Interacting With Children

                       

                     INTERACTING WITH CHILDREN

KiCK Martial Arts is involving children in big idea topics with a chalkboard wall! 

The kids love to write stuff before and after classes and we love seeing what they respond with! 

SO FUN!  

We've seen tons of answers to this question:

 HOW WOULD YOU CHANGE THE WORLD?

"Loving each other more" 

"Be Kind"

"Kid president"

"Help people who have cancer"

"Spread KiCK around the world"

"Help all others"

Children have great minds that are BIG. They have the capacity to change the world and love being involved. Finding little ways to let children explain their point of view makes them feel important. That's huge. We want all children to feel comfortable enough to talk to us, right? But maybe, adults have to spark the conversation first. It can happen through our...

 DAILY BEAD CEREMONY

At the end of our classes parents have the opportunity to honor their child in front of the whole class. A bead may be a small thing, but the bead is not the importance. They get your heart, mind, and honor - a life changing feeling for a child. 

BEAD COLORS:

Orange- displaying self- control (controlling my actions) 

Blue- displaying compassion (caring for others) 

White- Having integrity (doing the right thing when no one is watching)

Grey- Showing humility (putting others first)  

Black- Having perseverance (never giving up) 

Parents and kids are having meaningful conversations in front of everyone. This isn't something you have to do in front of everyone though, it can even be at home! 

You can drop off a message for us in our prayer jar. It's where you can tell us anything, good or bad. Explain how we can pray for you, or even how class was. We want to get to know our families and that sometimes means getting in the messy with you. We are okay with that! :)

Our next trip from Kansas City to Haiti is March 13th, 2014 

Call to reserve your spot! 816-746-1417

You have the opportunity to train with OLYMPIC athletes across the world! 

What was formerly Empower Martial Arts has been reborn with a brand new and exciting mission that is the first of its kind, We are now known as.....

KiCK leads out of a position of love, not fear and believe that children have the capacity to change the world. The instructors, Miss Tiffany and Mr. TJ have created relationships with the Haitian Olympic Committee and Pastor Jay Jay in Uganda through The Global Orphan Project. With this being said, KiCK has 2 sister schools- one in Haiti and the other in Uganda. These schools are located inside orphanages in Haiti and Uganda. This gives children and adults in Kansas City the opportunity to take eye opening world vision trips with us, while helping orphaned and abandoned children.

Our next trip is scheduled for March 13,2015-March 18,2015 to Port Au Prince, Haiti

If you would like to take this trip with us and get the opportunity to train with Haitian Olympic Athletes, and change the lives of abandoned children, contact us at kickint@gmail.com or kickma.com

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We are blessed to say that our classes in Kansas City start November 3rd. Spots are filling up quickly, so call 816-746-1417 to reserve your spot in class! We would love to have YOU be apart of what God is doing through KiCK Martial Arts!

Life Skill of the month is Courtesy

Courtesy is more than just a word or an action. It is a choice. Every day you have the chance to show and demonstrate courtesy. During class we simply refer to courtesy as treating people right, or doing unto others as you would have them do unto you (golden rule).

Courtesy comes in many different forms and is rarely ever praised or rewarded. It’s the conscious effort of putting others before you and over time develops good habits that dictate your strength in character. You should never seek tangible rewards for showing courtesy to friends and strangers, because demonstrating courtesy with the wrong motives shows fear of not being recognized and low self-esteem.

On behalf of Empower Martial Arts and its instructors, I would like to challenge you to not just wait around for opportunities to arise, but to seek out more situations where you could show courtesy and maybe even step out of your comfort zone.

Showing courtesy leads to higher self-esteem, higher self-esteem leads to confidence, and confidence leads to leadership and empowering the lives of those around you. Don’t waste any opportunity to grow and help others. For more information call (913)-754-6570 or e-mail tj_holgerson@hotmail.com.

Health Benefits of Martial Arts

You may have heard once or twice before about how Tae Kwon Do and Martial Arts build strong character development traits and life skills such as Integrity, respect, perseverance, honor, confidence, etc…, but sometimes the health benefits are slightly overlooked.

