sparring, when we are physically against each other, we can be punched in the face and still be able to say “that was a good punch,” and even rejoice in that person’s success.

            Another lesson is respect those with more knowledge than you, but do not disrespect those with less. Like mentioned earlier, we’re all just trying to get better and to learn. Those with more knowledge should share it willingly and enthusiastically, and respect the student in their pursuit of learning. Since I have become a black belt, it has been interesting to me to be able to play both the role of the student and the teacher. I’ll admit, that did cause me some problems when it came time for me to get ready for my second degree because it was more difficult to find time during class to just purely practice on my own when I had students in need, or even if I didn’t, in these few short years I have developed an instinct to watch over and help my “baby ducklings,” as they often are portrayed in my mind, even if they didn’t seek me out. I find now that I love to teach and have very seldom met a student who was bothered by my age after the first class. In class, Gilpin, Lakewood, or Idaho Springs, no matter where, we treat each other not only as students and  teachers and people of different colored belts, but as friends. Even in Gilpin, where we don’t necessarily live very close to one another, the members of my class are often a part of my everyday life, especially seeing as one of the students is my sister and another is one of my best friends. In Mountain Academy there is a bond between us all as people that isn’t affected by belt color anymore than it is affected by gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other differences we might have. I hope to go into the outside world maintaining these bonds form in this unique atmosphere, and make anywhere I go as close to this as a I can.

            Finally is my idea that attempting to break a brick can represent any obstacle I may be faced with. Others heavier and stronger than me may not know this problem, but there have often been times that I have thrown all of my weight against a brick and have it not break, and other times it crumbles the second I touch it. I cannot be sure of what causes this to happen, but I think it is closely linked to my mindset during the attempt. There are times when I’m “in the zone” and feel as though I can do anything, and then there are those days when perhaps my mind is in other places or I find myself hesitating. This is the same for any other hurdle I face in my life. I find that all I can do is when faced with a brick, physical or metaphorical, is throw myself against it completely and hope it breaks. In life that’s really all you can do, give if your all and hope it’s enough. Sometimes it breaks easy, and sometimes it just won’t budge, and all I can do about it is try again next time and not let the brick break me. Life is full of obstacles and complicated problems, and not all will break easy, or even at all.

            I’m sure there is much more I could mention here, but I’ll leave it at that. Like I’ve said, Tae Kwon Do means a lot to me and has made significant changes to my life, and at this point I couldn’t imagine myself without it. I feel prepared and ready to take the next step to my second degree black belt. After first degree, there was no question in my mind that I would continue, and the natural next step has presented itself to me, and when the next step will appear can only be seen in the years to come.

Coming Home to MAMA

// December 8th, 2011 // No Comments » // Blackbelt

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by Dominick Blum

In 1991 I got married, started a new job and tested for my black belt all in the same week.   I have never before or since had a more stressful week in my life.  Since that time I have studied several different styles and visited many different schools.  I wanted to use this paper to discuss those travels, what I learned from them and what finally brought me back home to the Mountain Academy of Martial Arts.

For two years while a blue / red belt, I taught at Fort Lewis College in Durango.  I originally studied under an International Tae-Kwon-Do Federation (ITF) black belt instructor for a couple of weeks, but he was really an Arnes convert and the ITF federation did not like him teaching both, so he was asked to leave.  With no one else there to fill the roll, a couple of buddies of mine and I decided to take it over.  I was sort of an odd ball since I studied Mu-Do-Kwon and they were both with ITF under Grand Master Sereff, but we were all about the same rank and we decided that the basics were similar enough in both styles.  I also made an effort to learn their basics and techniques, since we decided to test the students in ITF.  My friend Dale and I taught 4 times a week. I would lead the group in stretching, basics, self-defense while he would take over to show the students new forms and 5 step equivalents.  We of course all sparred.  Dale and I also started a kickboxing class on the days that we didn’t have normal class that eventually caught the interest of several other students.  We had a pretty good fighting group that would participate in any tournament we could find in the Four Corners area.   One tournament in particular that I remember was held by the Arnes group.  It was continuous sparring where the judges didn’t stop the fight, but kept a tally of points.  I was a Red belt at the time and I was a lightweight coming in at 135, but since there was no one else to fight I ended up in the heavy weight division.  I was really fast with my hands and could normally get two or three shots off with my hands before they could get one.  With the size difference however I kept getting slammed back, sometimes into the audience and others across the mat.   I actually won that tournament and even defended my title once, but both times looked worse for wear.

