This past week I had a huge influx of young students. In one class in particular, one of my happiest and most energetic students, who had been with the program for the past year, had a bad class. He wouldn’t stay focused and got riled up by all of the new students around him. The …
It’s that time again, where summer ends and kids are heading back to school to learn and grow as individuals. Today I want to talk about three of the biggest reasons why Martial Arts training can help a student do better in school. Students learn to focus in a different environment Before a student …
My fitness journey started when I was about 15, but it was later on that I realized I needed to put myself first and do something for me. I have always been one to love working out and when I was younger I did sports in middle school and I was very active. I remember …
The other day I was with one of my adult instructors and a teenage helper outside of the studio. In having a conversation I let a swear pop out and instantly looked at my student and said, “I’m sorry.” He responded with “it’s OK, I’ve heard it all before,” to which I responded with “it …
Ever feel super foggy and don’t realize you’re wearing two different socks until you get home at the end of the day? Or wake up frustrated and it becomes the clumsiest day you’ve ever had? I’ve felt a little like that lately. My mind has been going in a million directions and my body sometimes …
I often watch in awe as my sifu executes his forms with precision and ease. “I’ll get there,” I think to myself, as I stumble my way through my basic exercises. For me, starting kung- fu was a little bit like pulling teeth. I’d say I want to start learning, try a few moves, get …
This past weekend I attended an event with beginner martial artists. The morning session was on German long sword combat and one of the students asked, “How hard do we hit when we spar?” To be fair, they were given firm, foam fencing swords not live steel, but the question was a necessary one. Our …
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to compete at an in-house tournament hosted at the Wu Dao Kung Fu School in Cambridge, MA. When I walked into the building and approached the floor to begin the competition, I noticed a frame on the wall listing the various rules of the school. The top …
So I have a fun habit: I enjoy going to thrift stores, goodwill, salvation armies, and the like and finding cool things. One thing that I always keep an eye out for is workout equipment for my Kung Fu School. Lets face it, this stuff can be pricy, so if I can find a deal, …
A little over a year ago I opened my own Kung Fu Academy, Nine Tigers Kung Fu. Last week I held a test for ten of my students. Below is my post-test speech to those ten students who worked exceptionally hard and earned their new ranks! “To begin congratulations on completing today’s test. My philosophy …
