Word of the Day: Experience

“Experience teaches only the teachable.”

Aldous Huxley, 20th Century British author

For Adults:

Although everyone experiences many good and bad events, situations and occurrences throughout life, many people seem unable to avoid the same mistake twice. The reason is rather simple: they don’t always learn from their experiences. The primary benefit of a bad situation is the opportunity to increase your knowledge, learn from the experience and acquire wisdom.  You must “experience” this three-part process to avoid making the same mistake again. Knowledge and experience are not enough; you must make the effort to apply what you know and what you’ve learned through experience to become wise—and wise people, although not perfect, make far fewer mistakes.

A Conversation with Your Kids:

Experience is what happens to you every day. School is an experience. A family vacation is an experience.  Earning your Black Belt is a very big experience. Experiences teach you not to make the same mistakes again.The teacher may decide to keep you in the classroom during recess if you disrupt the class. What you should learn from that experience is that you won’t disrupt the class again, so you never miss recess again. That is wisdom. You must always gain wisdom to become a great Black Belt.

A Discussion to Have With Your Kids:

1. When did you learn from the experience of a bad situation?

2. How can learning from experience help you avoid making the same mistake again?

Use this information to start a discussion with family members about experience and what they think it means to them.

Have a great day!

Are you ready to get some Martial Arts Experience and start your path towards a Black Belt?  Call us today at American Karate Center at 804-323-1954 to start a FREE TRIAL TODAY! Or enter your information on our website at http://www.american-karate.net and receive your FREE TRIAL COUPON! 

“Like” us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/americankaratecenter and get inspired TODAY!

Gary Miles on Hook Kick, Round Kick Combination

The hook kick strikes with the heel from the side. It is executed similar to a side kick. However, the kick is intentionally aimed slightly off center line of the target in the direction of the kicking foot’s toes. At full extension, the knee is bent and the foot snaps to the side, impacting the target with the heel.  In this video, Gary Miles from American Karate Center in Richmond, VA instructs how to execute a Hook Kick in American Kickboxing and then put it together with a Round Kick.  These two kicks make a devastating impact when used together.  Balance and core strength play a key role as well as cocking the start of the kick correctly so you can fool your opponent by bringing the kick out of their line of vision.

Want to learn more about Kickboxing?  American Karate Center is the place to be…whether you are interested in technique or fitness, AKC has a program for you!  Visit our website at www.american-karate.net to sign up for your FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP!  Or simply give us a call at 804-323-1954 to set up your appointment today!!  ”Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/americankaratecenter now to see what we are up to on a daily basis.  Do it TODAY!  You won’t regret it!

Four Negative Words Great Martial Artists Avoid

All GREAT Martial Artists learn that the words they use, especially when they are talking to “themselves,” make a HUGE impact on their lives and their success!

Using these NEGATIVE words limit you, and cause you to focus on what can’t be done, rather than what CAN be done!

Avoid using these negative words with others and ESPECIALLY yourself!

1. No: 

Instead of finding what you can’t do, it’s important for you to see the opportunity that is hiding in any challenge. If your instructor asked if you can kick “head high,” telling him or her “no” immediately makes your brain “give up.” If you answered “I’ll try,” your brain will give you the power to try!

2. Can’t: 

Winning Black Bets know that ANY limitation is temporary! If you “can’t” do something today, say a form, a kick, or 100 push-ups, what if you practiced for a month? Instead of telling yourself you “can’t”, ask yourself “How can I?” This will put your brain to work figuring out how you can accomplish your goal!

3. Never: 

The best Black Belts know that with time, patience, and focus all things are possible! Of course there are physical limits of what a human can do, BUT, if you see another person who has accomplished something, that means that YOU CAN TOO!

4. Maybe: .

Maybe is what people say when they have no intention of accomplishing something, but don’t want to tell you directly! It’s a “cop out.” Don’t allow yourself to make this “excuse” to others, and especially to yourself!

“You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars. With it, there is accomplishment. Without it there are only alibis.” — Henry Ford 

Start accomplishing things TODAY!  Come see what we are all about at AMERICAN KARATE CENTER, where you can do anything with the right attitude.  Whether you are looking for a martial arts belt system, an exercise routine that works, or a program for your child that will teach him or her leadership, focus and how to stay active.  Call TODAY!  804-323-1954.  Sign up for our FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP!  Visit our website at http://www.american-karate.net or “like” us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/americankaratecenter to see what we’re up to.  Talk to you soon!

Becoming a Trustworthy Person

Trust is the basis of all good relationships and the cornerstone of good character. Trustworthy people keep their promises. They are honest, reliable, principled and never inappropriately betray a confidence. Trust is a Black Belt characteristic. To feel like a Black Belt, you must act like a Black Belt, and that means becoming a trustworthy person.

Ask yourself or have a discussion with your child using the following questions to determine if you or they are a trustworthy person:

1. Is it a good idea to risk losing someone’s trust for a temporary gain?

2. How important is trust in your relationships with friends and family?

3. How often do you break promises?

4. How often do you share secrets that you were told in confidence?

5. How often do you overlook your principles to satisfy your wants?

Study your answers carefully to make sure you feel good about them and that you were honest. When others consider you untrustworthy, it is often because you forget how important it is to your character. A true Black Belt understands the importance of trust and makes the right choices whatever the outcome.

