Speaking Our Truth

This week, the local paper interviewed me for a feature article they are planning to publish on the various martial arts schools in the area. Free press is good advertising, so I was happy to speak with the reporter, show him around our dojo, and introduce him to several of my students. I felt at ease and "on my game" during the interview, and I remained conscious of hitting all of my talking points as I spoke.

But as I described our focus on community service and the environmental and peace-education components of our martial arts curriculum, I felt an unusual surge of passion and confidence: Our dojo is truly a unique place. No, these items weren't just "talking points" or a clever marketing strategy. They were evidence of the true character of our dojo. We walk our talk, and I was simply speaking our truth.

I'm grateful for the UBBT experience — it has helped to draw these elements out and bring them to the foreground. They were always there, but now they are sharp and clear.

Emerald Necklace Martial Arts To Award Its First Black Belts

BOSTON (Allston), Mass., August, 2009 -- On Friday, September 18, 2009, three adult karate students at Allston's Emerald Necklace Martial Arts will receive their Black Belts during a special ceremony to be held at 7:00 PM at 95 Everett Street in Allston. The event will be open to the public.

After more than five years of consistent physical practice — and after more than a few bumps and bruises — Angela Dwyer, 40, of West Roxbury, Greg Mudarri, 28, of Andover, and Joe Polcari, 50, of Natick have each earned the right to wear the coveted Black Belt, a rank which karate instructor Sensei Jason Gould says marks "the true beginning of their martial arts training."



Dwyer, Mudarri, and Polcari are the very first students to earn Black Belts at Emerald Necklace Martial Arts, which first opened its doors in October of 2003. To earn their belts, the three had to do more than demonstrate proficiency with kicks and punches: they also had to study karate history and philosophy, explore peace education and learn skills for nonviolent conflict resolution, become CPR certified, and organize community service projects to demonstrate their compassion and leadership ability.

"The study of karate is certainly a physical endeavor," says Sensei Gould, "but there are also academic, social, and spiritual aspects to our training. At our dojo, we don't want to just develop martial artists who possess skills for self-defense. That is important, but we really aim to develop Artists of Life — people who have the life skills and the will to make a positive difference in the world."


"I'm very proud of Angela, Greg, and Joe," Gould continues, "and I know that they'll continue to be great role models for others to emulate."

The evening ceremony recognizing Dwyer, Mudarri, and Polcari will consist of a brief karate and kobudo (weapons) demonstration, followed by Black Belt presentations and the awarding of Shodan (first-degree Black Belt) certificates. For more information, please contact Sensei Jason Gould at 617-230-1973 or Jason.Gould@karateinboston.com.

Today, I'm Beaming

I'm only a part-time martial arts school owner. Teaching the martial arts isn't my full time job, but it IS my full-time passion. And today I'm BEAMING because two women who NEVER even would have considered taking karate have become members of my dojo, not only for what they could GET from their martial arts membership (fitness, confidence, etc.), but because their dojo membership enables them to GIVE and express and connect and participate in the world, using martial arts as the vehicle.

Our two newest members told me that our dojo's emphasis on community service and our online project portfolio truly set us apart from other martial arts schools. It's apparent that the service projects that we do as part of our training make a big difference in the kinds of people that we attract, and it's a big part of why those people stay with us.

No one seems to care too much about how our students perform at tournaments, even though we more than hold our own in competition. Because of what we do OUTSIDE of our dojo, we have a GREAT reputation in the neighborhood and the city — and man, does that feel GOOD.

So people don't join our dojo because they want to side-kick a mugger in the throat. And I'm OK with that. (Now, I'll try to teach them to do exactly that while they're here, but apparently it's not the thing that gets people to walk through the door for the first time.

I love my art. In the dojo, I'm a real stickler about tradition, etiquette, form, timing, generating power, and the proper application of technique. The stuff we do has to MEAN SOMETHING, and it HAS TO WORK. But at the end of it all, I'll take 50 students who are committed to changing the world over 50 kata & kumite champions — every day of the week, and twice on Sunday. And if I happen to make kata & kumite champs out of them along the way, well that's a bonus I can live with!

Sweet Failure

OK, I'm pleased to report that my first attempt at a "trial by fire" using 15 lb. Clubbells was an absolute, total miserable, abject, and embarrassing FAILURE. I know I'm in pretty good shape, but the TBF attempt quickly pointed out some chinks in my armor – mostly my grip strength.

The mills started out OK, but after about 25 on each side (switching sides every 10 reps), I started to compensate for my weakening grip by moving my body and the Clubbells differently. This took the whole exercise out of flow, and it quickly became too painful to continue. The double swipes weren't so bad, but already being tired from the mills made doing more than 20 in a row impossible.

I didn't even try the hammer swings.

Sweet. No where to go but up, I guess!

Putting on my white belt – again.

Trial By Fire

It's been a while since I've posted anything about my UBBT physical training regimen. Recently, I've been doing a lot of work with Clubbells. They're nasty little torture devices — essentially miniature iron baseball bats with a displaced center of mass. Using them is a total body workout that improves strength, grip, endurance, flexibility, mobility, and GUTS. Oh, and using them is pretty darn fun, too.

Now that I've more or less got the Clubbell basics down, I've set a goal of completing a "Trial By Fire:" One hundred single Clubbell mill swings (each arm) one hundred double swipes, and one hundred two-handed hammer swings, all using the 15 lb. Clubbell — in 30 minutes or less. I'm going to do a dry run today to asses my current Clubbell fitness level, and then I'll use the results to set a TBF goal that has a specific deadline.

Wish me luck.

My Greatest Living Hero

Today is July 24, 2009. It's my daughter's 3^rd birthday. So while I joyfully celebrate a milestone today, another, darker one lurks in the background: My daughter Ava was diagnosed at just 18 months as a Type I diabetic. So today, she has been living longer WITH the disease than she has without it. I am at once heartbroken by my daughter's challenges, and overwhelmed with gratitude for all of the advances in medicine and technology that enable her to live a [mostly] normal life.

My daughter gracefully endures countless finger sticks, needle injections, and infusion set changes. She has cranky parents who NEVER sleep. We've been to more doctor appointments and specialist consultations than I care to count. In the last 18 months, there have been terrifying blood sugar highs and equally scary lows, and one or two potentially deadly equipment malfunctions. Yet, Ava takes it all in stride. She's happy, She's carefree, She's energetic, intelligent — and damn funny, too.

And, man, is she tough!

She's my hero, and my greatest teacher.

Happy Birthday, Peanut!

Where Is My Audacity?

Forty years ago today, mankind first set foot on the moon. Wow.

I mean really — WOW! The whole thing is a #*$%& miracle!

This all happened before my time, mind you — for I didn't show up here until 1971. But even so, today I'm looking at the grandeur of the moon landing in all its intensity, and I'm wondering on a micro scale what MY "personal moon landing" ought to be.

Today, I'm feeling stuck in the cycle of eat, work, play, sleep, repeat. It's a pretty good life, really. I have no complaints! But what insanely daring, outrageous, and brilliantly risky thing should I be embarking upon to stretch and to learn? How am I to grow and evolve beyond my current capabilities, perceptions, and imagination?

Where is my audacity? My courage? What are my limits? How might I dare to thrust out into the unknown and put myself utterly on the line? What unexplored and alien territory of my own body/mind/spirit should I explore, and then boldly plant my flag upon arrival?

What grand, difficult, wonderful, and awe-inspiring adventure should I embark upon today?

And what will I learn from the journey?