Koammaster's Blog

Whether you are in the martial arts or some other activity where you are learning new things it is important to practice one step at a time. As you are learning make sure you take time to practice each step. Sometimes I see students that rush so fast trying to get a whole form down that they do not take the necessary steps to polish it up. The student feels excited because they have learned the form but it just doesn’t look good. Sometimes I have to remind students that it is the best one done not the first one done. Ironically even an event that takes speed like the 100 yard dash there still has to be a process of practicing step by step. The sprinter will take time to properly stretch and then practice coming out of the blocks. The sprinter will practice proper arm movement and how to lean forward over the finish line. If a sprinter wants to be the fastest they first must be the best at breaking down all parts of a race. As you practice think about the sprinter that before he can fly like the wind he must take the time to slow down.

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Many times I meet people who want to take command of their health. These people often want to make a bunch of major changes and attempt to conquer their health issues in one day. Remember “Rome wasn’t built-in a day!” Your health is also not built-in one day. good health comes through the little things. Things like daily exercise and eating right. This does not mean you have to run a marathon on day one of the start of your exercise program. Start with a walk or a basic introductory exercise class.  If you are going to change your diet do not feel you have to go right to tofu. Instead start with a good healthy breakfast and then work towards healthier meals throughout the day. Pick one night a week where you turn the TV off and take a little walk. Plan it out and approve your health with one little change at a time.

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Well here in Florida the school system is conducting their yearly standardized tests the Florida comprehensive assesment tests or FCATS. Politicians would like you to believe that these tests can be a tell-tale of how well a school is performing. They would like you to think that is can measure the effectiveness of a teacher. They would also like you to think that the test are in the best interest of students. The reality is that standardized tests can only be effective if the results are used for truly educational purposes.

Most industrial countries use standardized testing. Japan, Korea, and Germany for instance. Although in those countries the scores are used to place students in programs based on their abilities not to hold court on the schools or teachers. Now I am not suggesting those systems are perfect either. The fact is it is hard to assess many things from a standardized test.

The test can not take into account if the student ate well, got enough sleep, had an argument with a parent or friend right before school, or is sick. These tests can not distinguish if the student comes from a home with weak parenting skills. We often see the results favor children from better economic conditions.

I am not necessarily anti test. I am displeased with the handling of results. When a student scores low we often want to blame the system or teachers. We are allowing people to develop special interest in favor of testing that  make the founders of these groups wealthy. We spend large amounts of money on the tests and grading of the test. We allow many politicians to look at purely numbers and percentages and not explore the human element.

If these test are going to hold true relevance it is time to create a better process with the results. Even the use of grading schools with the results can be very inaccurate as high performing schools can be scored lower based on the poor performance of one small demographic within the school or schools with special programs can receive higher scores based on the performance of that program. It is time to get back to the ABC’s of education.

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The phrase NO OFF SEASON is something many athletes, shoe companies, and athletic equipment manufactures like to use to try to motivate you to keep training no matter what time of year it is. The phrase actually has a lot of merit. If you want a healthy lifestyle you have to acknowledge that it is a year round daily process. As summer comes it brings with it some loss of structure. School is out and vacations are taken. It is important to take advantage of some rest and relaxation but do not get complacent. Maintain a balanced schedule of eating right and training (exercising) regularly. It is very important to enjoy some down time but do not let the down time become counterproductive. take out the calendar before summer break and schedule some workout days and healthy meals in and around the summer vacation days. You will be glad you did.

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Often times success in a certain pursuit is based on statistical data or tangible evidence. Think about little league. People find out a child played in a  little league baseball game and naturally two questions are asked. Did you win? Did you get a hit? Wouldn’t it be great if we could instead ask questions like Did you give your best effort? or Did you have fun? Did you support your teammates? Did you maintain a winning attitude? Recently some very high-profile NBA players have had issues with their coaches and have chosen not to give their best effort to support the team. They have instead chosen to sulk on the sidelines and then challenge coaches decisions publicly. Maybe they and their teams would be better off if they would give their best effort. Could a 20 point performance be a 25 point performance with a better effort and attitude. Could a few more rebounds been grabbed with a better attitude and effort? attitude is very important to performance. A great attitude + a great effort=great success. Wins and losses sometimes can be misleading. We have all witnessed a team win with a chance call or unexplainable play that probably could not be duplicated again. We have also seen a better team lose because of things out of their control. Not everything is black and white when it comes to victories. Yet if you every come up on the short end of the stick can you look yourself in the mirror with pride and realize that no matter what you just gave your best effort and maintained a winning attitude! If you can truly do that then victory is yours.

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Many people have a skewed view of martial arts because of the movie industry or because of sport based martial arts like cage fighting. Martial arts are far more than a sport or method of entertainment. It is a oppurtunity to learn and develop yourself in a way that no other form of exercise can accomplish. So here are 5 things martial arts has been proven to do.

