First MMA class a fun success!

We just had our first mma class and everyone was so excited about it. After some chit-chat about safety and equipment we got to work doing a quick warmup and stretch, then to some introductions to stances, striking, movement, kicking, break falls and ground positions. Everyone enjoyed the sweat, striking the focus mitts and the ground grappling. I look forward to next week, which by the way, starts our first full week of mma classes.

You can also visit our MMA Basic Module One for an outline of some of the things we covered in our first class.

If you are interested in trying a free class, just go HERE or call us at 856-235-0414.

See you the mat!

Peter Liciaga

Women in the Martial Arts - What men need to learn...

Here is a great article written by my self-defense coach and mentor, Bill Kipp

Women in the Martial Arts

The martial Arts world has evolved a great deal over the years, particularly in the past decade or so. The “old school” mentality has been primarily overtaken by the new wave of successful martial arts schools where both children and women are taking a much more involved role. Children now comprise the largest MA student populace and are the bread and butter of most successful martial arts schools.

In addition, the role of women as instructors and as students has also become quite significant. In the old days women had a very rough time dealing with the “good ole’ boy” mentality prevalent in the martial arts community. Some of these women persevered, with huge credit due to them for doing so. Others left those schools to start their own where they wouldn’t have to deal with such unnecessary abuse. And sadly, many of these early female students left due to not finding the very safety that led them to the martial arts in the first place. Over the years many of us men have per force become more sensitive to the unique issues that arise for women. Women not only have every right to be martial arts school owners and instructors, they have proven to be valuable resources as instructors of male owned schools and very adept school owners themselves.

In my travels teaching adrenal stress response training at schools across America and abroad, I have the opportunity to meet many of these inspirational women and to hear first hand what they have and in some cases still must go through in this highly competitive industry. Although most of the good ole boy mentality is gone, there still exist complicated dynamics between the genders in the martial arts world even in best-case scenario.

The following is a situation that personally occurred to me that illustrates the unique challenges that many male school owners and female students face in a traditional Martial Arts environment. The experience taught me a great deal, though it came at a cost. It is my hope that the story can help others prevent such occurrences from happening in your school.

“It started pretty much as a typical Wednesday open sparring night. The standard 8-10 regulars were there as well as a couple of guys from another local school who often showed up to play. Most of the participants were men, but there were a couple of women as well. One woman was Terri, an established Black Belt and the other was Kathy, a Blue Belt who was outwardly pretty tense but showed a lot of heart. I always sensed there was something going on inside her that she was trying to cover up, but felt it wasn’t my place to dig where I didn’t belong. Heck, I was a martial artist, not a therapist, and none of my previous instructors had ever asked how I was “feeling”. You either show up for sparring or you don’t.”

“The group started pairing off and followed the standard rules of agreement on the level of intensity before squaring off with each other. I was absorbed in working with a young guy who was preparing for an upcoming test when I detected a change in the group energy. I turned to see Kathy, the Blue Belt woman, quickly bow off the floor. A quick scan of the room showed she had been paired up with Jim, one of those guys who by nature goes harder than he likes to admit. You know the type. He stood there with shoulders hunched in a confused gesture and voiced that he had accidentally popped Kathy “lightly” and she “just ran off”. Throwing him an irritated “We’ve discussed this problem before” kind of glance, I left the floor to check on Kathy. Terri, the Black Belt woman was already there consoling her. It looked like Kathy might be crying but she refused to show me any tears. Putting up a stiff upper lip she mentioned she was “fine” and that everything was okay. Terri assured me that she had the situation under control so I returned to the floor. After re-administering my standard warning to all about control and following the rules of agreement, sparring continued. A short time later I saw Kathy leaving the school and went over to ask how she was doing. Again she assured me that everything was okay as she walked out the door. Terri returned to sparring and we finished the session without further incident.”

“A couple of weeks went by and I saw no sign of Kathy. When I inquired to Terri about what was up, her reply caught me off guard. Taking me aside, she explained that Kathy was in an abusive relationship and had received several beatings from her alcoholic husband over the years, one of them quite recently. This was the very reason she had originally signed up for the martial arts. My expression conveyed the amazement common among men who simply can’t comprehend why anyone would ever stay in such a relationship. Terri said it was a difficult situation and that we should give Kathy space to determine if and when she wanted to resume class. She also mentioned that being a woman in martial arts was far different than it was for men. At the time I had no real idea of what she meant, nor did I have any plausible solutions.”

