Greetings,
  I will be in Bryan, Texas this weekend teaching a seminar for
Raymond Montoya. We will be working on Okinawan kata, application
and power development, and also 18 postures Qigong energy training.
Anyone wanting information about the training can contact Raymond at
Kyoshimontoya@.... If you want to contact me about just hanging
out you can reach me at terry.bryan@....
Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Next belt test is going to be July 10th and will be held at the
Bijou location. We will test all Beginners at 9:00 and all Novice
students at 10:00. The address is 2304 E. Bijou and is located about
3 blocks east of Union on Bijou. We are also trying our new on-line
registration system and would like everyone to register for the belt
test on line at www.abbakarate.com. Click on the link for belt
testing and retail store and then follow the directions. We are
centralizing all our tests from our clubs around the country and if
you have any problems, please e-mail me at kyoshibryan@....

July 16th, 17th and 18th is a regional tournament and training camp
in Grand Junction hosted by Master Bob Davis. For more information,
please see your Sensei.

State Games is being held here in Colorado Springs on the 31st of
July at the Phil Long Expo Center. They have had some trouble with
their on-line registration but it should be up and running again
soon. For more information please talk to your Sensei.

Quotes of the Week

BENJAMIN JOWETT:
We cannot seek or attain health, wealth, learning, justice or
kindness in general. Action is always specific, concrete,
individualized, unique.
HENRY DAVID THOREAU:
The most I can do for my friend is simply to be his friend. I have
no wealth to bestow on him. If he knows that I am happy in loving
him, he will want no other reward. Is not friendship divine in this?


Lesson of the Week

18 Postures – Fire

The double edged factors of the fire element is evident in that a
fire keeps you warm and safe from predators in the wild, but the
destruction of a forest fire is total and fierce. Since our early
ancestors, fire has been used for basic survival, keeping the wild
animals at bay, cooking our food, and even shaping tools and
weapons. Harnessing fire and learning to use it for the safety and
well being of the village has been stated as one of the main reasons
humans survived over the years. In the wild, the comfort and
security of a campfire can still be felt even though many of the
predators we once feared are no longer around. A warm crackling
fireplace is relaxing and puts one at ease, especially on a cool
Colorado evening.

When dealing with the heat from a fire, there is comfort at a
certain range but if one gets too close they can get burned.
Learning how to control the size and heat of a fire keeps us in a
comfort range and if we let it get out of hand it can be totally
destructive. The sword makers of the famous samurai sword learned
the process of using fire to heat the metal, folding and hammering
the metal, combined with thrusting the heated metal into cool water
to come up with the strongest and sharpest sword ever know to man.
These same principles are used in raising children and even training
them in the martial arts. The student is "heated" through positive
reinforcement and easy victories. I am sure you have witnessed a
coach trying to get his team "fired up" before a competition. As the
student progresses, he is "cooled" down by setting higher
expectations and more difficult challenges.

The modern warrior develops fire principles within his or her own
being as well. Most people recognize that they feel comfort and
security when around senior martial artists knowing that the group
is safer with them around. At the same time they also understand
that things can "heat" up real quick if they are threatened or find
themselves in danger. The modern warrior understands his ability to
bring comfort and relaxed feelings into any given situation and
strives to excel at those verbal and nonverbal qualities used to
accent that trait. At the same time, the warrior knows that in
battle, he or she has the ability to attack like a forest fire
destroying anything in its path. A gentle stroke of the well place
hand can heal while the same action applied with speed and intensity
can disable.

Fire has enabled us to turn metal to liquid and in turn shape the
tools to plow the ground and help us to become better farmers and
shape weapons to become better hunters. Fire also helps us
understand the key principles of motivation and energy needed to be
successful at anything we try to achieve.  Learning to balance the
flame and knowing when and where to turn the heat up, as well as
learning how to not get burned is one of the key principles in the
art of karate-do.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Next belt test is July 10th.

Quotes of the Week

  ALAN COHEN:
It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly
secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is
no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and
exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is
power.
  BENJAMIN FRANKLIN:
They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security,
deserve neither liberty or security


Lesson of the Week

18 Postures – Earth

The words "mother" and "earth" are many times used in the same
sentence, which lead us to understand the concept of security,
safety and nurturing attached to this principle. Just as a small
child feels comfort being held by its mother, we feel comfort as we
look into the universe and realize that we are on a planet that has
all the ingredients to keep us alive. This earthy feeling we achieve
from nature, our friends, parents and teachers, gives us strength
and courage to step forward and proceed forward on the path, even
though we do not know what lies ahead.

Winston Churchill once said, "Courage is rightly considered the
foremost of the virtues, for upon it all others depend." The earth
principle helps an individual develop the deep down quality of
unflinching courage and is one of the fundamental requirements for
leadership in any field. Fear, or the lack of courage is more
responsible for failure in management, and in life, than any other
factor. While fear will get you killed in combat, it is also true
that fear causes people to hold back, to sell themselves short, to
settle for far less than they are capable of in everything they do!

The warrior believes that you can do, have or be far more than you
now know if only you could eliminate the fear, doubts and misgivings
that consciously and unconsciously interfere with your realizing
your full potential. If there is anything positive about fear, it is
that all fears are learned, that no one is born with fears, and that
having been learned, they can be unlearned. In the dojo we work on a
constant basis to training our body to react in specific ways
towards a variety of conflicting situations, allowing us to
reprogram our reactions and eliminate our fears in combat.

The earth way of developing courage begins with understanding the
psychological origins of fear. The newborn child has only two fears;
the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. All other fears
that we experience as adults are learned as we are growing up,
primarily as the result of well-meaning but destructive criticism
from our parents. When the curious child gets into things and makes
a mess, the parent scolds and punishes the child, eventually
building up a pattern of fear connected with trying or getting into
anything new or different. As adults, we experience this as the fear
of failure, the fear of risking, of making a mistake, of losing.

Through the use of positive reinforcement and a nurturing attitude,
a Sensei or a parent guides a student or child towards accepting
risk because this is the path of truly successful people. If we fail
in one of our goals, we just need to get back up and try again.
Surrounding oneself with other positive and successful people gives
you the comfort and courage to continue on your path of constant and
never ending improvement, even if it gets hard at times. This is the
path of black belt excellence.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Hope everyone is having a good holiday weekend. This is a time to
remember our fallen comrades that have given their lives serving
their country. While we may debate as to the decisions our
politicians make sometimes, we never for a moment question the
loyalty, honor and duty of those that serve.

Several people have asked me about real estate investing because
they know that I sit on the board of directors of the Colorado
Association of Real Estate Investors. I have convinced Bill
Bronchick, the president of the CAREI to have a local Colorado
Springs chapter. The mission of CAREI is to create an avenue for
networking, continued education and the sharing of resources. Anyone
interested in more information, please contact me directly at
kyoshibryan@....

Quotes of the Week

Patriotism is easy to understand in America. It means looking out
for yourself by looking out for your country.
- Calvin Coolidge

Now for a little laugh with all the veterans new and old.

Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than you are.
- Murphy's First Military Law
***
Friendly fire isn't.
- Murphy's Second Military Law
***
The most dangerous thing in the combat zone is an officer with a
map.
- Murphy's Third Military Law
***
Incoming fire has the right of way.
- Murphy's Fourth Military Law
***
The army with the smartest dress uniform will lose.
- Murphy's Fifth Military Law
***
If your sergeant can see you, so can the enemy.
- Murphy's Sixth Military Law
***
Don't be conspicuous. In the combat zone, it draws fire. Out of the
combat zone, it draws sergeants.
- Murphy's Seventh Military Law
***
If you really need an officer in a hurry, take a nap.
- Murphy's Eighth Military Law
***
The quartermaster has only two sizes, too large and too small.
- Murphy's Ninth Military Law
***
Never worry about the bullet with your name on it. Instead, worry
about shrapnel addressed to 'occupant'.
- Murphy's Tenth Military Law

Lesson of the Week

18 Postures – Heaven

Heaven as taught as a posture in Kojosho Kempo, is not talking from
the religious perspective, but the heavenly bodies and the vastness
we know as the universe. The perspective I identify with most is the
vastness of it all and how when you contemplate on it how it helps
with your humility and the recognition of how much more is out there.

The tribes of the Cherokee nation, much like the ancient Chinese
families, didn't discipline their children as we think of
discipline. Instead, they would use the ways of nature around them
to teach ideas of proper behavior. Whenever they would find two
children arguing over the possession a toy or some other object,
they would encourage the youngsters to go and lie on their backs and
look at the stars. This process would inevitably get them to
understand that they really do not own anything, but simply take the
responsibility of its care for a short period of time during our
journey on this planet.

The qualities of heaven from the martial arts perspective, is that
it looks down upon us constantly, sorrows for the weak and helpless
and guides the warriors to have great courage when defending their
families and country. As Jhoon Rhee puts it, "Might for Right." As a
modern warrior, one must understand that we are here for a higher
purpose and cause, and that many times we do not know that purpose
until it is over. We must follow our heart, be honest and true in
our actions and deeds, and our true mission will be revealed. All
things are related in the universe, and when we do good it affects
all things, not just the one in front of us. Those that understand
this principle spend the majority of their time, serving others and
dedicating themselves to a higher purpose. It is this very act that
brings them true success and the happiness that they deserve.

Native Americans use a special greeting to symbolize their
relationship to all things…

To All my Relations,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Up for a road trip? Over Memorial Day Weekend Fred Absher has his
weekend training camp in New Mexico. He will be working on the 18
postures, two man and three man sets. If you are interested in
going, please contact Terry Bryan at kyoshibryan@.... We are
also going to Oklahoma June 25-27th and also heading to Grand
Junction for Bob Davis's regional event on July 16th, 17th, and
18th.  Please let us know if you would like to attend so we can make
plans.

Quotes of the Week

LOUIS PASTEUR:
Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength
lies solely in my tenacity.
"Circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, but never lose
sight of your goals. Prepare yourself in every way you can by
increasing your knowledge and adding to your experiences, so that
you can make the most of opportunity when it occurs."

– Mario Andretti

"Know how to listen and you will profit even from those who talk
badly."

