<![CDATA[KENPO GIRL - Articles]]>

<![CDATA[KENPO GIRL - Articles]]>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:52:53 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Social Dominance Theory in Martial Arts]]>Thu, 16 May 2019 01:37:46 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/social-dominance-theory-in-martial-artsAnd then he was an 8th...

Recently, I had the honor of attending my Sifu JR Diaz’s promotion from 7th Degree Black belt to 8th Degree Black belt. This was such a dignified and emotionally charged moment, that most of the attendees were left in tears and speechless.

Sifu Diaz has been a pivotal force in all of our lives; and I purposefully use the word force because he is a force of nature on and off the mat. Over 40 years of a fully dedicated life to Kenpo Karate, Eskrima and his students, now personified in the 8 red stripes on his belt.

My Sifu after being promoted to 8th Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate.
(Left) Grand Master Huk Planas, (Left/Center) Sifu Jesalyn Harper, (Right/Center) Sifu JR Diaz, (Right) Sifu Marty Zaninovich

I later asked my Sifu, if he had ever thought he would make it to 8th Degree Black when he first started?
He smiled and told me,
“No, it never crossed my mind. I just wanted to do karate”.

Some systems do not have a belt ranking to distinguish mastery. However, no matter what system or style there is still a hierarchy established.

A hierarchy is essentially defined as an organized group of individuals functioning in specific ranks. Obviously the Instructor being the boss due to wisdom, time and experience. With all Martial Arts being military based, it’s natural to have some kind of system in place.

But this aspect to Martial Arts goes psychologically deeper...

Back in 1999, 2 researchers came up with a theory called Social Dominance Theory. This theory explains how a social group dictates who’s the boss and who is the subordinate. Typically these dominant and subordinate roles are determined by gender, race, age, finances or other characteristics such as experience.

Sifu Diaz back circa 1999

An example of this is a belt system. A student in a belt system starts off as a white belt, as time goes on and they develop experience/knowledge, they slowly climb the ranks until they reach black belt. Thus, the hierarchy is determined upon time and experience.

Sifu Diaz explains,
“It takes time, knowledge and active participation in the system to become properly seasoned for your next rank. Its like sharpening a sword, if you don’t work and sharpen the blade, it will eventually become dull. It is the same for the martial artist, if you don’t challenge yourself you will become dull.”

(Left) Grand Master Frank Trejo, (Center) Sifu JR Diaz, (Left) Grand Master Huk Planas

Sifu Diaz and I are part of the Parker/Planas lineage. Sifu Diaz has studied Ed Parker American Kenpo through Grand Master Huk Planas for 37 years. He has studied with Guro Ed Planas in Karboan Eskrima for 19 years, has trained with and been a close friend of Sifu Marty Zaninovich for over 40 years and was a dear friend and student of Frank Trejo from 2004 until his passing in 2018.

In our lineage of Kenpo Karate, there are not only study requirements to fulfil for promotions but time limitations. For us, once we achieve black belt there is a mandatory 4-6 year term between promotions. I was recently promoted to 1st Degree Black belt; I will not promote to 2nd Degree for at least 4 years and that is if I meet all the other requirements.

Sifu Jesalyn Harper getting kicked after First Black Promotion

These requirements set the standards to establish a pecking order. Yet, these ranks or even titles in a system are not just about creating a dictatorship. These positions come with the responsibility of guiding further generations in the exploration of the art without deteriorating it.
I have heard my instructor recite time and time again,
“We don’t want people running amok!”

Sifu JR Diaz "running amok" with student's at True Lineage Kenpo Karate in Toledo, Oregon.

To be more specific, he explains,
“There needs to be a ranking system or a pecking order to ensure that everyone is following guidelines,rules and principles for that system, for any system. When a system is established and proven, someone needs to make sure lower students don’t change the material.”

The truth is, when we reach an expert level in our martial arts, we are really starting the system all over again.

Everyone recognizes Shodan as a first degree black belt title, the literal meaning is beginner. This title is crucial for the growth of any expert level student.

Sifu Diaz explains the dynamics of a Shodan,
“We don’t have to worry about that pressure a student takes upon themselves as they grow through the art to reach black belt. As a black belt you can now focus more clearly and clean up your techniques, forms and general knowledge.”

Seminar with (Left) Grand Master Huk Planas, (Left/Center) Grand Master Ed Parker, (Right/Center) Sifu David Perez, (Right) Sifu JR Diaz

It is this philosophy that works as a Checks and Balances System for the Social Dominance Theory. As “baby black belts” we are experts, but we still have so much more to learn. It takes advanced Instructors knowledge and patience to guide their students through it.

This guidance not only causes an advanced student to acknowledge their strengths and their weaknesses, but in turn allows the student to grow and reach a true level of mastery.

While it is so important at any rank to continue our studies, it is also just as equally important to contribute that study and knowledge to the future generations. By passing the knowledge on in turn, we are subconsciously contributing to the application of the Social Dominance Theory.

Therefore, the Social Dominance Theory in Martial Arts is not only determined on what belt you are wearing, but how much knowledge you are dedicating to the future of the art. If you want to take this topic even deeper on a spiritual level, its judged by how many student’s lives you have literally touched.

Grand Master Frank Trejo touching student Josh Valdes' life.

The late Grand Master Frank Trejo is known for the Ghost Patch in Kenpo. For those that are not familiar with its story; the patch was designed by Sifu Trejo in memory of the late Grand Master Ed Parker. Sifu Trejo would not allow anyone to wear the patch if they had not trained with him…
more specifically in his words,
“I have to lay hands on them.”

I never understood the full significance of this until his passing. The logic wasn’t to ensure more students or more money; it was to leave a piece of him behind in that student.

The “touch” is nothing more than a spiritual thumb print left behind on our souls.

The "finger prints" on my soul.
First row: (Left) Grand Master Frank Trejo, (Center) Grand Master Huk Planas, (Right) Sifu JR Diaz. Second row: (Left) Sifu Marty Zaninovich, (Right) Sifu Jesalyn Harper

We can analyze every aspect of the Martial Arts Systems and say they apply to Social Dominance Theory or some other psychological phenomenon, but the truth is the passing on of knowledge from one generation to the next is more deeper and more spiritual than any Doctor of Psychology can define.

I, as a student, am proud of my accumulated fingertip smudges all over my soul and I am proud to leave touch and smudge my prints on future students.

]]><![CDATA[The Fear Appeal & Fear Factor]]>Mon, 26 Mar 2018 18:31:05 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/the-fear-appeal-fear-factorThere are a million reasons why people join Martial arts. The rationalization usually following the line of being bullied at school, rape statistics or they possibly have already been harmed. While these are perfectly good reasons to learn Martial Arts, as instructors we have to look at the deeper underlying cause.

FEAR

Fear is such a powerful motivator that for centuries we have manipulated it and used it for psychological marketing schemes.

This is referred to as Fear Appeal.

Fear Appeal describes a strategy in which one incites a fear to motivate people into purchasing products or supporting policies.

A women's gun training campaign ad demonstrating Fear Appeal.

Some of these fears, such as a violent attack are justifiable. According to the FBI, the overall violent crimes committed in 2016 rose at 4.1%. There were an estimated 17,250 murders committed, rising 8.6% from 2015. These statistics are enough to make anyone think twice before walking down any alley.

Some Dojos play on the fear of becoming one of those statistics. Making potential students not only believe that they will be attacked but are also incapable of defending themselves. This trend has become particularly popular with targeting women to the point that almost anywhere you go you will find some kind of “self-defense” seminar.

The truth of the matter is anyone is capable of defending themselves with the proper knowledge and application.

While Dojo’s might be trying to better their enrollment with this tactic; they could be actually sabotaging their own efforts. While fear can be an excellent motivator, it can also be a double edged sword and can become a deterrent.

There is a fine line where fear appeal morphs into the Fear Factor.

No not that Fear Factor...

Where Fear Appeal is based on motivating;
Fear factor is when a person’s state of mind prevents them from action. The fear of the unknown in a Dojo could cripple a potential student from ever crossing the Dojo threshold. We have all heard the countless stories of students who passed the Dojo countless times wanting to sign up, but never having the courage to actually enter and sign up.

If a student can curb their anxiety and sign up, they may still grapple with it.

Any little trigger could cause their acute stress response, also known as the fight or flight response. In other words, a student under too much duress can become literally
“deer in the headlights.”

A student motivated by fear appeal is more likely to channel their fight response in a high stress situation and possibly lash out. Where as a student grappling with the fear factor more than likely will channel their flight reflex in a distressing situation, causing the student to quit.

As instructors, it’s not our position to motivate students or manipulate them.

As instructors, it’s not our position to motivate students or manipulate them. However, with proper training and guidance, students can learn to recognize that they are slipping into that state of mind and how to control it. It requires instructors to not only recognize a student’s physical abilities but also their mental and emotional capabilities.

As Instructors, do we not contemplate our own physical, mental and emotional capabilities?

We all come up with theories of how we would respond in the event that someone attacked us, because we as human always contemplate the “what if”.

Every Martial Artist has theoretical moments of what their response would be in a high stress situation such as a physical attack. Will all of our training allow our muscle memory to kick in and defend us? Or would our adrenaline kick in and override our clear conscious thinking? Would our acute response kick in and which would it be? Fight or Flight?

The purpose of Martial Arts is not to rely on your acute stress response in a confrontation, but rather to suppress it and react with a clear mind.

In a confrontation, you can learn thousands of systems, methods and techniques to defend yourself, but it won’t mean anything if you panic.

Knowledge is powerful, but it is not dangerous until it is applied.

We need both the mind and the body to be the warrior. As Martial Artist, always remember our goal is not to be stuck in the fear factor but to transcend into the
"Wow Factor".

]]><![CDATA[Over Sexualization in Martial Arts]]>Mon, 06 Nov 2017 20:32:14 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/over-sexualization-in-martial-artsMy dojo hosts many seminars...

Yet I distinctly remember one of my first...

I showed up and as I joined the mat one of my fellow peers made the comment,
“Wow you look pretty today.”

I was slightly taken aback. It wasn’t a compliment I was use to receiving on the mat. When I asked him what brought that about, he said,

“You actually have makeup on.”

This threw me for an even bigger loop. Attractive was never an adjective I thought to describe myself as on the mat. During training I would use adjective such as confident, strong, athletic, and maybe even badass…

It was a few months later, I was told by a potential sponsor who wanted me to test their gear out, said that they were withdrawing their offer because my photos on my social media were...

not “hot” enough.

Photo credit: BJJEE at bjjee.com

I was blindsided, confused and I’ll admit it hurt a little.
I had originally thought I was suppose to test the Gi’s and promote them in a business like manner. The truth of the matter was this company didn’t want me promoting their merchandize with my talent and reputation. They wanted me to promote them with one of the oldest marketing tactics, based on the philosophy that sex sells.

Regardless of this marketing scheme that has been around for hundreds, if not thousands of years; our society has become more progressive, reforming their ideology on feminine beauty to include qualities such as confidence, strength and athleticism. With this psyche, it’s natural that female martial artists could become sensuous and even provocative. But at what point of time do we cross the line and focus not on a martial artists capabilities but rather their appearance?

At what point of time do we as a society begin to sexualize martial artists?

Leeann Morris is the co-owner and operates/trains at World Class Martial Arts just outside of Philadelphia, PA. She currently holds the rank of 4th Degree Black Belt Master Instructor in Tang Soo Do and currently holds the rank of Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Her husband and Professor is Aaron Morris, a 1st Degree Black Belt under 8x World Champion and IBJJF Hall of Fame member, Master Robson Moura.

Mrs. Morris is also the owner of “Josei Heishi.”

Over the years Mrs. Morris has seen a growing support for females in the Jiu Jitsu community. However, she still feels like more should be done. She wanted to make a difference rather than wish for one. Josei Heishi is Japanese for “Female Soldiers” and their mission is to bring recognition to female practitioners in the Jiu Jitsu community. Mrs. Morris explains, “We want to give back to all the female athletes and practitioners in the BJJ community.”

Jiu Jitsu, particularly Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, has been on the front line in the controversy over equal pay and over sexualization of female practitioners. Organizations such as Josei Heishi and “Equal Pay For BJJ” are professional organizations focused on bridging the gap between female and male practitioners.

