Martial Arts is for Everyone

When people find out I am a martial artist I often see a surprised look on their face followed by “Wow, I would have never guessed.” My close friends think it’s an insult. I consider it a compliment. 

For almost 10 years, I was the consummate Dojo Mom. I was very good at this – supporting my husband and sons, laundering gi’s, cooking for potlucks, tournaments, cheerleading, ohana events, karate movies, and so much more. Martial arts has impacted my family in such positive ways and it’s always been an honor to be a part of the experience. But I was always on the bench, never on the mat.

Sure, I had trained a little bit here and there. But I never made the real commitment to stick with it and go for black. In my mind, there was no way I would ever be THAT good at it.

Then, an instructor suggested I get off the bench and experience first hand what my family was doing. 

Was he crazy? I certainly thought so! After all, I was overweight, uncoordinated, beyond non-athletic, clumsy, 37 years old and quite frankly, afraid of getting hit. I made up every excuse imaginable. He smiled and said I “owed it to my kids” to try it. “Martial arts is for everyone,” he said.

Did he not realize how safe it is on the bench? You don’t sweat when you are cheering. You don’t get taken down when carrying water bottles. You don’t feel the anxiety of testing when you are watching on the bench. It’s easier to remember techniques when it’s not you. Trust me: it’s safe on the bench.

Out of respect, I decided to try a class. I thought I would be the one student my instructor would realize he couldn’t help. We set a date and time and I invited three other friends so I wouldn’t have to go it alone.

I almost cancelled about 25 times. As I walked into the dojo I was as anxious as I was on my first date with Professor Kelly. How many times had I entered before and not been nervous? Too many to count! The class consisted of stretching and basic warm-ups. In terms of numbers, I did not do an enormous amount of pushups (maybe 5?), crunches, squats (still don’t) and I discovered muscles I did not even know existed (still do). We learned basic self-defense techniques and before I knew it, the 45- minute class period was over. 

I was hooked. I felt empowered that my mind was really able to control my body! Sweating felt great! I was able to experience a bit of what my family endured. It was awesome! My friends felt the same way. All four of us signed up.

Of that class, I am the only one that had the desire, dedication and discipline necessary to get my Black Belt. I have seen a lot of fellow students come and go. 

Becoming a black belt is one of my crowning achievements. Why? Because martial arts represents EVERYTHING outside of my comfort zone. I overcame my biggest fears through my training. Are my kicks the highest in class? NO. Have I finished learning? NO. Can I knock out the most pushups in class? NO. It’s not about that.

Martial arts has made me stronger physically and mentally. I routinely push the limits of what I can do in all aspects of my life. On my knees every day, I punch the mat and announce that my mind controls my body, not vice versa. My martial arts training has made me a better person.

I used to lead the cheering during tests. Now I have my own fans. 

Instead of just watching my family from the bench, I train right next to them. 

I no longer just attend class, I teach it.

I hit as many times as I get hit. I can hold my own in a self-defense situation.

Boxing and karate movies are my choices on date night.

I am not just married to a black belt. My husband is too.

And when I feel like I have nothing left to give – in any life situation – I remember how I mustered up just a little more effort to finish a particularly hard training session. I think about how I relied on nothing but desire when I couldn’t get the technique right. I remember how I did not let a broken foot keep me from testing. I think about the countless times I came back to class when every single muscle hurt from the last training session. I remember how I never quit even though my body had given up during the last three minutes of my tests.

Martial arts improved my life, my thinking, my family, and my heart. 

27 years ago I would have never thought I would be a Sifu, working side-by-side with Professor and my sons in our own dojo. It’s been an amazing journey that keeps on getting better. Becoming a black belt made it all possible.

So, when someone shows their surprise and disbelief at my martial arts achievements, I am happy. I know I don’t look like the “typical” martial artist. But one thing is for sure…martial arts is for everyone. Even me.

Aunty Jen 

Character and Success in Life

John G Miller, a motivational speaker and author says this: “Outstanding organizations hire and promote character over credentials and college degrees.”  

