Thoughts of a Well Balanced Martial Artist

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on November 7, 2011 at 2:59 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: balanced, Breathing, Calasanz System, conditioning, Exercise, Fitness, Karate, Kung Fu, Martial Arts, Traditional, Training, unique and personal

Being a Well Balanced Martial Artist for Self Defense

My main job is to teach students to understand their bodies and themselves. When people come to our martial arts and fitness center, they will take something home with them, knowledge. But above all, it is important to teach students how to do martial arts and exercise without causing them injury. That is my primary focus in my studio.

Since day one, I have met fighters who think they can fight with anyone. When you are a well balanced martial artist, you meet students who are good fighters, but are very tight, meaning their body is not relaxed. It is not just how tight they are but it is their belief of how great a fighter they think they are. Another common problem is that people forget to breathe when fighting. You can be a tough guy when you study at a traditional school, but they will not teach you what is necessary when you actually go up against a real fighter, that in itself is completely different. You cannot trade punches with a boxer who is relaxed when you are not even breathing. You can get away with this when fighting people on the street or at your school, but to step on the ring with a competitor is a different story. Here my school we can help you with relaxation and breathing when you fight.

I had one student that studied martial arts for about six years and nobody taught him how to correctly position and relax his shoulders. It was very difficult but it took me just two hours in a private session to correct this person that was carrying this problem for nearly six years. Do you have any idea how badly you can get hurt when your shoulder rises up and gets tight immediately? Many people, especially women, have the tendency to tense up which lots of times comes from being abused or scared. This is just an example of just one thing we here at Calasanz can help you with among many others.

Calasanz Martial Arts and Fitness

507 Westport Ave,Norwalk CT06851

1.800.414.9544

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on October 26, 2011 at 2:07 pm Comments (1)
Tags: balanced, Calasanz System, Competition, fighters, fighting, Karate, martial artists, Martial Arts, Self Defense, Traditional, Training, unique and personal

WHAT MAKES THE CALASANZ KARATE AND KUNG-FU SYSTEM SO UNIQUE?

The basic and founding principles of the Calasanz System are extremely straightforward, intuitive and logical, yet, unfortunately, they are almost universally ignored in traditional Martial Arts training. All techniques must have three fundamental components to be effective: power, speed and focus (a technique that misses the target, is easily avoided, or is simply brushed aside clearly isn’t very effective). In order to develop power, speed and focus it is absolutely essential that there be balance, flexibility and strength throughout the entire range of motion. These qualities don’t mysteriously emerge. They must be systematically and carefully developed.

In most traditional schools, the drills and exercises have been passed from teacher to student and have become part of the “tradition”. The techniques usually require a very advanced degree of training to do well or even partially well. Unfortunately, doing something partially right is obviously doing it partly wrong. The cumulative stress and damage to joints, tendons and ligaments in this process of “learning” frequently results in long term and /or permanent degenerative injury. This is especially true after adolescence, when the body has stopped growing.

There is another equally dangerous flaw to this type of rote practice. When techniques are done incorrectly they are simply not effective. Blind repetition won’t magically transform this or make them work. Calasanz is continually reminding students that practice does not make perfect. Practice makes habit. Only perfect practice makes perfect.

Eventually, the student may approximate something that looks correct, but in actuality, the problem areas and weaknesses have only become much more subtle and difficult to correct. The end result is that the vast majority of students will never progress beyond a very mediocre level. Sadly, more practice will only compound the problem and just increase the chance of injury.

The Calasanz System was designed, among other things, to address these two fundamental and critical failings in traditional Martial Arts training. As stated above, it is a scientific and systematic approach to Martial Arts training and mastery designed to take virtually anyone to their highest potential as a Martial Artist in the shortest time possible without brutality or injury. This is a very strong statement to make, but it has been continually proven again and again with people of all ages (men and women) and in all ranges of physical condition. It is a direct result of how unique and effective the system is that helps explain why we are currently the largest school in the country and the quality and diversity of our students. Calasanz sums up the success of the school and its acclaimed international reputation in two favorite phrases: “Martial Arts for Everyone and Traditional Concept with a Modern Approach”.

Hopefully, the first is clear from the discussions above. With systematic development and skillful practice virtually anyone can learn the Martial Arts. Many traditional schools feel brutality and/or intimidation is essential to develop the necessary physical and mental qualities and stamina required in the Martial Arts. This is simply not the case. There are many ways to accomplish this – brutality/intimidation being among the least effective. Some schools are run, in the name of discipline, as if they were actually para – military organizations. Again, not only is this unnecessary but ineffective for the vast majority of people. Students from other styles find the supportive atmosphere of mutual respect at the school a very welcome change. Calasanz has found over the years that “change” brought about through fear or intimidation is seldom permanent. Change brought about by cultivating and developing the requisite “inner” qualities, on the other hand, is not only permanent, but has a transforming effect that touches every aspect of an individual’s life.