“Sadly, Kathy never returned for another class. Even worse, I later learned that she had actually tried to fight off her husband using the techniques I had taught her and that her self-defense attempts had only enraged her drunken husband into beating her worse. Needless to say the incident hit me pretty hard, and I felt pretty helpless about it all.”

This incident occurred approximately eighteen years ago. I had just returned from 2 years of living and studying Martial Arts in Asia after a four-year hitch in a Marine Recon Unit. Teaching the Martial Arts was my joy and helped provide extra income. Like most male martial arts instructors, I was a nice guy who genuinely cared about people and their ability to defend themselves. But I was way out of touch with the issues that can come up when working with women in this male dominated environment. Now, after fifteen years of co-teaching women’s self defense seminars with various female experts on violence against women, and having worked with literally hundreds of abuse survivors, the picture is much clearer.

As I see it, there are 3 very important issues that are not being addressed in most martial arts schools:

1. As men, it is very difficult to understand the level of intimidation and fear that many women feel in everyday situations that guys take for granted. This dynamic is definitely alive in the martial arts world. Fortunately a lot of the “good ole boy” attitude has been left behind, though certainly not all of it. But even in progressive schools the environment can still be very challenging for women. Whether female students have any history of abuse or not, activities like sparring or grappling with the nicest of guys can trigger emotional issues. More women students leave the Martial Arts for these reasons than most of us realize.
2. Teaching women the standard self-defense moves that were handed down to us by our instructors are often not only insufficient for dealing with the ways that women are attacked, they can actually set up women to be greater victims. This does not mean that the martial arts are wrong or bad, but that traditional MA training lacks components that are critical for women to effectively deal with violent confrontations. If these standard self-defense methods have gotten many a Black Belt man beaten by a good street-fighter (and they have!), imagine how many women martial artists have been hurt over the years in violent altercations.
3. The majority of attacks on women are perpetrated by someone that they know. It’s one thing to fight back in a dark alley where it’s is clearly an assault, and another matter completely to fight back against abusive friends, co-workers, boyfriends, or husbands where the boundaries are already vague and the socio-conditioning screams at them to not fight back, don’t make a scene, and just put up with the behavior. Date rape and battered women syndrome are very real problems with very real psychological issues that require solutions far beyond the scope of physical defense techniques.

The Martial Arts are technique-based paradigms. Each student makes a long-term journey to learn and master the various physical techniques required of their respective style. The success of the new evolution of self-defense programs (EZ Defense, FAST, RMCAT, and others) has shown that real life self-defense requires more than just physical techniques.

Awareness and education of the following dynamics of assault and the mistakes people make under duress is crucial for self defense to be effective:

• The socio conditioning that can keep someone from fighting back at all
• The often debilitating effects of the adrenaline fear response
• The mindset and intention of attackers
• The verbal skills to de-escalate or ward off a hostile person
• The proper mindset to act when needed. If a person is unable or unwilling to fight back with absolute commitment, no technique in the world is going to help them.

We are not therapists but we do owe our students the very best instruction and help we can provide. If you know of a woman who has been in or is currently in an abusive relationship, there are resources available in most communities to help deal with this problem. You will help by being supportive and pointing her in the right direction to get help from professionals who have experience with these issues. Your local Rape Crisis Center, Battered Women’s Shelter, and Victims Assistance (usually attached to the District Attorney’s Office), can all point you in the right direction if they can’t help you directly. They can also provide you with a reading list or personal training on how to better address violence against women.

Simply being aware of these complicated issues goes a long way in being more sensitive to the unique needs of female students and providing a safe environment for them to train. The communication age is about breaking barriers and improving our lives faster and better than ever before. It is time to further break out of the box of the good ole boy Karate Gym and provide the highest quality service we can to all of our students. They deserve nothing less and we all benefit from the effort!

~ Bill Kipp

FAST Defense Website

Dinoto Karate Center's self-defense for women call 856-235-0414 or email Master Erika Dinoto at dinotokarate@gmail.com

Martial Arts Lessons, Baseball, Football, or Soccer?

