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".
  

Luke 2:21-40

Study Questions

Click here to read Luke 2:21-40

1. Why did Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the temple? When? (2:22-23)


2. Who was Simeon? (2:25-27)


3. What did Simeon do with the Christ child? (2:28-32)


4. How did Simeon's prophecy point out that Christ would be the Savior for the world? (2:32)


5. What did Joseph and Mary do after they heard what Simeon had to say? (2:33)


6. What did Simeon say to Mary? (2:34-35)


7. How did Luke describe the woman named Anna? (2:36-38)


8. What was Anna's response to finding Mary, Joseph, and the Christ child in the temple? (2:38)


9. How did Luke summarize Jesus' childhood years? (2:40)

What's In It For Me?

Remember having team project s in school? Well, teamwork extends to the workforce in today’s businesses too, as shown in this excerpt from Dale Carnegie & Associates’ Teamwork in the American Workplace, (Training and Development, January, 1996).


What makes teams successful?
33% - getting along
29% - listening
21% - setting priorities
6% - feeling recognized
6% - having everyone agree
4% - deciding who’s in charge


When you look at the list, you might discover some interesting facts such as it is more important for members to get along than who is chosen to lead. Once a team approach for a project is chosen, what can be done to empower members to work together to accomplish their goal? This is when everyone needs to put away the “What’s in it for me?” attitude and join the “What’s in it for us?” club.


To have a successful team, everyone must be less concerned about individual rewards; appreciation, power, etc., and act more selfless in a cooperative way towards a specific goal. Teamwork also involves sacrifices, such as sharing rewards, blame, and discipline, along with suppressing personal opinions, which is difficult for many of us.


You can be proactive in preventing problems by making certain the team’s goal is clearly defined and each member’s responsibility is completely understood by everyone. As in all business endeavors, communication will be the most essential element of a successful team. Each member must trust the other team members and be willing to share their thoughts and ideas about the project, but then defer the final decision to the person responsible for that portion of the project.


The benefits of working on a team can be obvious, but some reasons might not be so obvious. Team players benefit and achieve more than isolated individuals by combining knowledge and skills, but the benefits also include making the best use of each individual’s strengths, common ownership, built-in mutual support, and increased creativity from more diverse ideas. The next time you have a large project; don’t be afraid to incorporate a team approach to accomplish your goal!

Teamwork

Teamwork: Several people working together, usually with each person doing a certain part, to achieve a common goal.

Dear Parents,
As tennis great Althea Gibson said, “No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helps you.” She knew it would take teamwork to overcome the barriers she had to hurdle. Teamwork is a life skill all of us use, whether it is in school or the workforce, and martial arts classes are a great place for children to begin learning how to get along with others and share in their successes.

As your children learn teamwork, they will learn to communicate and listen to others and work well together. Like other life skills, teamwork requires practice and knowledge about why it is important and how to recognize it.

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

Demonstrate teamwork at home. Explain to your children, while you are doing chores, how difficult it would be to take care of an entire household by yourself. Show them how each part is just as important to the end result, i.e., making dinner begins with planning, shopping, preparing, cooking, setting the table, cleaning, etc.

Praise teamwork efforts. When you and your children are working together on a project, praise them for working together. Explain how nice it is to have help. When you work together, things are done quicker, and you get to spend time with your favorite people!

Teach teamwork. Unfortunately, when working together, tempers and personalities sometimes clash. When that happens, sit down and explain that everyone has an opinion, but sometimes we must compromise and meet in the middle, or, sometimes, one person has to have the final word.

Teach your children how to define a clear goal when working on a project. If, for example, you want a room cleaned, don’t say, “Clean the living room.” Try saying, “You pick up the toys, while he dusts the furniture, and I vacuum.”

Practice

The martial arts are like any other sport, the more you practice the better you’ll get. It’s a lot like when we first learned to walk. We all started by crawling. Soon, we were able to pull ourselves up using the coffee table. Eventually, we took our first step and then fail down. However, we didn’t give up. We kept at it. Before long, it was all our parents could do just to keep up with us. Now, we’re not only walking, but running, jumping and even kicking. We’re where we are today because we didn’t give up. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, Practice makes perfect. That statement may not be entirely true. However, the more we practice the better we’ll get. In fact, I’m absolutely positive that any martial arts student will make faster and more measurable progress when they practice what they are taught.

Let me make myself clear. I’m not talking about attending class as often as possible. However, that does help and is a great goal for students to have. I’m talking about the importance of practice away from the studio, while at home. Refining what you’ve learned in class by repetition. That is essentially what makes you better. Repetition! Repetition! Repetition!