In conjunction with the physical exercises of Tae Kwon Do such as kicking, punching, footwork, stances, and blocks, come numerous benefits for your health and body. Done consistently, the movements and exercises associated with each class help relieve stress and anxiety by releasing the endorphins and toxins trapped inside your body. When these are released, it allows your body to think more clearly and to create a better flow of oxygen and blood to your brain and muscles. Many times during class the instructor will remind you to breathe correctly and to not hold your breath. This may seem like common sense, but when your body is tired and fatigued your mind becomes fatigued as well.

Some adults choose not to participate in martial arts due to a number of reasons, one being the fear of injuring themselves. In each class at Empower Martial Arts we start with the proper warm up and dynamic stretches for the activities and movements that will be done during the main portion of the class. This insures that your muscles and tendons are ready to be worked, strengthened, and toned to avoid possible injury or reinjure. The end of each class time is also spent on static stretching and tactical breathing to relax the muscles and improve flexibility. We also strongly encourage stretching throughout the day and drinking water to avoid possible cramps or tightness.

If you’re looking to feel better, move better, breathe better, and even lose some weight while getting in shape, contact (913)-754-6570 or e-mail tj_holgerson@hotmail.com for more information!

 

The big topic of SAFETY

As our great nation begins another year, many changes are still to come. Not even 10 full days into 2013 and there has been another school shooting. This incident took place this morning 9:00am, at a High School in California's southern San Joaquin Valley. The full story can be found at http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/10/16449709-two-reported-shot-at-california-high-school?lite.

Empower Martial Arts is putting together a safety check to insure all measures are taken to protect the students and their families. These checks are put in place to eliminate any chance of possible child abuse, sexual abuse, dangerous situations outside of class, dangerous situations that could occur inside of class, and many other safety threatening areas.

EMA wants every student and family to feel safe and confident in the instructors during every class! For more information contact Mr. Holgerson at tj_holgerson@hotmail.com.

Happy New Year From Empower Martial Arts!

What an exciting time to celebrate the triumphs of 2012 and welcome in a new year of possibilities. EMA is ready to take on 2013 with force, optimism, and faith that God will continue to provide.

Jumping into a new year is a great time for goal setting, not resolutions necessarily, as those are merely a blind hope for success. Take the time today to write out SMART goals (Specific, Motivating, Achievable, Relevant, Trackable). Be sure to include short term goals, long term goals, academic goals, physical goals, and relational goals as well. Map out a game plan to give yourself every possible chance to succeed.

Looking back at the natural disasters, shootings, hate crimes, and losses so many have experienced in the last year, EMA is working on reaching out to the community and setting a good example for our future generations. Many prayers are continually lifted this holiday season to the families of Newtown, Connecticut who are spending these holidays for the first time without loved ones and dear friends.

In the midst of the sadness, happiness, triumphs, struggles, and whatever else life throws at you this year, always rejoice in what you have and don’t take anything for granted.

Building upon the foundation of Perseverance

Perseverance defined is steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc…, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

This being said; take the number of activities and challenges you did perfectly the first time and compare them to the number of ones you had to work at. If you have done more perfect the first time you need to be writing this post!

Empower Martial Arts is the result of years of perseverance. Learning through hardships and pushing past difficulties doesn’t just keep you on the road towards achieving your goals, but more importantly develops strong character.

Setting a goal is step one. Step two is working to make it happen. EMA wants to not only show you what the end can look like, but teach YOU how to get there. Having accountability, a mentor, and someone to encourage you through the highs and lows is what EMA is all about.

One of the best tools you can have in your bag is knowing what to do when you’ve hit the wall. When you’ve lost all motivation to continue on, what do you do? Who do you call? Knowing the answer to this question ahead of time and having a game plan is planning for success.

“God knows our situation; He will not judge us as if we had no difficulties to overcome. What matters is the sincerity and perseverance of our will to overcome them." C.S. Lewis

Empower Martial Arts Homeschool Class!

