Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category

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How is Poway Samurai Martial Arts School different from other martial arts schools?

This is a good question is often asked by people calling or coming to check out our dojo. The answer is that not only do we teach traditional martial arts of the samurai and ninja but we hold true to their philosophies. We do not need to pressure people who inquire nor do we try and force students in to long term binding contracts.

It is our philosophy that if you train here, it is your school. We facilitate the school and help you excel in the arts we teach and how those philosophies and skill can help you be successful in other areas of your life. The effort and commitment must come from you and be to yourself. Without that purity of heart and intent then all if the skills and kata will not help you succeed.

The Code of Bushido was not simply a set of rules but truly a way of life and living that went beyond martial skills and we place that same focus here. There are no trophies or weight divisions at our school and the contest is: are you better today than you were yesterday.

See you in the dojo.
Tony Whetstine (The Bushido Guy)

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The Tools for Personal Safety Class on March 21st was a big success with 25 women in attendance. It was a pleasure to once again present the important tools to remain safe. I don’t like to call the class a “Self Defense” course because this goes far beyond that and no one can teach you how to fight off an experienced attacker in just 3 hours. For those very serious about Self Defense, they must take part in a regular martial arts program on an ongoing basis.

That being said we covered quite a few physical tools that compliment truly being aware of one’s surroundings. One comment from a woman who has trained in 4 martial arts systems was that she had never been exposed to these simple ideas before. I taught the women leverage techniques over fighting skills. These skills worked no matter the size or age of the woman, and the women left the class feeling empowered and in control of their personal safety.

Here’s a few video clips from the event.

See you in the dojo!

Tony Whetstine (The Bushido Guy)
Poway Samurai Martial Arts

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We’re very excited to announce our 2010 Samurai Summer Camp!

We will be covering the traditional martial arts skills from the samurai of the sengoku jidai period of Japan. A time period of the samurai that helped inspire a modern mythology and phenomenon. Our “Jidai Knights” program offers not only martial arts training, self defense and awareness training but an in-depth look at the philosophy, art appreciation and history of these historical figures. We are the only school able to offer this program and each session will be limited to 15 participants. Our Jidai Knights program offers a one of a kind look at some of the most central inspirations in modern mythology!

Date: Samurai Summer Kids Camp is two weeks long starting Monday, June 14 through Friday, June 25th
Time: 9am – 12pm each day.
Ages: 7 – 13
Class limit: 15 kids, so, sign up now as spaces will fill quickly!
Cost: $300 which can be paid in two installment of $150 per week. (A $50 deposit is required to hold your space)
Uniform fee: $30 (if you are not currently a student)
Number of class meetings: 10

RSVP: #858-486-0059 or email info@powaymartialartsschool.com to learn more.

Update 6/9/10: Enrollment is now closed. Please email us to be on the mailing list for next year.

See you at Summer Camp!
Tony Whetstine (The Bushido Guy)
Poway Samurai Martial Arts

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Daisy Scout Troop 8007

My student Hannah Pittman and I were very happy to donate our time last month to help Daisy Scout Troop 8007 learn about strength and courage at our martial arts school in Poway. Courage and Strength was the topic they needed to learn in order for them to receive their red petal.

We talked about how being strong can be physical or inner strength and what it means to have the courage to be strong and do the right thing for ourselves and others. We went over how to stay safe, how to be strong, and how to be assertive. And, of course we had some fun drills and exercises that reinforced those lessons. It’s important they learn to stand up for themselves and others by physically demonstrating and saying “no” if they feel endangered and also learning how to safely ask for help from parents and teachers, when they or others need it.

Girl Scout Daisies meet in groups of 5 to 10 with two or more adult leaders in a nurturing, inclusive environment. They go on trips, learn about nature and science, and explore the arts and their communities.

I am always happy to volunteer my time in the community and I encourage my students to do the same. I enjoy speaking and demonstrating safety techniques to groups of all ages, from Girl Scouts to Elementary and Middle Schools as well as Women’s Organizations and Senior Centers. If you know of an organization who would be interested, please have them give me a call #858-486-0059.

Photo shows from left to right: Daisy Scouts Cassie Ferguson, Paige Hartung, Danielle Corrao, Kaitlyn Foley, Lauren Marvuglio, Erin Kalinsky. Instructor Tony Whetstine and his student, Hannah Pittman.

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Below is the current schedule for the “Women’s Self Defense & Personal Safety Class”.