As a boy, my parents took me to try out all the typical sports. As a an adult, I am now able to reflect back on all those activities --and I have an opinion about sports that might help you (parents), if you too are considering something athletic for your own child.

The martial arts lessons I took, without question, left me with the most powerful memories, usable resources, and the richest experiences of all the sports I participated in. Just the other day for example, 40 years after I started my martial arts training, my ultimate black belt test coach reminded me of the saying, “If you can’t, then you must --and if you must, then you will.”

Martial arts lessons will stick with your child. I’m more confident today, more capable, and better when the pressure is on --and I attribute a lot of that to my martial arts training. Parents, invest in lessons. They’re worth it.

Please visit our school and let us show you around, and let us give you and your child a free lesson. Call us at 856-235-0414 for more information.

Wisdom Beyond Their Years! Essays from our Children.

Dinoto Karate black belts serving our community

This would make a great poster.  Yes?

President Obama & the First Lady at the White House Conference on Bullying Prevention

http://www.stopbullying.gov/ 
President Obama & the First Lady at the White House Conference ...

http://www.whitehouse.gov/
The President and First Lady Michelle Obama discuss how we can all work together to end bullying as an accepted practice and create a safer environment for our kids to grow up in.


Read Transcript

Master Liciaga teaches Dinoto Karate instructors

Master Liciaga teaches motivation to Dinoto Karate Center's instructors on March 5th, 2011.

Parents excited about fun events for Kids in Mount Laurel NJ

Are you looking for some exciting children's entertainment?

Try Mount Laurel's Dinoto Karate Center!

Dinoto Karate Center is creating a buzz among Mount Laurel parents for having the best events and birthday parties in town.

Dinoto Karate's last event was a 3-hour Parent's night out (see video below!) where the kids had fun with ultimate obstacle courses, relay races, pizza, snacks, board break challenges, music and learning about courage, confidence, fitness and fun!

Here is a short video of their "We are the Champions" dance-off!

Dinoto Karate's next event is this Friday, February 25.

They will have a their annual Glow in the Dark Light Saber event! If your child is into Star Wars! and loves waving a light saber, this is the event for him! Dinoto Karate is located in the Shop Rite Shopping Center in Mount Laurel at 127 Ark Road (behind Friendly's and McDonalds.) For directions or more information call Mrs. Dinoto at 856.235.0414 or go HERE

Watch last years Glow in the Dark event below...

5 Free Tips for a Healthier New Year!

(No charge - but we'd love it if you stopped by for a FREE class!)
(Here are some tried and true tips to stay on track in 2011. You've probably heard most of these before, but it's always good to review them every once in a while because we KNOW we don't always follow them!)

1. Don't grocery shop when you're hungry. Just don't do it!
2. If you don't buy those snacks, you won't eat them. Do NOT keep snacks in the house!
3. Eat your fruit first, vegetables second - and everything else third. "Everything else" should consist of healthy choices - and hopefully all those fruits and veggies will keep you from being a little piggy with the "everything else"!
4. Regular, daily exercise. No, you don't have to come to our gym every day, but you HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE TO stay active. Use those stairs, park farther away - you know the drill. (And you can come to a fitness class every other day or so!)
5. Don't load up that giant plate. Use a smaller plate. If you must have more, take your time with it. Give your food a chance to tell your brain that you're really not hungry anymore! And keep the serving dishes in the kitchen so you'll at least get a little exercise having to get up and go get your seconds and thirds...

Health means diet AND exercise. Losing fat AND gaining muscle are the keys to a healthier body.

• Losing fat is about 2/3 diet and 1/3 exercise.
• Gaining muscle is about 2/3 exercise and 1/3 diet.

We can help. We can make it more fun! 

NEW MORNING & EVENING ZUMBA FITNESS CLASSES NOW AVAILABLE AT DINOTO KARATE CENTER!

Give us a call today. 856-235-0414

Parent's Night Out - We Will Rock YOU!

Almost 50 kids enjoy 3-hours of obstacle courses, re-breakable board challenges, music, karate, dancing, pizza and high-energy fun & excitement at Dinoto Karate Center's 3rd annual Parent's Night Out while parents enjoyed a night out on the town!