  

I believe that this statement is true. Believe me when I say that I believe an education is important, whether it is college, a trade school or some other non-traditional form of higher education. There are so many things we gain by going through the process of becoming ‘book-smart’.  And in some professional career fields, it’s virtually impossible to succeed without earning a degree in some higher education college.  

  

However, in my 35 years of working, managing and owning a company, I believe there are many “intangibles" that may or may not be gained in educational settings. These intangibles are the makeup of how we behave and the content of our character.  You might call these the “Skills You Did Not Learn in College.”  

  

For example, common courtesy.  People will arrive or leave throughout the day at my software company, most will say hello or goodbye.  To some that may seem unnecessary   To me, it indicates a care and concern for others in the office and a willingness to think of someone other than their self. Cleaning up after yourself is another example of common courtesy in the workplace. These are aspects of character that are not taught in traditional education but can play a huge factor in your success in the workplace and in life.  

  

How about being truthful?  Does it really matter what size of fish you caught, or how many? No, not in the big picture of life. But as an employer I do care about if I can trust the people that work for me. Many decision have to be made in a company based on information from multiple sources. Wrong decisions are made when bad information is received.  Truthfulness can be hard to ‘learn’ in an education setting outside the idea of cheating.  

  

How about someone that owns up to their mistakes or to the results when they are less than satisfactory?  That type of person is an amazing person to have around because you can trust them to tell it like it is. If they are busy covering up for their mistakes, then how can you trust them?  Personal responsibility is so important in all aspects of life.  

  

Other intangibles that come to mind: hard work, courage, teamwork. There are so many!  

  

I believe that our character program for the Dragons and Juniors promotes the importance of such intangibles (and many more) that are just as important for development as the physical skills and the education that they receive. Learning the skills for the next belt isn’t enough. Our students have to demonstrate characteristics that indicate that they can be trusted with knowledge that could be used to hurt someone. We don’t want any of our students becoming bullies!  

  

We utilize this type of thinking when it comes to promotions for our Adults as well.  

  

Many kids have been held back at their current belt because they showed disrespect to their parents, teachers or siblings. Some kids have had to wait at their belt because they have had too many missing assignments at school. Some have waited because they are not yet a team player.  

  

Our goal is to reward the best characteristics and to insure that the black belts we produce are top notch in trustworthiness, empathy, are team players, have a desire to learn, willing to serve others, respect for others and themselves, and many other traits.  

  

I personally want to be in the business of making better people not just someone who knows front grabs 1-12.  A good attitude and hard work make a great student, a great future leader and wonderful part of our world!  

  

Train Strong to Remain Strong!  

-Professor Kelly  

Student of the Month - Kadence

Favorite Food- Caprese

Favorite School Subject - Math

Favorite Color - Purple

Pets - We have one dog named Rico.

Family - I like swimming in the pool with my family. My dad teaches me how to play softball and baseball. My mom teaches me how to play piano.

What do you like about Kaju? I like learning self - defense. 

Student of the Month - Alex

Favorite Food - Sushi

Favorite School Subject - Math - I like the snake game.

Favorite Color - Blue

Pets - Loki, my yellow-naped amazon parrot. Sometimes he bites you if you taunt him.

Family - I have a 2 year old brother, Jacob, and we enjoy chasing each other and playing hide and seek.

What do you like about Kaju? Learning take-downs, punches, kicks and push-ups. Sifu Nick is stronger than me and can lift me with one hand.

Success is Sharing

Martial arts training is a very personal experience that focuses on personal growth. This is a good thing! However, this can sometimes make it a very "self-focused" exercise. As we concentrate on our improvement, our goals, our techniques, we must be aware that our attitude may become selfish and self-centered.

Training in martial arts is different than running or lifting weights. The people who are on our journey with us are very important to our growth. We need training partners that will push us to be better. We need to practice our martial arts on many different body types in many different scenarios. We need to teach the material to others in order to help us better understand the material.

An important part of training is to balance the yin (the soft) with the yang (the hard). This can take a lot of time to get right. We can say that our physical training in learning to do bodily harm to someone focuses on the yang. In contrast, our character and attitude of seeking peace can be our yin. An attitude of self-centered focus in only our training makes our character not in balance with our training.

