Should I join the gym or kickboxing class?

January 6, 2020 by lvshaolin

You should definitely join kickboxing rather than a gym. Kickboxing exercises your entire body at the same time and will give you more than just strength.

Here Are 6 Benefits You Get From Joining Our Martial Arts/Kickboxing Class

1
Practical, Effective Self Defense
2
Increased Concentration And Focus
3
Stress Relief
4
Kickboxing Class Gives You Confidence
5
The Best Whole Body Workout
6
A Challenge To Overcome

What kind of kickboxing class are you looking for?

First, you must decide on what kind of class you are looking for. So you want a class that is just a workout but does not teach you how to apply the techniques.

Remember kickboxing techniques are meant to be used against and opponent, not a heavy bag.

Bag work should be a small part of the class and not take up 90% of class time. In addition, in most cardio kickboxing classes, the emphasis is on getting a workout. The instructor doesn't actually take the time to refine and correct your technique.

Kickboxing Class Is One Of The Best Whole Body Workouts

Look, bodybuilding, weightlifting, and running are great workout routines. However, the treadmill and dumbbells have one thing in common. Both are extremely boring.

These days, you want to spend your valuable time doing two things at once if possible. If you could get in great shape while learning techniques that could save you in a self-defense situation, why wouldn't you?

Don't you want a workout that will work you to work out your whole body all at once? Kickboxing class is an incredibly efficient way to workout.

Here, we are different. We want you to learn why you are doing the technique in a certain way. The details matter. Details are what make the self-defense component real. If you actually have to defend yourself your fundamentals are what is going to come out. Especially if your body is undergoing an adrenal stress response.

Kickboxing gives you both strength, flexibility and cardio Kickboxing class is the answer you have been looking for. By combing actual martial arts techniques with cardio like pace will give you the heart-pumping workout you have been looking for.

There are some estimates that kickboxing class can burn up to 750 calories in an hour. This is because the kicks and punches force you to engage all of the muscles at once. In addition, you will find your core muscles working to stabilize your balance every time you kick or strike.

Kickboxing Class Is Challenging

Can you imagine how it feels when you start something as challenging as learning a martial art, then actually getting good at it? In addition, The feeling of accomplishment you get every time you walk out of a class gives you confidence.

If it doesn't challenge you it doesn't change you.

Concentration And Focus

Kickboxing class gives you increased focus and concentration.

A kickboxing class is about endurance for sure, but di you know that classes are also about focus and concentration? Half the battle of a kickboxing class is the mental component. You need to focus on the details of each jab, each left hook and each round kick.

“Are my feet in the right position?”, “ Are my hand in the correct guard position after I execute the Right hook?” These are questions that force you to concentrate. These corrections put you into the zone.

Stress Relief

Are you stressed out? Do you need something that you can take out all of your frustrations out on?

How do you tend to deal with it? Some people find relief in food or alcohol. Some people numb their stress by playing video games. You are not the type of person you need to relieve your stress through a workout.

Here is the good news...
Kickboxing is one of the most stress-relieving activities you can do. Why? The secret to stress relief is hitting the punch mitts

I want you to think about what is stressing you out. Then, I want you to start kicking pads really hard for 30 minutes. Don't think that would help? It helps tremendously!

There is something about hitting something that gives you a sense of peace and calms your nerves. Release those feel-good hormones know as endorphins and go home collected and get a great night's rest.

Confidence

Kickboxing gives you confidence

You want to feel confident in your daily life. There is nothing more confident than being able to kick butt. Remember confidence comes from being competent at something.

Every improvement in your journey gives you a small increase in your confidence level. You feel just a little bit stronger every day.

Now, you have set your mind to improve your martial arts abilities. Next, you set your mind to accomplish the goal of the work promotion, the next date or whatever you want to accomplish. You know that anything you want to accomplish requires the same work ethic, the same effort, and the same consistency and getting good at a martial art like kickboxing.

Kickboxing is a combat sport. But what if you don't want to compete?
Our class does sometimes include live sparring.

I know what you are thinking...
“But I don't want to spar” and yes you are right to have concerns. However, if sparring is done in the right environment and without ego, sparring can be really safe and super fun.

You know that the minutia you have to deal with at work, is nothing compared to the pressure you feel during sparring. Everything problem seems less important, your life now seems like a breeze, because you are constantly putting yourself under pressure in kickboxing class.

You now know path to get there and you have the confidence necessary to make it happen!

Is Kickboxing Effective And Practical Self-defense?

Yes, it is. Your knowledge of kickboxing is a definite advantage in a fight. If you combine your techniques to include just a few self defense-related targets, you will have an excellent and reliable means to defend yourself.

What do I mean by a few self defense-related targets? Well, the most vulnerable targets to attack on the human body are the eyes, throat and groin areas.

So if you can use your kickboxing techniques to aim for these specific areas, you have a practical self-defense system.

What To Expect When you Enroll In Our Kickboxing Class

First, we don't have a specific class that is just kickboxing. Kickboxing is part of what we call the adult beginner class. In the adult beginner class we do all of the styles of martial arts. So you will be learning the Jeet Kune Do version of kickboxing, while simultaneously learning the Muay Thai version of techniques. Chinese Kung Fu has a sport version of the art known as San Shou. We combine all of the arts together to form our kickboxing curriculum.

Sometime you will be working on the heavy bag. Other times you will be working with a partner using punch mitts. And sometimes we go into sparring. Keep an open mind and know that we are there to make you strong, in shape and able to defend yourself.

All of our classes are based on authentic kickboxing techniques and strategies. You are not just another number here. This is a personalized experience where you get to know the people in your class and the instructor knows your name form the very first day. You get corrected on your form and the expectation is that you improve in your level of detail and actually get good at kickboxing.

If this the experience you are looking for then give us a call at 702-336-1095

Would you like a free one on one Phone consultation With One Of The Owners, (Instructor Kevin or Renee) and a tour of our facilities?

