November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and last weekend was World Diabetes Day, so I ran two women's self-defense seminars at the dojo that raised about $200 for the Defeat Diabetes organization.
We've been doing some realistic training in our Black Belt Club sessions, with a goal of developing physical & mental toughness, and the willingness to engage in physical conflict if necessary. (I've still got a few bruises from the training, but I'm healing quickly!)
On my own time, I've been studying the concepts of "Verbal Judo" so that I can share them with my students though future confidence & assertiveness training seminars.
One of our dojo members is collecting food items for homeless families for Thanksgiving. The drop-off box in the dojo is filling up from student's donations, and I even have a few members from the community (not dojo members) stopping by the dojo this weekend to make additional contributions! In honor of the upcoming holiday, we discussed the quality of "gratitude" and how it relates to the martial arts between punching drills in my grade-school class this morning.
We'll be holding a "healthy foods potluck" at the dojo next week to emphasize the notion that "healthy eating is self-defense." And since we're heading into the season of excessive eating, we'll also be showing the film, "Food, Inc." to raise awareness about our food sources and our habits of consumption.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Self-Defense for a Good Cause
November is Diabetes Awareness Month!
Emerald Necklace Martial Arts, located at 95 Everett Street in Allston, will be running
women's self-defense classes on Saturday, November 14 and on Sunday November 15. These 60-minute classes will start promptly at 1:30 PM on both days.
In lieu of a training fee, the dojo is collecting donations for the Defeat Diabetes organization. Suggested donation is $15, but any amount will be gratefully accepted!
Over the weekend, I'll also be refining my MADDCAP presentation, and I will be hosting informal talks on diabetes awareness and prevention at the dojo.
Emerald Necklace Martial Arts, located at 95 Everett Street in Allston, will be running
women's self-defense classes on Saturday, November 14 and on Sunday November 15. These 60-minute classes will start promptly at 1:30 PM on both days.
In lieu of a training fee, the dojo is collecting donations for the Defeat Diabetes organization. Suggested donation is $15, but any amount will be gratefully accepted!
Over the weekend, I'll also be refining my MADDCAP presentation, and I will be hosting informal talks on diabetes awareness and prevention at the dojo.
Self Defense and Real Life
Sorry I missed posting last week; lots has been happening.
With all the community service activities and postive things we do at the dojo (leadership training, environmental projects, anger management, peace education, diabetes awareness, etc.), sometimes we forget where we come from as martial artists. The where-the-rubber-meets-the-road physical stuff — the punching and kicking — is very important, too.
I've been working on "realistic self-defense" training with our dojo's Black Belt Club members over the past couple of weeks. We're focusing on (1) conflict avoidance and verbal de-escalation skills training; (2) developing striking power under stressful conditions and dealing with adrenal stress; (3) learning escapes from grabs and holds and basic groundwork fundamentals; and (4) developing aggressiveness for defense along with physical and mental toughness (read: the willingness to engage and hit, and the tolerance for getting hit).
As part of our training, we're doing case studies of actual violent attacks, and as a group we're reading "Meditations on Violence" by Sgt. Rory Miller. And, as this month is the 234th birthday of the United States Marine Corps, we're practicing and reviewing techniques from the LINE training system of close combat.
An odd coincidence: there was a stabbibg murder in the neighborhood last week. A rare occurrence in these parts to be sure, but it happened about two blocks from the dojo — and my house. The event prompted me to write this article on self-defense against weapons.
With all the community service activities and postive things we do at the dojo (leadership training, environmental projects, anger management, peace education, diabetes awareness, etc.), sometimes we forget where we come from as martial artists. The where-the-rubber-meets-the-road physical stuff — the punching and kicking — is very important, too.
I've been working on "realistic self-defense" training with our dojo's Black Belt Club members over the past couple of weeks. We're focusing on (1) conflict avoidance and verbal de-escalation skills training; (2) developing striking power under stressful conditions and dealing with adrenal stress; (3) learning escapes from grabs and holds and basic groundwork fundamentals; and (4) developing aggressiveness for defense along with physical and mental toughness (read: the willingness to engage and hit, and the tolerance for getting hit).
As part of our training, we're doing case studies of actual violent attacks, and as a group we're reading "Meditations on Violence" by Sgt. Rory Miller. And, as this month is the 234th birthday of the United States Marine Corps, we're practicing and reviewing techniques from the LINE training system of close combat.
An odd coincidence: there was a stabbibg murder in the neighborhood last week. A rare occurrence in these parts to be sure, but it happened about two blocks from the dojo — and my house. The event prompted me to write this article on self-defense against weapons.
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