With growing attendance of female BJJ practitioners, companies have jumped on featuring them in advertisements…

However, the women featured in the advertisements not only inaccurately portray women training in Jiu Jitsu but at times even cross the line of being blatantly sexualized.

Because all women in Martial Arts look like this when training.

Some claim, that this type of attention is helping promote the art.
Mrs. Morris disagrees,
“I don’t agree, but I know it is something that happens. Anyone who knows about the sport should careless about how you look and be more concerned about what you train and fight like.”

The blooming talent that many female practitioners possess is becoming veiled by the alluring contributes of their training. Negatively portrayed practitioners in any martial arts can have negative effects not only on the system but also on its current practitioners.

While many practitioners such as Mrs. Morris might feel that martial arts is for
“women of all walks of life”.
A negative portrayal could affect a student thinking of signing up for classes or creating an unrealistic aspiration for current students.

Some males might not understand or comprehend the issue of oversexualization of their fellow female peers.

Mrs Morris explains,
“What if it was their daughters or wives being sexualized? The men have to put themselves in that scenario to know how they would truly feel in regards to a situation like this.”

Mrs. Morris points out that RAINN (the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization) shows 1 in every 6 American women has been a victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. With statistics like this, women need self defense training more than ever.

Organizations such as Josei Heishi are encouraging female practitioners to support one another to create an empowering environment.

Group photo of the Josei Heishi Ambassadors.

Mrs. Morris insists,
“If women want to see a change, they have to be the change.”

While we are fixated on our appearance in the mirrors maybe our peers are not so concerned about us, but rather with their own study?

To help battle the epidemic of over sexualization, Mrs. Morris encourages practitioners to stand up for who we truly are.
She asserts,
“If you want to be seen as an independent, strong woman sometimes that means messy hair and no make up. Don’t sell yourself out and be who others want you to be just to get ‘recognized’.”

As a female I do take pride in how I look and on occasion I might actually brush my hair, but when I’m training the last thing on my mind is if I’m ready to walk the runway. There really is no point to doing makeup if I’m going to sweat it off. There’s no point in curling and styling my hair if it’s going to get pulled loose or plastered to my forehead. A female’s appearance during training is no different than in a life threatening situation…

Who cares what you look like as long as you are surviving.

Always show your talents and strengths. Never down trod your capabilities and always remember once it’s out there, you can’t take it back.

And always remember...

Anyone can take a Gi off but very few will ever put it on.

Josei Heishi Website

]]><![CDATA[The Martial Arts Plateau...]]>Wed, 23 Aug 2017 04:27:34 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/the-martial-arts-plateauWhen I first got back on the mat after taking a long sabbatical I was powering through not only learning new material but re-learning old material.

I was taking privates and attending group classes to play catch up. I began to not only climb the ranks but also began teaching and running classes for my Sifu. It was riveting and exciting to chart my growth in almost every aspect of my life and it was all because of Martial Arts.

I received my blue belt...

I fought through my green belt...

I trudged through my 3rd brown only to breeze through my 2nd brown…

And then it hit me.
It hit me hard.
At some point in the study of my 1st brown and when I was so close to achieving black belt, the number one killer of Martial Arts careers hit me.

The Plateau Effect

Many of us have heard people use the phrase “you’ve hit a plateau.” This correlates to the Plateau effect. The Urban Dictionary describes the phrase as a reaching point where gradual progress is no longer possible and stagnation is likely, where advancement can only be achieved by a sudden, difficult and possibly risky leap up to the next level.

I found myself in a situation where when judging my own progress, there seemed to be little or none. Worse of all was this feeling of deficiency and even inadequacy. It was beginning to consume not only my training by my attitude of the dojo.
I began to dread going to the dojo whether it was to train or run class. Fearing the idea of having to talk to anyone because I just couldn’t muster the previous enthusiasm I once had. My dojo was once considered a home and it was now nothing more than work.

Terrifyingly enough there are many students as well as instructors that can suffer from the Plateau Effect.

I immediately contacted my friend Andrea Harkins. Mrs. Harkins is a 2nd Degree Black in Tang Soo Do, a 2nd Degree Black in Taekwondo and an active Tai Chi Student. Apart from her impressive Martial Arts resume, she is also a fellow writer and motivational speaker.

Mrs. Andrea Harkins a.k.a The Martial Arts Woman

Mrs. Harkins explained how her Martial arts and speaking work together,
“I use martial arts as the basis for all of my motivational talks, as well as what I share on Facebook and social media. I found that most people have an interest in martial arts and that even non-martial artists enjoy hearing how the martial art mindset works in real life.”

Andrea is so inspiring that she recently had a book published titled “The Martial Arts Woman”.

The book features over 25 female martial artists and their stories of overcoming obstacles in Martial arts.
She says,
“My overall mission has always been to make the world a better place through both positivity and martial arts. It is an empowering blend that you do not normally see.”

Andrea believes every student will reach a plateau at some time or another but there is never really a precise time it will strike and what can cause a plateau may vary amongst students and instructors. One day, you show up to class and think...

“I don’t want to be here.”

She explains,
“A plateau often happens in a belted system somewhere between the middle colored belts and black belt. The training gets more difficult. The student either does or does not want to put forth the effort. The plateau is created because they do not have the time, energy, or desire to push through.”

Whatever the cause or time frame the side effects are the same.

-Stop coming to class
-Do not give 100% effort in class
-Don’t ask questions or seem concerned
-Issues in personal life
-A change in demeanor
-Seeking training elsewhere
-Not practicing

Each student is an individual and can have different reactions to hitting a plateau. My Sifu constantly reminds us,
“that each person’s head is a different world.”

Mrs. Harkins with a few of her students.

Taking this into consideration, assisting a student with overcoming a plateau can vary.

Andrea stresses the importance of an instructor who knows and understands their students. She goes into detail with,
“It is important to understand your students individually and what motivates each one of them. Some are learning for defense, some for fitness, some because it is cool to learn! Ask students questions and become a part of their life. Know their names, their hobbies, and their family. A personal relationship helps them to stay committed.”

Having a personal relationship with a student can help an instructor to notice when something might be off. If you are training younger students then check in with their parents; parents can help alert instructors of a change in demeanor in the home.

Me and one of our student's (Mr. R) winning student of the month.

Andrea reminds instructors to smile and be genuine to help make the dojo or school a positive environment that’s full of energy.
“Give them praise when the do something well, and personal attention when they are not. Receiving a compliment for hard work goes a long way.

Being able to have an open dialog with your student is just as crucial.
Andrea suggests,
“When you notice a student in a slump, meet up with them in private and ask if there is anything with which you can help them. Let them know you have noticed a change and wanted to make sure that they know that whatever it is, martial arts can help them pull through and you will do everything you can to help them in that manner.”

Though many might associate the Plateau Effect with students, instructors can fall victim to something very similar...

The Law of Diminishing Returns

The law of diminishing returns is reaching a certain point where the profits/benefits gained in a goal are less than the amount of energy, time or money invested. The plateau effect might never hit during our training but once we achieve our goal the sudden questioning of why we did all this work could slap us in the face.

The difficult part of achieving our goal is learning to redefine our goal. Some might focus on continuing and perfecting their art, studying a new system or style or even transitioning from student to teacher. No matter what direction we choose to go Andrea reminds us,
“Plateaus and slumps in life are part of human nature. The important thing is that we push through and keep going.”

To overcome my own plateau, maybe I just needed to reignite the passion inside me? I found myself taking a step back and trying to remember why I loved Martial Arts so much? Luckily for me my Kenpo Family was standing by and ready to help. They reminded me why I fell in love with teaching Martial Arts and slowly but surely I was able to let the nay-saying fall by the wayside.

Grand Master Frank Trejo (10th Degree Black) taking the time to speak to our PeeWee/Junior class.

Although my plateau had the potential to possibly kill my Martial arts career...

It became an experience for the better. As an instructor and future Sifu I now understand and can relate to a student that has hit a plateau and I might have a better chance at understanding and redirecting their energy.

Maybe our hardest training isn’t climbing hills, but rather overcoming our own self doubts after we’ve climbed the hill and reached the plateau.

Perhaps that plateau is meant for us to discover or learn a new perspective?
Perhaps it’s to remind us why we are climbing those hills in the first place?
Perhaps those plateau’s are what separates the serious Martial Artist from the novice? Either way, we’ll never really know unless we keep trying and never surrender.

For more information on the Martial Arts Woman check out her website.

The Martial Arts Woman Website

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of "The Martial Arts Woman" it is available on Amazon.

Amazon: The Martial Arts Woman

]]><![CDATA[Valentina "Bullet" Shevchenko & Muay Thai]]>Sat, 08 Jul 2017 05:23:13 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/valentina-bullet-shevchenko-muay-thaiA few months ago, I was asked by MMA Wreckage to cover an MMA seminar in Los Angeles.

The seminar was hosted by the Paradise Warrior Retreat who traditionally brings in successful UFC fighters. The goal of the seminar is to allow the fighters to discuss and show guests some of their training techniques.
This time they featured Muay Thai Specialists Valetina Shevchenko and her sister Antonina Shevchenko.

Valentina Shevchenko has received quite a bit of publicity from her upcoming UFC title fight with Amanda Nunez, scheduled July 8th.

The truth is, Valentina was a very successful fighter before her Mixed Martial Arts career.

She has held several kickboxing and Muay Thai Championships and is highly regarded as one of the best female Muay Thai fighters in the world. For her Mixed Martial Arts resume, she boasts a 2nd Dan and Master of Sports title in Taekwondo, a black belt in Judo, Master of Sports Muay Thai title, Master of Sports title in Boxing and finally a Master of Sports title in Kickboxing.

Her sister, Antonina Shevchenko is no slouch either.

Antonina with her WKC belt.

Antonina is a 3x IFMA Muay Thai Champion and recently won the WMC and Phoenix FC World Titles. In 2016, she was a 10x World Champion and was awarded Fighter of the Year by Awakening Muay Thai Awards and has been undefeated in her MMA career.

A close correlation has formed between Muay Thai and MMA

Many MMA fighters either have experience in Muay Thai or have modeled their striking from Muay Thai. However, it is the Modern style of Muay Thai that is contributing to the popularity in MMA. Valentina explained the difference between Modern Muay Thai and Traditional Muay Thai.

She explained,
“Modern Muay Thai is the practical use of Tradition Muay Thai. It’s about technique, traditional Muay Thai uses more straight techniques and more fixed stands. Not many combinations with hands, more one or two punches but every time very strong. The same with kicks, strong one low kick, middle kick or high kick. Good clinch and good elbows. Modern Muay Thai uses all the same, but in the same moment the fighter of Modern Muay Thai can have European boxing hands with many combinations, strong turning kicks which many use in taekwondo, the back fists, superman punches and more movements in the ring.”

Pretty much...

Muay Thai is not by any means a new age martial art.

Muay Thai can be traced back to the 16th Century. Essentially the exposure from MMA, kickboxing and training outside of Thailand has begun to modify Muay Thai. When I asked Valentina, whether she felt the popularity of MMA has affected the Muay Thai community?

She explained,
“The Popularity of MMA is natural because MMA is a Universal Sport. Popularity of MMA develops from real kinds of Martial Arts such as Muay Thai, because Muay Thai is the best sport of stand-up sports. Many Athletes in MMA use Muay Thai successfully.”

Valentina and Antonina leading in a kicking exercise.

Unlike some systems that are cynical of non-indigenous practitioners...

Valentina reassures this does not apply to Muay Thai. Valentina was born and raised in the USSR but currently lives in Lima, Peru. I asked if she had ever been harassed about fighting in Muay Thai and not being Thai?

Valentina says,
“If the athlete has real technique of Muay Thai then there is no difference what kind of nationality the athlete is and what country he or she is from. Muay Thai is from Thailand but now Muay Thai is for the whole world. One world one muaythai.”

Muay Thai has spread and come a long way since it was first created.

The International Federation of Muay Thai Amateur also known as the IFMA was formed in 1993 and oversees the amateur Muay Thai competitions in 128 countries. Only 20 years later, the International World Games Association would announce that Muay Thai would be part of the World Games 2017 in Wroclaw, Poland.

Yet there is still one controversy surrounding Muay Thai that has the community divided.

