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

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving break and didn't eat too
much turkey.

  There will be a 2-hour special about modern martial arts on the
Discovery Channel tonight for those interested. It will be geared
towards modern sport karate but should be interesting.

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.
HASIDIC SAYING:
Everyone should carefully observe which way his heart draws him, and
then choose that way with all his strength.
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER JR.:
Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege.

Lesson of the Week
Giri - Duty

The concept of "Giri" contains elements from words like loyalty,
duty, responsibility and obligation. The Japanese kanji that make up
giri translate as loyalty, reason. Or in other words, duty is the
reason for loyalty. In America this is a hard concept to explain
because most of our citizens are brought up very individualistic and
not taught the concept of duty or obligation in depth. Dr. Glen
Morris explains Giri in this way:

Giri is a Japanese word for obligation and it is often translated as
duty or respect, but in the martial arts the concept becomes more
honor-tied and feudal. What is it worth to you when a technique
saves your life? Usually a lot more than the cost of whatever you
have paid for your training. What do we owe to a teacher who reveals
our true nature? A Zen master would say nothing since we are all
immortal and being enlightened is just being yourself. A guru of the
Krishna consciousness would say you must give all your worldly goods
to the sangha (training group) and start working in the bean sprout
cave. A Christian tithes ten percent. A Buddhist supports the
dharma, offers charity to teachers and seeks rightness. One has to
use religious examples because the spirit of budo and chivalry are
not easily modeled in these gentile times. However, masters of the
warrior ways that are indeed avatars, not those who wear the mantle
and quote the talk, are truly rare. If they are willing to sacrifice
their time to better your life, then the rules of giri require you
to assume the same generosity toward them.

It has been my experience that the martial community in the West has
become sorely ignorant of these teachings even to the point of
denial and attacking real teachers. Real teachers are not obvious to
the unenlightened eye. What is it worth to have the blinder's
removed? In such a case, giri is endless as your life has been
changed by the words and actions of the "master."

There are three basic archetypes of teaching in the Martial Arts and
giri accrues to each. 1) The Technician teaches skills, usually by
rote, and seeks perfection of techniques in self and student as
standardized by the lineage. 2.) The Artist teaches techniques by
feeling, but has the technical expertise to make it work. S/he
customizes the lineage techniques to fit the student. 3.) The Sage
teaches the techniques, art, principles, philosophy, history, and
strategy. Essentially, the sage teaches a way of life.

Examples of giri can be the senior student who disciplines a
beginner after warning him three times to address the instructor by
his title, not his first name; the dojo maintainers who take care of
the training hall for the master; the student who anticipates the
unspoken needs of the master; and those who understand that their
own actions reflect on the teacher and act accordingly in all
situations.

Giri is a debt that is owed to those whom you follow (including the
ancestral lineage, your teachers, etc.), and to those who follow you
(now or in the future, including those who read your words or watch
your videos). Giri not only flows up channel and down channel, but
laterally as well, to your fellow Senpai and Kohai , or all,
depending on your personal viewpoint).
Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

  Congratulations to those that competed at the Pikes Peak Karate
Tournament this weekend. Our students seemed to have a great time
and did very well.

The Academy will be closed Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week
for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Have a great holiday!

Quotes of the Week
ALICE WALKER:
No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your
right to grow.
EPICTETUS:
It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.
Lesson of the Week
Sempai and Kohai

In the dojo we use the Japanese concept of Sempai and Kohai to
designate your relationship with your fellow students. A sempai is a
student that is your senior by age, rank, experience or title. By
the very definition of the word sempai, this person has the
responsibility to help guide you along your path in the martial
arts. A sempai is there to be able to ask questions about
techniques, martial arts philosophy and even dojo rules and
regulations. This places a burden on senior students to always stay
informed and up to date with what is going on in the school so as to
be able to become a better leader.
 	 A kohai is a junior student and in their search of constant
and never ending improvement look to their sempai for advice and
help in order to reach their goals faster. A kohai always shows
respect to his seniors and therefore their sempai are always willing
to help in any way they can.
	 The sempai and kohai relationship is constantly changing.
For example, in the dojo one of your peers may indeed be your
sempai, but outside the dojo in a different relationship you may
indeed be the sempai. It is understanding this relationship and how
it can be beneficial to your progress that is important. You will
soon recognize that even your Sensei has his or her own sempai and
kohai, and are working constantly on their growth and development as
they help you with yours. When used well, the sempai and kohai
relationship helps an organization run smooth and develops
leadership qualities within its members. This is an important
process in the development of black belt excellence.
Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

The Pikes Peak Karate Championships will be held on November 22nd at
Coronado High School. See your Sensei for a registration form. There
are individual and team divisions at the tournament. This is open to
all our students. We also have a sign up sheet at the schools if you
want to help with score keeping or time keeping.

Quotes of the Week
AFRICAN PROVERB:
It takes a village to raise a child.
MARK TWAIN:
Always do right--this will gratify some and astonish the rest.

Lesson of the Week

This week's lesson comes from Jhoon Rhee, the Father of American
Taekwondo. Master Rhee came to this country in the early 50's and
was the teacher of my first instructor. I feel his work on the
qualities of a champion is very good.

The "Seven Qualities of a Champion" encapsulates Grandmaster Jhoon
Rhee's personal philosophy about the keys to happiness, which, he
believes, are created when we transform our highest ideals,
thoughts, and emotions into physical action. Martial arts are an
educational tool to discipline and unite the mind and body. Martial
arts training develops seven basic physical qualities that can be
transformed into corresponding human emotions that, over time, will
create positive human qualities that will become engrained in our
character.

Master Rhee originally presented the full text of "Seven Qualities"
at a Tools for Achievement seminar in Greenbelt, Maryland, on
September 21, 1995. Below is a condensed version of that original
presentation.

Knowing the purpose of life is to find happiness, and the basis for
happy living is a healthy body. Knowledge in the mind, honesty in
the heart, and strength in the body build true confidence. If our
lives embrace these three basic human qualities, we will never bear
the twin burdens of regret for the things that we did in our lives
but know in our hearts that we should not have done and those things
we should have done but we did not do. If we develop this way of
living, nothing will ever bother us again.

A true human being is an educator not by words alone but by serving
as an example to others. The purpose of knowledge is to take action
from good habits. The martial arts are an action philosophy, and the
soul of martial arts is discipline. An individual without discipline
is like a piece of steel without carbon or a tree cut off from its
root.

Generally, there are seven basic physical qualities developed
through martial arts training. These physical qualities can easily
be transformed into their corresponding human emotions, and over
time, these emotions will create positive human qualities that
become ingrained as part of our character. These seven qualities of
a champion are:

1. Quickness, Alertness, and Market Change Awareness

Mind and body must be synchronized so that thought and the resultant
action becomes virtually one. In today's fast-paced business
environment, deferring action on a decision made today until
tomorrow often means a lost opportunity.

2. Endurance, Perseverance, and Persistence

Just as development in the martial arts requires long hours of
practice, success in life often requires perseverance. Research has
shown that 80 percent of sales are made on the fourth or fifth
approach to a customer, and only 20 percent are made on the first,
second, or third sales attempt.

3. Timing, Punctuality, and Delivery on Time

The discipline to respect our own use of time is one way to develop
self-respect, the first step toward respect for others. Being
punctual is the first basis for success in business; it is one of
the major building blocks upon which our business reputation is
built.

4. Power, Knowledge, and Financial Strength

Knowledge and wisdom are built by listening to reason and
conscience. Knowledge and wisdom are like power a student develops
through practice in the martial arts: constant exercise of our
abilities leads to success and happiness.

5. Balance, Rationality, and Balancing Supply & Demand

A balance of wisdom, good character, and health are essential to
build a rational and productive life. If our words and actions are
at odds, we introduce irrationality and instability into our lives
and society.

6. Flexibility, Gentleness, and Adaptability

Gentleness goes hand-in-hand with flexibility, the ability to adjust
and respond naturally to whatever circumstances and events we may
encounter in life. Like water, if we learn to yield to others, we
can learn to work together to build a better world of truth, beauty,
and love that leads to happiness.

7. Posture, Honesty, and Business Integrity

Honesty and posture derive from balanced beauty in mind and body.
The posture of integrity in business is an important key to success.

The purpose of knowledge is to take action. A great source of human
energy results when we set our minds on a specific goal and set out
to accomplish it. Energy follows thought like a heat-seeking
missile. The determination to succeed will immediately be followed
by the energy to succeed. Success breeds more success.


Thanks for the advice Master Rhee. Until next week.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,


On November 15th we will be having our annual chop and shop. This is
where we bring the students in and teach them the proper way to
break a board with their bare hands. We will also have a special set
up for those wishing to order any martial arts items so they can get
here before Christmas. Special discounts will be given on that day
because we will get a discount when we order in volume. The chop and
shop will be held at the north dojo located at 1581 York Road, one
block south of Woodman Road, just west of Academy Blvd. The event
will run between 9:00 and 10:00. Everyone will be allowed to break 1
board, but there will be a fee if they want to break multiple
boards.

The Pikes Peak Championships will be held on November 22nd at
Coronado High School. See you Sensei for a registration form. This
is open to all our students.

Quotes of the Week

PETER DRUCKER:
The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never
say "I." And that's not because they have trained themselves not to
say "I." They don't think "I." They think "we"; they think "team."
They understand their job to be to make the team function. They
accept responsibility and don't sidestep it, but "we" gets the
credit…. This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the
task done.

SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR:
We don't accomplish anything in this world alone ... and whatever
happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all
the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates
something.