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Sil Lum Fut Gar Kuen

December 20, 2019 by lvshaolin Leave a Comment

Shaolin Fo Jia Chuan or Sil Lum Fut Gar Kuen

Sil Lum Fut Gar Kuen - The Traditional Southern Style That is the predecessor to modern Wing Chun

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Shaolin Fo Jia Chuan Or Sil Lum Fut Gar Kuen

During the time China's Ching Dynasty, which ruled during the 18th century, a style of kung fu called Sil Lum Fut Ga Kuen was created.

Any citizen who would dare oppose the Ching government was tortured and killed. The Han Chinese, who made up the majority of the population, was subjected to the worst kind of physical and mental degradation under the Manchu rule.

Secret societies of revolutionaries dedicated to the overthrow of the Manchus formed. These secret organizations consisted of many of China's most skilled fighters

Hence, the Ching Dynasty realized the threat posed by well-trained fighters against the Ching Regime. Manchurian rulers required commitments of loyalty from all martial arts masters. Those masters who refused were put to death.

Revolution

Therefore, many revolutionary fighters were executed. Others were forced into exile. The Shaolin temples, located in the center of the country, served as refuges for many soldiers, dissidents, and persons fleeing persecution.

However, several of these refugees were martial arts experts. Their combined presence at the temple allowed for the exchange of different fighting styles and techniques.

Thus, these fighters helped to refine and improve the techniques already known by the monks, during their stay. The monks, in turn, fused these techniques with their system of meditation and qigong.

The 5 Famous Families Of Southern Style Kung Fu

One monk living at the Sil Lum Monastery was fortunate enough to receive the attention and guidance of 5 different masters of Kung Fu. He learned from masters of Lau Ga, Li Ga, Mok Ga, Hung Ga, and Choy Ga styles. Each Kung Fu style had unique characteristics and emphasized different techniques.

For example, Hung Ga Kuen emphasized brute strength and a low wide stance. The stances in Hung Ga Kuen are deep and low to develop strength in the legs but become very upright when fighting. You should be able to stay rooted and balanced standing upright because of the feeling gained at the deep posture.

Next, Mok Ga was famed for its kicks. You attack an opponent's knees and feet in this style.

Finally, Lau Ga Kuen contained all of the locking hand techniques.

This one monk integrated this accumulated knowledge into a single style. This monk kept only the martial arts techniques he felt were most efficient. He then discarded all techniques he considered less essential. He condensed them down to only those techniques he thought were really going to work in a true fight.

This is SiI Lum Fut Ga Kuen.

Sil Lum Fut Gar Kuen contains elements that are typical of both Northern and Southern Gong Fu styles.

Sil Lum Fut Gar Kuen - The Style Of Ng Mui

To begin with, The Sil Lum Temple takes in mostly men for members. To live at the Sil Lum Temple during this time in history, you almost certainly had to be a man.

However, one outstanding lady monk or nun studied this system, her name was Ng Mui.

Ng Mui was a very powerful martial artist and gained the respect of all of the men at the temple. She would sometimes leave Sil Lum and visit the neighboring villages. It is during one of her outings that she met a young woman named Yim Wing Chun.

The Wing Chun Connection

In this case, Ng Mui taught another famous teacher named Yim Wing Chun.

However, Wing Chun felt the training was too strenuous and took a long time to master. So, Wing Chun created and perfected a system of her own which now bears her name. In fact, there is still a very strong resemblance to some of the Sil Lum Fut Ga movements in Wing Cun Kung Fu, especially in the hands.

The Buddhist Connection

Unlike many other martial arts forms, Sil Lum Kung fu origins are based in religion. The Sil Lum Temple was founded as a part of the Chan Sect. Imported into China, the Chan sect was a school of Buddhism that was founded in the Sixth century.

The Chan Sect was a school of Buddhism imported to the Chinese culture during the early Sixth century. The Chan Sect soon became the dominant Buddhist school in China, with more than 79 percent of the country's temples practicing its teachings.

Actually, two completely separate Sil Lum temples were built, one for the Northern sect and one for the Southern sect. These Sil Lum Temples distinguished themselves from the others in that their monks were martial arts experts. Throughout history, dedication to studying and living the scriptures of Buddhism, and intense martial arts training were the hallmarks of the life of a Shaolin monk.

What Is Traditional Kung Fu?

Did you know that some people call my school and ask if I teach ‘traditional” kung fu? Usually, I say yes. Then I think to myself what a loaded question that is. I really have no idea how to answer them because “traditional” can mean so many different things to different people. The art of kung fu itself is ancient. For example, it is hundreds of years old. So, kung fu is “traditional” in that these many techniques survived the test of time because of their efficiency.

However, some schools think “traditional” as being one true way.

They do not intertwine other styles and even they go so far as to say “We teach the art as it was taught by the founder”.

Traditional thought could not be farther from this. The art that I teach called Sil Lum Fut Ga Kuen is an intertwining of five different styles itself.

We would not be practicing Sil Lum Fut Ga Kuen today if the original creator of this martial arts style had taken this so-called “traditional” approach. Bruce Lee was not the first person to incorporate different styles into his training. Martial arts are always evolving because people are all different.

Specifically, what works for you might not work for someone else. For example, a tall person with a long reach will want to stay to the outside rather than get in real close. However, someone with long legs will want to develop their kicks to a high level while if you have a short muscular build you will want to get in tight against the person you are fighting.

Each individual student should receive customized instruction in martial arts. Any martial arts instructor worth their salt will realize this obvious fact.

Use Everything You Know

In conclusion, most people when entering a new school may know some martial arts already.

Very few of these new students like to demonstrate their previous knowledge. Sometimes, they may think it disrespectful or as showing off somehow. However, I always emphasize in my classes for you to use what you know if it is going to help you become a better fighter.

For example, you can use Free fighting or shadow boxing as drills that combine all of your skills together. You should try to become fluid at using them all the styles in conjunction seamlessly.

