MMA at 46

Is a bruise a good thing?

2011-12-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

I use to wonder why sports athletes would injure themselves and continue doing the same job?

Now, I understand. It’s for the love of the sport. We had the best advanced/open class tonight. It’s been a while since I have had the opportunity to spar and grapple with some of our newer students. I had so much fun! Our students are so talented and eager to learn. It’s always a joy to work with them.

So, where did the bruises come from? Well, in addition to working with belts below mine, I also got to spar and grapple with our black belts and I always learn so much! Every time I work with a black belt I learn something new. However, if you are really working hard, you will earn a few bruises, especially if you’re an older student. Grappling and sparring will give you a few bruises but they are worth it. They become, somewhat of, a badge of honor. You grin when you show a classmate one of your bruises because you know that you earned it and it was fun doing so.
So, can a bruise be a good thing? Sure, it may be painful but it does make you smile.

Keep having fun!
Lisa

The story of the wrist band

2011-06-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

Several years ago in our leadership meeting we came up with the idea to use wrist bands as a way of encouragement for our students. It never occurred to me how this small idea would affect me in such a extraordinary way.

Let me explain the concept. When you test and receive your color belt you also receive a wrist band of the same color to wear on your left hand. As you continue in rank the idea is to pass the wrist band to someone else as you make rank. For example: you test for white and receive your white wrist band, later you test for yellow and receive your yellow wrist band. You would then pass your white wrist band to someone who is working toward their white belt. They would wear the wrist band they received from someone that is to be their next color belt on their right wrist. Clear as mud?

It must be understood that in Tao Heish Wu Shu when you test for your belt rank and pass you know you have accomplished something. Each test is incrementally more difficult than the last test. Our tests are designed to be so difficult that you must rely on God to get through them. The further up in rank the more specific the test is geared to you personally. They are challenging and fun. I am often amazed when I watch a lower rank test to think, “Hey, I passed that test. That’s really cool.” Of course, I then think about the test to come and realize how much work I have to go.

But back to my story, I have passed down each of my wrist bands to someone in class that was working to obtain that belt level. Someone I wanted to encourage and push to reach the next level. Truthfully, I have concentrated on the ladies in our school because I have to enjoyed watching them blossom with confidence, strength and courage.

I have had several belt buddies over the years. Some who are no longer with us due to work…I miss you Jeff Rainwater and others due to family constraints. But one belt buddy in particular the past couple of years has remained in class and is a friend, adopted little brother and the hardest uke I’ve ever had! If you are in class then you know I’m talking about Rich Quiones. He had previous martial arts experience and was able to really help me prepare for my blue belt test. His encouragement and support really made a difference.

Rich tested for his red belt this past testing cycle. He had an amazing test despite injuries but the end of the test was the most surprising to me. You see, he passed his red belt wrist band to me. I was overwhelmed with emotion as it meant so much to me. This wasn’t just his wrist band. My son Luke had presented this same wrist band to Rich when he passed his red belt test. And before that, Sensei Van Thompson gave it to Luke upon receiving his black belt wrist band. Van earned this wrist band and wore it until he tested for black. Luke wore it preparing for his red as did Rich. Now I’m wearing that same wrist band while I prepare for my red belt test. This is a wrist band with history. It gives me encouragement every time I look at it to know the others before me accomplished the same goal I am working toward. How cool is that?

I’ve worn my blue wrist band almost daily since it was presented to me on my blue belt test. It reminds me that I can accomplish what ever I put my mind to. It is a symbol of many hours of training, overcoming injuries, blood, sweat and tears and three years of hard work. But, I gave it away last night. It was quite by accident.

I was sitting in church waiting on our guest speaker Larry Mudd http://www.muddinyoureye.org/ to come in. He came in the back of the auditorium shaking hands and beginning his story taking about colors. When he stopped in front of me he noticed my bright blue wrist band and asked if he could wear it. I know that I looked like a deer stopped by bright lights and I stammered as I hesitated to answer him. My first thought was, “No, it took me too long to get this. I’ll fight you for it!” But, I gave it to him explaining that it represented 3 years of hard work in martial arts. He said he would give it back to me.

But, as he spoke I thought about the meaning of the wrist band. To show encouragement, strength, motivation, and love and to reflect the love of friends in our life. Isn’t this one of many attributes of Christ. Christ worked so hard for us and ultimately died for us. My three years of work pales in comparison to His life on the cross. But I do know that Christ wants us to serve others, to encourage them and lift them up. I can’t imagine being a full time minister, ministry leader or speaker for Christ. I often wonder who ministers to them? Shouldn’t that be our job as Christian martial artists to encourage others in all capacities regardless if it is in martial arts or life. So I gave my blue wrist band to Larry in hopes that in some way my blue wrist band, the reflection of my blood sweat and tears will encourage him as he continues to speak across the country about the light of Christ. Maybe there is someone in Larry’s future that will need a physical symbol of the love of Christ and His fight for us that he will pass this wrist band on to. It will be interesting to see.

What is the definition of an athlete?

2011-04-27T21:59:00.000-07:00

So, what is your definition of an athlete?

I have asked several people recently and each time have received a different response. Some of them are:

Someone who plays professional sports
Someone who is athletic

A search on google provided these:

Someone whose idea of a workout doesn't involve a playstation or xbox
An athlete practices even when it's not fun, because they want to get better.

The dictionary defines it as:

: a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

I bring this up because I have never considered myself an athlete. I have always thought of an athlete as someone who was in shape and very athletic having endurance and strength. However, in class last week Soke told me, “Lisa you’re an athlete, trust yourself, your ukemi and your technique.” I have pondered those words since. Of course, he was absolutely correct (he usually is…lol). I was holding back and not trusting myself. But his comment that I was an athlete really stunned me. Me, a mom of 5 kids, someone who never did any sport prior to martial arts, an athlete? It was a very foreign concept.

But as I have given it more thought, I’ve wondered, “Am I an athlete?” As I reviewed what I have accomplished to date I realized, I have changed my endurance and strength but I needed to change my perception of myself to move forward. I needed to update the mental aspect as well. Isn’t part of being an athlete the mental part of what you perceive?

Yes, you do need strength, endurance, and stamina but you also need the mental endurance, perseverance, and diligence to be an athlete and you need to think of yourself as an athlete.

I don’t have all the words to describe how that thought made me feel. Just mentally thinking of myself as an athlete made me feel empowered, strong and confidant. It made me realize that I can continue moving forward in my goal towards becoming a black belt. (I was feeling rather intimidated. The advanced classes are a whole different world.) However, I believe it is possible because I have become an athlete as well as a martial artist.

It also made me think, “If I’m an athlete do I really need that piece of chocolate? Do I really want to miss that work out?” hmmm, interesting thoughts.

What about you? Are you an athlete? Are you working you way toward becoming one?

I hope so, because if I can do it so can you.

Keep training,
Lisa

Does it matter how old you are?

2011-03-12T10:51:00.000-08:00

I looked at my blog today and realized I need to changed the header. The original header was, "MMA at 43". I started martial arts three years ago. I turn 46 this summer and I'm continuing to learn and train. So does age matter? No, if you really want to do something I believe you can do it! It takes time, patience and hard work.

It's interesting as I reach a new phase in my training I feel like I am starting all over again. When I started I felt so uncoordinated and silly. Learning the techniques seemed so foreign to anything I had ever attempted to learn. This passed as I learned and progressed. Now, as an advanced belt learning advanced techniques I sometimes feel the same way. Sensei Kendall was teaching us the S-kick last week and that feeling of being uncoordinated returned. Again, this past week in our advanced class I was doing other techniques that made me feel equally uncoordinated and silly. However, this time the feeling did not last as long and as I got into the grove of things I began to pick up the concepts quicker.

Soke has always said that earning your black belt is the beginning. As I reach each level I understand that statement more and more.

My training has changed over the last 3 years. I started with doing nothing to just working on the basic techniques, then doing weight training, and lastly extreme cardio. I only worked on each one at a time for a period of time! Now my goal is to combine all of the above. I believe I have finally reached a fitness level where I can combine all of them into one week. It has taken 3 years, some injuries and work juggling family, homeschooling, administration but it's finally beginning to pay off.

I have much to learn before my next belt test and a level of fitness that I want to reach but I've got a plan!

We have a tournament coming up on March 26th. Let me know if you would like to come out and watch. It's free to attend and our demo team is going to be awesome.

Keep training!
Lisa

You will be amazed at what you can do...

2011-02-10T19:40:00.001-08:00

You will be amazed at what you can do…..

I started the advanced class this year. To be honest, I was a little intimidated about starting the class especially since we were beginning with a special guest instructor teaching us Brazilian Jujitsu. I just did not think I was flexible or quick enough to be able to keep up with the rest of the athletes in class. All of the advanced belts are in very good shape, younger, and weigh less than I do. The last thing I want to do is hold someone else back in class.

However, I surprised myself. I was actually able to do all of the techniques we learned. Again, it all goes back to technique. We hear that often in class. It is not about strength but more about technique. If you learn your techniques correctly, whatever you are doing will work every time. As a blue belt, you would think, I would have learned this lesson by now!

