Beginner's Mindset

04/09/2012

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On Friday we were extremely fortunate to have a guest instructor for our jiu-jitsu seminar, my instructor, Mr. Lee Synkowski. It was a lot of fun, with countless rounds of sparring, and everyone (including me) learned a lot that will help us to take our training to even higher levels.

At the seminar, I was reminded of the importance of maintaining a “beginner’s mindset.” I first began studying under Mr. Lee almost 4 years ago. At that time, I had already been training in different styles of martial arts for almost 15 years, but I had never had the opportunity to formally study Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. I knew that this was an art I had to study diligently to become a complete martial artist, as it places heavy emphasis on defending one’s self on the ground, an area in which I had little knowledge. 

In my first class, it was clear that my prior experience meant little in a jiu-jitsu match. I was routinely taken down, swept, controlled, and otherwise dominated by students with as little as 1 year of experience in jiu-jitsu. I experienced a range of emotions at this time. One the one hand, it was very exciting to be learning this art that was clearly very effective and a lot of fun. On the other hand, I kept thinking to myself, “I already went through this process of being the new guy and getting beaten by everyone like 3 times (when I studied Ninjutsu, Kung Fu, and San Shou), it’s not fair that I should have to pay my dues again!” It was a frustrating and humbling experience.

Thankfully, I continued my training and started working my way through the ranks, attaining my Blue Belt over 2 years ago. I wish I could tell you that I was able to gracefully drop my ego and learn to be a beginner again, and certainly I was forced to swallow my pride somewhat, but I think that the main thing that got me through those first couple years of feeling like a fish out of water was the fact that the classes were just so much fun. As humbling as it was, I couldn’t wait to get back on the mats again. 

I have been studying Brazilian Jiu-jitsu for about 4 years, about as long as it takes to get Black Belt in many styles, and am currently working towards my Purple Belt. However, I still train with Purple, Blue, and even some White Belts that give me serious trouble in sparring, and I am constantly reminded that there is always more to learn. 

That’s the wonderful thing about martial arts; we can always get better through hard work, and because the techniques are based on leverage and positioning, our skills don’t have to decline once we reach a certain age; we are always learning, and growing. 

This also helps instill a sense of modesty in the students. The students that make the most progress are the ones that enter each class ready to learn, not simply looking to show how much they already know. My goal for our students is for them to remember that any person that they meet knows more about them (the student) in some area(s). 

Simply because we have more experience in the martial arts (or any other field) does not mean that we should not treat others with respect.  Even if we have more experience than someone in the martial arts (or any other field) we should treat that person with respect.  As a Blue Belt in Jiu-jitsu, I should try to treat the White Belts the way I would like for the Purple and Brown belts to treat me. 

I am reminded of the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Every man (or woman) I meet is in some way my superior, in that, I can learn from him (or her).” 

I believe that maintaining this “Beginner’s Mindset,” is one of the keys to making progress and friends in our training. Take a look at our students and see if you agree. 
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Privilege and Responsibility - by Sempai Nan

03/04/2012

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When Sempai Greg asked me to consider writing a guest blog I immediately said “Yes.” Not only was it
a complement to me, I saw it as a “duty” because my teacher had asked me to do something. I guess
that’s just the Navy Chief in me…always do what is asked of you to the best of your ability. In the Navy,
we had “Core Values” which we strived to live by…”Honor, Courage, and Commitment.” I tried to live by
them every day and to teach them to those that were junior to me. You see, as a Chief, I was responsible
to train, motivate, and care for those of lower rank than me. I see a similar pattern in martial arts and
especially at our dojo.

Anyone entering the dojo can’t help but see the Maryland Martial Arts sign which in essence
incorporates our “Core Values”…”Focus, Discipline, and Respect.” Sempai Greg discussed them in his
recent blog as well. In our world today, maybe more than ever before, it’s important to know what
you’re about, and what those that are around you are about as well. As students at the dojo we become
a type of family. We have trusted leaders who teach and mentor us, and who truly care about what
is best for us. We also have a fabulous student fellowship who also cares about one-another and who
supports each other as we train, progress, and grow.

Focus, discipline, and respect are so much more than words. They are a code to live by that improves
the lives of individuals and the group as a whole. By focusing on these values, we grow into the type
of person that we would like to be. We learn to set goals, we live up to the high standards that are set
by ourselves, our parents or partners, and by our trusted instructors. We also learn that “With privilege
comes responsibility.” Advancing in our belts is a privilege, and we must be ready to accept not only
increased status or prestige, we must also maintain a posture of modesty and humility. Our dojo honors
the respect of all towards one-another. With the PRIVILEGE of advancing to a new belt rank, comes the
RESPONSIBILITY to help others learn and grow as well. As we grow in our own skills and confidence,
we must pass on our knowledge to those of lower rank. The concept is one of unity, of caring for each
other, and for the group as a whole.