. The debate of whether children should be allowed to study, train and compete in Muay Thai. Some opposed such as the Child Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Centre, claim that Muay Thai style boxing like strikes and kickboxing style kicks to the head of young children could cause permanent brain damage or alter development in children. The Child Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Centre has urged the Muay Thai community to limit strikes to the head and in some circumstances prohibiting certain age groups from competing in full contact Muay Thai. I asked what her beliefs were on the children in Muay Thai situation?

She insists that,
“Muay Thai has ancient traditions, including child fights and trainings. And it is justified and correct because little children can learn Muay Thai safely. For the little children, their beginning of combat activity passes like games, just like in nature..."

"Tigers do not wait until their cubs grow to teach them hunting, otherwise they will be hungry and die."

"And I think that is very cruel to children –to deprive them of the opportunity to learn fighting. Especially since now children can fight in good equipment and under the supervision of qualified trainers."

Antonina teaching/coaching at the Paradise Warrior Retreat.

Valentina began her Martial Arts training at 5 years old. Her kickboxing career began at 12 years old when she knocked out her opponent that was almost twice her age. Needless to say, Valentina as a child was no stranger to Martial Arts or training.

She went into further explanation,
“When I just started to train in Taekwondo ITF, when competitions took place sometimes several hundred children (attended). In these years, we almost had not so good protection and had gloves thinner than MMA gloves now. But no serious injuries- maximum bruises. In that time, it was something to be proud of. And all these children grew up healthy and good people. They run, play and fight- it’s very natural for children. The more early you start to train and fight, the more better fighter in future."

I personally as a mother whose son competes in karate tournaments can say their safety is taken seriously. My son Jared is 5 years old and I distinctly remember when he inquired about sparring the first words out of my Sifu’s mouth was, “well time to order his equipment.”

It is articulative and responsible athletes and Martial Artist like Valentina and Antonina that help create a clear understanding to Martial Arts we may only be familiar with through entertainment.

As the MMA sport grows in popularity and exposes its audiences to different systems and styles of Martial Arts, we must remember the different Martial Arts exhibited are being applied in a sports and entertainment environment. We should remember these Martial Arts have deep roots in cultures and civilizations not only as combative training but to help practitioners find an inner strength and inner growth.

Valentina has developed an inner strength that pushes her to train and almost perfect her technique in her various disciplines. It is this dedication and tenacity that Valentina has clearly based her MMA and Muay Thai career on.

Me getting to meet and talk with Valentina, Antonina and their coach Pavel.

]]><![CDATA[The Fearless Karate Parents...]]>Mon, 19 Jun 2017 19:39:58 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/june-19th-2017There are many factors that can contribute to the success or failure of a student...

One of the fluctuating variables that instructors have to work with at times can have some of the fiercest personalities…

Karate Parents

A karate parent may not seem like a big deal, but they single handedly could be the deciding factor at a student’s success or failure. With young student’s parents are not just involved in the enrollment process; they can be detrimental in reinforcing the emotional growth martial arts provides students.

This instrumental role in their child’s journey can be a double edged sword: to have a immensely impacting role on their child’s Martial Arts future and yet at times know next to nothing about Martial Arts.

Yikes...

For those that own their own Dojos and are especially lousy at harmonizing with parents, it could cost them not only their students but their business. It’s a balancing act that any Sifu, Sensei or Master has juggled with and at times may have fumbled.

One of my friends Jennifer Waters just promoted to 5th Degree Black belt in Kempo Karate. She is a amateur MMA fighter and owns/operates 2 Dojos.

Jennifer Waters, front and center after her 5th Degree Black belt test and promotion.

Needless to say, she has done her fair share of juggling.
She explains,
"Parents that are actively involved with their child's martial arts journey are such a huge asset! Every child wants the support of their parent. With such a challenging physical and mental activity like martial arts, parental support is much needed!”

When parents become too involved they can end up adding more stress to their child and hinder the educational process.

Memorizing the physical movements as well as the philosophy behind the system can be overwhelming for an adult, let alone a child. The key to not frustrating them, is to not rush them.

Mrs. Waters concur’s,
“I think karate parents struggle with wanting their children to understand or "get" the techniques right away. Martial arts takes time. It's no different than any other physical sport, the more your child practices, the better he or she will become over time.”

Time is the key to any student’s study.

Yes, that's how the Ninja Turtles got that good.

Time allows the student to become seasoned and to develop emotionally. Many of the benefits students obtain from Martial Arts are emotionally based; respect, honor, perseverance and self respect. These things take time.

Being inpatient can hinder collaboration with instructors

This could not only add more stress to their child but also can unintentionally undermine the Instructor’s authority. To help keep the peace,

Mrs. Waters suggests,
“I always guide my karate parents to refer back to what the main instructor is coaching your child to do. Use this to help your child reach his/her full potential.”

Mrs. Waters with her dad and some of her students.

When parents collaborate with the Instructors, it opens them up to help re-inforce the morals and principles such as dedication. DEDICATION alone can be the hardest lesson for a child to learn and could definitely require a parent’s encouragement.

Mrs. Water’s completely agrees,
“I believe that parents hinder their children when they let their child give up too easy. Instead of pushing their child to work past the difficulties they encounter, many are willing to let their child quit on a technique, a style, or martial arts in its entirety.”

While some parents might be overly assertive with their child’s study, some can be dismissive.

It’s difficult to be involved with your child’s study if you are absent not just physically but emotionally. In a social media driven world it is all too easy for us to become distracted with our phones while our child is in class.

In agreement, Mrs. Waters adds,
“Watching and taking an interest in what interests your child is not only a self-esteem builder but also will help them learn to practice with their child at home.”

While we as instructors can be analytical of parents, we have to remember the African Proverb...

‘It takes a village to raise a child.”

This is especially true in Martial Arts; hence the role of the Dojo (Karate), the Dojang (Taekwondo), the Heya (Sumo) or the Sasaran (Silat). Instructors are and should be held just as responsible as parents went it comes to encouraging their student.

Some of our Double Dragon students: Ashley (Left), Sami (Center), Dani (Right)

“As an instructor we have to remember to be patient with parents,”

Ms. Water’s reminds us,

“They really love their child and want what's best for them. Keep this in mind, and then try to find some common ground if you are solving challenges together. Ultimately, you have to remember that the goal is not necessarily to improve the parenting of that child but to help that child on his/her journey to becoming a Black Belt."

While Martial Arts can be a very aggressive and explosive study, we have to remember to maintain harmony and peace.

A properly run school has a sense of balance and understanding of each other’s roles. The student knows what is expected of them,
the parent knows their role,
and the Instructor knows not only their role but how to orchestrate all the roles.

]]><![CDATA[Huk Planas World Gathering Kenpo Camp... The Ultimate Family Reunion]]>Tue, 18 Apr 2017 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/huk-planas-world-gathering-kenpo-camp-the-ultimate-family-reunion

My primary Martial Art system I study is American Kenpo.

Because of American Kenpo’s large following, many people ask who my instructor is or what lineage I am? A lineage in American Kenpo is no different than a style is in Kung Fu, a Heya to a Sumo wrestler, a team to a MMA fighter or in layman’s terms for a non-Martial Artist--your family.

My senior instructor is Senior Master of the Arts Huk Planas, a 10th Degree Black Belt.

Sifu Huk Planas (left) and Grand Master Ed Parker (right)

Sifu Planas began training in Kenpo in the late sixties with Steve Labounty and Tom Kelly. In 1969 Sifu Planas moved to Pasadena, CA and began to work for Grand Master Ed Parker. He was promoted through Grand Master Parker up to his 7th Degree Black belt in 1985. My instructor Senior Professor JR Diaz currently holds a 7th Degree Black belt under Sifu Planas. Through this association our group as well as myself, continue to study with Sifu Planas and his Parker/Planas Lineage.

My instructor (left) back when he was a brown belt with Sifu David Perez (center) and Sifu Planas (back right)

My friend and instructor Sifu Marty Zaninovich was a 1st Degree black belt in the early 80’s

When he attended a seminar by Mr. Parker,
“I was totally captured with his teachings……..After I attended, I asked (about joining the Parker Lineage), then was referred to contact Mr. Planas.”

Sifu Zaninovich or Sifu Z discussed the change with his good friend and fellow black belt, David Perez. They had their first lesson with Sifu Planas in a park in Sacramento, CA.
Sifu Z remembers,
“This was a very eye opening experience we’ll never forget. That lesson opened a whole new thought process that we were about to engage in. What an awesome journey that continues with something new to learn all the time!!!”

Sifu Z (right) and Sifu Planas (left)

Sifu Planas has 17 countries around the world that study under him.

Sifu Z is a 9th Degree Black belt under Sifu Planas and travels the world now. Sifu Z has had the privilege of traveling to and teaching in many of those same schools under Sifu Planas.

A common discussion with many students he says is,
“There has always been a lot of questions from many practitioners and Instructors in the US and Europe of what the people and talent is like from each perspective group?"

"My response is; they’re awesome and train very hard. No difference in either group.”

Regardless of Town, City, State or Country, the Planas requirements are the same without compromise. It was on a teaching trip to Sweden that Sifu Z and Ingmar Johansson a Swedish Kenpoist also under Sifu Planas and a 6th Degree Black began discussing this very topic.

Sifu Z (Far left) Sifu Planas (Center) Sifu Johansson (Far right)

They came up with the idea of having a International event in honor of Sifu Planas and his lineage.
Sifu Z explains,
“I called JR. Diaz that exact moment and asked if he would be willing to facilitate in gathering a team to help coordinate the event. He did on the spot; Jesa Harper (Kenpo Girl), Gino Martino and several others.”

After the Event Committee was formed, plans for the event were underway.

This event is anticipated to be one of the most exciting developments in the Parker/Planas Lineage for 2017.
Sifu Z explains,
“To this day we are fully entrenched with the preparation for the event; J.R. Diaz was and is so correct with his recommendations.”

The event is scheduled to take place at the Westgate Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Westgate has hosted international events and has earned a well deserved reputation for accommodating Martial Arts seminars.

Students attending can look forward to an atmosphere of sharing, learning, networking and participating in a historical event.

Sifu Z can’t stress the importance of these events enough,
“It brings unity and a tighter bond within our Parker/Planas group and collectively creates fluid boundaries for us all.”

Participants can not only look forward to staying at the Westgate Resort, but can attend a variety of classes by Parker/Planas Lineage instructors from around the world. There is also a banquet scheduled for all participants to dine and get to know each other.

Events like these remind me of family reunions.

Bonds are created and ones already established are strengthened, only to deepen our commitment and studies. Nonetheless, it will be a privilege to honor our patriarch who has held us all accountable to train and teach a higher level of Kenpo.

For those who have never attended such an event, I strongly encourage students to attend events like this. Remember, the past is the past and the future is always uncertain, but the present is called so because it is a gift. The time we have with our senior instructors is a gift that some have not have.

All information such as schedule, list of instructors, classes, prices and merchandise can be found on the Huk Planas World Gathering Kenpo Camp website.

Huk Planas World Gathering Kenpo Camp Website

]]><![CDATA[My week in a BJJ Gi...]]>Wed, 05 Apr 2017 19:19:47 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/my-week-in-a-bjj-giSome Kenpoist gi’s are viewed as being pretty generic.

They’re usually black or white and occasionally there is a rebel that wears what we call salt & pepper (black top and white bottom or vice versa). To be honest what sets Kenpoists apart from other systems isn’t the gi, it’s what’s on the gi. Kenpoist gi’s are usually covered in patches, ranging from variations of Kenpo crests, dojo’s they’re affiliated with or distinguished patches earned in study or competition.

Me in my Kenpo gi and patches.

At our Dojo, we are only permitted to wear black or white.

There’s never really been an issue with this policy.
I own black and white gi’s, some covered in Kenpo regalia and some blank. A part of me has always been secretly jealous of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gis. You see them everywhere; in every color imaginable and some with beautiful embroidering.

Come on, who doesn't want a pink gi?

I was slightly perplexed and alarmed when Elite Sport asked me to try out their Elite Sports Ultra Lite BJJ Gi. I have never studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and didn’t know what to think of a BJJ gi. The fact that it was Blue was even more bewildering.

I knew next to nothing about BJJ gis.