Soujoukouka – Teamwork & Synergy

	 I recently re-read Steven Covey's book on the 7 Habits of
Effective Leadership while at about the same time was working on
this particular section of the leadership program. The concept of
Soujoukouka basically translates as a unification of purpose for
joint benefit or I guess in other words … teamwork. I remember
seeing that the word team is better defined as Together Everyone
Achieves More and I think that is very true. Those individuals that
see themselves as a member of a team working for the joint good do
indeed achieve more.
	 In Steven's book he talks about the process of going from
dependency to becoming independent – where you feel comfortable
doing it on your own. But the process does not stop there but if
nurtured continues to a state called interdependence where
independent people come together because they know that by working
as a team they indeed can be more productive.
	 The staff at the American Black Belt Academy indeed strives
to uphold a high level of teamwork. Each member has a duty and
interacts with all other members to insure that we are consistent
with our mission plan and core values. In fact each student finds
themself soon becoming a Senpai and begins adapting to this role by
helping the beginning students as they begin to explore the world of
martial arts training. Soon they find themselves as assistant
instructors, instructors or excelling as a leader in some other area
of their life.
	 On a personal note, I recently witnessed a great example of
teamwork within our organization. Just a few months ago I was faced
with a serious medical problem that required immediate attention.
Even though I have a tendency to work long hours our team members
took over all my responsibilities and the organization ran just
great without me being there. This allowed me to tackle my problems
and even allowed me time to help with strategic planning for the
organization while taking an absence from day to day business.
	 The real key to teamwork is to have a vision of where you
truly want to be somewhere down the road and then make clearly
defined and written goals on how you want to get there. Then you
need to identify what information and who you need on your team to
help you reach your goals. Once this team has been identified, each
team member will decide what they bring to the table and how best
they can aid to the benefit of the whole team. Pick your teams,
coaches and mentors wisely because they are the shortest path
towards black belt excellence.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Congratulations to all the students that tested for their new belts
at the Bijou dojo this Saturday. Everyone looked great!

On November 15th we will be having our annual chop and shop. This is
where we bring the students in and teach them the proper way to
break a board with their bare hands. We will also have a special set
up for those wishing to order any martial arts items so they can get
here before Christmas. Special discounts will be given on that day
because we will get a discount when we order in volume.

The Pikes Peak Championships will be held on November 22nd at
Coronado High School. See you Sensei for a registration form. This
is open to all out students and select other programs.

Quotes of the Week

Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than a giving of
right
answers.
Josef Albers

I hear, and I forget.  I see, and I remember.  I do, and I
understand.
Chinese Proverb

It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative
expression and
knowledge.
Albert Einstein



Lesson of the Week

Sensei – One Who Walks Before

Re-inventing the wheel is one way to move forward in life while
learning from others is another. Dedicating oneself to a teacher
that is dedicated in turn to your future success is one of those
simple things that can make a drastic result in your future success
in all areas of your life.

In Asian thought, we are all on a certain path that we call this
journey of life. Each of us chooses to follow their own specific
path based on their core values, goals and objectives. Which ever
path we choose, there is sure to be someone else on this same path
that is further down the line and this person is capable of becoming
a Sensei to you … one that has walked before.

I am very blessed to have had some great mentors in my lifetime and
still spend a tremendous amount of time with my teachers today. My
success coaches include trainers in a variety of areas including
personal achievement, business development, personal finance,
spiritual development, personal relationship counseling as well as
martial arts training. While the costs of this constant and never
ending pursuit of improvement is not cheap, try the cost of trying
to learn on your own and you will instantly see the true value of
choosing good teachers and mentors. As the old saying goes, you pay
for an education once; you pay for ignorance for the rest of your
life.

A martial arts Sensei is someone that has spent many years learning
their art and is willing to take you under their wing and show you
how to precede down the path towards black belt excellence. Great
care should be taken in choosing a Sensei because once that choice
is made a very special relationship begins to develop that is
founded on character, integrity, respect and duty. This link between
the teachers of the past and the future generation is not taken
lightly by classical teachers and great care is used in selecting
the future leaders to pass on their art. The lineage of our style
goes back hundreds of years for our Okinawan Karate and over 1500
years for our Chinese Kempo background. America is full of teachers
that have created their own style with only a few years of study and
that is why we are so proud of the depth and richness of our style
and why we spend so much time on our Black Belt Leadership Program –
to insure the future success of our style and organization.

The circle of life is dependent on you choosing the right mentors or
elders to guide you along the path and in turn you will become the
teacher and give back to society by sharing your knowledge with
quality students. This is the path of black belt excellence, with a
Sensei as a guide along the way.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Sorry about the lateness of the newsletter, my internet service has
not been working at the house. I love technology… when it works.

The North Dojo will be closed this Friday for Halloween.

Next belt test will be Saturday Nov 1st at the Bijou location at
9:00 am.

The Pikes Peak Championships will be held on November 22nd at
Coronado High School. See you Sensei for a registration form.

Quotes of the Week

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.:
An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust,
and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to
arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in
reality expressing the highest respect for the law.


Lesson of the Week

Shingi – Loyalty


Sometimes it seems to me that many people today don't emphasis some
of the basic qualities of success that have been the backbone of
countless societies for thousands of years. One of these qualities
is loyalty or an unswerving allegiance to certain elements in one's
life.

The first and foremost issue is loyalty to your family. Many times
we take this precious gift we call life for granted, but in reality
this gift of life can never truly be paid back. I mean, we can't
write a check when we turn 18 and call it even. The only thing that
we can do is to uphold the family name by being honest in our
activities, always trying to do the right thing by demonstrating
loyalty to the family.

The martial arts are very similar in nature to an extended family
and traditionally carried that same level of loyalty. In ancient
days, students were required to take a blood oath in order to be
accepted into a martial arts clan or family system. In China, most
styles were family styles and even today many are not taught to
outsiders. In classical teaching methodology, regular students are
taught movements and basics but only the senior students that have
proven their loyalty are taught the inner secrets of that style.

In many modern martial arts programs, these ways are gone and it has
become simply business. At the American Black Belt Academy we try
and blend the old with the new, and pass on the ancient teachings as
they were taught to me and the other senior staff. We have a basic
program that allows a student to check out what karate is all about
and during that time we screen them for the qualities that we feel
are necessary for continued training towards the rank of black belt
and beyond. Once a student is accepted into our Master Club or
Leadership Program they begin to learn the inner teachings of our
system.

I truly believe that learning the martial arts can change ones life
in many ways. How is someone changed when they learn to overcome
fears and develop the confidence to go for what ever they want out
of life? What is the value of a young child developing self-esteem
to a point that they don't sub-come to negative peer pressures and
do drugs or join a gang? We feel these benefits of the martial arts
are priceless, and the greatest care should be used in selecting
those that will become teachers for the next generation. To be a
member of the family also requires one to take on a sense of duty
and respect the art. They develop a sense of duty to never use it
foolishly. A student of our academy represents the school with their
actions and deeds, in and out of the dojo. Courtesy and respect
become the normal behavior in and out of the dojo. This is one
element of loyalty in the martial arts.


Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Don't miss the Halloween Party to be held at the North dojo on
Saturday October 25th.  Games, prizes and good times will be on the
agenda and feel free to invite your friends.

Next belt test will be Saturday Nov 1st at the Bijou location at
9:00 am.

Quotes of the Week

JANE HADDAM:
In my day, we didn't have self-esteem, we had self-respect, and no
more of it than we had earned.

E. E. CUMMINGS:
We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep
inside us is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust,
sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk
curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that
reveals the human spirit.


Lesson of the Week

Rei- The Bow of Respect

	 There is an old Chinese saying that states, "The stalk of
grain that bears the most fruit, bows the lowest." This is a perfect
analogy for the martial arts, as the most senior martial artists
that have the most devastating abilities tend to be the most humble
and gentle people around.

The Japanese word for bowing is called Rei and has a significant
purpose in Asian culture and in the dojo. Gone are the days where a
student had to sign a blood oath in order to be able to train and
represent their particular style eventually on the battlefield, but
certain parts of this high level of respect and discipline are still
maintained. The bow in modern martial arts training is one of
respect and a greeting, much like the handshake in western
society.

Most Karate practitioners bow many times each time they visit the
dojo. Some bow every time they enter the dojo, at the beginning and
end of class, at the beginning and end of every kata (form)
repetition and every time they face a new partner in kumite
(sparring) practice. Most take it for granted that this ritual is a
necessary part of their Karate experience, whether it holds some
cultural significance (since Karate is, after all, Japanese) or as a
way of expressing humility and/or respect for partners/instructors.
Some have their doubts about the value of bowing and a few people
even refuse to bow in class due to religious conflicts. I am not
going to argue the validity of such complaints. I would like to just
review the most general bowing ideas here.

First, I would like to review the concept of bowing as a way of
opening and closing. Whether a ceremony or a business meeting, it's
basically the same, much like the symbolic handshake. For this
bowing application, they occur in sets of two. I recently attended a
tournament in which both participants and judges seemed unsure of
when they should bow, and how many times. When in doubt, check to
see if your bows "match-up" in pairs.

In kumite, it is proper to bow when you start and bow when you
finish. You can add another bow if you are accepting criticism or
congratulating your partner/opponent for a point. But, in general,
only the opening and closing bows are required. This may, of course,
be slightly different in other styles/organizations, but this is the
general idea.

