Posts Tagged ‘martial arts’

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June is Men’s Health Month and summer is a great time to start a fitness plan. If your good health has not been a primary concern, take a moment to reflect on what you are doing for health and fitness in your life and see if you can make any changes for the better.

The American Heart Association reports that heart disease is still the leading cause of death among men in the United States. Men’s Health Month was created to heighten awareness of preventable health problems in men and boys. With a statistic that one in three men can expect to develop some form of cardiovascular disease before the age of 60, there is no better time than now to start a fitness routine.

Poway Samurai Martial Arts has several ways men can improve their health and fitness:

1. Martial Arts
   Martial arts classes can be a great way to incorporate exercise into your weekly schedule and wont give you the same routine each time so you’ll be anticipating each session and not getting bored.
2. Sword Classes
   Learning the Samurai and Ninja sword is an activity where you can not only break a sweat with physical activity, but also gain mental acuity as well and improved focus.
3. Qi Gong
   Qi Gong is a slow set of exercises great for reducing stress and also eliminating other physical “dis-ease”.

We invite you to try one or all our classes for a new exercise program that will keep your interest and never be boring. Plus you can improve your health and fitness with traditional and authentic martial arts.

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

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The release of the new Karate Kid movie has caused me to take a look back at the original movie, which I enjoyed very much as a teen. At that time, it helped to bring more attention away from the martial arts action films from China and Japan and placed much more focus on the reasons for practicing the art.

In many ways this opened up the eyes of those who were not exposed to the philosophy of traditional martial arts and its value beyond self protection and/or tournaments. It helped to show the importance of the relationship between the teacher and student and the heart of what it means to be a martial artist rather than a fighter.

While the new movie might be more aptly called “The Kung Fu Kid”, as the boy in the film is taught Chinese Kung Fu rather than Karate from Japan or Okinawa, hopefully it will not only be entertaining but also increase interest in its’ predecessor. Paraphrasing from the At The Movies hosts at the time of the original movies release, the Karate Kid movie was “not a martial arts film but rather it was a film about martial arts”.

The more people can learn about the “why” aspect of learning this art as opposed to the “how” can I fight, the better off our community will be. Self-improvement, self-esteem and personal growth is why martial arts practice is so valuable. Yes, you do also learn self defense and fighting skills, but, it’s the internal focus that brings you so much more. Please read my older post titled: Why Practice the Traditional Martial Arts of the Samurai and Ninja.

I’ll see you in the dojo.

Tony Whetstine (The Bushido Guy)
Poway Samurai Martial Arts

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The City of Poway is going to build a Veteran’s park on Midland Road and they need your help. On June 6, 2010, there is going to be a Motorcycle Benefit Ride to help raise money. As a Marine Corps veteran and Poway Citizen, I am donating 1 month of free martial arts training as a raffle prize (a $100 value). You can participate in several ways: riding in the benefit or donating directly. Donating $25 gets you a raffle ticket and ride entry and $1 more enters you in the poker hand for the Bike run.

Ride Details:

1. Ride will take place on Sunday, 6 June 2010.
2. Event will start and end at Poway VFW Post 7907 (12342 Old Pomerado Road Poway, CA 92064)
3. Registration begins at 0830 and ends at 0925.
4. Riders depart at 0945.
5. Ride will make stops at: Moreland Choppers, Vista VFW Post 7041, Escondido Cycle Center, Ramona VFW Post 3783, Poway Veterans Park Future Location
6. Ride completed no later than 1300.
7. Prize awarded for best hand and raffle conducted at end of ride.

It is a poker run. People start at the Poway VFW and then at each stop, they draw a playing card which is recorded on their “poker hand card.” At the end of the run they will have drawn enough cards for a poker hand and the best hand wins the “pot”. At the end of the run, back at the Poway VW, there will be free hot dogs and hamburgers, music, and the raffle prizes are given away (along with awarding the poker hand pot).

To Sign Up for the Motorcycle Ride:
Ride Point of Contact is Joe “Gunner” Vaineharrison at: vaineharrison@aol.com 858-722-9206
To participate in the Motorcycle Ride, email Joe for the entry form.

To Send a Check:
Make checks payable to “City of Poway” (write “Veteran’s Park” in memo). Donation is tax deductable. The receipt will come directly from the City of Poway.
If you cannot attend on June 6th, please mail your donation to:
Joe Vaineharrison
12247 Buckskin Trail
Poway, Ca 92064

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

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Summer is almost here! If you want a fun activity for your kids, check out the classes and camps we’re offering this summer.

