Comment: looks like mr miyagi teaching muay thai. ive done muay thai for a while now and neva kicked a bag with pads on lol, and if my shins were to bruised up i just would kick the bag full stop!
Response: Thank you for your comment however misguided. Calasanz has been teaching martial arts longer than you’ve been on this earth, so he knows a thing or two about conditioning. Our shin conditioning goes beyond the usual slamming of the shin against a heavy bag. It is a multi-exercise approach that will gradually build up the shin so our students avoid serious injuries and blood clots. The taped bag that is being kicked in this video is very hard. If you can sustain a kick on this bag even with a shin pad, you’re okay. We prefer to train intelligently. If you want to cripple yourself, then go ahead. If you don’t train wisely in your 20’s, you will pay for it in your 50’s.
Some students are so eager to learn, devoted, and talented that we want to “groom” them for the future. We see so much hope and promise in them that we pour a lot of time, effort, and energy into their training, with the expectation that they will carry our dojo or system into the next generation. It can be devastating when this person walks out. We’re human and we’re going to feel let down, betrayed, disappointed and maybe even a little pissed off. This is not very “Zen-like.” In these situations, it is important to have to have a good balance of feelings and logic. One cannot dominate your personality. If you’re too emotional, you’ll be out of control. If you are too logical, you’ll be too cold. You have to have the right balance. Maintain your composure and realize that students have their own motivations for doing what they do. Appreciate the time you’ve had with them, but know that most will move on and we have to let go.
The Calasanz System, a martial arts and fitness style, is a blend of karate, kung fu, wing chun, boxing, kickboxing, MMA, ground fighting, and self-defense. The system appeals to men, women, and children of all ages because it is grounded in beauty and practicality, as you can see from the videos that have been posted. Calasanz, the creator of the system that bears his name, believes that effective martial artists must not only know technique, but also be physically fit. To help his students achieve this goal, he created Calasanz Physical Arts. Calasanz Physical Arts consists of holistic and functional exercises that are meant to increase strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, coordination, speed, agility, and body unity. These exercises can be used by all levels of athletes in all sports looking to enhance their athletic prowess and can also be used by anyone, any size, shape, age, or ability to increase mobility, health, and well being. The Calasanz System attributes its success to its simplicity; simple enough for beginners and unique and effective enough for professional martial artists. The Calasanz System has been in existence for over 30 years and continues to draw new students every year based on the goodwill it has generated. Simply stated, the system works.
Calasanz is a Master Martial Artist who has spent a lifetime studying and teaching Karate, Kung Fu, and Kickboxing. To create his unique Physical Arts Training Program, Calasanz has combined not only his Martial Arts mastery, but his extensive training in dance, gymnastics, weight and fitness counseling. His unique system is based on ancient wisdom and modern sports medicine’s understanding of the body’s needs and capabilities. The Calasanz System has the capacity to help you create the body you’ve always dreamed of possessing, as it trains your mind and spirit to excel.
Calasanz has, for twenty-eight years, trained young and old, professional athletes and dancers, law enforcement officers, and a host of individuals from all walks of life, in a way that leads to fitness, focus, health, strength, confidence and longevity. He calls his System Calasanz Physical Arts.
Renowned as a hero in his native Dominican Republic, and star of the movie Crossing the Line, Calasanz firmly believes we all have the power to transform our lives, if we’re willing to commit ourselves to the process.
“My system,” Calasanz explains, “has the unique ability to allow anyone, of any age, who has the determination and the desire, to become a martial artist and to transform his or her life.”
My name is Nana Smith. For the past 10 years, I could not imagine that shopping for jeans can be a celebration. My joy of discovery is so great that I want all to know about it.
I had been training all my life. My passion for “workouts” started back home in Georgia – a small country on Black Sea. I had my personal trainer who taught me my first kicks and punches. I swam for several hours. I ran cross country. I skied. But upon coming to America, my life changed dramatically. My time was consumed working and struggling to provide everyday living necessities for myself. My beloved workouts went by the wayside for a while.
