We have a ritual at our school that often gets my mind racing. Every day while giving my closing remarks, I usually focus on how important it is for everyone to go home and practice. I begin this by asking the students "What am I about to say?" Their automatic response is "Practice, practice, practice..." Every student KNOWS they are supposed to practice, but on those occasions I ask if it happened, I rarely get a raised hand. So why do my students know how important this is to me, but then choose not to do it? That is a question I hope to explore, in a little more depth.

I often recite a quote, which reads "There are two types of students, at testing. Those who practiced, and those who wish they practiced." This statement is so important to me that it is the background image, on my computer. I see it every day when I boot-up, every day before shutting it off, and often multiple times though out the day, while I am working. It is also a mantra that I often recite, when I feel lazy or unmotivated. 

So let's begin by looking at the excuses. They range everywhere from, I don't have time, to I don't have a place to practice. Some say they were doing homework, (which is semi-legitimate), and others were busy doing chores. Of course other activities and sports become an issue, as well as spending time with family and friends. The worst is they were busy playing video games or watching TV. So how much do we really need to practice? That is a difficult answer, but one I have an interesting answer to. My instructor often told us that his instructor told them that 80% of practice is done OUTSIDE of class. Eighty Percent! For those who aren't good at math, that's four hours, for every hour, in class. Upon first impulse, I'm sure that we all can say that's impossible, or we can't do that. So let's look at this number.

Let's begin with me. Those who know me, know that I'm far from lazy. In fact most who know me consider me to be a machine. They have no idea how I keep up and do it all. I have a day job, in which I work as a Quality Manager, in a steel company. After work, I drive straight to the dojang, where I teach and train for the next 3-5 hours. Not only do I own the school, but my wife and I are also landlords, owning an apartment building and several houses. My weekends consist of going to the school at 4:00 am, to work and clean. This is then followed by work at one or more of our properties. I often don't get home until late in the evening, with 12-16 hour days being typical. For example, while most families were enjoying this past 3 day Labor Day weekend, I spent my mornings painting and dry-walling our future office, then spent the late mornings and afternoon painting and landscaping a rental house.

So why do I mention all of this? It's because I am the first person you would hear say, I don't have time. So, how do I train when I am ALWAYS busy. Plus, how do I find the energy to train, after everything I do? Sometimes I struggle, (we all do), but I have found that even with my busy schedule, I find the time do what I must. But how? Although I don't remember the exact quote, I remember reading a philosophy by Bruce Lee. He explained that in Chinese culture, no matter what you are doing, you should ALWAYS be practicing. A creative martial artists can ALWAYS find a way to practice in EVERY daily activity. For anyone who doubts this, think about the Karate Kid movies. We have all heard phrases like "Wax-On, Wax-Off". Mr. Miagi would give Danial menial tasks, but ultimately they followed the exact same movements as karate techniques. I often ask my students to name a time that I practice stances? My black belts often giggle, because they know I practice while brushing my teeth. Two minutes, 2-3 times per day, every day, every week, every year. I also find time to practice kicks, forms, sparring drills, physical exercise, etc. It is funny how often my wife will walk into the kitchen, and nearly get kicked, while I am fixing breakfast, or how often passing my daughter in the hallway, turns into a sparring match, or self defense scenario. The opportunities are there, the student merely has to take advantage of them.

So lets look back at our kids. Do I expect them to put in an extra 8-12 hours of training, per week? Of course not. Do I expect them to find 5-10 minutes per day to review the material taught in class, and practice their forms? The answer is a big fat YES. If a student practiced a couple of minutes, in the morning before school, a couple of minutes before bed, and maybe another couple sometime in between, they will be more than prepared for their colored belt testing. For a black belt, I have higher expectations, but by then, they realize what I expect. Consistent daily training will offer far better results than a last minute cram session.

So next time I ask, "What are the two types of students at testing?" Hopefully, the students will smile and know that they are in the "Those who practiced, category".

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to comment below, and until next time, I'll see everyone, "In the Dojang." 

​We live in a world that has gone crazy. Kids are ignoring their parents and teachers. College campuses are sights of regular demonstrations and disobedience. Inner cities are becoming battle grounds, where police officers are being murdered, simply for doing their job. It’s almost overwhelming; but, as I step back, I find myself asking why? Where did we go wrong? And more importantly, how do we fix it?
 
So let’s begin by discussing the word, respect. During our mat chats, I often ask my students what is the definition of respect. The most common answer I get is the golden rule, “Do unto others, as you would have done unto you.” That is a great answer, but then when I ask, what does that mean, far fewer hands shoot up. Most kids can memorize a quote, but to apply it is different.
 
Even though I look at respect in its simplest form, it truly can be that simple. But, I don’t give that as an answer. My answer is far more complex and often brings about more questions and debates. But, before I give my answer, let’s take a look at a very popular opinion. “Respect should be earned, not given.” We have all heard this statement, and I have to admit, I have heard instructors say it in our own dojang. So, why do I mention it, and why would I say it’s wrong? Let’s quickly look at my definition, and evaluate the difference in the two. “Respect has two parts, first acknowledge how you feel about someone, and then second, treat them with kindness and courtesy, anyway.”
 
Obviously these two are vastly different. So why do I prefer my definition? Put simply, you may not be in a position to always have someone earn respect. For example, if you start a new job, but don’t like your boss, this doesn’t give you the right to be disrespectful, if you are, you may not keep your employment for long. Or maybe a student doesn’t like their teacher. We don’t get to pick and choose our teachers and ultimately a student must buckle down and do the work. We live in the real world. We don’t get to pick who we interact with, we can’t control their attitude, and we definitely can’t control their opinions. Regardless of how we feel, EVEYONE should be treated with respect.
 
