Fighting diabetes with Empower Martial Arts coming to Fayetteville, N.C.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the martial arts solution Fayetteville, N.C.

Many people know that martial arts are a great tool for fitness, self-defense, confidence, and stress relief, but did you also know that it has helped many adults and military, with PTSD? For most military soldiers, martial arts is a great therapy alternative for combat veterans looking to overcome PTSD. Trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk has also observed that self-defense and martial arts classes can be good adjuncts to trauma therapy. Learning self-defense in a discplined invironment can be a good way to ease soldiers back into society. The physical and emotional components breed a positive effect upon dealing with unconscious emotions, and bringing back a feeling of calm and healing that goes deeper than words. EMA knows the importance of monitoring students and looking for signs of anger, stress, confusion, and depresion. If you have any questions e-mail tj_holgerson@hotmail.com or call (913)-754-6570.

Martial Arts and the link to improving sports Fayetteville N.C

Having grown up playing almost every sport under the sun even action sports such as skateboarding, wakeboarding, and BMX biking, there are huge elements to improve all sports within martial arts. Every sport requires balance, focus, timing, and strength along with many others. EMA’s taekwondo class is designed to equip students with these attributes all while learning important life skills such as courtesy, integrity, respect, and perseverance to maintain discipline. Sure soccer and football are good ways to stay in shape. Unfortunately though, many of these sports fail to educate their players on how to stretch and strengthen the muscles properly while protecting joints resulting in injuries. This is where EMA can help! Each class will not only focus on correct technique, but will also educate you on how and when to use the moves taught, making sure you get the art in martial arts. For more information on how EMA can improve more aspects of everyday living contact me at tj_holgerson@hotmail.com.

Two simple tips on Self-Defense that could save your life

Ready? 

1. Eat MINDFULLY. Eating without paying attention causes you to eat the wrong things and/or too much food. Doing either (or both) could, as they say, “take the shine off your shoes.” Heart disease, diabetes, and all sorts of ailments await the person who doesn’t practice mindful eating. Look to the video, below, for for some mindful eating basics (it’s Harvard Professor, Dr. Lilian Cheung, co-author of Savor, Mindful Eating, Mindful Life): The video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emd9q6_o6Z0 

2. The self-defense expert Sanford Strong, author of Strong on Defense, sets forth four survival rules that everyone should know if faced with a dangerous situation or attack:

●        React immediately

●        Resist,

●        Avoid crime scene #2

●        Never give up. 

Want more? (We want you to want more!)

Fall is rapidly approaching and EMA can’t wait to teach you how to use the most functional and practical self-defense Fayetteville has to offer! For more information or questions e-mail tj_holgerson@hotmail.com.

Martial Arts and Violence Fayetteville, N.C.

Every now and then new students or parents walk into the doors of a martial arts school and have questions rolling through their heads. “Will this make my child violent? How will my child know when to use his/her training?” Some schools get so focused on tournaments and making sure that students are ready for testing that they lose sight of much more important issues.  

One of the ways EMA will be monitoring this topic is by tracking students’ progress in taekwondo class as well as grades and attitude at school. Each testing cycle, every student must earn permission to test by showing good behavior at school, taekwondo class, home, and work. Students cannot test unless they are asked by an instructor. 

Violence can also be put into many different categories and perceived several ways, everything from children pushing each other down in football to fist fights by the flag pole. EMA covers all types of self-defense but most importantly covers how to keep conflicts from becoming violent.  

If you have any further questions regarding if you or your child is being violent, e-mail me at tjholgerson@gmail.com or call (913)-754-6570. I am SUPER excited to bring EMA to your town this fall!

Sexual assault can happen anywhere, anytime… are you prepared?

Below is an article and police report of a woman who was sexually assaulted by a man who broke into her apartment. I’m not posting this to scare you. Assault and rape are scary enough in and of themselves. Living day to day, counting all the things you do correctly, and convincing yourself that it will not happen to you is the real problem. These are false securities, such as: I’m in good standings with most of my family, I don’t have any ex-boyfriends that want to hurt me, the neighborhood I live in is fairly safe, etc...

This article is a great example of being completely caught off guard and having no game plan ready for action. Becky Laing quotes “I'm nervous because I just had a baby. So, I just went out and bought some pepper spray”. NEWS FLASH: pepper spray can just as easily be used against you and the chances of you being able to pull it out of your purse, remove the safety switch, aim, and shoot while your SNS (Sympathetic Nervous System) kicks in is next to imposible.