However, after a few years, I regained the time to allow “workouts” to re-enter my life. I did boot camps at 4:30 am. I ran along the Long Island Sound with a 20-pound backpack. I sweat like a pig – and I loved it. I totally loved it all except for two small problems: (1) I was gaining weight every day; becoming more and more muscular and larger. (2) My knees hurt so badly that sometimes I could not go up and down stairs. I felt heavy, old, huge and very often depressed.
It was time to change something in my training. I was 205 pounds with huge muscles all over my body when I started Bickram Yoga. I went in hot rooms seven days a week for one year; sometimes I took two classes in a row. Bickram softened me a bit. But the process was contrary to my natural desire for physical action. It was strange to sit still for 90 minutes in a dark room till almost fainting and repeating this process day after day. I kept telling myself, ‘this is good, you are losing weight,” but it still felt strange.
I was at the crossroads of changing my workout pattern again when I received an email from Calasanz Physical Arts. I knew about the place a bit. I knew that this is a place where celebrities trained and that the owner, Calasanz, had become a “celebrity” himself over the years. He is the creator of a unique physical development system, “Creating The Body You Want,” with more when 20 years experience training women.
I truly thought it would be way too expensive for me until I saw an advertisement stating that “we offer special rates to accommodate the rocky times of recession.” Putting things on a “to-do” list is not my nature, so I just picked up the phone right away and called. And to my surprise, Calasanz answered himself. (Celebrities usually do not answer their phones.) After a brief conversation, I went to see him.
The Calasanz dojo is anything but gym. It is a large, open, airy complex with many rooms, and fully equipped with mirrors, ballet bars, showers (the places I had trained in before had no showers whatsoever, even Bickram Yoga), lockers, and even a tea bar. There is no heavy equipment or machines. But there are a lot of different bars, punching bags, sticks, martial arts dummies and a myriad of hand weights.
The dojo is very symmetrical and has a natural warmth and very positive aura. Coming from Europe where the scale is much smaller, it was almost impossible for me to enjoy regular American gyms – too large, too hot in summer, too cold in winter and most of all, environments where I felt personally isolated. The positive aura of the dojo, plus Calasanz himself and his trainers and students makes me feel welcomed. Everybody’s attitude is very positive and they all display the great respect of the master. Calasanz himself is a charismatic, down-to-earth person. He likes to oversee the entire group. He is truly unique from all others I’ve trained with and his dojo is unique from all other gyms. He calls it a temple. And truly it feels like temple.
On my fist day, he greeted me at the door, gave me a tour and then took me upstairs for the first training. He told me, “You are in the right place; now you will receive the best guidance, and we will fix everything.” I just smiled. Calasanz’s approach is gentle on the body. I could feel my muscles stretching. I could feel them working out in a natural manner using mostly body strength and different hand and ankle weights. I took a few classes with Calasanz and then signed for the entire year … and this was the best thing I could have done for myself!
While training, I watch myself in mirrors as all others do … and day after day I see my astounding transformation. I started as a middle age woman of 185 pounds (truly needing size 14 clothes) who was bottled up in her inner self. In less than 2 months of training, I now look at myself in the mirror and I see a young, elegant, open woman. My body shrunk in the right places and developed where it should be developed. I came down to size 8. I look and feel like I am in my 30s again! I now love shopping for clothes. And I even catch admiring eyes and find men holding doors for me. I have more energy than I ever had. I not only look younger, I feel younger. I sleep less and want to do more. The result is totally magnificent!
The best part of it is that exercises are safe and natural. My pains and aches are gone. My knees, back, and overall muscles feel rejuvenated. Calasanz often says that he is body scientist and now I understand what he means. He not only understands physical anatomy, he also knows what kind of exercises suit your body type. So a person can become leaner, lighter, more graceful, more elegant and simply beautiful without hurting him or herself in an optimal time frame. And it is never boring because he rotates exercises on a daily basis – making it fun to do and assuring muscles don’t adjust to the same movement over and over again.
Programs are versatile and schedules are very flexible. He has group and private classes as well as boot camps. Calasanz is one of the best Marital Artists in the world and offers a huge selection of Martial Arts Forms to learn. We can also access his library with hundreds of DVDs featuring specific training courses and that capture Calasanz in the action. And there is more to come as he is now developing his Calasnaz Systems Yoga methodology.