Led by education activist Peter Liciaga and the DKC event staff, the kids were treated to an evening of non-stop high-energy fun!

The theme of the event was "Operatation Domination - We Will Rock You!" Teaching the kids that they have the power to make a difference in their families and communities. Whatever they have a passion for or care about, they can be a voice that can be heard. Whether it is girls self-esteem, a positive male self-image, anti-bullying, environmental awareness, diet & health, fitness, animal rights, whatever they feel passionate about, they can be the voice that makes the difference!

We are looking for youth that want to make a difference in their communities. Find out about our Project Based Leadership Program and join the "Operatation Domination - We Will Rock You!" campaign.

Call Peter Liciaga at 856-235-0414 to find out more, or email him at pliciaga@gmail.com

Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention

(read original article Here)

February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. This month serves as a time for organizations and individuals to come together to educate young people about dating violence, warning signs of abuse, defining healthy and unhealthy relationships to prevent the cycle of abuse.

WHAT IS TEEN DATING VIOLENCE

Teen dating violence occurs when one partner tries to maintain power and control over the other through one or more forms of abuse, including physical, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse. Teen dating violence affects both females and males.

While young people experience the same types of abuse as adults, often the methods are unique to the teen culture. Teens often are affected by technological abuse where they receive threats by text messages, email or social media sites.

WARNING SIGNS

Warning signs that your partner is abusive include:

• Extreme jealousy
• Constantly putting you down or calling you hurtful names
• Isolating you from friends and family
• Demanding sex or affection
• Demanding to know where you are and who you are with all the time
• Controlling behavior
• Unpredictable mood swings
• Threatens violence
• Physically hurting you in any way
• Checking your cell phone, email, or social media without permission
• Has an explosive temper

HOW COMMON IS TEEN DATING VIOLENCE

Statistics state nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year. One quarter of high school girls have been victims of physical or sexual abuse in which they have been pressured or threatened into performing oral sex or engaging in intercourse. In addition, 80 percent of teens regard verbal abuse as a serious issue for their age group.

TAKE ACTION

Less than 25 percent of teens say they have discussed dating violence with their parents. Communication should be an ongoing part of a parent's relationship with their child and keeping the lines of communication open will allow for the teens to feel more comfortable discussing their issues. Sitting down and talking to your teens about dating violence can help them recognize the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships and encourage them to seek help if they or someone they know is in an abusive dating relationship.

Discussing dating violence with your teen doesn't have to be uncomfortable. Ask how things are going in general and try bringing up the subject by asking what their friends' dating relationships are like. Ask if your teen has seen any type of abusive behavior between dating couples.

Questions to help spark conversation with your teen:
• How are things going?
• What are your friends' dating relationships like?
• Have you ever seen any kind of abusive behavior between two people who are going out?
• Why do you think someone would abuse someone they were dating?
• Why might a person stay in an abusive relationship?
• What makes a relationship healthy?
• How is your relationship going?

RESOURCES
• Hubbard House: domestic violence center serving Duval and Baker counties - 24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline (904) 354-3114 or (800) 500-1119, http://www.hubbardhouse.org/
• Rape Crisis Hotline: (904) 244-RAPE
• National Teen Dating Hotline: (866) 331-9474, http://www.loveisrespect.org/ (has live chat)
• Teen Internet Dating Info: http://www.loveisnotabuse.com/
• Break The Cycle: The only national non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to ending dating abuse. http://www.breakthecycle.org/ , http://www.thesafespace.org/

If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship please call the Hubbard House hotline at (904) 354-3114 or (800) 500-1119.

ABOUT HUBBARD HOUSE
Founded as the first domestic violence shelter in Florida in 1976, Hubbard House is a certified, comprehensive domestic violence center providing programs and services to more than 5,000 women, children, and men annually in Duval and Baker counties. While Hubbard House is most known for its emergency shelter, the agency also provides extensive adult and youth outreach services, school-based education, therapeutic childcare, batterers' intervention programs, court advocacy and volunteer and community education opportunities. Visit http://www.hubbardhouse.org/ to learn more.