Next, I would like to review the basic types of bows. Bows range
from the very informal nod of the head that most of us would use to
agree with someone's casual comments, to the very formal seated bow.
Japanese learn the subtle differences through the entire spectrum of
bowing types. Westerners should not be expected to become perfect at
these bowing subtleties, but a brief review might prove interesting
for some.
Although good enough for most of your friends, a simple nod of the
head is considered somewhat rude in the Japanese culture. Even for
the slightest bows, the neck usually does not bend. The entire torso
leans forward, with the neck straight. For the more formal bows,
simply bring the entire torso--back & neck straight--further
forward. A junior student should always bow slightly lower than
someone senior to them.
For standing bows, the hands should remain lightly touching the
sides of the legs, without moving them, for men. Women sometimes
slide their hands inward and downward in formal situations, but this
is rarely seen in many Karate dojo. With seated bows, hands should
slide directly forward to in front of the knees. Women sometimes
bring their hands closer together, as with the formal standing bow.
As far as the position of the eyes goes, there seem to be different
opinions on the subject. Some think that it is rude to look an
instructor in the eyes when bowing. Some say that you should keep
looking into your partner's eyes as you bow. Are these different
types of bows, or are they the same? For realistic budo/self-defense
practicality reasons, remaining conscious of your partner/opponent's
position is a good idea. But should you make extra effort to
maintain eye contact specifically? I think that you should continue
to watch his/her body using zanshin, but there is not much advantage
to looking at the eyes in particular (actual sparring is another
story, which I will not get into here). Lowering the eyes is a sign
of modesty, and is often used in formal bowing in Japan. But showing
gratitude for receiving correction from an instructor is less formal
and does not require such a deep, downward-looking bow.
I was once told that as a referee, one only had to look at a person
bowing into the ring to be able to judge them and pick the top three
competitors, I have found that to be true in most cases. If one
spends the time, energy and discipline necessary to perfect their
bow, then it you can be assured an equal amount of detail will be
included in the form itself.  We should try to remember that Karate
begins and ends with courtesy and try to incorporate that principle
into other aspects for our daily lives.
Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Just got back in town, sorry for the delay on the weekly newsletter.

Congratulations to those that made their new belts this last
weekend. Testing for the Bijou students will take place this week
during class.

Don't miss the Halloween Party to be held at the North dojo on
Saturday October 25th.  Games, prizes and good times will be on the
agenda and feel free to invite your friends.

Quotes of the Week

BYRON KATIE:
When you argue with reality, you lose - but only 100% of the time.

PHILIP K. DICK:
Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go
away.

Lesson of the Week

Karate-do vs Karate-jitsu


The big debate among modern martial artists is to determine which is
more important the "do" aspects or the "jitsu" aspects of the
martial arts. The "do" aspects (pronounced dough) are the qualities
developed as a result of the training… self-confidence, self-esteem,
self-discipline and so forth. The jitsu aspect is the combat reality
that what you are learning will really work in the street.

In my opinion, you can not have one without the other. Like a double
edged sword it can be used for both depending on the circumstances.
Without the confidence that what one is learning would really work
in the street, then I do not think that true self-confidence will
ever materialize. It is the old yin/yang thing, the blending of the
two is what makes this process work.

This is one of the main reasons for the rituals and protocol taught
in a traditional school. Simply teaching just the fighting
applications produces good street fighters but nothing more. The
purpose for classical martial arts teachers is to arm the average
person with the skills to survive in the modern world. This may
include self-defense tactics, but more often than not it will be
life skills and attitudes to develop a winner in all areas of their
lives. This is why we spend so much time teaching the principles
behind the martial arts that can be used as success principles in
anything they do. This is our method of achieving leaders for the
next generation.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

Congratulations to those that made their conditional black belt this
weekend. It was a great test and you should be proud of your
accomplishments. It was also great to have Kyoshi Montoya and his
Texas crew here to witness and be a part of the testing.

Belt test for the north school students will be this coming weekend,
while students from the central location will be tested the
following week. Make sure you have all your stripes, register early
and are ready to earn your new belt.

HENRY FORD:
If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're
right.
VIKTOR FRANKL:
We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked
through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of
bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient
proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the
last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given
set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.

Lesson of the Week

Shisei – Attitude

A person's attitude is the most important element in martial arts
training and in life itself. While technique is important in self-
defense, it is the attitude of wanting to survive that usually
dictates the overall outcome. An attitude is created by our self
thoughts which create our levels of personal self-esteem and self-
confidence. This is why a good martial arts instructor emphasizes
90% attitude and 10% techniques, especially in the beginning student.

Attitude is a personal choice. Since our attitudes are developed by
our thoughts that we have, and each of us are in complete control of
what thoughts we have, then each of us are able to create any
attitude within us that we want. Successful people learn to hang
around other successful people with positive attitudes. They see
their winning ratio go up, when they surround themselves with other
winners, people that are setting goals and possessing positive
attitudes about the achieving what they want out of life.

The black belt attitude of a true leader eliminates can't out of
their vocabulary. They cease to see problems, but only opportunities
for using their most powerful weapon of all – their mind – to
overcome challenges as they come their way. They plan ahead, and
have analyzed any potential problem that could ever happen, and have
an action plan ready should this situation develop.

So how does one develop a black belt attitude? Well, it is a lot
easier than you think. Read positive books and magazines on a
continual basis. Listen to positive audio-books and tapes while in
your car… your university on wheels. Always look for the good in
people, places and things. Should a set back occur, sit down and say
to yourself – "This is good, what have I learned from this
experience?" Hang around other positive people, give them support as
they work towards their goals and they in turn will support you. And
lastly, always have faith that you can do anything that you set your
mind to. This is the path for creating a black belts attitude.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan, Kyoshi

Dear Students, Teachers and Friends,

I hope you have the opportunity of wishing the 14 students that are
testing for their black belt this Friday good luck. Although making
black belt is really only the beginning of advance training, it is a
great accomplishment, and all those that make this goal should be
indeed proud of their accomplishment. Good luck black belt
candidates!

Quotes of the Week
MARK TWAIN:
There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish
things, and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first
group is less crowded.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT:
It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the
strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done
better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives
valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the
great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a
worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if
he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall
never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory
nor defeat.
From a speech given in Paris at the Sorbonne in 1910





Lesson of the Week

Koudou Keikaku – Action Plan

The great General Sun Tzu once wrote that the mark of a great
warrior was not one that won 100 battles in 100 encounters, but it
was the one that controlled the environment so well that war never
broke out in the first place was the mark of a great warrior. He
also stated that conflicts are best resolved early, before they
fully materialize. This is the sign of a proactive warrior, and is
achieved through perfect awareness and fully thinking through each
action before you begin.

Everyone should realize that writing down ones goals are the key to
success in any endeavor but it does not stop there. Once you have
written your goals down, you must develop an action plan to make
sure you reach your goals. Whether you are creating a wish list for
yourself, or designing a battle plan for defense of your nation, the
process of thinking on paper is the key. Every detail has to be
thought of in advance, and all contingencies considered.

Once each detail is considered, one needs to prioritize each step in
order of importance and a time line is developed for achieving each
step. By carefully following each detail by level of importance,
huge gains can be achieved in relatively short time frames.

The mark of a great leader and martial artist is the ability to have
the foresight to see the consequences of his or her actions before
he or she implements them, and makes his decisions accordingly. A
good leader uses this ability to shape his destiny and maintain
control of the world around him. This is known as Black Belt
Excellence.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers, Parents and Friends,

Quote of the Week:

PROGRESS BEGINS ONE STEP AT A TIME. ---------------------------------
---- There is no sudden leap to greatness. Your success lies in
doing, day by day. Your upward reach comes from working well and
carefully. Good work done little by little becomes great work. Your
house of success will be built brick by brick. Adopt the pace of
nature. The secret is patience. A bottle fills drop by drop.

The Lesson of the Week

Karate-Do – The Empty-Hand-Way

The word kara-te translates as empty hand but is actually two
different ideas combined together to reach its meaning. The
philosophy behind the word kara or empty, is that of the Zen
warrior, always striving to keep the mind empty of negative
thoughts. Knowing that thought actually slows one down in reacting
to situations; the true warrior relies on his or her training and
puts his reactions on autopilot reacting with preconditioned
reflexes.

Te is actually the word used to describe the martial arts as they
were known in China and later in Okinawa. This could mean empty hand
striking arts, grappling arts or even arts that teach weapons. By
combining these two words you come up with the meaning of a martial
art that emphasizes mental training as well. After all, the mind is
truly the most powerful weapon and should be trained equally with
the hands and feet.

Do, pronounced "dough", translates as the way or path. Adding this
to the word karate emphasizes the spiritual aspect of training in
the martial arts. The growth of the student is not just in physical
or even mental growth, but takes on the attitude that it is a way of
life. The strategies and tactics used in the martial arts are used
to develop life skills so that the student can be successful in any
and all areas of their life. Using this complete term of karate-do,
explains the methods we use to produce future leaders of our
society.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan, Kyoshi

Dear Students, Teachers, Parents and Friends,

Congratulations to those that tested for their new belts at the
north school this Saturday.

For those students testing for a level of black belt, the test is
scheduled for October 3rd. We are planning on having lunch and
entertainment on Saturday at noon.

In an effort to help everyone with the costs of buying the new
safety equipment, all hand pads are on sale this month at 20% off.
Please see your Sensei for more information.

Classes are now being held at the 2304 Bijou location on Tuesdays
and Thursdays at 6:00.

Don't forget our special VIP program runs through December and the
school is rewarding our students with a $50 cash reward for any VIP
referral they bring into the school that joins. We recognize that
friends share good things with their friends and this is our way of
saying thanks for handing out our VIP guest passes which is good for
one free month of karate lessons and a free uniform. This offer has
a real cash value of $100. If you need some VIP passes, please see
one of our staff members.

For those interested in going to Jamaica in January, the deadline
for registrations is the end of September and also the price of the
land package goes up $25 on the 15th of September. You can pick up
your application at the dojo or ask your Sensei to bring you one if
you train in one of the clubs. If you're interested in getting
involved in fund raising activities to help cover some of the costs,
please e-mail me and I will pass it on to Mrs. Matson who is heading
up these activities.



The Lesson of the Week

Sonchou – Respect, Esteem, Regard

According to Japanese culture the three virtues of a warrior is
called Sonchou which is comprised of self-respect, self-esteem and
self-regard. Let us discuss briefly how martial arts training helps
develop these qualities in a student.

Proper respect is taught in all our actions in the dojo from the way
we bow to the way we line up in class. We are taught to always
say "yes sir" and "no sir" or "yes ma'am" or "no ma'am" which
demonstrates respect in everything we say. Respect is one thing that
one needs to give in order to get. In other words, a person needs to
learn to respect others in order to develop self-respect.

