Thursday, November 29, 2012

Student of the Month Spotlight - Yesenia Arrieta - Kaju Yellow Belt




Yesenia is a ball of energy to be reckoned with at Kaju AZ. She always brings a spirit of excitement to our classes.

Yesenia likes the colors purple, pink and blue and loves Asian and Mediterranean Cuisine. 

Yesenia is a single mom, raising 2 children. Her daughter is 18 and her son Xavier is 11 years old and trains at Kaju AZ also. Being a single mom has been hard, but she has managed to make a wonderful life for her kids. They also have 2 dogs that keep them moving. Yesenia loves her family for all the hope, laughter and strength that they give her when it feels that all is lost.

Yesenia likes training at Kaju AZ because she has found something she really enjoys. At 200 pounds, the doctor told her to lose weight because her stress level was too high. After beginning her training, there were some days she was so sore she could barely move, but the instructors and students gave her the inspiration to keep going.

Yesenia's goals are to lose 30 more pounds and build better cardio. Most of all, she wants to continue creating memories with her family because she knows the teenage years will fly by

Keep up the good work Yesenia! We are so proud to have you in our Ohana!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

IT'S TRUE: Martial Arts Can Improve All Areas of Your Child's Life!


IT'S TRUE.
Martial Arts can improve all areas of your child's life.

According to a new study at Oregon State University, young children who are able to pay attention and persist with a task have a 50 percent greater chance of completing college.

Tracking a group of 430 preschool-age children, the study gives compelling evidence that social and behavioral skills, such as paying attention, following directions and completing a task may be even more crucial than academic abilities.

And the good news for parents and educators, the researchers said, is that attention and persistence skills are malleable and can be taught.

Researchers also said college completion has been shown in numerous studies to lead to higher wages and better job stability. She said the earlier that parents can intervene, the more likely a child can succeed!

 At Kaju AZ, we start kids at about age 5. Our programs focus on discipline, task completion, improved self-esteem, greater attention span, focus, improved listening, character development and more.  Our kids develop a no-quit attitude and are leaders in their schools and communities.

We offer a complimentary 2-week trial period.  We have two locations to serve you (101 & Baseline in Mesa and Chandler Heights & Recker in Gilbert).

Call 480-755-3008 or email sifu@kajuaz.com for more information today!

Monday, November 26, 2012

Student of the Month Spotlight - Thomas - Junior Brown



Thomas has been a student at Kaju AZ since 2006, one of the original students. Thomas is a natural as a martial artist with great kicks and precise techniques.

Thomas likes the color blue and his favorite food is steak. In school, he enjoys computer graphics.

The Maher/George family are a very active family, always hiking, riding bikes, running and they participate in multiple school sports. They all enjoy watching and participating in Kaju activities.

Other than Kaju, Thomas enjoys football, wrestling, and being with friends. He enjoys Kaju because he stays fit and it helps him to become a person that is very disciplined and determined.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

PIT Black Belt Promotion




Sigung Kelly was promoted to PIT Black Belt by Kumu John Hackleman at the PIT HQ (San Luis Obispo, CA) this past weekend. It was a surprise promotion for him, and I, Sibak Nic and Sibak Cam were honored to be able to attend.
 
Sigung began training at the PIT in February of 2008 and our school became a PIT Affiliate at that time. We are the only PIT school in Arizona and we appreciate the association with Kumu John and his Ohana. The PIT Ohana is a select group of schools.  It has added a lot to Kaju AZ and our programs.  When you get to know John you realize he is just a "regular" guy dedicated to martial arts and Kajukenbo, and doesn't let the celebrity status of his fight team affect him.
 
In the PIT system, John gave Sigung the title of "Kumu Kelly."  It is not incorrect to call him by this title, although we will also continue to call him Sigung Kelly as well. 
 
Sigung's promotion demonstrates his belief that becoming a black belt is a journey and not a destination. Continuing his training in Kaju as well as other disciplines provides so many benefits to our dojos. Please check out the pictures at our picture site: kajuaz.smugmug.com .
 
Congratulations to Sigung Kelly!

-Sifu Jen
 

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Kaju AZ Military Appreciation Week - Kaju AZ Student Rick Leigh






Rick Leigh

E5P
U.S Army


I joined the Army right after high school and I really didn't understand what it meant to serve my country. I spent most of my time overseas and had the privilege of seeing many different countries(some good, some not so good). Although I was Gung-Ho and was willing to do what ever I was ordered to do, it wasn't until I completed my tour and came back home did I realize what a great honor it was to serve my country. I strongly believe the extensive training and the experience I went through has helped shape the person I am today. I am very proud an honored to have served the time that I did and I would not hesitate to do it again if called upon.



Thursday, November 8, 2012

Kaju AZ Military Appreciation Week Spotlight - James Baustert



MMA Student Heather Jennings father is James P. Baustert who was a Master Sargent in the Air Force Bomb Squad from 1975 to 1998.  He is a Desert Storm veteran and loved that every day presented new ways to serve his country.  He loved being with multiple branches of the military. He is pictured with one of his bombs!  Thank you for your service Mr. Baustert!

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Kaju AZ Military Appreciation Week Spotlight - Kaju Student Jeff Hall



Jeff Hall is a student at Mesa and Proud dad to Louise, one of our Dragons.

Name:  Jeffrey Hall
Rank:  Capt
Branch of Service:  United States Air Force
Dates of Service:  Active Duty, Nov 2005 - Jun 2010.  Reserve, Jun 2010 - Present

Jeff says this about his Military Service:

"My service has been my proudest professional accomplishment and also one of my proudest personal accomplishments.  What I love the most is the sense of community being part of the military family.  It is something that can only be experienced by those who have served and I am humbled and honored to be a part of our military.  I was blessed to be born in this country which provides such amazing opportunities compared to other places in the world.  Serving in the military allows me the ability to feel that I earn some of the many blessings this country has afforded me."