Calasanz Martial Arts and Fitness

507 Westport Ave.Norwalk,CT06851

1-800-414-9544

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on September 9, 2011 at 1:03 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: balanced, Calasanz System, conditioning, Disipline, Exercise, fighting, Fitness, Karate, Kung Fu, Martial Arts, Self Defense, technique, Traditional, unique and personal

THE PERFECT FIT (A Home Training Program)

The Perfect Fit was created by martial arts master, fitness teacher and film star, Calasanz. The Perfect Fit operates as a division of Calasanz Karate & Kung-Fu System, Inc. located in Norwalk. Through his experience, Calasanz discovered that martial arts can be intimidating to many people, therefore, they lose interest in learning more about it. The Perfect Fit is personal training program through martial art and is done in the privacy of your own home. This eliminates the feeling of intimidation, yet offers the complete benefits of the martial art.

Calasanz created a well-rounded system of martial art which offers, at the same time, extensive exercise routines which are tailored to the needs of any individual to accomplish a complete work-out and, at the same time, target specific areas in need of exercise.

This type of training is much different from the traditional routines followed in a gym. We do not use equipment except for free weights and, for some people, ankle weights. For those who prefer to use their exercise equipment, we incorporate this into their program. But eventually, most people prefer to learn more and more of the exercises we have to offer because they are incredibly effective and cover more ground than any one machine used in a traditional gym. Our exercise increases flexibility, strength, stamina, and endurance immediately and has proven time and time again to benefit other sports activities

THE PERFECT FIT specializes in personal training for fitness, aerobic isolation, and kickboxing. It is a unique way of getting into shape and has endless benefits. Learn how to work out, sculpt the body and, at the same time, learn self defense. Workout without the use of traditional machines. Learn how to create a strong, beautiful body and maintain it for the rest of your life.

Because martial arts has primarily been a sport popular to men, it was unbecoming for women to have interest in martial arts. The “traditional training” performed in most schools has a tendency to be quite brutal and eventually creates a very masculine image for women to the most feminine body. One of Calasanz’s specialties has been working with women to create a feminine, strong, and fit body which can endure the challenges of the most “traditional martial art.” Exercise varies from men and women to create the appropriate image for each. Men have a tendency to have a more muscular type of form, where women need to have a leaner and longer form.

Through the Perfect Fit you can sculpt your body into the fittest condition possible, achieve your fitness goals, improve current sports activities and learn something new and exciting at the same time.

Calasanz Martial Arts and Fitness

507 Westport Ave.Norwalk,CT06851

1-800-414-9544

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on September 8, 2011 at 9:30 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: balanced, body, Calasanz System, conditioning, Exercise, Fitness, Martial Arts, technique, Traditional, Training, unique and personal, Women

Training Street Fighters: By Calasanz

When I opened my first martial arts school, a lot of barroom brawlers and street fighters came through my door. Some grew up in environments where they had to fight to survive while others just liked looking for trouble.

I wasn’t necessarily targeting them in my “marketing” plan. Most of them were there to challenge me or one of my students to a fight. I earned their respect with my martial art skill which was gained partly through traditional training and partly through my own experiences with street fighters in the Dominican Republic.

Many of them stayed on as students. As an instructor, I had to integrate these natural fighters into a class with the average martial art student who just wanted to exercise and learn a little self-defense.

I had a few challenges dealing with street fighters in the dojo. Some are there to prove a point and you have to worry about them causing a lot of trouble, both physically and legally. So I recommend strict supervision on the part of the instructor.

In addition, fighting outside of the dojo or tournament setting lacks rules and regulations. Basically, anything goes for these guys, so the first lesson for the martial arts instructor to convey is the ethics of training in the dojo. Every martial art style has some form of ethical code and it’s the instructor’s job to make sure everyone in the dojo adheres to it or they’re out!

There are a lot of positive aspects about training street fighters. They show up with something that you can’t teach…guts! Just because someone has a black belt doesn’t mean they could fight. There are a lot of black belts out there who would be demolished in a street fight or a real self-defense situation. They may have a lot of technical skill, but no toughness to carry it out.