*Plutarch {AD 46-120 Greek Essayist}



Lesson of the Week

18 Postures – The Bear

The bear is an incredible creature that has tremendous strength and
deceptive speed. One of the key elements of the bear style of
martial arts is its use of what we call gravitational marriage; this
is the ability to use the forces of nature, including gravity, to
increase the effectiveness of your strikes. Learning to use all the
power you can generate and not just using your arms for power is a
key element in Classical Kempo.

Living in the mountains of Colorado, we have the opportunity to live
side by side with a fairly large bear population and they
occasionally come to visit our cabin. These animals are gentle and
delicate in manner most of the time, but when provoked can turn into
a devastating opponent instantly. As they swagger along their
journey, they seem nonchalant in their manner. They can however,
also be seen at times knocking trees over as they chase an intended
target.

What we learn from our bear brothers is to always develop power but
to never use it unless absolutely necessary. We train in the martial
arts to be prepared but spend an equal amount of time learning the
skills that will allow us not to have to use our strength against
another. This strength we develop is both physical and mental
strength. Knowing that you can achieve anything you put your mind to
is indeed a quality of the bear spirit. I believe that if you are
going to achieve great things in your life, then you need to be
strong, dream big dreams and have action plans to match. Said in a
different way, if you are going to be a bear, be a grizzly.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Black Belt Training at the Bijou school will be from 10 am to noon
on the 22nd of May. This class is open to all black belts and all
black belts are encouraged to come. We will also have a special
meeting with instructors, assistant instructors and anyone 2nd
degree and above before the workout at 9:00 to discuss new clubs,
the organizations, curriculum, our association, etc. Note this is a
new time… 9:00 am. We will do the Tai Chi seminar at a later time.

Up for a road trip? Over Memorial Day Weekend Fred Absher has his
weekend training camp in New Mexico. He will be working on the 18
postures, two man and three man sets. If you are interested in
going, please contact Terry Bryan at kyoshibryan@.... We are
also going to Oklahoma June 25-27th and also heading to Grand
Junction for Bob Davis's regional event on July 16th, 17th, and
18th.  Please let us know if you would like to attend so we can make
plans.

Quotes of the Week
Mark Twain:
December is the toughest month of the year. Others are July,
January, September, Aprll, November, May, March, June, October,
August, and February.

Margaret Chase Smith:
Leadership is not manifested by coercion, even against the resented.
Greatness is not manifested by unlimited pragmatism, which places
such a high premium on the end justifying any means and any measures

Dan Kennedy:
In the Bible it says they asked Jesus how many times you should
forgive, and he said 70 times 7.  When asked how many times should
you forgive, Dan said as many as it takes.



Lesson of the Week

18 Postures – The Monkey

In the martial arts one of the most fun styles to watch is the
monkey style. Known for it footwork, groundwork of rolling and
tumbling, and incredible hand strength, the monkey stylist seems to
just have a fun time while performing. There are many Chinese
legends about the monkey and one of the top stories is about the
Monkey King. Similar to our Robin Hood legends, the Monkey King and
his magical staff goes around protecting others from injustice, but
what is really amazing is that he just plays around the whole time.
Even in deadly battle, the Monkey King is clowning around but
because of his incredible martial arts skills has no problem with
any and all who oppose him. It kind of reminds me of Bill Wallace
who was a great tournament fighter in the 60's and 70's who just
smiled the whole time he fought and was seldom beaten.

Indeed, life is too short not to have fun. Last year I was told by
the doctors I had a 25% chance to be around this year. This has a
tendency to change one's priorities. I also know from my many years
as a social worker / counselor / karate instructor that few people
on their death bed wished they had worked harder or spent more time
at the office. It is usually their concern that they wished they had
spent more time with their family, watched more sunrises and
sunsets, smelled more flowers and told more people that they cared
about them.

This is not to for one second to imply that productivity or becoming
successful at your chosen occupation is not important, but only to
make sure that you make time for the other important things in your
life as well. Secondly one needs to become efficient, so that they
can produce better results in a shorter period of time. And finally,
it is important to choose to make a living at something that you
really enjoy, so that it is not hard work but fun when you put in
the hours to make it successful. I know most of the martial artists
that I know are in the business of running a martial arts school,
simply because they love it. I heard Brian Tracy once say that, "If
you ever find yourself in a position where your ideology and the
company and people that you are with are not congruent, then you
have two questions to ask yourself – how do I get out and how fast
can I make it happen?"

The key to being able to play like the monkey is to focus 100% on
what is going on at any one time and get it done. Then once you have
accomplished your short-term goal, reward yourself by doing
something fun. Approach each new task in your life as a fun and
challenging activity. We have found that in the dojo, when students
are having fun, they learn more and retain it longer. Our quest for
black belt excellence contains an element of maintaining a childlike
attitude of curiosity, awe and respect for the enjoyment of play in
our lives.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Congratulations to everyone that tested and earned their new belt at
the annual training and testing in Kansas this weekend. Kyoshi
Kennedy had a great event and it was great spending time with his
people, and other martial artists from around the country.

There is a tournament in Denver next weekend, please see you Sensei
for more information.

Advance Black Belt Training at the Bijou school from 10 am to noon
on the 22nd of May. This class is open to all black belts and they
are all are encouraged to come. I will also have a session on Wu
Style Tai Chi Chuan for those interested from 8:30 – 10:00. The cost
for non-students is $50, but it is free to black belts. We will also
have a special meeting with 2nd degrees and above after the workout
to discuss new clubs, the organizations, curriculum, our
association, etc. If you are unable to attend please let your Sensei
know.

Up for a road trip? Over Memorial Day Weekend Fred Absher has his
weekend training camp in New Mexico. He will be working on the 18
postures, two man and three man sets. If you are interested in
going, please contact Terry Bryan at kyoshibryan@.... We are
also going to Oklahoma June 25-27th and also heading to Grand
Junction for Bob Davis's regional event on July 16th, 17th, and
18th.  Please let us know if you would like to attend so we can make
plans.

Quotes of the Week

LOUIS PASTEUR:
Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength
lies solely in my tenacity.
Morihei Ueshiba:

"… the way of a warrior is to manifest divine love, a spirit that
embraces and nurtures all things."



Lesson of the Week

18 Postures – The Leopard

The leopard is a special animal in Chinese martial arts and is known
for its climbing abilities, its speed, and its strength. Pound for
pound, the leopard is as strong or even stronger than the tiger, but
its smaller size gifts him with incredible speed to use as well. One
of the most underrated qualities of the leopard however, is its
deceptiveness.
Legend has it that if you were to walk up on a leopard in the
jungle, he would run away only to circle and come up behind you to
attack at a later time. Have you ever seen other animals use this
tactic? How about a bird that pretends to have a broken wing to pull
a predicator away from its nest only to fly away later? How about a
fighter that fakes an injury only to pull his opponent into an
attack? I have also seen this tactic used in sales where a person
doesn't come off that smart early on in the conversation, but ends
up getting everything he wanted in the negotiations. In karate kata,
the kamae or fighting posture is used to deceive the opponent over
and over again.

Mathematics teaches us that the shortest distance between two points
is a straight line and yet in nature this is not always true. Many
times when walking in the woods or in the mountains the shortest and
easiest path is not a straight line but a wiggle. This is the way of
the leopard, knowing which direction to wiggle, in order to get to
where his goals are in a more efficient manner. Unlike the tiger who
always goes forward, the leopard knows that sometime you need to be
prepared to go around, over or even under in order to achieve ones
objective. The master of deceptive strategy, the leopard's tactics
should be a part of every warrior's knowledge base. This is
definitely one of the paths towards black belt excellence.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Congratulations to everyone that tested and earned their new belt.
Everyone looked great! The next belt testing will be Saturday July
10th and we are hoping to have everything automated where you can
register on line for that test. Our goal is for each student to have
all 4 stripes by the 5th of June so they can register for their test
during the week of the June 7th through the 12th. This will insure
that we have plenty of time to get the belts and certificates done.

Up for a road trip? We will be heading to Kansas City for Kyoshi
Kennedy's training camp on the 6th of May. If you would like to go,
please talk to your Sensei.

There will also be a tournament on May 15th in Denver put on by Dr.
Davis. If you are interested in attending, please see your Sensei.

Quotes of the Week

"The greatest general is not one that wins 100 battles in 100
encounters, but one that controls the environment so well that war
never breaks out, that's a great general."
Sun Tzu, The Art of War

ELEANOR CHAFFEE:
Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.

JAMES THURBER:
Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in
awareness.



Lesson of the Week

18 Postures – The Deer

To the average person, a deer would not be one of the first animals
he would come up with to represent a fighting style for a martial
artists, but living in Colorado and having the opportunity to see
these magnificent animals daily, I have a deep appreciation for
their abilities. Their ability to jump and climb are amazing and are
truly appreciated by those wishing to learn to jump and kick in the
martial arts. However, their ability to outrun and out climb the
fastest of predators is not the real secret of the warriors
understanding of the deer, but of its incredible ability to see
danger before it materializes, that's its real power. The best
defense is to not be there, this is the way of the deer.

Many times people wait until a problem gets big before dealing with
it but the deer teaches us to resolve problems early when they are
the smallest and easiest to deal with them. This attitude of pro-
activity is one of the keys to long-term success in any field you
want to achieve including self-defense. Later the warrior takes this
tactic on the offense and learns to use his or her actions to set
the foundation to where their goals are achieved by laying the
groundwork for future behaviors. This is achieved by goal setting,
proper attitude and maintaining a positive attitude in everything
they do. This is the way of black belt excellence from the deer's
perspective.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

I had several e-mails saying they missed my karate-gram last week
but it wasn't a technical problem, I just didn't get around to
sending it out. I want to take the opportunity to congratulate all
the students that were elevated in rank last weekend at the Elite
Retreat and also to thanks those Master Instructors that came and
worked with all of us. I feel very blessed to have such wonderful
friends that will come and share their knowledge with our students
so freely.

It also saddens my heart to announce that Sensei Hacker and his
family from the Bijou school will be leaving us soon to go to
Hawaii. They do intend on coming back here after their assignment
there, but they will be missed greatly in the meantime.