2010 Schedule:
Sunday March 21, 1 – 4pm (sold out)
Sunday March 28, 1 – 4pm (sold out)
Sunday April 11, 1 – 4pm (sold out)
Saturday May 15, 1 – 4pm (sold out)
Saturday August 7, 1 – 4pm (now accepting enrollment)

Women who attend this class learn physical techniques as well as unique strategies to help them control, avoid, evade and escape dangerous situations.

Here’s what other women have said about the class:

“Great information! Much more updated and relevant than the class I took way back in grade school over 20 years ago!!” – Michelle C., San Diego

“I highly recommend this class for all girls and women.” Robin H., Poway

“Tony is a big man, with a big heart, who can stay soft teaching hard concepts for women’s self protection.”

“Amazing, interactive class that creates possibilities for getting out of situations as well as teaching and promoting awareness.” Michaela V., San Diego

“This class was one of the most helpful classes I’ve ever taken. I’m so thrilled I made my Mom come!” Hannah P., Poway

Fee: $30 per person. If you bring a friend, you can save $5 each!

Participants should wear comfortable clothes. Please call Tony for more information or with any questions #858-486-0059. Or, email us at info @ powaymartialartsschool dot com.

See you in the dojo!
Tony Whetstine (The Bushido Guy)
Poway Samurai Martial Arts

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Qi Gong (sometimes called Chi Kung) and tai Chi often travel closely together. Despite this fact, they are often confused for each other because they both cultivate qi (chi) or life energy. Without going into a full essay on the differences, both provide some health benefits and focus on relaxed movement. But, Tai Chi, if instructed properly, is a martial art and should be taught as such. Tai Chi is not just exercise. While it uses and can cultivate chi it does so in a manner of focus for martial purposes.

Qi Gong is exercise! It is a series of exercises intended solely for relaxation and health. Moving the energy and cultivating it to help attain optimal health. Its movements stimulate the internal organs and the meridians helping to keep the body in balance.

So if you are looking for exercise focusing on health and relaxation, Qi Gong classesare what you are looking for. Join us every Saturday at 9:30am to reduce your stress and get on the road to good health!

See you in the dojo.
Tony Whetstine (The Bushido Guy)
Poway Samurai Martial Arts

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How to Evade a Touch

The response to our March 21st Women’s Self Defense Class has been so great that we are opening up a second class on March 28th, 1 – 4pm because the first class is almost at capacity. Everywhere I go in Poway this week, I hear people talking about the recent Chelsea King incident. Parents are concerned for their children and women are concerned for their own personal safety.

The “Tools for Personal Safety – Women’s Only Self Defense” workshop has never been more important to learn than right now. I don’t know if you saw the recent article from March 1st in the Union Tribune about the attack on a jogger from December, but, it mentioned that the reason that girl was able to escape was due to her martial arts training that she had been doing since she was a kid.

If you’ve never considered taking martial arts classes before, you should definitely attend the Women’s Safety class on March 28th, and also seriously give some thought to signing up for regular weekly training. As it is with any skill, practice makes perfect and all the tools you will learn will be easier to implement in the heat of the moment, when you have practiced them before you need it. With regular martial arts training, your natural reflexes will take over and you will be able to perform the techniques without even thinking about it.

Women who attend the class on March 28th will learn physical self defense techniques as well as unique strategies to help them control, avoid, evade and escape dangerous situations. You will learn how to get away from being grabbed by the arm, from behind or even if you are pinned to the ground. In addition, you’ll learn how predators think so you can improve your awareness of your surroundings and avoid dangerous situations entirely.

The “Tools for Personal Safety – Women’s only Self Defense” workshop is March 28, 2010, from 1 – 4 pm. We are located at 13160 Poway Road (in the Library Plaza Shopping Center).

Fee: $30 per person. If you bring a friend, you can save $5 each!

Participants should wear comfortable clothes. Please call Tony for more information or with any questions #858-486-0059.

See you in the dojo!
Tony Whetstine (The Bushido Guy)
Poway Samurai Martial Arts

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In light of the recent abduction of Chelsea King right here in our neighborhood of Poway/Rancho Bernardo, I’ve been getting a lot of calls from women in town who are concerned for their safety and that of their children. In response to this, I’m holding the “Tools for Personal Safety – Women’s Only Self Defense” workshop on March 21, from 1 – 4pm.

This class has never been more important to learn than right now. I’ll be showing the women who attend actual, physical self defense techniques as well as unique strategies that can help them in escaping, avoiding, controlling, and evading dangerous situations that can jeopardize their safety. This information is not available at any other martial arts school in Poway or San Diego and you do not need any previous self defense training to learn and use it right away.

Some of the techniques will show women how to escape if an attacker grabs them from behind, by the arm, or even if they have you pinned to the ground or held against your will. Yes, even if they are strattled on top of you, there is an escape move you can use to get away.