Find out what Peter Liciaga is doing about Teen violence @ www.peterliciaga.org

The Power of the Moment

Anger management, environmental self-defense, dietary self-defense, community involvement, meditation, empathy training, and sustainable living represent a part of the new kind of “self-defense lessons” taught in schools that recognize what I call the power of the moment.

That moment is the opening that comes every so often; that moment when the young and impressionable student is listening to his or her martial arts teacher like only a child can –with that wide-eyed acceptance, that fully open mind, ready to grow, instantly absorbing, and highly impressionable.

It is at that moment that we want our hero at the front of the class to speak not about defeating an opponent or striking another human being or winning a tournament; we want to hear words and ideas that inspire compassion, awareness, respect for self, for family, for the community, for the global community, and for the planet.

We want a seed planted and/or watered at that moment; something that has the potential to sprout into a kind of wisdom and happiness that is uncommon, but the deepest wish of every mother and father.

When that moment comes, as I have seen it come so many times, trust that your teacher is fully aware and recognizes what power his or her words, influence, actions, and position wields.

This is the kind of martial arts I am coaching your teacher to practice (and if they have sent this letter to you, then you can assume that he or she is a good student! Note: The best teachers are almost always good students themselves).

My clients are the kinds of teachers who are acutely aware of the power of the moment; they live to create those moments –so that they might make a true contribution to a better and more peaceful world.

We consider this “our business.”

We spend only the smallest amount of time necessary working on how to run our businesses so that we can pay the bills and have money left over (like all business owners); we spend the majority of our energy on coming up with the most innovative, creative, interesting, and powerful ways to create moments of deep learning, constructive and useful attitudes, and the kind of awareness that promotes peace of mind –and peace in action.

To be a part of my programs, your teacher must transform himself (or herself) into someone who makes the pursuit of genuine martial arts mastery a deep, personal and spiritual daily practice.

You can recognize my students because they are training to be in the best shape of their lives; they are eating and living with full consciousness of what they consume; they define and engage their heroes; they practice meditation; they read; and they take on projects with their students that benefit their respective communities; projects that show, firsthand, how to apply their training principles to life —on and off of the mat.

My members are grounded, real –and exuberant people.

Among our ranks is an Academy Award winning filmmaker; there are songwriters, environmental and civil engineers, artists, authors, attorneys, world champions, school teachers, counselors, journalists, grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, mothers—and all of them are martial artists with a desire to make a difference, here and now, through what they teach and how they teach it.

That is the mission of this work, which is now made up of my work and the work of your teacher.

Find out what your instructor is doing by visiting him at www.PeterLiciaga.org

Martial Arts Lessons: It’s Not About Violence

Just the other day a parent asked me if she thought my classes promoted violent behavior in young boys. She was inquiring about lessons for her son and was concerned that he and his friends might take what they’re learning and use it inappropriately.

I thought it was a fine question.

Yes, there have been a few cases (very few) of students “playing martial arts” with friends, the same way they play as their favorite superheroes, but I’ve never heard of the play being malicious or hurtful. I do, however, hear many stories of my young students using the kind of restraint we talk about in almost every class. I hear many stories of the young people in my program --and other martial arts schools --avoiding violence, avoiding conflict, and staying out of trouble as a result of their training.

A good martial arts teacher adds instructions and advice about how NOT to use martial arts, as often as he or she teaches the technical aspects of the arts.

“The ‘cake’ that is what a martial arts teacher offers his or her students,” says Tom Callos (www.tomcallos.com), the National Director of The One Hundred (www.flavors.me/masterteachers), an association made up of martial arts instructors who embrace education over the more media-prevalent aspects of martial arts instruction, “is made up of blocks, punches, kicks, and other maneuvers, But the real “flour” of the recipe is in the restraint, the self-control, and the attitude of self-discipline that makes up the best-of-the-best the martial arts has to offer.”

And by way of an offer, any reader of this piece that would like to “taste” the cake we produce at our school, need only contact me, Peter Liciaga, Instructor at Dinoto Karate Center to receive a free private or group trial class (no strings attached, no sales pitches, nothing but a genuine “try us”).

And no, it is not about violence or aggression or hurting people. The martial arts are about grown-up adults mentoring young people in the ways of non-violence, self-control, and contribution.

Martial arts is more than kicks and punches!

