Young Athletes-Enhanced Athletic Performance through Martial Art Training

For over 20 years, Calasanz has helped young people improve their athletic performance in youth hockey, football, soccer, tennis, little league baseball and competitive martial arts. Calasanz Young Athletes program, is a consolidation of the best movements of karate, kung fu, boxing, kickboxing and Chinese boxing into an exciting program designed to enhance your child’s performance in his or her sport. 

Participants begin by learning the basics.  Strength training and stretching exercises are emphasized to develop muscular endurance and increase flexibility. Balancing and plyometric exercises are incorporated to maximize control over the body while in motion.  Breathing techniques traditionally practiced in the martial arts are also taught for the purpose of bringing a fresh supply of oxygen to the body and helping the athlete remain calm under pressure.  The program also offers other benefits such as developing concentration, stamina and hand-eye coordination.  

After the basics, it’s on to the martial art portion of the program. The kicks, punches, blocks, strikes, stances and footwork unique to each discipline are what make Young Athletes an effective athletic training program. The techniques of Calasanz Kickboxing and Goju Ryu Karate yield explosive leg power along with shoulder and forearm strength.  Traditional Wing Chun Kung Fu and American Boxing techniques help develop powerful hip movements and increased hand speed, while Chinese Boxing enhances grounding and balancing skills.  

Young Athletes is designed to complement your child’s athletic performance and teach him or her how to train safely and intelligently.  Participants who put the time and effort into this program will enjoy the results. It’s also a fun and exciting cross-training alternative.

A Warning to Consumers of Martial Art Services

Published in: on July 2, 2010 at 3:16 pm  Comments (1)  
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Respecting the Roots of Traditional Martial Arts

Youtuber Comment:

I have been an instructor for 26 years, my family has a long history in the martial arts. My highest rank is in Goju and Kung fu. My katas have been getting high reviews. In our motto we believe the answers are on the floor. I done many katas and there are different variations. So you can see the idea of what they look like. Now I have heard that Calasanz beat the hell out of Morio Higaonna, that’s what someone is telling me.

Response:

Thanks for your comment.  Calasanz respects the roots of Goju Ryu and credits it as well as other styles as the foundational arts for his System.  References to Goju Ryu or any other style are historical in nature.  Calasanz has created a name by giving constructive lessons to those who damage the martial arts. All of these lessons were done using non-violent diversionary techniques. Here you’re seeing a small piece of Calasanz training regime and martial art expertise.  He has spent his entire lifetime striving to be a well balanced martial artist. In addition to the traditional martial arts, he has also incorporated aerobics and dance into his training.  While some martial artists would shy away from this type of training, Calasanz sees the benefits of rounding out a rugged training regime with disciplines that focus on balance, grace and fluidity.  There are a variety of videos on this site showing the different sides of his training so just viewing one or two of them doesn’t really give you a sense of the wide range of his training. His success lies in his ability to incorporate these various disciplines into a complex system that seems simple at first glance. Thanks again and best of luck to you

Calasanz Martial Arts and Fitness Training images and videos!

Published in: on June 28, 2010 at 3:34 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Calasanz Master Thinks He’s a Black Belt, Why Not You Tube?

Calasanz with Tameyoshi Sakamoto

You Tuber:

Truth be known, Calasanz/Shadowind quit the practice of goju at a green belt level, when he figured he didn’t need to learn any more. He still falsely claims to have a black belt in goju. Too bad his ego exceeds his learning capacity. This is not goju, it is calasanz bullshitziu.

Response:

Let’s get a few things straight before we go on any further.  When you speak to “Shadowind,” you are speaking to a variety of staff members who work for Calasanz.  He is too busy teaching and running a successful school. As far as your assessment of his credentials, you are extremely incorrect regarding his rank.  If he were such a “bullshitziu” practitioner as you so disrespectfully call him, his teacher, Tameyoshi Sakamoto, father of Goju Ryu in the Dominican Republic, would have turned his back on him a long time ago.

