Just For Kicks - ATA Family Martial Arts

When Then?

2011-03-17T18:35:00.000-07:00

I just read a great blog article on the Best Year Yet blog (http://bestyearyet.wordpress.com/) about the game that we sometimes play with ourselves. She called it MTH (Making Things Hard). You may recognize this game ... I will take care of myself after my kids are taken care of ... or I will join the exercise program after I lose some weight. This one always gets me. Did you ever think that the exercise program may help you lose weight?

I see this game sometimes with martial arts. Parents watch the kids classes and want to join, but won't because of some reason they are allowing to hold them back. Quit playing the game, get out on the floor with the kids and do class. In the last week I have had three or four people say something to me along those lines. Guess what? Martial arts will help you lose weight, reduce stress and just have some fun. Punching and kicking on bags and targets does wonders for the stress level. Come in and try it out sometime.

Martial arts is one of few activities that you actually can do with your kids. Many martial arts schools offer family classes just for that purpose. It was something my family did together. My two daughters obtained their black belts at age 12 and my wife and I both obtained black belt as well. Get busy, do martial arts for some great exercise.

Stan Shields
5th Degree Black Belt
ATA Family Martial Arts and Krav Maga
www.kicks4all.com

Taking it Slow

2011-02-16T20:05:00.000-08:00

Statistics would show that over 85% of the people reading this blog are now struggling to keep their focus on their New Year's resolutions or the goals that were made at the beginning of the year. It happens every year. With great intentions, on January 1st we make our yearly lofty goals. We are excited about them and diligently do everything we need to do to progress. Around the middle of January we begin to weaver in our determination. Suddenly, that goal was never achievable inthe first place so we lower the exprectations. A few weeks later we are focused on other things in our lives and our goals have went off to Never Never Land to be rehashed the following year.

You ask yourself, "What went wrong?" "Why can't I stick to my goals or resolutions?”
First, let me state that I do not have all the answers. However, as many of you know I am very goal oriented. I usually achieve almost everything I set my sights on as long as I create a plan and write it down. I live for goals (and achieving them). Although, I don't believe you have to be like this to achieve your goals (although it does help sometimes!), I do believe there are three secrets to achieving goals. The first secret is to write your goals down and put them in a place where you can see them every singe day. The second secret is to have a buddy that will keep you accountable. And the third secret is to take it slow.

Way too often we try to change ourselves too much too fast.

I want to exercise an hour at the gym every day
I want to lose 2-3 lbs. a week
I want to eat a low fat, low carb, and low salt healthy diet
I want to drink 8 glasses of water every day
I want to eat 6 servings of fruits and vegetables
I want to do all of the above right now! (yep, been there, done this one. Failed miserably)

In 2007 I made a goal to lose enough weight to get down into my "healthy" weight range. After losing 35 lbs. over 6 months, I realized that the only way I was able to accomplish the lose was to take it slow and concentrate on one SMALL change very few weeks. I started out with exercising 3 days a week. Then it was shooting for 3 fruits / veggies a day. Then came lowering my salt intake. Then it was lowering my carb intake (I was diabetic at the time). Each change was incorporated into my daily life and only then did I take on another change.

It is unrealistic to go from exercising on hour every other week to an hour every day. Start with the goal of 1 or 2 days a week. Then once that is comfortable, shoot for 3 or 4. Maybe start out with only 30 minutes a few times a week and work up to 45 minutes.

It is unrealistic to go from eating a fat filled, salt crusted, carb intensive diet to a low carb, low salt, low fat diet over night. It is better to focus on one aspect and get comfortable with that change then move on to the next aspect. Some things (like carbs for me) may take many small changes over time to achieve.

I believe that only by making changes gradually do you have the best chance to making those lofty changes permanent and sticking to them instead of having your goals or resolutions fall by the waist side.

What do you think? Do you have any secrets on how to stick to your goals and resolutions?

Ms. Topping

Xtreme Dodgeball - Friday, Feb 4 - 6:30 PM

2011-02-02T10:28:00.000-08:00

You (or your kids) like dodge ball? This is the ultimate in dodge ball. We'll make it extreme. The kids are going to love it. What will it include:

Dodge ball in the dark with glow in the dark balls and glow bracelets
Xtreme dodge ball throwing (you have to come to learn what this is)
Xtreme team dodge ball ... four teams against each other
Everyone against everyone in the whole school with obstacles
Use your imagination for even more games

Grab your best friend and register now for this SUPER fun night. Use this link to register online: Kicks4all Store

If the link doesn't work, go to www.shop2cart.net/store/kicks4all and click on the Karate for Kids in the top right corner.

See you there!

Martial Arts Festival Week

2010-12-29T15:23:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, December 21 we had Krav Maga day at our school for our Martial Arts Festival week. We do this week after our December testing for the days remaining before Christmas arrives. Our students like this week because we do something during those weeks that we don't normally do in our Taekwondo classes. Sometimes we will bring in outside instructors to teach some martial art different than what we teach.

This year Tuesday night was Krav Maga night and we got all ages involved in the action. We worked on VIP protection and ground defenses with the students. One of the parents caught this video of 5 year of Hudson protecting me in the VIP protection drill. I love it! This kid got it, and was awesome. He will be protecting his parents soon!

Go Hudson!

Stan Shields
5th Degree, Chief Instructor

Insight Seminars "Promotional DVD"

2010-12-05T21:35:00.000-08:00

Insight Seminar - Awakening The Heart Introduction

2010-12-05T21:19:00.000-08:00

This Wednesday, December 8 at 7:30 PM we will be hosting an Insight guest event to introduce the Insight concepts. Won't you join us? We will be at ATA Family Martial Arts, 5170 E. Arapahoe Road, E2, Centennial, CO 80122. Call (303) 220-5956 to RSVP.

Click here to watch the video.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=103617586368553&oid=115811858477283&comments&ref=mf

Halloween Safety Tips

2010-10-14T21:49:00.000-07:00

Halloween is a fun time for kids, but it is also an important time to be extra vigilant for possible safety hazards so that your children have a fun and safe Halloween. Some tips to make Halloween safe include:

Costume safety

choose a costume made of flame retardant material
costumes should be short enough so that they don't cause your child to trip and fall,
for good visibility, add some reflective tape to the costume or bag he is using to carry candy or make/choose a costume made of bright material that is visible in the dark
masks should fit securely and allow your child to see well and not hinder visibility
if using face paint, make sure it is nontoxic and hypoallergenic
knives, swords and other props should be made of a flexible material, so that they don't pose a hazard if fallen on

Follow this link for the remainder of the article visit http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/autumn/halloween_safety.html. There is more good information on this site.

Stan Shields

Pass the Mustard, or Just Pass on the Hot Dog?

2010-08-03T08:29:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, July 2, 2010

Comment by Andrew W. Saul

Editor-In-Chief, Orthomolecular Medicine News Service

(OMNS July 2, 2010) More hot dogs are eaten at the 4th of July holiday than at any other time of the year. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (yes, an all-too-real trade organization) says that "during the Independence Day weekend, 155 million will be gobbled up" and that Americans will consume more than seven billion hot dogs over the summer. "Every year," they proudly proclaim, "Americans eat an average of 60 hot dogs each." (1)

That looks to be a modest average of just over one hot dog per week per American. But there are at least 7 million vegetarians in the US, and another 20 million who would be inclined to avoid meat. (2)

This means that even if you do not eat any hot dogs at all, someone else is eating your share.