Don’t get me wrong, I have gained physical fitness since I started martial arts. I am in much better shape and stronger than I have ever been. It started slowly, but as I got better in class I began working out more outside of class. I wanted to continue to see improvement in my abilities as I learned more techniques. This spurred me into lifting weights, doing more cardio workouts and watching what I eat. The transition has been slow and I still have a long way to go. But each time I think, I’m not sure I am going to be able to do ____ I am actually able to. It’s exciting and exhilarating to continue to learn and push past my own insecurities and what I view as my physical limitations.

So, if you are just starting out or if you are thinking, “I’m not sure about doing that”, at least try. You may just surprise yourself too! You may need to start out slow as I did, but give yourself time. I tell people all the time, if I can do it and learn so can you.

Lisa

The Blue Test

2010-11-13T15:58:00.000-08:00

As I have prepared for my blue belt test an interesting thing happened in my thinking. I no longer began to be so concerned about how to do the technique but how to control what ever I was doing in order to not hurt the partner I was working with. I also began to view some things differently. Much of this I can’t describe as it has to be experienced by each individual martial artist as they learn.

The closer to the test day I got, the more nervous I became. I make my family crazy when I am going to test because I worry about it so much! Thanks to them for putting up with me.

My test today was grueling. I have been fighting a pinched nerve in my left shoulder for the past 3-4 weeks. I’ve tried everything: Ice, massage, heat, Epsom salt baths, chiropractor trips, and neuro-muscular massage from my wonderful massage therapist Mia. Nothing worked. I almost called off the test this morning because I had such limited mobility. I wondered if I was being selfish to my instructors by pursuing what I wanted so badly that I would not reflect their quality teaching. I knew I could do the test and knew the techniques, but my fear was of lowering the quality of our test in the eyes of my fellow students. I didn’t want to let them down.

It was quite the opposite today in that they all lifted me up. I can’t even describe how wonderful the encouraging words I received from my classmates today made me feel. My instructors guided me, reminded me of important things like not to think so much and breath! It’s so funny. The most common advice I give to our students testing is to remember to breath and today I was receiving the same advice! God continues to remind me of humility and perseverance.

I can honestly say we have the greatest martial arts family in the world. The Godly love and encouragement supersedes any technique that could be learned. My instructors and classmates truly show the love of Christ and of all the things we learn, this is the most important.

So, here is a big THANK YOU to my family at home and my family at martial arts. I couldn’t have done it without you.

With much love,
Lisa

Guard your heart

2010-09-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

***NOTE*** Parents please review the following article prior to younger children reading it. This content is for mature discussion, although consideration was made in writing to make it as discrete as possible.***

Warriors:

As martial artists we train to keep our hands up to protect our face and how to block punches and kicks. We spend hours perfecting our kicks, stances and forms but do we practice guarding our hearts?

As you reach the intermediate level you will find yourself grappling with members of the opposite sex or possibly training with someone individually. As you learn to guard and protect yourself physically, are you also working to guard yourself mentally? The bible tells us: Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23)

I would like to humbly submit to you several things to do if you are training with someone of the opposite sex:

In all of your training, commit every training session to God. His Word tells us that our bodies are our temples until him. I Cor 6: 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. Have you considered praying with your training partner before you begin your workout session?

If you can train with partners of the same sex or in groups of three or more. However, if you are training with someone of the opposite sex never put yourself in the position of temptation. Always include someone else in your training session. When I work out with my training partner, my son or daughter always trains with us. If they are not available, my other children are always in the same room or in the least in the next room with the door always open. If you are training with someone frequently alone you are putting yourself in the position of temptation. You may think, “Oh, I would never do anything like that!”, but why take the risk? We all sin and fall short of the Glory of God. We are born with a sin nature and our flesh is always weak, never take the risk. Mark 7:21-22 from within, out of our hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, and folly.

When you are working out, it is wonderful to have the affirmation of your training partner encouraging you. One of the reasons people work out together is for the extra push your training partner can give you. If you are married do not rely on this affirmation. You must rely on the affirmation of your spouse! Talk with your spouse and let them know you need their encouragement and support. If your spouse is the one working out with a partner, make sure you are giving them the verbal affirmation they need. Encourage them and tell them you are proud of them constantly and consistently. 1 Thess 5:11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Keep your conversations to working out, your faith and the love you have for your spouse. If you find yourself confiding to your training partner your frustrations about your marriage, job or life you are opening a door that will lead to trouble. Those conversations are intimate conversations that should be with your spouse, Pastor or best friend (of the same sex) not your training partner. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

Never let others get the wrong impression of you and your training partner. If anyone ever questions your relationship be prepared to explain the circumstances with a clear conscience. If you can’t, you have some soul searching to do now. Don’t wait until you have already started down a path that could hurt you and many others around you. Guard your heart now. 1 Tim 1:19 Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.

If you are working with one of our instructors please be careful of not putting them in an uncomfortable situation. Make sure your expectations of the workout/training session are clear up front. 2 Peter 3:14 … make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you even think you are slipping, find someone to confide in and assist in holding you accountable. One of the great things about Warriors’ leaders is that we are very real and understand life’s challenges. Eph. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Remember it is important to balance our workouts spiritually, physically and mentally. Make sure you are giving yourself a workout in each of these areas.

These tips are applicable in every area of our lives. I hope that you are guarding your heart in all areas of life. Phil. 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

In Christ,

Lisa Bethay

NOTE: My thoughts and idea for this article came from a sermon preached by Dr. David Fincher of Campus Church of Christ. If you would like to hear more please visit:

http://www.campuschurch.org/forum-guard-your-heart

Never give up

2010-08-05T22:05:00.000-07:00

Its really hard when you train, plan, train and then train some more for a specific goal in mind and then you are injured. The disappointment is the hardest feeling to deal with. Anger and frustration at yourself will dissipate but the disappointment will not fade until the date goes by and you have set a new goal for yourself with a new date.

I’ve been pushing myself harder this training period that I ever have. My body has been telling me I have been doing that as well. My knees were beginning to ache along with my shoulder and last year’s foot injury. This last three weeks I had planned on backing off of my training schedule and work only on technique but yesterday I didn’t listen to my body.

I ran for 1.5 miles, and then did punching drills for 30 minutes barefoot on a concrete floor. My foot was bothering me before the run and during. The ache didn’t feel serious but I felt tired that day. I should have listened. While I was doing my punching drills the floor felt especially hard but I continued anyway. I was in the middle of my last set of kicks when I didn’t land one correctly. Consequently, I ended up with a bone bruise, pulled achilles tendon and pulled plantars fasciitis tendon. I’m to be off my feet for the next week and then will have to begin training again slowly.

All of my training I’ve been doing all year for my test on August 21st just went on hold as did my test. I’ll have to wait for that blue belt. However, waiting only means that my technique will be even better when I am able to test, so I’ll have a great test instead of a good one. Earning my blue belt will mean even more then.

To be honest, I was so disappointed I cried. I didn’t go to class tonight for fear of breaking down in tears. I wanted to test so badly. I’ve put so many things on hold this summer so I could train. Being older means that I have to spend more time training but it also means I have to spend more time healing.

There are many lessons to be learned from this:

1. God’s plan is much bigger and better than ours. He will teach us patience in many ways and remind us to always acknowledge him.

2. Listen to what your body is telling you. Take the time you need, don’t be in a rush.

3.Anything that is worth striving for, perseverance is key you just have to keep striving.

4. You never know how many people love you, until something like this happens. The support from my friends has been overwhelming. God has indeed blessed me.

I know that there are many more things for me to learn. This is what I have figured out in the last 24 hours. However, I do know this, “Being a martial artist means never giving up”. Blue will have to wait, but not for long!

Lisa

Advanced belts

2010-07-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

As I continue to progress in our martial art system, I often wonder, "what does it take to be at the next level?" Of course, techniques are one of the key components, but as I continue further up the rank I learn how much more other things come into play.

There are key elements to be figured out between the intermediate level and the advanced level. Basic concepts are fundamental but there comes a point where certain things begin to make a difference. It may sound funny but how to land a kick, especially a spinning kick was a key one for me. A key movement, something I had been told before, seen before but didn't really click, until recently.

There are many other things mentally that begin to make a difference as well. I believe that they must be different for each person. I'm sure there are some common elements, but as each individual progresses what they need to learn for themselves will be different from what I had to learn for me.

I'm not sure this is making much sense. It's hard to put into words what I'm trying to say without being very specific and I don't want to tell specifics because I believe they are individual. I don't want someone to think, "Oh, I can do that, I'm ready to be an advanced belt." Your journey will be yours and only yours as is mine.

One thing I will share is the understanding of the responsibility of being an advanced belt. Are you ready to teach? To be responsible for an entire class large or small? Are you sure that you have your techniques good enough to pass them on? Are you ready for people to watch you and compare themselves to you to see if they are doing something correct? Are you ready for the responsibility of leadership?

These are tough questions that must be answered before you test for our blue belt and the transition from orange to green prepares you for just that. Don't rush through the intermediate level because you physically can. Make sure you are ready mentally as well. The mental aspect of our system is just as important if not more so than the physical aspect.