Practice these examples of trustworthiness every day:

1. Keep your promises! Don’t make a promise, unless you are able to keep it.

2. Be honest. Don’t tell lies for personal gain; lies inevitably return to hurt you.

3. Keep secrets told to you. Never betray a confidence or a trust.

4. Have integrity and never yield to temptation. The more you act in this manner, the more people will honor you.

5. Be loyal to those who matter. Don’t act in opposition to those who care about you.

6. If you make a mistake, fix it, immediately. Don’t let a bad situation become worse; rectify it now.

You can become trustworthy in all your relationships once you know how. The first step is to understand that trustworthiness is a primary element of all honest relationships. The next step is to develop the habit of making trustworthy decisions in all of your actions. Once you do so, you will know that you are an honorable person. When you master trustworthiness, you master life.

Not a member of American Karate Center and want to start a path towards getting your Black Belt?  Fill out the information form to the right or visit our website at http://www.american-karate.net to start your FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP TODAY!  ”Like” us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/americankaratecenter.  Start Mastering your life TODAY!!

Coping With Stress

Stress is an inevitable part of life that everyone—adults, teens, and even children—experience at times. Stress can be beneficial because it helps people develop the skills they need to cope with and adapt to new and potentially threatening situations throughout life; however, the beneficial aspects of stress diminish when it is severe enough to overwhelm a person’s ability to cope, effectively.

Sometimes, after experiencing a traumatic event that is especially frightening—including personal or environmental disasters or being threatened with an assault—people have a strong and lingering reaction to stress. Strong emotions, jitters and sadness or depression may all be part of this normal and temporary reaction to the stress of an overwhelming event.

When the symptoms of stress are intense or last too long, however; it can cause people to feel overwhelmed and have an effect on their ability to cope.

Common reactions to a stressful event can include:

• Disbelief and shock.

• Fear and anxiety about the future.

• Difficulty making decisions.

• Apathy and emotional numbness.

• Nightmares and reoccurring thoughts about the event.

• Anger.

• Sadness and depression.

• Feeling powerless.

• Sleep difficulties.

• Headaches,

Follow these tips to receive the right care and support during difficult times.

• Stay in touch with family. Be with people who are caring and positive.

• Stay active. Go for a walk or run. (Or go to karate class )

• Be involved in activities to support your community.

• Find support. Ask for help from a parent, friend, counselor or instructor. Talk with him or her about the stress you feel and problems you face.

• Take care of yourself. Obtain plenty of rest and exercise and eat properly.

• Take a timeout. If you feel stressed, then give yourself a break. Allow some downtime, even if it is only a 30-second time out.

Sometimes, one trip to American Karate Center, or wherever you go to learn, exercise and be part of a family, can dissolve the stress of the day.  Not a member of American Karate Center?  Contact us TODAY about a FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP!  Call 804-323-1954, visit our website at http://www.american-karate.net or “Like” us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/americankaratecenter

Challenge Yourself to Succeed!

For some people, success is the attainment of a long-term goal. For others, it may be the completion of smaller tasks. Similarly, in martial arts training, achieving Black Belt or “under” belts may be what some students consider being successful; however, succeeding as a martial arts practitioner involves mastering the most basic fundamentals of training. These include attendance, commitment, practice, sharing and health, which lead to continued success as a martial arts student for life.

Attendance: With today’s busy lifestyle, it is sometimes a challenge to attend class twice a week. Even during the summer, you must attend class, regularly. If you must miss class, then immediately add a replacement to your schedule. Remember, a drop out begins with the first missed class. Don’t become a negative statistic; attend class regularly.

Commitment: A student’s motivational level governs his or her level of commitment. The more important a goal, the more likely you will pursue it. Select a day each month to reflect on your training and reaffirm your commitment to the martial arts. Ask yourself what benefits are you receiving and how you’ve become a better person through martial arts.

Practice: While you may train several times per week at the school, schedule mini-workout sessions during the week to review your knowledge. Self-workouts are personal time, which reinforce what you are learning during class and, most importantly, what you should improve.

Sharing: The martial arts has grown with the spread of knowledge from teacher to student, who then becomes a teacher, and then spreads the knowledge to new students. The teacher-student relationship in the martial arts is built on honor, respect and gratitude, which often sets the martial arts apart from many other educational relationships. As a student, look for opportunities to help others and begin your journey as a teacher. You will prosper from your relationships and your martial arts knowledge will greatly increase.

Health: Martial arts training can provide you with exercise to stay in shape, but you must also eat healthfully to produce optimal training results.

You can achieve these fundamentals to become more confident, healthier and flexible; break bad habits and learn self-defense (to name a few benefits). Challenge yourself to succeed by focusing on these five key fundamentals.

Are you ready to challenge yourself?  If you are not already a member of American Karate Center at Huguenot Village Shopping Center, CALL US TODAY!  *804-323-1954*  Sign up for your FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP by calling us or visiting our website, http://www.american-karate.net.  ”Like” us on Facebook to see what we’re up to…http://www.facebook.com/americankaratecenter. You can Succeed!