...it's leadership at it's BEST!!! Martial artist, friend and fellow ultimate black belt test member Brian Williams is making a HUGE diffence in the lives of our youth across the nation! I am inspired, motivated and challenged by his work. This is truly what it is to be a black belt leader!

Watch this video and visit his website at http://www.thinkkindness.org/

41 Days Till Launch - 100,000 Shoes from Brian Williams on Vimeo.

Find out about leadership programs in Mount Laurel NJ by calling 856-235-0414 or visiting us at Mount Laurel Project Based Leadership

10 Simple Lessons In Self-Defense, For Girls

It’s this simple: Children defend themselves with their heads. It’s knowledge that protects children in today’s world. Knowledge about safety, about what to avoid, about what to do, where to go, and how to stay out of harm’s way.

I’m a part of a remarkable association of martial arts teachers, really forward thinking and action-oriented instructors, who come together almost every day to move worthwhile projects forward. The group is called The One Hundred, it’s headed by a 6th degree black belt named Tom Callos (www.tomcallos.com).

The One Hundred, all of us, work on things that are, literally, “good for the world.” Like we’re bringing diabetes education to martial arts schools and anger management training and environmental self-defense programs. This week we launched a very simple, but powerful website to help girls (young women) learn about a kind of self-defense made just for today’s world.

The site, still being added to and polished, is www.flavors.me/10Lessons . Check it out.

And if you know a young person who could use some self-defense instruction, send them our way. Tell us you visited our 10 Lessons site and we’ll give you a self-defense lesson for free --and one thing you will NEVER get at a school in The One Hundred, is a “sales pitch.” We don’t see over the counter, we sell by engaging in and delivering extraordinary work.

For your free self-defense class and mark my words here, there’s no “hook” or sales pitch in this offer. This is simply a way for you to try our school, before ever THINKING about enrollment. Click HERE or contact us at: 856-235-0414

"Wisdom of the Elders" - a community project

Mount Laurel resident and ultimate black belt member, Peter Liciaga will interview 100 senior citizens/elders for his 5th degree black belt test. Master Liciaga will sit down with 100 elders in our community and ask them about life, wisdom and what their thoughts are about...

how they feel about the world today; what their pet peeves are; and what would they say to the future generations.

These questions and many more are answered in an interesting series of videos, Wisdom of the Elders, directed, produced, and filmed by Peter Liciaga, a 49 year old master martial arts instructor. Liciaga will seek to answer questions about the important lessons our elders have learned on their respective journeys through life.

Participants’ responses to his questions range from humorous to fascinating to reflective.

View the Wisdom videos below.


Seniors Are America's Most Underutilized Asset

That’s what this project is all about: the things America’s seniors have learned from their many years of living, in their own words. It’s their personal observations, made from their individual perspectives – looking back.

Share Your Experiences

Peter Liciaga is interested in your experiences and would like to interview you. Please read through the interview questions below, answer the questions (as many or as few as you like) and email as an attachment to

Peter Liciaga (pliciaga@gmail.com)

Please be sure to include your address, telephone number and email address. Thank you!
Please let Peter know if you would allow him to interview you.
Questions: Looking Back

• As you look back over the years, how do you feel about your life? Any regrets?
• Anything you missed out on that you would liked to have done?
• Is there anything you would do differently if you had it to do over again? Would you follow a different path? In what way?
• Were you a self-confident child? Did your level of confidence change as you became an adult? If not, why not?
• Did you have a mentor or a special person who helped guide you as you were growing up?
• Did the lessons you learned from that person still stand out in your mind?
• What were your dreams and ambitions when you were growing up? Did any of them come true? If they did, did it have the same importance to you that you thought it would?
• What advice would you give to future generations?
• Finish this statement. "Wisdom is... "

Children’s Classes in Martial Arts, What to Expect

Expect there to be one or more experienced teachers on the floor in your child’s class. Expect the teacher to, at times, appear to have the patience of Job. Expect a bit more, Oh how shall we say it? ENERGY, every so often. Expect the teacher, whether gently guiding everyone along or cranking up the troops, to wear a smile (a happy one!).

Expect a lot of talk about respect, about leadership, about good manners, about anger, about a whole bunch of things just about any parent would love to hear some OTHER adult talking to them about. That’s the way we do it.