Before I agreed to testing the gi, I consulted my good friend Jason Bennett a 4th Degree Black belt in American Kenpo and Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

After looking over the gi link, Sifu Bennett told me,
“I have separate gi’s for Kenpo and BJJ because of the weight. Nice gi though, it will last a long time. Try it.”

If I had any hurtle to overcome it was wearing a gi too heavy that would restrict my movement.

I hoped that with it being an Ultra Lite, it wouldn’t make that big of a difference. My Sifu concurred and gave me permission to wear the gi regularly on the mat for one week to test it in sparring, group technique classes and forms.

This is what I concluded.

My gi was durable and reinforced and moved fine my stand up and striking in sparring class. However, due to the inseam of the pants, there was a loss of height in my kicks. Which forced me to focus on my upper body and handwork.

My son & I after sparring in my Elite Sports BJJ gi.

The truth is, wearing the gi during sparring was an eye opener. I’m not going to be wearing a karate gi every minute. I might be in jeans, cut off shorts or even a mini skirt… and THEY could limit my kicking ability as well. An attacker on the street isn’t going to care. Sparring outside of my comfort zone reminded me of that.

If you are a karate practitioner and plan on trying out a BJJ gi there’s one other thing you should be prepared for…

Your fellow peers grabbing you.

There’s something about the weave of the fabric and the thickness of the seems that makes you just want to grab, hold on and possible either throw or shake a person wearing a BJJ gi.

I know this because that is exactly what all my friends wanted to do to me.

During technique class, we practice our techniques on each other by mock attacking one another. Usually this is based off punches and kicks. Suddenly, everyone had this uncontrollable urge to no longer punch or kick me but rather grab and drag me.

It was slightly unnerving.

A gentle version of me testing the gi. We didn't want to alarm anyone.

It was as if, amongst all my training of how to respond to a real physical threat, I had lost my sense of how it would feel to be grabbed and dragged by an attacker much larger than myself. It was a humbling sensation of not quite helplessness but more of the possibility of losing control of the situation. Everyone has a plan until they’ve been hit—or grabbed.

It was surprisingly fun...

After its first wash, I felt the truest way to test the movement of this gi was to wear it during forms class.

When it was finally time to wash my gi, I was a little worried how it would hold up. What I really liked about the Elite Sports BJJ gi was it came pre-shrunk. I’ve never had a karate gi shrink on me before, but I had been warned that BJJ gi’s usually do shrink in the first 2 washes. There were no problems there.

For those not familiar with forms, they are an exercise in movement and basics.

I was used to working forms in my lighter gis. Wearing the heavier gi and going through the movements was like walking through water. It’s not uncomfortable or impossible to do; it just creates a little extra resistance.

Though I would wear a regular karate gi during competition or testing to guarantee maximum performance, I feel going out of my comfort zone with the BJJ gi was a fun alternative with some pro’s in training.

Sometimes we get stuck in the same monogamous routine of training.

This comfort zone creates a false sense of security that limits us from pushing our boundaries and find out our true capabilities.

Me in my Elite Sports Karate Gi

If you are in the market for a new gi, be sure to visit Elite Sports website or check them out on Amazon. Don’t be confused with their sizing for the “Kids” Karate Gi. I was sent a size 4, and it actually fits a little long. Links are provided below.

Elite Sports

]]><![CDATA[The proper way to gear up...]]>Wed, 08 Mar 2017 20:59:15 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/the-proper-way-to-gear-upAs I travel and speak with different Martial Artists from different systems, the easiest topic of discussion has been work out gear.

Some base their selection on price or brand and some prefer the bare necessities. Personally, one day I might be on the mat in my PJs and the next I’m in full Kenpo regalia.

I was surprised and slightly guarded when I was approached by Elite Sport who wanted to sponsor me and have me test their gear.

I was hesitant, but they encouraged me to just try the equipment and the clothing, urging me to let the results speak for themselves.

So I found myself on their website trying to pick out what items I would try. As I looked through the rash guards, gloves and bags it suddenly dawned on me that I might know what these items are but I had no idea how to determine the quality of any gear.

With the popularity in Martial Arts, especially MMA, on the rise there are many new brands and distributors popping up.

While some consumers might be inclined to choose the first cool looking piece of gear they find, there’s much more to it than that.

Gear is meant to protect students while also helping to enhance their training or performance. It is therefore crucial to pay to the attention to detail that goes into the gear. These details are what attract not just customers but reviews from customers.

Elite Sports has been pleased with their customer response and maintain,
“The response from our customers has been overwhelmingly positive, which is a huge source of pride for our design team and the company as a whole.”

So I selected my items and waited for them to arrive in the mail. Yet I still questioned why gear would be such a necessity?

The truth is good gear doesn’t just enhance your training, but can ensure your safety. Injuries are a huge risk for many MMA fighters not just in the ring but during training. These injuries could include torn ligaments, dislocated joints, broken bones and possible concussions.

It’s because of these potential injuries that Elite Sports stresses,
“Wearing no training equipment at all is a huge risk.”

I don’t train at an MMA gym but my main aspiration for gear was to find gear, whether it was a pair of gloves, shorts or even a gi that would be good quality and a comfortable fit.

I just hoped my rash guard made me look this awesome.

I tried the Elite Sports Rash Guard first. When it arrived, I was a little skeptical as I pulled it out of its packaging. I am by no means a “slender” woman. I have a large bust and an hour glass figure. The problem I’ve had with tops in the past is them riding up and showing bare mid-drift.

I had a feeling I’d have the same problem with this rash guard.

ELITE SPORTS RASH GUARD LINK

I was also worried about it being too tight in the bust and not allowing me proper shoulder movement. When I slipped it on, I was pleasantly surprised to find was their no-slip waist band. This sucker wasn’t moving and I literally was like an enthusiastic child and began doing jump jacks and running around the mat trying to get it to ride up...
But it stayed put.

I faintly heard the hallelujah chorus in the background.

I was also surprised at the strong flexibility of the material. It didn’t itch and it moved nicely with me. Plus, I am able to wear it just as a top or under my gi and still maintain comfo

While this might not sound like a big deal, its little things like this I don’t have to worry about when training. Elite Sports explains, that when they make a set of gloves or a rash guard, it’s meant to be suitable for use; whether your goal is to go pro, live a healthier lifestyle or gaining valuable self-defense skills.

Elite Sports motto is,
“Embrace The Pain. At the end of the day, the gear you train in isn’t going to turn you into a superhuman. You have to put in the hours at the gym. What we mean by that is strive to be the best and let the growing pains shape you.

When you visit the Elite Sports website you can clearly see their passion for what they do. Consumers can see the lives and careers of their sponsored fighters on Team Elite. Their website shows a unique page for each member of Team Elite to showcase their story.

The future is shaping up for Elite Sports...

Especially with a lot of their focus and passion in constantly improving their products. With their own manufacturing facility, they are able to make some of the most advanced gear on the market place.

To stay up with their latest news and merchandise be sure to follow them on their social media. Also watch Kenpo Girl’s social media for my photos and videos of me testing their products.

Elite Sports Website

]]><![CDATA[Jennifer "Warrior" Waters vs. MMA skeptics]]>Fri, 10 Feb 2017 22:44:39 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/jennifer-warrior-waters-vs-mma-skepticsHuman beings have been competing since the beginning of time...

Whether it's for survival or skill there's a competitive nature in all of us. That competitive nature is most commonly exhibited now in sports and one of the fastest growing sports in modern-day time is Mixed Martial Arts or commonly called MMA.

MMA is the combination of various martial arts systems used in the competitive Arena to demonstrate an athlete’s skill by either knocking out or submitting one's opponent. The popularity of the sport his grown drastically over the years and while some are very enthusiastic others question the motives of the sport.

It has become a common belief that MMA is too violent of a sport and that it caters to an audience's need for blood and violence rather than technique or skill.

Some states in the past have even banned the sport all together. Back in 1996, the state of New York decided to ban the sport. It would be 20 years later in 2016 that New York with lift the ban and the first MMA fight would be held at the Madison Square Garden.

Even with these achievements there are still Skeptics that question MMA.

Some claim that MMA has negative effects on the fighters for the rest of their lives. Others are more concerned about the effects live professional fights might have on society; claiming that the image of MMA could influence violence in society especially amongst a younger audience.

Probably shouldn't have let them watch Highlander before bed.

Before passing judgment on the sport, I felt that there needed to be a deeper understanding on professional MMA.

So I decided to speak with my friend Jennifer Waters. Jennifer Waters is a 29 year old and from Augusta, GA. She holds a 4th Dan in Tetu Shin Ryu Kempo Karate, 1st Dan in MMA, 1st Dan in Kempo-Jitsu, and is a 4th Stripe Blue Belt in RCJ Machado Jiu-Jitsu. She owns and operates 2 Seigler's Karate Center locations with her family and is a 2x Kickboxing Champion. She began her MMA career in 2016.

Jennifer "Warrior" Waters after her first MMA fight in 2016.

Some Skeptics compare MMA to the Gladiator sport. However, I don't believe they truly understand what a gladiator sport is...

Gladiator Sports in ancient Roman times involved Armed men who competed against other gladiators as well as wild animals and incarcerated criminals. These Competitions were life-or-death that were used to entertain the masses.

This is a gladiator sport... to help avoid confusion.

Jennifer believes that this Gladiator sport misconception comes from the early beginnings of MMA.
She explains,
“The sport has grown so much from the early days of "No Holds Barred" fighting. And I can see why some people would say that it looks barbaric. Typically these people are not educated about the technical aspect of fighting.”

It’s possibly from these early unregulated beginnings that some naive spectators came to the conclusion that mixed martial arts fights were no more than glorified brawls. But like any sports, there has been an evolution over the years.
Jennifer spells it out clearly,
“Honestly, that was 20 years ago. Just like the NFL has gone through rule changes, regulation enforcement, and a pattern of continuous improvements, the sport of MMA continues to do that also.”

Regulations have been created and enforced to not only help the reputation of the sport but most importantly to protect the fighters well being.

Before a fighter can step into the ring they must pass physicals, eye exams and blood work. Some promoters are even taking it to the next level.
Jennifer explains,
“Many promoters also want to see some kind of fight footage before you step inside the cage. They want to know they are not putting a back street brawler out there with zero experience against someone with years of training.”

Boxing and kickboxing regulations call for a 10 second countdown when an opponent is knocked out.

To further insure a fighter’s safety, regulations in MMA eliminated the 10 count and placed more responsibility on the referees. A referee will monitor the fighters not only for a fair fight but their state of mind and reaction time. If the fighters well being is at risk for permanent or unrecoverable damage, they will stop the fight.
Its because of these regulations that Jennifer says,
“Many people feel that MMA fighters suffer less traumatic brain injuries than boxers due to this increase of safety.

Other skeptics have less concern for the fighters and more for the audience. They assert that these fights are encouraging violence, particularly with youths. With social media’s popularity, anyone can search the term fight and not only find MMA competitive fights but also street fights. This is where the confusion sets in.

To someone with no martial arts training the two could look the same, but in reality the trained MMA fighter has been training for years and is regulated.
Jennifer clarified,
“This really is no different than watching two kids swim a race in a swimming pool and then watching Michael Phelps swim for an Olympic gold medal. The activity is similar but definitely not the same. Real and successful MMA fighters will spend years and hours of training to perfect their craft just like any other professional athlete does.”

As an instructor Jennifer encourages her students to watch not only her fights but other fights as well. She believes it gives them the opportunity to see their instructor handle loss or defeat in a respectful and humble manner.

I attended my first live professional fight back in December 2016.

I’ll admit there was a little bit of apprehension lacing my excitement. I had previously watched UFC fights on television but had never actually attended one. I had absolutely no idea what to expect. What I hoped to see was skilled fighters demonstrating mixtures of different systems and techniques and trying to find the perfect combination that would equal victory. I wasn’t disappointed. I found myself living vicariously through them, mentally applying my own training into understanding of what they were doing. I was enthralled and entertained.

What left me unimpressed wasn’t the fighters… it was the audience.

While many were in the same mind frame as myself, so many were the opposite. When the fighters would reach a stalemate with either grappling or gauging reactions, many of the audience members would begin to boo.

It blew my mind.