Up for a road trip? We will be heading to Kansas City for Kyoshi
Kennedy's training camp on the 6th of May. If you would like to go,
please talk to your Sensei. There will also be a tournament on May
15th in Denver put on by Dr. Davis. If you are interested in
attending, please see your Sensei.

Quotes of the Week

EDWARD EVERETT HALE:
I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
HELEN KELLER:
Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor
do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is
no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a
daring adventure or nothing.



Lesson of the Week

18 Postures – The Dragon

The 18 postures have been handed down for over 1500 years and are
based on the process of trying to understand the world by observing
nature. This week we will talk briefly about the dragon.

The Dragon

Unlike its European counterpart, the Eastern Dragon is a wonderful
creature that brings luck and wisdom to everyone it comes in contact
with. The dragon is known to possess supernatural powers and great
wisdom. The dragon is always a part of the Chinese New Years
celebration because of the luck he brings. Held in high regard, the
Chinese dragon can be playful or very frightening depending on its
mood at the time. It long and flowing movements as it flies through
the heavens are the basis of the physical movements of the dragon
stylists as he twists and turns using circular techniques to strike,
evade and throw his opponent.
The dragon posture is known for its momentum, timing and
sensitivity. The dragon stylist is known for its handwork where he
delivers high-speed hand and arm techniques using punches, grabs,
palm strikes, arm blocks, and elbow strikes. The "dragon character"
is present in the speed, the coiling energy of the moves, and the
chain attacks. It has been described as playing chess at warp speed.
Legend has it that the dragon lives for thousands of years and over
those years obtains great wisdom. Having the power of invisibility,
the dragon only appears to those of great stature but then shares
his wisdom with them freely. In Kempo, the dragon is the symbol of
those that have been training for years and have adapted techniques
and tactics from other systems and made them their own.
This goal of having dragon wisdom is evident in the concept of
Kaizen, or constant and never ending improvement. The successful
warrior trains the mind, the body and the spirit a little everyday
and eventually demonstrates incredible abilities achieved a little
bit at a time. For example, the dragon warrior knows that by setting
a goal of reading positive educational materials for at least 30
minutes a day, that within a couple of years he will be in the top
10% of his chosen field. Edward George Bulwer Lytton (1803-1873)
wrote, "The pen is mightier than the sword", but the way of the
dragon is to become a master of both.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Elite Training weekend is next weekend and we need everyone to
register as soon as they can so we can plan on the meals. We need to
know whether you want steak or chicken. We also have a kid's meal as
well. Registration is at the Radisson Inn North starting at 4:30 on
Friday. Testing begins at 5:30. To register on-line go to our web
site at www.americanblackbeltacademy.com and look in the special
events section on the front page.


Quotes of the Week

HELEN KELLER:
The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but
has no vision.
"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.
Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life
is to keep your mind young."

*Henry Ford  {1863-1947 American Entrepreneur}




Lesson of the Week

18 Postures – The Hawk

The 18 postures have been handed down for over 1500 years and are
based on the process of trying to understand the world by observing
nature. This week we will talk briefly about the hawk.

The Hawk

The hawk is a bird of prey and while some other styles use the eagle
to demonstrate the same qualities, we have continued to use the
hawk. The hawk circles in the air and has the vision to be able to
see the slightest movement of a small animal from a thousand feet
up. Once the time occurs, he folds into a projectile that strikes
like a lightning bolt and hits the target with everything he's got.
His talons and beak at work, the hawk make quick work with his quick
and efficient kill.

These attributes are at work with the martial artist as well. We
mimic the hawk by developing proper distance with our opponents,
staying just outside their range until it is time to strike. We have
also learned the use of vision, looking for all the little verbal
and nonverbal signs to indicate what our opponent is getting ready
to do. And finally we have adapted the way of the hawk into our
attacks. We have learned to never use our skills unless absolutely
necessary, but once we have decided to attack we make sure it is
precise and swift.

Maintaining proper distance in karate is where a person has to take
one step to be able to reach you with a weapon. This distance allows
us reaction time to be able to counter should we perceive and attack
coming. This allows us the time to move out of the way and yet still
be close enough to counter attack while the opponent's guard is
down. In other areas of our life, we constant learn to distance
ourselves away from business decisions and not take things so
personally. This distance is many times necessary to be able to make
the wisest decisions and not let emotion cloud the process.

Vision is also a trait developed in detail by the martial artist.
The old saying about the Shaolin monks comes into play, " When
listened for, could not be heard; when felt for, could not be
touched; when looked for, could not be seen."  The other side of the
coin is also true. The true warrior trains himself or herself to see
and hear things that others do not even recognize as important, and
to be able to touch people in amazing ways. Through practice the
advanced martial artist learns to see things before they happen, not
through supernatural powers, but from learned skills.

Lastly, the martial artist learns from the hawk to resolve problems
quickly and efficiently. Postponing decisions and waiting till a
problem becomes big is not the way of the warrior. In fact most of
the time, problems are resolved before they ever develop by using
vision and proactive tactics. Wee also thank the hawk for teaching
us the A, B, C's of offense or to always Attack By Combinations. A
true warrior never underestimates his opponent, and although he
takes care not to be abusive, always makes sure he has the ability
to follow up with sufficient weapons and resources to get the job
done quickly and efficiently.

To understand what our ancestors learned from observing nature one
only has to watch a hawk for a while, doing what he does naturally.
The path of black belt excellence is covered with attributes we can
learn from the hawk.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Elite Training weekend is just around the corner and we need
everyone to register as soon as they can so we can plan on the
meals. Please go to our web site and see the current schedule and
register right away. If you are coming in from out of town, please
call in your reservations now, as there are other events going on
that weekend and things are filling up quick. To get your free
breakfast and the $69 a night rate call (719) 598-5770 and tell them
you are with the American Black Belt Academy event.  We have limited
space available so please go ahead and register on-line to insure
you will have a place, Go to our web site at
www.americanblackbeltacademy.com and look in the special events
section on the front page.


Quotes of the Week

THOMAS JEFFERSON:
I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more
I have of it.
"Give the American people a good cause, and there's nothing they
can't lick."

– John Wayne

DALE CARNEGIE:
Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by
people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at
all.

Lesson of the Week
18 Postures – The Snake

The 18 postures have been handed down for over 1500 years and are
based on the process of trying to understand the world by observing
nature. This week we will talk briefly about the snake.

The Snake

The snake is known for its innate ability to judge distance and has
impeccable timing. Raised up and ready to strike, she knows that if
she misses her target, she will be vulnerable for a counter-attack
and therefore waits till the opponent is within range and then
delivers her quick and precise strike. In ancient Chinese thought,
the snake was used to develop strong chi or internal energy. The
snake style is known for its quick precise strikes to pressure
points on their opponents and yet retains the ability to stay on
task until completion, no matter how long it takes.

The snake tactics can be applied in ones personal life as well to
increase productivity and successes in every area of their lives.
Perhaps the most outwardly identifiable quality of a high performing
snake stylist is "action orientation".

Highly productive snake stylists take the time to think, plan and
set priorities. They then launch quickly and strongly toward their
goals and objectives. They work steadily, smoothly and continuously
and seem to go through enormous amounts of work in the same time
period that the average person spends socializing, wasting time and
working on low value activities. The precision of the snake helps
one understand the precise thing to be working on at any one time.
When you work on high value tasks at a high and continuous level of
activity, you can actually enter into an amazing mental state
called "flow." Almost everyone has experienced this at some time.
Really successful people are those who get themselves into this
state far more often than the average.


Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Our Black Belt testing and training weekend is coming up April 16th
and everyone that is planning on testing for black belt or any
degree of black belt needs to contact me and let me know so we can
order belts in advance I hope you don't miss this opportunity to
train with some of the top masters in the country that are coming
in. You can go to the web site for more info and register on-line.
If you are coming in from out of town, please call in your
reservations now, as there are other events going on that weekend
and things are filling up quick. To get your free breakfast and the
$69 a night rate call (719) 598-5770 and tell them you are with the
American Black Belt Academy event.  We have limited space available
so please go ahead and register on-line to insure you will have a
place, Go to our web site at www.americanblackbeltacademy.com and
look in the special events section.


Quotes of the Week

CHINESE PROVERB:
One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of
impatience may ruin a whole life.
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS:
Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which
difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.
"There is nothing in which people more betray their character
than in what they laugh at."

*Johann Wolfgang von Goethe {1749-1832 German Poet}


Lesson of the Week
18 Postures – The Crane

The Shi Ba Shou or 18 postures have been handed down for a very long
time and base their roots on Shamanism or the process of trying to
understand the world by observing nature. There are several versions
of the 18 postures and are probably the roots of all modern karate
forms. My training and understanding of the 18 postures comes from a
variety of sources, but in particular from Kojosho Kempo. The next
few weeks I will share my personal opinions on the postures.

The Crane

"The crane's beak is long and pointed, a stabbing weapon useful for
self-defense. She is calm and poised, balanced and disciplined. When
attacked, she knows she cannot meet force with force. She therefore
controls the fight by yielding, until an opening appears, then
counters immediately." - Fred Absher – Kojosho Kempo

The crane is a master of angles and balance. While the tiger attacks
straight ahead with lots of power, the crane stylist steps only
inches out of the way, just enough to make the attacker to miss. If
you have ever watched a crane in the wild, they can stand motionless
on one leg for hours at a time waiting for a fish to swim by. As
modern warriors, we can learn a lot about true patience and self-
discipline from this very act.

Calm, balanced and disciplined – what better attributes could you
want in a fighter? Being a master of angles the crane has learned to
wait till the last second and then by making a slight movement or
shifting of the body, the stronger and more aggressive attacker
simply throws himself off balance, using the opponents force against
him. A tremendous amount of mental practice is necessary to remain
calm as a serious attack is approaching, and yet not physically
reacting too soon is one of the keys to success. There is an old
Chinese saying that an attack of 1000 pounds can be redirected by an
ounce of energy, if you use proper angles and timing.  Learning to
redirect a superior force with minimum energy, as well as optimizing
effectiveness of its strikes based upon proper angles and points of
attack is the key strategy of the crane stylists. She knows that the
best defense is "Don't be there", and has developed that strategy
into a fine science.