But a hot dog or two a week? Big deal! Maybe it is. Children who eat one hot dog a week double their risk of a brain tumor; two per week triples the risk. Kids eating more than twelve hot dogs a month (three a week) have nearly ten times the risk of leukemia as children who eat none. (3)

And it is not just about kids. Of 190,000 adults studied for seven years, those eating the most processed meat such as deli meats and hot dogs had a 68 percent greater risk of pancreatic cancer than those who ate the least. (4)

Pancreatic cancer is especially difficult to treat.

Think twice before you serve up your next tube steak. If your family is going to eat hot dogs, at least take your vitamins. Hot dog eating children taking supplemental vitamins were shown to have a reduced risk of cancer. (5)

Vitamins C and E prevent the formation of nitrosamines. (6,7)

It is curious that, while busy theorizing many "potential" dangers of vitamins, the news media have largely ignored this clear-cut cancer-prevention benefit from supplementation.

May I also suggest that you have your kids chew their hot dogs extra thoroughly. In landfills, "Whole hot dogs have been found, some of them in strata suggesting an age upwards of several decades." (8)

Bon appétit.

References:

(1) http://www.hot-dog.org .

(2) http://www.vegetariantimes.com/features/archive_of_editorial/667 .

(3) Peters JM, Preston-Martin S, London SJ, Bowman JD, Buckley JD, Thomas DC. Processed meats and risk of childhood leukemia. Cancer Causes Control. 1994 Mar; 5(2):195-202.

(4) Nothlings U, Wilkens LR, Murphy SP, et al. 2005. Meat and fat intake as risk factors for pancreatic cancer: The Multiethnic Cohort Study. J Nat Cancer Inst 97:1458-65.

(5) Sarasua S, Savitz DA. Cured and broiled meat consumption in relation to childhood cancer: Denver, Colorado (United States). Cancer Causes Control. 1994 Mar; 5(2):141-8. Comment at http://www.ralphmoss.com/hotdog.html .

(6) Scanlan RA. Nitrosamines and cancer. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/f-w00/nitrosamine.html

(7) Cass H; English J. User's guide to vitamin C. Basic Health Publications, 2002, p 64-67. ISBN-10: 1591200210; ISBN-13: 978-1591200215.

(8) Smithsonian, July 1992, p 5.

Nutritional Medicine is Orthomolecular Medicine

Orthomolecular medicine uses safe, effective nutritional therapy to fight illness. For more information: http://www.orthomolecular.org

The peer-reviewed Orthomolecular Medicine News Service is a non-profit and non-commercial informational resource.

Editorial Review Board:

Ralph K. Campbell, M.D. (USA)
Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D. (Canada)
Damien Downing, M.D. (United Kingdom)
Michael Ellis, M.D. (Australia)
Michael Gonzalez, D.Sc., Ph.D. (Puerto Rico)
Steve Hickey, Ph.D. (United Kingdom)
James A. Jackson, Ph.D. (USA)
Bo H. Jonsson, M.D., Ph.D. (Sweden)
Thomas Levy, M.D., J.D. (USA)
Jorge R. Miranda-Massari, Pharm.D. (Puerto Rico)
Erik Paterson, M.D. (Canada)
Gert E. Shuitemaker, Ph.D. (Netherlands)

Andrew W. Saul, Ph.D. (USA), Editor and contact person. Email: omns@orthomolecular.org

To Subscribe at no charge: http://www.orthomolecular.org/subscribe.html

Reposted by Stan Shields, 5th Degree Black Belt, Owner and Chief Instructor, ATA Family Martial Arts, Centennial, CO 80122 (303) 220-5956.

The Last Airbender

2010-07-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

I cannot wait to see this movie. I spent about 30 minutes on the phone talking to Noah Ringer's instructor Eric Pechacek. We wanted to bring him to Colorado for a seminar and I wanted to find out if Noah was a good instructor or not. Turns out he is a great instructor at 13 years old, but Noah is in movie production right now with Harrison Ford for a new movie called Cowboys and Aliens. Mr Pechacek, by the way, just became a Master last week in the ATA. Congratulations to him! I am so proud of Noah Ringers accomplishments and hopes that he continues to be the wonderful down to earth person he appears to be. Go Noah!

We are planning a Last Airbender party with plenty of very cool moves, acrobatics and long staff moves like the Last Airbender! Be sure to join us on July 17 at 1:30 PM. Call 303-220-5956 or send an email to TheLastAirbender@kicks4all.com for more information. Click here to register for the party.

Karate Kid Movie Review

2010-05-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

Bully Proof Your Karate Kid

Last Thursday 14 of my staff and students and I went to a special preview showing of the new Karate Kid movie. I loved the movie! Jaden Smith did an amazing job. He was very funny and convincing in this role. He’s learned a lot from his mom and dad. There were certain expressions on his face and in his words in the movie that you just know this is Will Smith’s son. Jackie Chan is his normal amazing self. I loved the fact that they did not try to recreate the exact same Karate Kid movie from before. Jaden Smith is not Daniel, but is Dre. And, Jackie Chan is not Mr. Miyagi, but is Mr. Han. Jaden Smith was also very true to form in his martial arts moves. He obviously put in some quality time and effort into preparing for this role.

A bigger message for me in this movie had to do with the subject of bullying. This is a huge problem in today’s society. This movie gives viewers a quick glimpse into what is really happening in the school systems with our own children right now. We never want to encourage our kids to resort to violence in resolving these issues, but you have to ask when is it right for them to defend themselves? The movie puts a great spin on this and settles the issue in a competitive setting. This isn’t always an option, nor is it realistic in most real life situations.

As a martial arts school owner we are constantly confronted with the issue of parents asking “what should my child do?” There is this kid at school that just keeps picking on him. My child keeps walking away because he doesn’t want to hit this bully kid because of the ramifications. He will be in trouble with the school and me as their martial arts instructor. In counseling with my students, I constantly have to remind them that they always have the right to protect themselves from harm. No one should have to accept physical abuse from anyone. We offer a series of bully prevention seminars to help kids deal with these issues. Ultimately, it comes down to confidence. The less confident kids sometimes get picked on the most. How do we build their confidence so this doesn’t happen? Well obviously, martial arts classes are one way. There is just something about knowing that you can take care of yourself that makes you walk taller, speak more confidently and look people in the eye.

Anyway, the movie does an amazing job of teaching some of these lessons. At the very end Dre (Jaden Smith) is hurt and everyone is telling him that he doesn’t need to go on and finish the tournament. However, in his mind he does. He says he will still be afraid if he doesn’t finish this. He doesn’t want to be afraid anymore. I wish I could remember his specific quote, but can’t. I think you get the idea. We have to face those fears head on. Sometimes that means facing the bully head on. Great movie!

For more information about our bully prevention seminars visit our website www.kicks4all.com, or call us at (303) 220-5956. Our next workshop is on June 26 at 10:30 AM. Anyone registering and paying prior to June 12 will receive a free ticket for the Karate Kid movie. You can register and pay for the workshop here:http://www.shop2cart.net/store/kicks4all/index.php?pag=pro&id=16380&PHPSESSID=50e5f7f350c00e1735ed7fefb7785576

Karate Kid Bully Proofing Workshop

2010-05-12T18:05:00.000-07:00

Join us for our Karate Kid bully proofing workshop in which participants will learn some very specific strategies for dealing with bullies.

Workshop will include:
Bully preventing mindset
Communication Strategies
Defense techniques
Two separate workshops - one for teens (13-18) that is Krav Maga oriented, and a separate one for kids (5-12)
... and more

Date: June 26
Time: 10:30 AM
Where: ATA Family Martial Arts, 5170 E. Arapahoe Road, E2, Centennial, CO 80122
Phone: (303) 220-5956
Price: $15 each (Includes a ticket for the New Karate Kid Movie)
Special Offer: Sign up you and a non-ATA friend, and pay before June 10 and receive two tickets for the Karate Kid movie for the price of one. This offer good only with this special blog offer.
Click here to visit our secure online store and sign up for our bully proofing workshop: http://www.shop2cart.net/store/kicks4all/index.php?pag=pro&id=16380&PHPSESSID=50e5f7f350c00e1735ed7fefb7785576

Also ...
Join us for our special Karate Kid Parent's Night Out. We will be watching the Original Karate Kid movie and playing some cool fun games as well.