Accepting and embracing our core values gives us a code to live by. We learn that our privilege and
responsibility span much farther than our friends, classmates, and our school. For example, having
the privilege to own a pet means having the responsibility to care for the pet. Having the privilege
of taking karate lessons means having the responsibility to work hard and try our best in every class
that we participate in. And much more than this, we begin to see that the concept of “privilege and
responsibility” expands far beyond our immediate lives. Having the privilege of living in the freedom
of our country means having the responsibility to live the best lives that we can. We learn to care for
others less fortunate than ourselves, to have concern for our community, our nation, and our world. We
are martial artists, and we are so much more! When we take a moment to reflect on all that we are and
that we have, we see that we are privileged people and thus, we have much responsibility for ourselves,
our family, our community, and our world!

Osss!

Sempai Nan
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Sempai Nan
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Our Maryland Martial Arts Family

02/12/2012

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_ Wow! Saturday’s ceremony was one of our biggest and best belt promotions ever! It is great to see so many students working hard and making so much progress. The outstanding techniques, sparring, and board breaking reflected the focus and dedication that our students have put into their training.

We started using more challenging boards for the board breaking portion of the test, in an effort to challenge our students even more. I am extremely proud to write that even though many of the breaks required numerous attempts, all of the students that broke boards were ultimately successful in doing so, never giving up until their goal had been achieved. These students were completely undeterred if the board didn’t break on the first 5 tries, realizing that each kick or strike had the potential to be the one.

It really is amazing to see what our youth students have accomplished at such a young age. Two of Maryland Martial Arts’ first youth Black Belts achieved progress stars towards their 2nd degree Black Belts. We have been very fortunate that so many of our first students worked so hard to develop their skills to such a high level, which has set the bar extremely high for all the new students coming in, and those new students seem more than up to the challenge. No matter how advanced they become, the senior students maintain and attitude of modesty and respect, always willing to help others reach the next level.

If our students were just a wonderful group of kind and compassionate people (as we discussed in last week’s blog) that would be pretty great. However, make no mistake about it, our students possess some serious skills. Watching two students spar, giving 100% effort to gaining an advantageous position, yet with no animosity towards their partner, (on the contrary) pushing their partners to reach the next level, is really something special to watch.

I consider myself extremely fortunate to be a part of such a great martial arts family.

Several of our adult students were also promoted to their next levels, and their techniques were equally impressive. It was hilarious and fun to listen to the youth students call out techniques and tips while our talented adult students demonstrated some stellar sparring. Our adult program has grown rapidly over the past several months, showing that any age is a great age to begin martial arts.

Finally, I want to give a big congrats to Sensei Ines on earning her Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Blue belt. As you know, Sensei Ines has already achieved Black Belt levels in Kung Fu and San Shou. To be able to start over as a white belt, in an art that she decided would complement the skills she already possessed, reflects a deep understanding of the martial arts and humility that makes her such a great instructor. A blue belt takes a long time to earn in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, and, in my opinion, reflects a level of skill and training that is actually higher than Black Belt in most other styles of martial arts. She has worked extremely hard in preparation for her Blue Belt test, all while studying hard during her final semester of law school. We are all very proud of you, Sensei Ines!

-Ossu!

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Teamwork ~ Respect ~ Compassion

02/05/2012

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_The other day a mother called me inquiring about lessons for her son. She asked me the question, “Why should I enroll my son at YOUR school?” That is a very good question and I believe that everyone asks him/herself some form of that question before beginning the martial arts. However, I had never had anyone ask me so directly before, so I was a bit surprised. I explained that I felt the real strengths of our dojo (martial arts school) were the carefully organized curriculum and lesson plans, designed to help the students learn and grow as efficiently as possible, while ensuring that the student is always learning something new, and the experienced instructor staff. We have recently brought on several new instructors, and all of them have had a huge positive impact on our school and we are very excited to have them here. Sempai Nan, Mr. Tucker, and Mr. Casey are all talented martial artists and dynamic and effective instructors.

However, I’ve been thinking a lot about that question (“Why should I enroll my son?”) since then, and I think I would give a slightly different answer now. I believe there are many, many reasons why people of all ages should study martial arts. Training to kick a bag or block an attack at a precise time has profound effects on the students’ ability to focus. Learning how to defend one’s self and even how to fall properly can save a person from serious harm. As students make progress through the ranks, they learn the value of goal-setting, and they start to realize that with hard work, dreams that once seemed impossible become very realistic goals.

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Two students showing respect
_There are many reasons to study the martial arts, and if I listed all of them this blog entry would be as long as War and Peace.
Nevertheless, if I had to give just one reason why someone should study at our school, it would be this:

When we ask the students to partner up, and a student is having trouble finding a group to work with, either because they are new to the class, arrived late, or simply can’t find any more people without partners, several students will always go up to them and say something like, “We would like for you to work with us.”

When I have children, I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather have them than at a place where everyone understands the meanings of teamwork, respect, and compassion. I think that kind of attitude is rare to see at any age, but amongst our youth students I find it particularly moving.

When evaluating a martial arts school, I think there is a real tendency to want to judge said school based on the instructors. Do the instructors care about their students? Are they capable martial artists, and perhaps more importantly, can they effectively pass those benefits on to their students?

However, I think an equally important question to ask when evaluating a martial arts school should be: What are the other students like? What are their attitudes toward their classmates?

In that regard, it’s very easy to see why so many people start and continue to train at Maryland Martial Arts: We have amazing students. If you don’t believe me, watch closely the next time we ask the students to partner up.


~Ossu
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