Those of you who are new to martial arts may be wondering how you should go about practicing. Knowing what to practice can sometimes be confusing. After all, there are so many different block, kicks, punches and combinations. Not to mention all the different forms and sets. A good rule of thumb is to take a notebook to class with you. After class jot down what blocks, kicks, punches, etc. that you covered in class. Between that class and the next class practice those techniques. One thing that has helped me out is to practices in front of a mirror.

Now you may be wondering, “How long should I Practice?” It’s probably not a good idea to start off with really long practice sessions between classes. Too much of a good thing can end up having a negative effect. Start with about a 15 minute session. If that’s comfortable slowly increase to 20minutes then 30 minutes and so on.

Make sure you stay on task. If you lose focus and aren’t concentrating on what you’re doing your progress will slow. Sometimes listening to music can help. However, I would defiantly turn the TV off. The TV can be a major distraction. Having someone to practice with can be beneficial too. Make sure you friend has martial arts experience and take turns leading the workout. Practicing with someone who doesn’t have experience is a bad idea. You or they could get hurt. Also, your progress is then hindered because you end up trying to teach rather than workout. Plus, school policy forbids it.

The next question you may be asking yourself is, “How often should I practice?” Everyday would be ideal. However, I realize that that’s not always possible. Some students simply cannot put that many practice sessions into their schedule. I would say the bare minimum should be at least one practice session between each class. More would be better. Setting aside a specific time is also a good idea. Classes are currently on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So, try setting aside 15 minutes to practice on Monday, Wednesday and Friday or Saturday. Remember to stay attentive to what you are doing. No distractions!

If you follow this advice, you’ll notice faster and more measurable results in no time!

Luke 2:8-20

Study Questions

Click here to read Luke 2:8-20

1. At what time and place did the angels appear to the shepherds? (2:8)


2. How many angels did the shepherds see at first? (2:9)


3. How did the shepherds react when they saw the angel? (2:9)


4. What message did the angel tell the shepherds? (2:10-11)


5. What titles did the angel use to describe the baby? (2:11)


6. By what symbol or sign were the shepherds supposed to identify the Christ child? (2:12)


7. How many angels did the shepherds hear praising God? (2:13)


8. What was the immediate reaction of the shepherds after the angels left? (2:15)


9. After finding the Christ child, what did the shepherds do? (2:17-20)


10. What kind of reactions did the shepherds get when they told others what had happened that night? (2:18)

Luke 2:1-7

Study Questions

Click here to read Luke 2:1-7

Who decreed that a census be taken of the entire Roman world? (2:1)

1. What historical facts did Luke provide that allow us to approximate the date of Christ's birth? (2:1-2)
2. What was the purpose of Joseph and Mary's trip to Bethlehem? (2:1-4)
3. What reason did Luke give for Joseph having to travel to Bethlehem for the census? (2:4)
4. What was Joseph and Mary's marital status at the time of Jesus' birth? (2:5)
5. What were the conditions in Bethlehem the night Jesus was born? (2:7)

Luke 1:67-80

Study Questions

Click her to read Luke 1:67-80

1. Who is described in the first part of Zechariah's song? (1:68-75)
2. Who is the subject of the second part of Zechariah's song? (1:76-79)
3. Who was the source of inspiration for Zechariah's song? (1:67)
4. How did Zechariah describe the "covenant" with God? (1:72-74)
5. What title did Zechariah say would be given to his son? (1:76)
6. For whom was John supposed to prepare a way? How? (1:76)
7. What basic facts did Luke include about John's childhood? (1:80)

Luke 1:57-66

Study Questions

Click here to read Luke 1:57-66

1. What two groups celebrated the birth of Zechariah and Elizabeth's baby? (1:58)
2. When did Elizabeth's relatives come to visit her child? Why? (1:59)
3. What was the relatives' response when Elizabeth told them the child wouldn't be called Zechariah? (1:61)
4. Why did the relatives have to make signs to Zechariah about what he wanted to call the child? (1:62)
5. Why was Zechariah's voice restored? (1:63-64)
6. How did Zechariah react when his voice was restored? (1:64)
7. What was the effect of all these events on the people in the region in which Zechariah and Elizabeth lived? (1:65-66)
8. What was obvious to all who heard John’s story? (1:66)

Luke 1:46-56

Study Questions

Click here to read Luke 1:46-56

1. What different titles for God did Mary mention in her song? (1:46-47, 49)
2. What specific actions did Mary say God had done for her? (1:46-49)
3. How did Mary describe herself in her song? (1:47-48)
4. What reasons did Mary give for believing that all generations would call her "blessed"? (1:48)
5. What happens to people who fear God? (1:50)
6. What happens to the proud? (1:51)
7. To whom was God merciful? (1:54-55)