As we try and figure how this attribute of balance applies to a
person, we first learn that in order to be in balance, one needs to
know where the center is. Physically, the center of balance is
located two inches below the belly button, your tandien. Most
classical martial arts spend a great amount of time working on
kuzushi, or breaking their opponents balance with superior knowledge
of centers of balance.

Each of us must learn to create balance in all areas of our lives
and not focus too much on any one area. Balance between work and
rest, family and business, as well as the correct amount of time
spent on mental, spiritual and physical training is absolutely
necessary to maintain balance in ones life and to be able to attain
true success.

Mentally, your center or key to balance is your true values. Once a
person has identified what he/she feels is most important in life,
then it becomes imperative to make sure that these values are up
held in every part of their life. In classical martial arts, a lot
of time is spent on teaching ethics and protocol. Ethics here refers
to good manners, courtesy, respect and consideration for others.
Martial arts protocol is a fundamental set of acceptable behavior
which codifies the spirit of martial arts and which martial artists
can rely on to cultivate their body and mind, and to guide their
everyday actions and judgment. Ethics is an indivisible part of the
study of martial art and sets the moral guidelines for martial
artists. Ethics principles serve as the traditional, cultural and
social standard by which practitioners are trained in martial arts.
Central to these principles is the concept of non-violence, respect
for oneself and others, loyalty to one's family, country, and style,
and the following of the natural way. Once a person has learned
these principles, they are able to better remain clam and patient in
their reactions to others.

Understanding our major definite purpose in life and working towards
that goal while staying true to our values is what balance is all
about. Only then will balance be achieved and the true essence of
the crane understood.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Hope everyone had a great time at Dan Smith's seminar this weekend.
As always we learned a lot and were motivated by his tremendous
knowledge and sincere personality.

Our Black Belt testing and training weekend is coming up April 16th,
17th and 18th, and everyone that is planning on being promoted at
the graduation for black belt or any degree of black belt needs to
contact me and let me know so we can order belts in advance. You can
go to the web site for more info and register on-line. If you are
coming in from out of town, please call in your reservations now, as
there are other events going on that weekend and things are filling
up quick. To get your free breakfast and the $69 a night rate call
(719) 598-5770 and tell them you are with the American Black Belt
Academy event.  We have limited space available so please go ahead
and register on-line to insure you will have a place, Go to our web
site at www.americanblackbeltacademy.com and look in the special
events section.


Quotes of the Week

ALAN COHEN:
It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly
secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is
no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and
exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is
power.
CHARLES DUBOIS:
The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice
what we are for what we could become.
ROBERT FROST:
The best way out is always through.


Lesson of the Week
18 Postures – The Tiger

The Shi Ba Shou or 18 postures have been handed down for a very long
time and base their roots on Shamanism or the process of trying to
understand the world by observing nature. My training and
understanding of the 18 postures comes from a variety of sources,
but in particular Fred Absher and Kojosho Kempo. The next few weeks
I will share my personal opinions on the postures. For more
information on Kojosho, visit www.kojosho.com.

The Tiger
The tiger is the king of the jungle and if there is one attribute
that I associate with the tiger, it is courage. Its ability to
approach everything with a genuine confidence and to never abuse its
power is indeed strength that each of us can emulate. When the time
comes for action, either to attack a prey or in self-defense, the
tiger is ferocious in his devastating power and swift resolution.
This ability to pursue one goal until completion is what separates
successful people from those that simply flow through life without
specific and prioritized goals. The ability to decide what is the
most important thing to do at any given time and then take decisive
action is a trait that each of us should learn from the tiger.
Courage enables us to attack an attacker instead of instinctively
turning away and running, which has been proven not to be the best
solution in a self-defense situation. The simple process of having
the confidence to turn and face a problem head on, many times is all
it takes to resolve the problem completely.
Whether you a small child learning to face your fear of getting up
in front of your classmates when doing a book report, or a teen
trying to come up with the nerve to ask someone out or even an adult
asking their boss for a raise, the philosophy of the tiger can be a
great strength to draw from. The old saying that one should not
sweat the small stuff, and that everything in reality is small
stuff; becomes clear in my mind as I visualize a tiger sitting on a
hill looking over his valley without any concern whatsoever. A
proficient black belt, knowing he can truly defend himself or
herself and their family, displays this same attitude. This self-
confidence and peacefulness, attributed to the courage developed
from the tiger system, is one of those black belt traits developed
on the path towards black belt excellence.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Congratulations to everyone that attended the tournament this
weekend. Everyone looked great, including the Sensei's. The students
don't get to see their teachers perform at top level too often.

Next week my Shorin Ryu teacher is coming to town and we will be
hosting a seminar at the Bijou school. The seminar will be 9:00 am
to 11:00 for all students and then in the afternoon from 1:00 – 3:00
for black belts only. Cost for the seminar is only $40 and
afterwards you will understand why Kyoshi Smith in considered one of
the top karate teachers in the country. There is also training
available in Denver on Thursday and Friday night, please contact me
direct if you want information.

Our Black Belt testing and training weekend is coming up April 16th
and everyone that is planning on testing for black belt or any
degree of black belt needs to contact me and let me know. You can go
to the web site for more info and to print out your application. If
you are coming in from out of town, please call in your reservations
now, as there are other events going on that weekend and things are
filling up quick. To get your free breakfast and the $69 a night
rate call (719) 598-5770 and tell them you are with the American
Black Belt Academy event.  We have limited space available so please
go ahead and register on-line to insure you will have a place, Go to
our web site at www.americanblackbeltacademy.com and look in the
special events section.


Quotes of the Week
Do not struggle. Go with the flow of things, and you will find
yourself at one with the mysterious unity of the universe.
-Chuang Tzu
"The ancient scholars studied for their own improvement.
Modern scholars study to impress others."
Confucius
Seeing it once is better than being told 100 times.
bai wen bu ru yi jian
- Zhou Chongguo, Han Dynasty
or,
A picture is worth ten thousand words
By Fred Barnard (American), March 10,1927

.


Lesson of the Week

The 5 Element Theory

The foundation of modern martial arts stems from deep-rooted Chinese
theories and philosophies. Some of the more prevalent in our style
is the yin-yang theory, the 5 element theory, the 8 primary angles
of attack, and the 18 postures. Like the child's game of rock,
scissor and paper, each of these theories has an effect on the other
and wins against another given specific timing and situations.
The 5 elements are water, fire, wood, metal and earth. There are
productive consequences in the 5-element theory as well as
destructive elements and these theories have been used in the
strategy and tactics in the martial arts for healing and self-
defense for thousands of years. A basic understanding of the
productive cycle would be:

The Productive Cycle
Water Produces Wood
Wood Produces Fire
Fire Produces Earth
Earth Produces Metal
Metal Produces Water

While the destructive side of the equation would be:

The Destructive Cycle
Water Destroys Fire
Fire Destroys Metal
Metal Destroys Wood
Wood Destroys Earth
Earth Destroys Water

The analysis of this flow chart and which techniques or principles
are beneficial and which are harmful is the root of most of the
healing and martial arts systems from China. These same principles
are used in other areas to analyses for accomplishing goals and
objectives as well.

To understand the reason why one is taught certain techniques in the
martial arts school, all one has to do is study the classics and the
principles will become evident. To break down a complex problem into
small workable pieces allows a person to begin to solve the
situation. The 5-element theory allows a person to see situations
from a smaller yet integrated perspective, and for them to begin to
see the outcome before it happens.

For example, a person that has a very strong earth element is a
person that used to serving others and it is something they do
without complaint. They are at their happiest when they are helping
others with one thing or another. This rushing around looking after
other people could lead to a feeling of emptiness or being
unfulfilled in oneself because of all of the energy and time taken
up by other people.

The wood element, however, describes a person that has the
characteristics of someone who is well motivated and organized,
someone who is a scrupulous planner; perhaps they might be self
employed or a director of a company, someone who is used to having
things mapped out ahead of them. They are people who like to be
pushed and their abilities tested and stretched. A wood element will
be totally dedicated to anything that he or she pursues this may be
to do with work or the family, this can be taken literally to the
point where that person would lay down their life for that cause.
So if a person that was heavily influenced by the earth principle
began to find themselves feeling uncomfortable with all they are
doing for others as the sacrifice of themselves, they would need
only to apply more wood activities into their lives to rectify the
situation.

The understanding of the many forces at work at any given time and
how we can manipulate outcomes by trying to stay balanced between
all these elements is one of the major goals of any martial artist.
Like a sailor trimming the sails, the modern martial artist uses the
ancient principles to stay balanced on the path towards their goals
and objectives. Understanding the counters and correct applications
of these principles is one of those steps toward black belt
excellence.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Congratulations to everyone testing this last weekend, everyone
looked great. Like the journey of a thousand miles beginning with one
step, the journey to black belt is achieved one idea, one technique
and one belt at a time. Special recognition goes out to those that
passed their pretest and will be testing for their black belt during
the weekend of April 16th, 17th and 18th. For those testing, you need
to go to our web site at www.americanblackbeltacademy.com and click
on dojo. At the bottom of the page you will see Brown Belt. Please
review the material in the brown belt manual and print out the black
belt candidate application and turn that in this week. Those testing
or attending the Elite Training weekend can register on-line under
the special events section on the web site. If you are coming in from
out of town, most of the event will be held at the event hotel – the
Radisson Inn. To get your free breakfast and the $69 a night rate
call (719) 598-5770 and tell them you are with the American Black
Belt Academy event. Please call right away, they are filling up their
rooms quick.

Next weekend is the tournament at Coronado High School. Please see
your Sensei for a registration form right away. Referees and
officials need to be there by 8:15 and the tournament begins at 9:00
am sharp.


Quotes of the Week

HORACE:
Whatever advice you give, be brief.
BUDDHA:
Neither fire nor wind, birth nor death can erase our good deeds.
HENRY DAVID THOREAU:
Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life so. Aim
above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something.
Letter, March 27, 1848
.