Empower Martial Arts is very excited to announce that it will be hosting its first ever official HOMESCHOOL CLASS this Tuesday, December 4^th at Tolson Youth Center on Fort Bragg!

The times for these classes will be 1:15pm-2:15pm for ages 6-12yrs old and a class for 4 and 5yr olds will be held immediately after from 2:15pm-3:00pm.

The 6-12 year old class will be a 45 minute class with 15 extra minutes following for students to ask questions and practice on their own. The 4 and 5 year old class will be 30 minutes long with 15 extra minutes as well to work on their material and ask questions.

These classes are scheduled for Tuesday, Thursday, and every other Friday in the Martial Arts room at the Tolson Youth Center. Schedules will be handed out this Tuesday.

VERY IMPORTANT! If you are not already registered with CYS (Child Youth Cervices), you must do so before your child can participate in the class. It is a one-time process and is required for each family.

Also, from now until the end of December these classes will be absolutely FREE!! Mr. Holgerson is acting as a volunteer to reach out to the homeschool community and provide an exciting traditional Tae Kwon Do class that is offered at a convenient time for these families.

Finally! Tell your friends and family about this exciting opportunity and we will see you THIS Tuesday! For any other questions or comments contact Mr. Holgerson at tj_holgerson@hotmail.com or by phone at (913)-754-6570.

Perseverance From Within Fayetteville, NC

On a day to day basis you are faced with both obstacles and challenges that can seem nearly impossible. Challenges at school, work, home, and in the community can seemingly put you with your back against the wall wondering what to do. Many fighters face this same phenomenon in the ring facing their opponent, heart racing, tunnel vision, and wondering what the outcome will be at the end of the night.

However, challenges at school do not always leave you with bumps and bruises like a fighter, but they can be physically and emotionally straining. One of the first and most important lessons a fighter must learn is what to do when you get hit. This question is followed by, how will you fight back? For many fighters the feeling of being “gassed” or out of energy while your opponent looks fresh and ready to beat you down is one of the most overwhelming feelings.

Empower Martial Arts wants to share with you the same strategies that fighters use to prepare for fights and apply them to your everyday struggles. The power of knowledge, the power of planning, and the power of overcoming adversity are valuable life lessons that prepare you for job interviews, tests at school, projects at work, and many others.

Our mission at EMA is to EMPOWER the lives of each and every student giving them the tools they need for success and holding them accountable. If you would like more information on this topic, or where EMA is headed, contact Mr. Holgerson at tj_holgerson@hotmail.com or by phone at (913)754-6570.

 

Getting Involved in the Community, Empower Martial Arts Fayetteville, NC

This weekend EMA Instructors had the privilege of judging and networking at the “Trick or Treat Bash Open Tournament.” Martial arts studios from all over NC showed up to compete, make friends, and improve their skill set. The tournament was for all ages, ranks, and skill levels and offered competitions in the categories of weapons, open hand forms, point sparring, continuous sparring, grappling, and overall grand champion. For students and parents that are interested in competing at a tournament, contact Mr. Holgerson at tj_holgerson@hotmail.com or by phone at (913)-754-6570.

EMA also attended the STCNow or (Stop Child Trafficking Now) walk near downtown Fayetteville to raise money and awareness about child and sex trafficking. The event was put together very well with many volunteers and churches making the event a success! For more pictures and information check out EMA’s facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Empower-Martial-Arts/207343829305955?ref=hl or flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/tjholgerson. 

 

No Rules Self-Defense Fayetteville, NC

It’s very important that you remember when it comes to self-defense there are NO RULES. When you feel threatened, in trouble, or in any kind of danger, your only job is to get away quickly and safely as fast as possible.

The last thing you should have on your mind is to follow rules such as: I don’t want to draw attention to myself, I don’t want to lie, and I don’t want to hit someone. As master Tom Callos puts it, “HIT and hit HARD, LIE and lie BIG, don’t be afraid to throw a rock through someone’s window to get attention!” Bite, scratch, yell, stomp, kick, and throw things to get away and get away quickly.