So what does it take to fix this issue? I wish I could give a simple answer and suddenly everyone is happy. Unfortunately, we can’t fix all the world’s problems. Instead we need to focus on ourselves and fix what is within our control. We can begin by living our lives with Black Belt Attitude, and in doing so, the two traits, at the top of that list are courtesy and respect for others. Instead of being angry and intolerant, we need to be open and friendly. We may not agree with another’s opinions, but that doesn’t mean they are wrong. Everyone has different life experiences and often those experiences lead to different opinions. “A warrior isn’t the one who runs head long into battle. They are the ones who stand between the battle and the ones they love.”  Instead of creating negative feelings between yourself and another, become the light that creates a more positive day for others. “Sometimes one kind word is the only positive thing experienced all day.” Become part of the solution, not add to the problem.
 
If you have any questions, or would like to add to this discussion, please feel free to comment, and until next time, I’ll see you “In the Dojang”.

    A new year has arrived and like most people, my mind wanders towards new goals and commitments. Although my own goals are often private, I have many goals set for Rochester Family Martial Arts and for our students. The following is a "short" list of what I would like to share.

Growth
    Like any school, growth is essential. Although I have announced it in class, we will be having a PERMANENT Buddy Contest. We will be awarding points to everyone who brings their friends and family to class. Our goal is to continue to grow larger and larger every month. We should have a new batch of white belts EVERY training cycle. although our school is still new, soon we will have students of many different ranks.

Equipment
    For those who were not to the open mat session last Thursday, I have bought some new kicking bags. We will begin putting these to use immediately. But, this is not the only change planned for the future. I am already planning out a budget to purchase more mats so that we can expand the full length of the school. I also have plans for other styles of bags, including some heavy bags. The more we continue to grow, the more / better equipment we can purchase for student training.

Additional Classes
    Throughout the year we will also be expanding our class schedule and offering additional opportunities to expand our knowledge. At the moment we are offering a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class (at 8:00 after the adult class), but we do not currently have an official affiliation for offering rank. But, for anyone concerned, I can assure everyone this issue will be resolved in the future. Please see me if anyone is interested (or has questions). We also have options to offer a weapons program or expand our self-defense / Hapkido programs. These classes will be based on interest, and if I find we have enough students, I will be happy to expand our schedule to include these.
    Our school is affiliated with both the United Taekwondo Federation and the Global Taekwondo Alliance and due to this, we have many opportunities for seminars. At the moment, Grand Master Russ Northup teaches a board breaking seminar, hosted at Plymouth Family Taekwondo. I am also expecting to expand some offerings by hosting some sparring, self-defense, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu seminars in Rochester. These will be announced as I begin planning these.

Overall, I am very excited about this coming year, and I expect this to be an amazing year for everyone at Rochester Family Martial Arts. If anyone has any new goals or resolutions, please feel free to tell me and I will do everything I can to help everyone meet those goals.

Until next time, I'll see everyone "In the Dojang".

    Our first month was a huge success at Rochester Family Martial Arts. An important topic we discussed this month was "courtesy". Of course everyone has heard the word itself, but in today's society, it is often difficult to actually see the action. We defined courtesy as being kind and respectful to others. Unfortunately, it is a skill that we often forget. In martial arts, we find ourselves facing many challenges, and learning this is by far one of the first things a student learns.

    But, some may ask, "how is this?" One of the first things that we teach is the importance of respect. A student quickly learns that they are to bow upon entering and leaving the dojang, (school). They also learn that they must bow onto the mat at the start of every class, and off the mat at the end of every class. These two simple traditions teach students the importance of taking a moment to show respect for the school and the sabumnim, (instructor). Another important aspect is that we recite an affirmation stating that we are "born to win", at these and many other times. This shows the student that they also need to respect themselves.

    Of course, the training doesn't stop there. We focus on teaching courtesy during all aspects of the student's training. But with this learning, what should a parent expect to see, from their child? My belief is that a black belt is not something you simply earn. It is actually a full lifestyle that a student vows to uphold. A student should begin by being respectful to parents, family, teachers, and friends. The old belief of saying "yes sir" or "yes ma'am" should become second nature. Children should start learning to do things without being asked, and show a level of responsibility, that is well beyond their age.

    Parents should feel encouraged to ask their children questions regarding courtesy, every day. Feel free to ask "is that the way a black belt should act," or "as a future black belt, how could that have been said differently?" I will often ask students, "what did you do for your mom or dad today?" Courtesy is not an option for Taekwondo students. At our school, I fully EXPECT positive behavior from every student. Parents and students are welcome to start a discussion regarding this subject. Until next time, I will see everyone in the Dojang.

Last night we held our first ever, Grand Opening event, for Rochester Family Martial Arts. I would like to begin by thanking everyone who came and made the evening a huge success. There was a huge turnout and it appeared that nearly everyone had fun. Of course, this "fun" caused a few questions. So, for this first thread, I would like to discuss advantages and disadvantages of the traditional mindset vs. modern teaching styles.

For some reason, many students feel it is important for their instructor to act as a drill sergeant in class. My first thought is an image of the Cobra Kai Sensei spouting out sayings like "Strike first, strike hard, strike fast, no mercy, sir.", and "The enemy deserves no mercy!" Another common reality is that these types of instructors often use pain as a form of discipline and take out their anger on students. In considering an instructor that teaches in this manner, I find myself asking, would I take my own kids to a school like that. My honest answer is no.

The other alternative is to teach in the manner that I use at our school. I often try to keep a fun and exciting learning environment. Often this enables me to "disguise" repetition, which enables me to allow the students to gain MORE practice, in the given time. Excited, stimulated students enjoy coming to class, and stimulates excitement with other students.

If there is any question regarding this, please message me. I intend to post my thoughts here regularly, and I am looking for positive ideas to share with our "family".