Also, we’ll cover tips women can use every day to increase their awareness of their surroundings. We’ll discuss what to do if a stranger approaches asking for help, how to protect yourself in the car and parking lot and most importantly, how to avoid dangerous situations all together.

Don’t miss this important Women’s Safety and Self Defense class and please share this information with anyone you know: mother, sister, aunt, niece, grandmother, wife, daughter, friend, co-worker. They will be glad you did.

The “Tools for Personal Safety – Women’s Only Self Defense” workshop will be held on March 21, 2010, from 1 – 4 pm at 13160 Poway Road (in the Library Plaza Shopping Center). NOTE We have opened up a 2nd class on March 28th because the class on the 21st is almost at capacity!

Fee: $30 per person. Those who bring a friend will save $5 per person.

Participants are asked to wear comfortable clothes. A limited number of sponsored spaces are also available to those who have previously been battered or abused. Please call Tony for more information on this valuable program at #858-486-0059.

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I’ve seen it time and time again. New students frustrated that they can’t just complete a martial arts skill, a kata or technique right off the bat. “It looks so easy when you do it!” I’ve been told. Well, that’s what about thirty years of practice will do for you. If martial arts were easy, I’m talking about real, traditional martial arts here, everyone would do it. The difficulty is in the details, not in being stronger or faster. Those aren’t bad things per say, but alone without nuance and detail, they can be overcome. The strength of martial arts, and this is not just waxing philosophically here, is in the spirit or heart. The training and training again and again, the never giving up is the key. That translates into everything in life too.

It is said that Takamatsu soke commented that to master a kata or skill, one must practice it correctly 10,000 times, to get 10,000 correct practices, one must do the skill AT LEAST 100,000 times. It is all about practice. Where you are in your practice, whatever art you practice, remember the words of Soke Masaaki Hatsumi “Gambatte!” (Keep going!)

See you in the dojo.
Tony Whetstine (The Bushido Guy)
Poway Samurai Martial Arts

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Martial arts awareness skills thwart possible robbery.

Our martial arts dojo is in one of the safest communities in San Diego County. Still anything can happen anywhere. A few nights ago I was in late to do some paperwork. I went to check the mail and noticed a hooded figure moving about the closed stores in the center we are located in. Having been a marine, I know a thing or two about guard duty and this person was not window shopping and my instincts went up. He noticed me coming out of the dojo and seemed to be taken aback that I was there (I had just arrived and entered through the back entrance). It seemed to me he had already checked the dojo and was confident no one was there (it is pretty open and he was right, when he looked in).

I had thought initially he was casing the plaza and he moved quickly to intercept me as I passed by another store in the center that was still open (I usually wave hello to the person running the store as I walk to the mail box). He made a brief mostly unintelligible comment and as I gathered my mail, I watched him watching me. I returned to my Poway dojo without incident but watched the man from the store front to see if he got into a car and I would gather its license plate number.
About that time the other store owner ran to the dojo door and attempted to open the door and then knocked quickly before running back towards his own store. I quickly left the dojo in pursuit to find out what was happening and how I could help. That was when I found there was a second person already in his store.

My arrival to the store caused the first hooded man to return to the store front quickly (I will not give out too many details here of what happened) but it was apparent my arrival caught the men off guard and the first man was not really casing the place but acting as a lookout (hence roaming more like sentry which caught my eye). Standing between the men and the store owner I remained calm and watched the men preparing for how I would respond to whichever man made the first move or drew a weapon.

At this point the man with the hood looked at me and said “Batman huh?”(I was still wearing a sweatshirt with the batman symbol on it from when I was playing with my kids earlier in the day.) I understood his indirect question, Are you going to play hero? I nodded and replied “Batman!” Already uncomfortable I was there and knowing I had come from the martial arts school, he was already uncomfortable, with my answer he simply called to his friend “C’mon, let’s just go! Let’s just go!” The other man then exited the store and they left. I watched them as they departed and alerted the authorities.

Being aware of your surroundings and paying attention to the details are important not just in the dojo with a kata or technique but how those skills translate into real life. I wasn’t looking for a fight and neither were they; they were looking for an easy robbery. If I had been confrontational or pushed anything could have happened. I simply stood and spoke to the owner quietly while watching the men. I used the philosophy of Sun Tzu, loosely translated here, to achieve a victory without causing anyone to be defeated. Everyone went home safe that night. The art of fighting without fighting the heart of true martial arts!

See you in the dojo!
Tony Whetstine (The Bushido Guy)
Poway Samurai Martial Arts

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