As quoted in Spiderman, "Remember with great power, comes great responsibility". Leadership is great responsibility.

Keep training and wish me luck on my next test August 21. I'm testing for Blue.

Lisa

Change

2010-07-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

***I'm not in martial arts to change it, I'm in martial arts for it to change me*** TJ Fernandez

When I began martial arts I never considered that it would really change me. I thought, oh I’ll learn how to kick or get out of someone’s grasp. I truly didn’t think it would change me all that much.

Now, as I look back I can see some of the changes in myself and all for the good.

1. I’m learning to lighten up a little. I’ve always been a very serious person. I would never do anything goofy in public! Well, I was pretty goofy in class tonight and I had a good time. Sometimes it is about having fun.

2. I’ve always been a goal setter. For me physical goals are harder than any others. It takes a deeper level of commitment from me to obtain them. I’ve been able to set goals for myself that I never thought were possible.

3. Recognizing the perfectionist in me reminds me that none of us are perfect. As I tell my kids all the time, “We all sin and fall short of the glory of God”. It’s ok if I try something and don’t get it the first, second or even third time. This has been a hard lesson.

4. Learning to laugh at myself without being embarrassed. Truthfully trying to do cartwheels at 44 is a bit embarrassing. But tonight when I finally did a few that felt pretty good, I was so excited. You would have thought I had won the lottery with all the jumping I did. It was fun.

5. Courage – is a funny thing. It takes a lot of courage for me to trust my body into doing some of the things we do. I’ve learned to take a deep breath and go for it. Some things are not near as bad as I make them out to be in my head.

6. Trust – learning to trust others telling you, “you can do this” is very difficult. Sometimes you have to have faith in your instructors. They often see things within you that you don’t. You have to trust them.

I’m sure there are lots of other things that have been changed about me but this is a good start. I hope martial arts is changing you too.

Lisa

Injuries

2010-06-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

One of the most frustrating things for a martial artist training is an injury. If you are training hard, you are are likely to experience an injury. Do you know what to do if you have one?

If you have an injury such as a sprain, strain, muscle pull, or tear, immediate first aid can prevent complications and help you heal faster. One of the most important acronyms to remember if you get a sports injury is R.I.C.E. R.I.C.E. stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Using these 4 immediate first aid measures can relieve pain, limit swelling and protect the injured tissues, all of which help speed healing.

If it is not better within 48 hours, call your doctor!

A bone bruise is different and ice should only be used to alleviate pain. You need to keep the blood circulating. Massaging the area and using compression works well. Use a brace to help with pressure. Bone bruises and take months to heal and are often the most painful type of injury.

General muscle soreness after working out is a result of the lactic acids being released in your body. You may have heard it before but, soaking in Epsom salt really helps. Try to keep your bath water as close to your body temperature as possible. This will enable you muscles to completely relax. If the water is too cold, your body has to work to warm up. If the water is too hot your body has to do the opposite in trying to cool down. Here are some of the benefits of an Epsom salt bath:

improved heart and circulatory health, reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure.
Improved ability for the body to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.
Flushed toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.
Improved nerve function by electrolyte regulation. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.
Relieved stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.
Reduced inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps.
Improved oxygen use.
Improved absorption of nutrients.
Improved formation of joint proteins, brain tissue and mucin proteins.
Prevention or easing of migraine headaches.

Add 2 cups to your bath water and soak for 15-20 minutes. Rinse off after your soak. Try it at least once, you will be amazed at how good you feel.

I hope these things help you as they have helped me. Keep training hard!

****NOTE: I am not a medical doctor, these are things that have helped me. You should always contact your doctor for medical information****

Can you say cardio?

2010-01-28T22:02:00.000-08:00

One of the toughest parts of our color belt tests for me is the endurance/cardio.

My goal for this year is to increase my cardio ability while training for my blue belt techniques (Mr. Van set a pretty high standard). Tonight, I felt like I showed promise. It's hard to work in cardio when you homeschool 4 kids, help your husband with his business, and help with the administration of a martial arts school. I also do web work for my son's drum teacher. So you can imagine my days are pretty full and it's easy to let cardio go by because it's the hardest thing for me right now. Nevertheless, it's the key to losing the rest of the weight I want to loose. I've lost 20 pounds so far and would like to see 25 more go away this year. It's been slow progress, but progress nonetheless.

This brings me back to tonight. I've been training, although I must admit not to the consistency that I should, with Sensi TJ using Crossfit. For the most part it is body weight exercises that you do as fast as you can or other days it's a specific number. I was skeptical that I could even do them at first but I kept plugging away and I can tell I am making progress.

Tonight, Soke asked me to teach the open class. I was a little nervous because I've only taught one other open class for adults and tonight I had 2 black belts from other systems in my class as well. But, I had planned out what I wanted to do and I wanted to work on cardio! Osu!

Here is what we did:

Warm up: up two flights of steps and down 3 times, light stretches and front leg dynamic stretch. Because this was everyone's 2nd class of the evening we were already pretty warm.

Cardio: 8 sets of (35 kicks, 10 pushups, 10 situps, 10 squats)

(the kicks we did moving up and down the dojo are: front high kick, inside
crescent, outside crescent, side kick)

Cool down: lots of leg stretches using our belts to help pull the stretch

Ending: I showed some cool tips on the spear finger strike that Sensi Kendall had showed me earlier.

Time: 40 minutes

That's a total of 280 kicks (I think we actually did 285 because I forgot to stop a couple of times), 80 pushups, 80 situps, and 80 squats. How cool is that! I didn't know I could do 80 pushups! It's amazing what you can do when you push yourself.

Everyone did awesome! Truthfully, I was wiped out after this and boy are my legs letting me know I need to continue working on my cardio consistently! However, I was so excited that everyone actually enjoyed the class.

It's a good feeling when you lead a class and feel like you are helping others progress. I got a glimpse of why black belts get so much enjoyment from teaching and watching their students progress. That was pretty cool.

Happy training,
Lisa

How many female martial artist are there?

2010-01-23T21:15:00.000-08:00

The ratios of men to women who practice martial arts is pretty high. The further up the ranking, the greater the ratio. Many have often wondered why. Are women not strong enough, tough enough or is it that they have nothing to prove? Is it the demands on our time? Who knows, but I can say it has nothing to do with strength, toughness or willingness to work hard.

Martial arts is our family sport and everyone in our family participates. Having 5 kids we decided to pick one sport that we could all participate in together. Martial arts was the perfect option. Consequently, working toward my black belt with my family has certainly helped me stay involved. I believe you have to reach a certain level in martial arts before you truly develop a passion and a love for it. If my family were not involved with me I’m not sure I would have developed that passion. Now, I’m at the point that I would continue even if they did not. It would be much harder but it has become my personal goal and not just a family thing.

I could not have begun this journey if my family were not behind me helping me and cheering me on. It answers one of my questions of why there are not more female martial artist. There simply isn’t time if you have a family that is involved in lots of other activities. It would seem easier if you are a female and have grown up in martial arts and you have a passion to continue and I hope all of the young girls training today will continue. In addition, I want to encourage you. If you are interested in beginning martial arts, start with your kids. You won’t believe how much fun you will have and how many friends that you will make.

To be truthful, sometimes thinking of obtaining my blackbelt is a daunting thought and I wonder if I’ll actually make it within Tao Hsieh Wu Shu. However, at those times I think of my friends like Angie Fitts and Allison Martin who are blackbelts. They are amazing women who have become an encouragement to me.

Allison is training for her Master’s belt that she will test for this summer. She will graduate from college and earn her Master’s belt in the same year! Wow! Go Allison, your martial arts family is cheering for you.

While I was thinking on all of these things I began researching how many people practice martial arts and have come up with some interesting figures. I am continuing to research and will update my blog as I determine new information. My figures are estimates based on ratios and I have listed my sources at the end of this article.

Today the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimate: 308,475,584
on Jan 13, 2010 at 05:17 UTC

There are 18.1 million practicing martial artists in the US.

Approximately 600,000 of those are blackbelts (36,000 females based on 15:1 ratio)

Approximately 6000 people are Masters – 4^th Dan or above (360 females based on 15:1 ratio, I think this ratio should be higher)

Approximately 600 people are 9^th degree and above (I won’t venture to guess how many are female)

So if you are a black belt in a martial art system are are part of a very elite group within the US and if you are female an even greater elite group.

At our school Warriors For Christ, our colored belts have been given the remarkable opportunity to train with a 9^th degree black belt, Kyoshi Max Andrews for a specific number of classes. Just think, you are being trained by 1 of only 600 people in the US that has that qualification. What an honor for us!

Happy Training,

Lisa

Resources:

According to data from New York City-based research firm Simmons Market Research, an estimated 18.1 million Americans participated in karate or some other form of martial art at least once in the past year.

In the American Tang Soo Do Association there are 30,000 active students and 1000 black belts. I used this ratio to compute my figures. (Actually, my husband did the math for me!)

U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimate: 308,475,584
on Jan 13, 2010 at 05:17 UTC

What makes a martial artist?