To summarize, you can take from each art the strength of the art. Kung Fu is really good at targeting. Kung fu hits the eye, throat, and groin as its primary targets. You can steal from boxing the defensive tactics and evasion techniques. A good boxer utilizing slips can become virtually unhittable. From jujitsu, you can incorporate the grappling techniques and ground fighting. Escrima has the best knife defense drills and tactics. You can incorporate Wing Chun Kung fu’s chi sau drills which develop a very high level of sensitivity and flow.

Lastly, my own personal goal and the goals of many of my students, are to become complete fighters. In my very “traditional” school I recommend using everything at your disposal to become one

Need an instructor in Los Angeles? Click here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUrXsWfBx6wIwn1tB78IJyhA

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Boxing Lessons For Kids

December 20, 2019 by lvshaolin Leave a Comment

When taught in a controlled environment Boxing Lessons Are actually safer than many team sports.

Boxing is a contact sport, and sometimes you can get hurt if your when boxing a beginner because they don't know what they're doing. But, in some cases boxing can be a lot safer than other non-contact sports.

For example, you can break your ankle playing basketball or get a concision while paying football. The way to keep boxing safe is how you teach it and who you spar with. 9/10 times when some gets hurt while sparring, its's when a beginner doesn't know what they are doing.

Safety Is One Of Our Main Concerns When Teaching

Boxing is a contact sport we make sure to ease kids into sparring. The last thing we want to happen is for a kid to get hit hard and start crying.

There are ways for an instructor to control a contact class and make sure that your child will leave the class happy and smiling.

For example, the very first thing that an instructor can do to keep kids safe, is to pair up kids of similar level.

Maturity Is Key

Sometimes this is not always available so the next thing that an instructor can do is make sure that beginners partner with a child that is mature enough to hold back on power, while still trying to work on their own techniques.

The second way an instructor can make sure that boxing class is safe is to run limited sparring drills. This is where sparring is not full contact and the techniques that only a few techniques are being worked on at one time.

Limited Sparring At First

Limited sparring could mean that one kid is only throwing the jab while the other is allowed to only block the jab or slip the jab, then both partners would switch roles.

Although these limitations on sparring do not reflect real combat, I prefer them over having kids thrown into the ring with little experience only to be discouraged because they could not handle the sparring session.

In fact, I would go so far as saying that any instructor who does not understand these two ways of dealing with contact for kids, should not be teaching. It is inevitable that a child is going to get hurt and never want to train again.

As martial arts instructors, it is our responsibility to make sure that kids see their training in a positive light.

No one should ever be afraid of coming to class, and no child should ever quit because an instructor thought that the right thing to do is to toughen up kids by letting them spar with contact before they are ready.

Boxing Is A Great Way To Channel Aggression

Children of all ages can sometimes display aggressive attitudes. The cause of this aggression can vary widely. Sometimes it's genetics, or maybe frustration with school.

Martial arts training provides a healthy way for children to release their aggressiveness without hurting anyone.

We teach a variety of martial arts styles at our school. For example, one of these styles is boxing. Kids like to hit targets when practicing in martial arts classes. We use the punch mitts to give them a sense of personal power. When they actually hit the hand targets, its very therapeutic for many children.

Punching the mitts allows the child to channel their frustration or anger into action and gives them a chance to burn off energy and frustration. They can place all of their energy into their practice and it helps to distract them from aggressive behaviors. They become much calmer and serene after exercising and working hard in the kid's classes.

Striking the targets in martial arts class will also create a positive response in your child's mind. Feel-good chemicals are released in the body whenever they exercise and can all help ease feelings of anger and frustration.

For parents of aggressive children, enrolling them in a martial arts class might seem to be counterproductive but when we teach children self-defense techniques like these, we also teach them when it is appropriate and inappropriate to use them. We want all of our students to be able to take a stand for themselves when others bully them. We teach them to not start any fights, but if attacked, we teach them that it is OK to defend yourself.

Footwork Is Key

Every martial arts school has its own way of teaching footwork drills to kids. However, all footwork techniques have similar goals.

The first goal of martial arts footwork is to keep the practitioner in balance. Your child should be able to move in any direction while still maintaining their balance and keeping their hands up in a guard position.

The secondary goal of having good footwork is to be able to move in and out of range. Footwork can control an entire fight by moving an in and out of striking distance efficiently.

The third goal of footwork is to develop a more powerful strike. When moving into a opponent's footwork, it actually increases the momentum and adds power to a forward strike.

Most of the time kids want to bypass footwork drills in favor of learning to punch or kick. Kids are naturally going to find punching and kicking more exciting than learning to move. No matter how much I feel like teaching JUST footwork for long periods of time, I won't do it. When training kids in Summer Camps, you have tempered some of the more tedious drills with fun.

If the kids don't find practicing to be fun they are going to quit anyway. So our job as coaches is to find a happy medium where kids walk away smiling and happy but yet at the same time having learned their fundamentals.

It's All In The Details

When teaching kids boxing, it is sometimes hard for them to be aware of all the details for each movement.

For example, when they first learn the jab, they are concentrating so hard on punching with power and speed, that they forget about keeping their other hand up, or they may forget to stay in stance.

We use these clever ways to patiently remind the students of proper form.

Here Are 3 Tips To Help Your Child Learn Boxing

First, make sure that the hand that is not punching stays where it is supposed to. We use a pretend glue bottle to keep their hands glued to the correct position.

Second, make sure that their hand does not drop down on the way back to home base. As you know, it's when you are initiating a punch, that you are most vulnerable to getting hit yourself.

Lastly, tell your child to pull their hand back to home base quickly. The faster their retraction is, the faster they will be able to initiate the next attack or defensive technique.

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Leadership Training For Kids

December 19, 2019 by lvshaolin

Kids Leadership Training

The Leadership Training Class at the Kung Fu Academy Gives Your Child Real Confidence!

Interested In Leadership Training For Kids?

One of the many great things about martial arts is that is can build your child's character. Martial arts gives your child leadership skills, an open mind and confidence.

