SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule "braying" or whatever mules do when they fall into wells.
After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving.
Instead he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back...a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back...he should shake it off and step up! This he did blow after blow.
"Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!
It was not long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well. What seemed like would bury him, actually blessed him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.
That's life! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness or self-pity...the adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the potential to benefit and bless us!
Remember forgiveness-faith-prayer-praise and hope.... All are excellent ways to "shake it off and step up", out of the wells in which we find ourselves!
One more thing..."never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the titanic."


Author Unknown

Take Time

A nice little reminder for all of us....

TAKE TIME

Author Unknown

Take time to laugh
It is the music of the soul.

Take time to think
It is the source of power.

Take time to play
It is the source of perpetual youth.

Take time to read
It is the fountain of wisdom.

Take time to pray
It is the greatest power on earth.

Take time to love and be loved
It is a God-given privilege.

Take time to be friendly
It is the road to happiness

Take time to give
It is too short a day to be selfish

Take time to work
It is the price of success.

Traditions of Respect

This story was told to me a long time ago. I like the lesson in it.

A proud man came to learn martial arts from a well known Master because he had heard of his reputation for being a good teacher.

When the man went to the school, he noticed the students bowed a lot to each other and referred to their teacher as "Mr." or "Master". The man thought to himself, "I will not bow to anybody", and "who does he think he is that I cannot address him by his first name?"

The Master noticed that the man did not bow to anyone and that he addressed everyone informally, so he came over to speak with him. Before the Master began to speak, he bowed to the man and addressed him as "Mr."

Now the man thought to himself, "Why would a Master of the martial arts bow to anyone, or extend me courtesy?"

Then the Master said, "I have noticed you will not bow to anyone, nor properly address me or your fellow students and seniors. Why is this?"

The man replied, "I will not subservient to anyone, It makes me uncomfortable, I will not humiliate myself this way!"

The Master smiled and said, "We do not bow to show subservience, on the contrary, we bow to show the highest respect for each other. The same with addressing people formally...it is a way to show great respect for that person. Do you like to be respected? Do you have respect?"

The man replied, "Yes, I do have respect, but it seems my pride and insecurity has clouded my judgement and kept me from seeing the true meaning of these formalities!"

Again the Master smiled, "You can be assured there are very important reasons for these traditions and customs, and they will become clearer to you as you continue on your path of martial arts training."

The man felt greatly relieved. He bowed deeply to the Master and went back to training. After years of practice and even though he now possessed a mastery of skills, he found the aspect of the martial arts he enjoyed the most was the tradition of respect.

Congratulations

I want to extend my sincere congratulations to Mr. Watters and Mr. Boettcher on earning their black belts this past weekend.

There is a certain, hard to describe quality that makes a person a true blackbelt in my opinion. Although knowledge and expertise of techniques is important, I think it is the attitude and the way a person carries themselves in and out of the dojang that is the true test...one we all must take everyday. If some days we realize we have come up a little short of our personal expectations, we start again tomorrow...always striving for improvement.

I think you men have that quality. In fact, I think all the blackbelts at CWMAI have that quality.

I also sleep better knowing that if push ever came to shove, you'd be on my side!

Way to go guys, keep up the good work!

SUN!

How Martial Arts Training Can Teach Respect

This article is about how martial arts can help foster respect. It details how the respectful practices in the training facility are carried over into all aspects of a student’s life.

Martial Arts and Respect

There are a number of key principles that underline and unify all of our martial arts training programs. These include courtesy, self-discipline, greater self-esteem and improved self-confidence. However, there is one main principal that underlies all the others, the principle of respect.

Respect is a cornerstone of PaSaRyu and our philosophy at SUN Martial Arts. As a fifth degree black belt with over 15 years of full time teaching experience, I thoroughly believe that respect is a major key to how martial arts can help improve people's lives. This is particularly true with regard to the young people who take part in our Dynamites and Youth programs.