Date: Friday, June 4
Time: 6:30 PM to 10:30 PM
Where: Same place
Phone: (303) 220-5956
Price: $20 ($15 with a non-ATA buddy) - Includes 4 hours of entertainment and pizza!
Click here to visit our secure online store and sign up for our Parent's Night Out event:http://www.shop2cart.net/store/kicks4all/index.php?pag=pro&id=16381&PHPSESSID=50e5f7f350c00e1735ed7fefb7785576

Women's Self Defense Class

2010-02-04T09:27:00.001-08:00

WOMEN’S SELF DEFENSE WORKSHOP

The U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Statistics estimates

that every two minutes, somewhere in America, someone is assaulted.

Come join us for a self defense workshop to learn how to protect yourself in a variety of situations.

At our workshop you will learn:

Basic Combative Techniques (proper punching and kicking)
Choke Defenses
Grab Defenses
Ground Defenses
and much more!

When: February 20, 2010 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Cost: $25 per person (normally $49/person)

Space is limited so call today to reserve your space!

5170 East Arapahoe Road, E2

Centennial, Colorado 80122

303-220-5956

www.kicks4all.com

Whose belt is it anyway?

2009-11-28T09:14:00.000-08:00

As parents, we've all been there-- our inquisitive and enthusiastic child decides that they want to be a martial artist! That's exactly how Mrs. Bailey and I started at ATAFMAC. Our oldest son Ben decided he wanted to be just like the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." At the time, he was 7. Like all wise parents, to check his true interest, we told him he had to wait until he was 8. I'm not sure we made it through the day on his birthday before he was asking to get started. So, Mrs. Bailey brought him to this very do jang. While Ben took TKD classes, Mrs. Bailey took jujitsu classes on the back floor. I watched- and finally decided that I missed participating in martial arts (I started in karate when I was in high school), and got out of the parent area and on to the floor. About a year and a half later, Mrs. Bailey moved from the grappling floor to the TKD classes and our youngest son, Grant, joined us. We were a Taekwondo family! Both boys earned their black belts (Ben earned his 2nd degree recommended, Grant a 1st degree decided), and you know where Mr. & Mrs. Bailey ended up! That all started more than 15 years ago.

I tell that story to show that I've been there as a TKD parent. There were lots of times when the boys lost motivation and had to be prodded into practice or to class. There were many times when we felt we cared more about their success than they did. We had to fight the overwhelming temptation to do it for them!

That's the "purpose" of this post . . . to remind you that your son or daughter is the one earning the belt. You should never work harder than they do in earning that belt. This is true at all belt levels, but never more so then when the student moves from Black recommended to 1st degree Black Belt! Movement from the color belts to the black belts is more than just a change of rank. It is a change of status, responsibility, expectations, and attitude. It truly is a life changing experience as a major goal is reached.

Most of you know that my "real" job is that of an educator. I'm in a very unique circumstance because I am a principal on a K-12 campus. As such, I get to watch students progress all the way through their educational journey. It is VERY exciting to be a part of a child's life for that long! I also get to know entire families as siblings move into the school. In watching families, I too often see parents becoming the student. You've all seen it- the science fair project that looks like it was done by an entire research department at IBM or the powerpoint presentation that looks like it was completed by Disney/Pixar. We all know that the student had almost nothing to do with the project. Unfortunately, the parent involvement often goes beyond the special projects and intrudes on the day-to-day work as well. I once had a high school student admit to me that they hadn't done any homework since 3rd grade-her parents had always done it for her! Symptoms I often see in school are things like straight A's on homework, but much lower grades (often failing) on tests and in class work. The parent response is almost always the same, "They totally get it while they are at home." Hmmmm....

I tell you all of this to remind you of who is becoming the martial artist and who is earning the belt. Ultimately, it is the student who has to earn the belt. I have learned that you rarely learn from success, but failure is a great teacher. So, like the student whose parent completes the science project for them, what does a student learn by someone else doing the work for them? They don't get to experience the mistakes and failures that lead to future success! If the student has not passed through all the trials leading up to earning their black belt, they are cheated out of the life changing impact of reaching that goal.

Encourage, praise, work with (better yet, join them on the floor!) your young martial artist as they progress towards their black belt! Most importantly, let them experience and learn from the life lessons that come from success-and failure. Ultimately, they will be not only better martial artists and students, but better people for their efforts!

Good luck in your journey!

Mr. Bailey

ATA and Dr. Oz

2009-10-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

This kid is pretty cool on Dr. Oz.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/karate-kid

Hunter Williams teaches Dr. Oz the basics of martial arts. The Williams family explains that when they signed Hunter up for martial arts classes, they knew he would gain physical fitness from the cardiovascular workout of Taekwondo, but they were hoping he would also learn focus and self control.

The structure of the Taekwondo classroom combined with the positive encouragement from his instructors made this an activity from which Hunter and his parents benefitted. Today, Williams is a 2nd Degree Black Belt with the American Taekwondo Association (ATA), a two time ATA World Champion, and a member of the organization’s elite World Demo Team. For more information on how your family can get more physically fit, go to www.kicks4all.com.

Are you waiting?

2009-09-04T22:00:00.000-07:00

Quite often, we are waiting for someone to come along and save the day. "You are the one you are waiting for ... Stephen McGhee"

That's our thought for the day!

Dr. Robyn ... Powerful Words ... Committment

2009-07-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

Is your child quitting everything they start? Need a Commitment Overhaul?
Here is a letter from a parent to Dr. Robyn Silverman asking about why her child keeps quitting his activities. What’s interfering with her child’s commitment level?
Dear Dr. Robyn,
I hate to admit it, but my child is a quitter. Knowing the Powerful Word of the Month at our school this month is commitment, it seemed that now was the perfect time to ask what’s going on here. I don’t want to raise a quitter. Have any ideas on why a child quits everything they start?
–Jan K, Baltimore, MD
The question of commitment and quitting comes up every time our Powerful Words schools present Powerful Words like commitment, determination, attitude, or goal-setting. As Powerful Parents, we want our children to show commitment and determination. So what’s making them quit?
Children quit for all different reasons. Some children feel bored while others feel overwhelmed. Some children have unrealistic expectations that they are going to be performing the kind of martial arts, gymnastics, swimming, or other sport that they see “in the movies” or in the Olympics on the first day that they attend. Other children see “today’s activity” simply as another activity that they do—easily interchanged with football, basketball or dance lessons– so why stick with one thing? Still other children feel invisible to the instructor, picked on, misunderstood or scared when they take class.

Click here to visit Dr. Robyn's blog and get the rest of the story! This is excellent!

Honesty, Integrity and Gratitude

2009-03-09T12:34:00.000-07:00

Can a martial arts school really teach qualities such as Honesty, Integrity and Gratitude? Does our school really make a difference in lives other than the physical attainment of self defense skills?

Let me tell you a short, personal (and true) story, about something that happened to me this weekend. As I was leaving the school on Saturday, I was taking my stuff out of my cubbie and cramming it into my pockets. However, I obviously missed something-- later that night, I reached into my pocket to pay for something, and my money clip was missing. After a quick panic attack, I realized what must have happened-- and counted that money as a loss. That money was probably right now buying ice cream at Liks or coffee at Starbucks!