" The most important human endeavors is the striving for morality in our actions.  Our inner balance and even our very existence depend on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to life. "   - Albert Einstein

Here are some questions that we can ask ourselves to see how our training attitude is:

1. As we train, do we compare ourselves to others and feel bad when someone else is doing better than us at the moment?
2. Do you keep insights to yourself, afraid that if you were to share them, someone might have an edge on you?
3. Do you avoid helping others because is might make them better or even possible better than you?

If the answer to those is 'yes', that person may be coming from a self-centered mode of training. That person often holds tight to what he/she knows. That person may become afraid to share, worrying that someone will steal his/her ideas or secret technical advantaged. The problem with this type of thinking is the student becomes stale and stagnant in growth. The focus becomes on worrying too much about what others think versus the reality of who we are. We could become obsessed with avoiding potential failure, leading to avoiding pushing ourselves outside our comfort zone. Once that happens, we stop growing.

If we can simply change our attitude to one of giving and sharing, our training experience will be enriched, Training partners will look forward to working with us and through this process we will get better as they get better. As we help others, we learn the techniques even better because we get to learn them again and again. As we push others to become better, they will push us to become better.

There is enough opportunity for growth for everyone. We should be happy when others attain success because this means that we are successful too! Success and achievement is contagious! Success is easy when you and the people around you are all pulling for your success.

I challenge you to look for opportunities to help others achieve their goals. I promise you will see it return to you ten-fold!

Train Strong to Remain Strong
- Professor Kelly

Student of the Month - Jade

Favorite Color - Pink, Light Blue
Favorite Food - Pizza, Taco Salad
Favorite subject in school - P.E. Music, Writing and Reading

Family and pets - My family is a really good family. They take care of my family and I get spoiled by them. I have a cat named Socks and 2 dogs named Bubba and Nessie.


Besides Kaju, what other activities do you enjoy? School


What do you like most about training at KajuAZ? I like learning new things.

Everything You Need To Know You Can Learn at Kaju AZ, PART 2

Three years ago I blogged about our oldest son was graduating from high school and how martial arts
had shaped his life.

WELL, it happened again. Our "youngest" is graduating in a couple of weeks. I am definitely older...hopefully wiser...and while I have the same gratitude and and appreciation for all martial arts has provided Sibak Cam, it's been a different experience for this boy.

First and foremost, Sibak Cam was not a willing participant in martial arts for say.... 10 years. (Disclaimer: That might not be accurate. I am really too old to remember specifics as I have blocked most of it and am still discussing in "therapy".)  I know what you are thinking...what the heck was wrong with that boy? Or perhaps, what was wrong with his parents for "forcing" him to do it?
 
Sibak Cam was born with a strong will.  The minute I laid eyes on him, I saw it.  At first I thought it was the anesthesia haze, but it was soon proved out with the nurses informing us "there was nothing they could do" for him. It continued to prove out as he refused to nurse at precisely seven months old. It continued as he refused to do anything he did not want to do, despite all the begging, pleading, pre-framing and other necessary steps to get him to do anything (bathing, eating, playing).  It was completely evident when he refused to speak to us (his only discernable words were "I can't like it") until he was almost three years old.
 
There's very few pictures of Sibak Cam smiling in the early years.  There is very little video footage longer than 20 seconds for he started crying at 21 seconds. There were times we struggled to find anything positive about our day.  There was nothing physically wrong with him.  He was just THAT way.
 
I have always thought that the reason he was my second son was that the foundation was laid with the first and we were following the same plan with both. (Those of you who know me know I live and die by the plan/schedule.) So...we persevered.  We did the activities, outings, pictures...everything the same.  Including martial arts.
 
We had no idea how it would work.  Grandmaster and Aunty Lim assured us "he will be fine", "we can handle it" "bring him in." So we did.  Unlike my older son, I couldn't stay to watch class as it was too disruptive to Sibak Cam to see me there. So I dropped him and ran.  Literally like dropping a grenade in the middle of a room and then RUNNING out the front door.
 
When I returned at the end of most classes, there was Sibak Cam standing right next to Grandmaster, moving as he moved, staying right by his side, his face red from crying and bearing the standard-issue grumpy look. Every class summary was as follows:

"How did it go, sir?"