Luke 1:39-45

Study Questions

Click here to read Luke 1:39-45

1. To where did Mary hurry? (1:39)
   
2. What two remarkable things happened as soon as Mary called her greeting to Elizabeth? (1:41)
   
3. How did Elizabeth respond to the baby's leaping inside her? (1:42-45)
   
4. In what way was Mary blessed? (1:42)
   
5. In what significant way did Elizabeth address Mary? (1:43)

A New You in 2009

Did you know more people make resolutions to start a new habit than to break an old habit? Whether it was to start or break a habit, chances are, that at some time in your life, you have made a New Year’s resolution – and then broken it. Here are 10 tips to help you start and commit to making your resolutions stick.

1. Get real! The quickest way to fail is to set yourself up for failure with unrealistic goals. Make certain the goals you set are challenging, but attainable. If your goal is to increase your fitness by adding an additional hour to your regime each week, try adding 10-minutes each week or an additional night to your current workout until you reach your goal.
2. Plan ahead! You should have started thinking about your goals in December so you could have a plan of attack ready.
3. Think it through! You know you will hit plateaus and challenges so decide early on how to handle them. If you are changing your diet, how will you handle eating out? What will you do during the holidays or at parties? Keep a list of answers such as calling a friend, practicing positive thinking and self-talk, or reminding yourself how far you have come.
4. Pros and cons! Make a list of the pros and cons of why you chose these resolutions to stay motivated
5. Tell the world! Don’t keep your resolutions a secret. Tell trusted friends so they can help you stay on target and be there when you are wavering. If you gave up smoking, call your friends and let them know when you are stressed and need the comfort of a cigarette.
6. Reward yourself! Yes, success deserves rewards, but don’t choose rewards that make a negative impact on your hard work. Celebrate your success with a new pair of jeans instead of chocolate cake for losing 10 pounds.
7. Become a tracker! Keep track of your progress. If your goal is losing 20 pounds, keep a chart with the ups and downs of losing. If your goal is less tangible, find a way to chart it. If your goal is to be nicer to your coworkers, plan to say two nice things each day to each person and track those comments.
8. Don’t focus on setbacks! Don’t go into this thinking you won’t have setbacks. (If it were that easy, you wouldn’t have to make a resolution.) If you fall off the wagon, don’t stay off; get back on it as soon as possible. If you missed a week of martial arts classes, don’t quit! Call your instructor and tell him or her you will be back for the next class. If you ate a slice of cake, don’t eat the whole cake. Get back on track with your healthy eating.
9. Stick with it! Experts say it takes about 21 days for something to become a habit and six months for it to become a part of your personality. It may be difficult at first, but soon it will be second nature!
10. Don’t give up! If you give up because you have fallen a few times, begin again. No one said you could only make resolutions in January!
    

Respect

Respect is being thoughtful, courteous and showing care and regard for yourself, other people and things.

Dear Parents,
One of the most important things you can teach your children is respect. Respect is not the same as obedience. Children may obey you because they are afraid of you, but children who respect you will listen to you, because they know you want what is best for them.

Have you ever told your children, “Do onto others as you would have them do onto you”? Of course, because the best way to teach respect is to be respectful. When children experience respect, they learn what it feels like and begin to understand how important it is. Being respectful helps children succeed in life. People who are disrespectful to their peers, supervisors, or themselves, seldom succeed. Believe it or not, parents are more influential in how well their children behave than any other factor.

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

Show others respect. Use the same manners you would like your children to exhibit. When you show respect to other people, your children learn how to be respectful. Apologize when you are wrong, be honest, follow rules, and show concern for others.

Show your children respect. Sometimes the people we are closest to are the ones we show the least respect. Honor your children by respecting them. Don’t embarrass them in public. Let your child take responsibility for their choices. Give your child your full attention when talking.
Keep promises. Listen to your child’s side of the story before making a judgment.

Teach your child self-respect. Respecting oneself is the most important form of respect, because you can’t respect others unless you respect yourself. Don’t say how dumb, fat, or ugly you are in front of your children, even when joking. Show how you respect yourself when eating,
exercising or studying.

Explain rules you set. For instance, if the rule is, “No television between 4:00 and 6:00,” explain that this is homework time because it is important to keep your grades up.

Belt Testing

Belt Testing is Only Two Months Away

Students test every three to four 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.

Second, students are required to fill out a To Do List and turn it in every week. The To Do List contains a list of chores and such that students are required to do at home and school. To download your To Do List go to our website and click on the Belt Testing link at the top of the page. Then click on the link titled To Do List and print.

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.