Sunday morning, I went back over to the school "just to check." Sure enough, my cubbie was empty. Just for "grins" I checked Gloria's desk. THERE WAS MY MONEY CLIP and cash! Someone had obviously turned it in. Now, while this wasn't a huge sum of money, it was enough to tempt the honesty of anyone-- about $50. I was certain that someone would be "stimulating the economy" with my greenbacks!

Upon reflection, I really should not be surprised by this incident. Part of our daily routine is reciting an oath that states we will live with integrity, respect and honor. Our "word for the cycle" is Gratitude. Almost every class has a moral lesson involved with the instruction. Why would I doubt that our students would not live up to the level of integrity?

This event shows me, again, how important what we teach is. Taekwondo is more than fancy kicks and powerful punches. It is more than being able to defend yourself against the bad guys of the world. It is more than belts and forms and boards.

It is about challenging yourself physically and mentally to be the best person you can be. It is about learning to respect others. It is about traveling a path filled with Honestly, Integrity, and Gratitude!

Good luck in your Journey!

Mr. Bailey
4th Degree Black Belt

Penetration in your form

2009-02-04T08:36:00.000-08:00

How do you show penetration in your form? Slow down. Most students are too concerned with speeding through the form and the memorization piece. Slow down and execute the moves with power as if there was a board or an opponent in front of you and you are striking through the target. This should automatically help you achieve better penetration. Every single move should have the same level of penetration. If your uniform pops, you achieved the penetration. If not, keep practicing until you get it.

Stan Shields
Chief Instructor
4th Degree Black Belt

When do you stop being a White Belt?

2009-01-03T15:34:00.001-08:00

I was thinking about a short story I had read, Eleven by Sandra Cisneros. It is a story about a ten year old girl as she approaches her 11th birthday. The story explores the feelings of moving on and growing up. At one point the character comes to the realization that she is not ready to be eleven yet-- she just figured out how to be ten. She surmised that even though she was turning eleven, she really won't be eleven until she is ready to turn twelve.

As is usually the case, as I read, I am usually looking for applications in Taekwondo, school and life. This one really hit me in the TKD department!

Too often as we train, we focus on the promotion ahead of us-- moving from Yellow to Camo or Brown to Red. We rush through promotions and belts as fast as we can to get to Black Belt. In doing so, we forget to explore what it really means to be at each step of the journey. Thus, we treat each belt like we are cramming for a test-- learning just what we need to to pass the test (and usually forget it just as fast!) If you are a high rank, you know this is true as you struggle to re-learn the previous material to qualify for testing.

I need to tell you that if this is where you are, you are focusing on the wrong thing. Instead of focusing on the journey, you are only looking at the goal of being a Black Belt. Obviously, having goals are extremely important and focusing on those goals helps you reach them. But-- the journey is equally important. What you learn on the journey is what gives you the experience you need to move to the next level.

So, when do you stop being a White Belt? NEVER! White is always part of every belt you achieve as you progress from White to your Mastership. Many of you have heard me say that you truly don't understand Songhm 1 until you are a Black Belt- yes you obviously know the moves long before that, but do you really UNDERSTAND the form?

Along the same thought, once you promote to a new belt, say Green Belt, you really aren't a Green Belt until you promote to Purple. You become that belt once you've mastered the material that leads up to that belt.

Why all the esoteric thinking? In the last testing, I saw way too many students looking only at the current material rather than at all that they had learned in their previous ranks. They forgot the basics of stances, kicks, punches, balance and focus. They forgot previous material. They forgot that a Black Belt is Black because it is the combination of the colors of all the other belts. They forgot that the Songhm Star is made up of 9 color belt forms and 9 black belt forms-- not a single form.

So, in your training over the next cycle, think about not only where you are going but also where you came from.

Good luck in your journey!

Mr. Bailey
4th degree Black Belt

Getting what you focus on

2008-11-16T09:32:00.000-08:00

Think about the last time you rode your bicycle. (In gorgeous late November weather like this, I hope it was today!) Think about riding down the trail and seeing a big hole. Have you ever noticed that the more you look at that hole the more likely you are to hit it? Now think about the last time you were in a crowded mall. You're walking along and a three year old catches your eye. As soon as he locks on to you-- sure enough-- you walk right into him!

Why is that? You surely didn't want to run into the hole or run over the toddler, so why did you do it? The answer is easy. You get what you focus on.

The same is true in your taekwondo training. If you focus on better stances, your stances will get better. If you focus on memorizing your form, you will memorize your form faster. Higher kicks... you get the picture.

The same is true with instruction. As I teach you new pieces of taekwondo, my focus changes. At first, I focus simply on getting you to do the gross motor skill portion of the technique. Your body just isn't used to jumping up in the air, spinning around and throwing a kick. Once your body realizes it can, then I start working with you to perfect the kick.

Unfortunately, sometimes we stop at the gross motor stage of the learning rather than getting to the details! That's when a new level of relationship needs to form between the two of us- one of trust on your part and one of not being complacent on mine. It's easier for both of us to say it is "good enough" when you memorize your form or can "do" a kick. I'm not satisfied with that, however. I hope you're not either! I want you to be a martial artist-- someone for whom "good enough" isn't.

Martial arts is not meant to be easy. Getting your black belt or beyond is difficult. Training hard for many years, pushing your body in ways that it sometimes would rather not go, sacrificing time, and learning self discipline that others don't understand is the right path towards mastership. It is a journey well worth it all!

Good luck in your journey!

Mr. Bailey

Black Belt Mid-Terms/Tests

2008-08-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

As a black belt in the ATA you have a certain number of mid-term tests to complete before eligibility to test for new rank. Black belts also have a minimum training period before becoming eligible to test for new rank. The minimum period is one year for each level of rank you have obtained. For instance 1st degrees have a one year training period. Fifth degrees have a five year training period, and so forth. The number of mid-terms required during those training periods is listed below:

Rank Mid-Terms
1st Degree 2
2nd - 5th Degree 3
6th - 9th Degree 4

Stan Shields
4th Degree Black Belt
ATA Family Martial Arts
www.kicks4all.com

Count Your Form Moves

2008-08-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

What are you thinking about when you are doing your form? Some of you are trying to remember the next move and some of you are thinking about the quality of the next move.

After you first learn your form, try counting the moves. It will help you learn/remember where the Ki-Haps are, get your sequencing down, and know if you are doing the correct number of moves. If you get to the end and you have too many moves, you know that you added something and vice versa. If you learn the move number for the corners, it will help you pin point where you made a mistake before getting all the way to the end. That becomes very important in black belt forms since the lowest number of moves is 81 for the 1st degree form.

Written by: Stan Shields, Chief Instructor, Top Ten Competitor almost every year since 1998, 2008 Top Ten finisher in forms, sparring and weapons, 2007 State Champ in all five categories, 1999 Sparring World Champion and 2006 XMA Weapons World Champion. Visit www.kicks4all.com for more information on ATA Family Martial Arts.

CHAH-GI (Kicks)

2008-08-18T06:56:00.000-07:00

Why Emphasize Chah-Gi (Kicks)?

Taekwondo is known for the power and dynamic chah-gi (kicks) learned by it's practitioners. However, many arts try to discredit the "flashy" chah-gi of Taekwondo.

To evaluate the importance of Taekwondo chah-gi, we must first look at the important benefits of kicking as opposed to striking with the hands.

There are four major points to be considered:

First, the legs are longer than the opponent's arms. This gives the Taekwondo student the advantage of reach and allows the student to stay outside of the opponent's striking range, yet inside his or her own kicking range.