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Kaju AZ Military Appreciation Week Spotlight - Tom George




Vietnam Veteran Tom George is Simo Linda George's brother. He proudly served as an infantryman in the Army for almost 2 years at the age of 18, beginning in February of 1968. He i
s proud to have served and was "a “grunt” and says, "I started out carrying an M60 machine gun because I was one of the bigger guys in our platoon."

During a mortar attack on his Outpost he was blown off a bunker. He earned a Purple Heart as well as the National Defense Service Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal w/60 Dev, one Overseas Bar, Sharpshooter (Rifle M-14) and Sharpshooter (M-16).

Two of Tom and Simo's other brothers also served in Vietnam. His beloved adopted nephew and namesake is from Vietnam as well (Kaju student Thomas Maher)! Tom says "Like most people, I hate war. I do believe that we need to defend our country and our way of life, at all cost. I will always defend my country because it truly is, the best country in the world."

Thank you Tom George for your service to the United States!

Monday, November 5, 2012

Kaju AZ Military Appreciation Week Spotlight - Kaju Student Michael Riegel


Lieutenant Commander (FMFQO)
US Navy / US Marine Corps
2003 - 2012

Michael loved the Service for many reasons - he says there are too many to name! On top of adventure and excitement he enjoyed the  great responsibilities and accomplishments that could not be attained elsewhere. He especially loved the excitement of playing with trucks, tanks, guns, boats and helicopters."

"The Navy enabled me to serve and protect my homeland,proudly wear the cloth of my country, and perform my greatest honor, bringing home our wounded and sometimes fallen warriors and heroes.  We
shared a connection which embodied honor, courage, commitment, loyalty, devotion, dedication and sacrifice, often with fellow countrymen/women we may have just met.  A common, often silent bond continues to exist amongst those who serve and have served.  A bond of great importance to me."

Michael is a natural leader at Kaju AZ and we appreciate his no-quit attitude.  He continues his love for challenges inside the dojo and always exhibits respect and honor. We appreciate his military service and are honored to be associated with him and his family.



On CasEvac ready with an Australian Army/Navy team
during maneuvers in Northern Australia



On board the USS New Orleans off the coast of South
America

Mahalo to Michael for his service to our country! We are proud to call him Ohana!!!

Confidence and Overcoming Fear of Failure


In the September 2008 blog I talked about the confidence that is exhibited in the black belt attitude. Being confident in one’s technique and training can be a life-safer in a dangerous situation. Flinching or tightening up due to fear can cause the necessary actions to be too slow or too weak.  

Where does the confidence come from? Confidence is built in steps as we overcome increasingly difficult challenges utilizing resources we have acquired (skills, knowledge, strength, balance, etc.). Each time we accomplish or overcome a challenge, we grain greater confidence in ourselves and in our skills.

One of the opposites of confidence is fear; and more specifically fear of failure. Fear can hold us back from trying. And, if we do not try, how can we ever have a chance to succeed? We need to take many chances (and, yes, fail many times) to allow ourselves to grow from the experience so we can become stronger and wiser and more capable.

Fear can also make our efforts weak or misdirected. When we let fear take hold of our minds, it can distract us. It can cause us to pause too long before making an important, split-second decision. Letting fear take control of our bodies can make our movements stiff and dis-jointed.

Fear is a necessary mechanism wired into our bodies, but we must overcome it and use it as a necessary tool. Fear can help us recognize a dangerous situation. But once the fear is felt, we need to compartmentalize it and keep it from affecting our actions.

Overcoming fear of failure is important for all people, not just martial artists. I think fear of failure is probably one of the most insidious, self-damaging things that we can allow ourselves to succumb to. It keeps us from growing and becoming successful. It sometimes leads us to make excuses and even lie to ourselves. It can make us create a facade of arrogance as we pretend to others we aren’t weak or fearful. That facade of arrogance further erodes our confidence and continues to increase our fear of failure.

Remember the Back-To-School pool party at the FloRider? It was awesome! Many of us, including me, had never done it before. I knew I was going to fall many times before figuring out how to stay up. If I gave into the fear of looking goofy, I would have never had the opportunity to feel the satisfaction (and fun!) of finally being able to stay up! It took me many times to get it right. Many of the falls were spectacularly unflattering. Eventually, finally, amazingly, I was able to stay up.

To help us overcome fear, we should put down our facade of arrogance that we use as a self-defense mechanism. Quit trying to pretend we are something we are not. We know we are pretending, and guess what, many around us also know we are pretending. Be proud of who you are! Humility is an aid to overcoming false-arrogance and a tool that helps us to be able to really learn.

After accepting where we are we can move forward. The next time we are faced with the challenge that may require several tries, don't focus on what people might think. Instead, focus on the task. And each time you fail, examine why, make the adjustment and try again. Success is then finally inevitable.

In order to grow and succeed, we must forget about the minor consequences of failure. So what if you do not look perfect? Try hard, do your best, and tomorrow, do it again!      

                                                         -Sigung Kelly Corder

Kajukenbo Motto: Train Strong to Remain Strong

Kajukenbo Arizona is a traditional martial arts school specializing in real self-defense through the art of Kajukenbo. Kajukenbo was founded in 1947 and is credited as being the first American martial art. Kajukenbo is a blend of five styles: Karate, Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, Kenpo and Kung Fu. Feel free to visit our school and see our programs for all ages! We also offer CrossPIT classes based on the world-famous Pit Conditioning System. Classes are 30-minutes of high-intensity old-school cardio. CrossPIT memberships available!