The Calasanz dojo is open 7 days a week, day and night, 365 days a year. If you are seriously interested in transforming your body, getting a thinking man or woman’s workout, learning the art of self-defense or martial arts forms at large, I urge you to take a complimentary session with Calasanz. It will change your life. And in my case, experience the added benefit of enjoying shopping for jeans!
Imagine a complete circle represents all there is to know and master in the martial arts. The circle pictured represents all that Calasanz knows and has studied in the martial arts. Notice the space at the top; this space represents what he does not know. There is always room for improvement and new things to learn. Therefore, the circle will get closer and closer, but never become complete. The quest to become such a well-balanced martial artist for Calasanz is multi-faceted and has been a result of environmental factors and natural innate abilities.
The act of doing martial arts requires a high degree of athleticism and a knack for performing in front of people. Calasanz was blessed with both from day 1. Whether he was up first thing in the morning at a young age doing grueling farm work, honing his god-given strength, endurance, and athletic prowess; or singing and dancing for all the people in town by night; it was all the foundation for his life’s work.
Street fighting also prepared him, before he even took a martial arts lesson. Growing up in a 3rd world country like the Dominican Republic, he had no choice but to defend himself, friends, and family against bullies and thugs. After he started martial arts at 15 the fighting didn’t end. He would go to different dojo’s to challenge the best students and would attempt to take on hordes of people with just his nunchucks!
Even when he started martial arts it came very easy to him, he had everything in him he needed athletically, intellectually, and experientially to become one of the world’s most well balanced martial artists. But there are many people, who, in there particular athletic or intellectual line of work who have this potential, but most fail due to lack of drive and poor work ethic to develop their gifts beyond anyone else, but not Calasanz, for the next 30 years of his life, and even up to today he would spend hours training, studying, and teaching martial arts. This is how he has come so close to completing the circle, natural talent and a relentless drive.
Part 2 – The Calasanz System
One can only imagine the information, opinions, and theory’s one man has after hours and hours of study day after day, for years. From his experience and ability, Calasanz was able to take the most useful techniques and attributes from all the martial arts he studied, and combine them together into a unified system, he called this The Calasanz System. This is much like what Bruce Lee did in the 60’s and 70’s, and what MMA does today. The main difference though between Bruce Lee, today’s MMA, and Calasanz, is that Calasanz did not completely discard all the material he thought “useless” as the others have. He understands that he would not have completely understood their “uselessness” had he not tried them, and future students would not be as wholesome as him if they did not get a chance to experiment with the “uselessness”. So in his eyes, these particular techniques and attributes actually do have a use; they have the ability to make the student a more wholesome, well-rounded martial artist.
So there is, in a sense 2 parts of The Calasanz system 1) The combined, blended, unified system of karate, wing chun, boxing, kickboxing, ground fighting, and physical arts consisting of only the techniques and attributes that work. 2) The complete versions of all the arts that make up The Calasanz System, other martial arts, and supplementary exercise systems. Part 2 focuses on The Calasanz System.
The Calasanz System is a system of martial arts techniques and exercises that prepare the body and the person to defend themselves against violence, whether controlled (combat sports) or uncontrolled (abusive attack, self defense, street fight). The system has a track record of teaching beginners a number of techniques that they can use immediately to protect themselves and help them understand the dynamics of a violent acts (controlled or uncontrolled) faster then most martial art in the world.
The system also includes a set of holistic exercises called physical arts that build strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, balance, body unity, and proper alignment. Many of the physical art exercises are also functional; meaning that a technique is being learned at the same time the person is conditioning his/her body.
Simplicity, power, centerline, interplay of hard and soft, simple blocks, counterstrikes, reactions, bone conditioning, head movement, and physical arts.
Part 3 – Complete Art Systems and other Martial Arts within The Calasanz System
Imagine a circle inside a bigger circle. The inner circle represents the Calasanz System the outer circle is one we’ve spoke of before representing all techniques and knowledge in the martial arts and all exercises systems.