Second, the legs are stronger than the opponent's arms. In most cases, even a small adult has stronger legs than most adult's arms. Utilized properly, this strength advantage can allow the student of Taekwondo to defeat a person much larger and with a substantially stronger upper body.

Third, access of vulnerable targets. If you can only chi-gi (strike) with the arms, this eliminates many vulnerable and dangerous targets such as the groin, knee, shin and instep. Not only is it important to have more weapons, (body tools-hands, feet, elbows, etc.) but it is also important to know and be able to access more target areas. It is easy for a person to defend three or four vital points on the upper body, but it would be much more difficult to protect 10 to 15 vital points located throughout the body.

Fourth, the element of surprise. Taekwondo students are trained to expect chah-gi to the head. However the average person on the street expects to be punched in the head...not kicked. A chah-gi would have hit them before they even realized the leg was moving. This is because their eyes are not trained to see these techniques. The "surprise" is increased when a jump and/or spin is added to the attack.

Excerpted from "The Way of Traditional Taekwondo", Volume A (Philosophy and Tradition). Rank titles have been updated to the current titles. To learn more about your martial art stop by the front desk to obtain your copy.

Songahm Taekwondo History

2008-08-10T17:33:00.000-07:00

Here is a little history regarding our style of Songahm Taekwondo.

Although we all agree that the technique of Taekwondo can be traced back in Korea over 1,300 years, it is historic fact that Taekwondo as an organized art is relatively modern. Even the oldest "Taekwondo" poome-sae (forms) are derived from Japanese and Okinawan poome-sae systems. The original poome-sae developed under the name "Taekwondo" were the Cheon-jee (or Chahng-hun) poome-sae developed in the mid 60's. Following this system were the Pal-gae poome-sae in the early 70's. Both sets of the preceding poome-sae systems were based on Japanese kata (forms) and did not demonstrate the incredible kicking skills of Taekwondo nor its traditional values or philosophy.

As a result of evaluating all the poome-sae systems and realizing the absence of tradition, Eternal Grand Master Haeng Ung Lee, assisted by Chief Master William Clark (with additional input by current Grand Master Soon Ho Lee, Chief Master In Ho Lee, and Chief Master Robert Allemier) developed a poome-sae system that encompassed the chah-gi (kicks), traditions, and philosophy of traditional Taekwondo. This system was known as "Songahm."

Excerpted from "The Way of Traditional Taekwondo", Volume A (Philosophy and Tradition). Rank titles have been updated to the current titles. To learn more about your martial art stop by the front desk to obtain your copy.

Training Tip - Video Tape Yourself!

2008-08-10T17:31:00.000-07:00

When I was going for my first World Champ title in 1999, I video taped all of my competitions and then went back and meticulosly reviewed them in slow motion. Yes, slow motion. It drove my wife crazy because I would watch the same scene several times before moving on. I mostly did this with sparring because at that time sparring was the only world title that could be earned. It was important to win forms competitions as well as sparring because both forms and sparring awarded points and you needed enough from both to be allowed to compete for the title.

I watched the forms competition of myself and others to see who was winning and what did I need to work on if someone beat me in that particular competition. I watched the sparring competition to see what I did and what the other person did in response, and vice versa. I learned a lot about my habits and the habits of my competitors by watching those video tapes.

If you want to really improve your martial arts, video tape yourself and sit down and be your own worst critic. Then fix the things you did not like when you watched yourself. We all look one way in our minds, but quite possibly look very different in reality. When we watch ourselves from the perspective of an instructor, we see things we would not have otherwise seen. You may be surprised!

Written by: Stan Shields, Chief Instructor, 1999 Sparring Champion and 2006 XMA Weapons Champion.

Kung Fu Panda

2008-06-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

Now I understand why the ATA, United Professionals and other martial arts organizations are really pushing the Kung Fu Panda movie so much. It has all the positive messages in it that we teach in our classes. But for me it drove home a very powerful theme that gets over looked way too often. You see most people are looking out side of themselves for happiness, validation, and hope. You don't have to. It is all within you, but you have to believe in yourself. Believe in who you are and keep working towards what you want to be. When Po finally believed in himself he was able to overcome and accomplish incredible things.

If you have not seen the movie yet, go see it.

Stan Shields
4th Degree
www.kicks4all.com

Moving from unconsciously incompetent to consciously competent—

2008-05-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about an article that Mr. Shields posted awhile back concerning the difference between memorizing and understanding. As I was reflecting on his thoughts, I started thinking about what it means to “grow in taekwondo.”

There are three ways to grow in taekwondo. The first is to grow in your skill level—or growth in the body. This involves developing your strength, fitness, flexibility and speed. This is probably the easiest area of growth for many students. It’s easy to memorize moves and practice. You see your kicks get higher. You break boards easier. You become more confident in your sparring. And, you advance in rank. Those who really embrace “growing” in physical skill take on new training practices, new eating habits, and new fitness strategies. They realize that simply coming to class a couple of times a week isn’t enough to get fit, stay fit, and get stronger in their taekwondo. Fitness and taekwondo become a part of their daily lives.

The second way of growing in taekwondo is in the mind. This is increasing the mental aspects of your training—which really has two parts. First you become aware of your physical state and strive to improve it. You see your side kick isn’t chambered correctly. You see your forms lack power and depth. You see where your sparring needs to improve. Secondly, you start “understanding” your martial art. This is tougher to explain. People often say that they reach a point when they are learning a foreign language they start dreaming in that language—they’ve arrived. Mental growth in taekwondo is similar. All of the sudden you start thinking about your forms—not the moves, but the form. You start seeing subtleties that you never were even aware of. You realize why Eternal Grand Master used one stance over another. You arrive on another plane.

It is possible to grow in each of these areas independently. In the first, as you grow in you r physical skill, you are becoming more competent. Your awareness hasn’t changed much so you are in a state of unconscious competency. You have moved from the state of unconscious incompetency—not knowing what you know or can do. In the second, you grow in the mental aspects of the art, but you don’t grow physically—you are consciously incompetent. We all go through times when we fit into each of these categories. When we first move into a new belt—we are definitely unconsciously incompetent. Then we watch someone do our new form and we become aware that we can’t do that yet—consciously incompetent. Or, when we first memorize the moves of our form, we may lack total understanding of the form itself—we just go through the moves. Welcome to unconscious competence!

To truly grow in “The Way” of taekwondo, you need to grow in both the physical and mental aspects of Songahm. You need to move into conscious competence. You see, you do, you understand, you grow. Without a doubt, I am happiest in my progress when I find myself in this state. Outside of conscious competence, I am dissatisfied and feel like I am out of balance. When there is a physical aspect that I have not mastered—I am frustrated. When I can’t figure out “why,” I feel distracted. When I am in a place of understanding and ability to perform, I feel complete and balanced.

Unfortunately, I’m not in this state of conscious competence nearly enough—but that is always my goal. That’s where I want to live—in a place of balance and understanding. So, as a new student or a veteran who has developed the physical side but not the mental, how do you reach this place? In my opinion, it is easiest to grow the physical. Growing the understanding and mental aspects of taekwondo take much more time and patience. You really need to be willing to “navel gaze” and quite frankly, study. Reading the posts on this blog is a good start. Mr. Shields and others have put up some amazing thoughts! Reading your ATA magazine also provides some great insights and current thinking of the Masters. The Way books are probably the most valuable print resource you can get your hands on—and very easy to collect as you move through the ranks. Start with the volume on Philosophy! Finally, go to camps, go to tournaments, and take advantage of opportunities to learn from the Masters and Legends of taekwondo any chance you get! The talent and knowledge we have in our very own region is astounding—take advantage of it!

Good luck on your journey!