Self-esteem is all about how good one feels about himself. Every
time you achieve a predetermined worthwhile goal, your self-esteem
goes up. This is included in our school through the stripes and
belts one achieves and by constantly learning new material for
advancement. We support one another in class, applaud for each other
when performing and show respect to our classmates, all adding to
the self-esteem of the students. Instructors praise in public and
correct in private as a policy, in order to facilitate proper self-
esteem building.

Self-regard is having the personal respect to always try and do the
right thing. We always strive to live up to our words and
commitments and this includes ourselves. Considering the needs of
others at all times, a true warrior knows that he can only help
others as long as he takes care of himself first. Like a bodyguard
on duty, he can only protect his client by staying safe himself.

These three virtues are the foundation to great leadership skills.
This month at the dojo we are working on self-esteem building
qualities. Please feel free to pick up a copy of the flyer "Ten Ways
To Build Self-Esteem In You Child" at the front desk. We hope that
together we can indeed change the world… one black belt at a
time.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Parents,

I have had several questions about the Bijou school and its
schedule. The school is located at 2304 Bijou, one block south of
Platte and two blocks east of Union across from the old Montgomery
Wards building. Classes are open for high school karate students,
Pikes Peak Community College students and ABBA students that need a
Tuesday β€" Thursday class to make up. Here is the current schedule:

Tuesdays:
5:30-6:00 introductory lessons for new students
6:00-6:30 Little Dragon’s
6:00-7:00 Beginner and Novice class
7:00-7:45 Black Belt class

Thursday:
5:30-6:00 introductory class for new students
6:00-6:30 Little Dragons
6:00-7:00 Beginner and Novice class
7:00-7:45 Black Belt Club/Master Club training (This month we will
be working the 18 postures of Kojosho Kempo)

I will be teaching the classes at the Bijou location and if you have
any questions, please contact me on my cell phone at (719) 651-4279.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers, Parents and Friends,

Belt test for North school students will be held this Saturday.

For those students testing for a level of black belt, the test is
scheduled for October 3rd. We are planning on having demo's and
entertainment as we congratulate our new black belts. We will also
have special seminars on Saturday with some special guests coming in
from out of town. Mark your calendar as the 3rd and 4th of October
is going to be a very special weekend.

Classes are now being held at the 2304 Bijou location on Tuesdays
and Thursdays at 6:00.

Don't forget our special VIP program runs through December and the
school is rewarding our students with a $50 cash reward for any VIP
referral they bring into the school that joins. We recognize that
friends share good things with their friends and this is our way of
saying thanks for handing out our VIP guest passes which is good for
one free month of karate lessons and a free uniform. This offer has
a real cash value of $100. If you need some VIP passes, please see
one of our staff members.

For those interested in going to Jamaica in January, the deadline
for registrations is the end of September and also the price of the
land package goes up $25 on the 15th of September. You can pick up
your application at the dojo or ask your Sensei to bring you one if
you train in one of the clubs. If you're interested in getting
involved in fund raising activities to help cover some of the costs,
please e-mail me and I will pass it on to Mrs. Matson who is heading
up these activities.



The Lesson of the Week

Yume – To Dream

Dreaming is many times looked down upon in our modern society. When
student's day-dream they are labeled as having a poor attention span
and seen as needing additional help. Now granted, there is a time
and place for everything, but most of the truly successful people
have been great dreamers.

All significant accomplishments happen at least two times, the first
is in the mind and then in reality. The first major step in goal
setting is to have big dreams and then work towards those dreams. I
would add that to help a dream come true, it helps to write it down.

Most people that begin training in the martial arts do so for self-
defense, physical fitness or for self-discipline. Little do they
know when they first begin of all the positive qualities that are
gained from their martial arts training. Later when they make black
belt, they are amazed at the benefits they have seen through their
training. Over and over again I here from senior students that what
they have gained through their training is priceless. All this began
when they mentally set a goal of becoming a black belt.

The first step in successful goal setting is to sit down and figure
out what it is that you truly want. If your life was perfect in
every way, what would it look like? What would you be, want or have?
I encourage you to visit our www.street-wise.org web site and
download the goal setting materials. If you dream big dreams, write
it down and make a plan, you will be amazed at the results. Dreaming
big dreams is the first step towards black belt leadership.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers, Parents and Friends,

Monday, September 1st, all schools closed for Labor Day.

For those students testing for a level of black belt, the test is
scheduled for October 3rd. We are planning on having demo's and
entertainment as we congratulate our new black belts. We will also
have special seminars on Saturday with some special guests coming in
from out of town. Mark your calendar as the 3rd and 4th of October
is going to be a very special weekend.

Next belt test at the York location will be held on Saturday,
September 13th. Make sure you get all your stripes so that you are
able to test.

Don't forget our special VIP program runs through December and the
school is rewarding our students with a $50 cash reward for any VIP
referral they bring into the school that joins. We recognize that
friends share good things with their friends and this is our way of
saying thanks for handing out our VIP guest passes which is good for
one free month of karate lessons and a free uniform. This offer has
a real cash value of $100. If you need some VIP passes, please see
one of our staff members.

For those interested in going to Jamaica in January, the deadline
for registrations is the end of September and also the price of the
land package goes up $25 on the 15th of September. You can pick up
your application at the dojo or ask your Sensei to bring you one if
you train in one of the clubs. If you're interested in getting
involved in fund raising activities to help cover some of the costs,
please e-mail me and I will pass it on to V who is heading up these
activities.



The Lesson of the Week

Mokuteki o Motte Hajimeru – Goal Setting

As many of our students are now beginning a new school year, I think
it appropriate to discuss the power of goal setting. The actual
kanji in Japanese for Mokuteki o Motte Hajimeru means to see,
target, hold and begin, or in other words to see a target in your
mind and then begin. This concept is extremely important in all
areas of your life and especially in your training in the martial
arts.

Years ago they did an experiment with some basketball players on how
to improve their shooting of foul shots. They broke the group into
three different groups. The first group spent an hour just shooting
free throws while a second group spent their time sitting and
visualizing themselves making the perfect shot every time. The third
group spent half of their time shooting and the other half
visualizing making the perfect shot. What surprised everyone was
that the third group had the best improvement.

In the martial arts, we use the same strategy for improving our
techniques. If you will spend time visualizing yourself doing the
perfect kick, punch, form, what ever; as well as time practicing the
technique you will see tremendous progress in your performance.

This technique also helps in other areas of your life as well. If
you want to be a straight "A" student you must first see yourself as
a straight "A" student and then do the necessary work to make it
happen. Success coaches spend a lot of time helping people set
realistic and specific goals for their students because 80% of all
clearly defined and written goals become a reality.

This is one of the major reasons that we started the Black Belt Club
and Masters Club at our academy. We identified a significant
improvement in the number of people achieving the rank of black belt
and even third degree black belt by having them clearly identify
with that goal and by putting it down in writing. Our new leadership
program is designed to take the principles we teach in the dojo in
our martial arts training and to show the students how they can use
those principles to become successful leaders in their community.

As the school year begins, please decide what you want to achieve
this year and then put it down in writing. You will be amazed at the
results. This is a major step towards black belt excellence and
superior leadership qualities.

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers, Parents and Friends,

Welcome to the new high school students that have recently joined
our karate family. As the different districts begin their classes, I
want to take the time to wish you well in your studies and to
encourage you to set high goals for yourself this year. A hallmark
of a black belt leader is to always strive to do their best and
straight "A's" is a good goal to shoot for.

For those students testing for a level of black belt, the test is
scheduled for October 3rd. We are planning on having demo's and
entertainment as we congratulate our new black belts. We will also
have special seminars on Saturday with some special guests coming in
from out of town. Mark your calendar as the 3rd and 4th of October
is going to be a very special weekend.

Don't forget our special VIP program runs through December and the
school is rewarding our students with a $50 cash reward for any VIP
referral they bring into the school that joins. We recognize that
friends share good things with their friends and this is our way of
saying thanks for handing out our VIP guest passes which is good for
one free month of karate lessons and a free uniform. This offer has
a real cash value of $100. If you need some VIP passes, please see
one of our staff members.

For those interested in going to Jamaica in January, the deadline
for registrations is the end of September and also the price of the
land package goes up $25 on the 15th of September. You can pick up
your application at the dojo or ask your Sensei to bring you one if
you train in one of the clubs. If you're interested in getting
involved in fund raising activities to help cover some of the costs,
please e-mail me and I will pass it on to V who is heading up these
activities.



The Lesson of the Week
(This lesson is actually an article I was asked to write for a
magazine and so it is longer than usual.)

Karate Ni Sente Nashi

Karate Ni Sente Nashi basically translates into English as there is
no first strike in karate. I first began exploring this idea while I
was stationed in Viet Nam and the concept intrigued me. While the
idea of never striking first seemed like a good way of training
karate students so they would not abuse their powers, it just didn't
make since in the rice paddies of Southeast Asia. As a matter of
fact, I didn't even see the validity even in a real self-defense
situation. I mean after all, if I found myself in a confrontation
with 3-4 assailants, wouldn't I want to increase my odds of
surviving by taking one of them out right away by using a preemptive
counterattack?

It was in the Okinawan kata and my training with Dan Smith where I
began to understand the meaning of karate ni sente nashi. The forms
were made up of fighting postures or kamae as well as intermediary
moves. The fighting postures were used for defense but in addition
to that they were used to solicit specific responses from an
attacker. For example, what I once saw as a downward block, all of a
sudden became a lower kamae or guard position. If I was guarding my
lower body with low guard position, then I could be pretty sure if I
was attacked it would be to the upper body or face. Armed with this
information, I could have a response waiting and neutralize his
attack immediately. Now this began to make sense, because we used
this same tactic in combat successfully on a regular basis. We would
deliberately leave openings in our perimeter defense only to have
them walk into a prearranged ambush of some kind. This tactic gave
us complete control and assured our success in that engagement. I
began to explore the forms and saw time after time where I was being
taught how to set up my opponent as well as the best possible
counterattack to use at the precise moment they launched the attack.
This concept of karate ni sente nashi was beginning to make sense.