There are parts of the outer circle that exist within the inner circle. And the outer circle contains the arts that Calasanz has mastered: Goju-Ryu Karate and Wing Chun Kung Fu; the arts that he has studied to at least brown belt: aikido, judo, jujitsu, chen chuan long fist; arts that he has studied such as dance, ballet, jazz, and ballroom; combat sports he has competed in and/or trained others in: boxing, kickboxing, MMA, full contact karate, and point fighting; exercise systems he has trained in and taught: aerobics, isometrics, weight lifting, and calisthenics; and all other martial arts and exercise systems he has not trained in and taught, but can see inside of (more on this in Part 4) such as: ninjitsu, yoga, Pilates, tae kwon do, krav maga, northern and southern kung fu’s.
American boxing, American kickboxing, MMA, full Goju, Wing Chun, and Kung Fu forms. Combine the Calasanz System with anything you want, while Calasanz may not agree with your choices he is not the type of teacher to abolish your actions or step in the way of your path, rather he walks on the side and just makes suggestions but lets you chose your own path.
Part 4 – Calasanz
In part 3 it was mentioned that Calasanz could look “inside” martial arts that he has not even studied. This is not as far fetched or egotistical as it might seem with some proper explanation.
Einstein’s Unified equation, thirst for knowledge and natural ability (vertical leap), broken down to the most basic, general rhythms and movements of the body, allows him to see inside technique and body attributes so like a doctor prescribes medicine, Calasanz can prescribe certain techniques to develop, exercises to do, and critiques on performance to enhance any type of martial arts or exercise techniques.
Anyone can execute a block or a strike, but not everyone can do it with balance, power, flexibility, and style. The quality of the execution is what is most important. If you follow the young lady in the video closely, you can see that she has a very good block. Notice when Calasanz swings how she naturally drops back and moves her head to evade the strike. She then immediately returns a counterattack. At this point in her training, will she be able to hurt someone? No, but it is crucial to teach good technique first and then develop more strength and striking power. There is a difference between training in martial arts and boxing as a way of life and training for competition. Nobody is really ever ready for the streets because what goes on there is very unpredictable. If you want to produce a good street fighter, then you need to find someone who has no fear. Technique for this person is just icing on the cake.
The goals of a good martial arts curriculum is progress. Regardless of the style you have chosen to study, all of them begin with the fundamentals and can take you to the level of mastery. Success however depends on two things: commitment on your part and a skilled instructor who not only teaches you the art, but also challenges you.
To some, progression in the martial arts is about earning another belt or stripe. The space between these belts and stripes however is where the martial artist makes his real gains. This is where all the hard work takes place. In addition to learning the new techniques required by your style’s curriculum, you will be tested physically and mentally.
Increasing your fitness level will be challenging, as you push yourself to become faster, stronger and more agile. You can learn thousands of techniques, but if you are not physically fit enough to execute them, they will be of little or no use. This is why it’s important for a martial arts curriculum to include conditioning exercises. Take them seriously because they’re part of the whole package.
You have to discipline yourself to get to the dojo and train hard on nights when all you want to do is go home and lay on the couch. You may want to eat healthier so you spend more time training and less time digesting! You will have to take all that your instructor has taught you and incorporate it into sparring or self-defense practice. While you’ve learned many attacks and counterattacks, you may find that you only use a few. This is where you experiment with what really works.
Now it’s time for your instructor to do his part. A good instructor will push you beyond your comfort zone. He knows that in order for you to go beyond where you are now, he’s going to have to make you work. He’s going to have to mix up the physical training so your routine doesn’t get stale. He may change up a workout that you’ve gotten used to. He may ask you to train with different classmates or to train alone. He may ask you to work on your least favorite techniques or learn a really hard form.
Don’t get upset if one day he walks into class and turns it all upside down. His experience tells him that a stale routine stalls your progress. The only way to get to the next level is to push past whatever is in your way. Work diligently on what is asked of you. The day of your test is merely icing on the cake. All the work necessary to progress is done between the belts!