As a young adolescent, I never had a guide or mentor to show me what leadership was. Of course, I had my parents, but I wouldn't classify them as leaders. I grew up like most, where I struggled through school not knowing why some kids were leaders and some were not.

I wasn't bullied very much but, confidence and leadership were a complete mystery to me. Popular kids would be joking around and having no fear in social situations and I didn't know how to do it. Now I know that it has to do with how confident you feel on the inside.

However, part of being able to feel confident on the inside is being taught, little by little how leadership and social dynamics work.

In Our Martial Arts School We Have A Class Called Leadership Training. It Is Held Every Saturday Morning At 9:30 A.M.

One of the hardest things for me to do when I was younger was to be able to speak in a group setting. This fear of public speaking comes from the same place all fear comes from, which is the "unknown".

Today, one of the primary goals we strive to accomplish is to slowly expose kids to public speaking through the teaching of the martial arts.

Here Are Some Of The Basic Concepts Your Child Will Learn In Leadership Training

Public Speaking Skills

Are you the type who just jumps into the cold pool or are you the type who needs to slowly inch their way in. I am the latter.

Jumping into a cold pool is something I can never do. I have to slowly desensitize myself to the temperature first.

When we teach children how to speak in front of a class we use this slow inching our way in method to get them desensitized to being in the front of the class.

At first, the requirements are simple.

Step 1 is to be able to count to 10 along with the class as they are doing drills

At first, we start out by having kids count off numbers as a group. They all count in unison and with a strong voice. This group setting gives them the permission they need to speak loudly and with force.

Think of it as peer pressure to do well (count strongly), not as the same type of peer pressure that the media portrays as negative.

Once the Leadership Training class starts counting strongly, we have them count the same numbers while performing jumping jacks, air squats or push-ups After a few months of counting off numbers as a group we move on to step 2 to is getting them comfortable with public speaking.

Step 2 is to be able to count while in the very front of the class.

The next step in Leadership Training involves having a student come to the front of the class. They are still calling off numbers at the same time, but now the entire class is looking up at them.

Step 3 is to call of the name of the drill then count it off.

After a few months of being up at the front of the martial arts class, we slowly start having them say the name of the drill. For example, your child might be called up to the front, then we would say "Johnny, say 'jumping jacks! 20 times! Ready? Begin!'" This small script gives them a guide to leading the class. All of the words must be said with both intensity and volume.

Step 4 is to start to give details of the exercise then call of the numbers to the drill.

After a few months of being able to call of various warm-ups, we have your child say "1 important detail about this warm-up is...." By now, your child has been training for a while and knows many details of many movements.

We help them to choose what detail to say at first but later the student decided what details he or she would like to express. After a few months of being able to say 1 detail, they slowly progress to multiple details to each move they teach.

Step 5 is full out teaching an entire martial arts class by themselves.

Reaching this final step takes quite a long time. It requires perseverance and dedication, but little by little, inner confidence grows and solidifies until we get the end result; a kid who is confident in any situation, can defend themselves if needed, knows the ins and outs of social situations, and is CONFIDENT is himself.

Does this sound like it's too slow of a process?

Well, some kids can progress faster and some kids will progress slower. The key is to challenge the student without taking them too much out of their comfort zone. When parents see an old video of their child, sometime they can't believe how far they have come. We have had students who have gone to what many people would label as "shy" to being extremely self-confident and articulate speakers.

Of course, public speaking is not self-defense...

But wait, when you really think about it it's part of an overall lifestyle change, it's part of being comfortable in your own skin, it's part of being able to look people in the eye and not become a victim. It's part of Leadership Training

Actually all of the students at our martial arts academy go through Leadership Training. Most of the students do not realize that they are even going through this training!

Let me explain.

All students are expected to count off numbers verbally while doing exercises. This is the first step in Instructor training.

Having the ability to count strongly while performing a warm-up drill is at least 50% of teaching.

We routinely call up random students to come up to the front of the class to demonstrate their techniques.

This is part test and part desensitizing kids from being afraid of being in front of a crowd. When you let kids speak in front of a class they become very confident in themselves.

Dinner Before Dessert – The Key To Self Discipline

As adults, we all know having a strong work ethic is paramount to being successful in life. As you can guess have a strong work ethic is also paramount to being successful in martial arts.

One of the concepts that we teach in our martial arts classes for kids is called dinner before dessert. Dinner before dessert is the concept of work before play which is basically having a strong work ethic.

One of the most valuable lessons that martial arts teaches kids is how to understand that instant gratification is something that many people want but not the best way to live life.

Instead, the better lesson is that delayed gratification, where it takes a lot of work before experiencing any reward is the reality of life.

At our martial arts school in Las Vegas, we try to teach kids that it's only through hard work and a lot of effort that you will be able to achieve your goal.

6 Important Steps To Teaching Goal Setting To Kids [ Leadership Training ]

The ultimate purpose of martial arts training is to take the lessons of martial arts and apply them to life outside of the dojo or academy.

Leadership Training should change you or your child in a positive way. I think as a parent your main hope for your child is that they reach their true potential as an adult because of their early martial arts training.

There is a way to teach goal setting to kids.

Goal setting is a somewhat abstract concept for most kids, so we have found that combining the ideas and steps with a physical action gives children a really easy way to remember all of the parts to setting and achieving their goals.

The Black Belt Success Cycle:

Step 1.

Know what you want. This could be graduating from high school or a college degree. Or perhaps it is to get a good-paying job or even opening your own business.

Write down very specific goals for each area of your life that you want to improve.

Of course, we would love it if the kids applied this to get their next belt in martial arts or maybe finish learning a complete form.

Step 2.

Have a plan. Your plan is your road map to your destination Without a clear plan you can easily get distracted. You may start on a tangent that was not part of your original goal. Anything can be broken down into small achievable steps. With your plan, you know exactly what you need to do as your next step. Figure out what exact steps are needed for you to get to your end goal. For example, if it is to get a degree, the first part of your plan should be to get a schedule of classes from the colleges you are considering.

Step 3.

And a success coach. Without a mentor, some parts of your plan are going to be difficult. However, if you have someone who has been there and done that, they can guide you to have a much smoother experience. A success coach is a mentor, someone who will help you with learning by giving you tips and pointers. By far having a mentor or success coach is the easiest way to get what you want FAST. You could waste years of your time coming up against a wall when a mentor would easily be able to point out to you how to overcome your sticking points. They know how to this because they have been there before their experience is highly valuable.

Step 4.

Take consistent action. "Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do." Without action, you are only daydreaming. This is the hardest part of the entire process. Sometimes you have to force yourself to take massive action. Many people have goals they intend to accomplish but never take action on them in a consistent manner. The second part of step 4 is to be consistent. Many people start off strong but then fade out without having accomplished what they set out to do. If your goal really means something to you, don't give up no matter what.

Step 5.

Review your progress. Take some time to review what is going on in your master plan. Sometimes you have to adjust your plan along the way. We need to occasionally review the progress we have made, to make sure we haven't gone off track.

Step 6.

Renew your goals. When you finally reach your goal, you then start over by creating a new more ambitious goal. After reviewing renew your commitment to what you want to accomplish. Stay motivated and focused on your target.

Making New Friends Takes Practice (Just Like Getting Good At Martial Arts Takes Practice)

Teaching kids social skills may not be as important to some parents as making sure that their child's academics are up to par.

Many kids today have not learned basic social etiquette and what is considered appropriate behavior in social situations that they must navigate daily.

Displaying a lack of calibration in social situations is likely to contribute to rejection from group activities and can eventually lead to kids withdrawing into themselves.

A Great First Impression

Over the years I have made a lot of bad first impressions. Especially when I was younger. Now that I am older and have more life experience I know a lot about how people will judge and perceive you from your handshake.

We practice handshakes a lot in class. In fact, we have done handshakes every day in every class for the last 11 years. There are people in the class who have known each other for years but still introduce themselves to each other every day.

I think that this illustrates one of the many ways life skills run parallel to training in martial arts. In martial arts, we practice the same thing over and over again. Sometimes the kids say We did this already and we explain of course we did this already. How can we get good without repetition?

The truth is that drilling and repetition is the ONLY way to get good at martial arts.

We carry that same philosophy over to introductions. Drill and repeat.

Social Skills Are The Key To Not Being Bullied

I believe that teaching kids how to interact in social situations is a big part of becoming a victim of bullying and can have a lasting effect on their life. Having a strong social circle is important for kids self-esteem and their internal sense of belonging.

One of the very first skills to teach your child in Leadership Training is how to make new friends. Step 1 to making a new friend is to learn their names.

There are 4 requirements for being able to have a polite, respectful greeting.

Part 1: Smile.
This is basic but sometimes we must remind kids who might not be in the best mood to force themselves to do this. The very act of forcing a smile sometimes is enough to generate a real smile.

Part 2: Shake hands with a firm grip.
Many people in the world will judge you based on your ability to give a firm grip when shaking hands.

Part 3: Eye contact.
The very act of looking down when talking to someone will mark your child as a potential victim to bully.

Part 4: The script:
This script makes it easy for kids to do a polite greeting because they don't have to make up their conversation on the spot. Instead, everyone has to do the same script.

You would be surprised at how quickly the kids enrolled in Classes get to know each other's names because of this drill. Some of the kids in camps go on to see each other on play dates outside of the martial arts school.

Once your child has learned this skill it sticks with them for the rest of their lives. This ability to take what is taught in martial arts classes and apply it to the REAL outside world is part of our ultimate goal with our kid's classes.

Goal Setting Using The S.M.A.R.T Method

One of my major goals this year is to have our kid's classes focus a little bit more on personal growth as it relates to the martial arts.

We want our kid's classes to teach how martial arts training can be applied to their lives outside of the academy.

One of the best things about Leadership Training is that it is a journey, not a destination.

There is always room for improvement and you will never get to a point where you do not need more work on some specific aspect of martial arts, whether it is sparring, forms or grappling, there is always something.

An Intelligent Martial Artist Sets Goals For Every Part Of Their Training.

An example might be "My goal is to practice my form 3 times before I leave every night or I am going to come in 20 minutes early and run through 5 stretches before class starts"

A good goal has 5 characteristics that make it good.

S - specific
M - measurable
A - achievable
R - relevant
T - time-based

The very first one is that it has to be specific.

EXAMPLE: A broad nonspecific goal would be, Get in shape. But a specific goal would be, Join the Kung Fu Academy and attend consistently 3 times every week.

When kids learn goal setting in Leadership Training it can potentially help them to accomplish things throughout the rest of their lives. We will post a video of the other 4 parts to goal setting in the next few weeks as we begin to teach them in classes.

I hope you are looking for a martial arts studio that is not all about combat. I hope you are looking for an academy that shows kids that martial arts is a way of life, not just a hobby.

3 Things You Can Do To Foster An Attitude Of Gratitude [ Leadership Training ]

Teaching kids gratitude, appreciation and thankfulness is not easy.

The alternative, however, is raising a bratty child who thinks they are entitled to success just for being.

Here are 3 things you can do to foster a sense of gratitude and appreciation:

Play The Gratitude Game

To play the game, kids will sit in a circle and say one thing they are grateful for or have in their life. The game is very interesting after the first few rounds of answers.

The kids have to really think past family, food, shelter, health and think of really specific things that they are grateful for.

One tip is to go quickly through the turns regardless of whether the answer is right or not. Just get them to know that it is safe to say whatever you want.

Get them to say thank you for everything.

Even a small thing like when you all go out as a family to eat dinner. Prompt the kids to say thank you for the meal and as they grow up they will develop the habit of saying thank you more often than an average person would.

Have Them Go Without

I really feel that kids do not need the latest and greatest phone or the newest Xbox game. Anything above and beyond basic shelter and food is and should be viewed as a gift.

Feeling entitled is a slippery slope. Kids who grow up with this belief will not do well as adults.

Being thankful for what we have is one of my most core values and beliefs. I would really love for my own children and my students to be able to adopt this value system into their own lives.

How Do You Get Kids To Listen Carefully? You Make It Into A Game [ Leadership Training ]

Actually, this Leadership Training game is extremely challenging for children. In the first level kids need to be able to remember: a color, a number, and two objects.

For example, Place 2 red mitts into the orange hoop. Although there are always exceptions, in general, most kids can get to this level.

Kids get stuck at level 2. At level 2 a child would need to remember: 2 colors, 2 numbers, and 2 objects. For example, Place 2 red mitts into the orange hoop THEN place 4 yellow balls into the blue hoop.

How Many Kids Can Remember The Second Part Of The Instructions?

When you think about instructions in martial arts classes, it follows a similar vein. Throw the jab twice, then throw a cross, a hook, and then another cross, remember to turn your foot when you throw the punch and bring your hand back to the starting position without dropping them down.

We basically can make any kids good at martial arts, IF their listening skills are there. Before we can teach them effectively, their listening skills must be worked on.

The more ways in which we can practice listening the more the kids get used to following increasingly complex directions. The more details the kids can execute while performing a technique the more we say that they are technically excellent

We play this listening game in our martial arts Leadership Training classes every once in a while just to keep kids on their toes.

Leadership Training - How To Teach Kids To Practice Mindfulness In Martial Arts Class

What is the worst way to train in the martial arts?

Mindlessly.

For example, someone who trains mindlessly is someone who is not thinking about the right things when they practice. Someone who is mindful is thinking about coaching themselves, they are thinking about their own effort and how much they are putting into their practice.

They are asking themselves Is there anyone here training harder than me? Training something 10,000 times the wrong way will ensure that you develop a bad habit and will definitely hamper your progress.

On A Scale From 1-10

For part 1 of this series, we are talking about effort. Specifically on a scale of 1-10 how hard are you trying?

Sometimes the student doesn't know they are not trying hard, so it is up to us to define what we mean by trying hard. Once we give the students our expectations then they can use the technique you see in the video called rate yourself on a scale from 1 to 10. The students base their responses on what they think they should be doing in class.

For example, are they listening well? When the teacher is speaking, are they looking at the teacher?

For me when I see a student if they try hard they immediately become one of the most enjoyable experiences for a teacher. When they don't try very hard it becomes a waste of time for both the teacher and the student.

Discipline and concentration are what martial arts are all about. Practicing mindfulness is the perfect way to start teaching them these two very important traits.

Kids Can Start To Be Excellent Teachers Early On

As you know being a good martial artist doesn't necessarily mean that you are a good martial arts teacher.

Teaching is a skill that needs to be acquired through hard work and experience just like any other skill. It takes practice and hard work to get your teaching up to a high level.

One of the things that Isaac is working on with his teaching ability is to speak with fluidity. Fluid speaking is essential to being a good teacher. Fortunately,

Leadership Training - Fluidity When Speaking

I am able to explain the concept of fluid speaking to Isaac in Leadership Training by making an analogy between being fluid in martial arts technique and being fluid in speaking.

My son Isaac is only 9 years old so he has a lot of time before he actually teaches a class by himself. However, what would be the point in NOT teaching him how to teach until he is old enough TO teach?

I would much rather start early. By the time he reaches 14 years old he will definitely be a master teacher.

My daughter, Kaitlyn started teaching like this at about the same age that Isaac is now. I think at the same age Kaitlyn was actually much better than my son at teaching. However, I suspect that her being better has more to do with her gender than anything else. Girls tend to pick up advanced speech much faster than boys.

Now, not all kids go on to become very good public speakers. Most kids stop at level 2. However, 10% of our students DO go on and become helpers/student instructors. This is our leadership team. Leadership students at the Kung Fu Academy are the cream of the crop.

These are the most excited and hardest working kids at the school. Both Isaac and DJ are part of the Leadership Team and are on their way to being instructors at our school. If you come into the Academy 10 years from now keep an eye out for both of these guys they just might be the head instructors by then.

Would you like a free one on one Phone consultation With One Of The Owners, (Instructor Kevin or Renee) and a tour of our facilities?

Click here to schedule a phone call with Instructor Kevin or Renee.

It takes less than a minute.

Are martial arts techniques practical for self defense?

December 15, 2019 by lvshaolin Leave a Comment

Most of what is being taught today in the typical martial arts school, is close to useless in a real street attack! Real self defense techniques involve striking targets such as the eyes, throat and groin.

Self Defense Classes In Las Vegas

Dear friend,

Now is the time to better learn how to defend yourself. Self Defense Classes at our school can help you with you survive a confrontation.

You're right to be concerned. Violence is becoming more and more common. You need to be prepared!

Just imagine...

Two thugs approach you just as you are leaving the grocery store. They ask you for the time to distract you.

As you slowly back away, one of them throws a punch that comes so fast that it clips you on the chin.

The other thug tackles you to the ground and then they both start to kick you in the head as you struggle to protect yourself.

Don't let this be you!

You Need To Know How To Defend Yourself Today!

Listen, you cannot afford to spend the next 20 years of your life training is something that looks really pretty but is basically useless in the situation described.

Most Of What Is Being Taught Today In The Typical Self Defense Class, Is Close To Useless In A Real Street Attack!

Real street-level violence and crime is not what most people think it is.

Here's the story:

Some time ago, a guy who had trained in boxing when he was younger, walked into the Kung Fu Academy and ask me "Can you really use this stuff?" He was referring to the style of kung fu. I took a few minutes to explain to him our training methods and techniques.

In fact, I wondered why he even came into my school in the first place, because he was so biased toward boxing as being the best type of martial art training.

He failed to realize is that in a real fight, not everyone is going to try and punch you.

Every Style Has A Weakness

Seriously, put some thought into this...

Boxers are extremely vulnerable against kicks. They do not train to defend kicks and they are not used to seeing a kick coming towards them.

The fact is...

Criminals will try to you in the groin or even try to kick through your knee if they have a chance. Thant's why they are criminals in the first place.

In a street attack, there are many times multiple opponents, there is someone trying to kill you with a knife or maybe hitting you from behind with a chair. Real street attacks are not one on one against an opponent who weighs the same as you do

Most Martial Arts Styles Started Off As Self Defense, But Somewhere In It's History The Style Lost It's Effectiveness And Became A Sport

I can't stress this enough...

A sporting event is a very different setting than a real-life confrontation or violent asocial attack.

The first and most considerable difference has to do with rules.

Any martial art that has rules can be defined as a sport.

Rules are what make each type of competitive event different. These rules will determine what the overall fight will look like.

For example...

5 Rules Found In Boxing That Criminals Will Not Follow:

1
There is only one opponent
2
The competitors wear gloves
3
Only punches are allowed
4
There are referees and spectators to make sure that there is nodirty fighting
5
The fight lasts in increments of three minutes.

Finish The Fight In Less Than 10 Seconds

In reality, if a person’s life were on the line a three minute round is way too long for a fight to last. You would want to end the fight very quickly in less than 10 seconds.

Secondly, these rules eliminate most of what a kung fu practitioner would really do in a fight. Now, kung fu can be adapted to work in the ring but then kung fu will start to resemble boxing because based on the rules of boxing the most efficient techniques have already been found.

A good boxer will definitely be able to defend himself in a real fight using the same moves he would in competition.

But that does not make boxing a self-defense system. Boxing is a sport that can be adapted to self-defense.

Let's take another example. Wrestling/Jujitsu

Think About What Could Happen

To begin with, I love training in wrestling, jiujitsu (ground fighting) However, I also know that taking someone to the ground in a real-life fight can be dangerous. You need to be aware that you could end up getting kicked in the head by the attacker's accomplice who was waiting on the sidelines.

Another big difference between a sport and a real fight is in the environment in which they take place. You must deal with the external environment when thinking about a self-defense situation. A good martial artist can use the hard rough surface of the ground as a weapon. Whereas in the school or boxing ring and even the Ultimate Fighting Octagon there are mats or padded surfaces to fall on.

Or maybe the attacker pulls out a knife during the scuffle.

Believe me, the last place you want to be when fighting against an armed attacker is on the ground wrestling with him

So What Is It Exactly That Makes A Self Defense Technique Effective For The Street?

Real self-defense classes have one thing in common.

It has to do with targeting.

Fighting for your life calls for a different way of thinking.

It's not a competition between two athletes squaring off in a ring for points. In a real fight, anything goes, and your very survival may depend on you not fighting "fair"

Let me be a bit more specific...

The Human Body Is Full Of Weak Spots

If you ask any man how it feels to get hit in the groin, most will wince and tell you that it is incapacitating for minutes at a time. In all honesty, almost every man has been hit in the groin accidentally at least once in his lifetime.

Remember, you only need to drop your opponent temporarily, to give yourself time to run and escape.

3 Targets To Strike For When Attacking

To start with, there are 3 targets you should aim for. The first three targets you need to strike are; the groin, the throat, and the eyes. Each of these targets is extremely vulnerable to being attacked.

Just let this sink in for a minute...

There is no person alive who can just take a shot to the eyes and not react at all. The biggest baddest dude at the biker bar will react like any normal human being would once you put some fingers in their eyes.

To tell the truth, if any of these 3 targets were hit in a boxing or wrestling match the referee would step in and you would be disqualified.

However, in a self-defense scenario, you want to jab him in the eyes, and then kick him in the groin to assure your own safety.

But I must let you in on a secret...

The BEST Self Defense Techniques Are Not Actual Fighting Techniques

If you want to ACTUALLY be able to defend yourself realistically, there are 2 things that you need to do .

1. The element of surprise
2. Striking first

Always Utilize The Element Of Surprise

Let me explain...

When you start raising your hands into a typical fighting stance you see taught in many martial arts schools, you are signaling to the attackers that you know some self-defense techniques.

Instead, remain formless.

Take a standing posture with your palms facing the attacker.

In this natural posture, you are not just standing there waiting to get hit, but rather you are in a mode of readiness. You can strike vital targets at any time when you adopt this posture.

Remain Formless

Here's something you probably don't know about...

The element of surprise is one of your greatest weapons. In fact, this is one weapon whose power should never be underestimated.

You need to remain formless, If you ever face an aggressive adversary.

Surprise Leads To An Advantage For You

You can use the element of surprise to its maximum advantage and adapt to whatever the situation dictates by taking up this stance.

Once the element of surprise has been taken advantage of, it is easy to capitalize on any opening the opponent will be presenting.

Real Self Defense Can Include Striking First [the Best Self Defense Technique]

Before we go any further, I want to set something straight...

First, you must never strike another person unless you are absolutely justified in your actions. Remember, preemptively striking must always be your last resort. You only strike when all other means of defusing the situation have been exhausted.

If you decide to launch a preemptive strike against your assailants, you had better be sure that a reasonable threat to your safety is imminent and it is necessary to protect yourself from immediate danger.

You Are Not The Criminal

Furthermore, As long as you are in the right and not the instigator or the perpetrator, you have a right to fight and win with whatever strategy will work best.

That being said, the bottom line is...

In a real self-defense situation, you must strike first, with authority, while having full-on forward pressure.

Strike First, Strike Hard

Remember, striking first is a strategy where you are being PROACTIVE. You are controlling the situation before it gets out of control. You can disrupt the assailant during the initial moments of the assault before anything life-threatening can unfold.

Indeed, the first person to be stunned and off-balanced is usually the one to lose the fight. The first person to deliver the first devastating strike has a great advantage. Being the first to strike is critical.

For example, If you are able to land a low kick to the opponent's groin area, the opponent's own central nervous system will take over. His body will react. He will bring his hands to his groin area, jut out his chin, and bend slightly forward. This is a natural reaction to getting hit in the groin. No one can change their natural reaction to getting hit in the groin.

You can then pick and choose your next target to take out when your opponent is in this weak position. Or, you may decide to run and escape. Either way, you will go home to your family safe.

One Sided Fighting

That being the case, I believe the best way to train for a real-life self-defense situation, is one-sided fighting.

One-sided fighting is a drill in which you are practicing winning the fight. In this drill, you are doing all the striking. The other person practices being hit.

Think about this, if you are interested in winning the confrontation, shouldn't you spend most of your time practicing what that feels like?

Hence, you are not learning to be defensive rather you are learning to use offense as your defense. When you train like this, it looks a lot like what a successful application of self-defense would look like.

I liken this to a soccer match. When a player gets a penalty, the opposing team gets a shot at the goal in a one on one situation. The goalie or defender, is at a disadvantage because they can only defend and not attack, Don't be fooled. Defensive techniques take very long to learn. Being defensive does not work for the average person trying to survive an attack.

Tactical Pen Training

Remember, you cannot choose your opponent in self-defense. What if your attacker is some 250 lbs. brute? What if they are a gigantic specimen of a human being? The thug attacking you could be much stronger than you.

For this reason, you need to stack that deck in your favor by using a force multiplier.

A tactical pen is one of the best self-defense tools you can buy. A tactical pen is very small, and convenient to carry.

This pen can also be deadly if you know how to use it.

Actually these pens can actually be used to write with, as well These pens are made of high-quality steel and aluminum. I have carried mine through TSA security with no problem.

I highly recommend carrying this tool rather than a knife. It is just as effective and will not get you into trouble with the law.

You Don't Have To Be Stronger, Faster, Or Bigger Than Your Opponent

In short, It will take you at least a few months before you can learn to strike effectively. The reason is, that in order to have a powerful striking technique, you must learn to use your body in a manner where your legs and hands move together in a coordinated way. However, when you learn how to use a tactical pen, power is no longer an issue.

Imagine taking the sharp end of the pen and striking to an assailant's face? How much power do you really need? You can learn really quickly and easily if you don't have to develop your power because you can just focus on developing your flow...

Self Defense Shouldn't Take You 20 Years To Do

As a final point, in self defense there are no advanced move . There is just the perfection of the basics. In reality, if a specific technique were complicated or difficult to apply, then chances are, that it would not really work in a self-defense situation. The same goes for any technique that requires strength or great flexibility to apply. You must have a mastery of simple techniques, in order to be really good at self-defense.

Any techniques you learn in self-defense classes should be easy and natural to apply. What you are looking for is, effective techniques that are natural, yet so simple. You want techniques that anyone can make work against a resisting opponent!

Consider this:

You do not have unlimited time to train in Self defense classes. You have to use the time you are spending on training wisely. If you want to be realistic you need to train in the most efficient manner. It's vitally important

Wouldn't it be great if you trained in a school where 80% of the time spent in Self Defense Classes was spent on things that will ACTUALLY work in a fight? You need to join our school now. You will not spend time on training that has no practical value!

"What You Can Expect To Learn When You Enroll In Our Self Defense Classes"

How to disguise your techniques so you can hit 'em before they ever see it!
Why most martial artists freeze when attacked on the street.
How to increase your reaction time by three fold.
How to instantly know what to do in any situation.
The one element you must control when faced with a boxer.
The simple most important key to defeating much larger opponents.
Five powerful methods to instantly stop a frontal attack!
Why you must never kick a certain way in a street fight!
How to escape from locks, holds and chokes (almost effortlessly).
Simple take downs... They don't get up from!!
Crippling counter attacks.
Hidden strikes that they never see coming!!
How to use every inch of your body to develop devastating power.

But Don't Take My Word For It! Here Are Some Of Our Students Talking About Our Self Defense Classes:

"I believe that everyone should know a little bit of self defense in today's crazy world."

"In the past few months I have learned a lot in your self defense classes. Everything that I have learned can be applied in the real world.

The atmosphere is super friendly. Everyone (not just the instructors) are willing to help and are very encouraging. I am not the fastest learner, so the way the instructor teaches is great for me. Each person can go at their own pace.

After just a few months, I feel that I am at least somewhat prepared if I ever got into a fight. I am more confident knowing I am able to protect myself. Everyone should know a little bit of self defense in today's crazy world."

Mark K.

"I can’t was a phrase that I had gotten used to saying about my life. "

I have trained in many different fighting systems over the years, but instructor Kevin is the top instructor I have worked with.

Instructor Kevin has a quality of humbleness and modesty. He is patient and encouraging.

He not only teaches the actual techniques, but also the reasons why it is done the way it is.

Instructor Kevin is extremely committed to BOTH the learning and teaching of Real Self Defense

Anthony P.

"Whenever I go out I don't have a fear that I will not know what to do if someone comes at me"

What really sets the Kung Fu Academy apart from other places that I have trained at, is that the instructor breaks down the movements so that anyone can understand them pretty quickly.

Everything in the self defense classes is taught step by step.

For people who are able to learn quickly, instructor Kevin always makes sure to challenge them. you can progress in as little or as much time as you need.

Whenever I go out I don't have a fear that I will not know what to do if someone comes at me. All the styles taught are effective and practical.

I feel that both my time and money are well spent at the Kung Fu Academy!

Randy D.

"My daughter will be going off to college soon and I really wanted her to know at least some self defense techniques before leaving home. "

"My 16-year old daughter and I attend the Kung Fu Academy Self Defense Classes together.

It has been such a wonderful experience for both of us. I really like the class and atmosphere. Specifically, they understand the fears that most parents go through.

My daughter will be going off to college this Fall. As a parent, I wanted her to know some self defense techniques before leaving home.

We are extremely grateful to both Instructor Kevin and Instructor Renee for putting my mind at ease, knowing that my daughter will be able to take care of herself should the need ever arise.

I have already recommended this class to 3 of my close friends.

Sherilyn N.

Would you like a free one on one Phone consultation With One Of The Owners, (Instructor Kevin or Renee) and a tour of our facilities?

Click here to schedule a phone call with Instructor Kevin or Renee.