Here were these amazing athletes showing their talent not just physically but intellectually, and they were being heckled. It made me start to wonder how much power or influence the audience might have over a fight? Jennifer explained to me that like any sport, the amount of butts in seats will determine the future. Some promoters are focused on selling tickets rather than the longevity of the sport.
Jennifer believes,
“I think it will take people with vision in leadership to really promote the sport to a high level. This will mean that the integrity of the sport must be thought of in advance before its profitability.”

If the focus falls primarily on money, then audiences would hold more power than they realize. What audiences need to understand is not every fight might meet their expectations. A lot of planning goes into creating a match-up but it doesn’t guarantee anything.
Jennifer reminds us,
“You have to remember when you are going to a fight that competitors are matched in skill level and style if possible, but sometimes opposite skill sets and the lack thereof can make a fight boring.”

Jennifer's first MMA fight was anything but boring, it was considered the "Fight of the Night"

When you attend a fight, always be prepared for some crowds to be somewhat uneducated of Martial Arts and MMA. For beginners to Martial Arts, don’t let your limited experience keep you from watching and learning through exposure. While many attend fights purely for the entertainment aspect of it, there is much to learn there as well.

Whether skeptics are gaining their opinions from the audience’s mood swings or on current regulations, MMA continues to be one of the fastest growing professional sports in the World. Whether it’s your cup of tea or not, MMA still remains one of the top popular venues to display martial arts competitively. One of the greatest ways we grow as martial artists is through exposure. Regardless of criticism, if you are intrigued or curious about attending a professional fight you should go and have an open mind but most importantly...

Have fun.

That's exactly what I plan to do with my besties at UFC 209 in March.

Jennifer "Warrior" Waters next match will be April 8, 2017 for NFC in Greenville, SC.
She can be found on Facebook @ Jennifer Waters or Instagram @jennifer_s_waters.

Jennifer "Warrior" Waters Facebook

]]><![CDATA[Lua combats "Female Cannibalism"]]>Tue, 17 Jan 2017 05:42:38 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/lua-combats-female-cannibalismIt’s a historical fact that martial arts practitioners have always been dominantly male.

Even though there has recently been an influx in popularity with female practitioners in many different styles and systems, there is still a prejudice associated against women in Martial Arts. Over the years, women have had to fight—literally—for respect in the Martial Arts community.
Yet, one of the hurdles that some female practitioners are having to overcome is called “Female Cannibalism”.

“Female Cannibalism” is a new age term being used to describe female on female aggression and bullying.

Sorry but you can't have an article about "cannibalism" without featuring the good Doctor.

An unfortunately common phenomenon becoming associated in martial arts were a female student could use demeaning and abusive tactics to either belittle another female student into a submissive state or even drive them from the Dojo. The tactics of social media bullying, gossiping, slander and sometimes physical aggression can become lethal to a student’s study.

After centuries of women fighting for a status in martial arts, it is almost ironic that we would become our own final obstacle.

It’s an issue that some female martial artists are having to deal with on top of their training. It sadly can be isolating students and doing the opposite to overcome the sexism associated sometimes with martial arts.

One system associated with such secrecy and exclusion is Lua. Lua is an Ancient Hawaiian Martial Art which employs a style of hand-to-hand fighting and grappling, while also wielding staffs, daggers, slings and other weapons used to either strangle or dislocate limbs. The most famous weapon associated with the art is shark-tooth clubs—clubs lined with razor sharp shark teeth.

Lua has traditionally been limited to only full-blooded Hawaiian males.

It wasn’t until the 1950’s that some Masters of the art began accepting students outside of their traditional requisite. One of the pioneers behind this shift is Olohe Solomon Kaihewalu. He began bringing Lua to the Mainland in 1950, but his teaching non-Hawaiian males wasn’t the only controversy. He also had female students into the 1980's, but only one remains.

Michelle Manu and her instructor Olohe Solomon Kaihewalu

Michelle Manu began training in Lua in the 1990's under Olohe. Even though Olohe was changing the face of Lua already, he still had hesitations about training Michelle. This was considered what the Hawaiians call a kapu or a forbidden ban associated with an ancient Hawaiian code of conduct.

At first, Michelle had a difficult time just getting Olohe to speak with her on the phone and allowing her to watch a class, let alone training her.
Michelle explained,
“For the first 8 years he tried to get me to voluntarily quit… Olohe gave me a chance and I endured.”

Michelle’s tenacity paid off.
She is now the only authorized female instructor also known as a Kumu, trained by and as a first generation Kumu of Olohe.

This title didn’t come at no price.
Olohe has received multiple death threats over the years due to Olohe’s progressive teaching that violates the traditional kapus, which were traditionally punishable by death.

The most perplexing part of women being excluded from martial arts especially Lua, is women can be the ones in need martial arts the most.
Michelle commented,
“Being a mixed woman from the Mainland would disqualify me from Lua training but there were times that women had to know the Lua in ancient times.”

Olohe attributes some of his training to his mother,
“The women were the ones who protected the land, family/children and at times made weapons while the men were gone.”

The women’s day to day chores would mimic Lua practice

Almost every woman learned hula dancing when they were young which would demonstrate hand-to-hand combat techniques. Michelle is a Kumu and a professional Hula Dancer.

Michelle explains,
“I want to take that ‘girl activity’ and transform it into the energy flow and explosions of timed power to show women how very powerful we can be.”

Lua might have been declared a dead art in 1970, Michelle continues to fight not only for her art, but for herself and other women. “Female Cannibalism” is one of the topics she’s most passionate speaking about and empowering women with the tools to combat this epidemic.
I had the pleasure of sitting and discussing with Michelle, many of the different theories on how this behavior begins or manifests amongst female associates. The theories range from jealousy to a lack of female matriarchs to help guide young females—or it even being female nature.

Michelle’s theory is,
“The woman that feels jealous or threatened by another woman lets her insecurities get the best of her. Whether it is age, beauty, brains, better technique, fluid forms, higher rank or more expensive handbag, something snaps and switches internally. In that instant, she declares war and destruction upon her target of the moment.”

The truth is I believe it’s a mixture of all of them.

Young female practitioners in an unhealthy state of mind that is natural of female nature and missing a matriarch presence to guide them through it. Either way, we as martial artists must remember our training is equal parts physical and mental. When we train, we are reminded that outside of the dojo we cannot choose who our attackers are and how they may attack us and we should prepare for any attack.
Should preparing ourselves for a mental attack be no different?

Michelle’s advice on countering female cannibalism is thus,
“I say that life is a martial arts technique. You have a choice in how you respond. Do you just stand there, freeze and get pummeled? Will you choose to get out of the way and perry block. Or, will you move, perry, and counter? In the instances of Female Cannibalism, we have options. Take it, say nothing, and endure the attack; Maneuver gracefully and kick it up a notch while ignoring but aware; or call the insecure woman out on the mat? Each bully and instance is different. Each takes care, feminine finesse, and timing. Each takes being wholly connected to yourself and what your inner woman says is right for you to be and do in each situation. Trust yourself and never apologize for who you are and for working towards being a better you. Be aware though. While being attacked, it is common to want to destroy the bully in return. I've been there and had to put myself in a submission hold. Less noise and collateral damage is always better when dealing with unpleasantness. Be lovingly firm while never tolerating poor behaviors of others.”

We are the ones with the power to choose if this mental attack will or will not affect us.

As Martial Artists, we are taught to confront threats but perhaps our greatest weapon may become empathy. Especially if our attacker is our fellow Martial Arts sisters. In this case, it’s not about countering and attacking but remembering another reason we take Martial Arts....

Self-Awareness

Self-Love

 Self-Empowerment

]]><![CDATA[Kenpo Girl visits the Dojang...]]>Wed, 07 Dec 2016 06:27:13 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/kenpo-girl-visits-the-dojangIt has been over a year since I got back on the mat and continued my study of Kenpo Karate.

I was so enthusiastic to be back on the mat as an adult and to have a new and mature perspective of martial arts. As you advance in our system, our self-defense begins to focus on complicated attacks from an attacker with martial arts training. It’s natural and crucial when we discuss these attacks that we discuss the systems they would originate from. For the longest time that was the only exposure I had to other systems and Dojos.

Then one day a group of us students were invited by my instructor to accompany him to Oregon to participate in a seminar. This was the first time I had ever been to another dojo. I loved speaking to the students; discussing techniques, sparring, and our general love of Martial Arts.

It was my inspiration to start Kenpo Girl.

My extended Kenpo family in Toledo, Oregon.

My ultimate goal being to create not only a forum for different Martial Artists to discuss their love for the art but also to expand my education. I have had the honor of meeting Martial Artists in Kung-Fu, Hungar Kung-Fu, American Kenpo, Kempo, Muay Thai, Sumo and even professional mixed martial artists.

Yet I hadn’t had the opportunity to speak with anyone from the Taekwondo system.

I jumped on the opportunity to travel to San Francisco and meet Rick St. Clair a 7th Dan in Taekwondo, owner of St. Clair's Taekwondo and distributor of Don “The Dragon” Wilson's t-shirt line called Traditionz.

Kenpo Girl & Rick St. Clair at St. Clair Taekwondo

I knew next to nothing about Taekwondo...

Accept, that they are dominantly known for Kicks and competing in the Olympics. I had grown up in Martial Arts somewhat skeptical of Taekwondo.

When Taekwondo or TKD was ever brought up I found myself wondering the following:

If the study of Taekwondo was limited to a certain age and body type?
How could it be considered an effective form of self-defense if you only kick?

That could knock anyone out.

One of the reasons I study American Kenpo is because I have always felt anyone can participate and learn Kenpo. We have students that start at age 4 and others at 50. At our dojo students can vary in size from Heavy weights to bean poles. I found myself questioning Taekwondo because of their kicks, especially head kicks, require a large range of flexIbility.

So would being a contortionist or gymnast be a prerequisite?

When I met up with Mr. St. Clair at his dojang (dojang is Korean for dojo) in the Parkside neighborhood of San Francisco. He had brought two of his black belts to do demonstrations for me. As they demonstrated some of their stretching and spinning kicks Mr. St. Clair clarified for me,
“Any kick in any system can work and it doesn't have to be a high kick. However flexibility does help so we do spend quite a bit of time stretching.”

I think it’s safe to say any system should support stretching because Martial Arts is not just about hitting people but also physically and mentally preserving your body. Yet for Taekwondo, when you add in the competitions, stretching becomes a necessity.

The majority of my education on Taekwondo is based off of Taekwondo’s #1 publicity...
The Olympics.

Taekwondo first appeared in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea as a demo but wouldn’t be accepted as an Olympic sport until the 2000, Sydney Olympics. The most recent buzz in the martial arts community was Karate being accepted for the 2020 Tokyo, Japan Olympics. There are currently only 4 martial arts represented in the olympics: Taekwondo, Judo, Wrestling and Greco-Style Wrestling.

With Karate being added into the mix, would the popularity of Taekwondo decrease and would there be a decrease of students drawn to Taekwondo?

Mr. St. Clair said he had been disappointed in the caliber of fights in the Taekwondo section of the Olympics this year in 2016 but was reassuring that,
“I don't feel Karate being introduced to the Olympics would affect the popularity of Taekwondo. In fact, I’m confident Taekwondo will always be in the Olympics and am excited about karate being in it.”

The art will forever more be engraved with Olympic history...

Yet the art was originally formed for self-defense during the 1940s and 50s as a combination of Karate, different Chinese and Korean Martial Arts. Within that period of time, Taekwondo was not only created into a National sport but also adapted for use in the South Korean Military. During the Vietnam war, American veterans became exposed to TKD due to its high almost cultish popularity in South Vietnam. Over the years, TKD has had some adjustments due to the military influence by adding more lethal elements to the art.

Captain Nam Tae Hi, standing at the microphone, directs a taekwondo demonstration in 1958 for members of the National Armed Forces of Korea

Nonetheless,
Mr. St. Clair’s students are not militants but regular teenagers who want to better defend themselves on the streets. He has adapted their training by exposing his students to other systems and styles,
“I make sure my students have a plan B, we do ground fighting as well as weapons training. If they (his students) has to pick up a stick, they know how to use it.”

Two of Rick St. Clair's students:
Ms. Kaela Lee, 17 years old & 1st Dan
Mr. Daniel Uribe, 16 years old & Black belt.