The Benefits of Martial Arts for Young People

Our martial arts programs for kids and teens are designed to promote positive behavior both on and off the training mat. The respectful manner in which we conduct our training and interactions at our facility has a powerful effect on our students that is generally carried over into other aspects of their lives. We foster an environment where students are encouraged to respect not only their instructors and fellow students but also themselves. Many parents observe that by practicing respect for themselves and others while training in martial arts, their kids develop a greater sense of respect in other key areas of their lives including at school, at home, and in their social interactions with their peers.

Martial Arts, Discipline, and Respect

In my lifetime of experience as a martial artist, I have come to thoroughly believe that when it comes to the martial arts, you get out of it what you put into it. Martial arts are about a lot more than just learning how to kick or punch someone. Martial arts challenge individuals to push their own personal boundaries and to go beyond them. To do this requires hard work, discipline and perseverance. This same hard work discipline and perseverance that students put into improving themselves as martial artists carries over into their lives as a whole. The respect they develop for their teachers, fellow students and their own abilities is projected out to the world leading students to become better citizens, better students and better people overall.

“SUN Makes Evil Shadows Disappear”

Dave Pryga “Master Hawk”

If you would like to find out more information about how martial arts training can teach respect or any other aspects of our training please contact us at:

715-297-9642 or visit us on the Web at www.SunMartialArts.net

Family Fitness powered by Martial Arts

I recently read this article and wanted to pass it along to everyone. Our goal at SUN Martial Arts is to save someone’s life! Now I know you may think we are talking about the traditional self defense/child safety. But most people need to defend themselves and their family from the attacker that waits for us in our own house: JUNK FOOD and obesity. As you read this article remember that we are here to help your family. We are offering a free trial Course to families, let’s kick start your families health by calling today to schedule your free lessons.

From My Family to Yours,

Dave Pryga “Master Hawk”

6 Steps to Kids Fitness by Norine Dworkin

Thanks to a fast food/soda pop diet and the attractions of the TV, childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions.

"It's not unusual to see a 12-year-old weighing 250 pounds," says Christiane Wert, M.P.H., R.D., program director for KidShape, a Los Angeles weight management program for children.

Overweight kids are targets for other kids' barbs, which can leave emotional scars, but there are more immediate physical concerns -- high blood pressure, cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease. Excessive weight also exacerbates asthma, contributes to orthopedic problems like hip displacement and knee fractures, and may lead to early menstruation in pre-teen girls, a risk factor for breast cancer.

The problems are all preventable, Wert says, if children slim down by eating nutritious food and getting more physically active. It's not just a matter of cutting calories, which tends to deplete muscle mass along with fat; this kind of "dieting" not only weakens children, but ultimately slows down fat metabolism.

In contrast, exercise boosts metabolism on a 24-hour basis. When kids are regularly active, their bodies burn more calories even when they're sitting around watching Xena.

Here are some of Wert's ideas for enticing even the most sedentary kids to get physical:

• Make exercise fun. "Think of activities that kids enjoy and that they'll succeed at," advises Wert. "If you pick an activity that's too difficult for them to master, they'll feel like failures and won't want to keep doing it." Ice skating, inline skating, or skiing, for example, may be great for some, but too complex for others. Consider snowshoeing, a bike ride, a martial arts class, or even something as simple as a hike through the park or a brisk walk at your favorite shopping center. Better yet: Ask your kids what they might like to try.
• The family that plays together... Parents (and siblings) should get on board with the new exercise program. The more family members who get enthusiastically involved the better. "If parents see exercise as a chore, kids will sense that and won't want to do it," notes Wert. Instead, form Team Family so that the child doesn't feel singled out or punished for being overweight. When was the last time you did something fun and active with your children?