“I haven’t been a ‘karate kid’ for some time, like decades, but the experience is still in my mind like it happened yesterday. Parents, enroll your child in a good martial arts school. You’ll never regret it --and your children will never forget it.” -- Tom Callos, http://www.tomcallos.com/

Expect a lot of good-sleep-inducing exercise. And expect some special events, as one of our primary goals is to teach our students to take what they practice on the mat and apply it to other things (like school, like work, like fun, and like --to the community).

Expect to look back on your son or daughters martial arts lessons with great pleasure and fond memories. Expect, genuinely, some very good times.

For a free class (and mark my words here, there’s no “hook” or sales pitch in this offer. This is simply a way for you to try our school, before ever THINKING about enrollment. Click here or contact us at: 856-235-0414

Advice for Men and Women over the age of 40, Thinking About Taking Martial Arts Classes

First, take it slow. No, really. There’s no hurry, it’s not a competition, and you’re not 20 anymore (even though you look like it). Going too hard, too fast, is why a lot of people who would like to enjoy all the benefits of training, no longer practice the martial arts (or any number of activities). Go too fast, get injured; get injured, quit training.

Second, if the instructor is your age (or older), that’s a good thing. If he or she is younger, make sure they know who’s the boss (you!). You only do what your body says you can do. If and when a class moves into an area you, for sure, want to avoid, you can always find an alternative way to stay engaged. What you shouldn’t do is “100 reps” when your body is telling you the 50 would be wise. Trust me, your teacher will appreciate your input. Give yourself enough time and you will not only keep up with the group, you might be leading it!

Third, be consistent. Being inconsistent about class attendance can dampen the fire of your enthusiasm. Stay on course!

Try out the class you’re interested, first, before enrolling. There’s nothing wrong with trying a week or even two weeks of classes with an instructor you’re interested in studying with. Most all schools will provide you with an introductory or trial course, without a fee (if you like classes, they’re going to know you for a long, long time). If a school doesn’t offer an introductory, it’s a red flag to enrollment.

By the way, click here to find out about a beginner introductory course to our school.

Peter Liciaga, 50 years of age and a 40 year veteran of martial arts practice (see his bio at http://www.peterliciaga.org/) offers the following advice:

“Don’t hesitate to enroll in martial arts classes,” says Liciaga. “It’s a wonderful, thorough, and engaging form of exercise. Just be mindful about the way you practice. Study some of the history of the art you engage in. Enjoy the process of improvement.”

Purpose, Mission and Intention

I am a member of a society (the one hundred) that lifts our collective purpose to a new level of mission, purpose, and intention. I am no longer operating in the box of what martial arts training/instruction/schools used to be, what we/they did in the 70′s, 80′s, 90′s, etc.

We are returning to the center. We are re-defining my role in society –for the purpose of increasing our actual value to it. We are not a Curves. We are not a laundry. We are not a “business” in the traditional sense. We are martial arts master teachers in training; we serve our community, uniquely, as warriors for something different, smart, wholesome, and PREVENTIVE.

We serve as role models for an elevated form of thinking –and an elevated, mindful form of living.

We are banding together in a way that has never been done in the martial arts world, never could have been done before now. We are looking at the world’s problems and determining that we can play a more important role in creating solutions.

The young people who come up in our schools are going to be exposed to ideas –ideas about what this training is for —ideas about how to use the martial arts —ideas about how to take what they practice so hard on the mat –and apply it all to real issues in the real world.

We will battle obesity –and the root causes of it. We will battle prejudice, sexism, and other forms of fear and ignorance. Our students will understand the value of small things to make big differences. In this way each of us becomes a Kano, a Ueshiba, a Funakoshi, and a “Great Teacher.”

Now we can turn to martial artists who are starting to represent the human spirit, the spirit of hope, the spirit of change for the better —now I can say, “Do you want to see the best-of-the-best of what the martial arts produces? Look to these men and women, they’re “living it.”

We will embrace peace education like we would a bid to win the world championships. Immerse ourselves in wisdom, surround ourselves with wise people, with Mandela, with King, with people who work for the greater good. Then when someone calls us “Master,” it will be because we are a student of the true masters of humanity.