Street fighters have a fighting spirit and that enthusiasm can often encourage and inspire classmates who lack that quality. I have seen many of them push their more timid classmates to come out of their “shells.”

Street fighters make good full contact fighters because they have the raw talent needed to get into the ring. The instructor’s job is to polish the skills they had when they walked in the door, introduce them to new ones and channel that talent and raw aggression into the ring.

Calasanz Martial Arts and Fitness

507 Westport Ave.Norwalk,CT06851

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on May 26, 2011 at 11:22 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: balanced, black belt, Calasanz System, counter attack, Disipline, Dominican Republic, fighting, Martial Arts, Self Defense, Traditional

To Affiliate or Not Affiliate: by Calasanz

We Americans love affiliations and endorsements… The Good Housekeeping Seal, Better Business Bureau etc. They lend credibility to a business or product. They assure us that our chosen product or service has received
some type of validation from a higher authority.

Martial arts are no different. Look at most generic articles entitled “how to choose a good martial arts school.” A piece of advice you will often see is that you find a school that is affiliated with an “accredited organization.”

Membership in a martial arts association has a lot of benefits. Some martial art schools are part of a franchise. This means that they are affiliated with a larger company that has licensed its name and methodology for a fee. The advantage here is name recognition along with some management assistance.

Another advantage is that martial arts associations set curriculums and provide rank certification. They establish governing boards that promote the art and quality control. They provide smaller schools with recognition and the appearance of being “official” because they are linked with a larger group. Associations organize tournaments, camps and special events. They provide its members with networking opportunities and may also maintain a website with links to its affiliates.

Martial art associations are wonderful marketing tools in a culture that loves the “seal of approval.” You are warned by a lot of websites to be leery of an unaffiliated school because they may not follow an “established’ curriculum and there credentials might be in question.

Well, I’m here to provide you with another warning…*membership in associations, organizations or affiliations will not necessarily guarantee you good martial arts instruction. *There are a lot of dedicated, competent martial arts instructors who are sick of the politics of some martial arts associations and have decided to remain independent or break away.

There is also a financial component to being part of an association. Schools pay fees to belong to the association. Students are often required to pay initial membership fees to the association and are charged by these entities for rank advancement or testing fees. In addition, some schools have to fork out thousands to have some “master” come to affiliate member schools and give special seminars. Students are pressured into attending and have to pay in for these seminars on top of their monthly or yearly dues.

Instead of putting too much stock in affiliation with an association, the best way to choose a school is to ask around in your community. Very often, several schools will be recommended. Word of mouth is often the best advertising.

Find out how long they’ve been in business. Go to each school and ask to watch a class. Talk to the instructor. Do you like his or her teaching style? The fact that this instructor may or may not be affiliated with an organization may be unimportant. Don’t’ discount the school just because you don’t see a wall full of credentials. Membership in outside organizations doesn’t always assure quality.

Calasanz Martial Arts and Fitness

507 Westport Ave.Norwalk,CT06851

http://the-perfectfit.com

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on May 24, 2011 at 2:18 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: balanced, Calasanz System, Disipline, Martial Arts, Traditional, Training, unique and personal

Tournament Fighting or Training for the Streets? – Part Two: A Lifetime of Lessons – Calasanz Extended Biography

Continued from:“Tournament Fighting or Training for the Streets? – Part One: A Lifetime of Lessons – Calasanz Extended Biography”

Another way I proved my skill was to train police officers. I took my first police officer student and taught him how to move like a black belt within one month. He spread the word as well as encouraged me to put an ad in the phone book advertising a Street Survivor course for law enforcement officers. The program was very successful and to this day, we continue to draw police officers, body guards, and security professionals to this school. These are people who put their lives on the line everyday. The fact that they trust us to train them and that we get repeat business from them is the best recommendation we can get for the Calasanz System.

Anyone who runs a martial arts school for any considerable length of time has had to prove himself just because of the nature of the business. People very often come to the school with the desire to fight you because they have to prove something. One day, a crazy Thai Boxer came through the door. He was about 22 years old and told me that he had many fights. While he had great technique, he lacked shin conditioning. He had a trial lesson and he threw a kick to kill me. Luckily, I always trained to protect my head, so his kick didn’t connect. I then took a deep breath and we touched gloves. I took a Chinese boxing stance and he came to hit me even harder. I closed the gap and threw a punch to his head that could have broken his neck, but I let the strike pass through so it wouldn’t connect. He was as pale as a ghost. That was the end of his trial lesson. He came to the office and signed up for a month of private lessons.

