Belt Testing

Belt Testing is on Jan. 21, 2010

Students test every two or three months, depending how much material is covered in class. There are a few things students must do in addition to learning the material we cover in class.

First, students need to have attended at least 24 classes. We realize that there are going to be emergencies from time to time and students might need to miss a class. If this happens, all the student needs to do is log on to our website and download the Bible study questions from the missed class. They can answer the questions and turn it in to an instructor or someone on the Leadership Team. Your instructor will mark that class as made up. If a student misses three or more classes they will need to attend a private class. The private class is needed to ensure the student knows the material that has been covered in the missed classes and is ready to test.Private classes are typically scheduled on Saturdays and last for 30 minutes. The cost is $20 per private class and needs to be scheduled one week in advance. After the student turns in the Bible studies that were missed and attends a private class the instructor will mark the classes as made up.

Next, students need to log on to our website and download the Promotion Application Forms. There are three forms that need to be filled out and turned in one week before the test. There is a check list, an Intent to Promote Form and a Test Application. To download these for go to the Belt Testing page on our website and click on the link titled Application Forms.

Breaking Boards Is Cool!

Believe it or not, some people, especially kids, take martial arts so they can break boards. Breaking boards is always a crowd pleaser during tournaments and exhibitions, and it even fascinates those not interested in martial arts. Remember the boys in elementary school who would break pencils with a “karate chop” to show off for the girls until the teacher had to take them away? Face it, breaking boards is cool!

Parents usually ask: “Do you really think he should break boards?” “Isn’t it dangerous?” “Won’t she get hurt?” Remember, no instructor will benefit from a student getting hurt, and no school will stay in business if the students leave due to injuries. The instructors will make sure the student is ready, prepared and schooled in the proper techniques for breaking boards.

Not even Bruce Lee started out breaking one-inch boards at his first martial arts class. It takes time to condition your body and learn the proper way to break a board. First, your hands or feet need to be conditioned or toughened. A makiwara board - padded, heavy canvas board - will help callus the striking areas such as the feet, elbows and knuckles. This helps keep those areas from getting cut and diffuses, or spreads, the force of the hit. Before breaking one-inch boards, a student will be taught the use of force, positioning and speed, which can turn a sparring jab into a board-breaking chop. Also, the student will learn to break only those things that can be broken. The boards will have the grain running parallel to the hit and concrete blocks are more brittle than clay bricks, this allows the vibrations of the hit to weaken the material and ultimately break them.

Our bodies are amazing things, and our bones are meant to last a lifetime without breaking. Think about running and all your weight pounding on your feet and knees. Your bones and their coverings of skin, muscle, tendons etc. can handle many times more force than concrete or pine boards. It’s taking that force and learning the speed and technique to pull away quickly that makes it work. Once a martial artist has mastered breaking, the next challenge can be to add flips, leaps or jumps and hit with the accuracy to break the board and thrill the audience. The next time you watch an exhibition, cheer loudly, because it took a lot of hard work and commitment to get there.

Loyalty

Loyalty: Faithful to a cause, ideal, custom, institution, product, or people.

Dear Parents,

You do things every day to show your loyalty to your children, but many of these things are so automatic they are seldom noticed and used as examples of loyalty.

Remind your children more often that you will always be there for them, that they can depend on you, and you’ll be behind them always. Take credit for your loyalty, because it is the best way to instill the same qualities in your children.

What can parents and caregivers do to help their children develop loyalty?

Demonstrate loyalty at home. Instead of saying, “I’ll pick you up after school,” say, “I’ll be there at three; you can count on me!” Instead of just going to a child’s martial arts class or music recital, say, “I’ll be there no matter how busy I am, because I want to be with you and support what you do!”

Teach loyalty. Help your children see the difference between loyalty and “not telling.” Explain how they might get the idea that being loyal to friends means not telling on them or even lying to protect them. Explain when someone does something wrong, a truly loyal friend would try to get him or her to admit it, and if that didn’t work, you should tell someone. If neither happens, the friend will probably keep doing wrong and get in even more trouble.

Play a game. When driving or waiting in line, ask your child “what if” questions about which is showing loyalty and which is not. Examples: If some kids in class were making fun of your best friend, would you join them or stand by your friend? If your friend stole a small toy from the store, what would you do? What would you do if your brother or sister was in a martial arts tournament the same night you were invited to a classmate’s party?

Study Questions

Click here to read Luke 2:41-52

1. Why did Jesus' parents go to Jerusalem every year? (2:41)


2. How did Jesus get left behind in Jerusalem? (2:43-44)


3. What was Jesus doing during the three days that He was on His own? (2:46)


4. What were the effects of Jesus' questions and answers on the teachers in Jerusalem? (2:46-47)


5. How did Mary respond when she and Joseph finally found Jesus? (2:48)


6. How did Jesus answer His parents' concern for Him? (2:49)


7. After replying to His parents, what did Jesus do? (2:51)


8. What happened to Jesus as He grew? (2:52)


9. Of the four ways in which Jesus grew (in wisdom, in stature, in favor with God, in favor with man), which one needs the most work in your life?

Stress the Facts

Did you know the effects of stress may lead to actual medical illnesses, including heart problems, stomach problems, high blood pressure, and headaches? Stress also affects the immune system and speeds up the aging process, memory loss, and increases in body weight and/ or building more fat.

Increasing numbers of children, teenagers and college students report feeling under stress.

Doctors recommend exercise as one way to reduce stress in people of all ages.

Twice as Much Fun

What can be better than having fun, reducing stress, staving off old age, and staying fit? How about doing it with a partner? After all, it doesn’t do a lot of good for you to be fit and healthy and then have your partner fall apart as aging takes its toll. But which sport allows you equal footing no matter what your age, gender, size or level of fitness? How about martial arts?

You don’t have to be athletic to participate in martial arts. Everyone is welcome, regardless of age, gender, size, or ability. Because you compete against yourself and at your own pace, your initial ability makes no matter. Unlike dropping the ball in practice, no one is going to make fun of you or get angry if you miss a step of your form. In fact, this is a sport the whole family can participate in together. I haven’t seen too many thirty-somethings invited onto the little league field.

Try stress-free verses stressful. In martial arts, each person proceeds at his or her own pace, learning to master each skill instead of beating the other team. Martial arts teach direction, confidence, discipline, respect, and control. There are no bench warmers, because everyone is working on a skill or helping someone with their skill, and since class members are not competing with one another, they are able to encourage each other to do their best. Everyone can be a winner, because there are no time limits or restrictions on how many students can be promoted.

Martial arts promote concentration in the workplace too. The focus and concentration skills required for martial arts are the same skills you need to learn new skills. To prove that martial arts depends more on brains than brawn, most martial arts schools require their school-age students to show passing report cards to continue training.

The next time friends or partners complain about not having anything to do, tell them about the advantages martial arts offers and have them join you in class. You’ll have twice as much fun!

School Calendar:

February 13 - Valentines Day Party!

• There will be pizza, games and fun! We will be watching Kung Fu Panda. Movie Starts at 6:00 pm. The party ends at 8:00pm. Please bring $5 to cover pizza and soda.

February 14 - Valentines Day

• Be sure to hand out as many free Valentines Day Cards as you can! If you need more just ask.

February 17 - Due Date for Testing Applications.

• Applications for Testing need to be turned in.

February 26 - Belt Testing

• Make sure you have you paper work turned in. You can download your Application for Promotion forms from our web site at http://www.life180martialarts.net/. Go to the Belt Testing Page and Click on the link "Application Form".