What does it mean to be a Martial Artist?

I wish there was a simple answer to this question that would sum it up so well that there would never be any controversy. Unfortunately the term “martial arts” is taken many different ways and is interpreted differently by all cultures with martial art styles.

EMA views a martial artist as someone who is confident, disciplined, shows self-control, and is greatly respected by others. It’s doing the right thing even when nobody is looking (integrity). It’s stepping out of your comfort zone and overcoming obstacles that cause you to grow physically, and mentally. It’s helping others repeatedly without asking anything in return. It's taking care of your body. It’s being a peace warrior. It’s knowing how to defend yourself and avoiding fights all together. It’s not easy, it’s not always fun, it’s not always painless. If it was, everyone would achieve the rank of black belt.

At EMA we do not practice meditation, but I do believe in taking time to rest, quiet yourself, stretch, and BREATH! Doing this is essential to relieving stress, calming anger, and creating a clear conscience to be able to think clearly at all times.

We strongly encourage questions throughout classes to clarify the small details that will help all students learn not only the physical skills but the art as well.

A martial artist should strive to acquire all of these traits to better himself/herself as well as those around him. For more questions contact TJ Holgerson at (913)-754-6570 or tj_holgerson@hotmail.com.

 

Self-Defense Against Dating Violence

Have you or has anyone close to you ever been abused physically, emotionally, verbally, or spiritually by a dating partner? This may not surprise you but the statistics of those being abused in a teen dating relationship is NOT going down.

"Nearly 1.5 million highschool students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year. One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of the other types of youth violence. One in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend. One quarter of high school girls have been victims of physical or sexual abuse."

How does Self-Defense come into play?

We're not talking about defending yourself from your dating partner's physical attacks but avoiding it and being aware of thsoe who are abusive. True self-defense is knowledge, being aware of your surroundings, and being prepared for anything. This isn't always just for you but for those close to you as well. You want to strive to be a "peace warrior" or the person who others feel safe around, not just because you know how to knock someone out, but because of your strong leadership qualities and unwavering morals.

EMA is continually working on new ways to educate, raise awareness, and put an end to the many forms of violence that are affecting the community each and every day.



Empower Martial Arts Supports our Troops Fort Bragg, NC

Friday November 2^nd Empower Martial Arts instructors joined our military soldiers and supported their families by attending the brigade run, Purple Heart ceremony, and Gold Star memorial ceremony. Not very often do you get to see thousands of soldiers running in formation and their families cheering them on. The brigade run consisted of 4 miles and not one person was left behind.

 

Following the run was the Purple Heart Ceremony, where soldiers and families gathered to honor those who had been injured during combat. Not every wounded soldier was in attendance, but one such soldier was, SSR Travis Mills. He is the 4^th person ever to survive a quadruple amputee surgery. Seeing him standing and greeting fellow soldiers later was a very surreal sight indeed.

Later in the evening was the Gold Star ceremony where a gold star was awarded, along with a plaque, to the families of the soldiers who died during combat. Emotions were high and tears were shed as the fellow soldiers and families of each victim mourned their loss. Once the prayer was given and shots were fired, emotions began to sink in as everyone became silent in remembrance. The strength of the families who had lost a loved one was unbelievable and is a constant reminder of how fortunate we are to live in a free country.

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.

 

FREE Seminars For Parents, Empower Martial Arts

FREE Bully Prevention Seminar for Parents typically takes about 1 to 1.5 hours. Think about it: in just 1.5 hours, you will learn how to identify bullying behaviors and what you can do for your child if they are being bullied or are the bully. You will also learn the steps you need to follow when dealing with teachers and your school to provide the best protection for your child.

Click on the link http://balancedlifeskills.com/bully-prevention/workshops/parents and sign up for this free workshop. Even if your children are Home-schooled it can still be a very worthwhile conference.

This website also offers a FREE workshop on suicide prevention. How to detect the warning signs, know how to offer help, and know how to get help and save a life! Click the link http://balancedlifeskills.com/suicide-prevention to get started!

For more information or questions, leave a comment below or e-mail tj_holgerson@hotmail.com

Knowledge and awareness are the first steps in true self-defense.