Another group of visiting kickboxers came through the doors in 1990. They were a couple of big guys who wanted to throw their weight around. The bigger of the two wanted to fight one of my students. I watched him fight for a while and he was the type that didn’t like to block. He just would take blows because he thought he was tough guy. I put him to spar with my student Tony, who I had been training for three months. Tony delivered a heel kick to his stomach that almost made this guy throw up. He walked around, got back his wind and then came at Tony like he was going to kill him. I jumped in the ring and told him that he needed to use defensive techniques; that offense without defense did not work in this system.

Some of my students enjoyed competing in tournaments and I have supported their desire to compete over the years. My school participated in competitions and demonstrations for about 15 years. We’ve taken a break for the last 4 years, but from time to time, we send groups to compete in fighting or kata. It really isn’t a concentrated effort on our part. We just send them without any special preparation, just the regular training that they get here. Even in this relaxed atmosphere, our students placed 1^st and 2^nd in a variety of categories against one of the best schools in the world. The katas we teach here are some of the best for competition, even though our system is not dependent on kata.

To be continued…

Calasanz Martial Arts and Fitness

507 Westport Ave.Norwalk,CT06851

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on April 18, 2011 at 10:57 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: balanced, Calasanz, Calasanz System, Chinese Boxing, Competition, conditioning, fighting, Karate, kata, Traditional, Training, unique and personal

Training Students from other Systems – Part One: A Lifetime of Lessons – Calasanz Extended Biography

Continued from: “Training the beginner: A Lifetime of Lessons – Calasanz Extended Biography”

One of the biggest challenges I have found in my years of teaching is dealing with students who come from other systems. It is much easier to teach a student who has come to you with a clean slate because they have not become accustomed to a particular style. I do however, welcome people from other systems and don’t want them to lose what another teacher has taught them. What I do want them to do is to learn my system and appreciate it for its simplicity and practicality. We often have to prove ourselves to students from other systems because they are expecting lots of complicated techniques, one-step, two-step sparring routines and long and involved self-defense maneuvers. For example, we had a guy train with us who was considered a super martial artist from Europe. He had a lot of fancy techniques. I paired him up with a student who had good endurance, hard shins and a good roundhouse kick. After they sparred, the guy from Europe with all the martial arts experience couldn’t understand how a guy with only one good technique was able to hurt him. Once you send a message, then you can get back to the business of training.

A highly ranked instructor and student of Ninjutsu came to train with me. He was very good, but didn’t understand our method of endurance training and conditioning. It is my philosophy to prepare you for an attack and to counterattack using the strongest part of your body-the leg.

I paired this experienced guy with a student who was a bit on the heavy side and had big legs. My student had good basic techniques. I let the two of them go at each other. My student threw one of his hard kicks and dropped him to the ground. He now understood the meaning of our training.

I enrolled this one guy who had trained in a very traditional school for over 12 years. He told me that he hadn’t trained in a long time and wanted to get back into shape. He came to the group class and all he did was question everything we were doing, claiming that there was a better way and that his instructor would have done it differently. I left him alone for about 4 classes. Each time he refused to learn anything and interfered with class. Finally, I decided that he needed to be taught a lesson. I paired him up with a man who had been training with us for just about 5 months and was 3 times smaller than this guy. I asked them to do roundhouse kicks using a pad. He made sure to tell us that they did the roundhouse kick differently in his other school. I then told him to kick his opponent with his roundhouse kick. All of his kicks were blocked. It was impossible for him to hit his opponent with the roundhouse kick he was so proud of. It was particularly embarrassing when his opponent kicked him and he almost was thrown to the ground. While this guy was very good in his particular system, he had no endurance in his legs and arms and could not survive in a fight.

This story had a good ending. He finally understood and didn’t interfere with his classes. He participated and opened his mind to learning something new because he had to experience the value of what we were teaching first hand. We ended up becoming good friends and had an understanding that any disagreements he had with my instructors would be addressed to me after class. I appreciated his years of training and acknowledged that he had a lot to offer. By having a dialogue with me outside of class, I was able to explain why we did things differently in a way that did not threaten him into thinking that we were contradicting the system he had studied for over 12 years.

