Yesterday as I was walking out of the post office at Balmain a man walking past me caught my attention. Just for an instant I looked at him and him at me….I thought, “wow what an interesting hair cut and hey, tattoos…he is covered in them, he is not the usual person you would see walking the street in Balmain.”
What if?
What if? The possiblities are endless? You have a choice in each action, to open and embrace uncertainty or to be a prisoner to your own limitations.
A couple of quick questions for you….
Would you like your child to be getting great results at school?
Would you like your child to get into OC or selective high school?
Do you want a private school education for your child, fully paid for?
Little is known about Daito Ryu Aiki Ju jutsu in the West. Even in Japan, it has long been considered a relic of a pre war era, at best the poor cousin of its modern day cognate Aikido, but nothing could be further from the truth.Daito Ryu has always been a conservative and some what secretive martial art. Its most famous exponent Takeda Sokaku only ever taught people of high social standing such as politicians, teachers, police or military people.
The first night I worked as a bouncer was at a popular night club in Sydney city in the early 80′s . At that time this particular nightclub was probably THE place to be seen when discos were at their peak of popularity. I did not need the money as I was working full time, I was just really keen to put myself under pressure to see how I would react. I was 22 years old, a black belt, and could handle myself pretty well…or so I thought.
When I was 24 I left the shores of Sydney and did not land again until I was 40 years old. I spent 16 years travelling, training and learning. By the time I was 24 I was already a Black Belt with many years experience and had competed many times. In a way I had out grown the local martial arts scene and was yearning for new challenges. So the best way for me to train, travel and earn a living was to become a flight attendant for Qantas.
Did you think that it was going to be easy? Did you think that Martial Arts was going to be like any other sport, pastime or hobby? I keep saying time and time again that martial arts is more than just a physical movement. Martial arts is marketed as a body , mind, spirit, way to health but most if not all martial arts teachers fall short of the mark and have no idea what the mind/ spirit part entails.
For a while there I would do anything for experience….Some times I would go to great lengths to see if I really had what it takes and to push my martial arts training to the limits. Upon getting my Black Belt at 21, I soon found myself craving real life fighting experience. Not that I was violent or aggressive, I just needed to see how I would handle myself under pressure, see how I would react, see if my training would survive in the street.
Do martial arts hang onto their traditional roots just for the sake of it?Does it enhance or impinge your learning experience?
What would it do to martial arts if there were no uniforms, no stances, no bowing etc? Have a think about how you would feel?
Over the last few years many men and women, children and parents have seen the value in training in a martial arts program that is easy to learn, gets you fit, is fun and there is no risk of injury. It is also a great way to meet new people. Women too are enjoying the benefits of martial arts, at Northstar Martial Arts we are 50% women.
Are the days of the good samaritan over? You see a man hitting a woman on the street. You have never met these people before…
What would you do and why? As in all conflict the age old advice “look before you leap” is probably the best option before launching into something that you have no real idea of what is actually happening.
So many people profess to love you and say they are loyal yet the first sign that their ego may be threatened and they will cut your throat, metaphorically speaking of coarse. Here is a news flash for most people are loyal only to the wims of their own ego! And what exactly is this ego anyway. In a nut shell, its all that you think that you are..more on that later!
There was a time when just being a Black Belt you were considered an expert, a lethal fighting machine, able to control your body and perform almost super natural feats of strength. The Black Belt is an important beginning, the first rung on the ladder, and there is no doubt that it is a mark of excellence.
With the modernisation of martial arts, there has been an explosion of hybrid style competitions that are now far more popular than boxing or any other combat sports. Competitions such as UFC and Pride in Japan, have taken blood sports to the next level. They call these kind of competitions “Mixed Martial Arts.”
Watch the attached video and share your comments. Read more…
50 possible ways of cutting 100 calories a day
50 possible ways of cutting 100 calories a day
Reaching our weight loss goal needn’t be as difficult as it may seem. The secret to losing weight successfully is making small and progressive lifestyle changes until we develop completely new lifestyle habits and achieve our ideal weight.
Here are 50 painless ways to cut 100 or more calories a day:
Powerful Women Who Inspire…
Cynthia Parr
Cynthia stars in a documentary about her life called “By your side” due to be screened soon.
What does not change?
Happiness is a base line that we all would like to have as a constant in our lives. Yet it can be here one minute and gone the next. Why is that so?
8 ways to improve and take control of your life
As we get close to our first Super Session Grading on 28th March, I thought that I would check in with you to see how your preparation is going. Have you registered yet? Have you made the commitment? Gradings are great for self improvement. As Northstar develops lifestyles and not fighters, use your grading preparation to hone all aspects of your life.
Between now and grading as well as getting physically fit, lets also overlay some of the mental and emotional qualities we practice at Northstar.