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

Blood, Scrapes, Bruises… Are You Prepared for Reality?

Let’s face it. If you are targeted in a physical attack, there is a very high percentage that you are going to at least feel a little sore the following day. It is very rare that someone is attacked physically and no harm or damage is inflicted during the process unless, of course, you are Chuck Norris.

What Empower Martial Arts wants to prepare you for is the reality that you will probably bleed or receive an injury during an attack. The question is, “How will you respond when this happens?”

Everyone has heard of “Fight or Flight” before, correct? When your adrenaline is pumping, your heart rate is very high, your tunnel vision has kicked in, and your fine motor skills are useless, what do you do? Unfortunately we cannot create the exact feeling and experience of this, but there are many ways to develop the correct responses and actions to counter these attacks through persistent practice.

The best way of course, to prevent these types of attacks is to have a prevention mindset and always be aware of your surroundings and situation. This is step number one. But if the situation is inevitable, you need to have the CONFIDENCE and ABILITY to act quickly while under high stress. Some martial arts facilities teach beat him down until you’re for sure the assailant is immobile. Others say hit him with mace, kick to the groin, or run and scream. What is best?

EMA is trained in several different types of self-defense, but is not bias to any one specific style or the other, but rather utilizing the strengths of the individual and the situation to insure the highest chance of success.

There is no “quick fix” to this problem. It takes diligent practice and time to develop the reflexes your body needs to survive during an attack.

For more questions or if you are interested in EMA coming to your school or business contact tj_holgerson@hotmail.com or call (913)-754-6570.

 

Education, Application, and Perseverance Fayetteville, NC

Over the last week Empower Martial Arts instructors traveled around the Midwest to increase their knowledge, training, teaching skills, and passion for sharing martial arts! We want to thank Albert Bryant of Willard Tae-Kwon-Do in Willard, Missouri for allowing EMA to share their love of teaching with all of the students. The instructors, staff members, and parents were very welcoming and kind. Mr. Harlow and Mr. Holgerson were given the honor of teaching both the lower ranks class and the high ranks class.

EMA then headed south to spend the weekend with Grand Master McNealy in Arkansas. With numerous workouts and trainings, each instructor was given personal one on one training with the different masters of taekwondo. During this weekend, Mr. Holgerson also hosted small tricking workouts to spark creativity and inspire students to push their training to the next level! Extra trainings held by Grand Master McNealy included tournament sparring, knife defense, kickboxing, and grappling. 





 





EMA strives to lead by example in building new friendships, lasting relationships, a mind that is always learning, and increasing your fitness to live a healthy life. Success is the journey, not the destination. For more pictures or questions check out EMA’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Empower-Martial-Arts/207343829305955?ref=hl, or e-mail tj_holgerson@hotmail.com.

Committed to your Success! Empower Martial Arts Fayetteville, NC

Have you ever started something you were so excited about that you couldn’t sleep? Or bought something you couldn’t keep your mind off of? Many times this excitement is diminished after a period of time due to a lack of direction and encouragement from those around you. Setting goals is great! But are you following through on them or are you just hoping that they will magically be reached?

EMA recognizes that some people are highly self-motivated and others need you to hold their hand every now and then. True strength of character is built in the times when you have “hit the wall”, or lost the initial passion you started with. For instance, take building a model airplane. If someone is expecting it to be done by the time the fair arrives and is calling you to see how everything is coming along, you will finish it because you know how badly you want to display your hard work for all to see. In the same instance, if you are building a model airplane just to have one and no one cares if you finish it, you probably will not finish. And if you do finish, it may take much longer than you anticipated.

At Empower Martial Arts we want to know your goals and exactly what we need to do to insure that you reach them! Accountability is the best way to keep you on track and focused on what you really want. Leave a comment below or e-mail tj_holgerson@hotmail.com for more tips on reaching your goals and building a foundation for success!

Empower Martial Arts Tricking Fayetteville, NC

EMA instructor TJ Holgerson is continuing to practice and learn new elements in one of the fastest growing action sports called Martial Arts Tricking! This is just one of the exciting programs that will push you to the next level in martial arts and fitness.