"He did great. See you Thursday, Cam."

"I can't like it."


I don't know what happened during class. His instructors always smiled and said he was fine. My insider source (a.k.a. big brother) would tell me simply "not good."  But we kept on.
 
As he got older, he decided to talk to us more (he could always communicate well, he just chose when and how) he definitely found moments of enjoyment and fun. He got confident and progressed.  He developed life-long relationships with his instructors and classmates.  But he never said he liked it or wanted to continue.
 
So maybe it was an exaggeration that he did not like it for 10 years. He probably did. But I could never ask " Excited about going to karate?" or "Did you like class?"  His stubborn attitude was never going to tell me the full-story and the simple fact was that it wasn't a choice. We wanted him to develop the skills taught in martial arts - discipline, self-defense, loyalty, hard-work and more (I am preaching to the choir - you all know the benefits.)  Given the choice he would have definitely chosen to play with legos, or computer-time or a TV show.  We just never gave him an option.
 

And now look at him!  (Spoiler alert: I am going to brag.) He's funny, smart, a leader (whether he wants to be one or not), hard-working, disciplined, loyal, can defend himself, physically and morally strong, honest (don't ask him questions you don't want the answer to), compassionate...and so much more.  His dad and I are amazed at the person he has become...because honestly, 18 years ago we couldn't see it happening.
 
Had it not been for martial arts, I don't know where he would have been.  For 16 years he has been actively engaged in a wholesome activity that at first was for HIS development, but now has become all about OTHERS as he teaches and shares his knowledge. He is starting his adult life will more life-skills than most and we are thrilled.
 
Could he have learned some of these traits playing soccer? Maybe? Football? Sure. Debate team? Possibly. He did some of those things and balanced his martial arts training at the same time. Seasonal sports and activities are the icing but and martial arts was the cake (always food analogies with me).  I believe he has been successful in all his extra-curricular activities, Scouts and Church due in large part to his martial arts training.

I know that martial arts is for every one - no matter your size, age, ability - and the results for each of us is the same although the journey is different: We become better in all aspects of our lives through our training. The founders of Kajukenbo knew this as Kajukenbo literally translates to "Through this fist style one gains long life and happiness."  So true!
 
Consistent martial arts training has changed Sibak Cam, and the Corder family.  Simply put, it's the reason Kajukenbo Arizona exists.  And we are forever grateful for being a part of your journey as well!

Aunty Jen

(PS: Many of you have asked Sibak Cam's plans after his June 6th graduation. He has accepted a mission call for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the Dominican Republic. He reports August 12th and will serve for two years. After he returns he will be attending Arizona State University and has been accepted to Barrett's Honors College.)

Student of the Month - Lyra

Favorite Color: ALL of them!


Favorite Food: Burritos


Favorite Subject in School: Math


Tell us about your family: My mom is beautiful, my dad is sweet, and my sister Lily is kind


Do you have any pets: , a big lovable dog named Cara and a very cool cat named Keaton




What activities do you enjoy: Learning Mandarin, Electric Guitar, and Irish dancing


What do you like most about training at Kaju: That it is hard!

My Black Belt Journey

It really is hard to put into words what my journey has been like to this point in my martial arts life. I know I started relatively young at the age of 16; however I had always loved the martial arts. I would watch the old Kung-fu movies, the action movies with Chuck Norris, Steven Siegel, all of it. I was really enthralled by it. Then when I had barely learned to drive I had my chance to go start down a path that has led me to so many great experiences, people, and places. It's funny really that to walk this path, to work towards your black belt it really only requires one thing...consistency. All you need to do is keep going; the repetition is 90% of the work. My journey has been wonderful, every day I wake up and I am so thankful to have found such a wonderful ohana, people who are just as eager as I am to learn and exchange ideas. The martial arts have given me the ability to handle any situation with confidence. To anyone who is starting out on this journey I say to just keep going, no one was fast out of the gate, no one is an expert, and we are all just at different stages of our journey. Train Hard...then train harder.
 