Note: In a seminar in October 2009 at the Calasanz Dojo in Norwalk, CT, Tameyoshi Sakamoto awarded Calasanz a 5th degree in Goju Ryu Karate.

Goju Ryu Karate

Published in: on April 6, 2010 at 12:22 pm  Comments (1)  
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This is NOT Goju!

You Tuber:

Sorry, regardless of Mr Calasanz’s background in Gojuryu, once he chooses to stray from the core principles of Goju, it is no longer Goju. If Mr Calasanz wants to have his own system, I have no drama with that, but this IS NOT GOJU…

And yes, I do “know something about martial arts”, having studied Gojuryu myself for over 40 years.

Enjoy your training with Mr C, but understand that it is not Gojuryu; it has morphed into something else entirely.

That in itself doesn’t make it a bad thing, it just isn’t Goju……….!

Response:

Thank you for your comments and observations.  Calasanz martial art roots are in traditional Goju Ryu Karate, having trained with Master Sakamoto Tamajoshi for many years in the Dominican Republic.  Calasanz still respects his traditional roots and the terms often end up in the titles of some of these video posts, even if remotely connected.  The Calasanz System evolved over years of teaching and training and tuning in to what the general public is looking for in the martial arts. This system has endured for many years and continues to do so today, as evidenced by the many individuals who have trained with us. Unfortunately in today’s society, there is very little patience for the painstaking work that it takes to devote oneself to a traditional art, as someone with your many years of experience would know. Here in the United States, traditional schools are closing their doors at an alarming rate and surviving as a business involves growing and changing with the demands of the modern student.

Published in: on March 31, 2010 at 1:48 pm  Leave a Comment  
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What’s Style is Calasanz Goju Ryu Karate?

You Tuber:

hey, which goju ryu style is this? i take yosei goju ryu style here in florida, but it’s sort of like the nisei goju ryu style, there’s not that much diffrentation. and i’ve seen this kata before. it was a while back, but when you put it with some speed and emotion, it looks good

Response:

Thanks for your positive feedback. Calasanz teaches his own style known as the Calasanz System, so what you’re seeing is a hybrid. It contains influences from Goju Ryu, Wing Chun, Chinese and American Boxing and physical conditioning techniques. Calasanz studied Goju Ryu under Tameyoshi Sakamoto, father of Goju Ryu in the Dominican Republic, back in the 70’s, so the katas are based on the principles that he learned from his teacher as well as his own interpretations.

Published in: on January 17, 2010 at 1:42 pm  Comments (2)  
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My System Blends Traditional and Non-Traditional Arts Together for A Balanced Approach

Your Tuber:

This is a Mix of Karate and Kung Fu Movements, this is not Goju Ryu -.-

Answer:

You are correct in your assessment and maybe our caption should have been a bit clearer. Calasanz classical training is rooted in traditional styles like Goju Ryu, Wing Chun and Chinese Boxing, but he combined and expanded his martial arts system to make it more practical for modern times and more for its practitioners to achieve a more balanced martial arts education.

Published in: on January 4, 2010 at 5:04 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Why Are These Guys Wearing Shoes???

You Tuber:

Why are they wearing shoes, you can’t condition your feet if you have sneakers on!!!!
Explain why he would let his students wear sneakers

Response:

Thank you for your inquiry. The question we would like to ask you is “when was the last time you were barefoot on the streets?” There is a huge difference between kicking with a bare foot and kicking with a constrictive shoe that does not allow you the freedom to position your foot. Many reality based martial arts classes actually wear some type of shoe. Haven’t you noticed the huge market in martial art shoes? This is far more realistic than barefoot fighting which probably made a lot of sense when shoes were in short supply. A competent martial arts instructor can teach a student to adapt to training with shoes. Calasanz has specific “pounding” exercises that involve foot and leg conditioning that is perfectly suited to achieve kicking power.

Published in: on December 14, 2009 at 5:22 pm  Leave a Comment  
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