2009-12-22T08:30:00.000-08:00

Learning techniques does not make one a martial artist. Hmmm, that's a bold statement isn't it? But, it is true. I learned that lesson last night the hard way. I had one of the hardest classes I've ever had and left class distraught and frustrated. Let me explain what happened.

We were doing a class on self defense; real life scenarios. What do you do in a confrontation and at what point do you actually engage an attacker to defend yourself? Learning martial arts you have a responsibility to your attacker because of the knowledge that you have. Your job is to gain control of the situation and maintain control. Control could be walking away, diffusing the situation with words, or in worse case, gaining control using physical techniques to submission.

I was feeling uncomfortable, but thought to myself, "I can do this". I had been feeling pretty good about my training in the past 2 years, however God certainly has a way of humbling you.

Initially, each student squared off with another to practice the worse case scenarios. I was concerned about keeping control of my punches, kicks, etc and not hurting a fellow student. I was afraid emotion would take over and I would not pull back enough or if I kicked in the wrong place someone could be hurt. One kick to a knee can do tremendous damage. In the first situation, I simply walked away. That was easy to do since I was faced off with my son. The next couple of times I worked with the younger kids. Let me tell you, they kick pretty hard.

When faced with an adult male who tried to grab me my first thought was a wrist lock but his hands were so large I didn't get it and I just stopped. My mind went blank and I didn't know what to do. You would think that with all of the techniques that I had learned, something would take over automatically, it didn't. The tension in the room by this time was in a very heightened state and there was a lot of yelling and chaos. This is by design by our Master Instructor.

My last set ending up me being with two of our adult male students pretending they were going to take me with them. We had just finished discussing pressure points and my mind was focused on trying to get one of them with a pressure point and force the other to back off but I couldn't get my hands on either one. I was so focused on that one technique all I could do was move around and try to stay out of their grasp. One of them slipped behind me and put his arm around my neck in a tight choke hold cutting off some of my air. My mind panicked and went to the recces of a similar dark time in my childhood. I was no longer with other students but in the past and fear took over. I didn't have the wherewith all to say stop and all of my training went out the door. When Soke saw that I didn't know what to do, he paused us and told me to focus on one of the attackers and not both. He instructed me to do a hip throw on the one holding me. I heard him as if I was in a tunnel and tried to process what he was saying. I tried the hip throw which I've done many times. I couldn't even do it correctly. My brain had shut down at this point and pure panic and fear was there instead. I was able to get out of his grasp and thankfully at that moment class ended. I had to leave the room as emotion overtook me. You may have heard of females that have been abducted that knew martial arts and wondered why didn't they defend themselves? I know understood why with complete clarity.

Remember my opening statement, knowing the techniques doesn't make you a martial artist, applying what you have learned does. Martial arts is not only a physical art but a mental art as well. Can you keep control of yourself in order to control the situation? As a female, can you keep your confidence and your wits about you to control the situation? And for me, as a child from an abusive background can you control the panic and fear?

It was a tough lesson. This morning I can sit and think, "Why didn't I do this or that?". I am frustrated that I didn't perform any of the things that I have learned over the past two years. In our intermediate classes Sensi often tells us, "You have learned the technique, now it's time to do it with speed and fluidity."

Last night showed me that I have such a long way to go and I'm far from being what I consider for me, "a true martial artist".

Love and Merry Christmas,
Lisa

ps. (Scott, we need to finish our demolition downstairs and get the gym back together, I have some training to do!)

Overcoming fear

2009-12-05T22:12:00.000-08:00

Have you ever tried something new to get over something you are afraid of? I use to do a lot of rock climbing. Sounds like fun right? Well, not if you are terrified of heights. The first time I went, my friends put me in a climbing harness, hooked me up with ropes and off I went. I actually did pretty good, because I was terrified of falling. Once I was about 50 feet in the air I found a ledge I could stand on and I was stuck! I was so afraid of falling all I could do was hang on and wonder what on earth I was going to do. My friends had to talk me down and it took some time. After that first climb, I learned that I had to climb up a few feet and then let go. This allowed me to gain the confidence that the ropes would hold if I slipped, and I could continue my climb.

So, what does this have to do with martial arts? Well, for me, the same holds true with ukemi. When you watch someone being thrown it looks painful! But, if you know ukemi it really doesn't. However, I have somewhat of a mental block on throwing myself on the ground. It takes me being thrown a couple of times for my brain to remember that I can do it and it really isn't bad. We were practicing a wrist lock into a throw the other night and the first time I had to be thrown I was really wondering if I was going to be able to do the roll correctly. After I had done it one time and realized I really can do this, I was fine. But, it took doing the first one for my brain to register, "hey, you can do this".

I write this to encourage you, if you are learning ukemi and it seems a little imtidating keep working on it. It gets easier the more that you do it and when you do land from a fall or throw you will find it really isn't as bad as it looks!

Keep practicing!

Lisa

It's not just for kids

2009-11-13T09:10:00.000-08:00

When my family started martial arts 6 years ago, I would always tag along and watch; secretly wishing I could do what they were doing. I was pregnant at the time and after the baby was born, I continued taking the kids to class and watching each class. To stay involved with the kids, I began doing some administrative work for our instructor. It was fun to be a part of what they were doing. I would still watch the kids and wish I could do what they were doing. They looked like they were having so much fun. However, I never thought that I could do it, and as a perfectionist didn't have the courage to try. If I do something, I want to do it well and I just didn't think I could do martial arts.

Soke would often ask me when was I going to start class and I would just laugh at him and say, "well I have the baby so I can't". In January of 07, Soke hired a babysitter and I was out of excuses!

In the beginning, I was terrified that I would look stupid trying to do some of the things my children perfected. They made it look so easy. I was so afraid that I would embarrass my husband and children because I couldn't even run one lap without stopping. But I kept at it because I wanted to be a part of what they were doing.

One of the coolest moments I ever experienced was during my white belt test and I heard my kids yell out, "Come on Mom, you can do it". Usually I was the one cheering them on. There have been many great moments since and the friends that we have made will last a lifetime.

It's been two years since I started and I have earned my green belt. I am still doing the administration for the school and loving each and every class. The interesting thing that occured to me lately is that I'm no longer doing it for my kids but for myself. I don't mean that in a selfish way, but in the aspect of furthering my development as a person and a martial artist. I love our classes and learning the things we are learning and it's exciting to begin helping others get started.

Martial arts isn't just for kids. It's for anyone that wants to try. Don't worry about how you look, or how much you can do. Just go for it; If I can do it so can you.

Lisa

Tournament Preprations

2009-10-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

My kids do alot of prep prior to a tournament and the results of their hard work show. I have 53 trophies and medals in my hallway upstairs from the past 4 years. Ok, I'm bragging on them a bit, but a great deal of it is because of their work. They practice daily for weeks prior to a tournament. This dedication shows in class when they are practicing and in demonstrations. As with all things, they have alot to learn but I'm always so proud to watch them compete. They don't always win, and they are ok with that. It makes the ones that they do win all the sweeter.

Are you preparing to compete in the upcoming tournament? Are you as excited as they are? I hope so. It is a wonderful experience, although a bit nerve wracking. I competed once in our team demo competition and I was so nervous. I was terrified I would do something wrong and let the team down. Thankfully it went well and we won first place.

Tao Hsieh Wu Shu was never designed for competition. However, our students do so well and our forms are so beautiful we have a great record so far. We can thank Soke Geniesse and the others that helped put the forms together for this. Our system is different and each level is more technically changeling than most martial arts systems and in competition; it shows.

In class we spar to submission, and in tournaments it is point sparring, but due to the way we block we do very good in the sparring as well.

The next tournament is going to be different and I think all of our students will be challenged more than in the past. We cannot do any inverted moves in our traditional forms competition. Forms 3 and up all have some type of inverted move, so changes will need to be made. Otherwise, our students will need to compete in the XMA division, will we measure up in that division? You bet!

There will be a new section for our students to compete in this year: grappling. This will be an entirely new event for us to try. My oldest son is very excited about this.

I can't wait for this next tournament. It is going to be a lot of fun and I confident that all of our students are going to do great regardless of winning or not!

Good luck to everyone and I hope you are practicing.

The art in martial

2009-10-20T09:23:00.000-07:00

Prior to beginning martial arts, I did not think of it as an art form, but merely a way of fighting. As I continue to learn, I see more and more of the art form in the movements that we do. Just as in dance, the smallest of details can change the look of a form (kata). The position of your hands, where you are looking, and the depth of your stances all make a difference. Watching my daughter perform her form is like watching her dance. Her fluidity and grace are beautiful to watch.

A weapons form can be the same thing. Have you ever watched someone performing a form with fans? Beautiful....

When I began learning form 1 my focus was: a. remembering the direction I should turn and which hand to use (I still get confused!), b: putting power and intensity behind my punches.

The number of movements in form 2 were greater but the focus for me was still on getting the kicks and punches correct.

Form 3 added more movements from many of the different systems that we learn in Tao Hsieh Wu Shu and some of the movements were definitely more artsy.

Form 4 begins to look like a dance with many of the movements flowing from one to the other. You can truly see the grace in our style when watching this form.