Mr. St. Clair has his students do some cross training but he is adamant they do not forget the history or culture behind TKD. He requires his students to not only know the history of TKD but the language. All students must learn cues and basic parts of the Korean language as well as the history of their art to earn their black belt. In Martial Arts, there will always be knowledge passed down from generation to generation, regardless of their system or rank.

The South Korean flag has become vastly associated with TKD.

This is the one thing that McDojos are unable to duplicate...

McDojo’s are known fake dojos that attempt to mimic real Dojo’s in various systems to exploit students for money. McDojo’s base their knowledge and education off of YouTube videos and popular choreographed martial arts films and there is no understanding or background knowledge to the history of the system/style or the theory of the physical or mental application of the art.

We have to remember that although we might achieve black belt, the lessons will never end...

That’s the beauty of Martial Arts and the journey we have chosen to travel. This is also something to take into consideration when searching for a proper Dojang or Dojo. Anytime a Martial Artist tries to tell you that time and tradition isn’t an element in earning a black belt...

You should tuck tail and run.

I would really like to thank Mr. Rick St. Clair for inviting me to his Dojang and enlightening me on the Taekwondo system.

]]><![CDATA[The importance of sparring...]]>Fri, 21 Oct 2016 05:01:45 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/the-importance-of-sparringWhen I was younger and first started training, self-defense techniques and katas were strongly encouraged but not sparring.

It wasn’t until I was an adult that I started sparring and fell in love with it. Yet, the first couple of months were kind of rough as I started to apply everything I had learned and practiced into a full contact scenario.

Kenpo Girl sparring for her 3rd Brown belt.

For the longest time, when people saw my bruises from sparring, their expressions would go from concerned to shocked and slightly taken aback. They would ask,

“You let men hit you?”

“Only after I hit them first,” I would try to laugh it off but the humor was totally lost to them and I began to realize that not only sparring—but women sparring—was considered so taboo.

I keep telling people, but no one seems to believe me.

Little do they realize that sparring is equally crucial in Martial Arts as practicing katas and techniques.

When I attended a large tournament this summer, I was super excited to meet other martial artists who were equally as passionate about sparring as I am. One of these competitors is fellow Kenpo sister, Heather Flessing.

Heather Flessing, 2nd Degree Black belt in Kenpo and 1st Place winner for
Women's Black Belt Sparring.

Heather is a 2nd degree black belt in American Kenpo and has been training for 7 years. When she first started Kenpo, she started sparring right away and explained,

“I began sparring about 2 months after I started Kenpo. Sparring looked exciting, and I wanted to have a practical application for some of the techniques I was learning in Kenpo.”

That was the same reason I decided to start sparring as an adult. I had been hesitant at first because I had a lower back injury and was worried after years of rehab that I would injure it again. When I brought my concerns up with my Sifu he urged that our sparring night wasn’t a full out fight night like you would see in the movies, but that each student practiced control with one another.

We fix what we break,
Mr. H helping Ms. A after accidentally hitting her in the nose.

My Sifu also reminded me,
“Learning karate isn’t just about learning to punch and kick someone, it is learning to take a punch or a kick because in a real fight—they’re going to punch and kick you.”

Heather believes sparring is important because it allows you to get your adrenaline going and see how to respond in a “real” attack situation. It goes back to the reason Martial Arts was developed—self-defense. We have to look realistically in a fight our attackers are not going to just stand there and allow us to break their bones.

If only it were that simple.

She also explained why it is so vital for women in particular to spar,

“I definitely think it’s important for women to learn to spar because when you spar, you learn how to take a hit. Generally, women do not play sports where they make contact with others in a way that might knock the wind out of them or cause them pain. If they do not know how it feels or how to react when someone punches them in the stomach or face, they won’t be as capable of defending themselves in a real-life situation.”

Though the probability of a woman being attacked might seem unlikely… According to the Criminal Victimization Report but the Bureau of Justice Statistics,

The rate of serious violent victimization for females increased from 19.1 per 1,000 persons in 2014 to 21.1 per 1,000 persons in 2015.

For more scary statistics please visit the Bureau of Justice Statistics website.

It was common when I first started sparring for people to see my fore arms bruised up and automatically assume my boyfriend was beating me. When I told them I was a Martial Artist and it was from sparring, they concluded I must enjoy fighting and be a violent and hard woman.

For a while I became self-conscious of this. I dreaded wearing short sleeved shirts and shorts, exposing my discolored forearms and shins.

Kenpo Girl all bruised up.

Some people were appalled that men at my Dojo were hitting me. Yet for anyone that has been to my dojo they would know the males do not enjoy hitting women and are very respectful towards their female peers.

I was told once,
“They should hit you—if anything they should hit you harder because a rapist isn’t going to worry about how hard he’s hit you when he’s assaulting you.”

I finally began to accept my bruises as badges of honor and began to openly discuss them, calling them my “Kenpo kisses.”

Heather’s advice for anyone thinking of learning to spar is,

“Though sparring might seem scary, it is an important part of self-defense. If your reason for learning martial arts is to be prepared in a self-defense situation, sparring is essential.”

Heather Flessing competing at the Long Beach International Martial Con 2016

There are many people that enjoy sparring so much they compete at tournaments but we have to remember whether we want to compete or train for survival, sparring is crucial to our Martial Arts Development.

Regardless of system, there is always a portion we favor. Yet we have to remember that each portion or aspect of our system is there to build on each other. The sparring cannot be without the basics and the basics are just pretty movements until applied. Anyone can be taught the movements in the air, but learning how to apply it is what distinguishes Martial Artists from Dancers.

]]><![CDATA[A Tournament's Subconscious Growth]]>Thu, 13 Oct 2016 19:28:58 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/a-tournaments-subconscious-growthI grew up in a highly competitive family.

My mother, Heather Greenwood, competed in the very first World Games and the Second World Games and not only won gold in her events in swimming but also beat a Worlds Record. If that isn’t enough I also have family members that have competed at the Olympics and professionally internationally.

Old picture of my mom, the 1975 Gold metalists tested positive for steroids bumping her up to the Gold Metalist.

Old news clipping of my mom.

Unfortunately, the genetic competitive drive in my family is almost impossible to shut off. Simple family events where always laced with an antagonistic contest of who can be the best at literally anything. Simple tasks such as eating dinner would quickly become a contest of who can eat the most. Simple discussions become arguments because no one can afford to be wrong and lose.

Family game night was banned with the fear that a simple card game could easily become a reenactment of an old western saloon bar brawl.

The short answer I give people when they ask if I compete in tournaments…

The competitiveness of my family destroyed me on competing.

When I went to watch my first tournament, The Long Beach International Martial Con, my intentions were to photograph the event and socialize with the participants and at absolutely no point compete.

The Dojo I train at primarily focuses on self-defense and Eskrima rather than point sparring and tournament katas. I was excited to attend due to the significance behind it. The Long Beach International Martial Con was originally the Long Beach International Karate Championships and was founded by Grand Master Ed Parker Sr.

For Martial Artists living under a rock, Ed Parker was the founder of the American Kenpo System. He created the Long Beach Internationals in 1964. Many famous Martial Artists such as Chuck Norris, Benny “The Jet” Urquidez and “Superfoot” Bill Wallace have established their reputations as world class fighters at the Long Beach Internationals.

It became an annual event and in 1967 Bruce Lee was introduced for the first time to the Martial Arts community and demonstrated his one-inch punch and two finger push-ups

Bruce Lee demonstration at Long Beach Internationals.

It has been many years since the birth of the Long Beach Internationals and is now known as the Long Beach International Martial Con and run by Steve Cooper. Yet I still expected to see finely tuned techniques, katas and good sparring. The first day was black belts, and when I looked at the schedule and saw 12 and under black belts, I will admit I was skeptical.

In my Lineage we have an age requirement of 16 to be a black belt. I’ve always agreed with this because I have always felt being a black belt is more than just skill. There’s a maturity and intellectual aspect I have always associated with being a black belt.

Maturity and Intellectual are not the first adjectives that come to my mind when talking about 12 year olds…

Yet these young girls wanted to speak with me to give advice and encourage other Martial Artists.

I spoke first to Trinity Harnden, 11 years old and black belt, who had started training when she was 5 years old. She started first competing when she was 6 years old. She had won 3rd in the Self-Defense Techniques that day. Her advice to student’s thinking of competing was,

“They need to follow their heart. Breathe in and out (during competition) and you’ll be fine.”

Trinity Harnden executing her self defense technique.

Pretty mature and intellectual for an 11 year old.

Another 11 year old Black Belt I spoke with was Briannah McGee. She won 1st in Weapons in the 12 and under age group. She started training with the Bo Staff around age 5 or 6 and has been competing from a young age,

“You need to just pretend its practice and breathe.”

Winners of the American Kenpo Self Defense 12 & Under Black belt.
(left) Second Place Mikaela Mata Morose, (center) First Place Briannah McGee, (right) Third Place Trinity Harnden.

This might sound like primitive advice for a seasoned martial artist, but for some students they should consider taking a leaf from these young girl’s books.
I watched many competitors shine in their victory I also saw many drowning in their loss. It was in the moment of water bottles flying and fists colliding with tables and doors, that I realized competitors were forgetting the true benefits and unconscious purpose of tournaments.

Tournaments aren’t just about winning trophies or plaques. Everyone has trophies, especially from tournaments that have been around as long as the Long Beach Internationals. My friend Skye Byerly a 15 year old Black belt in Shotokan and Taekwondo was competing at the Long Beach Internationals for the first time and said,

“It’s my first time here (Long Beach Internationals) but I’m making friends from all over and networking.”

Skye Byerly competing with her Bo Staffs

It’s about the experience.

It’s having the opportunity to spar someone you’ve never sparred before. It’s the opportunity of watching a Bo Staff twirl you never would have thought of. It’s the experience of meeting new people to share these experiences and your growth with.
I had the privilege of not just meeting these young black belts but getting to meet Bob White, 9th Degree Black belt, historical Tournament Champion and Hall of Famer.

Kenpo Girl with Bob & Barbara White

Everyone student who shows up and gets on the mat at these tournaments is already winners.

Everyone who shows up and gets on the mat at these tournaments is already winners. There are so many amazing fighters and movers that struggle finding the self-confidence to compete. Finding your confidence and self-reassurance is part of the battle not just for competing but in daily life. Some of the advice Skye gave as a competitor was,

“Don’t be afraid of people who have been competing for a while.”

We have to remember our ultimate goal is to be better than we were the day before.

]]><![CDATA[Martial Arts in Olympics]]>Wed, 24 Aug 2016 22:50:48 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/martial-arts-in-olympicsThe Summer Olympics happens every 4 years...

For some sports it is considered the pinnacle of competitions and an honor to represent not only their sport but their country. Many of the Martial Arts systems are not represented in the Olympics however Martial Artists still look forward to watching the wrestling, judo and Taekwondo.

While tuning in and watching these systems might not seem like such a big deal; not only does it show support for the athletes but it’s supporting Martial Arts being in the Olympics. Most spectators recognize the challenge to qualify as an athlete to compete in the Olympics but what spectators don’t realize is how challenging it is as not only to qualify a sport but to keep it recognized.

Wrestling is one of the oldest sports in the Olympics.

Yes... That old.

It was introduced in the Ancient games in 708 BC. Yet in the 1900 Summer Olympics, wrestling was not recognized. It wouldn’t be until the next summer Olympics that the Freestyle Wrestling would be reintroduced and have weight classes established. The sport was becoming further established when in 2004 women’s wrestling would be introduced.

Yet things took a turn for the worst.

The 2013 IOC or International Olympic Committee voted to remove wrestling starting with the 2020 Olympics.

How could that be?

It all comes down to money. The IOC had been under pressure to reduce events and athletes in each Summer Olympics do to the cost to host such events. The IOC started a program pertaining to “core sports”. “Core Sports” would be protected and continue in the Olympics, but the “non-core sports” would slowly be phased out.

Even after the program was implicated it still didn’t help, so after the London Olympics they re-evaluated the “core sports” again, reviewing studies and results of the London Olympics.

In 2013 the IOC Executive Board recommended wrestling be dropped.

The United World Wrestling immediately responded,

“We were greatly astonished by today’s recommendation of the IOC Executive Board not to maintain wrestling among the 25 core sports for the 2020 Olympic Games. We will take all necessary measures to convince the IOC Executive Board and IOC members of the aberration of such decision against one of the founding sports of the ancient and modern Olympic Games.”