Lesson of the Week

Ma-ai : Distance and Timing

In classical martial arts, distance and timing are very important
principles in combative success. Lets discuss each one then how they
intermingle for overall effectiveness.
Distance is one of the most effective elements in self-defense. The
old saying of asking what is the very best defense against anything
is answered, "Don't be there." Proper distance and the ability to
maintain this distance is the key deciding variable in any defensive
strategy. The same is true in offensive tactics. We know that to be
effective, we must draw our enemy into our effective range of our
weapons and then victory is assured. For example, different martial
arts emphasis different weapons and tools. Some prefer kicks, others
prefer hands, some knees and elbows, and still others grappling. To
win in a self-defense situation, one must fight at the range you do
best and outside your opponents comfort zone. Even within a certain
range, there are optimal distances where a technique is the most
effective. If you try and punch someone and they are too far away
then your technique will not have sufficient power and all you will
do is throw yourself off balance.
Timing is the second variable in this concept. There is always the
perfect time for achieving anything. Many times the process of
failing was not cause by lack of planning or even in the
implementation of the idea, but of the timing of the initial action.
I am reminded of those people that state that you have to announce
that you are a trained martial artists in a self-defense situation in
order to justify your actions. Well, I believe that you should not
strike unless absolutely necessary, but if it is obvious that it is
necessary, then hit them, don't talk about it.
The advanced martial artist learns there are times that generate the
best results. Right before your opponent attacks, right after he
misses, as he is inhaling, when he blinks or gets something in his
eye, or even when he is distracted for a second. All these elements
lead to good timing from a combat perspective.
When you come up with strategy and tactics that contain both proper
distance and proper timing, you have a blueprint for success. If you
look at a problem or situation that is going on currently in your
life and begin to create an action plan for solving this situation,
always remember to include the elements of distance and timing in
your planning process. Many times, just thinking of these elements
will eliminate the problem all by itself. This is the path of black
belt excellence.
Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

The next belt testing is scheduled for March 6th.  The north school
testing will begin at 9:00 am. The Bijou school's testing will begin
at 11:00. For all students that are eligible to test for black belt
or any degrees of black belt we are having the pretest at noon at
the Bijou school. Black belt training will follow. (Approximately
from 12:30-3:00)

A couple of more up coming events to put on your calendar is the
Pikes Peak Tournament to be held here in Colorado Springs (Coronado
High School) on March 13th and our black belt testing and the elite
training camp is scheduled to be held on April 16th, 17th and
18th .  We have a great group of master instructors lined up for
training and many of our senior black belts from around the country
are flying in. If you are coming in from out of town, most of the
event will be held at the event hotel – the Radisson Inn. To get
free breakfast and the $69 a night rate call (719) 598-5770 and tell
them you are with the American Black Belt Academy event. School
owners please get a late flight out on Sunday if you want to attend
the management training event. For more info on the schedule go to
www.americanblackbeltacademy.com and look under up coming special
events.


Quotes of the Week

"The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence
moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would
never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events
issues from the decision, raising one's favor all manner of
unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance,
which no man could have dreamed would have come his way."
- Goethe
-
ABRAHAM LINCOLN:
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more
important than any other one thing.
CONFUCIUS:
To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in
order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in
order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our
personal life; we must first set our hearts right.


Lesson of the Week

The Law of Attraction

Have you ever had one of those days where it seems you can't do
anything right? It seems something goes wrong and then as the day
progresses it tends to get worse and worse. These days do indeed
happen and its cause lies in a simple law called the Law of
Attraction. The good news is that the opposite is true as well. We
can orchestrate a day that seems to just get better and better as
the day goes on.
If you have ever bought a new car it seems when you start driving
around everywhere you look you see the same type and color of car.
This is simply because what is fresh in your subconscious mind is
triggered as important and you become acutely aware of anything
relating to that idea. This is why we teach our students to always
focus on the positive elements of their goals and to never focus on
the potentiality of failure. In the words of Apollo 13 ring
clearly, "Failure is not an option."
The true fact of what we think about most of the time and believe to
be true will become a reality in ones life. The mere  act of
bringing positive thoughts into our lives through good books, tapes,
movies and our personal relationships with others, goes a long way
in helping us reach any and all our goals that we truly believe we
deserve.
From a behavior point of view, people are not impressed by what
someone says, only by what they do. That is why if you maintain a
positive, success oriented and friendly attitude; people with
similar qualities will be attracted to you and want to hang around
you. The way you treat yourself and others with respect and a
positive attitude indeed attracts those things around you to help
you become successful in life. This law of attraction is one of
those secrets to black belt excellence.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

The next belt testing is scheduled for March 6th.  The north school
testing will begin at 9:00 am. The Bijou school's testing will begin
at 11:00. For all students that are eligible to test for black belt
or any degrees of black belt we are having the pretest at noon at
the Bijou school. Black belt training will follow. (Approximately
from 12:30-3:00)

A couple of more up coming events to put on your calendar is the
Pikes Peak Tournament to be held here in Colorado Springs (Coronado
High School) on March 13th and our black belt testing and the elite
training camp is scheduled to be held on April 16th, 17th and
18th .  We have a great group of master instructors lined up for
training and many of our senior black belts from around the country
are flying in. If you are coming in from out of town, most of the
event will be held at the event hotel – the Radisson Inn. To get
free breakfast and the $69 a night rate call (719) 598-5770 and tell
them you are with the American Black Belt Academy event. School
owners please get a late flight out on Sunday if you want to attend
the management training seminar. For more info on the schedule go to
www.americanblackbeltacademy.com and look under up coming special
events.


Quotes of the Week

ALBERT EINSTEIN:
The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil,
but because of those who look on and do nothing.
CARL JUNG:
Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart.
Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.
JONATHAN SWIFT:
Vision is the art of seeing the invisible.


Lesson of the Week

Zanshin – Perfect awareness

In Japanese the word zanshin is made up of two separate kanji
meaning remainder, heart. This has taken the connotation for modern
martial artists of maintaining perfect awareness and presence with
all your heart, or the ever-remaining mind. Zanshin contains mental,
physical and even spiritual elements the warrior develops to
maintain proper vision and awareness, while at the same time
maintaining an indomitable presence and posture in the eyes of
others. Zanshin allows a person to implement and flow from one
action plan right into another, based on feedback almost invisible
to the untrained eye.
One of the cardinal rules in combat is to never turn your back to
your opponent. This physical posture of zanshin is demonstrated
during self-defense when the warrior maintains a fighting posture
and attention directly towards the threat until absolutely sure it
has been neutralized. At a higher level, one learns to maintain this
presence in all 360 degrees by developing a heightened sense of
awareness and through the knowledge of understanding probable
reactions in all situations. This same process is used when dealing
with any problem we encounter in life. If one faces their problems
and deals with them early, while staying aware of other potential
threats, success is easier attained.
The true warrior uses a wide-screen view that takes in every detail
of information. He or she develops the uncanny ability to understand
all motives and tactics of all stakeholders, and eventually learns
to predict the future before it happens. He learns to understand
subtle nuances, which can indicate motivations and strategically
maneuvers the situation to the desired outcome, based on the reality
of the situation that many people never even see.
  In business it has been stated to understand the truth, all one
needs to do is follow the money trail to understand the motivation,
and most of the time this is indeed a fact. Many times, what most
people recognize as a problem is not the real problem at all. The
solution to challenges many times come from a completely different
direction than we first thought. In addition, many times what is
presented to you as an opportunity is in reality just busy work that
actually slows you down from reaching you goals. In any business
understanding what the real problems are, and offering solutions to
these problems through win-win strategies, is where the mission of
creating and maintaining a strong customer base is achieved.
The warrior's ability to see all the systems and the effects of his
actions on each one of them allows him to see the big picture.
Warriors have long known that the best way to observe the actions of
the hands and feet of his opponent is by watching the center and
seeing everything else with his peripheral vision. This same tactic
is used when observing, and seeing physical, mental and spiritual
capabilities in yourself and others.
When practicing kata, we constantly are reminded about the
importance of zanshin in our training. Every time you look before
you turn it is a simple reminder to not take your eyes off your
goals and to always truly look before you take action. Upon the last
move of a kata, we hold that posture for a couple of seconds before
we return to ready position, demonstrating the ever-remaining mind
element of zanshin. By developing zanshin, you will be able to
accomplish more in a shorter period, than many people do during
their entire lifetime. Zanshin is indeed a crucial principle of
black belt excellence.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Happy President's Day.

I hope that everyone that attended the Chanbara seminar had a great
time. Sparring with padded swords will be a new division to the
local, regional and international events this year and it's good to
get a head start with the strategy, tactics and training needed to
become a winner.

Also thanks to all the black belts that showed up for the advanced
training. I know that 8:30 was early for many of you, but hope you
enjoyed working on the 9 animals, the two man forms, and the
advanced Kempo form Pao Chuan.

The next belt testing is scheduled for March 6th.  The north school
testing will begin at 9:00 am. The Bijou school's testing will begin
at 11:00. For all students that are eligible to test for black belt
or any degrees of black belt we are having the pretest at noon at
the Bijou school. Black belt training will follow. (Approximately
from 1-3)

A couple of more up coming events to put on your calendar is the
Pikes Peak Tournament to be held here in Colorado Springs (Coronado
High School) on March 13th and our black belt testing and the elite
training camp is scheduled to be held on April 16th, 17th and
18th .  We have a great group of master instructors lined up for
training and many of our senior black belts from around the country
are flying in. If you are coming in from out of town, most of the
event will be held at the event hotel – the Radisson Inn. To get
free breakfast and the $69 a night rate call (719) 598-5770 and tell
them you are with the American Black Belt Academy event. School
owners please get a late flight out on Sunday if you want to attend
the management training event. For more info on the schedule go to
www.americanblackbeltacademy.com and look under up coming special
events.


Quotes of the Week

THOMAS JEFFERSON:
An enemy generally says and believes what he wishes.
JOHN F. KENNEDY:
Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.