This leads to question do our forms add more grace as they get harder or is the student beginning to gain an understanding of the movements? Soke Geniesse will often tell us to flow like water. I believe by the time you are learning form 4 this concept begins to sink in.

Amazing....

Plantar Fasciitis

2009-10-15T22:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I've learned alot about feet in the past 3 months, and I really don't like feet! But, I have been struggling with plantar fasciitis and I've learned more than I ever wanted to.

First, let me explain what plantar fasciitis is, just in case you don't know. It's pronounced "plantar fash-eee-eye-tiss". This is the condition that occurs when the long fibrous plantar fascia ligament along the bottom of the foot develops tears in the tissue. This creates pain and inflammation.

Plantar fasciitis causes the inflammation of the plantar fascia ligament which runs along the bottom of the foot. The plantar fascia ligament is made of fibrous bands of tissue and runs between the heel bone and your toes and stretches with every step. Inflammation develops when tears occur in the tissue.

The pain can be a burning, stabbing, or aching. It is particularly painful in the morning when you first step on your foot. The ligaments tighten during the night and in the morning when you put pressure on it, the ligament stretches and creates an unbearable pain. After walking and stretching, the pain will subside until you have been on your feet awhile, then the pain returns.

Athletes most commonly develop this condition. Excessive running, jumping, or other activities can easily place repetitive or excessive stress on the tissue and lead to tears and inflammation, resulting in moderate to severe pain. Athletes who change or increase the difficulty of their exercise routines are also prone to overdoing it and causing damage.

One of the factors that contribute to plantar fasciitis is wearing incorrect shoes. In many cases, shoes either do not fit properly, or provide inadequate support or cushioning. While walking or exercising in improper shoes, weight distribution becomes impaired, and significantly stress can be added to the plantar fascia ligament.

This is exactly what happened to me. Usually, I go see my buddy Jeff Rainwater at the Big Peach Running store for my running shoes, but this time I opted to save some money. I went to the local wallyworld and bought cheap shoes, but justified it by buying some nice inserts. Later that Friday I went running with Sensi TJ and guess what, my foot began to hurt that night and hasn't stopped since. Lesson learned, don't run in cheap shoes even if you have good inserts.

I have struggled for almost 10 weeks now with my foot hurting! It has been frustrating because I feel like it has slowed my training down. I passed my green belt test with my foot taped, but let me tell you, I was in tears trying to hold the monkey stance because my foot hurt so bad!

So, what is the solution? ice, rest and new orthodic's for my shoes have helped. I'm still on the road to recovery and after the cost of the orthodic's I really wished I had just gone to see Jeff in the first place.

Lesson learned, shoes are very important! Don't make the same mistake I did. If you are getting shin splints, or your feet hurt while you are running or training trust me, your shoes have something to do with it. Find a shoe store that specializes in running and get properly fitted with a good shoe. You will be doing your feet a favor and you will save money in the long run.

Keep training,
Lisa

A little bit of fun

2009-10-15T22:03:00.000-07:00

I had the coolest epiphany last week. I was watching a fellow student's yellow belt test thinking how well he was doing when I realized, "Hey, I passed that test too! I really can do all of the things he's doing". It was a really cool feeling.

Granted, I don't have the finesse and speed as many of our younger students, but what I lack in finesse I certainly make up for in enthusiasm. I really enjoy all of our classes. I have so much fun doing things I never thought I would ever do. Me doing a jump double roundhouse? Yea, well it wasn't pretty, but I did it and it was a lot of fun learning how to do it.

Isn't that what it's all about? Enjoying what you are doing. Life is short and we each only have one day at a time. I hope today that you smile when you are doing what you are passionate about. Share the enthusiasm. It is incredibly contagious and in today's times, we need a little fun. So whatever your fun is, indulge today. I plan to punch on our kicking bag awhile, what are you going to do?

As I tell everyone, if I can do martial arts, anyone can. If you haven't tried it yet, go for it! What have you got to lose, a little fun?

Do you feel like a martial artist?

2009-10-06T20:39:00.001-07:00

I have been learning the art of Tao Hsieh Wu Shu for a year and half and I am just now beginning to have the inkling of feeling like a martial artist.

The first time was a couple of weeks ago during the great Atlanta flood. We had been fighting water for 4 days and I was feeling frustrated vacuuming the water out of our exercise room for the umpteenth time. I looked at the kicking bag and thought to myself, "I just need to punch and kick the bag for about 30 minutes and I'll feel better". Suddenly I grinned at myself, realizing that I actually knew how to do that. This was a great revelation to me. If your a guy then you probably grew up knowing how to do these things instinctively. I did not have a brother or Dad to teach me these things and was not very athletic, so for me this is a cool feeling.

Another huge milestone has been learning to overcome fear. Don't get me wrong, there are lots of times in class that I get intimidated, but it seems to be getting less and my confidence more. I attribute this to our terrific teachers and my fellow students.

The more classes I attend, the more there is to learn. The more that I learn, the greater my abilities will grow. As my abilities grow, my confidence increases. This confidence will one day lead to feeling like a real martial artist all the time and not just some of the time.

But the beginnings of feeling like a martial artist is a cool thing!

Keep on kicking,
Lisa

Victory

2009-08-30T11:07:00.000-07:00

Each belt test is a hugh milestone in martial arts. Earning your way up to black belt is equilivent to being a baby and learning first to hold your head up (white belt), rolling over (yellow belt), sitting up (orange belt), crawling (green belt), walking (blue belt), jumping (red belt), running (blackbelt), and flying - beyond....

(We only have a total of six color belts in Tao Hsieh Wu Shu)

While it only takes about 1.5 years to pass those milestones as a baby, in martial arts it takes many years. After yesterday, I'm at the crawling stage (green belt). Crawling is a good description of all the things that I still have to learn and perfect. Yesterday was a great test but difficult one. I learned many things about myself.

First and foremost, I need to continue to work on my endurance and flexibility. My spinning kicks really need work as does my straight back kick. I didn't whip my arm enough in my ridge hand or knife hand punches nor did I put my shoulder into my hook and upper cut punches. As for cartwheels, let's just say they are not pretty!

However, I did learn without a doubt that if I was ever attacked, I could defend myself. I had felt that I could but yesterday seem to prove to me that I really can. To me, this is the most important thing I could ever learn.

There are many techniques that I'm not great at but need to learn in our system in order to teach others who may do it well. Everyone's syle is different as are their strenghts and weaknesses.

I do feel victorious this morning, even with all the bruises from the test yesterday. Bruises seem to be my mantra these days. But they will fade and I'll still have my green belt and the knowledge that goes with it. How exciting is that?

MMAMom

p.s. Special thanks to my uki yesterday (Rich) for pushing me and not just letting me have it. He made me look good.

When times are tough

2009-08-19T21:28:00.000-07:00

To be truthful there are times as I am training that I wonder if I going to be able to continue. For example, tonight both of my wrist hurt, my forearms are bruised, my knees are bruised, my shin and foot is badly bruised, my shoulders hurt etc, etc, etc. I'm wondering if I'm crazy doing this at my age. Is it worth it? Why am I doing this?

This is when I have to sit back and reevaluate my goals. What have I accomplished so far? What do I plan to accomplish? Just where am I going with all of this?

Hmmm, interesting questions. First, let's look at where I've been. Prior to taking martial arts I had never done any sport at all. I never played any ball sport, took gymnastics classes, track or even swimming. I didn't learn to swim until I was 13 and then it was only enough to get from one side of the pool to the other. I was never athletic in any way. The only cool thing I did as a kid was ride a dirt bike.

Now, at the age of 44, I can throw a pretty mean hook punch and roundhouse kick. Grab me unexpectedly and I'm apt to throw you with a hip or leg throw. I think that is pretty cool. If you had told me years ago that I would be practicing a spinning kick I would have asked you, "what is that?". I can also break three boards with a reverse punch. That was amazing! You can see this on youtube at our Tao Hsieh Wu Shu youtube channel.

I also have a great time training with my kids, watching martial art movies with them and dissecting all the fabulous moves. I have also made many wonderful new friends that are now a part of my family.

That leaves me with with, "What do I plan to accomplish"? Hmmm, right now, just to make it through my next belt test. One day, to earn my black belt. Beyond that, who knows. Martial arts is a life long process of learning. Who knows where I'll be in my 50's. I hope to one day be able to teach self-defense to other ladies to help them gain some of the confidence that I have. That would be really cool.

So tonight, I'll put on the ice pack and grin about my martial arts badges of honor, my bruises!

Lisa
mmamom

Any shape or size

2009-08-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

I didn’t realize how long it’s been since I updated my blog. Life seems to be coming at me at 90mph and I'm moving 30mph!

I am getting ready to test for my green belt that I began training for in Feb. at the end of this month. It has been a long journey that at times has been difficult due to my lower back issues and other physical issues. You will often have injuries as you train and I am no exception.

I’m made some interesting observations over the past few months and I wanted to share one of them with you that has been a revelation to me. I have had the opportunity to meet many different martial artists this year in different martial art systems. The one thing that intrigues me is that martial artists come in all shapes and sizes. I had always had the preconceived idea that to be a martial artist you had to be this perfect athlete and in perfect shape! Yes, most of your competitive martial artists are in phenomenal shape as they train for 2-6 hours per day. As a mom of 5, this simply is not feasible for me. Nor is it feasible for many of the black belts that I have met. The one thing we all have in common is a passion and love for the sport.