To be continued…

Calasanz Martial Arts and Fitness

507 Westport Ave. Norwalk, CT 06851

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on April 11, 2011 at 12:55 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: balanced, Calasanz System, conditioning, counter attack, Disipline, fighting, martial artists, Martial Arts, Self Defense, Sparring, Traditional, Training, unique and personal

A Lifetime of Lessons – Calasanz Extended Biography:The Early Years – Part Three

Continued from “A Lifetime of Lessons – Calasanz Extended Biography:The Early Years – Part Two”

I was fortunate at the beginning of my martial arts training to meet and train with some exceptional teachers. I trained with Pacheco, Rafael Martinez, Victor Loraine, Lizardo and my teacher Tamajoshi Sakamoto. I put most of my earnings into my training in hopes that my investment would pay off one day. A lot of my training was private, but I would often join classes for the purpose of working on my sparring skills. Sparring in a traditional martial arts school was not like it is now. We had no protective gear, no mouthpieces, no one to stop the fight, and a room full of guys who wanted to beat the daylights out of you. If you try to do this in this in the United States, you immediately expose yourself to lawsuits and your students will drop out in droves.

I remember one day when I was in class and Rafael called me to spar with him. I had not been in class for about two months. I think he may have been under the impression that I wasn’t training and that he was going to make an example out of me. He was shocked when we started fighting. I held my own during that match and gained even more respect from my fellow students. Rafael was a formidable opponent. He weighed 190lbs, held a black belt in Goju Ryu and was a professional boxer. That night, he came to my house and found me training. He watched me work out until 2:00AM. He could not believe the amount of effort and dedication I had.

Victor Liriano is another man who was one of my greatest Goju Ryu mentors. He was one of the first teachers I had that put a lot of emphasis on developing good counterattacking skills. I told him about the experience I had with the cow and how I reacted immediately. We both agreed that reaction without hesitation is essential when fighting.

Lizardo, the star of the group, decided he wanted to spar with me. During the match, he was very careful to keep his distance. I was so conscious about conditioning and developing power that some people were afraid of my power. One day when Lizardo and I were sparring, he asked me if I would take it easy on him. Lizardo became one of my teachers and also a good friend. From that point on, I couldn’t fight with him any more. It’s always been hard for me to spar with someone I liked and respected.

To be continued…

Calasanz Martial Arts and Fitness

507 Westport Ave. Norwalk, CT 06851

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on February 25, 2011 at 1:44 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Boxing, Calasanz, conditioning, Disipline, Dominican Republic, Exercise, fighting, goju-ryu, Karate, Martial Arts, Self Defense, Traditional

A Lifetime of Lessons – Calasanz Extended Biography: The Early Years – Part Two

I recall another incident where a friend of mine was being picked on and he was too afraid to stick up for himself. Again, here was someone larger than me, but I didn’t care. Some of my friends wanted to help me fight him because we were so unevenly matched, but I wanted to take him on myself. I used my legs, kicking him relentlessly. When my father heard that I was yet again in another fight, he was angry until he heard that I won the fight!!

One of my first unofficial students was my little brother. He was being challenged to fight by one of the local bullies. I told him to drop back after the kid started fighting and punch him with all his might. He did just what I told him and knocked the guy out. All the work with the cows taught me not only the power of the legs, but also the advantages of a powerful and speedy counterattack. I incorporated this philosophy into my system, which is largely based on effective deflecting blows and followed with counterattacking techniques.

While my father did not approve of the fights I would get into, understand that I was never the aggressor. I didn’t start fights needlessly, nor was I a bully. When I fought, it was to defend another or myself and in some instances, to prove a point. Where I grew up, it was part of the male culture to be strong and not back down from a fight. So while my father didn’t’ condone fighting, he admired my skill and courage.

I left my family farm and went to Santiago to continue my academic studies. It was there that I was first exposed to the martial arts after seeing a karate demonstration, lead by a man named Rafael Martinez, who would later become my good friend and teacher. I took my first class where I was taught high, middle and low blocks, reverse punch, and a front, side and roundhouse kick. I took these few movements and practiced them for three months straight before I went back to the school again. It was during this time that I focused on developing my power. Three months later, I returned. With just the few techniques that I had mastered, I was able to successfully spar my classmates and gain their respect despite the fact that I was three times smaller than anyone else and that most of them were black belts. These were not your average karate practitioners; they were killers. While martial arts today are more of a recreational sport, back then, you had to fight for your life. There was no referee, no rules, and no pads.

I also learned something about myself in the course of my three months of training. I knew that I had a natural talent for the martial arts. I believe that when you are given a natural talent, no matter what it is, that you should pursue it. I was determined to take the gift that I was given and develop it to the best of my ability. I also knew that I could not abuse my talents and that I would only put them to good use. That is one of the reasons why I decided to make martial arts my business.

to be continued…

Calasanz Martial Arts and Fitness

507 Westport Ave. Norwalk, CT 06851