Masters Training Video Trailer

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Self-Control

Tip #6: Avoid Complaining

Self-Control

Tip#6: Decide to be positive rather than negative.

Self-Control

Tip#5: Be on time!

Self-Control

Tip #4: Self-Control is shown by playing attention and following instructions.

Self-Control

Tip #3: Learn one activity well before starting a new one.

ATA Black Belt Nationals

2010 Black Belt Nationals will be held in Dallas, Texas on January 14 - 16. This tournament is open to all junior and adult black belts 1st decided and above. Competition will be Friday and Saturday. A complete schedule is available at ataonline.com . The host hotel is the Hilton Anatole Dallas, 2201 Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75207. Rate is $139.00 per night. Call Sandy 501-568-2821 for reservations

Self-Control

Tip #2: Show self-control by putting things where they belong after you are finished using them.

November Life Skill

SELF-CONTROL: Taking control of the way you behave.

Tip #1: Self-Control helps you focus on achieving your goals.

Action Photos Online - Springfield Tournament

In case you missed it before, here is a link that will take you to the photos taken by Mike Williams Photography. Questions about photos, please direct to  mike@shoots4u.com.

ACTION PHOTOS ONLINE

First Knowledge Stripe

We will be testing for the first knowledge stripe this week. Students will need to understand and demonstrate the following information to earn their first stripes.

• Tiger's: Confident attitude, improved level of effort and punches, side & front kicks.
• White - Yellow belt's: Side & front kicks, knifehand strike, punch, and high, low & innerforearm blocks
• Camo-Purple belt's: Reverse, spin, step reverse & step spin side kicks, twin innerforearm block and sparring stance.
• Blue-1BR belt's: Blocks (Low X, ridgehand, knifehand square, side high/low) Strikes (palm heel, reverse upward elbow, upset knifehand, knee) twin upset punch & head grab, Crescent kicks (jump reverse, jump spin, step jump reverse and step jump spin)

Eye Contact and Focus: Accuracy in the martial arts is a crucial skill to develop. It is essential for self-defense techniques to be effective. The black belt attributes of eye contact and focus have three aspects that receive special attention in our training. The first is directional, keeping eye contact on the target even when it or you are moving. The second is target training which is concentrating your aim on a precise area or point. The third aspect is penetration or aiming beyond the target to strike with greater force.

Regional Tournament

Click here to visit regional blog page and view photos.
REGION 115/Spfd Tournament

Springfield Regional Tournament: Sept. 18th & 19th. See the website for staging times. The Academy will be closed on Friday and Saturday. Come to Remington's Entertainment Complex and see what all the excitement is about.

No Classes on Monday. Enjoy the Holiday!

TMNT Road Trip Comes to Springfield

We had around 550 guests at our special event. We gave out 600 pieces of pizza, 120 TMNT books, and we said hello to 10 new members to our local ATA family. KOLR 10 TV came out for a quick interview and stayed to shoot footage of the event. The storms held off until the event was over (see, I told you so), and everyone had a great time. Michelangelo was a big hit with the kids and even a bigger hit with all of us who have been watching for the past 25 years.

Here is a link to see photos of the event:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/master_harman/sets/72157619445829839/

Thanks to everyone who helped make this a success.

10 Worst & 10 Best Foods

You have GOT to read this! We all talk about eating right, and we sometimes eat things that we don't think can be that bad. Take a look at this top 10 list. They name names. Follow this link or paste it into your browser:  http://www.cspinet.org/nah/10foods_bad.html

Goal Setting

You must set goals. The holidays are a perfect time to begin planning for the following year. Whether you call them New Year's resolutions, or your 2009 goals, it's important you have a destination in mind to help guide some of your choices. Here are a few suggestions: you can set goals in your professional life, for your family, health & fitness, other relationships, personal growth. Goals need to follow some guidelines to work.

Remember S.M.A.R.T. :

Specific

Motivating

Achievable

Relevant

Trackable

First step - set a goal to set your goals. Give yourself a deadline and reward yourself for meeting that deadline. Start small and build. You can do it!

More Fitness Info!

YOU HAVE GOT TO READ THIS ARTICLE!!

http://www.beachbody.com/product/331.do?code=news_331_obesity#article

If you can't click right on the link, copy and paste it into your browser bar.

This article has interesting stats and studies. Guess what? Exercise is the single most important thing when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight. Go figure . . . where have we heard that before?

Fitness Goals

Every one of you should have these. Take personal responsibility for a higher level of fitness. Try doing this at home: see how many full sit ups you can do in a minute or how many you can do before you can't continue; do the same for push ups (toes or knees - do your best). Do this exact same evaluation 2 -3 times a week. I guarantee you'll feel positive results within a week or two. Try to keep this up for 30 days and hopefully you build some good habits with the routine.

Other things you can/should try: get 8 hours of sleep, drink more water and less soda, stay away from bizarre diets, and you must become more active! You cannot achieve a higher level of fitness without getting off the couch. Walk an hour, bike an hour, play basketball for an hour, train in your martial arts class for an hour, lift weights for an hour . . .  get the picture?

15-20 minutes of exercise might be a popular idea or movement, however, it won't get you the results you want. An hour of intense exertion several times (3-5) per week is what you want.

Now before you get discouraged, just try one of these things. Perhaps you'll try cutting out soda for a month. Perhaps you are going to try and do some sit ups and push ups. Just do something!

We're all capable of achieving great things, we just have to decide to do them.

If you are not in a uniform yet, come see me and we'll get you fixed up for classes, you'll be glad you did, guaranteed.

Chief Master MK Lee to Visit

November 22, 2008, Chief Master MK Lee, 8th Degree Black Belt, will visit ATA Martial Arts of Springfield. He will conduct several leadership training sessions for all registered students. Time will be given for autographs after the training. Event hosts Master Richard Harman, 6th Degree Black Belt and Mrs. Kelly Harman, 5th Degree Black Belt. 

This will be an exciting experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity, I hope everyone has a chance to take advantage of his visit.