Bowley Kenpo Karate » Philosophy
3 Words for 2013
Instead of setting New Year’s Resolutions (Late this month, I know.), it’s become a practice to select 3 words which will provide the framework for mental, physical, and spiritual growth for 2013. The concept of 3 words was spearheaded by Chris Brogan and has become an annual tradition for many. How did last year’s 3 words wind up? Grow - Our school added a student. (Positive Growth) The students grew beyond their boundaries and achieved recognition with new rank. (Positive Growth) Memories were grown as were new friendships and experiences. The table is set for continued growth for 2013. Content - The content goal had two portions. The first was to find captivating stories from other martial artists. To this end, 2012 was great having attend seminars from some of the all time … Read entire article »
Filed under: Philosophy
What Can I Do?
As a father of two daughters and a martial arts teacher, the tragic events from Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut have weighed heavily on the heart and mind. The grief of and for the families there is indescribable. In the coming days and weeks, the media will talk about violence in schools, mental illness, gun laws, and anything else to help for a better understanding of “why” the event took place. My … Read entire article »
Filed under: Philosophy
Everyone But Daddy
“It takes a village to raise a child” is a common proverb almost everyone has heard. While talking about how it’s a group effort to teach a child the necessary characteristics to be a responsible, well-round adult, it can apply to martial arts training as well. Anyone who teaches karate to, and specifically spars, with their children will probably be able to relate. As of this writing, my daughters are ages 11 and 13. They’ve been … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal Stories, Philosophy, Sparring
Black Belt Thesis: How Blogging Can Help a Karate School Grow
Like the Brown Belt Thesis post, this is a long article. You’ve been warned. I tested for my Black Belt recently. Though I didn’t pass (this time), and have further improvements to make, this is the Black Belt thesis I submitted. Each martial artist in Kenpo is tasked with creating a black belt thesis to show what they can give back to the art. The topics are far reaching and can cover anything. The goal of mine … Read entire article »
Filed under: Belt Promotion, Philosophy, School Information
Blood, Loyalty, and Family
Recently, my family and I had the opportunity to tour a little bit of Italy for a long vacation. We spent five days in Rome and ended with five days in Monreale, Sicily. The opportunity came about because my youngest, Venezuelan sister was marrying the Italian man of her dreams. (An epic wedding reception to be sure.) Understand, I was born an only child but have six siblings: two brothers and four sisters. This is because, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal Stories, Philosophy
How Young Should Kids Start Karate
How young should (or could) kids be to begin taking karate lessons? This is probably the most common question I’m asked from friends at social events. A question such as this has two answers: easy and hard. The easy answer is: at whatever age your local karate school will accept them. For our school, it’s age 5. For my instructor’s school, age 3 or 4. Easy answer, done. The hard answer is why do the parents … Read entire article »
Filed under: Philosophy
Wisdom of the Dragon
The other day I was swapping stories with a friend of mine, who is about the same age in the mid-30s and also a fan of the martial arts. He told the story of his last, almost confrontation while he was in college years ago. Self-described as a bit of a hot head, he got into a road rage incident with the driver of another car. It began after cutting each other off, a little … Read entire article »
Filed under: Philosophy
When do you start teaching?
During a recent Kenpo class, one of the students asked “When do you start teaching?” The girl who asked is a pretty sharp 12 year old. She clarified to mean do all black belts teach or learn to teach. At the time of this writing, I’m not yet a black belt, but have been teaching for a while at our school because Kenpo is something I’m very passionate about. Students learn best from people who … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal Stories, Philosophy
Kenpo Bucket List
After a recent sparring class, Mr. Wilson, a few fellow Kenpoists, and I were discussing upcoming seminars we would like to attend. Mr. Wilson and I shared the wisdom Mr. Duffy had imparted us many times: Go attend as many seminars as you can. Learn from as many people as you can. You never know when a different instructor, presenting material you may have heard before, is going to present that material in a new way, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal Stories, Philosophy
Testing Your Limit
Our school and the Kenpo sister schools we associate with are part of a pretty great Kenpo organization. Specifically when it comes to testing. It’s very rare to fail a test now. If your instructor doesn’t believe you’re ready, you aren’t even asked test. Don’t confuse this with meaning the tests are easy or full of sunshine and rainbows. You’re tested alright, but on something deeper than just curriculum. Because tests occur so infrequently, they provide … Read entire article »
Filed under: Belt Promotion, Philosophy, School Information