I really learned a lot over those two years; how to fight, how to teach, and how to maintain a school.  ITF is a very good organization and they have some extremely talented students and instructors.  They had interesting tweaks to the basic techniques that we perform at the Mountain Academy.  For instance all blocks started mid-section and arm to arm, every punch and block raises up then down to generate power.  I liked the concept and often find myself still doing it today.  Also ITF was very strict on kicking high and you could not test for your black belt unless you could kick someone in the face.  I personally don’t see the practicality in that, but they did make some amazing kickers.

I also studied some Arnes while I was there, which is a form of Filipino martial arts centered on Escrima Stick fighting.   The stick fighting was fun and they also taught open hand combat techniques.  They ran weapons tournaments where they would wrap the weapons in foam and tape, put on full body padding then go at it with sticks, staffs, practice swords, you name it.  We called them nerf weapons and it really gave you a good idea of what advantages each weapon could bring to a fight.  The instructor was extremely good at sparing and had some really cool practical street fighting techniques that I have utilized over the years.   I also fought possibly the fastest individual I’ve ever met in my life.  I had developed very fast hands and was pretty proud of that fact at the time.  I remember sparring against a teen a couple of years younger than I.  It was just a practice sparring match where we were getting ready for a tournament.  They said go and before I could move, the kid jumped, spun, and kicked me in the face.  I’ve never seen anyone faster with their feet.  Needless to say I lost that match.  He didn’t stick around for long.  However, they had him fight in the black belt division even though he was only a blue belt.  He was far faster than his opponents, but he was so intimidated by their ranks (some up to 5^th degree), that he lost the match.  I realized then that you could lose a fight mentally before a punch was ever thrown.

The training I did in kickboxing was intense and really helped me get ready for my Black Belt test back home.  We did pain techniques, push-ups, over 500 sit ups per class, sparing and three 5 minute rounds against the heavy bag.  It was grueling but it built up my stamina and taught me how to move against another opponent.  I don’t think I’ve ever been in as good of shape as I was back then.  I remember one testing back home, for my red double stripe, Dale’s kickboxing instructor Doc Elliot came to Mountain Academy for one of our tests.  I had never met him before, but Doc Elliot had broken off from ITF and started his own school, Omni Martial Arts, where a fellow student at Mountain Academy trained.  Dale idolized this man and talked about him a lot, he was well known in ITF for being and training good fighters.  I watched him spar only once and that was against Master Rankin. I admit he was very good, but Rankin was better.   I never told Dale however. The “My instructor can beat your instructor” talk seemed counterproductive to our friendship.  After the testing Doc told me that I had really good foot work which was a huge compliment to me since I had learned it from one of his previous students.

After college and my black belt testing, I felt like I needed more out of the martial arts, so I started jumping around to different schools and styles.  I did a short stint in Kung Fu, more because I really liked the TV series and thought I would be taught the true meaning of martial arts and how to smash my fist through a concrete wall.  Well I didn’t learn either and found their stances to be incredibly challenging.  I really think my main aversion to it was that it moved too slowly for me at the time and I really wanted something a little more aggressive.  Finding no answers I decided to try a different school.

I found a World Federation Tae-Kwon-Do a new school in Littleton; it was a good school and they were serious about training.  Being there only a week, the head instructor asked me to join their international sparring team.  It was a huge honor and I was more than up to the challenge.  The fighting was quite a bit different than I was used to however.  You wore hand and feet pads, a mouth piece, and a full chest guard and head protection commonly referred to as a raisin helmet.  They didn’t allow for punches to the face, only kicks and it ended up being a point of animosity between me and another student over the few months I was there.  In the end, the constant training was too much for my marriage, so in hopes of saving our relationship I stopped going. We ended up divorced a year later, but at the time it seemed like the right thing to do. I did learn to fight better with my feet in that school and how restrictive full body gear was. I often wondered how far I could have gone with the fighting had I stayed.

During these years, I did show up at Mountain of Martial Arts every so often and spent some time with my friend Bruce Bishop.  He was actually my sister’s friend first and the reason why I started at the Mountain Academy of Martial Arts.  I had wanted to play football in high school, but my Mother didn’t want me to get hurt and wouldn’t let me join, instead she enrolled me in Tae-kwon-do. After blocking several punches with my nose, breaking a toe, bruising my ribs and pulling several muscles over the years, I often question her judgment.   Bruce, now Master Bishop was always an amazing martial artist, who I closely followed through the Ranks always a belt or two behind. I believe he was a green belt when I started.  I tried a few times to make it to the school when he took it over, but could never get myself to commit to staying.  I’m not really sure what kept me away from Mountain Academy during these years.  I think part of it was that I didn’t want to drive up to Evergreen, the other was the fact that I was still searching for some hidden secret to the Martial Arts that I believed I would find somewhere else.

In my late twenties, I landed a job in Colorado Springs, but lived in Lakewood.  After trying the commute for several months I decided to move to Castle Rock and I ended up joining the Omega Martial Arts School.  I signed a contract and practiced there for a while but after losing my job in the springs couldn’t afford to go anymore so I just stopped going.  After a month or so I couldn’t shrug the guilt of not paying, so I went to chat with the head instructor Master Bob Davis.  I explained my situation and he asked me why I wanted to be back in the martial arts.  I told him that teaching was my passion and that I really missed it in my life.  He then agreed to waive my contract if I would come teach his beginners class three times a week.  It was probably the best time in my martial arts career. I loved having my class and watching my students as they would learn and grow.  I have several fond memories from Omega. I recall in one class I explained the importance of doing basics in reference to kicking progression.  I started with the front, which advances to the round, side and crescent kicks.  Which then advanced to spin kicks, jump kicks, jump spin kicks and finally I ended the demonstration with my jump spin back crescent kick.  I had one of my students holding a pad high in the air (granted I was younger then and could jump).  I executed my kick with accuracy and power, sending the pad clear across the room.  One of my younger students jumped up and yelled “that was the coolest kick I have ever seen!!!”   I’m sure he’s seen cooler since, but it was very satisfying at the time.   The ironic part of that story is that at one time I had a lot of trouble with that kick.  I remember telling Master Rankin as a green belt that I couldn’t do it.  He looked at me and said, “Never say you can’t do something.  You CAN do it, just jump spin and kick.”  His words were like a light bulb firing off in my head and I believe I was able to do it in my next couple of tries.  It later became one of my favorite kicks.  Often times in my life when I struggle with something or find myself intimidated by a new task I think to myself “Just jump, spin and kick”.   I stayed at Omega for a year or so and was offered a regional instructor position traveling to his different schools teaching the purple belts.  However, once I attained a position in Golden I needed to decrease teaching time.

I started to move away from martial arts after this. My career was finally starting to kick off and I couldn’t seem to find time for it anymore.  I remember trying a Russian Martial Arts school in Golden. They made you do a bunch of drills like carrying someone across the room and doing wheel barrels back and forth several times.    I puked and everyone thought I did an excellent job.  It was a cool fighting style, always being an aggressor, shucking off your opponents blows while constantly being in their face.  I learned a different way of fighting at that school and although it didn’t necessary fit my style of fighting it definitely improved my overall skill set.

After my short stint at the Russian school, I took several years off, coming back in my mid-thirties to Bruce Bishop’s school in Evergreen and even jumped in at a black belt testing where I met the Barrows for the first time.  I had seriously considered joining again and I attended the school at the Link a few times.  It was odd not having an actual school and the hour format seemed very restrictive, but in general I was excited to be back.  The only thing stopping me at this time was my pride.  I recall fighting Bruce up in Evergreen.  Now, realize the last time I sparred him I was in great shape and a really good fighter.  I truly felt that when I came back from college, he and I were fairly evenly matched.  Well, this was no longer the case and he annihilated me.  I couldn’t hit him to save my life and he seemingly toyed with me the whole time.  I felt like I was too slow, my timing was off, and I was nowhere near the martial artist I used to be.  For some reason, it never occurred to me that perhaps Bruce had honed his fighting skills the 15+ years he continually trained and taught.  I was embarrassed at the time and decided to walk away from the Mountain Academy for good.

Years later I ran into Doug O’Hara in a Target near my house.  I didn’t really train much with Doug when I was younger; in fact I believe he started around the time I was in college.  I did remember him performing a spinning heel kick that put Van Dam to shame and that he was an exceptional martial artist.  We chatted for a bit and I ended up getting his number in hopes of training again.  Master O’Hara was kind enough to allow me to train in his basement in preparation to make a comeback at the Mountain Academy.  I did for a month or so and he told me it was time to face the class.  I didn’t feel ready and I totally lost my nerve.  Again I was too concerned about being too slow, being too old and not being half the martial artist I used to be.

So fast forward another year.  Jess the kids and I have been together for several years now and the kids know that I’m a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do.  They watched me practice the previous year when I worked out with Mr. O’Hara and even learned a few kicks, but they never really seemed that interested in joining a Martial Art.  But, after a Karate instructor went to their school and taught them the basics, they were completely hooked.  They tried the free 2 week trial at the Karate school and although I really liked the school, they didn’t have good control of the class and some of the older students kept harassing Jessica’s kids.  We wanted to find another school and I started playing around with the thought of doing it with them.  In all my travels over the years, I have met some great instructors and practiced in several good schools, but I have always considered Grand Master John W Rankin my instructor.  For all intents and purposes Rankin helped me become the person I am today.  I came to Rankin as a broken teen, abused throughout my childhood and lacking any self-esteem.  Through Rankin and the Mountain Academy, I gained skills and confidence in myself, not just with Martial Arts, but with every aspect of my life.  I realized that I could do anything I put my mind toward and I truly believe that is why I have had success in both my professional and personal life.  Like some many others I can’t thank Grand Master Rankin enough for all he has done for me.  With that in mind I knew bringing the kids to his school was the right choice.

It wasn’t easy however. I still had many demons of my own to face.  Mainly surrounding my own ego and facing the fact that I’m no longer the Martial Artist I used to be.  The kids made it easier since I told myself that I was doing this for them, but it was still more difficult than I can explain.  I worried about the other students and what they would think of this overweight older man coming into the school wearing a black belt.  Who is he?  Did he practice in our style before?  Is he really a black belt?  Why are his kicks so low?  These are the things I thought they were asking themselves and I was worried that just by being there I was somehow putting a black mark on the school.  I felt like some of the others didn’t want me around and even though I still had some friends there, I felt like they were guarded and that maybe they questioned my conviction to stay.  I’d say the first month or so is the hardest, there were several times where I might have left, had the kids not been there.  Chatting with Jason Colson during this time helped a lot.  He had recently gone through a similar experience, re-integrating himself back into the school and he assured me that all my concerns where unjustified and that given time it would all be fine.   Jason was right, now after being back for 6 months or so, I finally feel like an active, contributing member to the school again.  Dan Barrow has been kind enough to allow me to assist with his classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I’ve watched some of our students start to move up the ranks, gaining more skills and confidence with each new belt level.  I still have a burning desire to teach on my own and intend to do so someday, but for now I’m extremely pleased with helping where I can and making new friends along the way.

It’s true that I’m not the same Martial Artist I once was, but I’m not so sure it’s a bad thing anymore.  I may not be as fast, may not kick as high, or move around as well, but I feel like I’ve grown in other ways.  I’m paying more attention now to my forms and how they flow, to weapons and what the intent is of each movement.   I’ve realized that one could spend a lifetime doing just these things and never fully comprehend them.  I finally understand that there is way more to being a great Martial Artist than just sparring, and that it’s only one aspect of a very complex puzzle.  I believe it is more important to attempt to understand the Art as a whole and to strive to constantly to improve myself by doing so.  I also believe it is import to transfer the knowledge that I have to others, assisting them as they seek to learn and grow through the Martial Arts.   In the end, I didn’t need to stray far to find the things I was looking for. The answers I sought could only be found within.  Armed with this new knowledge, I’m excited to continue my journey and consider myself extremely fortunate to have a place to come home to at the Mountain Academy of Martial Arts.

Pursued Principles when Introducing Martial Arts to Newcomers

// June 10th, 2011 // 1 Comment » // Blackbelt

by Jason Colson

I began my Martial Arts career at the age of 8 and was assisting teaching newcomers at the age of 12. Over the course of the last couple years I have embarked on two life changing journeys in Martial Arts. My first was to seek out my estranged Tae Kwon Do Master and rekindle my education from him following almost exactly a twenty year hiatus. Secondly was to start a Tae Kwon Do class at his school geared specifically toward ages between three and six.

This experience has truly been one that has dramatically changed my perspective about Martial Arts fundamentals on several levels. One particular experience is embracing a Martial Arts career no longer solely based on my own needs, but rather the needs of others in order to help create a similar experience given me as a newcomer. I have identified three key principles of which are most important to me and that I focus on as an instructor of young minds. Respect, Confidence and Determination are the principles I intend to explore in this paper.