A martial artist doesn’t have to be in perfect shape. It is easier if you are young and in shape or even older but athletic. I guess my point is that you don’t have to be in perfect shape to learn martial arts. You can be any shape, any size or any age to learn. It may take you longer, may be a little harder but it can be learned. I have seen people much larger in weight than I am throw a kick that was techniquely beautiful! It’s not about the weight, it’s about fitness and fitness can be gained no matter what your weight is.

I write this as I am struggling still to lose the weight due to going through menopause (yes I’m an early bird), but knowing that I can do this and I am in better physical shape. Strength training has helped me a great deal as I need stronger muscles to be able to do what I want to do with my extra weight! I still have a ways to go with my technique but I have figured out how to throw the power of my weight into my kicks and punches.

If you enjoy watching martial art movies and have ever had the thought, “I wish I could do that”, try. You will be amazed at what you can do no matter what your size, weight or athletic ability. I’m a perfect example of being able to do it. My kicks are not as pretty as my beautiful girls, but I remind myself that age and wisdom comes into play!

Getting Fit For Martial Arts

2009-02-03T09:28:00.000-08:00

When I initially began martial arts it was with the idea that it would help me to get into better shape and that I would be doing something fun with my kids.

While these are good reasons to start, over time my reasons for continuing the class have begun to change. When I started it never occurred to me that I would actually one day earn my black belt. However, as I begin training for my green belt my thinking has changed on many levels, one of them, setting a goal to earn my black belt before I turn 50!

Today my thought process is, I want to be in better shape to do martial arts instead of the other way around. Investigating strength training for martial arts has opened a new way of thinking for me. I am learning that one of the secrets of doing martial arts well for me is not just the technique, but the ability to manipulate my body against a variety of forces. These include my weight, my opponent’s weight and inertia for quick changes in speed and direction and the ability to explode in a movement.

In order to improve my ability to do this, I am beginning a strength training regimen. I have learned that when you are physically strong, your acceleration, body balance, recovery and reaction time improve. Having a well-conditioned body also sharpens your mental ability as well. This has been even more evident as I have struggled with my lower back problems. Last Oct. I injured my lower back trying cartwheels on the beach and I have struggled with lower back pain since. A cartwheel is required in our Form 3.

Acupuncture has helped me regain control of my back (I’ll write another article on this topic later) and I am now in the process of regaining my strength and flexibility. It has been very frustrating to watch my kicks get lower and lower due to back pain that could have possibly been eliminated or at least not as bad had I been doing strength training for my back. Hmmm, don’t you feel some lessons are learned with our 20/20 hindsight vision?

I have found some fascinating myths and facts that I would like to share with you from Martina Sprague’s book, “Strength & Power Training for Martial Arts”:

Myth: It is all in the technique, and you don’t need strength to be a successful martial artist

Fact: Technique is important, and technique along with intelligence and courage can help a smaller or weaker person defeat a larger adversary. However, strength does matter. Strength increases your confidence, helps you achieve your objectives with greater ease, and raises your pain threshold, allowing you to endure greater physical punishment.

Myth: Lifting weights will improve your martial arts skills.

Fact: Weight training will make you stronger; skills training will improve your martial arts skills. However, a stronger athlete has the potential to be a better athlete. A strong martial artist can hit harder, throw higher and more powerful kicks, and endure more pain.

Myth: Weight training will make you slow.

Fact: Stronger muscles can make you faster and more explosive and stronger muscles will definitely not make you lose speed in your martial arts techniques.

Myth: Muscles that don’t show are not strong.

Fact: Muscles only show if you have a lean body. Excess fat will cover up the muscles and is especially prevalent around the midsection on most people. But muscles that don’t show can be just as strong as muscles that do show. Yes, you can be both strong and fat. In fact, being too lean or over-obsessing about your diet can be detrimental to your health. Work to improve strength, not looks.

Myth: It is dangerous to start lifting weights when you are old, if you are not already in good shape.

Fact: It is never to late to start strength training, but you should understand the demands you place on your body and use a progressive program. Building a strong body takes time, both for youngsters and seniors. Don’t expect to accomplish your goal in one day.

Myth: If you can’t afford a gym membership, you can’t gain maximum benefit from a strength training program.

Fact: Body weight exercises (pushups, pull-ups, sit ups, squats, and lunges) are some of the most effective exercises for improving sport specific strength.

Myth: Strength training for women can cause women to develop muscles that make them look unfeminine.

Fact: This is not possible, because women don’t have the testosterone required to build huge and unsightly muscles. If you see a woman with very well defined muscles, it is likely that she has been on a strict diet that has cut all of the fat so the muscles show better.

I would encourage you no matter what your age to research strength training for yourself and the benefits that it may have for you. There have been many studies that have proven that weight lifting increases bone strength, muscle strength, and overall health for everyone. One study of adults ages 86-96 showed an increase of 174% in strength and walking speed of 48%! Imagine the benefits at a younger age like 43.

While my information is geared toward adults there is a lot of information for youth and teens. My research has found that youth should stick with body weight exercises while their body and muscles are growing. Older teens can begin weight training with supervision.

Do some research and see what you can find that will work for you!

Wish me luck and I continue to strive for personal health benefits and my black belt.

Momt5

One of the key resources I used in this article was Martina Sprague’s book. She has written several and I recommend them all.

It's all about the details

2009-01-09T07:41:00.000-08:00

Moving into the intermediate classes has proven to be a challenge for me, but I have loved every minute of it. While I am learning new techniques, the most fascinating thing for me has been the new details on our basic moves.

I've been learning and working on the basics for a year now and felt like my technique was ok, but I still needed lots of practice. Little did I know how much more detail was involved in our basic techniques. I am constantly amazed at each class and the new information to be absorbed.

Let me give you an example of what I mean by using one of our most basic kicks, the front high kick. I'll ask some questions but let you give the answers.

1. What is your foot position?
2. What should angle of your hips be?
3. What is the position of the opposite leg (is it bent, straight, turned etc?)
4. What is the position of your hands?
5. Where should you be looking?
6. During practice what should you be looking at for a high kick?
7. When do you tighten you foot for impact?
8. Is your kicking leg straight or bent?
9. Where is the impact of the kick on your opponent on your foot? (top of toes, top of foot, etc?)
10. Do you move your shoulders forward during the kick or keep your back straight?
11. What is the position of your elbows?
12. How do you gain speed and power in performing this kick?
13. What stretch to you work on to gain height in this kick?
14. What is the position of your head during this kick? (up, down, side etc.)
15. Can you only use this kick standing up?
16. In what situation would you use this kick?
17. How would you throw this kick up if you are up close to an opponent?
18. Should you slide your foot forward at the beginning of the kick?
19. Do you ki'ah in this kick?
20. When should you inhale and exhale in performing this kick?

Wow! Can you believe I came up with 20 questions for one of our most basic kicks? I'm sure that there are even more.

I am not going to give the answers as I want you to continue to practice this kick and learn these things for yourself in class. However, keep in mind that there are just as many details for each basic technique that you are learning. In light of this, I encourage you to continue working on all of your techniques knowing that practice makes perfect!

Still learning the details,
Lisa

p.s. Happy Birthday Sensi Kendall! Your ability to teach the details is incredible.

Practice makes perfect

2008-11-20T11:43:00.001-08:00

How many times does a basketball player practice throwing the free throw shot? What about a baseball player, hockey player, tennis player, football player and soccer player? The list goes on and on. Ray Bradbury the Pulitzer Prize Special Citation award winner and author once said, “I know you’ve heard it a thousand times before, but it’s true – hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice. If you don’t love something, then don’t do it.

Shouldn’t this pertain to martial arts as well? How many times do you practice your kicks, punches or forms per week? Do you only practice in class? If you want to get better then the only answer is practice and that includes practicing outside of class.

Bruce Lee once said, “If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits, there are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.” If you are new to martial arts and you are thinking, “I only know a couple of kicks or punches”, now is the perfect opportunity to perfect them.

What if you have been doing martial arts for years and you think, “Well, I know my kicks and punches are good”, are they? There is always room for improvement? Did you know that Bruce Lee would throw 500 punches per day in order to improve his speed. Sometimes, he would even do 1000 or 2000 in a single day. Granted his training schedule was arduous but he trained with a goal in mind that he set for himself. He enjoyed the never-ending journey toward physical perfection.

However, the key to his success was in his training and practice. You may be thinking, “I simply don’t have enough time to practice”. One of the secrets to Bruce Lee’s training was how he decided to spend his time. The choices he made in each of his 24-hour days included several hours of training. You don’t have to figure out a way to train for several hours but, what about 15 – 30 minutes? It doesn’t have to be all at once. Have you ever tried sitting in horse stance during several commercials? Depending on the program, you could be standing there for 2 minutes! I bet if you tried you could figure out some creative times to practice your martial arts.