Look for clues, be assertive, and be aware of the environment around you. Be aware of dark hallways, dark parking lots, strange characters by themselves, areas of town that become dangerous late at night, and anything that makes your hair stand up are all early signs of possible danger. However,  there are some types of danger that cannot be predicted and happen very quickly, such as car accidents or sport injuries.

Finally, never allow a situation that’s not good to get worse, or extremely dangerous. When a situation doesn’t feel right,  trust your instincts, get away, and get help quickly.

 

The Power of Your Voice, Empower Martial Arts

When most people think of Karate or Tae-Kwon-Do, the first thing that comes to their minds is the crane pose from The Karate Kid or a goofy yell. In martial arts this goofy yell is called a “ki-hap” and it serves several purposes.

The main purpose of a “ki-hap” is to increase your power when executing a technique. Science has shown how exhaling simultaneously with a technique can increase your power by up to 15%. It causes a small burst of adrenaline to escape while at the same time reminding you to breathe when you’re nervous.

Yelling is also a great way to draw attention to yourself if you are feeling threatened or are being attacked. The worst thing you can do is freeze up and not say anything. Yelling can signal other people to help you or even scare the aggressor away entirely.

For testing purposes, ki-hap’s are used as a form of communication to signal your partner during one-step drills and self-defense routines. This is one way of showing respect to your opponent by making sure they have a plan before attacking.

Finally yelling is a great form of stress relief that is generally frowned upon in many activities. Coming from a stressful day at work or having trouble with bullies at school, EMA wants to relieve your stress and build confidence through the power of your voice!

For more information or questions on this topic or how to get involved in Empower Martial Arts contact Mr. Holgerson at tj_holgerson@hotmail.com or leave a comment below.



Safety Tips For Your Children From Empower Martial Arts

Just in case you didn’t know, pedestrian injury is still the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death in children ages 5-14. Because a child’s size and cognitive ability are constantly developing, in addition to environmental risks such as speeding motorists there are many hazards that contribute to accidents and injuries. Here are some great tips from resources www.safekids.org and www.childrensafetyzone.com.

Teach safe behaviors:

• Look left, right and left again before crossing the street. Cross when the street is clear, and keep looking both ways while crossing. Walk, don't run.

• Understand and obey traffic signals and signs.

• Walk facing traffic, on sidewalks or paths, so that you can see oncoming cars. If there are no sidewalks, walk as far to the left as possible.

Practice safe behaviors:

• Don’t allow a child under age 10 to cross streets alone as he may not be able to fully appreciate the speed of cars on the road.

• Require children to carry a flashlight at night, dawn and dusk. Add retroreflective materials to children’s clothing so that a child can be seen by motorists, even in the dark.

• Don't let kids play in driveways, unfenced yards, streets or parking lots. Drivers may not see or anticipate children playing.

For more information on safety tips and how to get involved with Empower Martial Arts Contact Mr. Holgerson at tj_holgerson@hotmail.com or by phone at (913)-754-6570.  

Empower Martial Arts Taekwondo Program is Here! Fayetteville, N.C.

Tonight was EMA’s first official workout class! If you or your children are interested at all in trying EMA’s Taekwondo program, join us on Thursday nights at Hammond Hills Neighborhood Center at the corner of Bastogne and Normandy for an exciting traditional Taekwondo class hosted by Mr. Holgerson.

Oh and did I mention it’s FREE! There will be 2 class times, one from 5:00pm-5:45pm for 6-12yr olds, and another from 6:00pm-6:45pm for 13yrs and up. This will not be available forever and classes are limited, so call 913-754-6570 to reserve a spot.

There is also a toddler room for parents with younger children that includes a window to watch classes.

Bring any clothes you don’t mind sweating in (no jeans please) and join us on Thursday night! For more questions and information contact Mr. Holgerson at tj_holgerson@hotmail.com or by phone at 913-754-6570, also check out EMA’s facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Empower-Martial-Arts/207343829305955?ref=hl

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. Empower Martial Arts wants to show YOU and your children how to become safe, healthy, and a great leader! E-mail tj_holgerson@hotmail.com or call (913)-754-6570 for more information.