Lesson of the Week

Know Yourself and Know Your Enemy

   The famous Chinese general Sun Tzu, author of the classic The Art
Of War, said that,   "If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself,
you are certain to be in peril. Know your enemy and know yourself
and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster." This
statement is true not only in combat, but in solving most problems
in life. Experts recommend that when faced with a dilemma to write
everything down and clearly identify the problem. Many times this
simple process gives you the solution while you are writing out the
problem in detail. However, if you need to develop a plan of action,
then only by knowing your true strengths and weaknesses can you
develop a viable and winning action plan. One of the great things
about the martial arts is that it teaches us to truly know
ourselves. Our weekly interactions with our fellow students teach us
our mental and physical abilities and disabilities when it comes to
self defense. This knowledge leads us to understand our abilities to
handle other situations as well. This eventually leads the competent
martial artist to knowing that he or she can solve any problems as
long as they use the correct strategy and tactics. This always leads
back to truly knowing ourselves and our abilities. This is the path
towards black belt excellence.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Attention All Black Belts:


We will be having a special black belt training session this
Saturday, Feb 14th beginning at 8:30 am. Since we are having a
Chanbara seminar at 11:00 at the Bijou school for everyone, let's
have the black belt workout there as well. The class topics will
include a discussion of upcoming events, review and standardization
of current material being taught in the current blocks, instruction
techniques and classroom management, review of advance forms, and
training in the 18 postures. Training is open to all black belts.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

We have a tournament in Denver on February 21st.  Anyone interested
in attending please see your instructor.

A couple of up coming events to put on your calendar is the Pikes
Peak Tournament to be held here in Colorado Springs (Coronado High
School) on March 13th and our black belt testing and training camp
is scheduled to be held on April 16th and 17th. We are having
trouble with the facilities and will keep you informed as to any
changes. We have a great group of master instructors lined up for
training and many of our senior black belts from around the country
are flying in.

One of the new divisions we are going to be able to compete in is
Chanbara where competitors are able to spar with padded swords and
protective gear. This event is a lot of fun and we will be having a
seminar on Feb 14th at 11:00 at the Bijou school. The seminar is
free to Master Club, Leadership or Deshi members, $25 for everyone
else.

Quotes of the Week

ISAIAH BERLIN:
Only barbarians are not curious about where they come from, how they
came to be where they are, where they appear to be going, whether
they wish to go there, and if so, why, and if not, why not.

C. WRIGHT MILLS:
Freedom is not merely the opportunity to do as one pleases; neither
is it merely the opportunity to choose between set alternatives.
Freedom is, first of all, the chance to formulate the available
choices, to argue over them -- and then, the opportunity to choose.

LEO BUSCAGLIA:
What we call the secret of happiness is no more a secret than our
willingness to choose life.

Lesson of the Week

Juuyou Jiko O Yuusen Suru – First things first

Learning to priorities and figuring out what needs to be done first
is one of the key fundamental tactics of the superior martial
artist. To be successful in life, one must understand what is the
most important task they should be working on at this very moment
and concentrate on that one task. This is easy to see in self
defense where you are about to be attacked by several opponents.
Based on proximity, degree of threat based on whether they are armed
or not, etc, we immediately target our tactics and implement them in
order to survive. If it is 2 against one, we take out the closest
one right away thus making it one against one. If one attacker is
armed we take him on first therefore neutralizing the most serious
threat.

Accomplishing goals in civilian life is all the same. We identify
our strengths and weaknesses, all the threats that stand in the way
of us reaching our desired goals and then create a strategic written
plan on how to overcome these objections or threats. The real key,
once this is done, is to identify the most important thing to do and
get it done first.

In the martial arts school we learn first to stand and move in our
basic stances. Then we learn to execute blocks and strikes while
moving in those stances. Soon the student is executing movements
that seem very difficult and yet he does so effortlessly. This is
all accomplished by the instructor knowing what to teach first and
putting that in the lesson plan first.

One of the greatest things one can ever learn is the ability to ask
themselves, "What one thing could I be doing right now, that would
allow me to reach my goals." This is one of those key ingredients
towards black belt excellence.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Attn All Black Belts,
I need to update my records and if you are one of my personal or
affiliated black belts would you please contact me with your current
address and phone number.
Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

We have a tournament in Denver on February 21st.  Anyone interested
in attending please see your instructor.

A couple of up coming events to put on your calendar is the Pikes
Peak Tournament to be held here in Colorado Springs (Coronado High
School) on March 13th and our black belt testing and training camp
to be held on April 16th and 17th. We have a great group of master
instructors lined up for training and many of our senior black belts
from around the country are flying in.

One of the new divisions we are going to be able to compete in is
Chanbara where competitors are able to spar with padded swords and
protective gear. This event is a lot of fun and we will be having a
seminar on Feb 14th at 11:00 at the Bijou school. The seminar is
free to Master Club, Leadership or Deshi members, $25 for everyone
else.

Quotes of the Week

ALBERT CAMUS:
You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness
consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning
of life.
Mark Twain

"Always do right.  This will gratify some people, and astonish the
rest."

VICTOR FRANKL:
What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the
striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him. What he needs
is not the discharge of tension at any cost, but the call of a
potential meaning waiting to be fulfilled by him.

Lesson of the Week

Houkousei – Mission or Purpose

I write a lot about goals setting and mission statements because I
truly feel that anything is possible with clearly defined written
goals and good planning. A mission statement helps a person or
business stay on course maintaining a focus on the primary key
principles of that person or business. The mission statement for our
martial arts organization is pretty simple: "To make a difference,
by empowering our students to significantly increase their human
performance capabilities through classical martial arts training and
success principles education."  Decisions are easy to make by always
looking at our key mission and deciding if our plan of action is
achieving that goal. We want everyone to eventually make a black
belt, not because that piece of cloth has real value, but that we
know by the time a student has reached that point they will have
developed the positive life skills needed to be successful in
anything they choose to in life.

I recently read an article that symbolizes an attitude that I feel
is prevalent among most of the martial arts instructors I know. I
share it with you here:

In Brooklyn, New York, Chush is a school that caters to learning
disabled
children. Some children remain in Chush for their entire school
career,
while others can be mainstreamed into conventional schools. At a
Chush
fundraising dinner, the father of a Chush child delivered a speech
that
would never be forgotten by all who attended.

After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he cried
out, "Where
is the perfection in my son Shaya? Everything God does is done with
perfection. But my child cannot understand things as other children
do.
My child cannot remember facts and figures as other children do.

Where is God's perfection?"

The audience was shocked by the question, pained by the father's
anguish, and stilled by the piercing query. "I believe," the father
answered, "that when God brings a child like this into the world,
the
perfection that he seeks is in the way people react to this child."

He then told the following story about his son Shaya: One afternoon
Shaya and his father walked past a park where some boys Shaya knew
were playing baseball. Shaya asked, "Do you think they will let me
play?"

Shaya's father knew that his son was not at all athletic and that
most
boys would not want him on their team. But Shaya's father understood
that if his son was chosen to play it would give him  a comfortable
sense
of belonging. Shaya's father approached one of the boys in the field
and
asked if Shaya could play.

The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates. Getting none,
he took matters into his own hands and said "We are losing by six
runs
and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team
and
we'll try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning."

Shaya's father was ecstatic as Shaya smiled broadly.

Shaya was told to put on a glove and go out to play short center
field. In
the bottom of the eighth inning, Shaya's team scored a few runs but
was
still behind by three. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shaya's
team
scored again and now with two outs and the bases loaded with the
potential winning run on base, Shaya was scheduled to be up. Would
the
team  actually  let Shaya bat at this juncture and give away their
chance
to win the game?


Surprisingly, Shaya was given the bat. Everyone knew that it was all
but
impossible because Shaya didn't even know how to hold the bat
properly,
let alone hit with it.

However as Shaya stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved a few
steps
to lob the ball in softly so Shaya should at least be able to make
contact.

The first pitch came in and Shaya swung clumsily and missed. One of
Shaya's teammates came up to Shaya and together they held the bat
and
faced the pitcher waiting for the next pitch. The pitcher again took
a few
steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shaya.

As the pitch came in, Shaya and his teammate swung at the bat and
together they hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher
picked
up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the
first
baseman.

Shaya would have been out and that would have ended the game.
Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to
right
field, far beyond reach of the first baseman. Everyone started
yelling,
"Shaya, run to first! Run to first!"

Never in his life had Shaya run to first. He scampered down the
baseline,
wide-eyed and startled. By the time he reached first base, the right
fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second
baseman
who would tag out Shaya, who was still running.

But the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions were,
so he
threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head. Everyone
yelled, "Run to second, run to second."

Shaya ran toward second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously
circled the bases toward home.

As Shaya reached second base, the opposing short stop ran to him,
turned him in the direction of third base and shouted, "Run to
third."


As Shaya rounded third, the boys from both teams ran behind him
screaming, "Shaya, run for home."

Shaya ran home, stepped on home plate, and all 18 boys lifted him on
their shoulders and made him the hero, as he had just hit a "grand
slam" and won the game for his team.

"That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his
face,
   "those 18 boys reached their level of God's perfection."

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

We have a tournament in Denver on February 21st.  Anyone interested
in attending please see your instructor.

I am scheduling some training times for senior students and
instructors that want to personally train with me in Classical
Chinese forms and Wu Shu. Please contact me at Kyoshibryan@...
if you want more info.

A couple of up coming events to put on your calendar is the Pikes
Peak Tournament to be held here in Colorado Springs on March 13th
and our black belt testing and training camp to be held on April
16th and 17th. We have a great group of master instructors lined up
for training and many of our senior black belts from around the
country are flying in.

One of the new divisions we are going to be able to compete in is
Chanbara where competitors are able to spar with padded swords and
protective gear. This event is a lot of fun and we will be having a
seminar on Feb 14th at 11:00 at the Bijou school. The seminar is
free to Master Club, Leadership or Deshi members, $25 for everyone
else.

Quotes of the Week

BESSIE STANLEY (ADAPTED; ERRONEOUSLY ATTRIBUTED TO RALPH WALDO
EMERSON):
Success
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of
children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal
of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a
garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.
BILL COSBY:
A word to the wise ain't necessary, it's the stupid ones who need
the advice.