The only REAL solution to this problem is approaching it as, when this happens to me. Not, if this happens I will do XY&Z. EMA has experienced instructors certified in SHARP or (Sexual Harassment Asault Rape Prevention) to give you the knowledge and skills to be confident that WHEN an assault takes place not IF, you will be ready!

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/11312988/

What to expect from a childrens martial arts class at EMA!

Expect there to be one or more experienced teachers on the floor in your child’s class. Expect the teacher to, at times, appear to have the patience of Job. Expect a bit more, Oh how shall we say it? ENERGY, every so often. Expect the teacher, whether gently guiding everyone along or cranking up the troops, to wear a smile (a happy one!).   

Expect a lot of talk about respect, about leadership, about following directions, about good manners, about anger, about a whole bunch of things just about any parent would love to hear some OTHER adult talking to them about. That’s the way we do it. 

Expect a lot of good-sleep-inducing exercise. And expect some special events, as one of our primary goals is to teach our students to take what they practice on the mat and apply it to other things (like school, like work, like fun, and -- to the community). 

Expect to look back on your son or daughters martial arts lessons with great pleasure and fond memories. Expect, genuinely, some very good times.

What do you mean by “empowered” in Empowered Martial Arts?

As defined in the dictionary, the word empowered means “to equip or supply with an ability”. Think back to the time when you hit your first home run, won your first soccer game, played your first piano recital, or were given an award for something you worked so hard to achieve. This feeling breeds confidence and boosts self-esteem in a very positive way. It also encourages, and motivates you to set your goals higher to achieve the next level of success. Any instructor can recognize the difference between good and bad technique during a class, but the best instructors are the ones that bring out the very best in every student by helping them set goals and rejoice with them when those goals are achieved! Setting and achieving your goals isn’t meant to be easy, if it were everyone would be successful, but living day to day knowing that you are taking steps to empower your life leads to a healthy body, relationships, and a greater feeling of self worth!

5 Health Tips To Improve Martial Arts Training

Improving your health and becoming fit requires change in the decisions you make throughout the day and how it is prioritized. Fitness in general is 30% physical and 70% nutrition. Proper eating allows you to get the most out of every workout and recover quickly for faster results!

1)      No eating 4 hours before bed. Finishing your last meal of the day before 6pm allows more time for your food to digest before lying down in a horizontal position.

2)      Take the time to chew your food before swallowing. Chewing your food does take a little time out of your lunch break, yes, but doing this simple act relieves that bloated feeling and leaves you feeling full after eating smaller portions.

3)      Drink water! It is not a new discovery that soda and other sugar filled beverages are bad for you in a number of ways. Maintaining hydrated throughout the day helps keep away head aches, cramps, and fatigue.

4)      Double X! Double X is the complete Vitamin/Mineral/Phytonutrient offering superior health protection. It has shown to improve blood nutrient levels to provide your cells with the energy they need to support a healthy heart, brain, eyes, skin, bones, and immune system. This product can be purchased through www.amway.com/tjholgerson

5)      Trade out the cookies and crackers that you snack on between meals for almonds and fruit. This simple act will develop better eating habits and provides a good bridge for anyone trying to give up sweets and junk food. Baby steps are key!

Obvious and Not-So-Obvious Benefits of Taking Martial Arts Lessons in Fayetteville N.C.

There are some obvious benefits that young and old alike garner from studying the martial arts. The first one is in the exercise involved. Exercise, if it’s tailored for the age and ability of the participant, is good for the body, the mind, and, yes, often good for the spirit too.
A not-so-obvious benefit of studying the martial arts is the often unspoken requirement to “be present” in the practice. “When you’re dealing with kicks, punches, and arm-bars,” says veteran martial arts teacher Tom Callos of Hilo, Hawaii, “you simply have to stay ‘in the moment’ to keep from getting socked in the nose. Awareness of what I call, ‘The here and now,” is something you can instantly take off of the mat and put to work in your everyday life.”
With exercise and mindfulness comes a third component that is not a benefit you’ll find in every martial arts school, but it’s something we are deeply involved with. It’s about food and its connection to fitness and health. “What we consume is as important and relevant to self-defense in today’s world,” says Callos, “as any kind of martial arts technique.” For more information on using the martial arts to improve the body, mind, and diet, contact TJ Holgerson at tj_holgerson@hotmail.com or by phone at (913)-754-6570.

