Progress

Over ten years ago I had my first Brazilian Jiu jutsu experience. It was just a short time after the first UFC and I got a chance to train with Rickson Gracie. I felt like a beginner again. It was cool and scary as he swung me into an arm bar. Yes, I tapped immediately!

Here it is years later, BJJ is mainstream and I am completing my preparation for blue belt testing. Sometime this coming year Kristin Duethorn, David Salisbury and I will be testing for our blue belts under David Meyer a Machado BJJ Black Belt.

I have had many instructors over my 35+ years of training but I still think of my first teacher Jose Deguzman. He passed away a few years ago but I hope I am still making him proud of me. Thank you Sensei for instilling a love of martial arts in me.

Always a student....

Training our students to Black Belt

We just promoted seven new students to First degree Black Belt. During the last few months we put them through lots of training, enduring the physical parts of the training but also feeling the emotional and mental stress of this achievement.

Some nights after these classes I occasionally felt like we may have been too tough. Yes, there were the usual bumps bruises and dings. Sometimes some tears and frustration too. I came across this story and thought it would be appropriate to pass it on here.


The cocoon story
A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On the day a small opening appeared, he sat transfixed for several hours as the moth struggled to force its body through that little hole.

But it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could go. It just seemed to be stuck. So the man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily.
Unfortunately it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and become able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man in his kindness and haste did not anticipate was that the restriction of the cocoon and the moth's struggle to get free were a necessary preparation for life outside the cocoon.

Freedom and flight could only come after that struggle.

By depriving the moth of its struggle, he deprived the moth of its chance to thrive.
Sometimes struggles are what we need in our lives too. Avoiding the opportunity to overcome our struggles just might cripple us too.

Work hard, keep your motivation high, focus on the fun parts- don't give up!

MB

Your best students

Seems like you have someone around you for a long time, you can take them for granted. One of our senior instructors, Mr. Salisbury (third dan) has been a student for many years and is being considered for ko dan ja (master teacher) promotion. He always leads from the front, trains hard, and teaches as many classes as he can. He is fundamental in all aspects of our school development.

I guess I can say he was always there for the students but I was not always there for him. So I decided to give senior Black Belts private training each month as sign of appreciation and to continue to develop the people who really want too to be great, not just good. We spent quality training time together and I saw some great changes come over him.
To Mr. Salisbury- Keep up the great work!

Black Belt Feedback from the Professor

There are a lot of reasons why I continue to train.

I love the respectful, positive atmosphere at the school. It's something I think the world could use a lot more of. I enjoy working with the other students and I love the way we all interact--respectfully, supportively, helping each other meet our personal challenges and goals. I've made some great friends through your school, and I enjoy the people I regularly train with, like Mrs. Harris and Mr. Huber.

There is even some fear involved (which I think is a good thing since the challenges we are given are carefully selected and related to our skill level), and being able to confront our fears (often with the help of others) is very important for a lot of different reasons (only some having to do with karate/for me they are related to life skills and developing a positive outlook on the challenges I face each day in life).

I have called on the courage I have developed at your school in all sorts of ways, most recently last summer when my father was in and out of the hospital with heart problems. There were many days during that long ordeal when I went into my heart and called up the courage that you and the school put there. It got me through some very difficult days. For that and for many other things, I wish to thank you.

I like the physical challenges as well. I love to be active and moving around, and I take great pleasure doing a kick or punch or combination well. (That doesn't happen as often as I would like, but still there are moments when I feel like I've really done something well and that makes me very happy).

I also think there are all sorts of long-term health benefits related to staying active and getting up and doing something other than watching TV. My children are old enough now so that they don't miss me all that much on the nights that I'm gone--so it's something I can do and still maintain a positive balance with other areas of my life. =:)I also enjoy being in the situation of a learner.

As a teacher, I find that very refreshing. It also reminds me what it's like to be a student, and I think it helps me be a more patient and understanding classroom teacher. Being a learner also releases me from being a teacher for a while, which I also find very refreshing. There are tremendous mental health benefits for me also. I come in and pretty much lose myself to karate for two hours twice a week. Sometimes it takes me 30 minutes (or longer) after class to even remember that I have problems to worry about.

In the rhythm of my week, my Tuesday and Thursday nights have become essential in that regard.I also feel safer walking around in the world, knowing that I at least have a chance to defend myself should an altercation arise. I think my family also feels safer. There have been many times when we've been walking around somewhere and they've said something like "Hey, we don't have to worry. We're with a black belt!" I know that to some degree they're kidding around, but on another level they're probably not (they're thinking about where we are and are worried a little bit).