It wasn't until I spent time in Okinawa and got to know the
personalities of some of the truly great Okinawan karate masters did
the idea of karate ni sente nashi take on a new level of
understanding for me. Their genuine desire to never use their karate
skills unless absolutely necessary shined through everything they
did and said. The most humble people that I have ever met, they
would turn and walk away to avoid conflict if at all possible. These
same people had the capabilities of delivering the most powerful
techniques I had ever seen during my over 30 years of training. What
a perfect blend of yin and yang… a true balance.

This led me to understand that karate ni sente nashi was really a
mental and spiritual ideology and not necessarily a physical
response tactic. All conflict begins because of negative emotions.
Doubt, fear, guilt, resentment, envy and even jealousy come about
because we allow ourselves to have these negative emotions. Nothing
good ever comes from negative emotions. Negative emotions are
developed from four major sources – justification, identification,
lack of respect, and blame.

Before a negative emotion can occur, a person first must justify
that he or she is entitled to have this negative emotion. Negative
emotions are truly a choice and a true martial artist chooses not to
have these outbreaks, it is not in the pattern of behavior typical
of a martial arts student. The second thing that is necessary to
have a negative emotion is to identify with it personally. The
counter for this is to not take things personally and to be able to
detach ourselves. The modern student learns this by learning how to
deal with individual techniques one at a time. The third step in
having negative emotions is feeling like we have been disrespected.
A wise man once said, "You should not worry what other people think
of you, because if you knew how seldom they did, you would be
insulted." In the dojo, we are taught how to show respect on a daily
basis, and simply see people that do not do this as having not
learned the proper way. The last cause of negative emotions is
blame. Most people that have a lot of negative emotions blame other
people or circumstances for all their problems. The modern warrior
takes complete responsibility for everything in their lives and is
proactive in achieving their goals.

After three years in combat and a competitive career of over twenty
years, I now have come to an understanding that the concept of there
is no first strike in karate is not about the timing of a physical
response or even the lack of actually responding after you are
attacked. It starts with the way we train. The life skills that we
teach in the karate school today are actually the proactive method
of teaching our students to defeat conflict before it ever occurs.
Teaching these proactive skills, instead of reactive skills is in my
humble opinion the true meaning of there is "no first strike in
karate."

Respectfully,

Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers, Parents and Friends,

Welcome to the new high school students that have recently joined
our karate family. As the different districts begin their classes, I
want to take the time to wish you well in your studies and to
encourage you to set high goals for yourself this year. A hallmark
of a black belt leader is to always strive to do their best and
straight "A's" is a good goal to shoot for.

For those of you that have taken the summer off and are just now
returning to training, you will notice some changes at the dojo. One
of the big changes is going back to full safety gear for sparring.
Safety has always been a big concern and to ensure that we want to
see each student have their own hand, foot and headgear to reduce
injuries. To make it affordable, we will have discounts on select
items for the next couple of months and also a discount if you buy
the whole package at once. For more information, or to place an
order for your safety gear please see one of our staff members.

For those students testing for a level of black belt, the test is
scheduled for October 3rd. We are planning on having demo's and
entertainment as we congratulate our new black belts. We will also
have special seminars on Saturday with some special guests coming in
from out of town. Mark your calendar as the 3rd and 4th of October
is going to be a very special weekend.

Don't forget our special VIP program runs through December and the
school is rewarding our students with a $50 cash reward for any VIP
referral they bring into the school that joins. We recognize that
friends share good things with their friends and this is our way of
saying thanks for handing out our VIP guest passes which is good for
one free month of karate lessons and a free uniform. This offer has
a real cash value of $100. If you need some VIP passes, please see
one of our staff members.

This Wednesday Master Bob Davis is coming down to give a free
seminar on the new sport rules. The seminar will be at 7:30 right
after the brown and black belt class. Anyone interested in sport
competition is encouraged to attend.



The Lesson of the Week

Walk Softly

President Teddy Roosevelt, who by the way was the first American
president that earned a black belt once said,"Walk softly and carry
and big stick." The idea of traveling lightly and not making a scene
is a common tactic for safety. We understand that if we blend in
then we become invisible to many enemies and this makes us feel
safer. This stealth tactic is common and works well in the animal
kingdom. Even the old Shaolin saying of "when looked for could not
be seen" indicates that the Shaolin monks were aware of this tactic.

Stealth and conformity to the rules of the land allow us to blend in
and allows us to keep a low profile. The true warrior learns to
touch the ground gently and leave little trace of his passage, or as
Sun Tsu described "a ghost in the starlight."

The stealth tactic however, is not appropriate at all times. Excess
anonymity leads us to blindly follow authority which can at times be
very costly. Conformity can also lead to a sense of less personal
responsibility. Setting goals and being assertive in achieving them
is the core foundation of success, so what is the answer?

Black Belt Leadership is all about knowing when to be assertive and
when to be invisible.
A true warrior knows which fights to fight and which ones to avoid,
when to be an individual and when to blend in.  The foundation of
that decision is your core beliefs and principles. When one never
deviates from his or her core beliefs then, the decision is usually
the right one.

One of our mottos have been, "The ability to fight and the
confidence not too."  I think Teddy Roosevelt described this
behavior of black belt leader when he said, "walk softly but carry a
big stick."

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers, Parents and Friends,

The belt graduation yesterday and the black belt pretest went
extremely well. I was very impressed with the quality and the
attitude of the students. Each and every one of you should feel very
good about your performance.

I have had several questions about the Pikes Peak College Karate
Team and we will be having try-outs the second week of classes and
we will award scholarships at that time. We are especially
interested if you are a brown or black belt, as we get many
beginners that try out each semester. For more information just e-
mail me at Kyoshibryan@....

Dawn Schmidt is on her way to Okinawa to defend her title at the
world championships. We wish her the best of luck and look forward
to her returning with the "Gold".

The American Black Belt Academy has long been known for its quality
of students and instructors. Our Street-Wise Success and our Black
Belt Leadership programs have been written about in national
publications and our schools have been visited by people around the
world wishing to duplicate our programs. That being said, we have
recently finished evaluating our business systems and have found
that we need to make changes in order to offer superior customer
service. One of those changes is to increase our staff so that we
will always be available to answer any questions you may have while
at the dojo. The following staff has been picked to serve you at our
primary locations:

North School:
Chief Instructor – Sensei Jeremy Bryan
Program Director – Sensei Jennifer Yi
Assistant Instructor – Sensei Scott Richardson

Central Location- 2304 Bijou:
Chief Instructor – Sensei Scott Richardson
Program Director – Sensei Derek Blanton
Assistant Instructor – Sensei Jessica Richardson


Ju No Ri – The Art of Resiliency

In Chinese thought the principle of resiliency is called wu wei and
in the Japanese language it is described as ju no ri. Many times in
Budo, it is explained by discussing the difference between bamboo
and a strong hardwood tree. When faced with an overwhelming wind,
the mighty tree breaks and dies while the bamboo simply lies down,
only to stand up the day after the storm.
As martial artists we need to understand this principle in picking
the right fights to fight, as well as the right strategy in dealing
with any conflicting situation or problem. While a strong outside
block may be appropriate against a punch, an attack with a baseball
bat would dictate a totally different response.
The timing of the use of this principle is important as well. During
a dispute, giving in or yielding early in the process may indeed
prevent the situation from ever escalating to a physical problem. In
strategic planning we often have to yield to everything we want and
concentrate on the most important issues that need to be handled
first. Likewise, in a self-defense situation against multiple
opponents, we always need to deal with those that impose the most
serious threat at this moment in time and then once that is
resolved, we move on to the next opponent.
One of the key principles of ju no ri is one of keeping our egos in
check. To detach ourselves from the situation and doing the right
thing based on the facts instead of listening to our egos and what
we think we deserve. By taking a moment and truly looking at the
facts, we can many times understand that this particular situation
is not worth fighting over.
To adhere to the principle of ju no ri and learn to yield in the
face of opposition until it is time to fight the important fight is
a hallmark of someone that is on their way to understanding black
belt leadership.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers, Parents and Friends,

I want to start this letter with a big thank you for all the
volunteers that helped make the State Games a success. (Especially V
and Dawn) Although our numbers were down a bit from last year, the
event ran really smooth and with no injuries. With help and
efficiency like this I look forward to seeing an even better event
next year.

Belt test is this coming weekend and we will also be having a black
belt pretest at 10:00 for those wishing to test for black belt
within the next year. This is your chance to see what you really
need to work on and get feedback from the other black belts.

I have been asked to start sharing some of the more advanced forms
of our system to the general student base and am planning on doing
that through some up coming seminars. Some of our best information
is currently being taught after 2nd degree black belt and in order
to make that information available we will plan on sharing that info
for serious students in the seminar setting. This will be especially
beneficial for those that want to compete at the national or
international level.

The Lesson of the Week

The Competition between the Birds and the Animals

Many of you know that most modern martial arts were developed from
the 18 postures created by Ta Mo at the Shaolin Temple. Our version
of Shaolin Kempo is based upon the original 18 postures and is
broken down as 9 animals and 9 elements, each containing different
concepts and principles for self reflection. It has always amazed me
the similarities between ancient Chinese thought and those of the
early American Indians. Of course the animals were different, but
the principles are much the same. The nine animals of Chinese Kempo
are the tiger, crane, snake, hawk, dragon, deer, leopard, monkey and
bear. Each animal was seen as having special virtues that we can
learn from and were used to teach fighting concepts and general
principles of life. I recently was reminded of an old Cherokee story
that was also used as a teaching aid about the battle between the
animals and the birds.

As it was told to me, there was at one time a disagreement between
the animals and the birds of the forest. After a debate they decided
to have a competition to decide the winner. At first the birds were
very scared to agree to the competition because of the size
difference between the larger animals and the smaller birds, but the
hawk reminded them that even though they were smaller, they were
much faster and could fly high until it was time to compete.