Michael Jordan once said, “If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. However, obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. Romans 8:26 tells us, “In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness”. Use any obstacles as an opportunity to learn about yourself and God.

In light of this, as you purpose to be intentional in your practice of your martial arts consider doing the same with your walk with God. Do you pray when your practicing your stances or stretches? It is the perfect time to talk with God or reflect on His greatness. Psalm 119:15 says, “I will meditate on your precepts and consider your ways”.

In order to strengthen your relationship with Christ you must also spend time with Him. Just as martial arts takes practice, your relationship with God also takes intentional time.

I encourage you to layout your goals for your practice of martial arts and purpose to be intentional with your time with our Savior as well.

Osu,
Lisa Bethay

keys to success

2008-10-10T17:13:00.000-07:00

Each of our classes are so different that when you miss one or two then you can feel as if you have missed a great deal! This happened to me when I missed not one but two classes last week.

After talking with my kids about what they did in class I felt so left out! Of course one of the intermediate classes that I missed was throws. I was so disappointed. Thankfully, I know that the class will come back around and I will get another opportunity.

I find it interesting how entwined our classes have become in my life. My kids and I will often pass something else up because we don't want to miss class. That says a lot about our program. Each class is new and exciting and we are continually learning something new. This is especially true as you reach the intermediate level. There are so many new things to learn it's really exciting.

My 7yo daughter hasn't missed a single class in a year! That's really a huge accomplishment for someone so young. The rest of our family has had at least a 90% attendance if not at times perfect attendance. Watching my kids you can really see how this time commitment has paid off. Their knowledge level continually amazes me.

Commitment to class is one of the many keys to success in your training for martial arts. Try to attend as many classes as you can and if you do happen to miss, remember what ever was taught will come back around.

Martial arts is truly a way of life for us. We love to watch martial arts movies and dissect them. We practice at home together and I am careful about what the kids and I eat. Especially prior to class and even the day before to make sure they are getting the right kinds of food they need for their energy levels. Our diet is another one of the keys to our success.

Diet is crucial to a martial artist. You must treat your body as an athlete at all times. That doesn't mean that you can't have desert or a whopper but it does mean that you want to choose what you put into your body with a goal in mind.

Are you training for your next belt? Remember, diet should be included in that training. If you eat like you are the athlete that you want to be, guess what will happen. You will become that athlete.

Research for yourself what would be best for you and your family and remember it is as important as your physical training.

Soke, has some great information on diet and eating habits if you are interested just let him know. It makes a huge difference on how you feel in class and after. He will be the first to tell you, "don't eat a double whopper before class unless you feel like throwing up during class!" **grin**

Consistency and diet are only 2 of the many keys to succeeding in martial arts. I'm continually learning others and as I do, I'll share!

Lisa
Momt5

Dyslexia and Martial Arts

2008-09-16T16:23:00.000-07:00

Did you know that I was dyslexic? There are many aspects of dyslexia and each person will exhibit different symptoms. The most common that you hear about is the difficulty in reading but there are many other aspects to it as well. One of mine is math. I have always had difficulty with math. The greatest software invention ever was Microsoft’s Excel. It allowed me to see math computations visually. Spelling and grammar is another weakness. I will often write something several times before I think it is correct. Dictionary.com is definitely one of my favorite websites as well as spell checkers due to my inability to spell.

However, one negative that is visual in martial arts is my lack of sense of direction. The joke in my house is that Mom would get lost in a square box. Although, it sounds funny, it is actually true. I have no sense of direction at all. I was never a cheer leader in high school because I could not learn the sequences of moves fast enough to keep up.

If you watch me in class you will often see me wiggle my fingers on my left hand. This is my way of determining which hand, foot, or direction is left. Learning the forms has been a huge challenge for me. Not only am I remembering a sequence of movements, I also have to remember which direction to turn and which hand or foot to use. Many times I get the left and right confused. My kids laugh at me when I jump up and down in frustration at myself.

I have learned that I have to learn a few steps at a time. I repeat those couple of steps until I have it memorized then add one or two more. I continue repeating the steps from the beginning and slowly adding until I have all of them. The interesting thing in learning form 2 was, because I wasn’t still practicing form 1, I forgot it. Now, that I’m learning form 3, I have realized that I must practice form 1 and 2 while learning it so that I don’t forget them. Thankfully my kids know them well and they are helping me.

It just takes practice and working on it outside of class. If you need someone to help you outside of class, just ask someone. Everyone in class that I have asked to help me has been very happy to and I know they will be for you as well.

Another aspect of dyslexia that affects me is coordination. I was the kid that tripped over my own two feet. The first time I ever rode a bicycle I literally ran into a tree. I could not get my hands and feet to work at the same time. Martial arts is actually helping me with this. However, right now I have to mentally focus on the small details of remembering my foot placement, posture, keeping my hands up and my elbows in with everything that we do. I hope eventually that I will have the muscle memory so that I can think of the big picture of what we are doing rather than the exact detail. This will allow me to think of combinations the way Soke tells us to in the intermediate level.

I’m not there yet, but I am practicing. It takes extra practice for me to get this but I think it’s worth it.

So, if you think that you are clumsy or could never do this, let me encourage you to try. You can do it too. For some people it may take a little extra work but desire is key. Sifu Allen told me that 90% of learning anything new is having the desire to learn it. 10% is actually doing it.

I’m proving this to be true. You will often hear me say if I can do it anyone can do it. Now you know why!

If you would like more information about dyslexia there are several websites with great information. Two of my favorites are:

http://www.dyslexiamylife.org
http://www.allkindsofminds.org

One of my favorites quotes:

I have to do it differently, the way that works best for me. Learning is like a tailored suit; it takes a while and is unique to everyone.- Girard j. Sagmiller

It's all about Posture

2008-09-09T17:06:00.000-07:00

I've learned a great deal about posture recently. I've had problems with pinched nerves in my shoulders, first my left and then my right, since before the last belt test. So, I finally broke down and went to my chiropractor. He took an x-ray of my neck that shows that it does not curve the way it is suppose to. It is perfectly straight. As a result, I tend to roll my shoulders and head forward. I am now working really hard to remember to stand up straight (just like Mom said) and keep my shoulders back. If you see me in class and I'm not standing up straight, please remind me! I need all the help I can get to prevent this from getting worse.

But, I want to explain what I have learned from this. Have you ever seen a martial artist who has bad posture? Think about it. Visualize all of the martial artists you have seen in our class and in the movies etc. How did their posture look? Great, right? Guess what happens if you have bad posture. You also will have trouble with balance and if you have balance problems it affects everything else! All of your kicks and punches will be off and you will look like a weeble wobble. Posture is key to good balance.

Posture has a profound effect on breathing, if muscles and bones are compressed a certain amount of restriction has to be expected. It also creates neck strain, pinched nerves, arthritis, and can degenerate your disc's.

Are you wondering about your posture? How can you tell if you have good posture? Stand with your back to a wall. If your shoulders, bottom and back of head are all touching the wall, then your posture is correct.

Otherwise, you have some work to do. Here are a few tips:

Good Posture Tips While Sitting

Keep both feet flat on the floor (if your feet cannot reach the floor, adjust the chair or use a footrest)

Align your back with the back of the chair

Don't slouch or lean forward

Adjust the chair so your knees are even with your hips, or slightly higher, and your arms are at a 75-90 degree angle at the elbows

Keep your shoulders straight

Choose an ergonomic office chair with good back support

Get up often and stretch

Good Posture Tips While Standing

Keep your weight on the balls of your feet, not your heels

Let your arms hang naturally by your side

Keep feet about shoulder-width apart

Don't lock your knees

Keep your head level and in line with your neck and spine, not pushed forward

Keep your shoulders upright and stand up straight

An upright posture conveys confidence and self-esteem. What does your posture say about you?

My smack talker

2008-09-04T22:59:00.000-07:00

My 14 year old son was talking smack to me all day long. Our Sensi had told us to bring our sparring gear to class tonight because we were going to spar. So, my 5’8” son decided he was going to ruffle my feathers. He told me he was going to beat up on me in class. I just laughed at him and told him to, “bring it on big boy”! We had big fun teasing one another all afternoon.

So, we are in class with all of our protective gear on and I’m face to face with this teenager who has been taking classes for 4 years. I have to admit I was intimidated more than once in class. The smack talker is at an intermediate level and is still learning to control his punches. Not only that, he is very powerful and fast. But, I am competitive (this has been a new revelation to me) and I wasn’t going to let this boy know it. Anyway, we had great fun trading punches and I feel like I almost gave as good as I got. Yes, he certainly landed more kicks and punches than I did but, I got a few in of my own.

Of course, when faced with my second son I thought it was going to be easier. Ha! He moves so fast with his punches I ended up closing my eyes and flinching, as I tried desperately to block what he was throwing at me. He just grins that big grin at me while he’s continually landing punches.