Mr. Bailey

Summer Time ... Dial In Time

2008-05-29T07:23:00.000-07:00

Summers around here is an interesting time for martial arts. If you happen to be in the Littleton or Cherry Creek school districts you get the summer off. If you live in Douglas County, it could be traditional and you get the summer off or maybe it is a track system and you don't get as much time off. Either way the summer is a great time to truly dial in on your martial arts training. You don't have the pressures of the school year and all the other activities going on, so it is a great time to focus on your martial arts training.

What about vacations. Even if you are on vacation you still want to get some exercise. Get up in the morning and run through your forms, or shadow box/spar, etc. If you are at a beach, do this in the water for great resistance training. If you are in the mountains, do this on the rocks or what ever the landscape is for great balance and focus training.

Quite often people take time off in the summer and don't make it back because they feel like they are "behind". It is never a race and you are not behind. You move at your pace. It doesn't matter if the others you knew in class have advanced to the next rank. You just need to go at your speed.

So, use the summer to dial into your martial arts training without all the other pressures of school and life that you have at other times.

Stan Shields
4th Degree Black Belt
www.kicks4all.com

Share your thoughts

2008-05-10T11:46:00.000-07:00

Did you know that you can share your thoughts on our posts? At the end of each post there is a little link that says "0 Comments." Click on that, and you can write your own thoughts on the subject. So, if you've learned something from what we have written, want to add to the discussion or simply want to let one of the contributors know that what they wrote was meaningful to you, add a comment! That's what blogging is all about!

Good luck in your journey!

Mr. Bailey

Always learning

2008-05-04T18:23:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, Mr. Shields, Ms. Topping, Mr. Britain, Mrs. Bailey and I attended Senior Master Thor's Rocky Mountain Workout in Winter Park. The fun (and pain!) started Friday night with the new ATA fitness test and ended Sunday with some fun team competitions. (By the way, my team (Ms. Topping was a great team member by the way!) took second place in the over all competition!) In between was an amazing amount of things to learn!

The focus of this camp, and a focus shared by the ATA, was fitness. Mrs. Bailey played a huge role in developing the fitness physical challenges used during this camp. She did a GREAT job and definitely showed off our school and our region as a leader in achieving the ATA fitness goals. In addition to the daily physical workouts, I saw campers from six to sixty working on push ups, sit ups and jump ropes any time there was a free moment. And it wasn't just a few campers-- it was everyone! My team alone had over 2,000 sit ups, 2,000 push ups and 13,000 jump ropes! (And we came in second- imagine what the first place team did!)

Hopefully, the weekend started some new habits and thinking about physical fitness. You don't need hours to work out. A few minutes here and there can really add up. As I have talked about in my classes, "just doing taekwondo classes" won't be enough to keep you fit. It will take working out at home or in the gym as well. But again, even a few sessions of a few minutes scattered throughout the day is a great help!

Another great part of the camp was the professional development that took place. The other instructors and I learned a great deal about teaching more effectively. We also learned a great deal about our own techniques. In traveling around to different ATA schools (as well as other styles of martial arts), I know that our instructors are among the best. But, and this is what I really appreciate about our instructors, we know that we can always be learning more. Within the past month, we have had training from Chief Master M.K. Lee, Senior Master Dilegge, Senior Master Thor, Master Black, and 5th degree black belts Mr. Bass, Mr. Horn, Mr. Betts, Mr. Rogers and Mrs. Lorenz. Our instructors seek out these opportunities to better serve you-- and make us better martial artists! We are always learning! I also want to thank Mr. Shields for providing us with so many opportunities to learn from some of the best!

This should be a lesson for you as well. You should always realize that there is something more to learn about your art. Whether you are a white belt or a black belt, keep learning something new! Always set new goals for learning as you reach your previous ones!

In the meantime, make sure you ask us about our experiences at the camp. I'm sure you will see a lot of what we learned implemented into our classes.

Good luck in your journey!

Mr. Bailey

Third Degree Black Belt: Check!

2008-04-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

On the list of things to do in the life of a preteen, what do you think you will find? Perhaps homework? Band practice? Maybe the next cool movie to see or music to download? Less likely would be practicing for and obtaining a third Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do before the age of 12. You may recall that I wrote a similar article about some amazing children who were testing for their first degree black belts back in December of 2007. And they both passed not only with flying colors, but with flying jump kicks and amazing performances. Today I have the pleasure of telling the story of a young man named Mathew. Matt is a 6th grader at a local Catholic school who considers his sports activities his hobbies, and is particularly involved in baseball, basketball, swimming and obviously Tae Kwon Do. He also participates in the ATA demo team. He enjoys studying history, has an interest in the military and likes to go fishing. As I write this I am reminded of the accomplishments of the kids in my previous article. These kids who are so amazing at Tae Kwon Do also seem to be excellent in many other areas of their lives. This of course will lead me to ponder more at the end of this article. For now, let’s meet Matt.

When asked what prompted Matt to become involved in Tae Kwon Do, he states that there was a bully situation in school. In order to help Matt gain the self-confidence he needed and the ability to defend himself, Matt’s parents decided to check out a free trial month at ATA Family Martial Arts Center in Littleton, Colorado. Matt and his dad went to one introductory class and ended up signing up that night. He was six years old at the time. He actually set the goal of becoming a Black Belt way at the beginning of his Tae Kwon Do experience. And although he feels that his first degree Black Belt was actually the hardest level he’s achieved, he met that goal and then some. He feels that first degree was harder to obtain because he had to remember all of the lower belt forms, as well as make up a creative form on his own. Matt seems to live by the words “Never Give Up!” When asked what drives him to become a Third Degree Black Belt, he states, “It is one of my goals that I have set for myself and I just can’t give up on that achievement.” It makes him proud to set a goal and reach it. It’s one thing to say words like this. I say them all the time! Do I follow through? Like most people, I have good intentions but I lack the persistence to keep going and reach my goals. Not to say that I haven’t set goals and reached them; and it is such a good feeling when I reach a goal and work hard to get there. But I’m 35! When you talk to an 11 year old who understands the importance of setting goals and obtaining your desires by following through with those goals, that is something unusual and very special. And you can see that this kid is going to be somebody important in the world someday; because he already is.

In addition to his sporting efforts, Matt enjoys car trips with his family for the chance to spend quality time together. Matt is active in his Church as an Alter Server and he maintains a spot on the “B” Honor Roll at school. Recently he has joined the Civil Air Patrol where he is a Basic Cadet Airman in the Mustang Squadron. He plans on getting his pilot license. I think I need to re-write my own goal list of getting all the laundry done and washing the windows! It seems to pale in comparison.

Now for my promised pondering from the first paragraph. I think that all too often, especially lately for me, we can’t see the good in the world because of all bad things going on out there. It’s not just in the news either. It’s everywhere. I get a small thrill because someone holds the door for me once in a while. What has happened to our world? Everything is about dirty politicians or skyrocketing gas prices or war. The big ugliness of the world is creeping into our communities and it’s hard not to be affected by that. Kids like Matt give me hope for the future. There are good people in this world doing amazing things. It’s just that we hear more about the bad than the good. I think if more people feel good about themselves and take care of their own little corner of the world it can make a difference and spread to other people. I plan on re-evaluating my goals after meeting Matt. This young man, by doing such an outstanding job in his own life, has inspired me to do a better job in my life and “never give up”. Then maybe I can pass that on to someone else. I once heard a wonderful description of a really incredible person. It was that the person shined so much that you just wanted to stand nearby so you could soak up some of that light coming off him. I am delighted that Matt is shining and is going to rock his time in this world. Come soak up some of his glow at Black Belt Testing this Friday, April 25th at 6:00 pm at ATA Family Martial Arts Centers, 5170 East Arapahoe Road E-2, Littleton, CO 80122. Call 303-220-5956 or visit http://www.kicks4all.com/ for more information.