As game time grew near, the animals elected the bear as their team
captain and they approached the field of play with a show of force
actually knocking down trees as they came through the forest. The
birds had elected the eagle as their captain and the hawk as their
assistant captain. Although the smaller birds were scared, a pep
talk by the eagle kept them in place.

Just before the game was to begin, two field mice climbed the tree
and sat beside the eagle. The eagle asked why they were there when
it was obvious that they had four legs and should be on the animal
team. They explained that the animals had made fun of them and had
kicked them off the team because they were so small. The eagle
explained that in order for them to be on the team he would have to
make some changes and proceeded to cut some leather and tied them
between their legs to make some wings for them.

As the bear threw the ball, the eagle grabbed it and flew high in
the air, but instead of flying in to score he dropped the ball to
the first mouse that flew over half way to the goal before passing
it to the second mouse. From this day forward he would be named as
the bat. The second mouse went on to score and was known from that
day forward as the flying squirrel.

The bird team went on to win the game and the animals, although much
bigger and stronger, went home very disappointed. This story was
told by the Cherokee elders to show why each warrior should always
be humble and to never underestimate any opponent. These words of
wisdom are as true today as they were in ancient times.

I have always been told that there are two ways to learn things, one
from personal experiences and the other from the teachings of their
elders who have gone before. Stories are an excellent method of
passing wisdom to the next generation but only if a student is
willing to reflect upon these teachings and implement them into
their own lives. On your path towards black belt excellence, you
need to decide whether you want to try and learn things the hard way
by all personal experiences or from the wisdom of others. Using a
wise teacher or mentor will allow you to achieve more in a short
period of time than many people achieve during their entire life.
The key principles of success are surrounding us everywhere, we just
need to look and listen and then apply those natural principles in
our own lives. This is the path of black belt excellence.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan, Kyoshi

Dear Students, Teachers, Parents and Friends,

The Colorado State Games are this weekend with opening ceremonies
beginning at 7:30 on Friday evening. Admission to the opening
ceremonies is $5 but we have a limited amount of free tickets if you
talk to your instructor. Competitors will be able to pick up their
packets and T-shirts at this event and competitors should be dressed
in their karate uniform and Team warm up top if possible. There will
be a march in of the athletes at the opening as they light the
torch. The actual competition will be held at Coronado High School
on Saturday and all volunteers and officials should be there at 8:30
and competition will begin promptly at 9:00. If you haven't
registered to compete yet, please do so right away. You can register
on line at:
http://www.thesportscorp.org/rmsg/sports/martial_arts.htm

Jamaica Anyone? The World Congress of Martial Artists is hosting the
World Cup in Jamaica in January of 2004 and we have been asked to
send a team. Sensei Bryan is the defending championship having won
black belt division in Jamaica in 1999. This event will be held the
first week in January and the costs will be around $1500 for a 7 day
all-inclusive trip – includes airfare, meals, drinks and social
events. For information about the tournament go to:
http://www.teamusamartialarts.com/ilevents.htm.  And for information
on the resort and travel information go to:
http://www.polglobetravel.com/world_congress.htm. To get a
registration packet please see your Sensei.

Next belt test is August 9th at the North location. We will also be
having a black belt pretest that morning as well. If you are
planning on testing for black belt this fall you should plan on
being there for the pretest around 9:30 to get warmed up.

Lesson of the Week

Ketsudan- Decision and Determination

The Japanese word "Ketsudan" translates as "Fix-Decision", or in
other words to become fixed on a decision. In my opinion, this
concept is what separates the classical martial artist from their
civilian counterparts. All successful people understand that success
does not come right away, but through determination and constant
effort anything is possible. This is extremely important in the
martial arts where we plan on life and death situations, where
giving up is just not an option. A warrior learns to use every
resource available in his or her defense and to never give up. This
indomitable spirit of never quitting is called Tamashii and is the
hallmark of the black belt attitude.

Success begins with knowing what it is one truly wants then by
listing all the necessary items needed to be accomplished in order
to achieve this goal. Knowing that we will encounter opposition
along the way, we have strategic plans and tactics developed to
overcome any resistance we may encounter along the path. Respecting
opposition we become determined to be a good opponent and to never
underestimate our opponent. A true warrior loves a good performance
and constantly sharpens his skills in order to become excellent at
overcoming opposition no matter what the source.

In the dojo we strive to improve our skills so that we can be a good
opponent for our sempai and kohai. By each student striving to
improve their skills to the best of their abilities, the entire
organization grows. We look for classmates that will push us,
insuring that we constantly are growing and improving in our skills.
Along with our teachers, we decide what we need to work on to impact
our growth the most and attack that weakness with determination and
passion.

This tactic not only works in the dojo, but in all our activities in
our life. By identifying what obstacles are standing in our way and
developing clearly defined tactics to overcome these obstacles we
are insured victory as long as we stay on target. The use of martial
arts tactics along with the stick-to-it-ness of determination is the
key to black belt excellence.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers, Parents and Friends,

I just got back from teaching a seminar for Master Bob Davis and his
Omega martial arts group at their event in Grand Junction. Although
their rules are different, I witnessed a great group of martial
artists this weekend. Next year I look forward to taking some of our
students to his event.

We are having a ASKKA board meeting this Tuesday at 18:30 hours.
Although it was scheduled to be held at the north dojo, I would like
to move it to our corporate office, which is at 5245 Centennial
Blvd. Suite 206 so we will not be distracted by the other karate
students. Take Garden of the Gods and turn right on Centennial and
about 1 mile on the right you will see the Centennial Office Campus
where our office is located.

Rememeber to pick up your guest pases from you teacher. Any student
that comes in and joins with your VIP Pass earns you $50.

Please register for the Colorado State Games as soon as possible if
you are planning on competing or volunteering to help. The event is
going to take place at Coronado High School on the 2nd of August and
I think we are having opening ceremonies on Friday night with all
the other athletes from the other sports. Referee meeting will be
held at 8:30 the day of the event.

Lesson Of The Week

The Yin and Yang of Conflict

Most people learn to use the symmetrical response to conflict. That
is where if someone pushes you then you push back, as strong or
stronger than the person pushed you. This concept is pretty basic;
it is the old eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth mentality. The
trouble is that each act of aggression leads to someone else trying
to even the score in a never-ending cycle of conflict. This eye for
an eye, tooth for a tooth type of response may eventually lead us to
an eyeless and toothless society.
Even in self-defense situations it is not always the best solution
to react with the strongest response available. If the opponent
yields, then the attacker will actually throw himself off balance
and become a victim because of his overreaction.
Now don't get me wrong, this type of counter-attack need not be
totally dropped from one's arsenal of defense, but one should learn
other alternatives as well. If one is cornered then you need to
respond in order to survive. But learning the complementary response
expands your strategy and tactics. This type of reaction is based on
the theory that when your opponent pushes, you pull and when he
pulls you push. The real key is that what you do is usually the
opposite of what your opponent is expecting.
This type of self-defense technique is known as "the art of fighting
without fighting" or " using the attackers energy against him." The
stronger the opponent attacks, the sooner and harder he will fall.
The ultimate in tactics is to yield to your opponent's attack and
yet position yourself so they have do not have any options for
continuing the attack. This is called kyo in Okinawan martial arts.
The word actually means empty, motionless or void, (one of the 9
elements of Kojosho Kempo by the way) and indicates that the
opponent's attack came to a complete stop because he had no other
option available. This ability to yield and yet maintain complete
control of the situation is the mark of a true warrior and his
pursuit of black belt excellence.
Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Parents,

Mark your calendars – August 2nd is Colorado State Games. The
American Black Belt Academy supports this event and helps run it for
the Colorado Sports Corporation and the State of Colorado. If you
want to help by volunteering to help, please see Dawn at the main
school or e-mail her at Dawn18@.... We are tentatively
scheduling a training session for all the referees and volunteers at
the end of the month.

How would you like to make $50, $100 or even $500 a month? As we
approach the time for school to begin, this marks the time many
people decide to take martial arts lessons. We have discussed our
marketing plan for the fall and have decided that we would like to
pay our existing students instead of the media to advertise. Our VIP
guest pass program works like this – you give someone a guest pass to
try our program and if they join we will pay you $50 cash. We know
that people share good things with their friends and this allows us
to help our school grow from referrals. Feel free to pick up some
guest passes at your school.

Lesson Of The Week

Lesson of the Week – The Bear

This week I went outside my house because my dog was barking only to
find a fairly large black bear walking just off my deck. As my dog
barked to chased the bear away, I continued to try and call him back,
knowing that if the bear turned to attack he would be in big trouble.
The bear continued to walk away, not worried too much about the noise
of the dog behind him, simply deciding to relocate out of convenience.

The bear is one of the 9 animals of the original 18 postures of
Kojosho Kempo. The bear is known for its physical use of what we call
gravitational marriage, or using its body weight in conjunction with
its strikes. Utilizing this tactic allows a small person to be able
to deliver tremendous power in a self-defense situation.

There is another element to the bear system most people overlook.
That is where the bear just slowly walks around and never appears to
be in any real hurry, but when he does attack he is deceptively fast.
This tactic reminds me of many of my past and current martial arts
teachers. While they walk around with a smile, very respectful of
others and many times their looks do not display the real awesome
combat abilities hidden within these warriors. These bears are soft
and gentle, but contain tremendous power within.

While I edify the courage of my dog trying to protect the family by
chasing away an animal 3 times its size, I also appreciate the
confidence of the bear as he slowly walked away into the trees.
Knowing that he could handle the dog if need be, he simply chose to
avoid confrontation and move on.