Mr. Omar

Student of the Month - Lauren

Favorite Color - Turquoise, purple

Favorite Food - Cheeseburger with fries

Favorite subject in school - Reading! Language Arts
Family and pets - I have my mom, who also trains, and is amazing! My dad, who works at Reddy Ice, is wonderful! And a little brother who trains as well, and is adorable! And one shelty-mix, Harry, who we got in Arkansas 6 years ago.

Besides Kaju, what other activities do you enjoy?  Volleyball, reading, soccer, swimming, hula (does that count?), and writing as well as guitar or anything musical.


What do you like most about training at KajuAZ? Keeping myself in good health, learning self-confidence and self-discipline, and the amazing people that I have met.

Belief in yourself can help you succeed

I love this quote from Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or think you can't — you are right.”  

There is so much power in that statement. We are the authors of our success more than anyone else around us. It’s our job to envision our future, take the steps toward working on it, and then to believe in ourselves as we work towards our goals.  

In past Mat Chats we have talked about vision and, recently, we talked about hard work. I think that we can all agree that vision and hard work is important for success, but what about believing in yourself? I think it’s probably just as important.  In fact, maybe even more important because your belief about your ability to succeed can cause you to work harder to earn that success! You might have heard the saying, “trust in yourself”, that goes for your training, your material, your instructor, your team, etc.  That trust can lift you when you are down and can send you over the top when you are falling short on strength and energy.  

I love this story that Kyoshi Dave Kovar tells about an elementary school teacher and her class:  

At the beginning of a school year, Mrs. Seiglets, the third grade teacher at Brown Elementary was brought into the principals’ office for a meeting. 

The principal told her that a special study had been done and they had found that she was the best teacher in the entire school. The principal then told her that as a result she was going to be rewarded. She would be given the very best students in the third grade! The principal explained to Mrs. Seiglets that even though their past scores don’t show it and they might not act like it, they were given special tests and they are in fact the most gifted students in the school.  

Nine months later at the end of the school year, Mrs. Seiglets class did in fact end up with the best grades in the school. Her student’s test scores were off the charts. Everyone in the community was amazed with what she had done with these children. When Mrs. Seiglets was brought in and congratulated by the principal, she responded by saying “Thank you! But remember, I am the best teacher and they are the best students.” The principal then said, “Well actually, the truth is that this was just a test – we don’t know if you really are the best teacher in the school or not. We just pulled your name out of a hat and wanted you to believe you were the best teacher in the whole school for the sake of this study. And one other thing, the students were also selected at random.”  

It took a moment for Mrs. Seiglets to recover as this really took her off guard. After a moment she asked the principal how they could all do so well if they were not the best students? The principal told her that it was because she in fact believed they were the best students.  

What power we have, if we would just believe in ourselves.  

The opposite is true as well. Lack of trust in yourself can have a negative impact in your training and in your success in life. William Shakespeare wrote, “Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.” Faith in ourselves keeps the negative thoughts at bay that might steal from us the successes we deserve.  

Everyone has the ability to succeed; everyone just needs to believe it! If belief in yourself is important, imagine the power when you believe in yourself and the people around you believe in you as well! That’s what a strong team or a strong Ohana feels like: Everyone pushing for the success of everyone else on the team. It’s an amazing feeling to know that with such a powerful force behind you, success is inevitable. But remember it all starts with you!  

Note: Kyoshi Dave Kovar is a long-time martial arts instructor, business coach, and motivational speaker. Many of the of STORM teaching techniques we use come from Kyoshi Dave Kovar.  

Train Strong to Remain Strong

Sigung Kelly Corder

Student of the Month - Stefanie

Favorite Color - Purple

Favorite Food - Medium-rare grass fed steak and potatoes, just to be specific!

Profession - Executive assistant, Bookkeeper, Mom

Tell us about your family - I have been married for ten years this month (!) and have 2 children: Frankie (8) and Jacob (5).

Besides hula, what other activities do you enjoy? Traveling, movies, hiking, shopping and spending time with family & friends.

What do you like most about training at Kajukenbo AZ? All of it! Families that train (and work!) together, stay together. It’s an honor to make a difference with others and to do it alongside out amazing ohana.