• Reward effort. Set up a point system for exercise. For instance, keep track of everyone's exercise feats with a chart on the refrigerator. Don't make it a competition, but reward the whole group's accomplishment. When everyone has done three exercise activities a week, say, celebrate by doing something special
• But never use high-calorie sweets or fatty foods as a reward, Wert cautions; it sends the wrong message. "Food is something to nourish the body, not a reward or punishment," she states firmly: "If at the end of a week of healthful eating, you reward your child with an ice cream sundae, it will seem more desirable than the healthful food. The child may become consumed thinking about it."
• Instead of food, try tickets to a sporting event, the theater, a concert or the movies. Girls might like a massage or facial at a day spa. Or splurge on athletic equipment like skates, mountain bikes, a gym membership, even something as simple as a jump rope or wacky exercise video.

• Circuit-train at home. Who needs a fancy home gym when you've got stairs, living room furniture and canned goods? Using everyday items as exercise tools makes for creative fun. Wert suggests establishing workout stations throughout the house for specific exercises. Do as much as you can at one spot in two or three minutes, then move on to the next station.

• Jog five or six times up and down the stairs in the allotted time, move on to crunches with your legs up on the couch, then hustle to the kitchen to curl two 10-oz. cans of tomatoes or water bottles. Finish the routine by jumping rope on the porch. Do the circuit several times. Make it more fun by blasting your kids' favorite music.

• Dance! Turn your living room into a disco. Pump up the volume, and shake it. Sure, it's high on the corniness meter, but it can also be a lot of goofy fun.
• Play schoolyard games. Tag, touch football and capture the flag are aerobic outdoor games that everyone can play. Invite other families on your block to join in, and it becomes a big social event -- not like exercise at all. When they're having fun, kids barely notice the huffing and puffing.

• When the weather is nasty, a great indoor option is crab soccer. Get down crab-like, scuttling on your hands and feet to move a soft Nerf ball from one end of the family or rumpus room to the other. Just be sure to clear away anything breakable before you start.

We at SUN MA or Central WI MA can give a big kick start to your family’s fitness. Please call us and ask about a FREE fitness and confidence building trial program.

www.SUNMartialArts.net

Too Tired to Exercise?

Do you make excuses to avoid exercise and say you feel too tired to work out any more? You know it is good for you and you always feel better after, but the “do it anyway” motto isn’t cutting it any more. If it isn’t due to a physical illness or low-iron level, then here are a few pointers to try to motivate yourself to keep going.

Change your schedule. If you usually exercise in the evening, set your alarm thirty minutes early and get your exercise session out of the way before your day begins. An early morning exercise session will help energize and motivate you for the rest of the day. Plus, you can look forward to a relaxing evening knowing you've accomplished your goal. This can be a simple solution to the problem of being too tired to work out..

Sometimes the best cure for sluggishness or fatigue is a vigorous exercise session. Have you ever noticed how you can walk into your martial arts class exhausted, but after thirty minutes, you feel energized and invigorated? Exercise gets your blood flowing and zaps fatigue. Classes are designed to be both mentally and physically challenging. If you need motivation to lure yourself to class, promise yourself a small reward after you finish, like a relaxing bath or some time with your favorite book; just make sure it's not a hot fudge sundae or a 6 pack!

If it is only occasionally that you find yourself too tired to work out, go ahead and work out, but less vigorously. To help you to take the first step, tell yourself you'll only exercise for ten minutes. Chances are you won’t notice when the ten minutes have passed; you'll feel so invigorated that you'll want to keep going. You can always change your routine temporarily to get rid of the boredom by substituting something fun. Go outside for a brisk walk. Shoot hoops in the driveway. Ride your bike to the local store. Practice your form (s) “TaiChi Style”. You can get back on schedule the next time you exercise and the variety will be good for you both physically and mentally. If you still find yourself “too tired,” talk to your instructor about ways to exercise outside of class that will also benefit your martial arts skills. Give these tips a try and soon you'll no longer need the old excuse of being too tired to work out. Plus, you'll look and feel like a new person.

SUN!