Athletes would still be able to compete in the World Games but the United States wrestlers feared losing the chance of ever competing for Gold again. Wrestling and 7 other sports including Karate were reviewed as “non-core” sports, but wrestling was one of the very few that came out triumphant.

Nenad Lalovic, President of the UWW stated,

"Normally this is done in a few years, we did it in a few months. It was a question of our survival. We did all we could, we changed our sport and the federation was successful. We continue to work tomorrow.”

Some of the sports literally had to fight to be recognized.

Taekwondo started striving for the Olympics in 1974. In 1975 it was accepted for the World Games which is an international competition that recognizes non-Olympic sports. In the 1988 Korean Olympics and the 1992 Barcelona Spain Olympics it was a demonstration sport. At this time Taekwondo was already recognized by the World Cup, The Asian Games, All-Africa Games, and the Pan American Games but the Olympics wouldn’t accept it until the 2000 Sydney Australia Olympics.

One of the requirements to become an Olympic Sport is

To have a recognized international committee that oversees the sport, thus ensuring all athletes are competing under the same rules and regulations.

Tragically over the years it has been almost impossible to unite the organizations.

In 1970 the World Union of Karate-do Organizations was created, but it wouldn’t be until 1985 that the OIC would recognize the organization as the official board of karate.

At this point of time the World Union of Karate-do Organization or WUKO, attempted to unify with the International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF) to form the World Karate Federation, in hopes to finally become an Olympic Sport. The union was unsuccessful, causing the IOC to suspend its recognition of WUKO. When the union was unsuccessful the WUKO created the World Karate Federation or WKF.

It was finally in 2016, in Rio de Janeiro that the IOC announced that Karate would be a recognized and participating sport in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan

The politics and drama associated with organized sports can be trying at times.

Karate has had multiple organizations dating all the way back to 1961, yet because of our inability to unify and work together hundreds if not thousands of Karate enthusiasts have had to wait 59 years before being able to compete in the Olympics.

As a Kenpoist, I tend to view my system more as a self-defense system rather than a sporting system like Judo. Nonetheless, I always find myself watching the Judo, the Taekwondo and the Wrestling because these athletes are not just representing their sport and country…

They are representing our community.

Let's not forget a community is defined as a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

It’s another 4 years before the next Olympic Games and the Karate Community is already buzzing about the Tokyo Games and we should be happy for them because it has taken so many years and so much dedication to reach this point.

But let’s not forget, it’s not guaranteed that the Martial Arts will continue in the Olympics…

Especially if we don't support them.

]]><![CDATA[Cane Seminar for Veterans]]>Wed, 10 Aug 2016 20:12:57 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/cane-seminar-for-veteransIf you ask any martial artists why they study there are typically 2 answers; self-defense and to improve their quality of life.

Quality of life is defined as a standard of health, comfort, and happiness experienced by an individual or group. Generally this quality of life is obtained by maintaining health. Many believe the enhancement of strength and physique often provided by Martial Arts is limited to only youths…

But what about the other generations that study Martial Arts?
Are these benefits available to elderly or disabled students?

People in their 40’s to 70’s are essentially untouched by the Martial Arts Community, yet senior citizens are the most vulnerable age group for violent crimes. There is a stigma of weakness associated with the elderly or disabled but it’s considered worse when one of them requires a cane or ambulatory device.

It couldn’t be further from the truth.

Canes have not only been used as ambulatory devices for centuries but also as weapons. Bartitsu is a martial art and self-defense system that originated from England in 1898 to 1902 whose approach was to use canes and walking sticks as weapons. Yet Bartitsu was “Asian-influenced” meaning the Japanese, Chinese and various Oriental origins had worked with canes and walking sticks.

A fun fact: Sherlock Holmes knew Bartitsu.

There are now many different systems were the curriculum is specifically set up to assist students with physical disabilities and require either a cane or walking stick. Cane Masters is not only one of the world’s finest purveyor of custom made walking and combat canes but also instructional media pertaining to self-defense, exercise and rehabilitation while using a cane.

Robert Pilkington started Cane Masters in 2015 with knee and back problems.

Robert Pilkington: 2nd Dan in Kenpo, Shotokan and Taekwondo.
Developer of Cane Po.

He explained,
“After 9 months of training in the Cane Masters system, I went to my primary care physician for my annual check-up and he barely recognized me. I was standing up straight, not limping, was able to get up and down, had lost weight and my overall health had improved tremendously. “

With Cane Masters you can find information on various Cane Systems such as Cane Fu, Cane Chi, Silver Dragons and the American Cane System Belt Ranking System. Cane Masters has been active since the late 1980’s.

Their most recent non-profit program is changing lives.

The Cane Seminar for Disabled Veterans is a seminar structured to assist those who have lost limbs for our country. Many of the attendees have prosthetic limbs, are in wheel chairs or are suffering from PTSD.

Robert is also a Veteran,
“I also suffer from extreme PTSD, and when I train, it gets my mind off all my issues, and for a few hours I have some peace in my head.”

Many Veterans are used to working out on a regular basis.

Their lives depend on maintaining a healthy physique in battle, but when they are injured and return home the focus shifts from preventing injury to coping with injury. After seeing so many Veterans with disabled physically and mentally, Cane Master’s created the seminar in hopes they would help then by obtaining improving quality of life through exercise and boosting confidence with self-defense.

So far the Seminar has been a huge success and hundreds of Veterans have completed the course.

Bill believes the positive effects of the program are due to changing the frame of mind,
“If Veterans accept the challenges presented in the Cane Masters System, it will help them physically and mentally. It gives the veteran something to think about and study rather than the day to day misery that most of us suffer through, both physically and mentally.”

The program is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) through Homeland Heroes.

Homeland Heroes has been effective since December 2006. Every position is non-paid and strictly a time donation position. All monies and time goes directly to Veterans.

The program is perfect for Veterans and the ability for one to carry canes or walking sticks in public is protected under the American’s With Disabilities Act or ADA.

...“Covered entities must allow people with disabilities who use manual or power wheelchairs or scooters, and manually-powered mobility aids such as walkers, crutches, and canes, into all areas where members of the public are allowed to go...”

It doesn’t get any clearer than that.
The ADA allows disabled persons to carry canes and other ambulatory devices in public places such as restaurants, hospitals or even airports.

This program isn’t just assisting Veterans and the elderly...

Its tearing down a fallacy those Martial Arts is only for young athletic youths… It’s for everyone. Martial Arts were created to equalize and empower weaker opponents who had a greater chance at becoming a victim.

Programs like this are helping break down barriers.

Not just for their students but for those watching and curious. Programs like this, that the Martial Arts Community should be supporting, because they are executing the exact goal of Martial Arts.

SELF-EMPOWERMENT

No matter your age, physique, or mental capability… You’re quality of life will improve with self-empowerment.

As stated, the Cane Seminar for Disabled Veterans and Homeland Heroes are non-profit organizations that rely on donations. The donations given to the Cane Seminar for Disabled Veterans are what provide the combat canes for the Veterans participating. If you are interested in donating to the cause or are interested in Cane Masters a link is provided below.

Metroplex Military Charitable Trust

Homeland Heroes Foundation

Cane Masters

]]><![CDATA[Stereotyped Martial Arts: Sumo]]>Tue, 02 Aug 2016 19:47:21 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/stereotyped-martial-arts-sumoThere are many misconceptions and stereotyping in the Martial Arts community.

I recently went out to get groceries and was wearing one of my Dojo’s karate t-shirts. A man commented about my shirt and asked where I got it? I said it was my Dojo’s t-shirt. He was perplexed that it was my shirt AND that I do karate. When I asked why it was so hard to believe he said, in his exact words…

“Well… you—um— don’t look like you work out often.”

I’m not going to lie, I got my feelings hurt.
I’ve run into many misconceptions concerning Martial Arts but none are as prevalent as the stereotyping of body image. The two largest forms of exposure for Martial Arts is movies and Mixed Martial Arts such as UFC. It’s natural that the general public would automatically assume all female practitioners would look like Ronda Rousey.

Ronda Rousey former Olympian and UFC Champion...

Kenpo Girl: mother and karate instructor that likes cake.... and ice cream.

The truth is stereotyping can be found in every system.

Kenpoists are stereotyped as large middle aged men who love Elvis and Kung Fu practitioners are viewed as tiny Oriental people that wear pajamas. The only way to break stereotyping is educating yourself and not judging a book by its cover.

When I attended the 2016 Dragonfest in California I was introduced to the US Sumo Federation which demolished all misconceptions and stereotyping I had of Sumo. I had the honor of meeting Trustee Bill Gossett and Treasurer Americus Abesamis whom is also an actor and amateur Sumo competitor.

I learned the United States sent a team to the 1st World Championships in 1992 and created the US Sumo Federation, a non-profit organization serving as the governing body for amateur Sumo in the United States.

I was completely shocked to find out that Sumo was so popular in the United States that it would warrant an Organization such as the USSF. The USSF might be considered a small organization compared to other Martial Arts but they currently have over 600 members which includes approximately 100 active adult athletes and with about 100 active youth in competitions. There are numerous active sumo clubs in 15 states. They even have active students or Rikishi in states that do not have an established club yet.

I had a hard time wrapping my head around those numbers.
Whenever I thought about Sumo with my naïve mind; I pictured huge, obese, scantily clad Japanese men wrestling each other. I was blinded by one of the oldest stereotype of Sumo…

Size

The image I had in my mind had been painted by the Professional Sumo in Japan. In professional Sumo there are no weight divisions. Hence the theory—the bigger you are the better you will do. The amateur Sumo has different weight divisions for the Rikishi.

Tom Zabel, President of the USSF further explained,

“During our competitions and demonstrations we show people that our athletes come from a variety of ethnic, cultural, and sporting backgrounds. Many athletes come to the sport with a background in judo, freestyle wrestling, other grappling sports, bodybuilding, football, and mixed martial arts.

Sumo is a contact sport and can be very rough. That roughness keeps some people away and attracts others. An average match lasts just a matter of seconds. It’s amazingly explosive –that’s the reason people love to watch it. The burst of energy and adrenaline makes sumo as physically and mentally intense as any sport can be.”

Definitely not a sport or Martial Art for a lazy person. The USSF is trying to break all stereotypes of Sumo, especially to achieve their ultimate goal…

GOLD

Yes the ultimate goal of the International Sumo Federation (IFS) is to make Sumo an Olympic sport. The IFS has had to make some adjustments, which are changing the face of Sumo.

Any new sport admitted into the Olympics has to be open to both male and female. Thus, women are now invited to compete. The first female World Sumo Championships were in 2001. The USSF sent a full ladies team to the 2015 World Championships for the first time.

Mr. Zabel says,

“The biggest obstacle is the stereotype that sumo is for men and especially for the “big” men. It is slowly becoming more popular with the ladies, mainly due to the fact that they see that there are weight divisions and that there are some very athletic women that do sumo. It’s not just for “big” people.”

These are the battles of stereotypes the USSF and the IFS has had to battle.

The reason they are winning is because they have found the best way to reach out to people is through education. The USSF does demonstrations to help educate the public of their sport and culture.

To some it will always be some that will want to judge a book by its cover.

It’s easier in their mind set to draw up conclusions rather than to take time to educate themselves. You can’t fix stupid and it will drive you nuts trying too.

I study karate to level the playing field in the event I must defend myself and my son. Remember, it takes 25 pounds of pressure to break a smaller bone, it takes even less to break the nose, to pop out an eye ball or to simply crush the groin. I don’t plan on over powering an attacker. I plan on breaking them.

My Sifu always says, “Karate was made for women. It’s an equalizer.”

Don’t let anyone discourage you because you aren’t what they expected. Do what is best for you. Hold your head up with pride because you are one of the few making the attempt to better yourself.

I'm Jesalyn.
I’m a single mother.
I’m an artist and writer.
I fall into the Bantamweight division and like to eat cake.
I am one of the many faces of Martial Arts…

And proud of it.

]]><![CDATA[Martial Arts Mania]]>Wed, 20 Jul 2016 05:45:12 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/martial-arts-maniaWhen I started Kenpo Girl I had no idea the level of popularity it would have. My goal was to start and open discussion between all systems of Martial Arts about the passion we have for Martial Arts. I wanted an open dialog going on in the Martial Arts Community.