Lesson of the Week

The Law of the Farm

  In the martial arts it is often quoted that respect must be given
before it is received. This is why great care is given towards
teaching student's protocol, etiquette and courtesy in and out of
the school. This process is a two way street as one must have self-
respect before truly respecting others. As we train in discipline,
self-respect and respect for others seems to grow together.

I recently heard Zig Ziglar say the same thing but with different
words. He calls it the law of the farm and basically it uses the
analogy of the farming and harvesting his crops. It is understood on
the farm that you plant the seeds in the spring, nurture your crop
during the summer and then reap the rewards of a harvest in the
fall. This basic knowledge doesn't quite understand those people
that expect to be rewarded before the work is done or things to
simply be given to them. That is just not the Tao, or the way things
work.

The martial arts, like farming were handed down from father to son
consisting of ageless principles. Only the tried and true methods
were handed down, insuring a good crop or success on the
battlefield. The true value of this knowledge handed down meant the
difference between life and death, and was not treated lightly. The
ultimate respect and true honor was given to the teachers that
passed on this information to their students. Even today, choosing a
teacher or mentor to teach you what to do in the spring time or
during the planning phase is a very important decision and should
not be taken lightly.

In real life, you must give before you get. Anything of true value
is earned and then it is appreciated. The path of success begins
with an idea of what you want and what needs to be done to get
there. Next you put it in writing and plan all the details with a
timeline. Then you do the work or create the action. Only through
this process is success inevitable. Farmers have understood this for
centuries. Only in modern society do we need to remind ourselves the
proper path or course of black belt excellence.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Congratulations on everyone that moved up to a new belt color this
weekend. We will be working on new material this week – Basic and
Novice students will be working on block 4 training while
Intermediate students will be working on their block 2 requirements.
Master Club students will be learning Tokomine Bo so please bring
your long staff with you to that class. Leadership students will
spend the next two months learning the Tiger/Crane two man form.

Come celebrate the Chinese New Years with us at the City Auditorium
this Saturday. We will be doing a Chinese Kung Fu demonstration and
will have a booth there all day. There will be shows, food and good
times as we celebrate the beginning of the Year of the Monkey.

A couple of up coming events to put on your calendar is the Pikes
Peak Tournament to be held here in Colorado Springs on March 13th
and our black belt testing and training camp to be held on April
16th and 17th. We have a great group of master instructors lined up
for training and many of our senior black belts from around the
country are flying in.

A special recognition goes out to Sensei Joe Calderon for his work
with security in the airline industry. He has been a big part of the
process of getting guns approved for pilots and is now heading up
airline security defensive tactics. Keep up the good work!


Quotes of the Week
ANDY WARHOL:
They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change
them yourself.
ECCLESIASTES:
For everything there is a season,
And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate,
A time for war, and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

THOMAS PAINE:
Time makes more converts than reason.
Lesson of the Week

  Go No Sen and Sen No Sen
"It's All About Timing"

In my earlier years I occasionally visited officer clubs on Air
Force installations and was always intrigued by seeing pilots
talking with their hands describing their aerial tactics during
training or combat missions. Get two combat fighter pilots together
and you can tell from across the room when the topic switches to
combat tactics.

Martial artists are much the same as they discuss strategy and
tactics in self defense situations. One of the most common subjects
is the timing of the response in self-defense. In Japanese martial
arts there is the ideal of "sen" or the moment of awareness that a
threat is recognized. Using this terminology, let's talk about
different strategies in dealing with conflict.

Go No Sen means to counter after an attack has been launched.
Martial artists spend many hours on this type of tactic by having a
partner grab or throw a strike at them, and then practice their
response over and over again till it becomes a subconscious reflex.
This type of training is very effective against surprise attacks in
self-defense and a mandatory step in the self-defense process.

Sen No Sen is a level above this where the counter attack is
launched at the same exact time the threat is realized. In fencing
this is called a stop-hit. Bruce Lee called his art Jeet Kune Do
or "the way of the intercepting fist" based on this strategy. The
Okinawan punching-block is another example of this strategy at work.
This strategy is dependent on your ability to recognize the
potential threat before it happens and through this awareness having
a defense already in place so at the very first signs of the real
attack, the counter measures can be released immediately. This is
clearly a more advanced strategy, stopping an attack at the very
moment it appears.

The highest level of achievement however, is Sen Sen No Sen. This
tactic is based on defeating an attacker before the threat has ever
been launched. No it doesn't mean that you reach over and knock
someone out because they may be a threat. It is based on superior
knowledge of strategy, tactics and potential threats, and using this
knowledge put defenses in place where an attack would never be
successful, therefore minimizing the chance the attack ever
develops. On a personal level, one must develop knowledge of
psychology, verbal and nonverbal communication and personality
styles, knowing in advance where a conversation or relationship is
heading and being able to guide it down the proper path. A true
warrior knows where he or she is heading, and polishes his words,
deeds and actions to minimize threats towards his reaching the
desired goals. This is the ultimate strategy towards black belt
leadership and achieving anything you want in life.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

World Cup Jamaica:
We took 12 competitors to the World Cup and brought home 10 medals…
not bad. Results follow:
Terry Bryan – Gold Medal Sparring, Gold Medal Kata, Bronze Medal
Weapons
Diana Bryan- Bronze Medal Kata
Jennifer Yi – Silver Medal Weapons, Bronze Kata
Rebecka Barrowclough – Bronze Medal Weapons
Brett Dawson – Gold Medal Kata
Deanna Wells – Bronze Medal Kata
Virpi Matson – Bronze Medal Sparring

Next Belt test is the 17th of January. North school testing will
begin at 9:00 am and testing at the Bijou location will start at
11:00. The Leadership Seminar will be on Thai Boxing and will be
held at the Bijou location from 1:00 -2:00 on the 17th. This seminar
is open to all Leadership students.

Quotes of the Week

EPICTETUS:
First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have
to do.
J.R.R.TOLKIEN:
It will not do to leave a live dragon out of your plans if you live
near one.
The Hobbit

THOMAS ALVA EDISON:
Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is
production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must
be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose,
as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.
Lesson of the Week

  Kamae – The Fighting Posture

Martial arts tactics dictate that the time of when you respond to a
situation has a direct correlation to the success rate of the
outcome. In other words, dealing with a situation when it is a small
problem takes less work and insures victory at a small cost of time,
energy and resources. Waiting until a situation grows into a large
problem automatically means it will cost more to resolve and with a
lesser chance of success.

Sun Tzu stated that the greatest general was not one that wins 100
battles in 100 encounters, but one that controls a situation so well
that war never breaks out in the first place. This is indeed the
number one goal for all serious martial artists and we avoid
conflict if at all possible. However, we also understand the
principles of self-defense and must be prepared in case we are ever
attacked.

A kamae is a fighting posture used to protect yourself and to
dictate where you will be attacked if you are attacked. For example,
if you engage in a fight and your hands are down, then you will
probably be attacked towards the head. If you have your hands down
because you do not know better, then this could be a serious
mistake. If however, you are using this tactic to bait your opponent
to attack high because you have a counter waiting, then this can be
a very useful strategy.

Understanding the use of postures in your life increases your
chances of understanding what is truly going on in any situation and
allows you to protect yourself as you move forward in life towards
your goals. I was once told that an average pool player thinks about
how to make their next shot while a good player thinks about where
to leave the ball after the shot to insure successful shooting of a
couple of more shots. The expert sees the table and can tell you how
each shot is going to be made for the entire game.

In life, postures are communicated through physical, mental and
spiritual ways and once you begin to see that you are in complete
control of the postures and behaviors that you perform, and
therefore are in direct control of other people's actions. You
postures dictate what comes into your life and sets the groundwork
for your future success. This is why successful and positive people
surround themselves with other successful and positive people. This
is the path to black belt excellence.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

I am sending this letter out early as I will be out of the country
this weekend.

Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu – "Congratulations on the beginning or
Happy New Year". I hope everyone is looking forward to a great year
and has done their strategic planning and goal setting to insure
that it will happen.

Come and join Kyoshi Bryan and start the year off right with a New
Years day training class. Open to all students, the class will be
held at the Central dojo location and will run from 9:00-10:30.
Starting the year off with a good strong spirited workout is a
traditional concept handed down for generations in the martial arts
world. The central dojo is located at 2304 East Bijou, across the
street from the old Montgomery Wards building.

Next Belt test is the 17th of January. North school testing will
begin at 9:00 am and testing at the Bijou location will start at
11:00. The Leadership Seminar will be on Thai Boxing and will be
held at the Bijou location from 1:00 -2:00 on the 17th. This seminar
is open to all Leadership students.

Quotes of the Week

ABRAHAM LINCOLN:
The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present.
The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with
the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.
ALAN COHEN:
It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly
secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is
no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and
exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is
power.
AMERICAN PROVERB:
It doesn't work to leap a twenty-foot chasm in two ten-foot jumps.
Lesson of the Week

  Tamashii – Indomitable Spirit

In Japanese Tamashii translates as "Indomitable Sprit' and is the
real essence of the character of a true warrior. To accept ones God
given place on this earth and to proceed down ones path in life
based on your true principles, it is imperative that one does not
let anyone or anything prevent them from achieving their objectives.
This attitude is reflected in the warriors of old where duty and
loyalty dictated they did their best in battle, even if they knew
they would eventually die that day. This attitude to take on a
problem, enemy or task with the mental attitude of never giving up
is imperative to become successful at anything. Great achievements
are accomplished many times after several defeats or learning
experiences, and what separates the winners from the losers is the
attitude of trying your best and of never giving up.

Martial artists train their mind, body and spirit to understand the
way of Tamashii. We learn to turn our back to thoughts of failure
and to eliminate negative words such as "I can't" completely out of
our vocabulary. Instead we focus on words like how, or thoughts
about which tactics would help us reach our objectives quicker.
Slowly you will see the transformation in the nonverbal
communication… the body language where the self-confidence and
discipline shines through as the charisma of a confident and yet not
cocky warrior.