I guess the moral of this week's lesson is that we should not judge
people too quickly. Most of the great fighters I have met over the
years are the most humble and respectful people you could ever meet,
but one should not take those actions as signs of weakness. Just like
the bear walking away into the trees, a person with confidence will
attempt to avoid confrontation if possible. Teddy Roosevelt once
said, "Speak softly but carry a big stick." Well most senior martial
artists follow that strategy and do speak and act softly, but have
the hidden ability of unleashing a big stick. This is the bear's way
towards black belt excellence.
Respectfully,
Terry Bryan, Kyoshi

Dear Students, Teachers, Parents and Friends,

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July. Many people do not appreciate
this country until they live somewhere else for a while. I hope you
took the time to celebrate living in this great country.

Belt testing is scheduled for next Saturday beginning at 9:00 am.
Please make sure you have all your stripes and have pre-registered
so we can assure we have your new belt on hand.

To all children and parents of children: We are pleased to announce
that Jennifer Yi will be coming on board to teach the children's
programs at the north school. Jennifer previously ran a very
successful kids program for years at the north school and it is
great to see her come back on staff.

The 2304 Bijou location is now open. Please excuse the mess as we
remodel, but renovations should be completed within a couple of
weeks. For more information, contact Sensei Derik at 390-0200.

Please register for the Colorado State Games as soon as possible if
you are planning on competing or volunteering to help. The event is
going to take place at Coronado High School on the 2nd of August and
I think we are having opening ceremonies on Friday night with all
the other athletes from the other sports.

Lesson Of The Week

The Warrior's Vision

There is an old saying that goes something like this," It is not
what you don't know that hurts, its what you don't know that you
don't know that gets you in real trouble." In the martial arts we
have what is known as "Omote" or surface teachings. These are the
basic fundamentals that all students learn and only after a student
has shown the proper attitude, discipline and respect does a Sensei
begin sharing the Okuden or the hidden knowledge within a system.
This holding back of knowledge is an age-old method of sharing the
priceless gift of the martial arts to those he deems best to pass it
on to the next generation.

Each of us limits our abilities by living our lives not as we
should, but as we perceive that we should. We do not see the world
as it is, but as we think it is. The Sensei's job in the martial
arts is to open a student's eyes to the true potential they have
within them. The philosophy at the American Black Belt Academy is
that we challenge a student, guide them with positive reinforcement
and in this manner they slowly begin achieving successes they never
dreamed of. Most of my senior black belts came in to learn a little
self-defense and then slowly set higher and higher goals, and ended
up becoming senior teachers.

I recently was reminded of a story about a rancher in Australia that
entered a 200 kilometer race. As the old man, in his 60's at the
time, showed up to run in his bib overalls and glossers, the media
thought that this would make good entertainment and began
interviewing him. They asked him how he trained and what made him
think that a local rancher could compete with world-class runners.
He simply said that on his station he didn't use horses to gather up
his cattle, but instead simply ran.

Well the old rancher went on to win the race but that's not all – he
beat the record by a day and a half. You see everyone else knew that
the way you run this type of marathon was to run 16 hours, rest 8
and then continue. Well they forgot to tell the old man that he was
supposed to stop and rest and although he was not really that fast,
he just kept going. The next year, his record was beat again,
because now everyone else had a different understanding of reality.

We all see the world as we think we should. Our beliefs about
certain things are established by what other people tell us and we
tell ourselves. It is only by using positive self-talk and truly
believing in ones unlimited potential that we are able to bridge
from living a common life of those that set their goals and limits
based on "omote" thinking. The ultimate Okuden, or hidden secret, is
to believe in yourself and to know that anything is possible once
you put the power of the mind to work.

Dream big dreams, set specific goals, develop a written plan, and
then take action with the mind-set of never stopping until you have
reached your goal. This is the backbone of black belt excellence,
and the key to success for the modern warrior.



Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Parents,

Mark your calendars – Saturday July 5th we will be hosting a
training camp up in Crystal Park. Training in the morning, a cookout
at the clubhouse at noon and then a mountain hike in the afternoon
for those interested. A $20 charge will cover the training,
clubhouse fee and food. No extra charge for the clean air and
beautiful view. Please pick up a registration form at the main dojo.
Please register early so we know how much food we are going to need.

Our new location should be opening around July 7th. ABBA has
partnered up with Kyoshi Larry Lamz of the Institute of Martial Arts
and will be opening a martial arts center at 2304 E. Bijou. This
location will help us serve our customers closer to the center of
the city. We will concentrate the classes at the new locations on
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to complement the schedule at the
north school.

The Colorado State Games will be held in Colorado Springs on August
2nd. As you may know we have been asked to run the martial arts
venue and have agreed to do our best. Please show your support by
volunteering and/or registering to compete. Great news for active
duty military, retirees and dependents, there is a grant that will
pay for your registration fees to the state games. It is first come
first serve, so don't delay. For more info go to the files section
of karate-ka@... where I upload the info page and the
registration form.Look for Military Grant info and Military
registration form.

Lesson Of The Week

Wisdom

Most beginners in the martial arts start of using a lot of energy
and wasted motions as they try to learn their self-defense moves.
Slowly they learn to refine their physical motions in order to
achieve maximum success with minimum energy. This is understandable
because they have never been taught to move with grace and
effectiveness.
This lack of training also affects their understanding of conflict
and aggression in the real world. The students don't understand why
people fight or how the spiral of aggression works. He begins to see
that there are two extremes – the passive and defensive way of the
crane or the aggressive style of the tiger. Frustrated as to when
each style is to be used, he tries these different approaches and
through trial and error begins to learn that it is a blend of these
two tactics that bring forth the best resolutions.
The modern warrior is a master of flight and adaptation. A product
of 40million years of evolution, he understands ancient principles
and uses them in his modern world. Totally aware and adaptive, he is
flexible in his tactics based on current information and his clear
and precise objectives. His vision of how things are, and what they
could be, are crystal clear, having the unique ability to create his
future through goal setting and constant and never ending
improvement.
In the Japanese language this is called Mokuteki o Motte Hajimeru or
its translation is, see, target, hold it, and begin; or in other
words to see the target, hold it in the mind and then begin. All
great things that are achieved in life follow this format.
Everything of significance is accomplished three times – once in the
mind, once on paper and finally through action. All the great
generals have understood this and civilizations have changed based
on the outcomes of well-prepared generals using superior planning
and tactics. As an individual warrior, your own future is depending
on you using your wisdom in planning and implementing action plans
to make those plans become a reality.
The wisdom of the modern warrior is predicated on being able to use
his intelligence in the areas of strategy and conflict resolution.
He learns to walk the center path, between the way of the tiger and
crane, seeking the path of peace, but having the ability to
neutralize any threat quickly should the need arise. He knows that
mastery of himself and truly understanding others is crucial in any
endeavor. He understands that wisdom is the most powerful weapon he
could ever develop.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Parents,

Our new location should be opening around July 7th. ABBA has
partnered up with Kyoshi Larry Lamz of the Institute of Martial Arts
and will be opening a martial arts center at 2304 E. Bijou. This
location will help us serve our customers closer to the center of the
city. We will concentrate the classes at the new locations on
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to complement the schedule at the
north school.

Mark your calendars – Saturday July 5th we will be hosting a training
camp up in Crystal Park. Training in the morning, a cookout at the
clubhouse at noon and then a mountain hike in the afternoon for those
interested. A $20 charge will cover the training, clubhouse fee and
food. No extra charge for the clean air and beautiful view. Please
pick up a registration form at the main dojo.

On a different note. Several people that know I am a real estate
investor. I have been asked in the past to teach them my success
proven system of investing. Diana and I have decided to offer a bi-
weekly class and 1-on-1 training for a select few people and begin
teaching them our proven system that has generated returns of over
50% a year. If you would like more information on this program please
e-mail me personally at kyoshibryan@....

Lesson Of The Week

Happy Fathers Day

As many of you may already know, ABBA is the Hebrew word for Father.
In the martial arts, Sensei is the word for someone that walks before
and takes on the role of a father figure in the dojo. I have been
blessed with having taught thousands of students over the last 30
plus years and like a father have watched the students grow to
achieve successes in areas that they could have only dreamed about in
the beginning of their training.

As you become a black belt in your own right and begin teaching your
own students, you too will experience this wonderful sense of self-
satisfaction as you give to others and watch as your efforts improve
people's lives. After all, it is not about all the things you gather,
or the titles you earn, but about what you do to improve society that
brings the true feelings of success and satisfaction.

As a student of karate we know the meaning of duty and
responsibility. We strive to always show courtesy and respect to
those senior to us, as well as, those junior to us. We understand
that a person is born into this world with a debt, and that they only
way to repay that debt is through our actions. How does one repay his
parents for given him the precious gift of life itself? You cannot
write a check when you turn 18 and count it even. No, the only way
you can repay that debt is to insure that you bring honor and respect
to the family name through your own actions.

The martial arts are the same. How do you repay your Sensei for
giving you this precious gift that has tremendous life changing
capabilities? No, the tuition you pay helps keep the school covering
its overhead, but the way you repay your debt to the school and your
style is in your actions when you are in the dojo and in public. You
represent the organization every day, 24-7. It is in your
relationship with others and the way you treat them that will repay
your debt.

On this special day, please take the time to remember all the things
that were done for you and especially by your father. Oh, and by the
way Dad, I love you and happy fathers day.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Parents,

The week day Tai Chi classes will be held on Wednesdays not Tuesdays
as previously mentioned. Classes will be held on Wednesday at noon
and Saturday mornings at 8:00 am. Tai Chi is a martial arts form that
is performed very slowly and is known for its health benefits.

Grandmaster Kise, a 10th degree black belt from Okinawa, is coming to
Colorado Springs and Kyoshi Ader is hosting a seminar at Sabin Middle
School on the 12th of June and all students at ABBA are invited to
attend. Kids will train from 6-7 pm and adults will train from 7:30-
9:00. Cost is $10 for kids and $20 for adults. I hope you get a
chance to attend and help celebrate Grandmaster Kise's 50-year
anniversary of teaching the martial arts. For more information
contact Kyoshi Ader at 232-1882 or e-mail jwader@....