1. Martial Arts  helps you burn major calories. In fact some martial arts burn more calories than running or weightlifting.

2. Martial Arts  helps with memory development. Due to the learning of new and specific movements martial arts has proven to help with memory development especially as we age.

3. Martial Arts teaches goal setting. While many forms of exercise are effective they often do not have a specific goal in mind. Martial arts have plenty of goal systems in place like rank advancement that help to keep people focused.

4. Martial Arts teaches good character. In the arts there are codes and procedures to learn and follow that support strong values both in and out of the training hall.

5. Martial Arts develops great support groups. The vast majority of students in the martial arts are succesful in and out of the training hall giving you many great role models to help you reach your goals.

If you are looking for a great way to get in shape, learn new things, and meet other successful people check out a local martial arts school!

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Finishing what you started is something we all learn as children. Yet sadly many people do not practice it. I say sadly because the rewards you get for finishing a process or reaching a goal are so great to miss out is truly sad. As a former high school teacher I often sat in on parent/teacher conferences with a young person wanting to quit school. When we would inquire on the past accomplishments of the student we would often learn that the child was allowed to quit everything. Little league, scouts, music lessons, and a host of other things. Now the parent is in utter shock that their child wants out of school! I would often wonder why are you in shock you taught them the habit of quit! Why would a parent do that? Was it just easier than motivating a child to finish what they start? Was it a feeling of oh these things don’t matter? Well all of sudden the parent felt school mattered but the pattern of quit was already there.

Success is also a habit and as a teacher I was privileged to see many students reach high levels of success. Success with academics, clubs, sports, and any other chosen pursuit. I witnessed countless students receive full ride scholarships to college for simply finishing out a process when others would not. When you discover the background of these students you found that they were taught the importance of commitment and follow through. They had a support group that said quitting is never the option. To instill the habit of success it only takes some simple steps. First sit down with your child and set expectations when they begin an activity. How long you require them to do it. For example if it is soccer let them know they will have to finish the season. If it is martial arts what belt will you require them to reach. With music lessons the must learn at least two songs. Next what are your expectations during the process. Will they be required to make all practices? Will they have to help in fund-raisers for the team? Will they have to help in a performance? When completion of the activity occurs sit down with your child and review the outcomes. Congratulate them on accomplishing the goal and sticking with it. You can build success and create the life long habit of success with a few simple steps! A succesful child will become a succesful adult.

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A great thing about the martial arts is the fact that the martial arts are wrapped around a value system. To have and live with strong values you must also posses courage. In a time when people can often drift into a mode of instant gratification and forgo values one must muster courage to persevere and maintain a smart decision making process. Martial arts help students of all ages and backgrounds to gain confidence and develop the courage to make sound choices based on a deep concern for proper values. People desire to make right choices everyday. This is why people search out places of worship, activities with moral lessons for their kids, and safe environments to live. Today some would like people with strong values to be embarrassed by it. Some want people with strong values to defend their positions especially if those values come from religious teachings. People that hold morals and morality close to them need to be courageous and know that it is okay to take the high road and realize that it is okay to expect high moral  systems out of your community. Martial arts have been helping people to gain the courage needed to stand firm and uphold level of morality for years. If you and your family want to get physically fit and enhance your courage to stand by your values then checkout a local martial arts school! You will be glad you did!

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When it comes to exercise you get what you give.  Every time  you exercise you must bring your “A” game. If you want to get in better shape then you must put total effort into your chosen exercise method. For instance if you are practicing martial arts are you striving hard to kick your highest and fastest? If you are lifting weights are you going full-out and adding that extra rep? Many times people tell me they are exercising but do not feel any different. My guess is they need to put an extra effort into their training. If you are going through the motions instead of playing full-out you will lack in results.

The benefit of martial arts is that you have an instructor on the floor at all times. That instructor will make sure you go the extra mile and push yourself. It is always best to have a someone on your side to help you get motivated. If you have found exercise to be rigid and a chore then maybe you need to try a martial arts school. Martial arts encompass total fitness and has the added benefit of developing the mind. Many other forms of exercise do not help develop the brain. Martial arts are a complete form of exercise that can be enjoyed by all.

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Parenting is often referred to as the toughest job we will ever have. Yet our goals as parents are pretty much the same as a thousand years ago. We want our children to group happy, healthy, and successful. Now we do have far more potential distractions than 1,000 years ago. Modern technology can throw us challenges that can be difficult. It can be hard to monitor what our children see and do. After all we can not be with them 24/7.  Although we monitor things it is hard to manage what they may see on their own. For example when I went to school nobody had a cell phone with internet access. To keep your parenting skills sharp and develop black belt parenting here are three things you can implement.

First-  Eat together as a family. Spending time around the dinner table gives you the ability to communicate. You can ask questions about your children’s day and get a sense about what goes on in their world when you are not around. Remember to keep it a conversation and not an interrogation. Dinner together should be enjoyable and memorable.

Second- Be consistent with your boundaries. If you do not allow your child to play video games during the week than stick to it. Once a child knows they can get the boundaries, rules, or guidelines changed they will begin to push those boundaries more and more. If you have a rule that they must finish what they started then stick to it. Having your child finish three more weeks of a sports season when they do not want to will build far more character then allowing them to quit.

Third- Be involved in their activities and do things as a family. Volunteer at their school, with their teams, or any other activity they participate in. This will also allow you to develop lines of communication with their teachers and coaches. Doing things together will build strong bonds. I can tell you from experience as a former high school teacher that parents willing to come to school events and communicate with teachers had succesful children. The children  behaved better in class and had higher grades compared to kids that had parents you never heard or seen. Children may seem like they don’t want you around but they really do. Deep down they are happy that you take an interest and keep them on track.

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How is the start of 2012 for you? Are you off and running or sluggishly moving along? Remember the best way to start anything is step one. Reading the first line of a book will help you get going and read to the end. The first step on a walk will help you get around the corner. The first day of working out will get you closer to your exercise goal. We are now heading into week two of 2012. What did you plan on starting this year and has the first step been taken? Do not wait today can be the day to start. If you have taken the first step  congrats and keep going. Remember perseverance and patience can help you accomplish anything!

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It’s time for our annual health fair and kick-a-thon for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. On Saturday Feb. 4th from 11am-1pm we will host four speakers to educate the community on various health related issues. We have a financial expert coming in and talking about your financial health, an insurance agent to explain the new insurance laws, an MD is coming in to discuss how to keep yourself young and active, and an EMT/Firefighter to discuss in home safety and first aid. Throughout the day members of our school will kick to raise money for St. Jude. This will be a very informative day to benefit the kids of St. Jude. The Health fair is free so stop in and visit us during the fair and get some valuable insight on how to keep yourself healthy. Give us a call at 239-997-8990 or visit our webpage www.griffinsmartialarts.com .

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January is almost over! Have you started your 2012 exercise program yet? Well if you haven’t here are three great reasons to start exercising with martial arts. Reason one is that it burns major calories. research shows that a martial arts program like taekwondo or kickboxing burns more calories than almost all other exercises out there. Reason two it has a built-in goal system with feedback. Many types of exercise do not provide any form of feedback on progress. In  the martial arts you have a belt system where you are promoted when you improve and accomplish your goals. Reason three is can be done by the whole family. That’s right everyone in the family can participate and train together. You can come to a class and train as a family! The family that kicks together sticks together. Call your local martial arts school and set up a trial lesson today. Your family will love it!

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In our 140 character twitter world and 2 minute soundbite society many people have lost the concept of mastery. To truly master a subject, a skill, or a pursuit you must take time and care. Mastery is only developed through persistence and practice. If you want to master a martial arts form you must practice repeatedly. If you want to play a musical instrument you must practice daily. Any thing you want to accomplish at a high level requires time and effort. Great news if you are willing to do this!

People that have taken time to master the things they pursue report a much higher level of satisfaction and happiness then the people who quit and do not follow through. Mastery brings a sense of pride and excitement that can not be duplicated in a short soundbite or 140 character blurb. If you are starting a new activity or working hard in a current activity commit to mastering it. You will find a level of happiness that can not be bought.

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At Griffin’s Martial Arts Center students learn far more than just the art of kicking and punching. We also teach character and the importance of a strong value system. At our center we have the advantage of Master Griffin’s experience as a professional educator and the expertise of child development specialist Dr. Robyn Silverman on our staff. Dr. Robyn as our students refer to her has developed the premier character program in the world. The program is based on a word of the month and incorporates weekly lessons during the month to reinforce the valuable character lessons of the word. This month our word is loyalty. In the past we have had  character training for topics such as honesty, self-control, health, and respect.  Why is this important? Because Powerful Words backed with character training become powerful actions.

Our students take what they learn from the dojang floor and take it out into the community. Our students have honor roll grades, contribute to scout troops, churches, and schools. This month our students will be raising money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. This is the fourth year that our students have used outstanding character to take time to raise money for this amazing cause. The students are using the concept of Loyalty to the dojang by volunteering their time to incorporate a health fair that is free to the public to raise awareness for healthy lifestyles. They are showing loyalty to St. Jude by committing for the fourth straight year to raise money for them. After the health fair they will participate in a kick-a-thon to help the kids of St. Jude. The powerful Words program and our relationship with Dr. Robyn Silverman has created a lifestyle that goes well beyond exercise and self-defense.

Give Griffin’s Martial Arts Center a call at 239-997-8990 and we will be happy to give you a tour of our center and introduce you to the character programs we teach. In fact stop by this Saturday Feb. 4th at 11am and come see our students in action during the health fair and kick-a-thon. In the meantime you can visit our website at www.griffinsmartialarts.com and you can find out more about Dr. Robyn at www.drrobynsilverman.com

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