On a number of occasions I know this has given them comfort and peace of mind.I also continue to train because of your great instructors, especially Mrs. Duethorn, Mr. Salisbury, and Griz. They have all been incredibly supportive, knowledgeable, and motivating.Probably the biggest reason that I continue to train is you, Mr. B. I have been to many karate schools when I was younger and didn't particularly like any of them (although I endured one for almost two years). After the first week in your school I felt like I was "home." That was literally how I felt. You are a gifted teacher in all sorts of ways: Great karate skills, excellent interpersonal skills, strong sense of humor and fun and yet you can "put the hammer" down as well. You are also an excellent motivator and an eloquent speaker. I'm also amazed by your ability to keep things "new"--we never do the same thing twice and when we come in we never really know what we might be doing. I think that keeps people fresh and on their toes.

I know that you probably wanted a shorter answer to this question, so I apologize for running on so long! Thank you for being who you are. It has been a pleasure to train with you all these years (six and counting!).Keep up the great work and see you later today!--Pat

Advanced Training

Even after many years in martial arts teaching, I still love learning. Recently we had a chance to travel to North Carolina to train with Master Sgro. Master Sgro is a long time martial artist and has a deep knowledge of Tang Soo Do. As a forms aficionado he has great details of all hyung as well as the history, breathing and application knowledge.

During our trip Master Sgro moved his school to a new location, video taped his curriculum, put on a tournament, did gup testing, dan testing and Master level testing, hosted a demonstration and trained over a dozen Black Belts all week long. Multi tasking does not even begin to describe his week.

Some days we began training at 8am and some nights it was 10pm when we changed out of our uniforms. The days just flew by. I have a need for more depth of knowledge and Master Sgro can deliver. He makes learning fun and training with a huge group of Black Belts who just want to get it right gives everyone energy and motivation to keep plugging away.

Through all the years at different functions I have met the nicest people. One of Master Sgro's Black Belts (John Carte) is a special forces instructor. He took us on a tour of Fort Bragg, what a great experience. It made me feel proud of the people who serve in the military and what a commitment they make. Touring the 82nd airborne museum was very interesting. I sat on the testing board and the man promoted to Master Belt level is a Lt. Colonel in the Green Beret's. He presented all the Masters with a gift, a green Beret logoed knife. Very appreciated.

It was fun for Mrs. Duethorn to have this experience as a Black Belt and instructor to see the inner workings and different personality of someone else's school. Of course she ate up all the new training!

What a great experiences we can have in life if we just reach out and grab them. Thanks to Master Sgro and all the great folks at San Kil Tang Soo Do.

Spring

Spring is here. It seems with every one of New England's four seasons our training encounters some changes too.

Last week when the weather heated up our advanced class slowed down. Many students were MIA- I think they were a little nervous about the higher temperatures. I know it takes me a little adjustment getting used to higher temp's too. Little by little our bodies will accomodate the extra heat. Just like in the cold of winter we need a little more time to warm up, the spring and summer heat takes a little getting used to, so we don't melt away with a high level of training.

I personally feel more motivated to train harder in the warm weather. It's easier to jump start a workout without a prolonged warm up.

Train Hard, be loyal and dedicated!

BJJ testing

Sunday we began our 5 hours of mid term testing for Blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jutsu. Black Belt David Meyer has flown in for the weekend. Mr Salisbury, Mrs Duethorn and I have been logging many hours in preparing for this testing. In the last 2 weeks I have trained around 20 hours of BJJ in preparation. Any chance I got I had a few extra reps of practice in.

Mr Meyer can do it and teach it. Not only is he a world class competitor but his teaching is some of the best I have seen. He had us go from the basics to the advanced, working all the details and giving feedback. We have been grappling for many years but have never had such a high level of expectation from a teacher. I think he demands a high level of performance but he does it in a way that makes you want to excel and be the best you can.

Five hours later, after lots of positions and submissions, after we took a break (and all wrestled him during the rest period), we passed the testing. He had some nice praises for us and encouraged us to go out and try our hand at competition!

We will see. Another life challenge...
Blue belt final test at the end of the summer.
One step closer to Black Belt.

Training

Here we are training nearly daily in Brazilian Ju Jutsu. I am preparing to take my mid term evaluation for my blue belt rank. I gave been training, training, training. Dozens of techniques, each with its subtleties. Every time I do a technique I fell like I know it a little better.

I am very happy to be learning and honing these techniques. After being in martial arts for 36 years it is easy to become stale. I remember a few years back when I felt like I wasn't learning anything new. I knew there was more to learn but between working and life there was not much time and sometimes not enough motivation. I am happy that the Black Belts have given me pressure (although maybe not intentionally) to learn new material.

This has been good for me, good for the students and good for the philosophy of the school. Many thanks to all, who in many ways, have helped.