I hope each of you take on the new year with a renewed sense of
focus and confidence, knowing that as long as you don't quit
anything is achievable. Nothing is a problem, only a challenge
designed for you to sharpen your winning tactics on. If you
internalize the feelings of Tamashii in your life, you will find
that you will be able to accomplish more in a short period of time
than most people do in their entire lifetime.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

The dojo's will be closed December 31st and January 1st for regular
classes.

Next weeks newsletter will come from the beaches of Jamaica as we
will be at a tournament there. I know, it is a rough job but
somebody has to do it.

Come and join Kyoshi Bryan and start the year off right with a New
Years day training class. Open to all students, the class will be
held at the Central dojo location and will run from 9:00-10:30.
Starting the year off with a good strong spirited workout is a
traditional concept handed down for generations in the martial arts
world. The central dojo is located at 2304 East Bijou, across the
street from the old Montgomery Wards building.

Quotes of the Week

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT:
I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an
unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.
HERB COHEN:
If you don't know where you are going, you can never get lost.
J.C. PENNEY:
Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I'll give you a man who will
make history. Give me a man with no goals and I'll give you a stock
clerk.

Lesson of the Week

Goal Setting

I have had several private e-mails in regards to setting goals,
personal mission statements and strategic planning, so this the last
karate-gram of 2003 I will address exactly how to achieve more in
2004.


Setting specific and written goals is one of the most powerful
action items you can ever do become successful in life. It begins
with identifying what one's true values are and then identifying
what one's life would look like 5 years from now if it was perfect
in every way. We then work backwards to identify our short term
goals and actions needed to reach our long term targets.

Some of the values you can evaluate to see their importance to you
include:
Accuracy, Achievement, Adaptability, Affection, Assertiveness,
Attitude, Calmness, Career, Compassion, Competence, Consideration,
Creativity, Dependability, Diligence, Discipline, Education, Energy,
Enthusiasm, Faith, Fitness, Freedom, Generosity, Happiness, Honesty,
Humility, Independence, Integrity, Kindness, Leadership, Loyalty,
Optimism, Organization, Perseverance, Persistence, Politeness,
Respect, Responsibility, Security, Self-control, Status, Strength,
Success, Teamwork, Tolerance, Value, Wisdom.

To help identify what your true values are, simply ask the following
questions to yourself.
1. Name 10 things you would do if you received $1,000,000 tax
free today.
2. What would you do more of and what would you do less of if
you had only 6 months to live?
3. What has given you the most enjoyment and feelings of
importance in your life?
4. What have you always wanted to do, but have been afraid to
attempt?
5. If you were assured success at any one thing you were to
attempt, what would you do?

The next step is to dream big dreams. To make sure that you keep a
balanced perspective it is important to come up with 10 goals in
several different areas based on your values. Usually you can come
up with the first 4 or 5 but it is important to come up with 10 in
each area. Here are some suggested areas to set goals in:
1. List 10 personal goals for 2004.
2. List 10 professional and career goals for 2004.
3. List 10 family and relationship goals for 2004.
4. List 10 health and fitness goals for 2004.
5. List 10 social goals, how to give back to your community in
2004.
6. List 10 educational and professional development goals for
2004.

The next step is to carefully review these 60 goals and identify the
most important t ones and set them as your 10 goals to achieve in
2004. Please prioritize these goals and identify which one is the
most important. Once you have identified the most important goal,
and have written it out in detail and have set a deadline, ask
yourself the following questions:
1. List all obstacles and limitations that stand between you
and your goal.
2. List all the information, knowledge and skills you will need
to acquire in order to achieve your goal.
3. List the people whose help, support and cooperation you will
require to achieve your goal.
4. Make a plan of action to achieve your goal, a list of
activities by priority and sequence.
5. Assign responsibility for carrying out the plan – who is
going to do what.
6. Take each action in the plan and set a timeline for its
completion.

Once you have done this exercise with number one, proceed to do the
same drill with the other goals you have set. Then as you plan your
weekly activities, always spend some time working towards those
action items that will help you get closer to your goal everyday.
Although this exercise takes quite a bit of time, you will be amazed
on the results. You will truly be able to accomplish more in a short
period of time than many people accomplish in a lifetime.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

The dojo's will be closed from December 24th through the 28th for
the Christmas Holiday. The dojo's will also be closed December 31st
and January 1st for regular classes.

We are having a New Years Eve sleepover for all the kids in the
dojo. There will be games, snacks and lots of fun. Students and
their friends are welcome to attend. See your Sensei for more
information.

Come and join Kyoshi Bryan and start the year off right with a New
Years day training class. Open to all students, the class will be
held at the Central dojo location and will run from 9:00-10:30.
Starting the year off with a good strong spirited workout is a
traditional concept handed down for generations in the martial arts
world. The central dojo is located at 2304 East Bijou, across the
street from the old Montgomery Wards building.

Quotes of the Week
ANATOLE FRANCE:
To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream;
not only plan, but also believe.

EPICTETUS:
First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have
to do.


Lesson of the Week

Seven Rules for Success in 2004

This week I want to continue our thinking about goal setting for the
next year. As you set your goals keep the following rules in your
mind.
1. Your life only gets better when you get better.
2. It does not matter where you are coming from, only where you
are going.
3. Anything worth doing well is worth doing poorly at first.
4. You are only as free as your options, those well developed
alternatives you have available to you β€" therefore become a
strategic planning expert.
5. Within every problem or difficulty you encounter, there is
the seed of an equal or greater advantage or benefit.
6. You can learn anything you need to learn to achieve any goal
you can set for yourself.
7. The only real limits on what you can do or be are the limits
you accept in your own mind.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

The dojo's will be closed from December 24th through the 28th for
the Christmas Holiday. The dojo's will also be closed December 31st
and January 1st for regular classes.

We are having a New Years Eve sleepover for all the kids in the
dojo. There will be games, snacks and lots of fun. Students and
their friends are welcome to attend. See your Sensei for more
information.

Come and join Kyoshi Bryan and start the year off right with a New
Years day training class. Open to all students, the class will be
held at the Central dojo location and will run from 9:00-10:30.
Starting the year off with a good strong spirited workout is a
traditional concept handed down for generations in the martial arts
world. The central dojo is located at 2304 East Bijou, across the
street from the old Montgomery Wards building.

Quotes of the Week
HELEN KELLER:
I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty
to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The
world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes,
but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.
JOHN WESLEY:
Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways
you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all
the people you can, as long as ever you can.
LIN YUTANG:
Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art
of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the
elimination of non-essentials.

Lesson of the Week

Kaizen no Michi –
The path of constant and never ending improvement

The word Kaizen has been adopted by many success and quality control
groups to help identify their mission statement and objectives. In
the martial arts, when you see an expert perform a kata you notice
the speed, power and grace of the movements and yet that proficiency
did not occur over night. The process includes identifying things
that need improvement and then by working on them one at a time you
see that level of improvement. This is why people see karate as a
lifelong journey, a path of constant and never ending improvement.

For the new student they sometimes disbelieve that they have the
capabilities to perform in a matter that they see in some of the
elite black belts. And yet slowly but surely they proceed down the
path and eventually find themselves a member of the black belt
family. The pursuit of excellence is all about identifying what is
important and working to improve those tasks while at the same time
identifying unnecessary or wasteful tasks in their movements.

This same process works in other areas of ones life as well. One
must set goals based on what is truly important to them and then
identify what tasks, skills, knowledge and actions will help them
reach their goals. At the same time a person needs to identify time
wasters and unimportant activities, and either delegate them to
others or eliminate them all together.

As we get close to New Years, I encourage everyone to go to our
www.street-wise.org site and download the goal setting information
and begin to work on things you want to accomplish in the next 12
months. Begin with the values clarification and then proceed to the
overall goal setting worksheets. I think you will be impressed with
the results if you set clearly defined written goals for the next 12
months.

The path of constant and never ending improvement is a lifelong
journey and needs to be directed by your personal goals and
objectives. Like the journey of a thousand miles, great achievements
are accomplished one step at a time.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

The dojo will be closed from December 24th through the 28th for the
Christmas Holiday.

We are having a New Years Eve sleepover for all the kids in the
dojo. There will be games, snacks and lots of fun. Students and
their friends are welcome to attend. See your Sensei for more
information.

Start the year off right with a New Years day training class. Open
to all students, the class will be held at the Bijou location and
will run from 9:00-10:30. Start the year off right with a good
strong spirited workout. The Bijou school is located at 2304 East
Bijou, across the street from the old Montgomery Wards building.

Quotes of the Week
ANAIS NIN:
People living deeply have no fear of death.
ALBERT EINSTEIN:
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is
the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion
is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in
awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.

Lesson of the Week
Kokoro – Spirit/Heart

In the Japanese martial arts the word Kokoro means heart or the true
essences of the practitioner or style. I had quite a few personal e-
mails in response to the X-treme martial arts show on the Discovery
Channel this week. Most of the feedback had to do with how shallow
the modern open circuit seems and how it was perceived as more
showmanship than classical martial arts. And I would agree totally.
I did have a chance to see the new movie "The Last Samurai" and that
goes more in detail of the underlying spirit of bushido – the way of
the warrior.

Many schools today emphasis the physical techniques of the various
martial arts but less and less schools practice and teach the true
essence of the spirit of classical martial arts tgraining. In my
humble opinion, teaching the techniques without stressing the
internal attitudes and philosophies which are the foundation of
classical karate produces a very shallow and empty art.

While the heart and soul of the Japanese arts do indeed emphasis the
way of the warrior the true essence of the Okinawan arts tend to
emphasis a more peaceful and mild manner. The spirit and true heart
of the Okinawan people comes through in their art of karate where
their attitude is to use their skills only as a last resort.
In the modern dojo, the heart of the training is based on the true
spirit and principles of success that have been passed down for
generations. Among these principles are loyalty, honor, courage and
discipline. Our leadership program is designed to take these
foundation principles and create a formula for becoming a successful
leader and role model in the modern world. Success depends on
staying true to ones values and developing the disciplined spirit to
overcome any obstacle you may face. This is the meaning of Kokoro
for the modern warrior.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan