<![CDATA[Maryland Martial Arts, LLC                           410.561.kick (5425) - Blog]]>Fri, 25 May 2012 05:41:33 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[The Martial Arts Journey]]>Tue, 22 May 2012 16:43:45 -0500http://www.marylandmartialartsllc.com/1/post/2012/05/the-martial-arts-journey.htmlYou know, people ask me all the time, “Sensei Jon, what is your secret to success?”  OK, so no one has ever asked me that, but I have had the great fortune of working with many individuals that seem to really excel at what they do, and I would like to share an observation with you.  Every student is different; however, I’ve noticed some recurring trends among the students that become Black Belts, not just Black Belts in the martial arts, but “Black Belts in life.” 

Black Belts (and future Black Belts) do not seem to be motivated solely by external rewards.  It is easy for someone to say, “I want to be a Black Belt one day!”  It is much harder to put in the hours of training and buckets of sweat that it takes to reach the Black Belt level.  The students that experience the most success are excited to achieve the next rank, there’s no doubt about that, however they realize that excellence is a journey (not a destination).  They enjoy training for the sake of training, and do the right thing even when no one is watching.  This is how they are able to persevere and put in the countless hours of training required to reach Black Belt.

Now, some people may be more inclined to enjoy their training than others, and I feel that it is the instructors’ responsibility to try to make the classes as enjoyable and exciting as possible.  However, as students, we can cultivate our own passion for the arts in many ways.  First of all, we can focus on areas to which we feel naturally inclined.  Maybe you love to practice your kata, or perhaps you are more at home in the sparring ring.  Either way, that is fine.  It is important to work on our weak areas, but many of the best martial artists are experts at only a few techniques (quality vs. quantity). 

Figure out a training schedule that works for you.  Set aside certain times each week for practice at home.  Listen to your favorite music or political talk show while banging out your kicks.  Start with 5 minutes a day.  Once this becomes a habit, you will have laid the foundation for a very successful martial arts career.

Belts and stripes are wonderful things.  However, it is only the hard work that goes into said awards that gives them any meaning.  

To share a personal factoid, I have been a Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu for two and a half years (it generally takes longer to achieve belts in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu than in other arts).  My attendance at class has been fairly consistent over that time period.  Sometimes I think one of the greatest things my instructor has done for me has been to keep me at Blue Belt for this long.  It has taught me patience, humility, and to stay motivated by seeing progress in my skills, rather than external rewards.  Additionally, when I do achieve my purple belt, it will be one of the proudest accomplishments of my life.  I have achieved Black Belts in several other styles of martial arts, but I have worked harder to earn my purple belt than any of those belts, and therefore it will be more meaningful. 

Another point I’d like to add- it isn’t terribly important to me when I earn my purple belt.  What is important is that I do earn it.  A wise person once said, “Goals are dreams with deadlines,” and generally I think that is great advice, but in this case, I am enjoying the journey so much, that I’m happy to keep training hard, knowing that when I am ready, I will receive the next belt. 

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]]><![CDATA[The Dojo and The Classroom - A guest blog by Sensei Ines]]>Sat, 12 May 2012 10:10:51 -0500http://www.marylandmartialartsllc.com/1/post/2012/05/the-dojo-and-the-classroom-a-guest-blog-by-sensei-ines.htmlWOW! Three years have come and gone extremely quickly. As many of you may know, I started Law School about one year after Maryland Martial Arts opened its doors.  It was a challenging experience, a test if you will- A test which has pushed me beyond my limits.  I have been a law school graduate for a little more than 48 hours – and a part of me still cannot believe it! These past three years have been filled with sleepless nights, thousands of pages of reading, cold calling in class, and dozens of wild exams.  Yet, it has also been a time of growing, a time of learning, a time of taking responsibility and a time of taking the reigns on my own future. 

I am writing this blog because most of our students in the dojo are also students in kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, college and post-graduate programs. Each and every single student is a bright, talented and special individual inside of the dojo and beyond. I personally want to congratulate each and every single one of you because by implementing a martial arts lifestyle, you are building a strong foundation to be successful in YOUR education, YOUR future, and YOUR life.

Martial Arts have made me a serious academic student.  I started training the martial arts at age 11, like many of our own students, to get an edge in school- and it worked!  The parallels between the dojo and the classroom are virtually seamless.  Learning complex techniques and strategies in the dojo setting gave me the focus to plow through complex concepts in school. By nailing techniques I never thought I could accomplish, I gained the confidence to write lengthy papers and solve problems head on. By realizing that everyone, no matter their belt rank or age, has something to teach me, I have learned humility, which has kept my mind open to new ideas in my education. Further, it gave me the self-discipline to study hard while others might be indulging in more (at first) appealing activities. Perhaps most importantly, martial arts have taught me balance so that I can manage my time carefully to study, train, work, and have family/friend time. This is of course a non-exhaustive list! These principles have guided me from grade school all the way through law school. It does not matter whether you want to be a writer, singer, doctor, business person, chef, an engineer, a hairstylist, a martial arts instructor or even a lawyer- by being the martial artists that YOU are, you are plowing a positive path towards YOUR future.  And for this I congratulate you!

I also want to take this opportunity to thank the Maryland Martial Arts family for all the support and encouragement during these three years.  Good luck on finishing up your school year and best wishes for the 2012-13 school year! 
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]]><![CDATA[The Adult Martial Artist]]>Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:23:31 -0500http://www.marylandmartialartsllc.com/1/post/2012/04/the-adult-martial-artist.htmlOver the past several months we have watched our adult classes grow to their largest size since our dojo opened. It is very exciting to see people of all ages reaping the benefits of the martial arts. We are also very happy to see how much progress our beginner adult students have made in a short amount of time.

Although I began my martial arts training as a child, I rededicated myself to my training during my college years, and I found that while the benefits I reaped as a child were outstanding, the impact that the martial arts had on my life as an adult were even more profound.

At first I started training because I wanted to be able to defend myself, then I continued training because it was fun, and I began spending more and more time and effort practicing. As my skills grew, I realized I could improve in other areas of my life if I would invest the time and effort. It was really an empowering feeling. For much of my life, I had believed that success was largely a matter of luck or genetics. I believed that hard work certainly played a part, but it wasn’t until I really immersed myself in the martial arts lifestyle that I realized how important of a part. It was a very empowering feeling, to have some sense of control over my success in life.

The only possible downside, it could be argued, was the sense of regret I felt for not applying myself in other areas of life. I felt like if I had worked harder and practiced or studied more, I could have done better in sports or school (although my grades were fairly strong in college, if you’ll pardon my boasting). But even these feelings were quickly appeased, when I realized that now I had an activity in which I could dedicate myself, the martial arts! I couldn’t go back to high school and practice harder before trying out for the team, but I wouldn’t want to, because now I had an activity that I could still practice, regardless of my age or the opinion of any coaches.

As an adult, if I didn’t have the martial arts, I feel that there would be precious few moments to break the monotony of the routine of everyday life. Every time that I enter the dojo, I view it as a big event, a challenge, to see whether I can perform better than last time. Training helps us to stay physically and mentally fit. The techniques of the martial arts depend upon skill, not mere strength or athleticism, so students don’t simply get older, they get better.

This is why I feel like the martial arts provide the greatest activity and personal growth opportunity to both children and adults.
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Adult student, Dr. Dan earning his BLACK BELT!
]]><![CDATA[White Belts, Jiu Jitsu and Teamwork]]>Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:32:54 -0500http://www.marylandmartialartsllc.com/1/post/2012/04/white-belts-jiu-jitsu-and-teamwork.htmlThe other day in class I witnessed something that I would like to share with you. Two white belt (beginner) students were practicing a technique, designed to help a student escape when someone is on top of them. The student on the bottom was struggling, and giving their best effort, but didn’t seem to be able to make the technique work. This was one of those challenging times for me as an instructor, where I did not know what to say. Of course, I first looked for any technical errors in the execution of the move, but the student appeared to be setting everything up correctly. For some reason, it just wasn’t working. I gave the student a few general tips and words of encouragement, but she was still stuck in that position.

Anyone who has trained in jiu-jitsu knows how hard it is to be stuck in the mounted position. Oftentimes, this is due to the fact that if one’s training partner is skilled enough to achieve the mounted position, they are usually skilled enough to hold it very effectively. Therefore, I had a pretty good idea of what the student was feeling, but I didn’t know what else to do other than to think, “I feel your pain,” and tell them to keep practicing. However, at this point the student on top told the student on the bottom to make a minor adjustment, and voila! The technique worked.

There are a few points I’d like to make regarding this exchange.

1.) I was very impressed with the knowledge of the student (a white belt) to be able to tell the student on the bottom what they needed to do to make the technique work. 

2.) I was equally impressed with his ability to explain it in a non-condescending manner. Both students felt better about themselves after the class, not worse.

3.) Sometimes when determining why a move isn’t working or what needs to be done differently, it helps to be the “uke,” or the partner that is actually having the move done to them. 

This occurrence reminds me of why the martial arts are such a wonderful individual, as well as team activity. Few other experiences can help us to learn the value and ability of teamwork. In this class, both students were winners! I feel that these white belts already understand the true spirit of the martial arts as we study them. 
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]]><![CDATA[So you're interested in entering a competition? Why?]]>Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:17:13 -0500http://www.marylandmartialartsllc.com/1/post/2012/04/so-youre-interested-in-entering-a-competition-why.htmlAs many of you probably know, we are very excited for our first annual in-school sparring tournament, coming up in a few months! This will be a fun event that will allow our students to showcase their talents and hard work, as well as become familiar with the scoring systems used in most jiu-jitsu competitions. Since the announcement of this tournament, our students have been working even harder than usual, and I cannot wait to see them in action! Each student that enters the tournament will earn a trophy, in recognition of their efforts. We will also be awarding special trophies for many different categories, including but not limited to: best takedowns, best defense, best control, best sportsmanship, and many more!

Competitions are prevalent in many styles of martial arts, and some schools place heavy emphasis on tournaments. Is this a good or bad thing? Well, if a student told me that they were interested in entering competitions, I would ask them why. Is it because they feel it will help motivate them to train harder? Is it to force themselves to endure a challenge which can be extremely nerve-racking? Is it to win a medal or trophy? 

Regarding medals and trophies, if I may paraphrase a quote from John Candy in the movie Cool Runnings: medals are wonderful, “but if you’re not enough without (a gold medal), you’ll never be enough with it.” 

I believe that entering jiu-jitsu competitions can be an effective and legitimate source of self-confidence. But I believe that the true confidence comes from being able to say, “I overcame the challenge, got up there even when I was nervous, and gave it my best,” rather than thinking, “I won, I’m the greatest!”

Some students may choose to compete, while others may have no desire to do so. I respect, and understand, both viewpoints completely. I have gone through periods of my training where I felt competition was important, and at other times I had no desire to compete. 

Perhaps the biggest question we should ask ourselves before deciding whether to compete is, “How will this help me grow as a martial artist/person?”

See you on the mats, OSSSSS! 
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]]><![CDATA[Beginner's Mindset]]>Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:21:50 -0500http://www.marylandmartialartsllc.com/1/post/2012/04/beginners-mindset.htmlOn 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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]]><![CDATA[How does Martial Arts help with other sports and activities?]]>Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:56:39 -0500http://www.marylandmartialartsllc.com/1/post/2012/04/how-does-martial-arts-help-with-other-sports-and-activities.htmlAhhh!  Spring is here and there has never been a better time to be training in the martial arts!  The energy levels in class have been sky high.  Many of our students are participating in other sports and I know that the focus, flexibility, and strength they are developing in the martial arts is carrying over to those other activities.  How do I know?  I used to play baseball and basketball as a youngster, while working towards my Black Belt and I know that my martial arts training gave me a distinct advantage on the field or court. 

That’s one of many wonderful things about the martial arts: they impact all areas of our life.  Sure, a youngster can learn the value of teamwork and get great exercise playing lacrosse, but how is lacrosse going to help them if they get attacked?  The student could get in serious trouble if they use their lacrosse stick on a potential attacker.  

Youngsters who are involved in so many activities are really setting the foundations for success and a productive life.  If you want something done, give it to a busy man, woman, boy, or girl.

The only real drawback I see to such a lifestyle is that the child isn’t getting enough TV watching or video game playing (just kidding!). 

Therefore, to all of our students that are staying busy with other sports, traveling, etc. over the spring and summer, and are continuing their training, I salute you.  We actually have more students training now than we did in the fall/winter, and that’s because they understand the value of the martial arts, and how they permeate all areas of our life.

The students that stay so busy with productive activities are still children of course, just as an axe is still an axe after it has been sharpened.  It’s just sharper, more efficient, and productive.   

After all, how many parents think, “I’m worried that my kid is going to accomplish too much!” or “My child hasn’t watched enough TV this summer!”? 

Now, there is certainly such a thing as “too much of a good thing,” and burn out is something we all need to watch out for.  However, with planning, organization, and a clear definition of my priorities, I was always able to stay on track to earn my next belt while still participating in other activities and enjoying my summer. 

Speaking of which, get ready for some amazing classes this summer, as we take our students to even higher levels! 

OSSS!!
Martial Arts Class
When doing a faceoff in lacrosse reaction times are 90% of it along with quick movements. When I used to do faceoffs two years ago, I would win around 65% of them and now after 1.5 years of martial arts I win every single one. Martial arts also helps with dodging and everything else. I attribute my improved performance to my martial arts training! ~Casey Nelan, MMA Student and Lacrosse player
]]><![CDATA[The importance of getting back up!]]>Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:46:18 -0500http://www.marylandmartialartsllc.com/1/post/2012/03/the-importance-of-getting-back-up.htmlI once witnessed a sparring session that taught me a lot about perseverance, confidence, humility, and what it means to have an indomitable spirit. 

There are a lot of possible explanations for the behavior of the student that you will read about below (we can’t read his mind), but I honestly believe it was an amazing example of the aforementioned qualities. 

Here’s what happened:

Two of our most advanced students were sparring; one male, and one female. They are roughly 8-10 years of age. The female student was able to take the male student down and control him throughout the round. The male student worked hard to get back up, but the girl clearly held the advantage throughout the round.

I was impressed with how he kept his composure throughout the round, working hard to get back up, and never giving up. However, I expected to see some visible signs of distress on his face when the round was over. After all, if I had been out-sparred by a girl when I was that age, excuse, when I was out-sparred by a girl, I used to through a fit, cry, or at least feel very embarrassed. If I were this student, I probably would have claimed she poked me in the eye, which would explain why I had been taken down, and why my eyes were now watering. 
To my amazement, this young man popped right back up at the end of the round as if nothing had happened. I couldn’t read his mind, but I am almost certain there was no change in the way he felt about himself after this sparring session, and he would have been happy to do another round with her or anyone else. 

Of course, we could say that perhaps times are changing and it is no longer as big of a deal for a boy to lose to a girl as it was when I was growing up, which is probably true and I for one think that is a good thing. After all, in jiu-jitsu especially, it is not unusual to see a female student overcome a male opponent or training partner, but as I said before, BOTH of these children were among our top students. Learning that someone is ahead of us in any activity in which we excel can be a blow to the ego. 
I would invite you to take what you want from this anecdote. Perhaps you think it is no big deal. However, I was deeply moved by this student’s character. It was as if he had the perfect balance of humility and confidence to say, “I was beaten in sparring, and that is OK, I’m still happy with who I am.” Talk about being comfortable with who you are.

We’ve all heard about the importance of getting up when we get knocked down in life, but rarely have I seen it exemplified so clearly. It made me realize that if we can be graceful in the face of defeat, then we really haven’t been defeated. This is as true in our day-to-day lives as it is in sparring. 

Imagine if every time we get knocked down, or someone does something which might be perceived as an insult, we get up or kept our head up as if nothing happened. This is easier said than done, and we will be discussing some strategies for developing this kind of confidence, attitude, and spirit in class this week, as well as in next week’s blog. 

For myself, I find it a little bit easier now that I have a role-model to follow in this young student; a walking personification of the great Eleanor Roosevelt quote, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." 

I don’t know how many times he will get knocked down in life. What I do know is that he will eventually achieve whatever he chooses to in life, because he will always get back up. 
]]><![CDATA[How can the martial arts save YOUR child’s life?]]>Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:01:33 -0500http://www.marylandmartialartsllc.com/1/post/2012/03/how-can-the-martial-arts-save-your-childs-life.html This weekend, with Saturday being St. Patrick’s day, our discussions with our younger students centered around making responsible, healthy decisions, and taking care of one’s body and mind.

We all know that the martial arts teach wonderful, potentially life-saving self-defense skills. For most of our students, these skills are (thankfully) rarely (if ever) required in our day-to-day lives. However, that knowledge is still invaluable, as it can have a profound impact on the way we feel about ourselves and approach life. I believe it is much more common, and probable, for the martial arts to help keep students safe by empowering them to make the right choices and helping them to avoid drugs, alcohol, unhealthy eating habits, or becoming a “couch potato.”

How can the martial arts help cultivate a healthy lifestyle? Well, for starters, our students work so hard to build up their bodies and minds in class, that I believe that constant reminders that eating healthy at the table can aid their efforts to become their absolute best (and unhealthy eating habits can hinder those efforts) can go a long way. “Eat this because I said so,” or “Eat this and then you can have some junk food,” become “If you eat this you will grow stronger and continue to become even better at kicking/sparring/kata etc.” Why would they throw away all their hard work in the dojo by eating tons of junk food at home?

For our younger students, now is the time to lay the foundations of the healthy, “Black Belt,” lifestyle.
For our teen and adult students, I feel this lesson is just as important, since their decisions regarding what to eat or drink can have an even larger impact on their health and ability to perform in the dojo. For our Little Ninjas, we hope to teach them to drink juice rather than soda. For one of our teen students, we hope to teach them that they do not need drugs or alcohol.

Furthermore, the martial arts provide us with exciting challenges. We don’t need drugs or excessive electronics to make life exciting. Our goal as martial artists is to cultivate a life that we do not want to escape or make ourselves numb to, we want to enjoy every moment.

By training alongside a group of hard-working, like-minded individuals, our students learn that they don’t need drugs or alcohol to be cool, or have a good time, and are better able to handle peer-pressure.

Black Belt instructors such as Sensei Ines (who, as you may recall from a recent blog, has recently earned her Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, is working toward her second degree Black Belt in San Shou, and is finishing up her final year of law school) provide male and female students with positive role models that demonstrate what is possible with hard work (and what would be impossible with an unhealthy lifestyle).

I wish that I could tell you that by enrolling in martial arts, I can 100% guarantee that you or your child will never do drugs. However, that would not be very true, or responsible of me to claim. What I can say with absolute confidence, is that the martial arts, as we practice them here, are an excellent form of self-defense, be it from a physical attack or the dangers of drugs and alcohol. ]]><![CDATA[The Secret to Becoming a Black Belt]]>Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:18:15 -0500http://www.marylandmartialartsllc.com/1/post/2012/03/the-secret-to-becoming-a-black-belt.htmlWhat does a Black Belt mean? Ask 10 martial arts instructors and you’re bound to get 10 different answers. A better question might be, “What does a Black Belt mean to you?” I don’t think that there is an objective, universal answer, so I challenge you to ponder this question for yourself.
It might help to start by thinking about what a Black Belt is not. In my opinion, a Black Belt does not necessarily mean that person is the toughest person around, and someone who abuses their body with drugs or an unhealthy lifestyle is certainly not practicing Black Belt excellence. They may have a belt around their waist that happens to be black, but until they make the adjustments and work to get back on track they are not truly a Black Belt. I believe that such a person could become a Black Belt once more, but again, these are my beliefs, and I challenge you to think about this for yourself.
I wish that I could tell you that once you become a Black Belt life is perfect and all your worries are over! However, that is not the case, and actually I am glad it isn’t; how boring would life be without any challenges? In many ways, life may actually be harder for a Black Belt, since they weigh the impact of all of their actions. They would not allow themselves to overindulge in their favorite food or video game, but instead strive to make each day productive.
While the Black Belt lifestyle may present as many (if not more) challenges than the average lifestyle, the Black Belt is well equipped to deal with such challenges when they do occur. The Black Belt has learned that with hard work and persistence they can overcome obstacles and achieve goals.
As an instructor, I believe one of the most important aspects of teaching is challenging our students to think about the impact of their actions. I want them asking questions like, “Should I eat this, or that?” “No one saw me break the lamp, should I blame it on the dog? Why or why not?” “There is a student at school sitting alone at the lunch table, should I ask him or her to join us? Why?”
The Black Belt does not wander through life being led solely by base desire and instinct. The Black Belt constantly asks him or herself how his or her actions will affect their own lives, as well as those of others.
I look at our students and see the epitome of what a Black Belt means to me. Our Black Belts that are working toward their Second Degree Black Belts exemplify the characteristics I’ve mentioned above in their words and deeds. Even many of our students that are working towards their first Black Belt are already demonstrating Black Belt excellence in their techniques and interactions with others. Of course, each one is different, but each one now sees life through “Black Belt eyes,” with a deep belief in their own ability to achieve their goals.
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