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Dating Violence Knowledge from Empower Martial Arts

What is dating violence? When we talk about dating violence we refer to young unmarried couples who have abusive relationships where someone is getting hurt. Many times it is the female being hurt and other times it is just generally violence where both are getting hurt. It is a great problem for all races and economic levels. Some examples of physical abuse are slapping, biting, kicking, throwing things, shoving, choking, and many others. Other forms of abuse include intimidation or threatening, isolation, keeping the partner away from his/her friends, brainwashing, and deprivation with holding necessities.

If your wondering why this is going on you have to look into multiple categories. Some say we just live in a violent society where men with muscles are natural aggressors. Others believe it’s an issue of weaker taboo, alcohol and drugs, lack consequences meaning the consequences are not enough to stop the behavior, and cycle of abuse starting at routine moving to tension then violence and then making up.

Why do they do it and why does the victim stay? Some abusive boyfriends feel as if it is their right to control and dominate “their” woman. Other times it’s a person who has never learned a healthy way to control “bad” feelings—rage, anger, frustration, and jealousy. The biggest reason according to statistics is the abuser has grown up in a abusive home where violence was demonstrated often. They do a great job of playing the cool collected guy in public that everyone wants to be with, thus attracting women especially ones who love to be noticed, but once the relationship goes sexual many males believe the female is his possession.

Women suffer from a cycle where the first incident leaves her in shock and stunned. The male then convinces her it will never happen again and begins abusive patters that slowly become part of the relationship. Note almost all abuse starts only after sex has become part of the picture. The women then begins to lose self esteem after verbal abuse and is to afraid to tell anyone about her situation.

Sadly many cases never get reported, here is what you need to do if you have been abused. Acknowledge your situation and know it’s not healthy, TELL SOMEONE, gain some distance from abuser, get medical, legal, and emotional help, and begin a path towards recovery. The 24-hour domestic violence hotline is 1-(800)-799-SAFE.

For more information on this topic leave a comment below or e-mail tj_holgerson@hotmail.com



What is Empower Martial Arts All About?

Empower Martial Arts is a group of teachers/educators who use the tool of “martial arts” to change lives. We want students to know what if looks and feels like to make a difference in the community. We want to hear stories from others saying how your training has influenced their lives! We want everyone to see how martial arts can relieve stress, improve grades in school, develop a healthy life style, help you lose weight, and challenge you to better yourself each and every day.

EMA is all about leading by example. Living what you preach and walking the walk is the most powerful form of influencing and challenging others. How can we expect you to be fit, healthy, and goal oriented if we aren’t? It’s not fair for us to expect you to practice outside of class, set higher goals, and push yourself if we aren’t. EMA is committed to giving everyone the best chance for success in every aspect of life.

EMA is committed toward building strong relationships, empowering students to give their best every class, and enhancing character development. All of this is accomplished through positive correction rather than criticism.

Lastly, EMA is all about equipping you for the future. Preparing you with the physical skills needed to defend yourself, preparing your children for future job interviews and social interaction, and preparing you to be leaders in the community.

Leave a comment below or e-mail tj_holgerson@hotmail.com for more information.



What is Resilience? Empower Martial Arts Fayetteville, NC

Resilience is the ability to bounce back in the face of adversity, to grow and thrive during hard challenges. This concept is built around a group of core competencies that enables mental toughness, optimal performance, strong leadership, and goal achievement. How do I bounce back?

Empower Martial Arts is here to help you identify your top character strengths to give you the tools needed to overcome adversity. Some of these skills include Self Awareness: Identify thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and patterns in thinking. Self Regulation: Regulate behaviors, control emotions and impulses to express your emotions appropriately. Optimism: Maintain a clear head, look for the good, identify what’s controllable, and remain realistic. Mental Agility: Understanding problems by thinking flexibly and accurately. Connection: Building a foundation around clear communication that is positive and effective. And last but not least is Strengths of Character: Knowing what you’re capable of and playing to your strengths.

EMA instructors are not just teachers but “educators.” Awareness is the first step towards prevention and leading a better life! for questions leave a comment below or e-mail tj_holgerson@hotmail.com