Martial Arts Bio. Mr. Holgerson

My name is TJ Holgerson, owner and creator of Empowered Martial Arts. This is a short biography of my journey through the martial arts over the last 13 years. At age nine I started taking a Korean style of traditional taekwondo and loved it from the very first class. I then began to set goals such as: join the leadership team, compete in as many tournaments as possible, and earn my black belt. These goals evolved and adapted as I grew older and continued to persevere to even higher levels of rank, and level of instructor. At age 18 I received my 4^th degree black belt, level 4 or fully certified instructor, and numerous competition state titles through the American Taekwondo Association. Feeling a strong calling on my life to open up my own martial arts studio, I began taking steps towards learning about entrepreneurship and how to work the business side of my passion. Wichita State University gave me some great tools and resources towards building a base, and Hackerott’s Leadership Academy taught me the ins and outs of marketing, advertising, and student retention. During this journey I have also acquired my blue belt through Gracie Jiu Jitsu, green sash in Tai Chi, completed many (PPCT) Pressure Point Control Tactics courses, and have competed in two Mixed Martial Arts fights. In the end it is not about what I know or what I can do, but how I and the instructors of EMA can help you reach YOUR goals one class at a time.    

Bully Self-Defense Fayetteville N.C.

Bullying has recently been gaining more and more attention by the media due to the high number of middle school and teen suicides. They have even made a movie titled “The Bully Project,” to point out the flaws in our school systems. Mr. Holgerson has worked with multiple school systems educating over a thousand kids about bully prevention, effects on other kids, and steps to help your friends. One of the biggest factors associated with bullying is the lack of confidence in oneself. EMA separates itself from the competition by teaching students the steps to defending against verbal bullying, physical bullying, and cyber bullying. All of these happen everyday and destroy self-esteem to the point of believing the insults and lies being told. EMA takes this topic very seriously and incorporates it into every testing cycle in order to stress its importance.

Mr. Holgerson Tricking Sampler

Mr. Holgerson Tricking Sampler

Martial Arts Tricking Fayetteville N.C.

Empowered Martial Arts is proud to introduce a new and exciting element to improve your training called Martial Arts Tricking, or just Tricking for short. This activity isn’t even classified as a sport yet. You have probably seen some of the moves or “tricks” in movies and even video games. Tricking is a combination of advanced taekwondo kicks, gymnastics, elements of break dancing, and endless creativity! Over the years in freestyle and open tournaments, Martial Artists have been continually trying to “one up” each other in competition by adding more kicks while in the air, more spins before kicking, and executing kicks while flipping. Until now there has not been any real structure to tricking. It has evolved more as an underground sport such as break dancing. EMA has developed a curriculum to teach students advanced kicks and gymnastic elements in the correct order for proper muscle development and faster progression from one move to the next. Students will then learn how to put all of these tricks into flowing combinations that will teach the importance of momentum and how to use it to their advantage. Tricking is exciting, innovative, creative, and fun! In the video above is a small taste of what is to come!

Empowered Martial Arts Coming to Fayetteville N.C.!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9oFJCVNX8c&feature=plcp

The Quick Fix Self-Defense Fayetteville, N.C.

One of the Philosophy’s of Empowered Martial Arts is "how can Martial Arts really change your life?" Does getting a stripe on your belt or breaking a board really effect the way you act and behave each and every day? Although yes it is exciting to get a stripe on your belt and break a board, you might even tell your friends, but what is the higher purpose? Now days everyone is looking for the quick fix and with just our country in the last year spending over 45 billion dollars on lottery tickets, something needs to change. Because most Martial Arts programs only offer classes 2 or 3 days each week, that leaves 4 to 5 days a week that the student is being influenced by other party’s. For Martial Arts to have a genuine impact there needs to be small, specific, consistent, and recorded steps taken each day to demonstrate how over time goals can be reached and dreams can be achieved. This is a passion of mine that I am very excited to share with all of you!      

Martial Arts coming to Fayetteville N.C.!

Welcome to Empowered Martial arts! The purpose of this blog is to educate you on what Empowered Martial Arts is all about and share with you all of the exciting material that is being studied to make Empowered Martial Arts the most unique and professional Martial Arts program in Fayetteville N.C. This blog will also be used as a tool to assist in the development of my personal skills as an Instructor, Educator, and Catalyst. I will be moving to Fayetteville North Carolina on September 22^nd and I am so excited to hit the ground running, sharing my passion for Martial Arts, and empowering the lives of every individual I meet! Updates will be made daily with information on health, Self-Defense, growing trends, and the many different ways Empowered Martial Arts can help you set and reach all your Goals.