A Welcome from Calasanz: I would like to welcome you and your child to Kokoro-Shiro, the Calasanz Children’s Martial Arts Program.In Japanese, this phrase refers to the heart, soul and spirit of the white belt…the beginner in martial arts. Once a child steps into our school, he or she becomes a part of a tradition that has been in existence for hundreds of years. In honoring that tradition, it is our goal to give your child the best martial arts education possible, while making it fun in the process. I greatly appreciate your interest in the Calasanz System and that you have chosen us to pass on this ancient art to your child. -Calasanz
The Curriculum: Some martial arts schools that offer children’s programs rely heavily on high turnover without concern for the quality of martial arts education being delivered. Their ads are littered with words promising the attainment of self esteem, self confidence, self discipline through martial arts training. This is true of any organized children’s activity that is run by competent, caring adults…ballet, little league, music lessons, soccer team etc. It has always been our philosophy that while children do gain all of the above mentioned benefits by participating in martial art classes, we do not over emphasize character development at the expense of proper instruction. The primary goal of the Calasanz System is to created a safe, structured environment that is conducive to passing along the martial arts tradition to your child. While we understand that martial arts training for children should be fun, we will not waste your child’s time with “games” or other meaningless activities. We strive to develop good, solid skills by focusing on age appropriate conditioning exercises and fundamental basic techniques (kicks, blocks, punches, strikes). Calasanz has condensed the best movements of karate, kung fu, boxing, kickboxing and Chinese boxing into an exciting children’s program that also includes an educational component, where your child will learn the history of the martial arts and take pride in being part of this tradition.
The Ranking System: In addition to character development, children benefit from the physical aspect of the martial arts. Children growing up in a sedentary society driven by the internet, videos and fast foods, need to move, breath, stretch and exercise their muscles. The Calasanz System is designed to develop strength, endurance, balance, coordination and flexibility. Martial arts training also makes children less aggressive because they become aware of their bodies and respect the skills they have learned in class. They learn to use martial arts as a last resort and then only to defend themselves or a loved one. Children also learn how to resolve life’s conflicts in creative ways without using their fists.
The Trial Class: We offer a trial class to any child interested in studying the martial arts with us. Children have started martial arts training as young as three years of age. A good barometer of determining whether or not your child is ready for martial arts class depends on his or her ability to follow directions.
The Uniform: We ask that all children wear the traditional white karate gi along with a belt when in class or at school sponsored events. Uniforms are available here at the school.
The Schedule: Children’s classes are held Tuesday afternoons from 4:00PM to 5:00PM, and Saturday mornings 10:00AM to 11:00AM. We welcome parents to watch class, but please refrain from interacting your child during class time.
The Cost: The average cost of our children’s program is $95.00 per month. The cost however, may vary depending on the length of the program and the number of family members enrolled. Family discount options are available.
The ancient, Eastern method of teaching the martial arts required the student to watch the instructor and then mimic his movements without one word being exchanged. Western students demand a lot more explanation and often ask too many questions. This leads to over-analyzing on the student’s part, making the learning process much more stressful than it really needs to be. Perfection of the movements in the Eastern sense comes with time as the student matures. Sometimes, it’s best to just watch, see the bigger picture, and then start practicing.
In keeping with this ancient tradition, Calasanz has created a series of instructional DVDs designed to help you grasp the “bigger picture.” Watching the DVDs at home or here at the dojo before class lets you know what to expect and helps you relax the mind as you visualize yourself doing the movements. The result is that if you do your “homework,” your time in class will be more productive. The reason being for watching the DVDs at the Center is to keep you from making excuses if you bring them home, most of the time it makes impossible for you to spend 10 minutes them before going to the School.
Calasanz offers over 700 videos covering topics such as basics, forms, self-defense, weaponry, kickboxing, Regular Boxing Recreational Boxing, Wing Chun, Goju Ryu, traditional and 20 Arm Wooden Dummy, Chinese Boxing and physical conditioning through Calasanz Physical Arts.Special DVDs are also available to help you improve your athletic performance in non-martial art related sports like golf, tennis, soccer, baseball, football, and ice hockey. The DVDs are easy to understand and are a great instructional tool for students at any level of training.
Make an appointment with Calasanz today to choose the right DVD to help enhance your martial arts training! Young Athletes will be watching the DVDs upstairs, they will spend 10 minutes either before their session of during their session. Many of the Young Athletes who train privately upstairs with Calasanz, they don’t have to worry, Calasanz already knows what DVDs best for them.