2008-04-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

In Search of the “perfect” push-up
By Dianne Bailey, CSCS

In light of the recent Fitness Test instituted by the ATA, you may be asking, “What is the perfect push-up?” Well, you might immediately think of the recently created product called just that. The “Perfect Push-up” was created by Navy SEAL, Alden Mills, to help facilitate the body’s natural movement during the world’s oldest bodyweight exercise, the push-up. Reviews of this product have been favorable, but you don’t need to spend the $40 for these nifty handles to get your body into the right position for a great workout!

While there are many variations of the humble push-up, let’s look at the basic form to make sure you are getting the most out of this exercise.

Incorrect: elbows out, hands by head. Potential injury to shoulders. (Oct., 2007, Vol 29, Number 5, Strength and Conditioning Journal)

Correct: elbows back, hands at shoulder/nipple line. Engaging pecs instead of shoulders as major movers.

We all know that there are many differences between women and men. After all, Venus and Mars are not the same planet! This follows through into the correct form for push-ups. Most women have difficulty identifying with their pectoralis major, or chest muscle. It is, however, the original “chest protector.” Look at some of the UFC fighters and notice how developed their chest muscles are . . . good protection for their heart from the intense punches they receive! Women, however, do not naturally have the muscle mass in the chest that a man has and therefore have difficulty connecting with the major mover in the push-up. They attempt to complete the push-up with their arms. Yes, the arms and shoulders are definitely working . . . but you must use your pectorals to really get at the heart of the push-up. Proper form is critical for this to happen.

That’s not to say that the chest is the only muscle group being activated during the push-up. In a recent NY Times article discussing push-ups, Tara Parker-Pope writes, “The push-up is the ultimate barometer of fitness. It tests the whole body, engaging muscle groups in the arms, chest, abdomen, hips and legs. It requires the body to be taut like a plank with toes and palms on the floor. The act of lifting and lowering one’s entire weight is taxing even for the very fit.” The traditional push-up is performed as a long lever, total body workout with the contact points at the toes and the hands. One can modify this position and therefore make it easier by shortening the lever and performing the push-up with the contact point at the knees instead of the toes. This dramatically reduces the core activation in this exercise, however. A better way to “shorten the lever”, but still maintain core activation is by raising the level of the hands, i.e. performing a push-up with your hands on a bench.

The versatility of the push-up is amazing! Consider the number of variations that can be created with this one exercise:

Feet elevated on step
Feet elevated on stability ball
Hands on stability ball

One-arm push-ups
One-leg push-ups

Plyometric with claps (not shown)

One hand on medicine ball

Transfer medicine ball (not shown)

Depth drop and return to two steps (not shown)

T-stab (push-up then rotate to T position)

The “perfect push-up” doesn’t have to be a product that you buy from Amazon.com. It can and should be a major part of your fitness arsenal for your ATA life and beyond.

Dianne Bailey is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She is also a 4th Degree Black Belt with the ATA with 14 years experience in the martial arts. She owns Martial Arts Conditioning,LLC which runs The Conditioning Classroom, a personal training studio in Denver, CO. www.maconditioning.com

The After School Martial Arts Program

2008-04-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

As the mother of three young boys I can safely say that I am winging it. What I mean by this is that most of the time my day comes flying at me from three short, noisy directions and it's just plain hard to juggle it all. And this is now that the youngest is five! Just a couple of years ago I couldn't tell where the day began and the night ended. I think I have subconsciously blocked out most of that time period in an effort to heal. All joking aside, though, how do I raise happy, healthy, well adjusted children when I feel like I can barely keep my head above water? I truly believe that we can't do it all alone and we must enlist the help of others. To a certain extent, it does take a village to raise a child in this world; for my boys, I may need the whole city! Unfortunately though, the village has disbanded for most of us. We move away from family for careers or simply to find ourselves and see what life has to offer. In doing so we lose that familial support system that only a couple of generations ago was commonplace. Grandparents lived nearby, sisters and brothers stayed close to their parents. Mothers wore not working anywhere but the full time job they had at home. Things have changed. But with change comes growth and adaptation. What you do is make your own village. You connect with the community where you live and the people around you. For working families, there are daycare centers, and after school programs to rely on to help care for and nurture our children when we can't be there. And I say nurture because that is what a good child caregiver should be doing.

Approximately 75% of children need after school care because they either come from a single parent home or both parents work. Most are placed in an after school programs at daycare centers or through extended day programs at elementary schools. These programs are great, but there is another new option. Now you can send you child to a place that provides not only a safe and caring environment for your child, but also offers an alternative form of education. After a full day of academic instruction, children can get a character building education in The After School Martial Arts Program. The After School Martial Arts Program is designed to educate while providing parents a valuable after school child care experience for their children. It provides children structure and discipline while teaching respect, appreciation, increased self-esteem and building confidence. In addition to these important factors, the children are physically activated, which only helps them to be healthy, happy and more focused individuals. And with less Physical Education being taught in the school systems due to budget cuts, our children need more physical activity than ever. All of these things are so very important, but to make it even better, The After School Martial Arts Program offers transportation from your child's school. Most important of all your kids will have fun doing it. And all for about the same cost as most extended day or daycare programs. Your kids can participate a few times per week or the whole week. Because the program is brand new, transportation for now is limited to the following elementary schools: Ames, Greenwood, Heritage, Homestead, Lenski, Peabody. A well rounded and safe educational after school program designed to meet your needs; who could ask for a better support system for your family than that?

For more information, contact the friendly and informative staff at ATA Family Martial Arts Centers, 303-220-5956 or visit us on the web at www.kicks4all.com. ATA Family Martial Arts is located at 5170 E. Arapahoe Road, E-2A, Centennial, CO 80122 in the King Soopers shopping center near Arapahoe and Holly.

The Taekwondo Oath

2008-04-11T07:53:00.001-07:00

You say it every class:
Sir, I will Practice in the Spirit of Taekwondo with Courtesy for fellow student, Loyalty for my instructors and Respect for my juniors and seniors. I will live with Perseverance in the Spirit of Taekwondo having Honor with others, Integrity within myself, and Self Control of my actions.

You've said it so many times that you can say it without even thinking about it. DON'T! Every time you say this, you are taking an OATH! An oath is a promise-- and a promise should never be broken or taken lightly.

So what are you promising to do? Well it comes in two parts. The first half of the oath, said at the the beginning of class, is what you promise to do in class. You are promising to practice with courtesy, loyalty and respect. What does that look like? I think it looks like this: While you are in class, you demonstrate courtesy by listening to instructors and other students; you treat others the way that you would want them to treat you, and you don't distract them from their practice. You demonstrate loyalty by trusting your instructor to know the best path for your progression in Taekwondo and by working to the best of your ability on the drills, exercises or sparring they assign to you. Finally, you demonstrate respect in class by knowing that you can learn from anyone-- whether a white belt or a black belt. Everyone in class has something valuable to add to your Taekwondo knowledge.

The second half of the oath is what you promise to do when you leave the school. You promise to live with perseverance, honor, integrity and self control. What does living in this way look like? Again, I think it looks like this: Outside of the school, others should see something different about you. They should see the qualities mentioned in the oath. They should see you working hard without giving up (perseverance). They should see you treating others with respect by listening to them and learning from them (honor). They should be able to believe you and count on you (integrity). And finally, they should see that you control your anger, emotions, habits, and actions (self control). That's a BIG promise! And for this part of the oath, you are promising to do it at home with/for your parents and family, at school or work, driving on the highway, or any other time you aren't in the school.