What are your goals for the next year? To better myself as a hula dancer, start taking Kaju classes again and to HAVE FUN every day!

Student of the Month - Maddy

Favorite Color - Aqua Blue

Favorite Food - Chocolate Cupakes

School - Sophomore in High School at Highland High.

Family and pets - Mom Colette is a Realtor, Dad Danny works for Gilbert PD, older brother Austin is a Medic in the US Army and is married to Mariah, also a hula dancer.  I have no pets.

Besides hula, what other activities do you enjoy?  Swimming, shopping, baking, time with friends and the beach!

What do you like most about training at KajuAZ - The Aloha spirit and all the great friendships I've made.

What are your goals for the next year - To improve my skills as a dancer and someday Hula in Hawaii.

Stay the Path

(Through this fist style, one will find happiness and long life)

Wow!! It is awesome and a honor to train here at Kaju AZ. I never thought when I first started that I’d find so many nice and generous people here. So many families and so many good times. On days that I’m here, it’s hard to have a bad day. The dojo is filled with positive people and whatever the case may be it seems someone has your back.

I remember once after training for about 3 months, my wife ask me something like “So how long are you going to do this karate thing”? I said something like, “Forever”. I was hooked. So 5.5 years later I’ve earned my black belt. Now it’s time to step things up. Learn more, train harder, and pass on more of what I learn to my friends and family. 

I am grateful for this art and my teachers. What they have taught me has made me stronger, faster, and confident. All the pit classes and kaju classes have made me healthier than I ever thought I’d be. 

I like that we don’t just talk about breaking bones and poking eyes. That’s all good stuff but I like that we talk about what it means to be a martial artist. Honesty, courage, integrity, respect, self-control, and loyalty. These character attributes can and will get you through hard times. They have for me, in the dojo and out.

For the past two years I’ve been assisting and teaching the kaju dragons and now in the juniors. It is rewarding and a great learning experience. The kids are hard workers and can give you a good mental workout at the same time. Working with them has made me better in many ways, and I want to be a great example for them.

Through this fist style, one will find happiness and long life. This is what Kajukenbo means. All the hard work and drills and basics and more drills, new friends that like to hit too, the small things that happen in class, these make me happy. I hope they happen all the time for a long life.

Mr. Adam S.

The Results of Hard Work

Some people are simply amazing in their ability to grasp a concept and make it their own. Some people have the physical prowess to see a martial arts technique and execute it near perfect the first time.

Sadly, I am not one of the people. Because of that I have struggled to gain a skill and failed miserably and looked bad in the process. It’s a good thing I have tough skin, because falling down can hurt!

One thing I am grateful I do have is a strong will and a desire to get it right eventually. It might take me longer, but if it is important enough, it’s worth it.

Here’s a clip from a post by Stephen Kesting, a fellow Kajukenbo practitioner and BJJ Black Belt:

"So I’m touring Casa Loma recently, the famous castle in downtown Toronto and the largest private residence ever constructed in Canada.

We’re wandering the halls, climbing the turrets, and exploring the never-ending parade of lavishly decorated rooms.

All of a sudden I heard something beautiful drifting through the marble and hardwood hallways. It was the aria Il Dolce Suono from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor opera.  And it sounded like it was being sung live.

I made my way towards the sound and ended up at the edge of the balcony that overlooked the main hall. There, at another, smaller balcony, not 15 feet from me, was the source of the music – a young woman – delivering an unaccompanied live performance for the visitors to the castle.

It was incredible. Despite the acoustics of the hall (most decidedly NOT designed for opera) she did a great job with several famous arias. To hear that almost-private performance in the home of an industrialist robber baron made me feel like I should be wearing an ivory linen suit in the style of the Great Gatsby.

Finally she concluded with a rendition of Ave Maria, curtsied, waved, and then disappeared from her balcony.

…Afterwards, as I was on my way down the hallways of the castle, I saw the same diva again. Some fan had cornered her and was fawning over her performance.

As I got a little closer I could see her nodding with a polite smile plastered on her face in response to what seemed like a very one-sided conversation.Then I was able to overhear what the dude was saying… 

“What a gift,” he sighed, “What an amazing gift.”