New location! ABBA has partnered up with Kyoshi Larry Lamz of the
Institute of Martial Arts and will be opening a martial arts center
at 2304 E. Bijou. This location will help us serve our customers
closer to the center of the city. We are hoping to have classes
beginning some time in July!

Mark your calendars – Saturday July 5th we will be hosting a training
camp up in Crystal Park. Training in the morning, a cookout at the
clubhouse at noon and then a mountain hike in the afternoon for those
interested. A $20 charge will cover the training, clubhouse fee and
food. No extra charge for the clean air and beautiful view.

Lesson Of The Week

The Tamashii of the Mongudai

Tamashii is the Japanese word for indomitable spirit, the ability of
using persistence to achieve your goals in the face of tremendous
opposition. A great example of this attitude is found in the story of
the Mongudai, Genghis Khan's special operations team.

The Mongudai were born in a battle against the Karaites over 800
years ago. It seems the Karaites had mustered a force of over 30,000
solders and were rapidly approaching Genghis Khan's band of only 3000
horsemen and their families. Restricted from movement because of
having women and children with them, they used a variety of
strategies and tactics in order to stay just out of the reach of this
overwhelming opposition. Eventually they found themselves face to
face with an enemy that outnumbered them ten to one.

Genghis Khan, a veteran of many battles, understood the severity of
the situation, and called a meeting with his troops. He asked for
volunteers who would be willing to sacrifice their lives for the
other Mongols. He picked 50 of these volunteers and explained their
mission to them: "You will filter through the front lines of the
enemy and attack the main body of the enemy of over 20,000 soldiers.
None of you are to be taken prisoner, none of you will return. You
will strike at the enemy until the last of you falls in battle."

This small band of warriors made their way through the front lines
and did attack the main body of the Karaite. Thinking that this
attack was a spearhead of a much larger force, the Karaite responded
by sending over 10,000 of their forces to repel the attack. The
Mongudai were eventually destroyed but not before cutting down over
1000 of the Karaite troops. Their action however, allowed the rest of
the Mongols to escape.

This victory lead Genghis Khan to create special teams called the
Mongudai that were the epitome of true Tamashii. They possessed the
ability to dedicate themselves to victory no matter what the odds may
be.

I have personally witnessed this attitude during my 36 months in
Southeast Asia during the Viet Nam war. I can assure you that I am
alive today because dead men kept fighting. This self-sacrifice and
dedication to one's buddies, no matter what the cost is as alive
today in the modern military as it was on the battlefields a thousand
years ago.

I see this same attitude present in the youth of this country today.
It is true, that the tactics to survive the streets of the modern
world is much different than on the battlefield, but the attribute of
having an indomitable spirit is very much the same. As I look into
the eyes of our young students, I see this same spark of energy. This
Tamashii is evident in many of their actions. This attitude is
evident when they demonstrate their willingness to go to the aid of
their friends and help them during troubled times, even if it just to
have some one to talk to. It's in their ability to set goals and
achieve them, in the face of overwhelming negative peer pressure.
It's demonstrated by their attitude on the dojo floor as they give it
their all trying to master a new skill.

Unlike a lot of naysayers that see the society falling apart, I see a
bright future for this country because of the strengths of our youth.
They are spiritually strong, ethically driven and possess the one
quality that will insure their future, Tamashii – an indomitable
spirit.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Correction on Kyoshi Ader's phone numbers in regards to the upcoming
seminar.
His home number is 495-0190  and cell: 232-1882
Sorry.
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Parents,

Tai chi classes will begin this week for anyone interested in
attending. Classes will be held on Tuesdays at noon and Saturday
mornings at 8:00 am. Tai Chi is a martial arts form that is performed
very slowly and is known for its health benefits.

Grandmaster Kise, a 10th degree black belt from Okinawa, is coming to
Colorado Springs and Kyoshi Ader is hosting a seminar at Sabin Middle
School on the 12th of June and all students at ABBA are invited to
attend. Kids will train from 6-7 pm and adults will train from 7:30-
9:00. Cost is $10 for kids and $20 for adults. I hope you get a
chance to attend and help celebrate Grandmaster Kise's 50-year
anniversary of teaching the martial arts. For more information
contact Kyoshi Ader at 232-0190 or e-mail jwader@....

Mark your calendars – Saturday July 5th we will be hosting a training
camp up in Crystal Park. Training in the morning, a cookout at the
clubhouse at noon and then a mountain hike in the afternoon for those
interested. A $20 charge will cover the training, clubhouse fee and
food. No extra charge for the clean air and beautiful view.

Lesson Of The Week

Heiho – Strategy

This week we saw many of our students and their friends graduate from
high school and look forward to the next stage of their lives. Some
are going away to college, some the military and others starting a
career. We hope that their martial arts training will give them an
edge and ensure all the successes they could ever dream of in the
future. I am reminded of what someone told me years ago and that it
was not about the amount of knowledge that you have with you when you
graduate, but the ability to find the knowledge when you need it.

All great accomplishments began with a person's simple thought and
became a reality when this idea was combined with strategy of how
that thought could become a reality. While it is commonly stated that
knowledge is power; that is not totally true. It is the combination
of specific knowledge with plans of action that leads to all great
successes in life. For example, knowing all the moves does not make
you a great martial artist, but the ability to apply these tactics in
a self-defense situation that leads to victory.

The ability to think about what you would like to see happen and then
create an action plan to ensure that it has the best chance for
success is one of the most powerful concepts a person can ever learn.
Heiho, or strategic planning, is designed to save you an enormous
amount of time and energy as you move forward towards your goals. In
the business world, the purpose of corporate strategic planning is to
increase return on equity, making a profit with minimum costs. The
purpose of personal planning is return on energy, or accomplishing
maximum results with minimum energy. Weekly and daily planning,
prioritize and take action on the most important tasks is important
in this process. In karate, this term is known as chinkuchi – maximum
efficiency with minimum energy.

There are numerous responses available in any given situation, but in
classic martial arts theory, there exists one perfect solution, which
will generate the best response with the minimum energy. As we learn
the art of heiho or strategy, we get better and better at choosing
the best response in any situation.

For those members of our karate family that are leaving us to venture
out into the real world, I hope you take this martial arts concepts
of strategy with you and are able to see how these principles can be
a guide as you make life choices in the future. This is key towards
the path of black belt excellence.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan

Dear Students, Teachers and Parents,

Tai chi and Qigong classes will begin in June and will be held on
Tuesdays at noon and Saturday mornings at 8:00 am. Tai Chi is
actually a form of Qigong, but has martial arts applications as well.
There are several styles of Tai Chi, but the Wu style is excellent at
the self-defense applications and healing aspects and that is what we
will be working on.

The main dojo will be closed the 24th, 25th and 26th for the Memorial
Day holiday. Hope everyone has a great 3 day weekend.

The next belt test is scheduled for May 31st at the main dojo.

Mark your calendars – Saturday July 5th we will be hosting a training
camp up in Crystal Park. Training in the morning, a cookout at the
clubhouse at noon and then a mountain hike in the afternoon for those
interested. A $25 charge will cover the training, clubhouse fee and
food. No extra charge for the clean air and beautiful view.

Lesson Of The Week

The Law of Attraction

There is an old saying that states, "When you are ready to learn a
teacher will appear." Or another saying related to this topic, "What
goes around, comes around." Well there is a lot of truth to that. I
truly believe that things are brought into our lives based on our
mental thoughts and attitudes. Each of us is in more control of
opportunities and relationships than we understand.
Have you ever bought a new car, only to begin driving around and
seeing that same type, model and color everywhere. That is because
once something is in our subconscious; the mind begins looking for
other thing related to that. It becomes important and therefore the
subconscious mind begins looking. This is how clearly defined and
written goals work. Once we have identified exactly what it is we
want, the subconscious mind begins looking for solutions and
opportunities. All of a sudden, the answers seem to be everywhere.
This idea works on a personal level as well. We tend to attract
others into our lives that demonstrate the same values and ideas that
we hold. If you are positive and action oriented, then you will
attract those same people around you. At the same time, if you are
down and unhappy, those are the people that will be attracted to you
and you will see more and more problems coming your way.
From the martial arts perspective, the life energy that flows through
our body is called Qi or Chi in Chinese terminology. When one is
sick, they are said to have weak chi and when they are healthy they
are seen as having good chi that is flowing fluidly through the body.
This chi projects an atmosphere or aurora around a person that
animals and human beings can detect. They can tell if you are a good
person and mean them no harm, if they listen to their senses. In our
women's self defense seminars we emphasis that if someone or some
situation feels wrong, listen to your senses. Senior martial artists
have been known to sense danger well in advance and through changing
their course of action, have prevented a potentially dangerous
situation and eliminated the need to use their physical martial arts
techniques.
The way you see the world is also reflected in this energy that other
people feel. If you are optimistic and friendly, they will sense
that. They will also sense when you are angry or having a bad day as
well.
Our martial arts training is similar in nature. Some see the martial
arts as a physical way of beating someone up. Others see it as a
method where one never has to be in a fight at all. Karate-jitsu is
the science of combat and the senior practitioners are experts of
ending a confrontation quickly and effectively. A Karate-do
practitioner believes that the effectiveness of the techniques are
secondary to the positive characteristics developed through the
training – honor, integrity and our relationships with others. Now
the Yin-Yang theory would indicate to us that either side is probably
not the answer but a blending of these two concepts is probably the
correct path for each of us. What is the correct path for you? I
would remind you though, that based on the law of attraction, if you
see the martial arts as a method of self-defense only, then it would
probably indicate more conflict would enter your life. If on the
other hand, you see the martial arts as a positive force used to
develop positive qualities in yourself and others, then you will see
more benefits come your way.
Why do you train? Who are you hoping to surround yourself with as you
attract other people and opportunities into your life?  The way you
perceive the world will dictate what flows your way.

Respectfully,
Terry Bryan