Always More to Learn; Always Room for Improvement

Sorry for missing a journal entry last week: I just returned from a week of training at the Zen Bei Butoku Kai International Summer Camp in Guelph, Ontario. I’ve been going to this camp, which has run annually for the last 31 years, since 1995. It’s not a vacation. It’s training, and the daily routine looks something like this:



6:00 – 7:00 Tai chi, pushing hands, and chi kung
7:00 Breakfast
9:00 – 11:30 Morning training
12:00 Lunch
2:00 – 4:30 Afternoon training5:00 Dinner
7:00 – 8:30 Evening lecture


As you can see, there’s very little down time at camp, but we still manage to have a great week, with nightly visits to the campus pub for social beverages.


Some highlights from the week:

My tai chi form has improved. In our organization, we do an offshoot of Yang style tai chi as taught by Sensei Richard Kim, who passed away back in 2001. The morning tai chi sessions at camp were led by Brian Ricci Sensei and Frank Gaviola Sensei. This year, I’m remembering the individual movements and sequences a lot better, and it takes less much concentration to flow through the entire form.

I had the pleasure of attending several training classes with Fumio Demura Sensei , who visited the camp during the week. His presence and knowledge of Okinawan history and kata bunkai (application) is amazing. I took plenty of notes. (And I iced down my thumb after he cranked me in a finger lock that I’ll never forget!)

At camp this year, I spent most of my time in the “combat room” learning jujitsu techniques from Lenore Gaviola Sensei, Rose Baldo Sensei, and Lonnie Francis Sensei, and I was promoted to yonkyu (blue belt) at the end of the week. I can’t say enough positive about my jujitsu instructors and their level of proficiency – I felt totally in awe of their effortless ability. Just goes to prove that there’s always more to learn and there’s always room for improvement.

This year, I succeeded in passing my 4th dan (4th degree Black Belt) examination. I worked hard in the months leading up to the event, so I was highly confident and in great shape when I stepped on the floor for grading. I was as prepared as I could have been, but because I missed two months of training before the test (I took an understandable break from training when my son was born back in April!), I was not as prepared as I would have liked to have been. Still we had a strong group of candidates grading for 4th and 5th dan, and it was an honor to be on the floor with them.


The most memorable highlight of the week for me was seeing five of my students grade for their shodan (first degree). Well, I didn’t actually watch them — I was grading on the floor at the same time — but to know that they all passed is a GREAT feeling!



Hats off and a deep bow of respect and thanks to my instructors Brian Ricci Sensei and Dennis Mann Sensei, who continue to teach me — on and off the mat — with patience and love. Thanks also to my family for their understanding and tolerance of my "hobby," and for all those who continue to contribute to my personal growth and development.

Attacking in all directions

Last week, I attended a conference on bullying prevention here in Boston. The event was aimed at providing anti-bullying resources and information to school administrators, community groups, and parent-based organizations. The conference was well attended — I set up a table for Emerald Necklace Martial Arts, and I also went to represent Boston Self-Defense, a growing online network of self-defense and safety information that I created after being inspired by my mentor, Coach Tom Callos.

I met and connected with a number of interesting people at the event — and I took a lot of photos video, too! Here's a quick video of Steve Daly, founder of the radKIDS children's safety and empowerment program. I initially met Steve back around 2001 when I became certified as a radKIDS instructor.


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In the last few weeks, I've also spent time teaching karate and bullying prevention seminars at a few Boston-area schools. I'm learning a lot from the KIDS.

Beyond all of this, we've been training really hard at the dojo (will post video of our recent grueling conditioning training soon!):

I and six of my students depart this weekend for Canada for a weeklong martial arts seminar that will end with Black Belt testing on Friday, June 25. Five of my students are testing for shodan, first degree black belt. I will be testing for yondan, fourth degree.

Of course, I expect nothing short of complete success!

I'm going on a "Masters Journey." Want to Join Me?

Very soon, I'm going to start working on a 4-week "Masters Journey" of advanced personal development, leadership, goal setting, and achievement.

The "Masters Journey" is a program created and run my my UBBT friend, Gary Engles.

Gary has posted a couple of sneak-peek videos ("The Mysterious Letters" and "Celebrating Your Wins") in advance of the program launch. I encourage you to watch them here.

Now, Gary's a little over the top sometimes, but he's one of the most focused and driven people I know.

The "Master's Journey" is essentially a 4-week self-directed program of personal growth -- when it launches, Gary will be offering the entire program for $197. After watching the videos
posted here, I hope you'll decide to take the "Masters Journey"

along with me and perhaps a few other members of the dojo.

if you're interested, let me know -- and be sure to sign up using Gary's "early-bird sign-up" form, as only 100 people will be admitted to the program!

Training: Trial by Fire

This weekend was my first serious attempt at completing a complete "trial by fire" with my 15lb Clubbells. For those who do not know, a trial by fire (Created by Coach Scott Sonnon) consists of 100 continuous repetitions three specific exercises: 100 clubbell double swipes, followed by 100 mills with each arm, followed by 100 clubbell hammer throws. You can watch a video of a Trial by Fire here. To count as "official," the entire "trial" needs to be completed in under 30 minutes.

I've been working with Clubbells for some time, but I'd never attempted a complete trial before now. I've set a personal fitness goal of completing an official TBF, so I figured that I'd better get working on it.

In a word, it was TOUGH. Swinging the clubs really challenges your grip strength, particularly because the weight of the club pulls across your grip instead of into it. So, I was forced to take several short breaks to prevent "catastrophic grip failure" that would have resulted in by clubs becoming unintended projectile weapons.

I completed all 100 double swipes by doing a set of 35, followed by a set of 15, and then sets of 10 or 15 until I reached 100 repetitions. The mills were the hardest part of the trial; I switched hands often and took a few breaks to get 100 done on each side. The 100 hammer throws seemed to be the easiest part of the trial — those I completed in just two sets (one of 60 and one of 40).

My entire Trial by Fire took me 35 minutes, and the reps were not non-stop, as prescribed. So, my goal of completing a full, nonstop, continuous TBF in 30 minutes or less is within reach, but I've still got some work to do.

And oh YES -- I was really sore the next day!

Don't Just Sit There -- Do Something!

I sit here today as images from the BP oil spill come across my computer screen, and I feel absolutely powerless. I'm a "master" martial artist, a veteran self-defense "expert," and man dedicated to serving those in need with courage and compassion.

Yet still I'm feeling completely impotent about how I might serve and protect the countless animals along the Louisiana coastline that are bearing the brunt of this ecological disaster.


A quick search on Google has at least got me pointed in the right direction. Here's a link to ways you can help.

Earlier this year, members of the Emerald Necklace dojo came together and raised over $5,000 to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake. Today, I call on them again, along with anyone reading this post, to get creative about how to help with this incredible mess.

Team, let's put our heads together.

We'll be cleaning up this mess for years to come. When my children are old enough to understand the seriousness of what's happened in the Gulf, I don't want them to discover that all I did to help was sit back and watch the news.

So, please send me your ideas, and then we'll put some of them into action. Soon.

Why, yes -- I HAVE been training!

This is a video of last night's "Combat Conditioning" class. Sorry it's only about 30 seconds long, but I was at the "rest station" so it's all I had time to shoot.


Will write more later, I promise!

Taking On Bullying in Boston

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