I couldn’t help myself. “What a lot of work!” I interrupted.

She used the interruption to disengage and get on her way, but not before flashing me what seemed like a giant smile of gratitude.  I squeezed past her now lonely admirer on my quest to find the castle’s secret passageways and tunnels."

I am reminded by our STORM retreat a couple of years ago where we talked about the pitfalls have having a natural talent and being praised for the talent rather than the hard work in perfecting the talent. Talent IS overrated. Be careful of the pitfall of relying on your talents to get you by. It will work in the short run, but in the long run, hard work and practice will overcome anyone’s natural abilities.

As we drill and practice our martial arts, we must remember that the pay off is down the road. In the future as we demonstrate our ‘talents’, in reality we will be demonstrating the many, many hours of practice, patience with ourselves, the bumps and bruises we have sustained, and ultimately, the demonstration of the will to not quit.

Others might see it as a gift, but you will know differently.

Train Strong to Remain Strong!

-Sigung Kelly

Note: Stephen Kesting is a student of Tuhan and Grandmaster Philip Gelinas of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  Gelinas is the author of the Kajukenbo Family Tree and has been on the KSDI board of directors for many years. GM Gelinas is a stick fighter and knife fighter practitioner. GM Gelinas is a special guest instructor for Grandmaster Lim this year for the Malama Ohana event. He is a ‘must see’ martial artist. 

Student of the Month - Ryanne

Favorite Color - Rainbow

Favorite Food - Pizza

Favorite Subject in School  - Biology, Art

Tell us about your family - 1 brother, 2 sisters Lachlan (6) goes to Kaju, Tamsyn (16) hula, 

Maia (21) lives in Washington

Do you have any pets? Yes, dogs and cats.

Besides Kajukenbo, what other activities do you enjoy? Dance, gymnastics, running, swimming, snowboarding, hiking.

What do you like most about training at Kajukenbo AZ? I like learning blocks and strikes, grappling.

Student of the Month - Charlie

Favorite Color - Blue

Favorite Food - Pizza

Favorite Subject in School  - Math

Tell us about your family - I love them

Besides Kajukenbo, what other activities do you enjoy? Playing with legos, going to the movies.

What do you like most about training at Kajukenbo AZ? Punches.

What are your intentions – and what are your actions?

Grandmaster Lim once said to me  “Know your intentions. If you are going to strike, then strike. If you are going to run, then run. But know what you are going to do, and then do it.”

To me this means that what is in our brains had better be revealed in our actions, otherwise: no success.

I was reminded recently about intentions watching an associate struggle with hardships he created himself although his “intentions” were otherwise.  Bottom line: Saying it doesn’t make it so. I think this conflict inhibits our success in a huge way.  If we can get our intentions in alignment with our actions, what an amazing life we can have!

How do we facilitate living with intention, thus turning our intention into action?

Motivational speaker and close friend of Pit Master, Tony Robbins has a ritual that he does every morning, no matter what. He says it focuses his minds on his intentions and how he will create the actions necessary to carry them out.  Every morning, he takes a walk for at least 10-minutes and then thinks about these things (in order);

        

1. Think of 3 things you are grateful for.

2. Thing of how you are going to help others today

3. Imagine the life you want to create, vividly as if it has already happened.

Tony Robbins says: “I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.”

Attention is the glue that helps our actions become in alignment with our intentions. As we pay attention to our goals, we will start doing the things that are needed to further our goals. As we pay attention to what we do and what we say we can analyze ourselves and make adjustments either to our goals or our actions.

Remember the mantra "Mind, Body, Spirit…as One?”  This reminds me of the importance of our intentions being aligned with our actions. I believe that it takes constant effort for us to be striving for that alignment. And the result of that effort is success. The opposite cannot even be considered failure, just confusion and random happenstance.

And remember, we make the world a better place by our actions, not just our intentions. Lets put our actions to work and let our actions speak for themselves.

There it is – do what you say.  Live your intentions. If you can’t, change and adapt it.  It seems we are guaranteed a successful life by doing this. I certainly want that!

Professor Kelly