My two girls did well too. They are much younger and have the techniques down but have yet to gain a great deal of power. Both were hurt at different times and had to sit out for a few minutes, but neither gave up and they both continued sparing as the class continued. They are only 10 and 7 and took a few hard licks. They reminded me of the energizer bunny, they took a licking and kept on ticking. Now, don’t get me wrong, both of the girls have earned the right to be in the intermediate class and want to be there. My 10 year old is actually a higher belt than I am. However, their brothers are always very gentle with them and I think tonight was a bit of a surprise despite the fact they have sparred competitively, with trophies to show for it. They are just usually sparring with kids their age and not with older kids and adults. But, I’m proud to say they held their own.

So, as I am yet again nursing bruises, I am smiling thinking of the fun we had tonight. Everyone in class must have thought I was crazy when I laughed at someone who landed a good punch or kick on me. You could hear me laughing throughout the class. So, that tells you how often I got hit. But, if it landed, then I didn’t block! I’m learning.

You must be wondering if I’m getting beat up on and ending up with bruises, why do it? Well, if you are a woman, let me ask you a question. Have you ever walked out of the store late at night and felt uncomfortable? I have often felt nervous if I was out shopping too late, or at Christmas time. But you know what? I haven’t felt that way since I began learning martial arts. I am learning that I CAN defend myself. As a woman, it is truly a feeling of self-empowerment. If I can block most of the punches and kicks thrown at me tonight then in a real situation I can certainly block a few. Not only that, I'm somewhat prepared for how they feel. The statistics on women being attacked is incredibly high today, and I truly believe that all women should learn basic self-defense techniques.

But, if you’re a guy, then you probably understand the competiveness and plain fun of sparring with someone. I didn’t grow up with brothers so this is a very new thing for me.

As I continue to learn, I am realizing even more the importance of my kids growing up and learning how to defend themselves in different situtations. In addition, they are learning how to deal with confrontations and how to difuse things before they get out of hand. Don't you think all kids should learn this. Wouldn't we have less fights in schools or maybe even less shootings? Hmmm, interesting thought.

So, I’m off to bed and hopefully next time I’ll land a few more punches on my smack talking son as I learn better blocking and combinations! Look out baby, Mama is coming after you (grinning a very big grin!).

Momt5

I Did It!

2008-08-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

I did it. I am now officially a 4th Gup orange belt. What a day. Martial arts is the only sport I know of where bruises are a badge of honor. As I sit reflecting the day, I am covered in bruises but they were hard earned ones and I’m proud of them. This probably sounds like a contradiction to most people. But if you have ever worked for months on obtaining a goal then what ever you went through to reach that goal was worth it in the end!

One key item I have learned in training for this level:

1. Why we do forms or kata’s:

In the beginning, I had no idea of why we do this. I just thought it was a series of movements. Yes, we are suppose to visualize attackers but it still didn’t make any sense to me, I just did what Soke Geniesse told me to do trusting in his leadership. Now I know, not only does it help sports challenged individuals like me learn their left from their right, it helps develop coordination even at the age of 43. In addition, it creates muscle memory. In an unexpected situation, you will always fall back on your muscle memory. It’s like riding a bicycle. You may not have ridden in 10 years but when you get back on it begins to come back to you. In memorizing and practicing your forms if you are ever in a position of being attacked your body will begin to do the things it has memorized. I now understand why they should be practiced daily.

In our form one, it gives you practice in pivoting, breathing and controlling quickly your emotions. This is key in so many of the things we do. Form two, carries it several steps further in practicing specific strikes, kicks, how to look for your opponent, and when to gather your strength.

The ukemi was still hard. I had a pinched nerve in my shoulder. But, I learned that I can push myself even further than I have before. Soke had told us, “Mind over matter”. He was correct.

Truthfully the hardest part of the day was watching each of my 3 children that were testing struggle through certain aspects of their test. Each of them persevered
and words cannot describe how proud of them I am.

I have several people I want to thank if you will bear with me:

Thanks to Mr. Van for his cardio classes. I still had a hard time. However, I don’t think I would had made it if not for his help increasing my stamina.

Sensi Fernandez’s advise on some of my techniques made a huge difference. He has the ability to spot things I could not have. As well as, his words of encouragement during the test.

Sensi Kendall’s steady presence and consistent teaching has been a plus in helping me learn over the past several months.

Soke Geniesse has the ability to make me believe that I can do more than what I think I can! Thanks Soke.

The best part was listening to my kids encourage me as I struggled with certain parts. Hearing, “You can do it, Mom”, can really push you to do more and last but not least to my precious husband for the back rubs and adjustments!

Thanks Zack for being my ukie today. You did great!

This all goes to show, that you are never to old to try something new!

Have a great night. I’m off to a hot bath to soak these tired muscles.

Ous! (means I can do)

Momt5

Perfectionist

2008-08-18T19:22:00.000-07:00

One of the most difficult things for me in martial arts is my own perfectionism. As I am preparing for my orange belt test I struggle in feeling ready because I feel have not absolutely perfected all the the techniques. Can I do them? yes. Are they perfect? no.

Where do you draw the line? What determines that your ready to move to the next belt? Those are questions that loom in the back of my mind as I prepare to test.

I really want to move forward to that I can continue learning. However, I can still see areas that need improvement. I don't have the flexibility that I really want. My cardio isn't quite there yet and as I mentioned in a previous post, ukemi is really hard for me. As well as, my kicks could be so much better!

My kids are telling me to go for it. My husband went through all of the techniques with me tonight and said I was doing well. But the perfectionist in me says, "are you sure?"

I'm not sure that I'll ever conquer the perfectionist in me so I'm going to go for it. I really want to be in the intermediate classes. They are learning such cool stuff and I can't wait to try it.

It was fascinating watching my kids tonight working through scenarios of a bully or attacker coming at them and how they would handle it. I was in awe watching them throw leg sweeps, kicks and punches. Truthfuly, I'll never worry about my 10 year old daughter again. She kicked butt against adults twice her size!

I can't ever imagine being as good as my kids but I'm sure gonna try!

Mom to 5

Mind Over Body

2008-08-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

One of the most difficult things for me to learn is throwing myself on the ground. Yes, you read that right. One of the things that we practice in Tao Hsieh Wu Shu is throwing ourselves on the ground. It is called, "Ukemi" and it is the art of accepting the ground. Sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it. I mean why on earth would you want to throw yourself to the ground?

Approximately 8 years ago an orthopedic surgeon wanted to do back surgery on me to remove a bone spur in my lower back. I refused to have back surgery! I have been managing it with exercise and stretches ever since. However, I have had times when I was in the floor for three days straight because it hurt so much. So you can imagine my face the first time I was shown how to do a rolling back fall. My first response was, "you want me to do what?"

The point to Ukemi is to learn how to land properly in the event you are thrown. Sensi Greg (our Ukemi guru) tells us it is going to hurt when we land but not near as much as if you don't land properly. Let me tell you, he speaks the truth. I've landed before and didn't tuck my chin properly. As my head snapped, I could feel my brain swishing back and forth in my head. When I stood, my instructor was reminding me to tuck my chin, as I'm trying to clear the birds from flying around my head and the spots in front of my eyes! I think I just nodded and mumbled, "Yes Sir".

In my next belt test I have to do a rolling side fall. My oldest son has been instrumental in helping me learn. We started on the trampoline. Believe it or not, it was actually easier to do on the pads. Of course, my son is an over achiever and kept saying, "Come on Mom, five more", as my head was spinning from rolling and my body began to ache. One of our instructors Mr. Van patiently helped me perfect the fine points that Luke began with me and now I'm beginning to feel ready.

It just goes to show that you can overcome your fear and if I can do this anyone can!

Yes, I'm crazy

2008-08-13T23:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel crazy beginning martial arts in my 40's. I've never done any kind of sport. I didn't have brothers or sisters to wrestle with growing up. So you've got to wonder, what on earth am I doing?

Well, I have 5 children and 4 of them have been taking a mixed martial art called, Tao Hsieh Wu Shu. It means, "The Way Of Unified Martial Arts". It is a mix of 8 different martial arts styles blended into one. My kids and my husband always made it look so easy! So, when Soke asked me when I was going to start, I would always grin and say, "when the baby is old enough". Well when the "baby" was three, Soke hired a babysitter and I no longer had any excuses.

I had been very involved with the school up to this point in helping out with the administration, video taping all the belt test and tournaments so I wasn't a stranger to some of the concepts. However, trying to get my body to do what I had been watching was something else! Now, I don't consider myself to be very athletic, in fact, I'm about 30 lbs over weight. After 5 kids and hormonal changes - well you get the picture.

So, here I am 7 months later still trying to figure out my left from my right but having a grand time doing it. Is it hard? Yes, there are many nights after class that I come home and take 4 Ibuprofen and a hot bath! Am I learning? You bet! I've actually earned 2 belts and am preparing for my next belt test on August 23rd.

My favorite part has been doing the class with my kids and hearing them encouraging me, instead of the other way around. Each of them has had a special part in helping me learn and prepare for each level as I have progressed. We also have a grand time watching martial art movies and discussing what is going on.

I am slowly getting in better shape. I certainly have better cardio (thanks to Mr. Van's MMA cardio class) and I am gradually becoming more flexible. If someone had told me a year ago that I would be able to break a board with a front snap kick or hip throw my 220lb husband, I would have laughed at them! But I'm thrilled to say, "I can actually do all of those things".

Momt5