We won’t have to put a “Master” patch on our uniform –as our life’s work and simplicity with which we live will demonstrate that we have, indeed, learned something from our years of study and practice.

The one hundred was formed not to “teach business,” but to serve as an example of exactly what we hope the martial arts world could become. It is our time.

I, for one, am very excited about what we stand to accomplish –and what we represent.



If you have any questions about martial arts in Mount Laurel NJ, please contact me personally at 856-278-5282 or visit Martial Arts for Adults & Children in Mount Laurel

Thank you for reading my blog.

Peter Liciaga

10 Tips for Martial Arts Students, to Deepen Your Practice

By Tom Callos for Peter Liciaga and Dinoto Karate Center students

You didn’t start your study of the martial arts to “go through the motions” of it all, did you? Of course you didn’t, but look around you in your next class and I’ll bet you spot a number of your classmates doing that very thing, going through the motions. It’s human nature to get distracted, to multi-task, and wander off course.

To deepen and strengthen your practice so that you stay on the mark and make reasonable progress, I offer you these 10 time-tested, Tom-tested tips:

1. As often as you can remember to do so, say to yourself “I am aware that I am training” (kicking, punching grappling, or whatever it is you’re doing at the moment). For me, that never fails to get my head out of the clouds and back into my practice (I am aware that I am writing this!).
   
2. Use a training partner (or partners) to hold you accountable to more intense, more focused, and more “present” practice. Friends are a good thing.
   
3. Eat better food before and after ever class (and, of course, that translates into ALL THE TIME). If you’re body’s jammed full of food-delivered chemicals, cups of corn-syrup, and crates full of unnecessary carbs or fats, you’re going to find you don’t function like the well-oiled machine you're supposed to be. Contrary to the way a lot of people live their lives, what you eat IS important to your performance. In fact, what you eat IS self-defense.
   
4. Breath deeply, focus on breathing deeply, think about breathing deeply, and maybe, if you have a habit of forgetting, write “BREATH DEEPLY” on the backside of your hand. To see just how much this helps you, do it. You’ll feel the benefits right away.


5. Take your practice off of the mat. Courtesy and respect for others isn’t something that’s practiced in the school with people you’re semi-afraid of. It’s for that ding-dong at the supermarket (you can tell what someone is made of by how they treat the people that mean nothing to them). It’s for your Mom, who sometimes bugs you in a big way. It’s for the substitute teacher (yes, even for him/her).


6. Practice at home, a minimum of 10 minutes a day on the days you don’t attend classes. Little things add up, so even 10 minutes of practice can help you grow. Oh, and if you don’t think 10 minutes matters, try to hold your side-kick out out for 10 minutes or try and hold your breath for 10 minutes. Yeah.


7. Read age-appropriate philosophy. Champions, whether in science, baseball, chess, jiu-jitsu, or cross-country skiing, all have belief systems that make them rise above hardship and overcome obstacles. They all learn to cope with defeat --and victory. Reading the words of someone with experience can be the next best thing to talking with them face-to-face.


8. Go crazy. Yes, act in a way that most people would consider very odd indeed. For example, when things start getting really hard, you pretend they’re getting easier. Crazy! When everyone else complains --and for good reasons too, you find the good in the situation and jump up to be the first person to turn whatever is wrong, right. Insane! When everyone else quits, you stick to it! You’re a nut!
   
   Actually, you’re a martial artist.
   
9. Measure your own personal performance on a scale between 1 and 10, with “1” being your worst performance --and “10” being an all out, focused, beautiful-to-behold effort. Try to operate as close to level 10 as you can during your classes (whether you’re standing still or doing difficult maneuvers). And while you’re at it, try to LIVE at level 10, whenever possible. It’s a good thing.
   
10. I hate to drop this one on you last, as it’s a bit of a let-down after all this glorious focus on you and yours, but maybe the best way to deepen your own practice of the martial arts is to help others deepen theirs. Yes, that’s right, in the end, it’s not about you at all. Funny how it always works out that way.

If you are thinking about martial arts classes in Mount Laurel for you or your family, find out more HERE

About the Author: Tom Callos’ bio and project portfolio may be read at http://www.tomcallos.com/