Within the context of my “Kinder Kicks” class I believe ultimately the parents are who Martial Arts is required to appeal to initially, for the commitment and burden often falls on their shoulders in the beginning. One principle repeatedly recognized as a driving force for parents to help their child with when seeking out a Martial Arts school is Respect. Whether teaching respect from scratch or reversing a disrespectful attitude, respect is viewed as a fundamental principle in Martial Arts. I believe our media influence has portrayed Martial Arts as a forefront for respect based principles. Hollywood in particular portrays almost every Martial Arts protagonist character as having an underlying foundation based on respect.

I believe respect has three intricate parts found in Martial Arts.

First being self-respect, for without this any of this getting through the door and actually participating can prove to be impossible. Self-respect is then built upon by including the young child in class and educating them in our most basic traditions such as bowing and stretching.

Next peer respect including recognizing the higher ranks during line-up in order to honor individual accomplishment. Peer respect is again displayed by bowing before and after partnered exercises in order to identify value of one’s opponent.

The last part and arguably the most important is respect for one’s instructor or authority. In a society intent on demolishing figures deserving of authority, I feel it necessary to identify the definition of authority as a respected source of information and not an individual deciding your fate. I believe a common misconception is that the instructor or master is an authority because he/she in fact can dominate a battle with any of his/her students, but more so for the immense knowledge that should be tapped into. A student quickly learns to appreciate their Master as a wealth of information, especially in the capacity of a battle.

Self-confidence is my second most important principle taught in Martial Arts. I often debate if self-confidence can be taught with longevity. I more often than not conclude that one can spark self-exploration and discovery in another, but one cannot instill self-confidence. I try diligently to challenge my young Martial artists to attempt something new and then follow up by praising their efforts and accomplishments.

In my opinion positive affirmation is crucial in developing a healthy self-confidence level in young children! I base this statement having experienced several children enter our “Kinder Kicks” class very reluctant to even attempt our exercises. Following only one class for some, there is a complete transformation. For some it takes more time, but a select number of student’s parents have shared their experience of transformation outside the class. One particular parent experienced positive results with the toilet training at home after their boy and I had a discussion about Martial Arts principles and the rest of his responsibilities.

The most recognizable transformation is the way in which our young students will carry themselves after having participated in just a few classes. The chin will begin to rise up the shoulders won’t sag so far forward and start walking with a more confident posture. One last example is the voices of our young students seem to find themselves. Not so quiet anymore, they now speak up with more presence and Kia from deep in their core. This attribute can quickly go from a blessing to an annoyance in the “Kinder Kicks” class.

The final principle I feel is a fundamental aspect and should be given proper focus is determination. I believe one must be motivated before he or she can be determined, but once motivated to participate then determination takes over and these kids want to duplicate or emulate their peers. For instance a great many of my young Martial Artists begin class not knowing how to do a summersault. However after watching the other students perform a summersault they are instantly determined to duplicate. Another activity that tends to illustrate determination is our self-defense technical exercise. After showing them the proper procedure for exiting a bear hug, they seem to be determined to get themselves out.

I have re-evaluated my perspectives regarding an individual’s Martial Arts journey, and have come to realize people progress at their own pace. Most have something they use for inspiration, such as a peer they appreciate their style and choose to emulate. For some they set goals of where they want to go with their Martial Arts experience and become determined to meet those goals as quickly as possible. For some it is a way to kill time during the summer break.

Protected: 3rd Degree Testing Paper for Bob Smallwood

// May 13th, 2011 // Enter your password to view comments. // Blackbelt

This post is intended for our school's black belts only and therefor is password protected. Please contact us if you are a black belt but do not have the password.

Protected: Maek Cha Ki

// February 11th, 2011 // Enter your password to view comments. // Blackbelt

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6+6=50

// November 8th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Blackbelt, Instructors, Master Rankin

It was my pleasure to award two 6th degree Black Belt certificates over the past two weekends. One to Master Bruce Bishop and the other to Master Doug O’Hara. They have, combined, over 50 years of Martial Arts Experience. I am very proud of both of these men as they continue to show us all what a true Martial Artist is and stands for. Please join me in congratulating them as they continue their journey of excellence in Martial Arts.

Grandmaster John Rankin

Masters Bishop And Ohara 6th Degree Rank