2nd Brown Finally!

1,603 days. That's how long I was a 3rd Brown Belt, 229 weeks or nearly 4 1/2 years. Any way that you slice it, it's a long time. There was a time when I thought I wanted to quit, but I overcame that. There was a time when I couldn't fit into my uniform, but I overcame that. There was a time when I thought that I'd always be a 3rd Brown, but I overcame that too. I learned a whole hell of a lot more than just my required rank material in these past 4 1/2 years. 2015 has been my phoenix year, I said I wanted to lose 50lbs, get back into college, and earn my 2nd Brown. All three missions accomplished! It hasn't completely sunk in yet, it may not until I have a new belt and a certificate in front of me, but there's a joy that I just can't express with words. I haven't been this excited about something in a very long time. I'm coming for you 1st Brown!!!

SWKA 1 Year Old

Wow; that's really the best word that I can come up with for how today makes me feel. Just wow! Today marks the 1 year anniversary/birthday of Scholar and Warrior Kenpo Academy. And it feels SO darn good. So much growth has happened this year for Gene and I.

This time last year we were shaking in our gis! We plunged head first into this adventure and it was sink or swim! I'm so pleased to see that we swam. :) Sure we had bumps, what new business doesn't. But we have beaten the odds so far; statistics say that most new martial arts studios fold within the first 6 months-a year of opening. Not us we're going strong! And it's thanks to our students and their families.

We have met the most amazing people so far, people that have made their way not only into our lives but in our hearts. A family has been created, and it's so beautiful. I look forward to seeing everyone at every class! I'm so excited to see what year 2 has in store for us! :)

Below is a link to a Shutterfly album I created. It's nearly 60 pages of photos from our first year! Enjoy!


http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/projectdetail.sfly?fid=72679a6b9714f860c7e45aad1e0cdff4&sid=2UYuXLhk2dL&key=2UYuXLhk2dL&shareProjectTitle=Photo+Book&pid=SFLY&cid=SHARE3PSJXX

Be sure and click on "Full Screen" for a better viewing experience!

Scholar Skills

We named our school Scholar and Warrior because training the body isn't enough you have to train the mind as well and vice versa. When we decided to open the school it happened so quickly, in a month it went from a dream to a reality and we were sprinting to keep up. We're almost six months old now, and things have slowed down and taken a very nice pace. Life has fallen into a comfortable rhythm. A few weeks ago I proposed an idea to Gene and he agreed to let me do it. :) Once a week I give the students a Scholar Skill, which is either a Kenpo Saying, or a principle definition or a part of a pledge for them to memorize. At the end of the week I pull each student aside and have them tell me the current week's skill. If they can correctly, their name goes into a drawing, and at the end of the month a name is drawn and that student is Scholar of the Month. (There's gotta be some competition there right?)

Yesterday was the first day for the students to tell me the skill. It was an easy one, Yellow Belt Saying #1: Distance is Your Best Friend." And to be honest I was nervous our students ages are 5+. And we only see them 3 times a week. Imagine my excitement when each and every student that was present in class last night was able to tell me the Skill for that week.

Our students are phenomenal, they work hard and take on new assignments with excitement, I couldn't be more proud of them and I know neither could Gene. 2012 is only going to keep getting better for SWKA; and I am so thankful to be a part of this.

Tightrope

“Knowing isn’t enough, you have to be able to apply.” 

A few weeks ago Gene and I attended a seminar given by Mr. Richard “Huk” Planas and the above quote was his very first teaching of the day. The analogy he used was immensely powerful; everyone knows HOW to walk a tightrope. You place one foot in front of the other, you keep your balance and pray you make it to the other side. Now, DOING this is a whole different ballpark.

This is exactly why we chose the name Scholar and Warrior Kenpo Academy; you must be able to do the technique not just run through the motions. In order to make the technique work correctly you must know and understand the principles and basics behind the motion you are performing.

“The Scholar and the Warrior, come together and move forward in the battle. Fighting side by side and back to back…”

By employing only one you will only be able to perform at half of your potential. The Scholar is the wise one, the intelligence that is able to see all three points of view in the situation, the attacker’s point of view, the defender’s point of view and the outside third party’s point of view. *He is able to use these insights to take on the situation as a whole and analyze it before reacting. And this is done in a phenomenally short amount of time. The Scholar has familiarized himself with principles that the motion is founded on. The Scholar comes to you in time, you first have to be able to perform the motion somewhat before you can understand it, however you must be able to understand the principles behind the motion before you will ever be able to utilize it correctly and effectively.

The Warrior represents strength; he has no qualms about diving into the battle head first. The Warrior is obviously the physical aspect of your training and *he is who you will begin training first. In the beginning the Warrior will be clumsy and awkward but as with everything else, dedication and time will hone in his skills and make the foreign movement of before seem natural.

Mr. Planas shared so much knowledge with us that day; this is merely a snippet of what we learned in 4.5 hours. But I found this applicable not only to beginners but to Kenpoists in all stages. I know I found it very useful myself. Time to start walking the tightrope.

*He is interchangeable with she.

Our Scary, Overwhelming, Beautiful Beginning

A month and a half ago Gene and I began this amazing Journey.  On August 20^th in the middle of a Star Trek episode Gene turned to me and said, “I think I want to open a karate school.” We set a goal, to start researching and asking some questions and hopefully have it open by Christmas.  We began discussing a name, several different ones were proposed, my favorite being Gene’s suggestion of Kenpo Fitness Center, (That was shot down once we realized it would be KFC.) At 3:30 one morning I rolled over in bed looked at Gene and said “Scholar and Warrior Kenpo Academy.” Gene’s response was “cool,” and he fell back to sleep.  We now had a name, next was a building.

The next week we went building hunting, we had a page of paper full of addresses and contact information, but there was one building that we had put three stars next to and circled the phone number. That little building on Edmond with the rock garden in the front had stolen our hearts…that was the one we wanted.  We called the realtor the next day and scheduled a walk through. Fifteen minutes into the walk through we knew this was THE place. We signed the papers on September 6^th. We had a key and a dream, and a whole lot of cleaning to do. 

We spent the next three weeks practically living at that dojo. Scrubbing, painting and completely redoing the entire bathroom, and when we weren’t physically working on the school we were creating the curriculum, obtaining credentials, and ordering necessities for the school. It was like having a newborn, every waking second we spent working on the school.

September 26^th, we opened our doors to the public. We had two little boys; a teenage girl and an adult join us. And we were ecstatic. Wednesday night we had the same children but no adults. And the same went for Saturday…we were scared to say the least. Then the second Monday came, and we had ten adult students in class. It was absolutely beautiful. They asked questions, they were excited; they loved every minute of it. It was in that moment that I knew what we were doing was going to work.

It’s never been about making a killing off of this for us, that’s why we both have day jobs. No we do this because it’s what we love to do. And to be able to share what you love with others, is there really anything better?

To be honest there were moments when I thought “are we crazy?” We planned on it taking four months, not five weeks. But I’m glad we dove in headfirst and took that plunge. I’m glad we rolled the dice, because this is the greatest thing we have ever done. We lit another Flame for Mr. Parker, and we have helped instill a hunger for Kenpo into several people already. We’ve created a family, and it’s absolutely beautiful.  I hope we never stop!