I discussed this recently with my good friend Debbie Goodman on her TV show, Martial Arts Mania.

Debbie Goodman (Left) Kenpo Girl (Right)

Debbie Goodman goes way back with Martial Arts. She was one of the many children inspired by the TV show “Kung Fu.” It wouldn’t be until her late 20’s that she decided to start taking lessons...

“I started with Shotokan Karate but it just didn’t do it for me. I tried a blended style which taught self-defense moves but there was no philosophy… I finally found John Cho’s Kung Fu school and felt it was a good fit for me."

Debbie got the idea for Martial Arts Mania in 1992 from a TV show out of San Francisco called,
"Kung Fu Theater."

The goal of the show was to invite Central California martial artists to come on the show and demonstrate their styles and talk about their schools.

In 2013, Debbie was nominated for a "Martial Arts Hall of Fame" award in Newport Beach. On this trip she attended a book signing at the Martial Arts History Museum in Burbank, CA and filmed the event and interviewed some of the martial arts celebrities that attended.

Soon Martial Arts Mania was the talk of Los Angeles but suddenly the show was facing an uncertain future. Martial Arts Mania’s co-producer, Eric Catlapp, in May 2013 was tragically killed.

“The show came to a screeching halt at that point and I wasn’t sure it would continue,” Debbie explained.

The show would go on. Bestina Mounenalath signed on as co-producer and help Debbie pick up the pieces, just in time to get a call from James Wilson. James Wilson is a film producer and wanted Debbie to interview his stars from his upcoming move, “The Martial Arts Kid.”

Debbie saw an opportunity and took it,
“I told him I'd been dying to get an interview with James Lew, and if he could get me an interview with James Lew, I'd come down when he was available, and whichever one of the stars was available on that day, I'd interview them. It turned into a dinner party at James Lew's house, and Don Wilson was the one that was available.”

Debbie been watching these two icons since the '80's. They graced the covers of many Martial Arts magazines at that time. James Lew has been in the film business since the early '70's, starting with the TV series "Kung Fu". Don “The Dragon” Wilson is not just an actor but a 10x World Champion Kickboxer. These two interviews would boost Martial Arts Mania’s popularity and would become Debbie’s most memorable interviews.

Don Wilson (Far Left) Debbie Goodman (Left Center)
James Lew (Right Center) James Wilson (Far Right)

Debbie says fans of Martial Arts Mania can look forward not just to more celebrities, but also more "home grown" Valley people such as "Kenpo Girl". Debbie plans on showing more "demonstration" type shows. She hopes one day her show might just be aired not just on a local channel but possibly a corperate one. Martial Arts Mania is currently featured on CMAC but can be viewed online.

Below is the links to CMAC and Martial Arts Mania.
You can also view "Kenpo Girls" interview on Martial Arts Mania below.

Martial Arts Mania

CMAC

]]><![CDATA[Do you Kung Fu?]]>Mon, 18 Jul 2016 19:46:55 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/do-you-kung-fuFor the last few months I have had the privilege of meeting many different students that study Kung Fu.

In all of my encounters I had discussed our similar passion and excitement for Martial Arts and how it had been affecting our lives for the better but I have to confess I knew next to nothing about Kung Fu. I had read various articles on Kung Fu that had me at times scratching my head. I couldn’t separate fact from fiction.

At a Martial Arts History Museum fundraiser I had the opportunity to meet not a student but a Founder of a style of Kung Fu, Douglas Wong. After lightly discussing his martial arts resume with me, I concluded this man definitely knew Kung Fu. But it wouldn’t be until a few weeks later that I sat down with his wife Carrie Ogawa-Wong at Dragonfest and got my Kung Fu facts straight.

Carrie Wong (left) Kenpo Girl (Center) Douglas Wong (right)

Sifu Carrie Ogawa-Wong was just the informative woman to set me straight. She is not just a wife, mother and martial artist but is also a 2005 inductee of the Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame, an author and a martial arts competitor. In 1980 she was competing nationally and was ranked number 2 female competitor in hand and weapon katas by the Star Rating System. She made a return from retirement in 1991 at the Tat Mau Wong’s International Kung-Fu Championship in San Francisco.

She has studied...

Aikido under Kensho Furuya
White Tiger under Master Doo Wai
Taiji under Master Wen-Mei Yu
Five Animal Sil Lum Kung Fu and Yau Kung Mon under Master Wilson Quan
Five Animal Sil Lum Kung Fu and Matrix under Master Tom Chan
Matrix under Master Al Garza
Kamishin Ryu (karate)

Sifu Carrie teaches Children's Kung Fu, Adult Kung Fu, Tai Chi Chuan, and private classes.
Some of her students include Kevin Sorbo “Hercules, the Legendary Journey”,
Lucy Lawless “Xena: Warrior Princess”
and Ryan Gosling “Young Hercules”

Carrie training with Lucy Lawless

When I sat down to talk to Carrie, I told her I had been so confused on all the different styles of Kung Fu. Carrie laughed,

“The easiest way I explain it is with cars. Kung Fu is a car and each style is a model. The styles are all different but in the end they are all Kung Fu.”

Yes apparently all cats know Kung Fu.

I confessed to her I didn’t know much about Kung Fu and what I probably did know was misconceptions. I was familiar with the fact that Kung Fu is not a belt system. I asked if societies fascination with belt systems had affected them?

Carrie explained, “When we weren’t doing regular testing none of the students ever asked about it but if you are an instructor that focuses on it then that’s what they (students) will focus on. The American society has a need for promotion, a need to show their progress.

“We had our curriculum situated were we were able to incorporate sashes very easily. I’ve found it helps the kids but... I tell my students I can take away a sash but not what you learn. What you learn becomes you and it can’t be taken away.”

There are so many different systems in Martial Arts, I asked what Kung Fu provided her that no other system did?...

She clarified, “With our style we try to stress the spiritual and physical training. I took karate first and when I took karate no one talked about breathing or inner energy. No one trained your chi.”

This was something I had read about, that Kung Fu focused on a spiritual energy. The definition of chi in Chinese refers to “air” or “breathing”. These are two different things but both are essential for a martial artists to establish an “energy,” which we transfer into power.

I frowned, the image of Kung Fu and power in my mind were conflicting ideas....

Carrie was quick to disprove this misconception, “I try to convey that the softness associated with Kung Fu is a misconception. I was the only female in the fighting class of 20 men. We had other students from other Kung Fu schools wanting to fight, so they would come and fight with us—full contact.”

After further discussing the topic, I was reminded that 10x World Champion Kick Boxer, Don Wilson got his start in Kung Fu. Doug has trained previous champions such as William Henderson and Alonzo “Lumpy” Young.

We could go on and on about the misconceptions of Kung Fu.

Perhaps some of it comes from the publicity Kung Fu receives from Martial Arts Films. Perhaps some just want to judge a book by its cover? Either way Kung Fu is not the only system or style riddled with misconceptions and delusions.

It leaves us in a quandary on what to do and what to say when confronted with these misunderstandings?

We have dedicated large amounts of time in our lives to study and as Carrie stated, that knowledge becomes us over time. As that knowledge grows we in turn become the face and representative of that system we love so much. People are naturally going to be curious of our passion and the system we are studying. The first thing we can do is not get upset or continue to pass on false information.

Smile and remember you could be speaking to a future fellow scholar.

]]><![CDATA[Dragonfest 2016]]>Sun, 10 Jul 2016 18:20:13 GMThttp://www.kenpogirl.com/articles/dragonfest-2016I attended my first ever Martial Arts convention called Dragonfest.

Dragonfest is an annual fundraiser for the Martial Arts History Museum. The convention hosts a variety of booths. For $25 guests can meet local instructors to discuss their systems and styles, shop various items ranging from Japanese style art to knives and even Gi’s and of course meet various celebrities.

When I first arrived it was a bit of a culture shock. The mixture of the variety of booths, the Taiko drums and lion dancers were an adrenaline rush and slightly overwhelming. There was a stage available for demonstrations, performances and a live auction. There was a large diversity of systems, some I hadn’t even thought about seeing at a Martial Arts convention such as the United States Sumo Federation and Michelle Manu a Hawaiian Weaponry specialist. It was while I was first walking around that I met Robin Hart.

Robin Hart is the Owner of Muay Thai School USA and is the only female professional promoter in the USA that has brought some of the best Muay Thai fighters from around the world to the USA. Robin found out about Dragonfest after her and her Summer Junior Muay Thai Camp students visited the Martial Arts History Museum. She told me, “The networking here is amazing. It’s awesome to be a part of the Martial Arts Community.”

And what a community it is ranging from Muay Thai, Kenpo to Kung Fu and even Sumo. Robin reassured,
“Even though there’s not a traditional belt system (in Muay Thai) we still have advancements like any other system. When people are deeply involved with Martial Arts they have a deep respect for each other regardless of the system.”

As I walked and talked I found that I could have a thorough conversation with anyone about Martial Arts. I sat down and spoke with Carrie Ogawa-Wong, 2005 inductee into the Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame, White Lotus Kung Fu Master and instructor at the White Lotus Kung Fu Studio. Her and her husband Doug Wong (Founder of White Lotus Kung Fu and Author) were selling his books, t-shirts and handing out information on their Dojo.

Carrie has attended every Dragonfest, minus the very first one. As a veteran to the convention she said, “It’s great that once a year we get to see our olds friends in the different systems that we have in a way grown up with.”

She insists,
“Anyone can attend, there’s a little bit of everything in the Martial Arts culture here. People can be so limited on the culture of Marital Arts so it’s good to attend.”

I ran into fellow Kenpoists Marissa and Minh Mach at Ed Parker Jr.’s booth and asked them what they thought about their first visit to Dragonfest?

Marissa had thought it would be smaller, “I didn’t expect it to be this big and with all the notable Martial Artists here. It’s awesome and we appreciate the varieties (systems/styles).”

There were many notable Martial Artists present for the event; from Ed Parker Jr., Don “The Dragon” Wilson and Cynthia Rothrock. One of the celebrities I had the opportunity to speak with is Al Leong, actor from Die Hard and Big Trouble in Little China Town. He had attended last year as well and told me, “This is a better location, it keeps getting bigger. This brings a lot of different people together and different styles together.”

Yet these meetings are not just limited to a photo op and autographs. I spoke with Mr. Leong about his book “The Eight Lives of Al “Ka-Bong” Leong,” which tells the story in vivid detail of his career in film and stunt work. At each celebrity booth, guests can purchase memorabilia, have the celebrity sign and then discuss and talk with them and this is all possible because everyone here is approachable.

Towards the end of the day I was able to meet up with the one and only Cynthia Rothrock. Cynthia is a Martial Arts Film actress that is heavily involved with the Martial Arts History museum. She has attended every Dragonfest.
She explained,
“The Martial Arts History Museum is sponsoring this where you can meet actors and other Martial Artists, there’s entertainment and knowledge for everyone. Everyone here is so friendly and it gets bigger and bigger each year.”

Cynthia explained that anyone can enjoy Dragonfest. She studies 5 different forms of Martial Arts: 3 Chinese systems and 2 Korean systems. She says anyone interested in starting Martial Arts could attend and see the various demonstrations and speak to the different practitioners to determine what system is best for them.

The truth is I was slightly skeptical about attending Dragonfest.

I had envisioned a group of mainstream pretend Martial Artists running around in some costume and swinging fake Samurai swords at each other…

It wasn’t that way at all. Everyone had pride in their system and style and where excited to be at an event where they could discuss their passion for the art. The Martial Arts History Museum might have hosted the event, but it is the passion we all share for the study and art of Martial Arts that brought us there and kept us captivated.

Though this event may be overwhelming for some, I would greatly encourage anyone to attend. This event was an eye opener to the idea of having support not just in your dojo and your own system but to reach out to other various systems.

The physical training may vary but the spiritual journey is all the same.

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My Sifu after being promoted to 8th Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate.(Left) Grand Master Huk Planas, (Left/Center) Sifu Jesalyn Harper, (Right/Center) Sifu JR Diaz, (Right) Sifu Marty Zaninovich

​Some systems do not have a belt ranking to distinguish mastery. However, no matter what system or style there is still a hierarchy established. ​

​But this aspect to Martial Arts goes psychologically deeper...