Taekwondo SHOULD make you different both in your classes and outside of the school. Being a black belt or a black belt in training puts you in a position that very few people are in. The discipline you gain, the respect you give (and get), the self control, and the confidence that you have should be noticeable to your friends, family, and teachers!

By actually holding to the promise you make as you enter class and leave class, you will become a better martial artist, a better student, a better friend, a better family member and a better person! Your instructors are always here to help you as you incorporate these promises into your life!

Good luck in your journey!

Mr. Bailey

Memorization Does Not Equal Understanding

2008-04-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

We are in the beginning of a new testing cycle, which means new material for our students. Sometimes students confuse memorization of their forms and other material with understanding their forms. Let's be very clear here. Memorization is not understanding. I have been training in Taekwondo for about 14 years, and I am constantly learning something new about the forms that I learned 14 years ago and am still performing today.

Last Month Chief Master M.K. Lee visited our school and taught a group of instructors, both from our school and other schools. It was very interesting that some of the concepts he taught I had never heard before. I found it hard to believe that I could be a 4th degree and have not heard some of these concepts. How could that be? You see, most of the time we hear what we want to hear or what we have the capacity for at the time we are learning.

We teach the material to students using a techninque called layering. In other words we only give the student as much information as they can handle at the time. Once they have digested that, we then layer on more information. There is always more information to layer on. Each new layer provides a better understanding of the material learned. However, if the student believes they have learned it all, and stops trying to attain new information by believing they "already know it," they have closed the door on learning, so to speak.

So, just because you have memorized the moves, don't start believing that you "know it." There is still much more to learn and to perfect. Do yourself a favor, memorize the form, then perfect the form.

Stan Shields
4th Degree Black Belt
http://www.kicks4all.com/

Goals in Taekwondo

2008-04-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

What if I were to ask you, "What are your goals in Taekwondo?" Many of you would answer, "To become a Black belt." This is a great goal! Becoming a Black belt puts you in the company of elite winners. Many students, even in our own school, start out with the goal of becoming a Black belt only to get lost on the path.

But, what if I asked you to be more specific? What are your goals for Taekwondo this cycle? Most of you would answer with a very admirable "I want to pass my rank test." What about this week? What about in this class? Have you ever thought about it? In order to reach long term goals, it is necessary to set up markers along the way that allow you to measure your progress. For example, your goal in school may be to get an "A" in your English class. But, how do you know you are on track to reach this goal if you only have your starting point (the beginning of the class) and the ending point (your final grade) to guide you? Obviously, you cannot. Rank testing is obviously better than just waiting to see if you made it to Black belt, but you can actually help yourself to be even more specific!

If you set shorter term goals throughout the rank cycle, you can easily measure your progress towards your rank test. For example, you could set the goal to have all of your form memorized by the end of the second week. You could also say that you will practice each of your new kicks 40 times a week (on each leg!) during the cyle. Your goal could be to practice old forms once a week (or one old form per day). Whatever short term goals you set, you should keep track of them-- they help you reach your longer term goals of passing your rank test or even getting to Black belt.

Like almost every thing else you learn in TKD, there is a real life application. Setting short term goals is not an exception. Setting short term goals to measure your progress works in school, or on the job. For example, back to the English class. To make sure you are on track to get an "A" in the class, you could keep a log of all assignments and the grades you received on them. You can easily see your progress towards your "A." Or, if you are falling short, you can see that you need to make adjustments and where they need to be made. Adults and parents can also set short term goals to help them reach longer term goals. This could be saving for college, getting a new house, or any project you are working on at the office!

Setting short term goals may be new for you. That's ok! You have great instructors right here in our school to help you meet your goals. At first, you may need a lot of help in setting your goals and keeping track of them. Soon, however, you will be setting your own goals and well on your way to knowing that you will become a Black belt!

Good luck on your journey!

Mr. Bailey

Why Compete At Tournaments?

2008-03-30T20:24:00.001-07:00

We have roughly about 230 active students at our school and usually we will get somewhere between 20 and 30 lately competing in the local regional tournaments. This number is down from the days when I was a color belt and even the early days of my owning the school. I have not been able to figure why. When I ask some students how come they don't compete they usually don't have an answer, or I get something like "I just don't like competitions."

There are several reasons why all students should compete at least a few times. I don't really get the idea of not liking to compete. It is my favorite thing about martial arts. When I say this to others I sometimes get a response like "yeah, that's easy for you. You always win." Well I don't "always" win and I didn't "always" win when I was competing as a color belt. In fact, I "always" lost in sparring until I was a red belt at World Championships in Little Rock one year. And, then I only took 3rd place. I was totally excited because I "always" lost up to that point.

I took my inability to spar well as a challenge and worked on it very hard until eventually I won World Champ in sparring in 1999. That was a long road in which I put a lot of effort into. I tell you this story not to brag, but to say that we all have challenges. We all have those things that we are really good at. I see guys at tournaments right now that truly "never" win. Yet, those same guys are at every tournament event and they just go out and do their best. Those are the people I really admire because they have heart and they never give up.

So, why should you compete at tournaments? Because it is an opportunity to grow. You see, students get very comfortable in the class room situation. At some point you are not really challenged any more because everyone knows you and what you like and don't like and because we really teach courtesy and respect, they cater to your needs. Get yourself out of the box and challenge yourself! Never be afraid of losing. But, do be afraid of being stagnant and not growing.

At a tournament you have an opportunity to see how well can you do against and equally skilled opponent that you don't know and they don't know you. You get to see how you might react if you are ever challenged in a "real" situation on the street, except you get to do it in a safe environment. You get to see if you can really make any of this stuff work.

So, get out of the box and get to the tournament and see how you do. Just for the record I want you to know that I still get very nervous before competing. My stomach starts doing flip flops and I get weak in the knees and have to make multiple trips to the men's room. It's just not good, until after the competition is over. But .... every experience is one to grow from.

Oh, and the last reason you should do tournaments is that they are ...

FUN!

Stan Shields
4th Degree Black Belt
www.kicks4all.com
(303) 220-5956

Kids Really Need Martial Arts Training

2008-03-22T21:29:00.000-07:00

My martial arts school does a lot of free community events at elementary schools, churchs, boy scouts, girl scouts, libraries, etc. We do these events at no charge both for the opportunity to expose our martial arts school to more people in the community, but more so to show what awesome kids we have in our programs and what martial arts can do for other kids. The vast majority of parents that contact us regarding lessons for their kids are looking for either confidence building, discipline or Focus for their kids.

Martial arts teaches your kids respect, courtesy, integrity, goal setting, focus, discipline, confidence, and how to maintain a positive attitude. Now, what parent would not want all of that for their kids? Exactly! All of them want those things for their kids. In a good martial arts school the physical movements of martial arts are blended with the mental aspects of the life skills mentioned above. This seems to be something needed more and more these days and parents seem to be struggling to implement these at home. Through martial arts training and the life skills activities we are able to help parents accomplish this.

Many kids today are involved with a variety of sports and other activities. Martial arts helps them to learn focus, disciplnie and goal setting that can be applied to all of those other activities they are participating in. From a physical standpoint they learn better coordination, hand/foot eye coordination, agility and flexibility. All of this helps them in their other sports activities.

Martial arts also serves as a great cross training tool for athletes. In short martial arts is a great activity all around for kids. Guess what, it is not just for kids. It does all the same stuff for teens and adults too!

Stan Shields
4th Degree Black Belt
Chief Instructor/Owner
ATA Family Martial Arts
http://www.kicks4all.com/
http://kicks4all.blogspot.com/