Samurai Summer Camp

Your kids ages 7 – 13 will learn to be “Jidai Knight” as we cover the traditional martial arts skills from the samurai of the sengoku jidai period of Japan for a 2 week camp that meets every day. They will learn martial arts training, self defense and awareness training PLUS 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. 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
Update 6/9/10: Enrollment for Samurai Summer Camp is now closed. Please email us with your interest for next year.

Little Ninjas Summer Classes

Little Ninjas (ages 3 – 5) meet once a week to learn martial arts movements, games and activities designed to help build coordination, listening, teamwork, discipline and awareness. The class includes tumbling exercises, rolling and stances that develop stability and strengthen the core. This is a 4 week session that meets once per week.

Monday Classes – Once a Week, 5pm
Session #1 Mon 6/28, 7/5, 7/12 & 7/19
Session #2 Mon 8/2, 8/9, 8/16 & 8/23

Tuesday Classes – Once a Week, 4pm
Session #1 Tues 6/29, 7/6, 7/13 & 7/20
Session #2 Tues 8/3, 8/10, 8/17 & 8/24

Ages: 3 – 5
Cost: $60 per 4 week session
Uniform fee: $30 (if you are not currently a student)
Number of class meetings: 4

To enroll call #858-486-0059 or email info@powaymartialartsschool.com to learn more. We offer a multiple child discount of 10% for each additional child.

Update 6/9/10: We are still accepting summer enrollment for Little Ninjas. Please call to schedule a free class.

I’ll see you in the dojo for summer fun!

Tony Whetstine (The Bushido Guy)
Poway Samurai Martial Arts

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Yesterday we held our last scheduled Women’s Tools for Personal Safety and Self Defense Class. Again I was glad that women who attended “learned more than they expected.” Some said, “I was expecting to learn to fight, but I am very glad I did not.” That is because our class is about techniques to help you escape and avoid dangerous situations, not how to beat someone up. No one can teach you to defend yourself in a one day class. Self defense takes months and years of training.

This year saw such a demand for Women’s Safety classes, and helping women become empowered with their personal safety is so rewarding for me to teach. I was also pleased to incorporate Sealed Mindset into the awareness portion of my class. For so long I felt like I was the only one out there pointing out the difference between Self Defense – learning a martial art and practicing it regularly, to Awareness and Tools for safety, which is what I teach in this particular class.

Lt. Lawrence Yatch, former Navy Seal with 11 years experience in special operations and his wife, Anne who holds a Masters in International Security, created SealedMindset.com to allow people to educate themselves, online and at their own pace, about personal safety. If you are interested in more information about their program, please visit sealedmindset.com and use coupon code PSMA for a $10 discount on their online lesson program. They even offer a free awareness test for you to try it out.

They are providing an in depth and valuable resource dedicated to personal safety and their expertise enhanced my curriculum of the Women’s Tools for Personal Safety class immeasurably!

Another student that what she remembers most from the class is to, “Be aware of your surroundings!” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

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

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We’re excited to announce some new classes and the Martial Arts Summer Schedule for Little Ninjas classes (ages 3 – 5)!

With such an overwhelming response to the Tuesday 4pm class, we have opened up a second day for Little Ninjas classes starting on Monday May 17th at 5pm. Those currently enrolled in the Tuesday 4pm day and time are welcome to move to the new day if they prefer, or, stay in their current spot. If you are not already a student, this is a great time to try a free class and see how your child can get a head start on success in all they do!

Also, with summer vacations on the way, we’ve broken up the Summer Sessions into two 4 week programs. We are now accepting pre-enrollment for the summer. Here is the schedule:

Monday Classes – Once a Week, 5pm
Session #1 Mon 6/28, 7/5, 7/12 & 7/19
Session #2 Mon 8/2, 8/9, 8/16 & 8/23

Tuesday Classes – Once a Week, 4pm
Session #1 Tues 6/29, 7/6, 7/13 & 7/20
Session #2 Tues 8/3, 8/10, 8/17 & 8/24

Little Ninjas is a program to help introduce martial arts skills, develop focus and coordination as well as discipline to help children excel at their own pace. Little Ninjas uses a rotating curriculum of 8 week cycles to reinforce the skills practiced and also varies the skills and drills to keep the training fresh and exciting! Each 8 week session is different, so, your kids will find new games and lessons every time they enroll.

Give us a call at #858-486-0059 to switch classes, or enroll in any of our new sessions. We offer a multiple child discount of 10% for each additional child and the first class is always free to try.

I’ll 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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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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